Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot and anything you don't recognise.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel.
Chapter fourteen: The Calm Before the Storm.
Harry grinned at the girl in his arms. She smiled back at him and reached up to kiss him again. They were outside in the grounds by the lake. The weather was warm and sunny and they were enjoying it while it lasted.
Harry let her lips come close and pulled back unexpectedly. She pouted at him.
"That's not fair." She whined, Harry smiled at her teasingly.
"I know." She leaned in for another kiss but once again he pulled back. This time she looked upset.
"Harry, no, I want a kiss." She was upset. Harry relented immediately. He bent down and kissed her softly. She smiled and cheered up. He laughed at her, and jumped up. She turned around and looked up at him. She caught the look in his eyes. They were sparkling; he was in that playful mood again.
She laughed again and stood up as well. She moved towards him. He towards her as well. She was about to reach out and pull him in for a kiss, when he moved behind her. Cho turned around and slapped his arms.
"Don't!"
"Sorry." He didn't look it. She rolled her eyes at him. She was about to move towards him again when she felt herself being pulled to the ground. She squealed once in shock and then burst out laughing when she felt herself land on top of him.
"You scared me!" She protested. He didn't answer, just smiled at her and leant in for another kiss. She kissed him back eagerly. She felt his hand move down to the hem of her top. In her mind she smiled slightly and decided that it was time to get a bit of revenge. She waited till his hand was half way up then rolled over so she was on the bottom. His hand was pulled out of her top. He looked shocked then laughed.
"I guess I deserved that."
"Yes, you did." They rolled over and lay on their sides facing each other. She reached out and began stroking his hair softly. He smiled and slipped an arm around her.
"I'm glad you're back." She said. He raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't aware I went on holiday." She slapped his arm again.
"You know what I mean." He nodded at her. He kissed her lightly and stood up. He held out a hand.
"Come on. I've got work to do." She pouted at him again.
"But I was enjoying that."
"Me too. But I've got work to do." She sighed and allowed him to pull her up. He put an arm around her. They walked back to the castle in silence. Cho nestled against him and he kissed her again. She was so glad he was back to normal. The past few weeks had been hell for her.
They entered the castle and he walked her back to the Ravenclaw common room. They stopped outside of it and Cho pressed herself against him and looked up at him.
"I love you, Harry, don't ever forget that." Harry laughed.
"With all theses kisses, how could I?" She rolled her eyes. Typical Harry; never could let the conversation get too serious.
"Whatever." She kissed him passionately one more time. "I'll see you later, ok?"
"Ok, bye." She disappeared into the Ravenclaw common room. He began to walk back to the Gryffindor common room. He wandered down the corridors, trying to ignore the hostile stares he was getting. He could handle them better now that he was no longer having to fight off bouts of insanity every five seconds. However the constant snide remarks and the spells that flew his way after every corner annoyed him and made life difficult. He approached a group of fourth years. The broke out in mutters and glared at him but as soon as he got into earshot they fell silent. One boy, however, stepped forwards. Harry was tempted to walk past him and ignore him.
"You bastard, you murdered Fudge." Harry turned to him coldly.
"Do you have any idea why I had to do it?" The boy glared at him and nodded confidently.
"Yeah," he said, "Because you want power and fame." Harry laughed loudly.
"You don't have a clue what you're talking about. So go back to guessing." The boy sneered at him.
"You just want more power." That stung him. Harry turned on him angrily.
"I killed Fudge because I had to. Because he wasn't doing anything to stop Voldemort. Because Voldemort is getting more powerful. I fought in two battles against him. The second one we lost because he was too powerful and we were too weak. Fudge refused to train more Aurors to protect your families. He refused to train more Aurors to fight the Death Eaters. Why? Because he was the power hungry one. He was the one that was convinced that Dumbledore and I were making up the threat of Voldemort to put more pressure on him and force him to resign. He refused to help. So I had to kill him. I didn't want to but I had to. I killed him so your families would be safe and so Voldemort would be stopped." Without waiting for him to reply Harry strode away.
His good mood had evaporated. He walked along towards the Gryffindor common room angrily. He hated people for presuming. He hated them for thinking he only did it for the power. He hated them for the looks full of anger and hostility.
He turned a corner and ran into Ron and Hermione.
"Hey Harry, where've you been?" Ron asked him. Then he sensed Harry's bad mood. "What's up?"
"They all think I did it for the power and fame! Me? They actually think I want more damn fame!"
"I know mate, they're all bastards. We did warn you. Remember, just stick to the facts, remain firm and they'll come around. They can't afford not to." Harry nodded wearily. Hermione opened her mouth to break the silence.
"We were just looking for you; Dumbledore thinks he's onto something." Ron looked up excitedly.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Well you know how Voldemort's got spies watching Hogwarts." Harry didn't know that but it made sense, "Dumbledore thinks he's found the safe house!" Harry's head jerked up. This was big news. If Dumbledore had indeed found the safe house and they hit it and wiped out the Death Eaters the Voldemort would have no one watching Hogwarts and therefore wouldn't be able to find out about many of Dumbledore's plans and counter.
"How does he know?"
"We don't know for exactly how, he didn't tell us much, but from what we've gathered one of Dumbledore's spies was talking to a Death Eater, the Death Eater let slip and Dumbledore's spy tipped him off. So know we think that Dumbledore's planning on hitting it." Harry nodded slowly.
"That's good but why does he want me? He can handle a raid himself." Ron shrugged.
"Dunno, mate, go see him and you'll find out." Harry nodded.
"Fair enough. See you guys later." Harry turned and began walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office. To be frank, he didn't want this. He needed a few days just to relax. Harry shook his head despairingly; he knew that, in a time like this, holidays were a luxury, and a rare one at that.
He arrived at Dumbledore's office and gave the password. He almost felt like refusing. He couldn't face this. Not right now.
He knocked on the door lightly. He heard Dumbledore welcome him in.
"Ah, Harry, I was wondering when you would stop by. I assume Mr Weasley and Miss Granger told you?" He raised his eyebrows. Harry nodded without saying a word. "Well, the fact is we believe that we have found an important safe house of the Death Eaters and we need to eliminate it." Harry nodded dumbly again. He wished Dumbledore would get to the point. "This is where we have a problem. Voldemort is watching the Order very closely, closer than many would imagine. Therefore I cannot use them. I need other men, men who are not being watched. I would like a dozen Guardians to raid it." Harry considered the situation. One the one hand it all made sense and the job would be a lot easier with the Guardians. On the other hand it would mean sending his men on their first raid without him; Dumbledore hadn't specifically ordered him to go with them so he was not going to. Nor had Dumbledore specifically demanded the Guardians. He recognised that they were Harry's men and that he could not give orders to them, therefore Harry could refuse.
"I will give you the dozen Guardians so long as one of the DA go along and one of the Guardian lieutenants. None of your men." That way Harry could control the planning and the execution of the raid. That would make up for him not being there. Dumbledore thought for a minute. He didn't like not having a hand in the whole thing but he recognised that without the Guardians and Harry's consent he would never pull this off.
"Very well."
"Good. When do you want the target hit?" Dumbledore knew what Harry was doing. He was forcing him to hand over complete power with verbal consent, rather than it just being theoretical. By saying it was Harry's decision meant that Harry had control over the whole thing.
"It's up to you, Harry." Harry grinned inside himself. But to make sure there were no hard feelings or friction between them, Harry threw Dumbledore peace offering.
"We'll do this for you, sir. You can count on us." Dumbledore smiled, recognising it as a peace offering. Harry's statement implied that he recognised that Dumbledore was still in the highest seat of power.
"Thank you, Harry." With the political games over they could relax and return to normal. "How are you faring these days?" Harry grinned amicably at his professor.
"Much better. The insanity has gone." Dumbledore had never been so surprised in his life. His eyes flew open and he was sure he hadn't heard correctly.
"What?" He had trouble getting the word out. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." Tears began to leak out of the side of Dumbledore's eyes. It was more than he ever expected, more than he could ever have hoped for. He had hoped and dreamed that this would happen yet had never truly believed that it could. It defied everything.
"I'm so glad, Harry, I'm so glad." Harry smiled again.
"See you later, professor." Harry turned and began walking to the door. Dumbledore stopped him.
"How?" Harry grinned at him, seeing a way to puzzle him more.
"I saw Sirius, sir." Before Dumbledore could reply Harry turned and left the room.
-
Harry caught up with Ron and Hermione just outside of the Gryffindor common room.
"Hey." He greeted them.
"Hey, what did Dumbledore want?" Ron asked.
"He needed a few Guardians to do the raid. The Order's being watched so he can't use them. I told him that he could have them so long as someone from the DA and one of the Guardian lieutenants went along. None of his men." Ron, as a tactician, knew what that meant immediately. He whistled.
"Smart move, mate, that puts you in full control." Harry nodded.
"Yeah. I'll plan the whole thing then you and Samia can go along." Ron nodded happily.
"No problem. Always wanted to go on a proper raid. Anyway, who's in command?" Harry shrugged.
"Not sure. I'll probably have a fire squad and an assault squad, you can lead one and Samia can lead another. Four in the fire squad, have them sending curses into the building, that should disorientate them, especially if we spread the fire squad out. Use the other eight as the assault squad. Hit them from all four directions. Two at each side. They'll be so disorientated they won't know how to respond." Ron nodded.
"Sounds good to me. When are we going to hit them?"
"Tomorrow night." Ron looked thoughtful for a minute then nodded in acceptance. A night time raid was risky; the attacking forces could become equally disorientated in the darkness. Especially if they were hitting the house from four directions. One attacking group could easily come across another and mistake them for Death Eaters. It would descend into chaos. However Harry had faith in the Guardians and trusted that that wouldn't happen.
"Anyway, before you go off playing a hero, Ron, and before you disappear to plan the thing do you want to do something?" Hermione asked them. In retrospect, the easy acceptance these life-threatening things were greeted with by the three of them was scary. No sixteen year old should ever have to watch her boyfriend go off to fight people who would kill him without blinking. In that sort of situation it was likely that Ron would be killed, yet Hermione didn't scream or beg him not to go, she accepted it was a part of life and that it had to be done and screaming and pleading wouldn't help him or make it any easier. She would joke about it and accept it, as that was the only way she would actually get through it.
"Yeah. Shall we go down to the lake?" Harry considered all the work he had to do, but seeing as this could be one of the last times he would have an opportunity like this, to relax with his best friend, he decided to ignore the work.
"Come on then." They turned around and began walking towards the stairs down to the Entrance Hall.
"Harry, did I tell you how long it took Hermione to do that essay for Moody?" Harry shook his head, grinning.
"Half an hour! And I stayed up half the bloody night doing it!" Harry shrugged.
"So? She keened it." He ignored the slap on the arm she gave him. Ron looked at him incredulously.
"So? So? Harry, how long did it take you?"
"About twenty minutes."
"You see, now you're just taking the piss."
"Am not. Swear."
"Oh my god," Ron said, putting his head in his hands and shaking it, "My best friend's turning into a Hermione!" Hermione rounded on him angrily.
"And what is wrong with that?" She demanded angrily. Ron quailed under her stare.
"Hermione, I love you to death, but don't you think that you might be…just the tiniest bit…keen?" Hermione continued to glare and Ron continued to quail, regretting ever opening his mouth. She continued to glare at him for a minute after he finished his sentence. Suddenly she grinned.
"Yep. I am." She turned and skipped away happily. Harry burst out laughing; Ron had never looked so relieved and terrified at the same time.
"Jesus, she scared me there."
"She really had you going." Harry agreed. They ran and caught up with Hermione.
"Don't do that!" Ron protested weakly. Hermione grinned at him cheekily.
"Aww, Was poor wittle Ron scared?" She asked in a teasing tone.
"Yes! Poor wittle Ron was bloody terrified!"
"I'm sorry." She certainly didn't look it. She reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Ron grinned at her.
"That's better." He said, grinning at her, "that's what I like, not you scaring seven types of hell out of me!" She smiled at him impishly before turning away.
They left the double doors and walked out into the grounds. It was getting late and the sun was beginning to set, casting a light orange pallor over the lake. However there were a few more hours of day left for them to enjoy.
Ron grabbed Hermione by the hand and pulled her over to the edge of the lake. He stood behind her and put his arms on her waist.
"Apologise or I throw you into the lake." He said in a teasing tone.
"You wouldn't." She retorted, though there was a slightly sceptical tone to her voice.
"Wouldn't I?" He pretended to throw her but held on. She squealed.
"Ron, don't!"
"Apologise."
"Never!" He pretended to throw her again. She squealed again. "Ok, I'm sorry!" He turned her around and kissed her on the lips.
"Would you have really thrown me in?" She asked him. He grinned at her.
"Of course not. I just wanted to get my own back." She slapped him on the arm.
"That's not fair."
"Oh, I think it's perfectly fair. Eye for an eye."
"Would make the whole world blind." Hermione retorted. Harry sensed an argument brewing. He swiftly ran in and rugby tackled Ron, sending him crashing to the floor. Ron looked up annoyed,
"What the hell was that for?" he demanded, Harry shrugged.
"Dunno. Just felt like it." Ron looked up in disbelief.
"You just felt like it? You just felt like sending me flying into the floor and nearly breaking my spine in five different places." Harry shrugged and nodded.
"Yep, pretty much." Ron shook his head.
"Sadistic bastard. You're evil, pure undiluted evil." Ron stormed. Harry looked rather proud of himself.
"Yeah, that pretty much sums me up." Hermione shook her head despairingly at the two of them. No matter how old they grew, now matter how much they changed, they still managed to act like five year olds. Hermione heard someone approaching. She turned around,
"Oh, hey Cho."
"Hey. What are those two up to?" She asked curiously, looking at Ron raging at Harry and Harry laughing back in his face.
"Acting like five year olds again. Harry tackled Ron. Ron's not happy about it."
"Clearly." Ron had grabbed Harry and the two of them proceeded to have a wrestling match on the ground. Harry had Ron in a headlock and Ron seemed to be gnawing at Harry's arm.
"How old are those two meant to be?" Hermione shrugged.
"Five, six?"
"Seems about right." Ron now had Harry on the ground and Harry was trying to rip Ron's arms out of their sockets. Ron gave a startled yelp as Harry brought his knee up into Ron's leg. Ron fell on the floor clutching it and then screamed when Harry dived on top of him.
The two girls watched them for a few minutes in amusement before the two of them stood up and walked towards them, grinning happily.
"I won." Announced Harry proudly. Ron looked at him incredulously.
"You did bloody not!" Without looking at him Harry gave Ron a hard shove in the chest that sent him sprawling to the floor.
"Bastard!" Ron lunged at Harry's legs and it was Harry's turn to give a startled yelp as he was sent crashing to the floor. Cho shook her head.
"And what happened to your work?" She asked. Harry looked up at her.
"Oh yeah, I decided to sack it. I was going to do it but Hermione and the-idiot-I-now-have-in-a-headlock wanted me to come down here." Hermione decided to intervene.
"Harry put Ron down; you don't know where he's been." Harry let a startled Ron drop to the floor. Ron let out an "oomph" as he hit the ground hard. Harry walked over to Cho and put his arms around her. Hermione walked over to Ron and put her arms around him.
For once, in amidst the hate and terror of war, for a few hours the four of them were able to behave like normal teenagers should, and they should, for when tomorrow comes, they would be thrown right back into the fear of it all.
Tomorrow would bring another fight and who knows what the outcome would be. So for now, they allowed themselves the luxury of relaxing.
A/N VERY IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ.
Ok, half-term begins tomorrow and for a week I will not be able to update as I have no access to the internet. So I apologise. Then the very first week back I have my mock GCSEs and as Brits will know, they are not exams to be taken lightly. They are very important and so I will have to spend the week they are on revising in my free time which means that I will not be able to update at all. I apologise profusely but I cannot afford not to work for them.
So for the next fortnight or so I will not be able to write. Once again I reiterate that I will not give up this fic. My exams start on the 21st and so they will be finished by the 26th. Therefore you can expect an update on the 3rd of March. I promise. Once again I apologise but I have no control over the situation and I really need to revise for my mocks.
Can anyone tell me who said "An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind." Special mention to whoever can.
I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and that it will keep you going until the 3rd.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed.
The Phoenix King - Thanks for the review. No problem. I'm glad the review was helpful. Hope you enjoyed the H/C in this chapter.
ArkMage - Thanks for the review.
HoshiHikari - Thanks for the review.
Dark Phoenix Mortal - Thanks for the review. This won't be its last appearance…
Dragon Sword Master - Thanks for the review. Is it being dark a bad thing? The trilogy is the "Dark" trilogy. I'm not angry, just curious. Hope you liked the HP/CC in this chapter. Thanks again for pointing that out. Cheers, mate.
Aizan19 - Thanks for the review. Hope you liked the HP/CC in this chapter. I do try to get chapters out quickly.
Chochang323 - Thanks for the review. Glad you like this fic.
The Enchantresses - Thanks for the review. Hope the Harry/Cho fluff in this chapter was good enough for you. I'm glad you think the recovery was good.
Miliardo Peacecraft - Thanks for the review. Thanks. The insanity was hard to write but good fun. Glad you thought it was creepy, it was meant to be. But he's recovered now.
El Permenente – Thanks for the review. Cho didn't play a big part in his recovery no, but she will play a big part in keeping him on the right track and making sure he has comfort and love in the darkest moments.
Trunks2598 - Thanks for the review. More reactions are coming. Don't worry. It's too important to leave out.
FSI - Thanks for the review.
Keep reading and reviewing 'cos I'll keep writing.
Fireboy.