18. Julie's Pen Friend
'Is she your girlfriend?' Julie asked apparently to thin air, but Harry was concealed under his cloak, trudging alongside her as they headed to the Hogwarts Gates, glad she couldn't see him.
'She was, once.' He had wanted to chase Ginny up the stairs, to try to explain himself, to make her understand, but the warning look he had received from Ron held him back.
They continued down to the gates, and once through, Harry looked about him. 'Where to?'
'Outside the Hog's Head I think. We'll go from there.'
They disapparated and appeared almost instantly outside Sir's pub. Harry followed Julie silently, still stewing over Ginny's pain. He could only imagine what she must be feeling, and going by her reaction, he was beginning to understand she might never find it in her heart to forgive him.
A sickening ache swelled in him as he thought of when he had tried to restrain her, how she had fought to get free of him. It should never have come to this. And to make matters worse, Ron was going to be almost as bigger hurdle for Harry. He hadn't said a word after Ginny had flung the plate passed Harry and then run from him. He had only glared at Harry as if he too, was feeling as betrayed as Ginny.
Harry stopped as Julie placed a rather ornate looking golden key in the lock of a small purple door, jiggling it several times in what looked like a well practiced knack. He glanced up at the sign above the narrow studio. "JAFZ" it said in large purple letters, and underneath in very small writing, there were several symbols that Harry recognized to be runes, though their meanings were lost on him.
Julie walked in and waited for Harry to enter, before closing, and locking the door behind them. Harry removed his cloak and realized he was standing in a waiting room of sorts, though it was nothing like any he'd ever been in before.
The chairs were ordinary enough, but it was the walls that caught his eye. They were not covered with the usual health warnings and advertisements for medications; instead they contained two full-length moving murals.
One of which was a small grassy hill, dotted with purple and white heather, where the long grass and the shrubs rippled gently in an invisible breeze that wafted pleasantly over them, and running through the middle of the field, a trickling stream with an old stone arched bridge connected the two banks, completing the scene. In the background was one of the most beautiful sunsets Harry had ever seen, with its fiery oranges and pinkish-purple glow adding to the surreal appearance of the picture.
On the adjoining wall the other picture, though quite different from the first, was just as beautiful. A log cabin, nestled in small mounds of the purest white snow was surrounded by massively tall, straight pine trees, which were being constantly dusted with large, feather-light snowflakes that drifted soundlessly down to the ground. The snow on the branches glittered as if someone had draped tiny white fairy lights through their perfect branches, and a warm orange glow shone from the cross-pained, cottage windows as a lazy ribbon of smoke drifted from the chimney atop the snow-laden roof, giving the cabin a homely and inviting feel. Studying the two murals, Harry had the feeling he could almost walk right into them.
'I wouldn't mind losing myself in them some days.' Julie said, as if reading his thoughts. 'Come one, I'll take you upstairs to my flat. It's not very big, but it'll do for the two of us.' They mounted the stairs marked "STAFF ONLY" and Harry found himself in a one room apartment that had a small kitchenette containing minimal cupboards and a sink, a leather lounge which was quite new looking, though it was scratched around the arms, a canopied double bed that was reminiscent of the ones at the Hog's Head, a small fireplace, and bathroom leading off from the lounge.
'I'll fix you some lunch.'
'I don't have much of an appetite.' Harry said dully.
Julie eyed him as he flung his backpack in the corner, and leaned on the back of the couch.
'That girl, Ginny … you love her?' she asked as she moved to stand in front of him.
'I … I don't know.' He did love her. He knew it now more than ever, but he was not sure he wanted to talk about this with Julie, or with anyone for that matter. He had managed to keep Ginny separate, protected, and he would prefer to keep it that way.
'So does she know? About us, I mean.' She had moved in so her leg leant against his. Harry met her eyes, frowning slightly.
'Us?' He asked, beginning to feel uncomfortable.
'I didn't mean it like that.' She smiled at him quickly and took a step back. 'Though from what happened, I'm guessing she's figured out there was something between us. Am I right?' She was looking for Harry to open up to her about it, but he was not willing to go into it with her.
'I'd rather not talk about it. It's not important.' He said.
'Sure.' She shrugged. 'Make yourself at home,' she turned and descended the stairs 'I'll be back in a minute.'
Harry went to the bathroom and washed his face and hands, staring at himself in the mirror. He was still tiring all too easily and figured he ought to take Julie up on her offer of food. When he emerged, she was standing at the kitchen, pulling lunch things from the cupboards.
'Maybe I will have something to eat, if that's okay?' he said as he came up behind her.
'Good to see you've come to your senses. You need three meals a day if you want to be at your peak, Harry. Here,' she picked up a cup filled with the same purple liquid she had given to him after she had brought back his memory of Neville. 'Drink this.'
'I don't need anymore sleep.' He said waving it away.
'It's not a sleeping potion; it's … a tonic of sorts. It'll help you recover your strength.' She pushed it at him. 'Go on!' He took the cup, hesitating for a split second, and then drank it down as she watched. 'You'll feel better in no time.' She said as she smiled. She turned back to buttering the bread when there was a knock at the door.
'I forgot.' Julie said as she rolled her eyes. 'Pen's coming over tonight to help go through the books. Would you mind?' she asked as she handed him the butter knife. He took over throwing some sandwiches together as Julie greeted her visitor.
'Harry!' He looked round as Julie came up the stairs clutching an armful of paperwork. 'This is Pen,' she motioned her head to the young woman traipsing up the stairs behind her, also loaded with what appeared to be entry books 'an old friend of mine. We used to go to Hogwarts together.'
'I know who she is,' Harry said as he turned to look at the new arrival appraisingly 'Though I don't think we've ever been introduced.' As they dumped their night's work onto the small round kitchen table, Harry leaned over and offered Pen his hand. She took it hesitantly, and smiled shyly at him.
'So tell me Miss Clearwater, how is Percy these days?'
Penelope Clearwater had stayed till quite late in the evening, helping Julie with her paperwork, and though Harry had tried to make small talk during dinner, casually slipping in the odd enquiry after Percy, Pen had seemed unwilling to discuss him, saying only that he was away on business rather a lot with his job, and indicating he was somewhat secretive about what it was he was actually doing for the Ministry. In the end, Harry gave up and left the two of them to their work, retiring early because there was little else to do while he was cooped up in Julies flat.
When Harry woke the next morning, rubbing his scar idly as it panged, his whole body ached as he swung his legs to the floor. He had had to lay in the same uncomfortable position on the couch all night, because it was at least a foot and a half too short for him, making it almost impossible for him to move during his sleep.
Julie had offered to share her bed, but Harry had decided to settle for discomfort and keep his distance from her. Even though Ginny may never forgive him, he had neither the intention of repeating his betrayal of her, nor giving her any reason to suspect he that may have. After easing himself off the couch, Harry pulled on his shirt, took out his message log with the vague hope that Hermione might have tried to contact him, and as he flicked through the pages, he was surprised to see that she had seemingly been trying to contact him urgently since yesterday.
Her first message was that she felt sure there was a rational explanation for what they had all seen in the entrance, and that Harry should return as soon as possible to sort it all out before his absence assured his guilt. Further down the page, which she must have written first thing this morning, she had said that Ginny had refused to discuss what happened with either Hermione or Ron, and according to her room mates, had spent the entire night staring out of the window, ignoring others pleas for her to get some sleep.
Harry's stomach twisted painfully at the thoughts of her so alone.
The next message was also urging him to return to the castle to patch things up with Ron as it appeared he had taken the events almost as hard as Ginny, and every time Hermione had tried to mention Harry, Ron had scowled her threateningly into silence.
There were several more entries, each shorter than the last, all urging Harry to come back, until the final message, scrawled hastily and limited to one line said:
'Meet me at the Hog's Head at 11am. URGENT!
Harry looked at the clock on the wall in the kitchen. It was already 10.45, so he dashed to the bathroom, careful not to wake Julie, and ran some water through his hair in an attempt to push his fringe down over his scar, and then grabbing his things, he headed to Sir's pub.
He didn't stop to think to use his invisibility cloak, his mind overrun with worry about Ginny. Hermione hadn't mentioned her in the last couple of entries, and every possible horrible scenario had started to plague his thoughts, all coming to the same thing, wondering desperately if she had done something rash.
He arrived at the Hog's Head with five minutes to spare. Sir saw him and nodded to the corner of the room where Hermione was already seated. She had not seen Harry enter as her nose was buried in the latest copy of the Daily Prophet, but when Harry reached her, he yanked the paper from her hands, staring down at her impatiently. Hermione looked up startled.
'Ginny' he breathed. 'Is she …' guilt swamped him. 'Is she okay? Is she still at Hogwarts?'
Hermione nodded in understanding 'She's still there. Don't worry. I spoke to her at breakfast.'
Harry breathed out heavily in relief and collapsed into the chair opposite Hermione.
'You need to come back, Harry. And not just because of Ron and Ginny.' She was looking at him earnestly as she picked up the copy of the Daily Prophet and tossed it in front of him.
'What's this?' he said, picking it up to study the article. Hermione had a worried look on her face as she watched Harry's eyes skim the front page.
'They're out, Harry. All of them!' Her brow furrowed as she looked for his reaction. 'A couple escaped form Azkaban about a month ago, one of them Avery, of course. But now …' she hesitated as if it were the last thing in the world she wanted to say 'they're all out.' Harry's anger showed on his face as he continued to scan the column. 'They killed several of the ministry guards … a-and three aurors.' Harry looked up at her suddenly. 'No-one we know' she said quickly 'but it looks like the Ministry has completely lost control.'
'Malfoy will be out too then?' Harry said in disgust as he threw the paper across the table.
'Yes, and no one seems to have a clue where they are.' The two of them were silent for a moment before Hermione spoke again.
'Harry, tell me about Julie.'
Harry took a deep breath and let out a defeatist sigh as he thought of what he should say. Life was becoming complicated enough with the mistruths he had already had to tell about Snape, and everything he was feeling over what had happened with Julie was only making it worse. It was time to tell the truth, and he felt he could trust Hermione implicitly, even if they didn't always agree.
'Sir called in Julie to help me when I fell ill after that spell we used on Halloween. He needed someone who would keep quiet about where I was, but had the healing skills to help me. She nursed me back to health, feeding me potions, and healing my broken ribs, but because of the spells effects I lost my memory of that night, so she had to performed legilimency on me so I would remember what had happened to Neville.'
Harry had been staring at an extremely small, and rather strange little man hidden in the shadows of the corner of the room as he spoke, but now he met Hermiones tentative gaze. 'It sounds strange, but I don't think I was myself. I don't know why it happened, but Julie and I … we … She knew Neville too, quite well through his grandmother, and I don't know … I can't explain what it was, I was so angry … and frustrated, that … for some reason … I couldn't help it ... I didn't set out to spend the night with her.' Harry sighed as he avoided eye contact with Hermione.
He finally looked up at Hermione as her eyes glazed over, ready for her to abandon him too, but instead she took his hand and squeezed it.
'Oh Harry, I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that.' Her eyes brimmed with tears. 'I'm not saying what you did was right. But I think I understand.'
'What I understand is I've messed up my friendship with Ron, and I've done something horrible to the one person in this world I never wanted to hurt.' He said gravely.
'That's why you need to come back. You have to make things right before you lose the chance to.' She suddenly changed her tact. 'Your bag was already packed when you came down the stairs.' she said. 'Why did you leave?'
Harry told her about what had happened in McGonagall's office, how they had railroaded him, and when he needed it most, Dumbledore had abandoned him. Hermione eyed him curiously.
'Dumbledore would never turn his back on you Harry.'
'You weren't there. That's exactly what he did. He had a chance to back me up, but he left me hanging.' Harry's anger surfaced again at the thoughts of it.
'He must have done it for a reason. Dumbledore's always been there for you ... think about it. Why would he stay silent when he knows you desperately needed to hear from him?' She looked at Harry pointedly. 'He's ignored you before, and you didn't know it at the time then either, but he had good reason to.'
Just then, Aberforth brought a plate of bacon, eggs, tomatoes and toast, and plonked it down in front of Harry.
'I didn't order anything.' Harry said, looking up at him.
'Its on the house, eat it before it gets cold.' As Sir sidled away, Hermione stood up.
'I have to go. I'm meeting Zach in a few minutes at the Three Broomsticks.' She looked rather nervous.
'Really?' Harry raised an eyebrow. He'd been so caught up in his own dealings that he hadn't enquired after her for some time. 'How's it working out?
'Its fine' she replied in a high-pitched voice. Harry knew that tone in Hermione.
'Remember Hermione … if he's too much, get out! We can always find another way.'
'Please go back to Hogwarts.' she said soberly. 'I'm just not sure you're … in the best place for you right now.'
'I'll see, maybe in a couple of days. Give everyone a chance to cool off.'
When Harry returned to Julie's, she had left a tonic on the bench waiting for him, and he drank it down in the hopes he would feel more like his old self soon. He waited in the empty flat for hours, and when she finally turned up, they shared a dinner of curried lamb and rice she had brought back with her, and then they chatted by the fireside.
Before long, Harry was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He went to settle himself on the couch, but Julie eventually talked him around to sharing her bed, laughingly promising to resist him. So after downing her tonic, Harry collapsed on top of the sheets, not bothering to undress, and drifted off into a bottomless sleep.
It was still night when Harry was awoken, though the full moon cast a silvery glow through the room giving off enough light so that he could clearly see his surrounds. It took a moment for him to shake off his post sleep stupor before he realized that Julie was lying against him, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He reached his hand up and clasped it firmly over hers, stopping her from going any further.
'No...' Harry said with disappointment as he met her gaze. She looked hurt at Harry's rejection, and pulled her hand away before sitting up.
'I thought…' she paused for a moment. 'No one would have to know,' she said quietly 'I wouldn't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about.'
Harry raised himself into a sitting position and put his feet on the floor. 'What happened ... shouldn't have, and it cant again.' He said soberly, staring at the floor.
She remained silent so Harry turned to look at her.
She was staring blankly in front of her, clasping the sheet to her chest. 'You're right.'
Harry raised himself off the bed and headed for the couch, pulling off one of the blankets as he went.
'I'm sorry, I guess I just figured that it wouldn't hurt.'
'I understand,' he said as he lay on the couch and threw the blanket over him. 'But it would.' He knew he had hurt her, and if he hadn't already hopelessly lost himself in Ginny, he might have taken her up on the offer. But there was too much at stake. He didn't want to hurt Ginny knowingly again ... no matter how the need in him grew.
Harry woke the next morning to the sounds of Julie opening the door to a client downstairs. He knew it would be wrong of him to stay any longer, so he went to the bathroom, stripping off his clothing and throwing it in the corner, and stepped into the shower.
He returned to the lounge with a towel wrapped around his waist, and threw his backpack up onto the couch, pulling some fresh jeans, a shirt, and a jumper out. After dressing, he filled the pack with anything he'd left lying around the room, and then grabbing his parent's dented chest, he headed downstairs.
'Harry!'
He swung round to see Julie staring at him. She excused herself from her client who was looking rather put out as he laid out on an old hospital bed with an eyeball hanging from its socket, and hurried to head Harry off.
'Where are you going?' she asked as if it was the last thing she expected him to do.
'Back to Hogwarts.'
'Why? You know you can stay here as long as you want.' She almost seemed nervous.
'I know, and thanks … really.' Harry looked at her worried expression. 'Is everything okay?'
'Of course!' she said quickly. 'I'm just worried about you. Er … um, wait here for a moment!' she rushed off to one of the back rooms, leaving Harry to stare around the waiting room. The impossibly clear water trickled peacefully over the odd sized pebbles in the meadow picture, and the log cabin sitting nestled amongst the trees, whose branches bent under the weight of snow, had fresh footprints leading up to the door, the windows still giving off their warm golden glow.
'Here' Julie had returned with a crystal bottle filled with dark purple liquid, almost black in appearance. 'Take this. It's the potion … in concentrated form, so you only need seven drops mixed with water. M-Make sure you take it everyday un-until its finished.' As she handed it to him, her eyebrows creased.
'Thanks,' Harry said as he took it from her and shoved it in his backpack.
'I'm sorry, for the way I behaved before…' she said uncomfortably. 'I don't know what came over me, it wasn't right, and … I'm sorry'
'Forget it.' Harry said with a reassuring smile.
'Come back anytime, okay?' she gave him a light kiss on the lips. 'I'll be here if you need me.'
Harry nodded and turned, walking out the door and disapparating to appear in front of the Hogwarts Gates.
His return to Hogwarts had been much as he expected. Ron had made himself rather scarce whenever Harry entered the same room, sitting some distance from him in class, and either retiring to bed long before was necessary, or not appearing at all until the early hours of the morning when he could be sure everyone else was asleep.
Harry grew frustrated that his dreams seemed to be filled with Julie since his return to Hogwarts, and it was not as if they were just having a friendly chat, some were dreams of the sort that were similar to the ones he'd only ever had about Ginny, and others were almost motherly. He couldn't understand it. He had thought he'd left her behind, sure his loyalties lay with Ginny, but it seemed subconsciously, she was still very much in his thoughts.
There was another thing about sleep that had come to disturb him too. At first he found himself often waking in the morning, rubbing his finger along his scar as it tingled and panged against his forehead, but as the weeks passed, he would wake suddenly, sitting bolt upright in bed, clutching at his scar as it stung painfully.
But this was something he kept to himself. He had no idea why it was suddenly bothering him, but ultimately, as much as it disturbed him, he knew it wasn't likely to end until Voldemort was stopped.
Meal times in the Great Hall were so uncomfortable that Harry had decided to take his food down in the kitchen, where he was waited on eagerly by Dobby, and offered the occasional pungent morsels of food that were long past their best by Kreacher. But it was still preferable to sitting through Ron's dagger-like stares, and Ginny's hurtful avoidance of him, and even though Hermione had tried talking to Ron, it seemed as long as Ginny suffered, he was intent on making Harry suffer too.
Running the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes was proving more tiresome as well since Ron had stopped turning up to help. It was left to him and Hermione to manage the seventy odd students between them, though since the trio's rather famous battle at Hogsmeade, which had been spread all over the front pages of every wizarding paper and magazine within days of the event, a rather convenient effect had taken place.
The students had built up a familiarity with him over the previous months, making it difficult at times to keep order, but "The Unstoppable Chosen One" (as the Daily Prophet had described him) that had returned, rejuvenated their awe.
All except of course, Hunter, the one first year that seemed to think Harry was like a walking magnet for Voldemort. Three weeks before the Christmas break, Harry had begun teaching the students patronuses, and most, as expected, were struggling to produce even a wisp of grey smoke, but two weeks in, many of the older students were able to produce one at will.
Peter Taphet, the curly-haired first year he had met on the train, was one of those students who was still unable to produce even the wispy grey smoke, and Harry ventured over to him during one particular lesson because he had a rather worried look on his face.
'What's up?' Harry leaned down to the young boy. He had liked Peter from the first meeting, but had developed quite a soft spot for him after finding out from Professor McGonagall that not only had he lost both of his parents just over a year ago in Voldemorts first attempts at recruiting upon his return, but that he had also watched them being tortured to death as he peered through the wooden slats of the cupboard they had thrust him into. He'd had the misfortune of being placed with his only living relatives that could be found - muggles, who just so happened to be virtual clones of the Dursleys.
'I-I don't think II have a happy enough thought, Mr. Potter.' Peters cheeks flushed as he stumbled over his words. Harry crouched in front of him and gave him a wry smile.
'I didn't have one either when I was first learning how to do a patronus.' He said kindly. 'Sometimes you have to look deep inside yourself to remember what it is that makes you truly happy. And if you can find that thought, or memory, then its yours forever, and no-one can take that away from you.'
Peter nodded slowly, but still seemed to be unsure. 'What's your happy thought, Mr. Potter?'
Harry smiled. 'It's not always the same. As you grow, new situations create new happy thoughts.' Harry stood up and rubbed the boys hair affectionately. 'Don't worry, you'll find one Peter, if not from your past, then I'm sure you will in your future.'
'I've got a happy thought for him!' A sarcastic voice intruded. Harry closed his eyes briefly as he turned to the familiar voice. Hunter had obviously been listening, and was grinning with malicious glee. 'You'll be stuck here at Hogwarts Taphet, since your relatives don't want you home for Christmas, so you'll have almost four weeks free of being in the company of the Dark Lords number one target. That should cheer anyone up!'
Harry started to move forward, compelled to grab Hunter by the scruff of his neck, and point out at least one other person Peter should be happy about not being around for four weeks, but he felt Hermiones hand on his shoulder, gently holding him back.
She brushed passed him and stopped in front of Hunter, crossing her arms in front of her body determinedly. 'As you are so keen to be out of here, I feel sure I can oblige you. There is a little job that needs doing, which I think you would be perfect for. Follow me.' Hunter eyed her suspiciously, but didn't dare refuse, so he turned on the spot and trailed her reluctantly out of the Great Hall.
Once DADA was dismissed, Harry had an hour free before lunch, then he had his session with Sir, but he was feeling so tired again, still not fully recovered from his illness, that he decided to take the opportunity to lie down for a while.
Once upstairs he pulled out the bottle of potion Julie had given him and mixed five drops with water, before downing it in one go. The potion was good, though unfortunately the effects didn't seem to hold him all day. He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.
But as usual, he was finding it hard to shut down his mind, and it wasn't long before he gave up and headed back down to the common room, feeling much more invigorated now the potion had had a chance to work through him. When he emerged at the bottom of the stairs, he looked around for someone to talk to, feeling full of energy.
At first, the room appeared empty, then spying the back of Hermione's bushy brown hair, he made a beeline for her, only to slow when he realized she was in the middle of an argument with Ron. They both had their backs to him, so he decided not to reveal himself.
He had been shut out of their dealings with Zach because Ron still had not forgiven him, but Harry was getting increasingly worried about Hermione lately. She had seemed distracted much of the time, and Harry had sensed things were not going as smoothly as she had hoped. He stood silently, listening.
'He only wants to show it to me because I asked him about places that were important to his family, Ron! You need to get a grip! He's too young to be thinking about marriage! Anyway, there's other ways for me to get what I need without resorting to that!' Hermione sounded much more stressed than she would have liked to let on.
'What's that supposed to mean, other ways?' Ron asked suspiciously.
'Oh, don't be such a fool!' Harry could tell Hermione's temper was hanging by a thread. 'I'm talking about other methods that don't include a love potion.'
'Hermione, you've been working on this for weeks, and you've been ploughing him cherry "love" liqueurs all this time. Don't you think the fact that he's brought up the family wedding chapel is a humungous hint? I mean, who talks about stuff like that when you've only being seeing each other for such a short time ... he's becoming obsessed!' Even though Harry could not see Ron's face, his ears were visibly red, giving away how much it bothered him.
'Something tells me this is it, Ron. We're getting close on this one.'
'We're not the only ones getting close on this one!' Ron said darkly. 'Don't think I didn't notice the condition you were in when came back from your date last weekend!'
'What are you insinuating, Ronald Weasley?' she asked, and Harry knew trouble was coming.
'You're in over your head, and I'm telling you now,' Ron leaned over and point a finger at her 'If he oversteps the mark, love potion or not, I'll hex him so badly, they'll never get him to look the same again.'
'He hasn't over-stepped the mark,' Hermione said, and to Harry she sounded rather unconvincing. She sighed heavily. 'I just wish we could sit down with Harry and discuss this. He's the one who knows Riddle, he'd have a better idea than anyone whether it might be a good place to look.'
'Then talk to me,' Harry said as he walked forward. 'You're right, I do know more about Tom Riddle than anyone else here.' Harry looked at Ron who was all of a sudden concentrating on re-tying his perfectly secure shoelace. Harry's temper got the better of him as he watched Ron. 'Your pettiness is not only putting Hermione at risk, Ron, but everyone else as well.'
Hermione looked taken-a-back at Harry's lack of tact, and Ron looked like he was on the verge of taking a swing at him. Harry ignored their glares.
'You can't shut me out of this. It's me who has to destroy the cup. We have to work together. You don't give Ginny enough credit to face her own problems.'
Ron jumped up suddenly, but Hermione moved just as swiftly, placing herself between them.
'As much as I hate to admit it,' She gave Harry a look that said in no uncertain terms she did hate to side with him after his callousness. 'Harry's right. We need to do this together if we're going to have a hope of figuring it out.'
'Why don't you fill him in then if you're such pals?' And Ron turned to leave.
'We are dealing with something bigger than your loyalty to Ginny's hurt feelings.' Harry said coldly. 'In fact, its bigger than all of us! If you cant find a way to put it behind you, at least for now, then you're going to end up hurting Ginny, and everyone else you care about far more than I ever could.'
Ron didn't seem to have a response to that, so Harry sat down on the couch and looked between them. 'Tell me what you've found out.'
Hermione explained how she had accompanied Zach on several dates, always bringing him a box of his favourite liqueurs laced with love potion to seal his fate. Each had a day of the week imprinted on it as a "romantic" gesture of Hermione wishes that he take just one each morning to remind him of her. Hermione said he was so arrogant he hadn't questioned her wishes, and revelled in eating one every morning with the knowledge that she would be swooning over him.
Ron chimed in at this point, his anger at Harry obviously overpowered by his jealousy at Zach's attentions on Hermione, and had sarcastically pointed out that Zach had been sending her messages everyday, and more often than not, up to three times a day, proclaiming his adoration for her. Ron had then slipped in a comment at what she must have done to get such a reaction from him, and Harry, who had been ready for something like this, had to react quickly, grabbing Hermione's half raised hand that had been heading for Rons face, easing it down again in an attempt to stop their frustration escalating any further.
Apparently, not long ago, Zach arranged for her to meet his family. Not just a small gathering with his parents either, but his entire extended family.
Hermione said that when she had arrived, they had all greeted her warmly, and it wasn't long before the women, who had been huddled in a corner discussing her excitedly, pulled her aside and started talking wedding arrangements (this part she had wisely tried to keep from Ron, but she now found it impossible since they were all together).
Ron's face was dark and broody as it was revealed that the original Hufflepuff family had used the same church for marriage ceremonies for centuries, and although the original church had been destroyed long ago, a new one had been erected on the same site, and the tradition had been handed down to this day.
During her visits to Zach's, Hermione had already checked out the house and grounds the Smith family lived in, and it wasn't nearly old enough as it should be to hold any sort of special place for one of Voldemorts "trophies", so the church seemed the next best place to look, although she had to admit, it too was a long shot being that the only connection was that many of them had married there, and there was no connection to Voldemort himself, as there had been in the other hiding places. Harry too had doubted Voldemort would care for such a site, but it needed investigating just the same, if only to rule it out.
So Zach had taken Hermione there on the spur of the moment one afternoon, but it had been closed up, so he had arranged to meet her there so she could wander through at her leisure before passing an opinion on whether she would want to wed there. Harry registered Ron's brewing anger, so he turned his attention on Hermione, eyeing her darkly.
'I hope you're not doing anything you're … uncomfortable with to get this information, Hermione.' Ron shot a look at her too at Harry's question.
'Well … I wont pretend it hasn't had its … awkward moments,' Harry saw her eyes seemed to grow distant as she spoke. 'But we have to follow it through.' She looked at Harry, afraid to meet Rons penetrating gaze. 'We have to investigate every possibility. We all know what's riding on this.'
Harry hadn't liked the sound of her answer. 'I'm coming with you to the church. When are you going?'
'This weekend.'
'Don't think for a minute you're going without me.' Ron said indignantly. 'I've got a bad feeling about all of this. I don't think it's going to be as easy as you think when it all turns out for naught and you want to put Smith off.'
'Fine. You can both come.' Then she added quickly. 'But I don't want any fighting between you! We're all in this together, and quite frankly, I'm fed up with being caught in the middle!'
'I wont if he doesn't.' Ron said bluntly.
'This is too important to let our squabbles get in the way,' said Harry without looking at either of them 'anyway, my issue is with Ginny. She's the one I should be apologizing too. She's the one who needs … It's her I want to…'
'To forgive you?' Hermione prompted. Harry changed the subject immediately.
'I'm going to lunch, you coming?'
'I'm hungry too' Hermione got up from the chair, glaring at Ron. To Harry's surprise, Ron rose and made to follow them, and suddenly, with all three of them heading to the Great Hall for lunch together, things didn't seem as hopeless as they had.