Picking Up the Pieces Chapter Eighteen Old Rivals and Romanances --
The next morning in the hotel room, Lupin sleepily stumbled out of his room to see Sirius, Harry, and Hermione eating room service breakfast and laughing.
He had barely slept all night, unable to stop his brain from working overtime. He knew he was just lonely, and just confused in how to express his feelings about his friend's return. But something in him last night...He didn't have those feelings for Sirius. He knew that. Sure, people had joked about them in the past, and he did love Sirius differently than he'd ever loved a friend. It was deeper, and more meaningful than just a mere friendship. But that didn't mean it was...something else entirely.
So a very confused and tired Lupin joined the happy threesome around the kitchen table.
"Morning." Hermione said, looking over the notes Lupin had taken about the Horcruxes and adding things here and there.
"So, then I said...I don't know, Snivellus, they don't teach sex ed at Hogwarts!" Sirius said, chuckling.
Harry choked on his orange juice, laughing. Ever since Sirius had come back, he'd begged him for unflattering stories of Snape. It seemed to quell his anger a bit to hear that the most hated man in Harry's life had once been an awkward, unpopular teenager.
"What are you talking about?" Lupin sat down next to Harry.
"Just the good old days." Sirius said, not looking at Lupin.
"That's great, Sirius. I hope we find him again just
to see his face if you're out and alive." Harry said,
wiping orange juice from his chin.
"I know, it'd be brilliant." Sirius took a rather animalistic bite of sausage.
"I think the next logical step is Hogwarts." Hermione said suddenly.
All three men looked at her with blank expressions.
"Something of Gryffindors. The sword of Gryffindor.
It's obvious."
"Maybe too obvious." Lupin pointed out.
"It's just the kind of bold move Voldemort would make.
Mocking the life of Godric Gryffindor by forcing those
who oppose him to destroy their namesake's greatest
weapon." Hermione countered.
Sirius shrugged.
"I think it's possible."
"Going back to Hogwarts might not be the best idea right now." Harry said skeptically.
"Harry, I'll do it. Professor McGonagall and I were
really close while I was there...I think she saw me as
some sort of protege or something. She'll know I
wouldn't ask this if it wasn't necessary. And if it
leads us to the next Horcrux, she'll be all for it"
Hermione said, swirling her cereal around in the bowl.
"Okay. But I'm not letting you go by yourself. Not after what happened."
Harry didn't need to say Ron or Ginny's names for them to get his point.
"Then come with me, Harry. Think of how that would
help everyone feel better if they see Harry Potter,
hard at work at defeating Voldemort." She shrugged.
"Okay. Okay, I guess that could work."
"And Sirius-- do you remember at all how to get back to the castle where you were being held?"
Sirius nodded.
"Vaguely. But I remember some things, yes."
"Then you and Lupin should try to find it again. If
you're successful, contact me and Harry through
Patronuses, and we'll all meet up again. That way,
we're killing two birds with one stone." Hermione
said, getting the happy flush in her cheeks from a
plan well thought out.
Lupin nodded.
"That will work fine. You two finish breakfast, make sure you're ready and that you know what you're going to tell Minerva."
"And make sure you bring warm clothes." Sirius said,
motioning to the uncommonly bleak summer's day.
"You two sound like my mum and dad." Hermione grinned.
Harry and Sirius laughed; Lupin didn't look so amused.
--
Draco stood outside Hogwarts, brushing dirt off the shoulders of his expensive leather jacket.
He'd had a rather ungraceful fall after apparating right outside of Hogwarts. Thank God no one had been here to witness it.
He really was rather good at working alone, he thought with a sly smile.
Still amazed Voldemort had not struck him down on the spot, Draco basked in the glow of what could easily be coined a promotion.
Go and recruit covertly. That's what Voldemort had told him to do. Gather all the faithful left at Hogwarts, but without alerting the staff or skittish students that he was ever there.
Sure. No problem.
Draco swallowed hard, tensing and releasing his hands.
Working alone was definitely an advantage...because
then no one could see the slight sheen of sweat on his
pale skin.
--
Ginny lay on her back, her head still swimming slightly from the pain of her little "girl's day" with Bellatrix.
If karma had any say in the world, that woman was really, really asking for it.
"Are you awake?" Ron's warm hand was suddenly on her forehead, easing the thudding feeling in her skull for a moment.
"Yeah." She said softly.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I could run a marathon." Ginny grinned weakly.
"Gin, it's not funny-"
"I'll be all right, Ron. You're not getting rid of me that easily." She said, putting her hand over his.
She sat up slightly.
"Where'd you get this ring?"
Ron looked down at his right hand, seeing a gold ring on his index finger. He'd completely forgotten about it, what with all the getting kidnapped and knocked out.
"Oh...I don't know. I found it in Malfoy Manor...I just really wanted to take it."
"Never seen you as a big jewelry guy." Ginny said,
looking at the amazing white gold-inlaid filigree
lining the ring.
"I don't know why I took it..." Ron's brow furrowed with thought, trying to remember.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him like a punch in the chest.
"The Horcrux spell!"
Ginny looked confused.
"Hermione did a spell to help us locate the Horcruxes.
She must have found the diary in the Manor, and done
the spell..."
"So the ring is a Horcrux!" Ginny finished for him in an excited whisper.
She clasped his hand, smiling widely.
"If we can destroy it...that's one down!" She said softly.
Ron carefully slipped it off his finger, zipping it into his jacket pocket.
"Just so Draco doesn't see it and figure out anything."
Ginny nodded.
"Where is Draco anyway? He hasn't haunted our doorstep much lately." Ginny turned around, her sore neck protesting the movement.
"Probably sulking somewhere...drawing sad faces on the castle window..." Ron joked.
"Singing ballads about how misunderstood he is." Ginny giggled.
Ron pulled Ginny against his shoulder.
"I'm so glad you're okay."
"I look awful, don't I?"
"No. Don't even think that."
"I love you, Ronnie."
"Don't call me Ronnie."
--
By midday at Hogwarts, word had spread that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were talking to Headmistress McGonagall in her office. They had been in there for hours.
Anxious students had created all kinds of wild scenarious- Harry and Hermione were getting married and were coming to get her blessing being one of the strangest tossed around.
But nothing of that nature was actually occurring in the office of Minerva McGonagall.
"...which led us to believe that the sword of Gryffindor could very well be a Horcrux." Hermione finished.
"My only problem with the theory is it seems a little..."
"Too easy?" Harry supplied the answer.
"Well, yes, Mr. Potter, that would be one way of putting it."
"But Harry said Dumbledore told him that Voldemort
would want something from each of the Founders. Thus,
Slytherin's ring. Hufflepuff's cup. And now,
Gryffindor's sword."
"What about Ravenclaw?" McGonagall pointed out.
"We don't know about that yet. We're hoping the sword
might lead us there. If I do the "Revelio Fracturis"
spell."
McGonagall considered this for a moment.
"So this is what you have been doing, instead of returning for your final year?"
As Hermione launched into an explanation, Harry shifted in his seat. He hated being in this office again...secretly hated seeing McGonagall behind a desk that was rightfully Dumbledore's. Harry hadn't thought about his Headmaster dying in some time...no more than fleeting thoughts...he'd been so preoccupied with this Horcrux business. But stepping through the doors of Hogwarts again had brought it all rushing back.
"But where is Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall asked, catching Harry's attention.
"Can I...Can I get some air?" Harry said quickly before Hermione could reply.
Hermione looked at him, tears welling in her eyes, as if desperately hoping he would tell the story of how they'd lost Ron. But he just couldn't. Not here. Not in this office, where he'd already endured so much pain.
"Of course, Mr. Potter. Everyone's in classes, but still, I would steer clear of the main corridors unless you would like to be mobbed." Headmistress McGonagall said, looking startled.
Harry didn't need another word. He left quickly,
walking down the slowly revolving staircase.
The hallways were deserted, sunlight streaming in through the stained glass. Harry let his mind just drift for a moment. Part of him wanted to go to the Gryffindor common room, but the rest of him knew that would be a bad idea. Too many memories of Ron and Ginny would flood through him there, and he really couldn't handle thinking of either of them right now.
He just wanted his mind to be quiet for a moment. Just not think of anything...not miss anyone, not blame anyone, not plan anything...
Harry leaned against the window ledge, suddenly wishing he had Hedwig there, instead of back in the hotel room. In all these introspective moments in his school days, Hedwig had almost always been sitting at his shoulder, hooting peacefully.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. Harry sighed. The last thing he needed was for some starstruck second year to ambush him. He ducked into a nearby corner, plastering himself against the wall.
He peered curiously around the corner, and froze with shock.
It was Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, walking down the hall, casting anxious glances around them.
"So you'll tell Crabbe and Goyle, and anyone else who's interested where to meet me tonight?" Draco was saying.
"Yes, of course." Pansy nodded, her dark eyes darting nervously down the hall.
"You know this is a big deal? If you mess this up, I'm finished. I'm dead."
"Yes, Draco, I know that." She rolled her eyes.
Draco grabbed her forearms.
"The Dark Lord will kill me himself if I get this wrong."
"Don't touch me." Pansy jerked away.
"What is the matter with you?" Draco spat angrily.
"Well...it's just, you leave school without even telling me. You didn't even write me to tell me you were all right. And then you just come back and expect me to do whatever you tell me?" Pansy said, crossing her arms.
"You always do whatever I tell you." Draco pointed out.
"Remember?" He said, raising an eyebrow as if referencing some incident she should remember.
She looked at him for a long moment.
"You never appreciate me." She whined.
"You organize this, and you get everyone there
tonight...and I'll make sure you feel...appreciated"
Draco said with a sly smile.
Harry looked away, disgusted.
"Fine. I'll do it." Pansy finally said.
"That's my girl." Draco went to kiss her, but she stepped away.
"I'll see you tonight." She said, walking away.
--
Draco watched her go, rolling his eyes once she stepped around the corner.
He started to walk off in the opposite direction,
towards Harry.
Harry couldn't stop himself. He stepped out in front of him.
Draco's face paled for a moment, then he affixed a careful look of indifference.
"Potter...what's the Boy Who Dropped Out doing in these hallowed halls?"
"Reliving the good old days." Harry said tersely.
"Me too. The whole Dark Lord campaign got a little exhausting...I needed a break. Remember my innocent youth." Draco shrugged, grinning sardonically.
"I can imagine the stress." Harry said.
They were both watching each other's wand hands carefully, waiting for the other to react.
"I just wanted to see how dear old McGonagall's
holding up after Dumbledore's unfortunate departure"
Draco said.
Harry drew out his wand at once.
"Don't you dare say his name."
"Go ahead, Harry. Hex me. Curse me. Shit, you could kill me right now. But if you do that...you'll never find them."
Harry's grip weakened slightly on his wand
"You know where they are?" He said, forcing his voice not to shake.
"Of course I do. I put them there. Ron, from my house.
You should know better by now than to let Weasel just
wander around without Granger's leash. And Ginny
wasn't too hard to find either- took her right from
her own bedroom."
Harry felt blood rushing to his brain, pounding through him and making Draco's voice seem oddly far away.
"Yeah, not hard at all. There's no way she would've kept her own boyfriend out of her room."
Harry's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"Little thing called Polyjuice Potion. I believe
you're familiar with it? Wasn't too hard to make, once
we had some of your blood from your hasty escape from
the Manor. Snape whipped me up his extra-special
version, and it was ready in days. Ginny had no idea.
Hell, her top was off before she started to even get
suspicous."
"Shut up." Harry growled, refusing to even picture someone else touching Ginny in the position Draco was describing.
"You two haven't ever done it, have you?" Draco said patronizingly.
"Shut UP."
"Let me tell you, Potter, she's no amateur-"
"Just shut the fck up, Malfoy!" Harry yelled, shoving him against the wall., his wand nearly puncturing the skin of his neck.
"Whoa, Potter, simmer down..." Draco tried to laugh,
but Harry could tell he was scared.
"I'm going to ask you this once. Where are they?"
Draco just smirked.
Harry had never wanted to smash someone's face in more than he did at that very moment.
Forget his wand. He didn't even need it.
But just as Harry was about to react, they both froze.
They both heard footsteps.
"Harry- what's going on?"
He heard Hermione's voice accompanying her quick footsteps.
Draco took his momentary distraction as an opportunity, shoving him to the ground and running off in the opposite direction as fast as he could. Harry tried to scramble to his feet in pursuit, but Draco shouted "Petrificus Totalis!" over his shoulder, and Harry hit the ground, stiff as a board.
Hermione rounded the corner moments later, but Draco was long gone. She raced to Harry's side, taking off the spell and helping Harry to his feet.
"D-Draco..." Harry choked out, trying to fight off her grasp on his arms so he could go after Draco.
"What about him?"
"He knows where Ron is..." that got her attention,
"Ginny too. He told Pansy to organize everyone she
could to meet tonight. He'll probably lead them right
to the castle."
"Meet where?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know! But maybe we can still catch him-"
"Harry, forget Malfoy. We'll never find them, and even if we did, Sirius and Lupin are finding the castle where they're keeping Ron and Ginny."
"I would've thought you, of all people, would understand that we have to find them now!" Harry burst out furiously.
Hermione put a steadying hand on his arm.
"Harry, I miss them too. Sometimes so bad I dont think
I can stand it. But we have to destroy the Horcruxes.
And I know where the next one is."
--
"Then you're making progress." Snape said to Tonk's head, situated in his fireplace.
"Yes." Tonks said quietly.
"Good. Check back in tomorrow."
"That might be difficult-"
"Check back in, at the time I requested, or he dies.
I'll do it, Nymphadora. You know this."
"Yes. I do."
"Then don't disappoint me again."
"I won't." Tonks said weakly, her head disappearing from the stone fireplace.
Snape sat back in the plush red armchair of his
bedroom, feeling the fire's warm glow on his face.
This castle was miserably cold, and this was coming
from a man who had lived in a dungeon for most of his
life.
He sat staring at the flames for some time, wondering what Voldemort could possibly be asking Narcissa.
He had to admit he'd seen the Dark Lord's eyes looking at them somewhat suspiciously whenever they'd been together. He shuddered to think of the Dark Lord himself knowing of their affair.
He didn't really care anymore if Lucius knew.
Especially if Lucius was to be killed.
The only person Severus never, ever wanted to find out was Draco. He knew it would destroy him. Draco's whole identity was wrapped up in his father, and if that was taken away, he'd have nothing.
Snape put a hand over his eyes, feeling slightly ill.
After awhile, the warmth from the fire and the darkness of the room caused him to drift off to a fitful sleep.
He only awoke, what seemed like hours later, when the door to his room opened with a creak.
Snape jumped to his feet, his hand instantly at his wand.
He stopped. It was Narcissa.
She stood there in the black dress she'd worn earlier
to the prison, her hair pulled severely off her face.
Her blue eyes were glassy and red, and her cheeks were
streaked with tears.
Narcissa closed the door behind her without speaking.
Snape looked at her, his wand dropping to his side.
"What happe-"
"He's dead." Narcissa said, her voice entirely devoid of emotion.
"Did he know-"
"Yes. He knew everything. I told him everything." She said in that same strange voice.
A long silence fell between them.
Snape put his wand down, unsure whether to cross to her or not. What was she even doing here?
She reached up to her hair, pulling it out of the bun.
It fell in long, loose waves around her shoulders.
Snape felt a shudder of arousal shoot through him.
Her eyes never left Snape's, but they never changed emotion at all. It was unnerving...and he wasn't easily unnerved.
Her hand slid back to the lock on the door, clicking it into place.
Snape opened his mouth to ask what the hell she was doing, but she cut him off.
"Just don't say anything. I don't want to think right now."
Snape complied, his mouth hesitantly closing.
"Let's just...not think.. Not talk. I can't."
She crossed to him, sliding the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The slinky material pooled around her ankles on the floor.
"Narcissa..." Snape tried not to look at her.
She turned his head towards her, clamping her other hand over his mouth.
"I said, don't talk."
She took her hand away, kissing him softly. They had barely touched in seventeen years, but as her arms wrapped around his neck, and his hands slid into her hair, it was clear nothing had changed.
As she undid his robes and he pulled her back onto his bed, it wasn't with the fumbling hands of two confused teenagers.
They came together that night, as two people who knew
exactly what they were doing but had no idea why.
Neither spoke, because there was simply nothing to
say. Nothing about the way they felt for each other
could ever be explained by a word as simple as love or
passion or need.
In that moment, they couldn't exist without each other any longer. And in that moment, that was all they needed to know.
--
A/N- Let the debate ensue over whether that was something good happening to someone. Let's just say every decision has consequences. I hope everyone's Valentines is much, MUCH less dysfunctional than Snape and Narcissa's. Next chapter- oh, the awkward morning after. Dealing with decisions really puts a damper in that grand love thing. W find out what happend in Narcissa's inquest. Hermione and Harry set after the next Horcrux. Sirius and Lupin try to deal with awkward living conditions on the road. Draco brings his cronies back to assist him in his I-Wanna-Be-A-Jedi-Like-My-Father routine- only to discover his father is dead. Uh-oh...