DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of its characters. I also do not make any money from this.
WARNINGS: Yaoi (male x male), Yuri (female x female) adult topics, swearing, sexual scenes and violence.
This has not been Beta'd.
PAIRINGS: Ron x Hermoine
'text' is thought
"text" talking
Hidden Element
Chapter 4: Accacia Meadow
"I used the mirror, Harry, the same way you used it to get the philosophers stone!"
Harry sat up straight at the wispy memory of his parents. It had been years since he'd thought of both his secret desires in the mirror, and the mirror itself. Though there was no doubt in his mind that the image he would see now would be one significantly different to his parents.
"The mirror gave you something?" Harry grinned in glee at the implication of a found clue, pausing only at the frown that blossomed across his best friends freckled face.
"Ron, we have a clue, as in cause for happiness." Ron 'ha ha'd' in sarcasm before shaking his head in worry.
"No, that's not it. The only one who knew about the mirror was us, you, Dumbledore and Moody. The fact that he… it was marked on the map, right?" Hermione nodded wearily all of a sudden, not sure she knew where this was headed.
"He used two things he knew only Harry or one of us would think about. The map and the mirror. Whatever the clue, or whatever situation we've found ourselves in, Dumbledore really didn't want the Order to know. I'm not sure why. The Order is comprised of people fighting for what is right, founded by Dumbledore and chosen by Dumbledore, and sure, I'm happy he trusted us with something this big… but why?" Harry's fingers gently massaged the bridge of his nose in thought.
'Why am I always flung into a situation that no one cares to fully explain! I understand it, I do, war means that information can't always be passed down to just anyone and even then not everything can be said. There are leaks and moles everywhere after all. He had the right to know, but at the same time, Dumbledore would not needlessly have kept information from him without a reason.'
"Maybe it's like the hocruxes all over again. Maybe it involves me, or one of us somehow, and is something that I or we need to see and do by ourselves rather than have an adult do it for us. I knew in Hogwarts that Dumbledore trusted me with my own prophesy and how to apply it; that there was really no need to get others involved like that. Maybe he's doing the same thing again. He's trusting us with something big, I can feel it."
Neville couldn't help but feel disappointed at everyone's doubt about the Order. He was certain that Dumbledore had not wanted them to distrust the only adults and loved ones in their life. The Order was family, as much as they hated being left out. This little rebellion was to find out information for themselves, not to grow suspicious of family whom only cared for their safety and peace of mind, no matter how unwanted.
"You have to remember, the Order members still think of us as the children we were before, and compared to them, we will always be children. They just want to give us peace after a horrifying war we fought beside adults and adult spells that could and did hurt like hell," Neville said weakly.
"They don't mean any harm. Besides, if I had children I'd want better lives for them too after what they gave up both mentally and physically for the war. They do love us, you know. I don't like hiding things from the people I respect and who respect and love me in turn. I would give everything up again to win the war if I could, but… Dumbledore… Dumbledore is trying to tell us something… I…"
Ginny lay a hand on his arm lightly, drawing his anxious attention towards her. Neville's eyes looked up at her sharply in something akin to disbelief and gulped slightly at her look of endearment.
"I understand, Neville. I don't like hiding things from them either, especially my parents. I know it's hard, but there has to be a reason why Dumbledore gave us the clues in the way he did. Let's finish these clues and then we'll give up the answers we find to the Order. And if we don't find any Dumbledore arrows pointing towards hidden things, then that's what we'll do. Right?"
The gathered members of the Ash seemed more staggered at this fate, but nodded their heads in agreement. Maybe they really were just over thinking things, but better to be sure than regretting it later. Ginny removed her hand with a soft swish against his blue sleeve shirt and blushed. This didn't go unnoticed by a certain curly haired brunette.
Hermione cleared her throat in amusement, to Ginny's embarrassment. She smoothed her hair and then finally sat in one of the chairs around the table, which in turn she smoothed to regain her composure and thoughts. She ignored the smiling glances in her direction.
"I remembered Harry saying that you had to want the object but not use it yourself. I tried to apply the same concept to the mirror, but nothing happened. So I got to thinking, that maybe it was only meant for Harry to see. I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to do so. I started to think that if only I could get whatever was in there, I would give it to him immediately and not look or try to touch whatever it was that I was given. The minute I started thinking that, the mirror shifted, and next to me, there was this small boy, he looked really young. The thing that got me though was… you know how Moony's eyes look when it's close to the full moon?"
"You think he was a werewolf? I'm not sure what this all means!" Harry growled in frustration. Hermione merely ignored the outburst and took off her cream coat before placing it in the middle of the table in a fragile manner.
"They were a foggy yellow kind of colour. I couldn't really see his teeth enough to decide whether his canines were longer than average or not. He said, 'come find us, we're waiting'. He then placed something in my pocket, which I'm presuming should only be removed from said pocket by Harry."
"That just sounds like a horror movie! Small kids, creepy eyes and whispering." Ginny mock-shivered, before moving the jacket closer to Harry when he made no move to take it. He released a deep breath and slowly removed a folded piece of paper. It was grainy and a soft brown in colour.
He slowly unfolded the letter, a smaller piece of paper falling from its folds onto the coat. Ignoring the small piece of paper for now, he swallowed heavily as the familiar writing before him sent his hope rising. Instead of passing it around for each to read individually, he started to read aloud.
Dear new Order, if you ever read this parchment then I am dead and another threat has come along. I do not enjoy yanking the chains of those dear to me, but I cannot give you all the answers you need outright. You deserve better than this, but this war no longer rests in just your hands. Harry, my boy, for that I will always be sorry. You grew up too fast with a heavy burden to hold. I have no doubt you grew up more, and became a man worthier than any other.
My dear Order, for you, the same apologies for who gave up god forbids what for a greater cause. I would have every person involved in the war receive an order of Merlin if I could do so.
The answers you seek are not mine to give, though believe my intentions and reasons were to protect and help. No doubt you will be angry for my lack of explanation. I ask you merely to trust me for now.
You most likely question a great many things, one of which is why I've decided to place this burden on you and not that of my own Order. The answer is simple, yet complex as it cannot be fully explained. It is a task you must do, as it is your reactions I most prize. We are of a different generation, we believe different things and face the world in a different way. I am loath to say that perhaps their reaction would not be one that is needed in this situation, nor is the way they will use it, or come face to face with it.
Your youth is on your side.
On the next piece of paper is the name of a hidden place of which I was secret keeper. Keep this paper, as only my handwriting of the location will work as I am dead. Protect it with all you can. When you memorize it, you will be able to apparate to the location.
You will not find all the answers you seek, but you will be well on your way. Take only those you trust.
Dumbledore
"Their reactions?" Ron sputtered after Harry was finished reading.
"So its to do with prejudice of some kind…" Ginny bit her lip nervously.
"That just gives me more questions than answers," Neville sighed.
"It means that whatever we are going to find will cause the Order some chaos conflicting on their beliefs. Something this generation has learned to outgrow." Hermione hummed softly. "But I still feel like there's something more… he plans for us to do this alone, like the horcruxes. Like Harry said, it was a more personal issue."
Harry could only sigh as he set the piece of paper on the table, eyes falling on the smaller one he'd dropped earlier.
With a heavy feeling in his stomach, he picked up the second slip of paper. "Accacia Meadow".
The piece of paper was passed around the group in silence, none too sure what to say. They merely looked at each other in exasperation, unsure of how to proceed. They had not expected a note from Dumbledore himself. He was a secret keeper. What did that mean? What secrets had Dumbledore kept from them all?
"We need to keep this safe so we can show Luna when she gets back from Spain writing that report for the quibbler. She's part of our inner circle. Do we wait for her, or go now?" As much as Ron hated to do this, he looked expectantly at Harry for a decision.
"Ron, I'm not trying to leave Luna out of anything, I just… I need answers. We'll do this one thing, even bring Luna with next time if we don't find something this time round, and tell her when she gets back. I'm just not sure how far the Order is, or if there's a time limit, or if whoever or whatever in this location can move or not. I'm really tired of all of these clues Ron. I just want one answer, no matter how small, to be the right one."
Ron nodded in silence and smiled softly in encouragement. After all, Harry wasn't the only one who wanted answers.
"We apparate now then?" Hermione asked tentatively.
Harry closed his eyes and muttered the name of the secret location. Hermione stayed behind to make sure the others apparated successfully, you never know, and then with a big breath muttered: "Accacia Meadow."
ShadyArtemis: Thank you for spotting! That would have been embarrassing!