Chapter 32 – Rise of the Lycans
Harry was uncharacteristically happy as the train ride back to King's Cross Station was coming to an end. He was feeling better now than he had during any of his previous Christmas holidays. Not only was this the first year where something potentially life threatening wasn't happening, despite Umbridge's continued attempts to ruin it, this was also his first Christmas that he was going to spend away from Hogwarts, having been invited to spend it at the Burrow with the Weasley's and at Grimmauld Place with Sirius.
Dumbledore had told Harry during their last meeting that he would arrive at the Burrow and so that he could be taken to Grimmauld Place to spend that night's full moon before spending Christmas with Sirius. The plan was then formed for Harry to go with the Weasley's to the Burrow so that the Ministry wouldn't think to question his whereabouts before leaving to head to Grimmauld Place.
Harry had told his friends the following day during the dinner at the Great Hall. Due to the large number of people in the Great Hall, it made it nearly impossible for Harry to focus his senses of smell and hearing, and unbeknownst to him, Malfoy had heard about their plans, an evil grin spreading across his face.
He hoped to be able to travel to the Burrow frequently during his stay, a consolation prize considering that he was unable to spend it with his girlfriend. Both Harry and Fleur were disappointed that they weren't going to be able to see each other over Christmas. While they were at school, it had been determined that it was safe enough for Fleur's family to return to France, albeit at a safe house at an undisclosed location. Due to the secrecy needed to keep the Delacours safe, frequent travel to and from the place was deemed too risky. On top of that, Fleur wanted to spend time with her family and Dumbledore's wish that Harry remain in Britain, the pair would have to wait until next term to see each other.
He turned his attention to Hermione, who was busy explaining to Fleur about her family's ski trip that they had planned while they were on break. At first, he was surprised that Hermione wasn't spending Christmas either at the Burrow with them, but when she lamented that it had been some time since she had spent Christmas with her parents, he completely understood. The last time that she hadn't spent Christmas at Hogwarts was their first year, so he couldn't fault her for wanting to be with her family as well.
Once at King's Cross, they were met by the familiar sight of on Order escort consisting of Tonks, Remus, Moody, and Bill. They quickly ushered all the teens off the train and towards a fireplace kept off to the side of the platform for families that either preferred Floo over apparition, or groups that were too large to apparate safely. Hermione gave both Harry and Ron a quick hug goodbye, though she also gave Ron a kiss on the cheek, causing the pair of them to look extremely awkward afterwards, before going through the barrier to meet up with her parents. Harry and Fleur also gave their goodbyes, kissing briefly, before she was escorted by Hestia Jones to the Ministry so she could take an international portkey to where her family was staying.
Harry watched as his girlfriend apparated away before turning and joining the others by the fireplace. They entered the green flames one at a time, each student going through first followed by an Order member, until it was just Tonks and Harry left. Before she went through, Tonks gave Harry a look that he recognized a few times from the likes of the twins and Sirius.
"I bet your upset that your girlfriend won't be around for the holidays aren't ya? I bet you were hoping to give her a big present," she said waggling her eye brows suggestively, causing Harry to turn beet red. She let out a hearty laugh, and as Harry stepped into the mantel, managed to sputter out, "The Burrow", and vanished into the flames, Tonks amusement still ringing in his ears.
Stepping out of the hearth, he was quickly accosted by Mrs. Weasley, who enveloped him in a hug that gaze Hermione's a run for her money.
"Harry dear, it's good to see you. I hope that Hogwarts has treated you well."
"It was Fine Mrs. Weasley."
"Good. Now since you'll be leaving shortly, I suggest that you eat a good supper before Moody decides it's time to leave."
He simply gave her a smile before heading to the kitchen where the rest of the Weasley's were about to sit down for dinner. He made to sit down next to Ron, only to find that the spot was occupied by Bill, leaving only one seat left for him to sit. And it happened to be right next to Ginny.
By the widening of her eyes, she noticed it too. She tried to unnoticeably glance around the room for anywhere else to sit but it was no use, they were stuck where they were. Harry only just managed to bite back the groan that threatened to escape his throat. Ginny still acted weird around him, even though he had tried his best multiple times to give her the impression that he was still the same Harry she'd known for a long time.
Once he sat down, he noticed that she was slowly inching herself away from him as far as her seat would allow her. Despite his frustration over her behavior, he couldn't help but feel sad that the person that he viewed as a sister would have such a terrible reaction to him, and to try and placate her, moved himself away from her as well in hopes of providing reassurance.
To most of the occupants of the Burrow, there was no tension at the dining room table. Everyone chatted merrily about the school year and work, despite all the children picking up on the tension that was between Harry and Ginny.
It was when Ginny abruptly got up after finishing her meal and excused herself from the table that Harry decided that he would have to have a conversation with Ginny later on that night.
-HP-
Getting Ginny to talk was much easier said than done. It wasn't until several hours later than he managed to approach her on the stairwell.
"Hey Ginny."
Ginny whipped her head to look at him, her expression initially one of shock before she tried to give a smile that she hoped was convincing, but Harry knew better.
"Oh, hello Harry. Look, it's getting late so I'm just- "
"Look Ginny," the sternness in his voice stopped her response in its tracks, along with his gaze which blazed with determination, "I know you've been avoiding me all year and I want to know why."
She was at a loss for words. It wasn't that she didn't think Harry wouldn't notice, she knew that she wasn't the subtlest person, but the fact that Harry was actually forcing the confrontation was what caught her off guard. Past experience would make one believe that Harry wasn't one to confront people in this kind of situation head-on, nor did she think that he valued their relationship enough to have this discussion either.
"I haven't- "but again Harry cut her off.
"Is it because you're afraid of me?"
Ginny's expression showcased the maelstrom of emotions that ran through her at the question. Her mouth opened and closed as she attempted to come up with a response.
"Ginny, please. I need to know. Enough people look at me as a monster. All I want is to know how to fix this?"
The hurt in his eyes was what made her change her mind. The hurt the was showcased behind his eyes made her feel guilty for how she had been treating him. She was afraid but not of him, of what he could do. Her mind then drifted to the events of her first year, which only made her feel worse as she remembered how Harry didn't look at her with either pity or fear due to her role in the vents of that year. If he could do that for her, why hasn't she done that for him?
"I…I was afraid. I know it makes me a hypocrite because I'm not afraid of Lupin but he can't attack at a moment's notice. I know you have no control over that, but I couldn't stop it from being there," she made direct eye contact with him for the first time during this whole conversation, hoping that she was conveying her message of sincerity and regret as clear as she hoped she was. "I hope you can forgive me, especially since you didn't treat me different after Riddle- "she was again interrupted, this time when Harry engulfed her in a hug which she graciously returned, yet she still couldn't help the slight hesitation, but she was still trying to get over her fear.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for Ginny."
He looked ready to say more before a bone-chilling sound ripped through the night air.
The howl of a werewolf.
-HP-
Harry quickly ran as fast as he could down the stairs of the Burrow, bursting through the back door and out into the garden. Instinctively he looked up and saw that the full moon was in the sky. Instinctively, he tried to push aside the familiar tightening sensation of his skin, as he looked out into the fields around the Burrow.
In front of him stood two individuals who were looking directly at him. The first he recognized as Greyback, while the other one was wearing Death Eater Garbs. The stranger lifted his hands to his mask, and removed it revealing the face of Viktor Krum. Seeing Cedric's murderer standing right in front of him sent Harry into a rage as he bolted forward, the only thought on his mind to tear the bastard limb from limb.
Once he crossed the Burrow's boundary lines and entered the surrounding fields, both Krum and Greyback ran deeper into the marshes, leading Harry farther away from the Burrow. The thick reeds kept Harry from being able to see them clearly until he entered a small clearing with no indication of where the pair had gone.
A bolt of red light flew past his head, missing Harry by inches. He turned to see Krum standing there looking triumphantly at Harry. Harry quickly pulled out his wand and the two began to aggressively send spell back and forth. Though Viktor knew more spells and was the more experienced duelist, Harry's quicker reflexes made it difficult for Krum to end the duel as quickly as he had hoped, but one of Krum's hexes grazed Harry's arm, enraging him further
With a quickness that surprised them both, Harry leapt the distance between them and pinned Viktor to the ground, his hand raising in the air to slash the bastard's throat as he was about to lose control of himself. He reared his claws back to end him, but Viktor began laughing which gave him monetary pause.
"You are predictable Harry Potter," he said as he continued to laugh.
"What are you going on about?" The laugh was starting to get on his nerves.
"The Dark Lord wants to kill you himself. Why would I rob my master of his glory?"
Harry tried to wrap his head around Viktor's words. If Krum wasn't here to kill him, then he was just a distraction. But, a distraction from what?
From the direction of the Burrow, Harry saw a few bright flashes of lights and the telltale growling of werewolves, when realization dawned on him. Viktor was luring him away from the Burrow, so that the Weasley's could be attacked.
Taking his chance, Krum send a point-blank stunner at Harry, knocking him back a few feet. Once he was back to his feet, he apparated away, but Harry could care less. As soon as he righted himself, he took off back in the direction of the Burrow but was stopped by a ring of cursed fire surrounding the home.
On the other side, he saw that the Burrow was up in flames as the Weasley's along with Tonks, Moody, and other members of the Order who were keeping guard were engaging nearly a half a dozen transformed werewolves. Thankfully, the Weasley's could find several positions to hold up, and from what he could tell, they nor the Order had yet to suffer any casualties, and had managed to avoid getting attacked by any of them.
A scream caught Harry's attention as Greyback, who was somehow able to retain his human form, was closing in on Ginny, who had lost her wand at some point during the fight, while Bill was trying to fend off another one. Harry leapt through the cursed flames, no longer concerned for his one well-being, and ran towards the frightened Ginny.
Using all his momentum, he knocked Greyback back several feet and let out a fierce roar, receiving one in return once Greyback had recovered. Seeing that Harry had managed to return, he quickly dispelled the flame barrier and apparated away along with several of the other werewolves. Harry nearly relaxed, thinking they had one, before another scream rang out, this one was in pain.
By the time he found the source of them scream, he found Bill pinned to the ground bleeding as the werewolf he had been fighting was poised to end his life. Harry began to see red as he took off towards the pair and violently knocked the werewolf off Bill, knocking him out.
Harry and the rest of the Weasley's gathered around Bill, but it didn't look good. Bill was losing blood very quickly, the ground around his body being replaced by a pool of red.
"Someone heal him!" cried a hysterical Mrs. Weasley, who was visibly shaking from the night's events.
"Molly. He's been attacked by a werewolf. There's nothing- "
She tried to protest but stopped when Bill reached out with one of his bloody hands and grabbed hers.
"It's okay mum."
"No, no, no, no!" she cried as everyone watched in horror as Bill's hands went limp, the last of his life having been drained from him. Arthur quickly wrapped his wife up in her arms and tried consoling her, despite the tears that were spilling from his eyes. Ginny and Ron came over to Harry and the three embraced, their tears mingling as they grieved for the fallen Weasley. That was until a they heard a laugh come from behind them.
Turning around, they saw that the werewolf who had attacked Bill had reverted to his human form, but it was obvious that he was in a bad way, blood coming from his mouth due to the injuries he sustained from Harry's attack.
"Looks like the runt wasn't strong enough. It takes a truly weak wizard to die from the bite," he sneered before erupting into another fit of pained laughing.
The horrors of that night had become too much for Harry. Seeing Bill lying on the ground had somehow managed to help him keep complete control over himself, but it was quickly evaporating from the werewolf's comments.
"I wonder if it's because he comes from such a weak family. A family of filthy Blood Traitors."
Before anyone could stop him, Harry snapped. He quickly strode over to the injured wolf and straddled him as his claws began to grow from his fingers. Wanting nothing more than to end the life of the piece of filth beneath him, Harry began slashing and clawing violently at the man. He swiped away for several moments, somehow feeling very good about what he was doing. He wanted the man, no the monster beneath him dead, and was close to killing him before screaming and yelling behind him caused him to stop.
"Harry, No!"
Pausing, he turned his feral eyes towards the source of the voice, meeting Ginny's eyes as she tried to reach his human side.
"You told me that you weren't a monster Harry. Now I need you to prove it."
Realization of what he had almost done was like a bucket of cold water was dumped over Harry. He looked back at the figure beneath him, unconscious yet still alive due to his werewolf physiology, Harry felt sick to his stomach. He had told Ginny that he wasn't a monster, but with what just happened, he realized that he was no better than the man beneath him.
He quickly got up and was walking back towards the field. He didn't know what he was going to do but all he knew was that he needed to get away. He had only managed to take a few steps before he felt the familiar sensations of his transformation begin to take hold. Seeing this, Moody quickly stepped forward, announced that he needed to get Harry to Grimmauld Place, before leaving the Weasley's behind to grieve for their dead son.
AN: So, there it is. This was one of the chapters that I had envisioned for the story from the very beginning. I wanted something to happen over the Christmas holiday but I wanted it to be different from the Arthur attack from canon. Originally, I did have Arthur dying, but I realized that I wasn't really using Bill and I like Arthur, which led to the decision to kill off Bill. I also wanted an excuse to bring both Viktor and Greyback back into the picture and I hope that they can return much quicker next time around. Hopefully this chapter is good enough, in you guys' eyes.
Next chapter will be dealing with the fallout of the event. I hope to further resolve some of the issues touched upon in this chapter in the coming ones, such as Harry and Ginny's relationship and what this attack actually means.
As always, thanks for reading!