I apologize for not having this chapter up sooner. I was not expecting having early morning shifts piled on to my schedule at work as well as bunch of other things I was not counting on. Uncle Buck thanks for the PM, it made me realize how long it had been since I posted last, you are also welcome to suggest, but I'll tell you this, I already have this story planned and a sequel in the planning stages. Though, I fear you readers are really going to hate me for who I kill off at the end of this story.
Disclaimer: Runs away from a horde of lawyers while screams 'I don't own Harry Potter!'
Chapter 20: The Crests of the Trio
By: tojot
The morning of the next day, Harry and Hermione found themselves sharing a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Ron used floo powder to get home. Harry expressed to Lupin that he didn't want to get to Grimmauld place by Floo.
Hermione found it the best opportunity to read more from the red book but Harry fell asleep as she read, seeing as she was running her fingers through his hair while he was resting his head on her lap. This occurrence was soon becoming a regular activity between them. Fortunately, the compartment had its blinds drawn and no one seemed to bother them.
As the train pulled in to Kings Cross, Hermione woke him up and helped him get up. With one last kiss before departing their separate ways, Hermione pressed something into his hand.
"Don't open it till you get to Grimmauld Place." Hermione said in a breathy voice after she broke the kiss. "Promise me you'll keep in touch will you? Anything that may be bothering you or something you think I should know and I'll send you translations from Gryphon's book as well as anything I can find that is of interest in Japan."
"Thanks Hermione, I'll try to keep in contact, but I am not sure if Hedwig can…" Hermione silenced Harry with another kiss.
"See you again, Harry, I love you." She whispered breathlessly. The last three words immobilized him. He had never heard them before in his life from anyone except his parents. She pulled her trunk from the rack and left quickly.
For what seemed a long time, Harry stared at the compartment door that Hermione had closed behind her. Finally coming out of his reverie, Harry prized his feet from the floor and grabbed his trunk.
His scar was still pulsing comfortably since Hermione had kissed him twice. As he walked out into the corridor he ran into someone small.
"Sorry," Harry apologized as he helped her up, "I didn't mean to run into you…Cho?" He recognized the familiar shiny black curtain of hair.
"Harry!" She said in surprise but that was all she could say since she was looking at his scar in awe.
He looked into a nearby window. The faint reflection it produced showed him that his scar was indeed glowing white again. Slapping a hand over it, he bid Cho goodbye and got off the train. Not many were on the platform and Hermione was nowhere in sight. He quickly found Lupin waiting for him beside the barrier.
"What's wrong with your scar?" Lupin asked noticing that Harry was covering it. Harry showed him.
"I see." He said and pulled his knit cap off his head and put it Harry's "We'll talk about it in a safer place, come on Harry." And he pushed Harry through the barrier.
"How's Tonks?" Harry asked trying to make light conversation on the walk to Number 12.
"Irritable." Lupin said bluntly. "Being on Medical Leave is making her antsy."
"The Healers still won't let her go back to work?" Harry asked feeling guilty. It was because of his stupid decision to go to the Department of Mysteries that she got injured in the first place.
"Yes. But until the Healers approve she is stuck to 'taking it easy' for a while." Lupin said as he caught the guilty look on Harry's face before he could hide it. "Don't you go blaming yourself for what happened to her, as an Auror she was just doing her job."
"Okay," Harry said searching for a different topic that would take them off the current more volatile one they were on. "How's Kreacher? Hasn't disappeared again has he?"
"Actually, No. I have been meaning to talk to you about him." Lupin said in a sheepish tone.
"What is it?" Harry said stopping on the snow-covered sidewalk.
"Kreacher's dead, Harry." Lupin said. Harry's world seemed to lighten slightly.
"Good Riddence!" Harry scoffed and continued on through the snow pulling his trunk along with him. "So how did the conniving little twerp bite it?"
"Harry, that is no way to act." Lupin admonished. Harry turned and faced his former professor with a steely gaze.
"Then how should I act!" Harry shouted. "It was because of the little twerp that Sirius was lost! How do you expect me to treat him humanely if he was the reason that I lost another person dear to me!"
Lupin ran a hand through his graying hair with a sigh of defeat, "I suppose your right, Harry."
The rest of the walk to Grimmauld place remained relatively silent. Harry noticed that Lupin directed them in high trafficked areas as well as meeting up with various people from the Order. The most recent being Emmeline Vance.
When Harry knew their journey to be half completed, Lupin got alarmed. He quickly grabbed Harry by the arm and said quietly, "Come quickly."
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"We're being followed." Lupin whispered. "Emmeline Vance warned me that a questionable man was lurking near the Checkpoint she is in charge of all day today."
"So what have you got in mind to lose him?" Harry asked as they continued on in their quickened pace."
"Next Checkpoint." Lupin said quietly and he led Harry all the way to the building that masked St. Mungos, and into what looked like a dead end alleyway to the side of the building.
"Hello Remus." A deep voice said as Kingsley Shacklebolt came out of the shadows.
"Kingsley, we need to use the Portkey." Lupin said looking back over his shoulder.
"You being followed?" Kingsley asked. Lupin nodded.
"I see, come on then." And he led them through what appeared to be a brick wall.
"What is this place?" Harry asked as they were led down the tunnel's steps.
"These tunnels were useful in the last war, James was the one who showed them to us." Lupin answered. "He had this knack for helping us find places for escape and refuge all over the British Isles, never knew how he knew these tunnels existed."
Harry remembered that Professor Gryphon had mentioned that the Potters used these tunnels for years.
"Here we are. It will go off once Harry here touches it." Kingsley said as he grabbed a jam jar from a hidden niche in the wall and handed it to Lupin.
"Are you coming with us, Shacklebolt?" Lupin asked.
"No, I need to get back to work, Just make sure the Portkey gets put back where it belongs."
"I will." Lupin replied and then ushered Harry to him.
Once Harry laid a finger on the jar, it whisked them away. With in moments they landed roughly in the living room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
"Whoo Remus, you're meaning to give a girl a scare. " A familiar voice said behind them. "Wotcher Harry!"
"Hello Nymphadora." Lupin said formally as both he and Harry turned to face her. Tonks was sitting on the couch with a blanket over her legs and a book in her hands.
"It's Tonks, Remus. How many times do I have to tell you?" Tonks corrected as she put down her book.
"But what if you got married? Could you still be Tonks then?" Lupin pointed out. Tonks went oddly silent. Harry felt somewhat confused and decided to turn his attention to the room they where in. It was the Drawing Room. It definitely didn't look like it did when he first walked into this room to de-Doxy the curtains before his fifth year. The furniture and trimmings were different since Harry told them to use funds from his vault. The walls were painted and the hardwood floors were refinished and covered with throw rugs. The Order had found some way to remove the Black Lineage Tapestry.
"If they got that off, they probably got Sirius' Mum off the wall downstairs, too." Harry thought to himself. When he was about the comment on it, Remus cut him off.
"Why don't you go and unpack, Harry?" Lupin suggested, He didn't look at Harry, His eyes were on Tonks. She was looking at him in an peculiar way. "The room you stayed in over the summer has been set up for you."
Harry did as told and left the room closing the door behind him. From what he could see, Harry saw that the rest of the house was refinished with fine wood floors and paneling, the Black family portraits had finally been removed from the walls as well as the serpent shaped ornaments. Harry couldn't believe that it had already been a month since he received the letter from Lupin telling him that the house had been completely gutted and cleaned. He hadn't expected the Order to go this fast at the renovations.
He ascended the stairs that took him straight to the room that he occupied over the summer, the master bedroom. When he was here last time it was still in a state of disrepair having recently been gutted and when he arrived they had barely been able to board up the walls.
They had finally finished it from what he had been told. He opened the door and walked inside, pulling his trunk along behind him.
The room was furnished in Dark woods and deep red and rich gold colors. There was a huge four poster bed with a deep red velvet bedspread with matching drapes and curtains on the bed and at the windows. All trimmed with gold. A dark marble mantelpiece housed a warm fire burning in the grate. Two High-backed chairs and a couch upholstered in red velvet surrounded it. There was polished wood flooring and gold trimmed red floor rugs all around the area. Both the bed and the wardrobe had gilded lion hardware. Sconces that lit the room also featured gilded lions with ruby eyes, except for the one in the corner that had green emerald eyes. When they were remodeling, there was one sconce that wouldn't come off the wall, in the form of a snake before, it bit and hissed at anyone who tried. Harry knew for a fact that they had transfigured it somehow. As he walked by to unpack his trunk, it growled at him now.
He pulled the cylindrical object that Hermione had given him on the train from his pocket. It was wrapped in brown paper. He resolved to open it as soon as he had unpacked and set to work. After twenty minutes, Lupin knocked and entered.
"Hello, Harry," he smiled as Harry returned the borrowed hat, "what do you think of the changes to the room."
"They're great, Remus, thanks." Harry said as he pulled out his school robes to hang up.
"So why was your scar glowing when you got off the train?" Lupin inquired.
"Er…" Harry was not sure if he wanted to tell Remus the truth. He opted for a very basic abridged version that left the relationship change with Hermione out.
"Lupin, do you remember when I disappeared for a month?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Dumbledore said that it was necessary for your safety but would not say much more."
"Well you remember back to the night that Voldemort was resurrected in the graveyard a year and a half ago?"
"Yes."
"Well, to be resurrected he used some of my blood, breaking through a protection that my mother placed on me when she died. Before, Voldemort couldn't lay a finger on me." Harry told him.
"Well, Harry, I can tell you that it is a shock to find all this out. I didn't know that Lily had placed a protection that protected you from Voldemort and what exactly was used to bring him back. Now it all makes sense why Voldemort took you that night."
"You mean Dumbledore didn't tell you?" Harry said in surprise.
"No, when he feels that it is necessary for us in the Order to know information he tells us. Other than that he directs us on what needs to be done."
"So you're just following him blindly?" Harry said incredulously.
"We trust him not to lead us astray. He knows what he is doing Harry. He is sure to find a way to defeat Voldemort" Lupin defended. "Harry you never knew what Voldemort did the last war since you were a small child at the time. He caused chaos, fear, panic, suffering and death in his path. You didn't know who was a deatheater and who was not, or who was going to die next. Muggle towns where completely wiped off the map, and the ministry was in a great upheaval because of it. But Dumbledore was the only one who had defeated a dark lord and lived to tell the tale. He added a glimmer of hope to those of us who didn't know what to do."
"And then I came along." Harry said in a hard voice.
"Yes, you came along. But you know that you're nothing short of special. Now, back on subject. Tell me what the Fourth year Attack on you has to do with your scar glowing."
"When he broke through the protection, Voldemort weakened me and it was slowly getting worse. Professor Gryphon deduced that I would be at my weakest in the month before the anniversary of the day I received my scar. She told me that it would kill me on Halloween night unless the damage was repaired. So Gryphon and Dumbledore hid me for a month while they went out to find someone to repair the protection."
"From what I see, they did." Lupin commented. "Who?"
"Who that someone is, is wholly unnecessary." Harry stated. "Now the glowing scar is an aftereffect from the repaired protection that happens when I come into contact with the repairer."
"Oh I see." Said Lupin in a suspicious voice.
"So what did you need to speak with Tonks about?" Harry asked before Remus could get out another question that would thoroughly irritate Harry.
"That is something I am not willing to tell you." Lupin growled.
"I guess we all have our secrets." Harry smirked. Remus rolled his eyes and noticed the cylindrical package on the bedside table.
"What's this?" Lupin asked as he picked it up.
"I have yet to find out." Harry said as he shut the wardrobe, having finished the unpacking, and walked over to take the package from Lupin.
"It's somewhat heavy." Remus mentioned as he handed it to Harry. "So who gave it to you."
"Hermione." Harry said. " She told me to open it when I got here."
"Well, aren't you going to open it."
"Actually, I would prefer opening it alone." Harry said sheepishly.
"Okay then. " Lupin sighed, "By the way, Tonks and I are going to go pick up some Chinese food for lunch, are there any requests on what you would like?"
"Er… to tell you the truth, I have not ever had Chinese… Rice maybe." Harry said uncertainly.
"Okay, Pick your choice: Chicken, beef, pork or duck?" Lupin asked, succeeding in fully confusing Harry.
"Er… chicken…why?"
"You'll see." Lupin said as he closed the door behind him. Harry flopped onto his bed as he heard Lupin's footfalls move away.
Harry looked at the package from Hermione, realizing that it was going to be a task and a half trying to keep people close to them from knowing the changes in the relationship between he and Hermione. For some strange reason he felt it necessary to keep this a secret from all that he could. The fewer people knew the better.
He ripped the brown paper off the item to realize that it was an empty wooden canister. It had an emerald green band circling the canister just beneath the lid. A silver signet ring was also included with the canister. The ring's intricate insignia consisted of three curved lightning bolts converging in one spot in the middle of the insignia, which was a small raised triangle that had a small question mark inscribed within the confines of it's three sides. Three animals were engraved in between the bolts of lightning. One was a stag, one a Grim, and the last was a panther. Each had a collar with their respective marauder name. Around the edge of the ring was inscribed with "BOY WHO LIVED" and the simple "HARRY." Feeling curious, Harry slipped the ring on the index finger of his left hand to see if it fit. It did, but it seemed to meld itself together to the finger. Harry found himself embarrassed. As the hour grew on, he reasoned to himself that it wasn't so bad to have a ring on his finger, Seamus wore one, Dumbledore wore many and just about one-third the male population of Hogwarts.
Looking back at the wooden canister, Harry noticed the emerald band had turned Ruby red. He looked inside and saw a piece of parchment rolled up inside. While extricating it he saw that it was sealed shut by a wax seal. He examined the seal. This seal was just as intricate as the seal on his ring. A single eye with a question mark is its pupil on a page of an open book. An hourglass was on the other page. An oddly shaped lion's head was above the open book and two bolts of Lightning were engraved underneath. A lion's tail hung from the bottom of the book and curled around the inscription of 'CLAWS.' Around the edge was "KNOW IT ALL" and "HERMIONE."
'This must be what she came up with for instant writing." Harry thought as he tried to break the seal and found he couldn't. Examining the parchment once again he found a line of tiny neat handwriting:
Use your signet ring on the seal to open.
Using the advice that was given to him he pressed his ring to Hermione's seal and the parchment unsealed and unrolled.
Dear Harry,
I am sorry for not giving you details on the mail tubes and the rings, I really wanted you to find out about it yourself. If you've already put on the ring, you will find that you cannot remove it. It was charmed that way, it makes sure we know that it's you that is responding and not some Deatheater who has stolen your ring. If you're reading this you probably know that when you get mail the green band around the tube will turn red. Harry, I have also given Ron one as well so we can keep in touch with him. All three of us are still very close and dear to each other, it is only reasonable that he got one. His seal has a Chess Knight on it as well as a crescent moon. Each of our seals has symbols that represent us in many ways. The Animals on yours represent past, present and future. The Stag is past, the Grim is Present, and the Panther is Future. You will also notice that it has been done in three's: Three lightning bolts, three animals, and three sides to the triangle. These represent us as a trio, you basically being the glue that holds us together during times of disagreement. The Lightning represents your individuality that you stand apart from others. The question mark represents mystery, you are a big mystery to everyone, Harry, even me and I know you best. As for the title that appears around the edge, all our rings have titles (or sayings in Ron's case) that everyone else knows us by. If you don't like yours, heaven knows I can come up with even more embarrassing titles (i.e. Puddin, snookums, Hunny bunny… shall I continue?)
Harry's face contorted in horror as he read this.
Teasing aside, to send messages, you write the recipient's name on the parchment where you wish to seal it and use your signet ring to seal it. You don't need wax, the rings provide it for you.
I will write again, but right now I need to go and pack. Farewell
Love,
Hermione
The band around the mail tube had turned green once again. Feeling somewhat drowsy from his trip, Harry placed the letter in the drawer to his bedside table and removed his glasses so he wouldn't crush them in sleep. He rolled over on his large bed and fell asleep. Tonks woke him up after what seemed like an hour. But Harry noticed it had already grown dark outside.
"Harry, wake up it's already dinnertime." She said.
"What are we having?" Harry asked groggily as he reached for his glasses.
"Leftovers." Tonks grinned, "But in your case, the Chinese takeout that you were supposed to have for lunch. Don't worry, Remus put a charm on it to keep it fresh."
"So what is on the agenda for tonight?" Harry asked.
"Well, Dumbledore has called an impromptu Order meeting." Tonks stated. "Adults only unfortunately."
"Will the Weasleys be here too?" Harry asked.
"Yes, they promised they would before they took off on their trip." Tonks answered. "I think they plan on bringing Ron and Ginny with them to keep them out of danger."
"So what do you think the meeting is going to be about?" Harry asked as he followed her out the door.
"The recent trouble at Hogwarts. What else would it be?" Tonks replied with a shrug and she pulled the Evening Prophet from the pocket of her robes and handed it to Harry. "I think you would find this interesting."
The headline said Mysterious Events at Hogwarts, Students sent home early for the Holidays. A picture accompanied it depicting the spinning crest above the wing that housed the Great Hall, the white tree was with it.
"Can I have this?" Harry asked, indicating the article.
"Sure, Remus already clipped out the article about Fenrir Greyback."
"Fen-who?" Harry looked at her in confusion as he placed the paper in his back pocket.
"Fenrir Greyback." Tonks aided. "He's a werewolf that has caused the Ministry a lot of trouble. At the time of the full moon, he has been known to place himself near his victims, children of his enemies. He loves to spread propaganda, he has already claimed a following with a good few other Lycans. Preaching to them on how they are oppressed by wizards when he is one of the main reasons why they are oppressed or even werewolves in the firstplace. He has been known to bite people even when it isn't the full moon. He is also to be known to be in cahoots with You-Know-Who."
"Well, I guess we can add werewolves to Voldemorts army, along with Dementors and Giants."
"But not all werewolves and giants have joined. I've heard rumors about a giant being on the premises of the Forbidden Forest." Tonks said.
Harry snorted. "You could say that."
"You know?"
"Hagrid's younger brother, Grawp." Harry told her. "I've met him. Last year Hagrid wanted Hermione and I to teach him English."
"That sounds a lot like what the big guy would do." She said as she rolled her eyes.
"Well all in all, This Fenrir Grayback sounds horrible." Harry said as they entered the kitchen. Lupin was there.
"He is." Lupin said bitterly. "And come to think I used to pity him."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Harry inquired.
"I was one of his targets." Lupin admitted. "My parents had angered him somehow."
There was a knock at the door. "I'll go and get it." Lupin said.
Harry sat down to his Chinese food. Tonks told him that it was sweet and sour Chicken with pork fried rice. She was in the middle of teaching him how to use chopsticks when Kingsley Shacklebolt and Emmeline Vance came in.
"What is the point of using something that the food can just fall from." Harry said in frustration as he set down the small sticks and went to fetch himself a fork and spoon from the drawer.
"I think he got you on that one, Tonks." Shacklebolt chuckled. She stuck her tongue out at him. There was a small commotion upstairs and Harry heard some familiar voices.
"Sounds like the Weasleys are here." Emmeline commented. Harry had to agree when he heard Ron's voice shout, "Geroff me, Ginny."
As Harry ate his dinner, more and more people showed up. Ron and Ginny had now joined Harry in the Kitchen, Ron immediately went on to compare the Rings Hermione had given them. Ginny was more interested in speaking to Tonks. Word soon spread that the Order Meeting would take place in the dining room and all adults in the kitchen cleared out, leaving Harry, Ron and Ginny to their own devices.
Thirty minutes after the meeting started, Mr. Weasley came into the Kitchen. "Ron, Harry. Professor Dumbledore needs a few words with you."
"Why not me?" Ginny demanded.
"It's Dumbledore's Decision, Ginny, not mine." Mr. Weasley said warily.
Ginny plopped down into her chair in a huff with her arms crossed and a sour look on her face. This reminded Harry as something very childish.
"Don't make that face, Ginny." Ron teased. "It'll stick that way."
Ginny stuck her tongue out at him and faced the other direction.
"Ron don't tease your sister." Mrs. Weasley reprimanded as she came through the door. "Ginny behave."
Mrs. Weasley seemed to be upset about something as Harry passed her.
"Have you any idea why your mum is riled?" Harry whispered to Ron in the dark hall.
"No clue." Ron whispered back. "She was in a good mood earlier."
They turned a corner and saw, in the dim light coming from the crack underneath the door, a silhouette of someone standing to the side of the closed door of the Dining Room.
Authors Note:
Don't you just hate Cliffhangers? Well, now that you have read this chapter, I ask you to please Review. It is the only payment I can ask for and it only takes a second. If you are unable to, I understand since I have a reader that can't always review.
I'll try and be better about putting up another chapter soon.
Farewell Readers,
tojot
