"Brumous"
"Chapter Five: The Department of Mysteries"
Sirius sat the empty glasses of whisky in the sink. Kreacher could take care of them later or Sirius would just deal with them in the morning. It wouldn't take more than a flick of his wand, but Sirius wanted the damn elf to do something other than mumble obscenities and glare. Turning around, Sirius pressed his back against the counter and watched as Molly packed away her empty platter and bowl that she brought from home. They had eaten dinner together as Arthur had been tailing the Malfoys all evening as they attended some charity event in Knightsbridge. Molly always fretted when Arthur was out on a mission and often sought out Sirius' company.
"Thank you for keeping me company," Molly said as she turned to face him, worry lines creasing in her forehead.
Sirius waved her off. "Nah, I should be thanking you. It's nice to have company and I fear my energetic little cousin has completely besotted my idiot best friend to the point where he can't even admit it."
"Are they on a date?" Molly questioned.
Sirius debated the question. "Does shagging each other's brains out constitute as a date?"
Molly snorted. "In my day, that was the only kind of date to go on."
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Molly!"
Molly smiled, the tips of her ears turning a tad red. "I like them together. Remus needs a girl who will pull him out of his…"
"Self-loathing hatred of himself?" Sirius supplied.
"I would have put it more tactfully than that, but yes," Molly agreed as she picked up her tote filled with her dishes. "I think you suffer from the same thing as Remus, unfortunately."
Sirius snorted. "I perfected the art of self-loathing when I was eleven years old and my parents told me how massive of a disappointment I was when I was sorted into Gryffindor. He doesn't hold a bloody candle to me."
Molly's eyebrows tugged down and Sirius became slightly uncomfortable. "Oh, Sirius! You are a funny, smart, and caring young man. You must believe that, dear."
Sirius shrugged. "I'm joking, Molly."
Although, Sirius wasn't really joking. He didn't hold a very high opinion of himself. He had condemned Marlene to a life where she didn't even know her own name for fourteen years, killed his best friends and only worthy family, and had abandoned his godson in his greatest time of need. Sirius was a fuck up, and he knew it. It didn't matter that Sirius was trying to make up for lost time with Harry now. The past would always haunt him.
"Is that the true reason you refuse to see Marlene?" Molly asked in a gentle voice, as though she were trying very hard not to poke an insulted Hippogriff but couldn't help it.
Sirius swallowed. "I can't be distracted. I don't know how many times I need to tell you and Remus that. Harry needs my full attention."
"Harry would want you to be happy too," Molly argued. "Maybe having Harry's godmother by his side with her full memories back is more helpful to Harry than a godmother that doesn't remember who he is. Two godparents are better than one."
Sirius wanted to curse Molly in that moment. She was right, of course, but Sirius couldn't bring himself to face Marlene. Maybe he should have been in Slytherin and not Gryffindor. How could he apologize to someone who thought he was a monster for all the wrong reasons? Facing Marlene meant facing his demons, admitting out loud how much of a royal fuck up he was and how he had done everyone he loved wrong. It was hard enough to admit to Harry a couple of years back how he as good as killed James and Lily, fearing that his favorite and most beloved person in the entire shit world would never wish to speak to him again. Somehow, Sirius lucked out and Harry hadn't hated him.
"Remus is helping her," Sirius reasoned.
"Remus wasn't her almost fiancé," Molly argued. "Does Harry know?"
Sirius nodded, wincing at the memory of Harry being distraught thinking he had something wrong. Another check in the terrible godfather column. "He said he didn't want to meet her if she believed I was an awful person. He's as loyal as James, which isn't a good thing. It was James' downfall, being too damn trusting."
Molly's eyes softened. "He loves you, Sirius. He'll only meet her with you by his side, am I right? He doesn't want to risk losing you or upsetting you by seeing her. You're as good as a father to him."
As good as a father to him.
The words swished around in his mind, sending his stomach into a fit as nauseousness washed over him. It brought up a slew of feelings, as it was what James had asked of him long ago, a promise broken for twelve years and Sirius doubted even now he was living up to the expectations.
"I need to know you'll take care of him," James' words had taunted him in Azkaban and even after he escaped. "I need to know you'll raise him as your own and, and give him a good life and keep him safe. I need to know you'll treat him like your own son and you'll be the dad to him that I can't be."
Sirius licked his bottom lip, willing James' voice to get the fuck out of his head. He couldn't think when James haunted him, which was more often than not.
"Sirius?" Molly whispered.
He snapped his gaze to her. "No, yeah, I know."
"Are you all right, dear? You're pale," Molly pressed as she sat her tote on the ground and crossed the kitchen. "I only met James that one time at Gideon and Fabian's funeral, but I reckon he would want you to be Harry's father. He named you godfather, after all, and it's not replacing him. Harry loves James, but he needs a father who he can talk to."
Sirius shook his head as Molly cupped his cheeks in her hands. "It's not that," Sirius croaked. "I know it's what James wanted. He asked me… I've just been shit at it. I'll continue to be shit at it because I don't even have myself together."
"Oh, Sirius," Molly sighed. "I can't imagine it's been easy after everything you've been through, but you have your heart in the right place. You put Harry before yourself, like any good parent does," Molly sniffed, her hands dropping to grip his shoulders. "I am barely holding it together myself. I'm worried about Ron, Ginny, and Harry alone at Hogwarts without anyone to watch out for them. I'm petrified every time Arthur or Bill go out on a mission. I worry for Percy's safety in the snake den that's the Ministry, ignorant and confused. I worry about Fred and George leaving Hogwarts like it was nothing and how they went straight to Dumbledore and asked to join the Order. I am out of my mind with worry, crying myself to sleep at night because I can't shut off my brain. But you put a smile on your face when you see your children and you pretend that everything is right as rain so that they don't worry themselves into an oblivion like you are."
A lump formed in Sirius' throat. It was what he had been trying to do ever since Voldemort rose from that cauldron. Put on a happy face for Harry, reassure him, guide him into keeping his head down and nose clean. Except Grimmauld Place didn't help his depression. Seeing Harry so distraught and anxious didn't help his mental state. He wanted to do right by Harry, something he hadn't done with James. It was the same story, different Potter. Sirius had watched as James slipped into a hole so dark that he could barely breathe, and he noticed Harry was falling into the same damn pit. Sirius would be damned if he allowed Harry to slip away as deep as James had. But Sirius felt himself slipping as well, his mind a wasteland of the worst-case scenarios and haunted by the ghosts of his best mates.
"I'm trying," Sirius assured her. "I really am."
Molly stepped close to him, her arms pulling him down to her height so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "We'll try together, yeah?"
Sirius only nodded in response, his arms wrapping around Molly. The embrace eased the tension from his shoulders and reminded him of Lily's hugs, tight and desperate like she had never wanted to let go. When Molly pulled back, Sirius just felt an emptiness crawl over his skin. She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before she took a step back.
"You're not alone, Sirius. We're in this together," Molly explained as she wiped a tear off her cheek. "Try to get some sleep, dear. It's not healthy to wander in your past night after night. You are a very different person now. I rather like the Sirius that stands before me now."
Sirius swallowed. "I'm glad someone does."
"Many people do," Molly said in a firm voice. "But the only opinion that truly matters is Harry's. He looks at you like you're his entire world. That's something that's pretty special."
Sirius nodded, unable to speak.
"Good night, Sirius," Molly squeezed his bicep. "Try to get some rest."
With one final squeeze, Molly turned to leave. She grabbed her tote on the way out and Sirius watched as the door swung shut behind her. Letting out a long breath, Sirius carded a hand through his hair. His eyes slid shut as Harry's smiling face flashed across his eyelids. It was a thirteen-year-old Harry, bloody and dirty yet excited after Sirius asked him if he wanted a new home. Sirius had already been making plans in his head as he asked, thinking that buying a cottage by the sea would be nice. He thought Harry would like the salty smell as much as he did.
But before Sirius could think about it any longer, he felt a hot pain slide across his ankle. Snapping his eyes open, he noticed his trousers were on fire. Cursing, he pulled his wand out from his pocket and splashed water on it. His ankle and leg throbbed, tears springing to his eyes. His fingers fumbled to undo his trousers and he carefully took them off to assess the damage. He swore as the angry burned skin glared up at him. Sinking down to the ground, he winced at the injury, wondering what the fuck had happened.
"Kreacher will dispose of Master Sirius' filthy Mudblood clothes."
Sirius snapped his attention to the right to see Kreacher was already gathering up his trousers off the floor.
"Put them down," Sirius snapped, knowing his mirror was shrunken down in the back pocket where he always kept it.
Kreacher looked dismayed but sat the trousers back down. "Ungrateful Master does not want Kreacher's help?"
Sirius blinked at him, his jaw clenching as he waved at his injured leg. "Did you do this? Did you fucking set me on fire?"
Kreacher blinked. "Kreacher would never hurt a member of the most ancient and noble house of Black, no matter how appalling they may be."
"Don't touch me again! Don't touch my clothes! Don't touch anything that I'm holding or drinking or eating! Do not come near me or any of my bloody things again!" Sirius hollered. "Go to your fucking pathetic little cupboard until I tell you otherwise!"
Kreacher disappeared with the snap of his fingers. Sirius snarled as he looked down at the injury, plotting ways to murder that fucking elf. Summoning a few healing supplies, Sirius worked on his leg and hoped that Harry wouldn't call anytime soon so he didn't have to ask him to call back later. Gritting his teeth, he slathered some balm on his leg and tried not to yell out.
Harry woke up with a jolt, his scar sending white hot pain through his entire skull as he screamed at the top of his lungs. The cool floor felt good against his sweaty head, but Harry could not get the image that he had just seen out of his mind.
Voldemort had Sirius.
Sirius was being tortured.
Harry had to save him.
His mouth felt like he had attempted to swallow a glass of cotton balls as the Great Hall erupted around him. Nobody was still taking the O.W.L. exam. All eyes were on him as his classmates burst out into whispers. Harry blinked, the sweat burning his eyes, as his breath came out in harsh huffs.
Professor Tofty rushed towards him, kneeling down in front of Harry. "Mr Potter! Are you all right?"
No, Harry was not all right. His godfather, his only family, was being tortured to grab… something. He was surrounded by misty and white glass balls. Harry had no idea what they were, but he couldn't help but think it was the weapon that Sirius had talked about over the summer at Grimmauld Place. He shuddered to think what they could do. Sitting up, Harry's eyes flickered around the room and caught Ron's pale face shining like a beacon in the crowd.
"Let's get you up and to the infirmary," Professor Tofty suggested as he helped Harry stand before looking at the rest of the students. "Back to the exam! You don't have much time left!"
Harry and Professor Tofty exited the Great Hall, the door closing behind them. Harry didn't feel like going to the infirmary. That was the last place he wanted to go. He voiced his dismay as he tried to focus on the task at hand. He needed to get to the Ministry and find row ninety-seven of the glass balls.
Sirius was being tortured. That's all that mattered.
Harry insisted he was fine so Professor Tofty would let him go. "Just a nightmare."
"Pressure of the examinations!" Professor Tofty concluded, much to Harry's relief. "It happens, young man. It happens!"
Harry only nodded, his entire body trembling, as he blocked out Professor Tofty's voice. Then it hit Harry like a ton of bricks. Professor McGonagall was in the hospital wing. She'd be able to tell Harry how to contact Professor Lupin or Tonks or even Dumbledore! He needed to get there as fast as possible to help Sirius!
"The examination is nearly over, but you may be able to round off your last answer nicely?" Professor Tofty said, a bright and encouraging smile on his face.
Harry shook his head. "N-no, I'm… it's fine."
Without another word, Harry dashed off towards the infirmary. Professor Tofty called after him, but Harry didn't stop. He kept running because there was no time to waste. He had seen what enough torture could do to a person, the image of Frank and Alice Longbottom clear as day in the forefront of his mind. He couldn't lose Sirius. There was still a glimmer of hope in the pit of his stomach, that one day Sirius would be found innocent and they could be a proper family.
Bursting through the doors of the infirmary, Harry wiped the sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his robes. His eyes snapped around the room trying to locate Professor McGonagall but she was nowhere in sight. Madam Pomfrey shrieked and whirled towards him. Harry took a stumbling step towards Madam Pomfrey who spooned a bright blue liquid into Montague's open mouth.
"Potter, what do you think you're doing?" Madam Pomfrey snapped, her eyes flashing at him.
Harry's chest burned as he struggled to breath. "I need to see Professor McGonagall," he gasped. "Now… it's urgent!"
Madam Pomfrey shot him a sympathetic look as she explained how Professor McGonagall had been transferred to St. Mungo's. It was a kick in the gut, a queasiness crawling up his throat. Harry felt dizzy, his mind grasping at straws on how to save Sirius but came up empty.
The bell rang. A loud rumbling filled the corridors as students spilled out from class and tests. Harry couldn't think with all the noise as Madam Pomfrey rambled on and on. Carding a frustrated hand through his hair, he concluded there was only one course of action. He had to go to the Ministry of Magic himself. He had to find a way to sneak out of the castle and make his way to London, wondering what the quickest way would be.
Ginny, a voice said in his head.
Of course! Ginny! She would know what to do! She had reminded him of the mirror, the answer so quick to slide off her tongue. She was always so confident with a gleam of mischief shining in her eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that she would have some brilliant idea. At the very least, she'd allow him to borrow her broom to fly there himself. He'd buy her a Firebolt as a thank you, make sure she had the top-of-the-line broom for when she tried out next year for the Quidditch team. She was brilliant and deserved it.
Harry didn't know her schedule, which seemed unfortunate in more ways than one. Except classes would be over with and she normally went straight to dinner before heading back to the common room to change and drop off her things. Ginny and Ron were always the first ones waiting for dinner in the Great Hall. Today would be no exception.
Harry's lungs burned as he dashed through the corridor, shoving his way through the mass of people that filled the corridors. He didn't even bother to apologize, his mind focused on finding Ginny. He needed her, needed her touch to calm him, needed her words to help him focus, needed her near him. There was something about Ginny's presence and her flowery fragrance that calmed him. If he could only slow his racing heart and clear his mind, he'd be able to save Sirius. Ginny was a breath of fresh air, his lighthouse in the thick dark fog.
His eyes roamed the throng of people for her familiar red ponytail. Nobody had hair quite like hers. It shimmered like a red and orange kaleidoscope.
"Harry!" Hermione's voice called in the distance, but Harry couldn't stop.
He pushed his way through more people, not stopping in his mission. It was as though he was being led by an invisible force, knowing exactly where Ginny would be. He just had to get there, had to see her. Hermione called out for him again, but he didn't even acknowledge her. Because a split second later, Ginny's shimmering hair appeared in the distance. She had turned down a corridor, her three girlfriends hunched around her as they laughed and chatted.
"GINNY!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, his throat feeling as though it would rip apart.
Harry became more aggressive as he forced his way through the crowd. He turned the corner and saw Ginny standing there, her eyes searching for him. Their gaze locked and Harry immediately felt calmer than he had been since his nightmare. He swallowed as he closed the space between them, his arms wrapping around her to seek the comfort that he craved. His eyes screwed shut, his face burying into her shoulder. Her fingers wrapped around his arms.
"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked, fear evident in her voice.
He pulled back and her hands immediately cupped his face, her thumbs brushing across his cheekbones.
"Voldemort's got Sirius," Harry choked out, his entire body trembling.
"What?" Ginny gasped. "Where? How? Why?"
Harry cleared his throat, trying to stop the tears that burned his eyes.
"There's a room in the Department of Mysteries. I've been dreaming about it for months. There're these shelves filled with glass balls. Rows and rows and rows of them. They're at the end of row ninety-seven. He's – Voldemort's torturing Sirius. Says he'll kill him," Harry explained in a rush. "Professor McGonagall's been transferred to St. Mungo's and she can't… I have to get there."
Ginny blinked, her head nodding. "Of course, we…" she trailed off, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought. "Flying would be the easiest, right?"
Harry felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. Flying, yes, that's exactly what he was thinking.
"Can I borrow your broom?" Harry asked, his fingers wrapping around her elbows and tugging her a little closer to him.
Ginny nodded. "Well, yes, but do you know how to get there from here? We can fly together."
"Fly together?" Harry repeated, his brow furrowing.
"I can't let you go alone! I'm coming with you!" Ginny insisted.
Harry shook his head, not liking the idea of putting Ginny in danger. "What? No, I can't let you do that."
"Let me do that?" Ginny repeated, a soft scoff escaping her lips as her hands slid from his face.
"Harry!" Hermione shouted, a hand touching his shoulder.
He flinched away from her touch, his head snapping to look at her wide concerned eyes. Ron lingered next to her, his face whiter than a bit of parchment.
"What happened? I've been worried!" Hermione explained, her hand recoiling from his shoulder as though she had been burned.
"Voldemort has Sirius," Harry explained. "I'm trying to get to the Ministry."
"What?" Hermione gasped, her eyes narrowing.
Ron grew impossibly whiter, his freckles standing out. "How do you know?"
Harry swallowed. "Saw it. Just now. When I feel asleep in the exam."
"I'm thinking we fly," Ginny insisted. "We can fly two on a broom."
Harry shot his attention to Ginny. "I'm not risking your life! Or any of your lives!"
Ginny turned bright red, her arms crossing against her chest and Harry instantly craved her touch once more. "We care about Sirius, too!" She argued, her jaw tightening. "He's been exceedingly kind to me! I won't just sit here twiddling my thumbs knowing he's being hurt!"
"Wait, just please, both of you, stop!" Hermione protested, her eyes snapping between the two of them. "Harry, think this through."
"There's nothing to think through," Harry bit out. "My godfather, my only family, is being tortured to death! I need to help him!"
"Would you listen to yourself?" Hermione gasped out in a frightened tone. "It doesn't make any sense! It's just past five. The Ministry will be swarming with people. How did, how did… Voldemort get into the Ministry without anybody seeing him?"
"How should I know?" Harry bellowed, his anger spiking.
"Can you just think about this for a second?" Hermione pleaded. "Are you sure you saw what you think you saw? It doesn't make any sense! There's no way the two most wanted wizards entered the Ministry undetected."
"Maybe he used an Invisibility Cloak!" Harry argued. "I don't know! It doesn't matter, Hermione! The Department of Mysteries has always been empty whenever I dream about it!"
"You've only dreamed about the place, that's all, Harry," Hermione said in a quiet voice. "You've never been there."
Harry's breath came out in harsh huffs. He didn't have time to stand there and debate with Hermione about his dreams, not when Sirius was slowly dying. A sneer worked its way across his face as he turned his attention to Ron.
"My dreams aren't normal, Ron," Harry explained. "I saw what happened to your dad at Christmas. How do you explain that?"
Ron glanced down at Hermione. "He's got a point."
Hermione huffed. "But this is just – just so unlikely!" Hermione insisted in a desperate tone. "Harry, how on earth could Voldemort have got hold of Sirius when he's been at Grimmauld Place?"
Ron shrugged, sending a guilty look at Harry. "Could have cracked. He was always itching for some fresh air. Probably left."
"Ron!" Hermione protested. "No, no, Harry, listen to me, this is… please, just think rationally with me for a moment!"
Harry wanted to shake her, wanted to shout in her face, wanted to shove her aside to go grab a broom. There was no point of standing there and trying to reason with her. She couldn't see reason. She was too hung up on what was logical and not what was. It drove Harry mad.
"I'm not arguing with you anymore," Harry snapped. "I'm going to fly to the Ministry. You can't stop me."
"Are you coming, Ron?" Ginny asked, her fingers wrapping around Harry's arm.
"Of course, I'm bloody well coming," Ron snapped at Ginny before turning towards Harry. "I always got your back, mate."
Harry's heart swelled at the statement.
"Stop!" Hermione shouted, tears burning her eyes. "Will you at least contact Sirius first? You have the mirror! Just, please, call him first!"
Ron swallowed. "It wouldn't hurt to call quick first. We'll be heading there anywhere to grab the brooms."
"Fine!" Harry agreed, because it wouldn't take more than a minute to prove Hermione wrong.
Ginny's hand slid down his arm, her fingers wrapping around his palm. He returned the gesture, feeling a calming warmth spread through his entire body. Without letting another second pass, Harry started towards Gryffindor Tower and pulled Ginny along with him. They dashed through the corridors hand in hand, as fast as they could. Ginny kept up with his pace, her hand squeezing his.
Once they arrived in his dormitory, Harry dug through his trunk, finding the hidden side compartment where he had taken to hiding his mirror. His heart hammered in his chest as his entire body shook. He didn't expect Sirius to answer the mirror call and had already begun to plot his escape from Hogwarts. Sirius had been the only family he had ever known. He had grown so used to Sirius' presence in his life the past two years that he knew for a fact that he couldn't go back to having no one.
Gripping the mirror in his hand, he knew he didn't have time to run to the Room of Requirement. He'd have to hope no one was in the loo off their room. He took a seat on his bed, his body trembling and his breaths coming out in harsh huffs. Ginny shoved onto the bed next to him and drew the curtains around them. She grabbed her wand from her robe pocket and cast privacy charms.
"Sirius Black!" Harry exclaimed as Ginny took a seat next to him, her fingers wrapping around his arm and her cheek nearly touching his. "Sirius Black!"
"Give him a moment," Ginny whispered, her other hand reaching back and rubbing circles on his back, but Harry didn't feel the comfort in her touch for the first time ever.
"Sirius, please," Harry choked out, his fingers aching from how tightly he was clutching the mirror. "Sirius Black!"
The mirror rippled. Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Ginny pressed against him, her forehead leaning against his temple. Sirius appeared in the mirror, his mouth drawn in a thin line and his eyebrows knitted, a streak of blood smeared across his cheek. His eyes were not looking at Harry but at something to the left of him.
"Can I call you back in a few?" Sirius asked. "Kreacher attacked Buckbeak. I just let that fucker out of the cupboard. Bit stupid of me, if you want to know."
Harry licked his bottom lip. "I had a vision."
Sirius snapped his attention to the mirror. "What happened?"
"You were being… er, well, being tortured in the Department of Mysteries," Harry supplied, his face pulling. "Voldemort was asking you to fetch something for him. There were rows upon rows of shelves with these ball things on them."
Sirius' face turned white in an instant. "What?"
"Sirius, why would I see that if it wasn't real?" Harry asked, a slight waiver in his voice. "He must know we have a connection now and he's… was it a trap?"
Echoing Hermione's fears from earlier, it hadn't even been a thought in his mind. Everything he had ever seen before had been real. Now… now it was all fabricated. Harry didn't know what was worse.
"It was definitely a trap," Sirius struggled to talk, his eyes glossing over. "Whatever you do, do not leave Hogwarts. If you have another vision, ignore it."
"Sirius, what's going on?" Harry demanded. "What's at the Ministry?"
"Fuck," Sirius muttered, his hand dragging through his hair.
"Sirius, tell me what's going on!" Harry protested.
"I have to go, Harry. I need to alert the Order," Sirius said in a rush. "Fuck!"
"Sirius, no!" Harry pleaded. "What is Voldemort doing? How can I help?"
Sirius' lips twitched down. "I need you to listen to me and I need you to follow everything I say, do you understand me?"
Harry sighed, his jaw clenching. "Sirius!"
"Listen to me, Harry!" Sirius shouted, causing Harry to jump back at the harsh tone. "Do not leave Hogwarts! In fact, stay right where you are and have Ginny stay with you. Have your mirror on you at all times. If you have another vision, contact me immediately."
Harry's anger spiked. He needed to know what was happening to him. It had been scary enough to see what Voldemort was up to in his dreams. But now, he was awake and Voldemort had planted a fake vision in his head? He couldn't take the secrets and half-truths any longer. He needed answers.
"Tell me what's going on!" Harry demanded.
Sirius shook his head. "I can't explain it now."
"Voldemort is planting images in my head that aren't real!" Harry protested, his eyes glancing over to Ginny as she had started to tremble against him at his words.
"Look, I wanted to tell you everything last summer but Dumbledore thought it was best not to," Sirius said in a rush. "I thought he was wrong then and now I think he was really fucking wrong. The next time I see you in person, I will tell you everything. I promise you, Harry, I will tell you everything but I need to get the Order to the Ministry right now. We have several Aurors in the Order now and they can make some serious arrests tonight. There's no time to wait. Just… I'll contact you when I have more information."
Harry swallowed down his annoyance. "You're not leaving the house, are you?"
Sirius scowled. "No, Harry, I will stay right here as long as you stay where you are. Understood?"
Harry nodded. Before he could say anything, the mirrors disconnected. His and Ginny's faces stared back at him. Sitting the mirror down onto his lap, he turned his attention to a very pale Ginny. At first he didn't understand why she was so upset, but his mind flickered back to Ginny snapping lucky you at him during the Christmas holiday. He hesitated for a split second before he rested his palm on her knee.
"Are you all right?" he asked in a soft voice.
Ginny nodded against his shoulder. "I don't like that he's forcing images in your head."
"He didn't possess me, Gin," Harry replied.
"What if he does?" Ginny asked, lifting her head from his shoulder. "Is that why Sirius told you to stay with me? Does he think that you might be possessed?"
Harry blinked. He hadn't even picked up on that small comment from Sirius. At the time, he just assumed it was so he didn't go off and do something stupid. But now… Harry swallowed. Pressing his back against his headboard, he tried to push that nauseating thought from his mind. Ginny scooted back with him, her hand fumbling for his, as her head rested against his shoulder. His own head tilted to rest on hers.
"I don't know, Gin."
It was in that moment that Harry was acutely aware that he was essentially cuddling with Ginny Weasley… in his bed… in a dorm room that he shared with Ron. He wasn't quite sure when he had become so comfortable with Ginny. She had always been there, in the background, making him laugh and sharing knowing looks with him. Now, she was pressed against him and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Never in a million years would he have been caught dead sitting in such a way with Hermione. It wasn't even the fact that Ron and Hermione fancied each other. No, it was because he had never been so comfortable with Hermione. Sure, she was one of his best mates, but he didn't like when she hugged him or leaned against him in any way. She had learned pretty quick that he didn't appreciate the physical contact and he had watched as she tried to reel it in.
But Ginny? His thumb brushed across her knuckles. It was different. Harry didn't know why it was different. Perhaps it was her familiar and comforting flowery scent that always enveloped his senses when she was close to him. Or maybe it was the fact that she was Ron's little sister and Ron's family had always welcomed him into their home. Or maybe it was because he…
Harry sucked in a breath, his eyes glancing up at the ceiling. No, he couldn't… like Ginny Weasley. She was his best mate's little sister! He had never felt so comfortable around Cho before and he had definitely liked her. Cho was pretty and loved Quidditch and…
Harry squinted. If Cho was pretty, then Ginny was definitely beautiful. Her hair shimmered with reds, golds, and oranges. Her freckles scrunched up on her face every time she laughed. Her brown eyes always seemed to sparkle every time she smiled. She too liked Quidditch and she was actually better than Cho. Harry had watched her fly and had been so impressed with her dives. Ginny was strong and funny and stood up for her friends. She was nice and caring and…
"Oi, mate, is everything all right?" Ron's voice broke his thoughts.
Ginny sat up, scooting towards the curtains. "I'll talk to him. Be right back."
Harry nodded, watching her disappear from his bed. He listened to her soft voice explain that Sirius was fine, that the Order was being alerted, and that they were waiting for Sirius to contact them back with news. Ron mumbled something about telling Hermione. Snuffling sounded and then Ginny reappeared. She sat next to him on his bed, this time leaving a bit of space between them. Harry chewed on his bottom lip as she sent him a soft smile. All Harry could think about was how he wanted her pressed against him once more.
Merlin, help him. He liked Ginny and he had no idea what to even do with that information. He felt like he had been hit in the head by a Bludger as the realization hit him all at once and with such force. His feelings for the youngest Weasley needed to be pushed to the back of his mind, because Voldemort was making his move and that was far more important at the moment than whether or not he fancied Ginny… right?
Remus' heart thumped in his chest as he stared up at the stark white ceiling in Nymphadora Tonks' flat. Her naked breasts pressed against his side, her long nail trailing along a rather nasty scar from Prongs' antler when one night in their sixth year Moony had gotten a tad out of control in Hogsmeade. Merlin, they had been dumbarse kids. The very thought of it made Remus cringe.
She propped herself up on her elbow, her head ducking down to press her lips against the scar. Remus glanced down at her. Nymphadora always seemed to be touching his scars and kissing them. It wasn't something that any of the other women he had been with did. Not that he had been with many women, but he had had enough one-night stands to know that they all shied away from his scars. Even Dorcas had…
Remus pushed Dorcas Meadowes out of his mind. He had thought once upon a time that Dorcas had been the witch for him, but he had kept pushing her away and claimed they were just shag mates. It wasn't until Dorcas had been found murdered that he thought he had missed his chance at love.
But Nymphadora stirred feelings in him that Dorcas certainly never had. She made him feel alive and normal in a way he hadn't felt in a very long time. Like Dorcas, she was incredibly smart as they discussed nuanced magical theory and tested out the newest spells and dueling techniques in Defense Monthly together. She was funny and engaging and totally out of his league.
Nymphadora dragged her tongue up his chest and Remus tried not to moan out loud. He pressed his head into the pillow, his eyes closing.
"Dora," he murmured, his hands reaching down to smooth against her back.
She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Yes?"
"Are you trying to break my cock?" Remus asked.
Nymphadora laughed, her head throwing back as she shifted into a seated position. Her hands cupped his face. "Oh, are you too old to get it up anymore?"
Remus' lips twitched. "We've been in this bed for four hours."
Nymphadora shrugged. "Are you complaining about that?"
"Merely making an observation," Remus replied.
A buzzing sounded. Remus' brow furrowed as he looked at the bedside table to see nothing there. Groaning, he leaned over the bed to look for the mirror that Sirius had bought him and linked with his. He had also linked Harry's mirror to his, but Remus had never contacted him. He didn't think Harry really cared to chitchat with his old professor or some random friend of his parents' who hadn't been involved in his life for twelve years because Remus was far too depressed to even attempt contact.
Snatching the mirror from under the bed, he saw Sirius' grim face staring back at him. Sitting up in bed, he motioned for Nymphadora to get away from him. The last thing he needed was for Sirius to tease him some more about his feelings towards his baby cousin. He had noticed over the past couple of months that Sirius and Molly had teamed up and taken a very keen interest in Remus and Nymphadora's… friendship.
"Sirius Black," Remus answered, the mirror as close as human possibly to his face.
"About fucking time," Sirius snapped. "I just received a call from Harry. He had a vision of Voldemort torturing me in the Department of Mysteries. Three guesses as to where."
Remus froze, not expecting that information to leave Sirius' mouth. "Voldemort's at the Ministry?"
Sirius sighed. "Certainly, appears like it. Or, at the very least, he has his little cronies there. He wants Harry to grab the prophecy. He's desperate and out of options."
"I'll contact Kingsley! And Axel! And… whoever else that will answer!" Nymphadora exclaimed as she rolled out of bed, hitting her leg on the bedside table, before she tripped to grab her clothes off the floor.
"Are you with Dora?" Sirius asked, his brows furrowing. "Are you naked?"
Remus scowled, ignoring him. "You're staying put at Grimmauld Place, right?"
Sirius let out a bitter laugh. "Yes, Dad."
Remus too ignored that comment as he jumped out of bed and looked around for his boxers. "You told Harry to stay where he's at?"
"Yes, Ginny was with him and I told him to stay with her in case…" Sirius trailed off but Remus didn't need him to finish that sentence.
Tossing the mirror onto the bed, Remus quickly pulled on his boxers and trousers. It had been a discussion ever since Christmas if Voldemort could possess Harry. It had been a conversation with Dumbledore that had Sirius throwing plates across the kitchen with the Black family crest on them and ended with him black-out drunk.
"So Voldemort knows about the connection," Remus said loudly as he hunted for his shirt. "Do you think he's been slowly prodding Harry's mind all year?"
"Merlin fuck, Remus, I don't even want to think about that," Sirius replied, a long sigh escaping his lips. "We need to get him out of Hogwarts."
Remus shook his head as he pulled his shirt over his head and snatched the mirror off the bed. "He's safest at Hogwarts."
Sirius blinked at him. "How? Please, Remus, tell me how he is safer? Dumbledore and McGonagall are gone."
"There's Severus," Remus pointed out as he slid his bare feet into his shoes because finding his socks was really at the bottom of his list of concerns right now.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "That's not comforting at all."
Remus marched out of the bedroom and towards the parlor. "We're not having this discussion right now."
Entering the parlor, he saw Nymphadora leaning into the fire. He wondered how many people she had contacted already. Remus reached to grab his jacket off the back of the sofa and made sure his wand was still in the pocket.
"Will you contact me after you get back?" Sirius asked. "I told Harry I would keep him updated."
"Yeah, well, you should check with Dumbledore first before you tell Harry anything," Remus reasoned as he shrugged on his jacket, switching hands with the mirror.
Sirius nodded. "Yeah, well, let's stop talking because you don't have time to chastise me right now with my plans."
Remus opened his mouth to ask what Sirius was actually plotting but the connection broke. Shaking his head, he shrunk his mirror before shoving it into his back pocket. He glanced back over at Nymphadora. A few moments later, she pulled out of the fireplace and shot him a look.
"Ready?" she asked.
Remus nodded, making sure he had his wand one more time before they headed out of Nymphadora's flat. She luckily lived in a flat on the outskirts of Diagon Alley so they could Apparate as soon as they left the building. They reappeared in a dark alleyway just around the corner from the Ministry and she took him in through the employee entrance.
"We're meeting in the Auror Department," Nymphadora explained as they made their way to the lifts. "I contacted Axel. He's alerting Sutton and Kingsley. Then they were going to alert whoever."
Remus nodded. "All Aurors?"
"Yes," Nymphadora confirmed, her eyes snapping up to look at him. "You shouldn't be there."
Remus furrowed his brows. "What?"
"In the Department of Mysteries," Nymphadora explained. "Between all of the Aurors in the… you know, we'll be fine. Plus, it wouldn't look good if the commotion gets big enough and you're found there. Scrimgeour will take one look at your background and…" Nymphadora trailed off, her lips twisting. "Just stand outside and catch any stragglers that try to flee or something."
Remus was about to argue when the lift doors opened. Nymphadora dashed out and Remus had no choice but to jog to catch up with her. He had been in the Auror Department plenty of times, had even been interrogated about Sirius not long after he had been arrested for murder and treason. He followed Nymphadora through the bullpen until they stopped at her desk. Her body nearly vibrated next to him as her eyes scanned the empty room.
Remus leaned against Nymphadora's desk, his fingers tightening around the edge. It felt very personal and intimate to be standing so close together in her little cubicle. She shared the space with her partner, the two desks pushed together. He glanced back at her partner's desk to see a photo of Axel Lowe smiling with his arms around an unfamiliar female. While Axel had joined the Order of the Phoenix, his wife or girlfriend had not.
Before long, the Aurors in the Order of the Phoenix started to file into the department. He glanced around the room, watching as the Aurors started strategizing, with Kingsley and Robards taking the lead. Remus shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering how long they were going to be talking about the plan. He glanced over to the left when he heard the distinct sound of wood tapping on the tile floor. Alastor came limping over, a grim look crossing his face.
"Dumbledore is stopping by to talk to Black before he heads over," Alastor announced. "He said to start without him." Alastor glanced at the group in front of him. "Well, there's six of you and you each have your normal partner with you. Treat it like a raid. Have your partner's back. Don't fuck up. Lupin and I will wait outside to grab runners. There's always fucking runners."
"Let's move out," Robards grumbled and led the group with Tegan Robins at his side. Kingsley and Sutton stepped up next to follow them. Nymphadora winked at Remus before she lined up with Axel. Alastor nodded at Remus as the two of them brought up the rear.
Remus wasn't quite sure he liked the plan of not going in himself to the Department of Mysteries. Ever since Sirius had confessed what the prophecy was truly about, he couldn't help the paralyzing fear of it winding up in Lord Voldemort's hands. What if he planned on coming to the Ministry once he found out that he had not fooled Harry? The entire Order should be there if that was the case. By the same token, he understood why only the Aurors were entering. It was an arrest mission, nothing more so far.
Once the Aurors disappeared through the Department of Mysteries door, Remus leaned against the wall. His eyes glanced over at Alastor who muttered and paced down the corridor.
"Black's not coming, right?" Alastor asked as he stopped, his magical eye surveying Remus.
"No," Remus replied. "Still don't trust him?"
Alastor snorted. "It's not really about trust anymore."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"
"Black's still upset that I suspected him in the first place," Alastor explained. "But with a name like Black, you really can't be too careful."
"I suppose I understand where he's coming from," Remus replied, his wand tapping against his thigh. "Anytime someone finds out I'm a werewolf, it's the same shit."
Alastor nodded. "Black got upset I talked to Potter."
Remus hadn't heard that. "When was this?"
"Over the summer. Gave him an old picture of the Order. Thought he might like to see his parents," Alastor explained. "Chewed me out afterwards once the kids went to bed. Told me to leave his godson alone."
"Sirius is very protective of Harry," Remus explained. "And you let him rot in Azkaban."
Alastor sneered, his eye moving like crazy as he glanced over at the door that the Aurors had disappeared through. Remus clenched his jaw, kicking off the wall and readying himself for a fight. But nothing happened.
"James was very protective of Black," Alastor grunted, his gaze snapping back to Remus. "Wouldn't even hear of Albus saying anything negative. Too damn loyal for his own good."
Remus snorted. "Funny, that's what Sirius says. Guess the two of you are more similar than you think."
"Yeah, well, the Potters would still be alive if they had any common sense," Alastor mumbled.
Remus frowned, fully understanding for the first time how Alastor grated on Sirius' nerves. Leaning back against the wall, Remus turned his attention to the Department of Mysteries door, wondering what was happening inside. The one thing that Remus was acutely aware of was that he wanted nothing more than to be fighting side-by-side with Nymphadora Tonks, wanting to ensure her safety by having her back.
Ginny felt warm, like she was wrapped up in a giant cocoon of blankets. The sun shined on her face, leaving a smile tugging on her lips. Calloused hands cupped her cheek, drawing her closer and closer. She could feel the silky soft mess of hair slip through her fingertips. It was pure bliss. Better than anything she had ever experienced before.
A hot mouth encased her, a slow and steady throbbing skating across her stomach. It was better than she could have ever anticipated or hoped. She arched into him, a hand sliding around her to pull her closer.
Then coldness slithering across her body. The sun disappearing like the sky had gulped it up in one fell swoop. Her eyes snapped open to see the red canopy above her. Disoriented and confused, she turned to see the curtains drawn open and a dark figure moving.
Blinking, Ginny knew she wasn't in her own bed. Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked down to see she was still in her school uniform. On the bed sat Harry's mirror. The previous night crashed into her. She had fallen asleep in Harry's bed while they waited for news from Sirius that never came.
Darting out from behind the curtains, she bolted from the room before anyone could see her. Taking the stairs two at a time, she knew she had to find Harry. He must have grown tired of waiting and decided to leave the castle. Ginny knew that was a bad idea. She knew she had to stop him.
She caught up to him in the common room. He moved slowly towards the portrait hole, an unfamiliar saunter to his steps. It was almost as though he glided, his feet barely brushing the ground. She furrowed her brow, bracing her palms against either side of the stairwell.
"Harry!" Ginny called.
He ignored her as he kept making his way towards the portrait hole. Something seemed wrong, off about the entire situation. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare, even though she had just woken up from a blissful dream. Without hesitating a moment longer, she rushed after Harry. Her fingers wrapped around his elbow and she tugged at him to turn and face her.
A scream left her lips before she could stop herself. Harry's enchanting emerald eyes were gone and replaced with blood red ones. Eyes that had kept her up at night for the past four years. Her hand snapped back as though she had been burned, her chest heaving.
The red eyes narrowed at her, his head cocking to the side. Ginny couldn't speak, a wave of fear washing over her. Frozen like a statue, she couldn't stop staring at him. The boy she…
Ginny gulped.
The boy she loved looked so wrong in front of her. So menacing. So unnatural. For the first time in her life, she feared him. Her body trembled as she remembered not so long ago her soul slowly slipping from her, the life sucked out of her like a leech draining its prey.
His eyes flickered like twinkling fairy lights. The red fading to green and then back again in a matter of seconds. That's all it took to knock sense into Ginny, to make her realize it was Harry and not Tom standing before her.
She gripped his face, her chest crashing into his. "Harry, wake up."
His body jolted, his skin burning beneath her fingertips as though he had been dunked in boiling water. His blood red eyes rolled back into his head before he stumbled forward. Disoriented emerald eyes shifted from side to side, attempting to focus on Ginny right in front of him. His skin cooled beneath her touch, but she didn't dare break contact in case Tom was still lingering somewhere in the deep crevices of his mind.
"Ginny?" Harry croaked, his eyes finally focusing on her. "Why are we in the common room? I don't…" Harry swallowed, his voice cracking just slightly.
Ginny pulled his head down, forcing him to hunch over. Their foreheads connected and she felt his sweat on her skin. "That question you had over Christmas…" Ginny trailed off, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper. "It's happening."
Harry shuddered against her.
"Stay close," she whispered. "A few times Demelza knocked me out of it by touching me. She…" Ginny cleared her throat. "She said my eyes turned red towards the end of the year and it scared her. She would shake me and she wouldn't let go until I had a full grip on reality. Don't move away until you're sure you have a firm grip. You can't slip back under."
Ginny felt Harry's hot breath on her face, coming out in harsh and quick huffs. Their eyes locked, his glasses sliding down his nose. It could have been seconds or minutes or maybe even hours that the two of them stared into each other's eyes. Neither dared to move. Slowly but surely, Harry relaxed in her arms. She knew the moment he had complete control when his eyes screwed shut, his forehead sliding from hers as his arms encased around her waist. His nose pressed into the crook of her shoulder and neck, his glasses pressing painfully into her skin.
"You're fine," Ginny whispered, her arms circled around his neck.
"Gin…" Harry whispered, his limbs trembling as his eyes pleaded for her to reassure him.
Ginny offered him her best reassuring smile that she could muster in the moment. "It's all right."
Harry pulled away from her, his eyes refusing to look at her, and straightened to his full height. "I'm sorry," he muttered, his shoulders sagging as his hand massaged the back of his neck.
"You shouldn't be alone," Ginny whispered, her arms wrapping around her waist. "We should contact Sirius. He needs to know."
Harry chewed on his bottom lip, his hands shoving into his trouser pockets. "Was I really possessed?"
Ginny nodded. "Your eyes were red."
Harry let out a long breath, his eyes fluttering open. His emerald eyes looked dull with dark circles stamped beneath on his unnaturally pale skin.
"Let's go grab the mirror," Ginny insisted. "We'll find a place to call Sirius."
Harry nodded. "I'll be right back."
"Harry…" Ginny insisted, not wanting him out of her sight for even a moment.
He reached out, his fingers wrapping around her palm. "I'm all right. Just… give me a moment, all right?"
Ginny hesitated, her lips parting to protest. But before she could get a single word out, he dashed up the stairs towards his dorm. Ginny's legs wobbled underneath her weight. She took a stumbling step back, her hands shooting out behind her to grip the back of the sofa while she waited. Glancing over at the clock hanging from the wall, she noted it was a quarter past two in the morning.
A lump formed in Ginny's throat. They had fallen asleep in his bed waiting for news from Sirius, which normally would send tingles through Ginny's body but her mind was too preoccupied to give it the attention it deserved. Had Harry been dreaming of You-Know-Who and had his mind overtaken? Was sleeping not safe anymore? Would he be able to possess Harry during the day when he was wide awake and less vulnerable?
A few moments later, Harry appeared in the common room with Ron in tow. Harry pressed his wand to an old bit of parchment and muttered under his breath. Ron held the Invisibly Cloak, his wide blue eyes darting between Harry and Ginny.
"What are you doing up?" Ginny asked.
Ron shrugged. "Trouble sleeping. I heard Harry rummaging around in his trunk. What is going on?"
Ginny's eyes darted to Harry. His Adam's apple bobbed and Ginny doubted he'd even be able to speak about what had just happened. He made his way towards the portrait hole, causing Ginny and Ron to dash after him. Her eyes dropped to the handle of the mirror peeking out of his back trouser pocket. Ginny picked up her speed so that she could match Harry's steps, their shoulders bumping against each other. She wanted to take his hand, to let him know that he was still him and ground him, but he had his hands full with what looked like a map of the castle.
They made it to the Room of Requirement in record time. All three of them stepped inside a replica of the Gryffindor common room. Harry tossed the map and his wand onto one of the sofas as he reached around to pull out the mirror.
"What's going on?" Ron whispered in her ear.
Ginny swallowed and spoke as softly as she could so Harry wouldn't hear her. "He was possessed. His eyes were red. I-I found him trying to leave."
Harry stared hard at his reflection in the mirror but he didn't speak.
"What?" Ron gasped.
Harry glanced up at Ginny with pleading eyes. Ginny took a step forward, her hand reaching out to grab the mirror. He handed it over, his arm trembling. Ginny broke eye contact, her gaze situating on her pale face in the mirror.
"Mate," Ron whispered as he closed the space between him and Harry, a hand gripping Harry's shoulder.
"Sirius Black," Ginny said into the mirror, trying her damnedest not to let her voice waver.
It took only a few moments for Sirius' worried face to appear in the mirror. "Ginny? Is Harry all right?"
Ginny nodded, her eyes flickering up to give him a quick glance. "Harry was possessed."
"What?" Sirius gasped, standing up in the mirror and causing the chair he was sitting in to tumble to the ground.
"He's fine," Ginny added in a rush. "He snapped out of it but, Sirius, his eyes were red and he…"
Ginny let out a huff of air. She could remember the way those blood red eyes had stared at her with curiosity, like he had never seen anything like her before. There was no way he remembered her from the diary. They were the same yet also different.
"Let me talk to him," Sirius demanded.
Ginny flipped the mirror towards where Ron and Harry stood huddled together. Ron had an arm wrapped around Harry's shoulders, clearly in protective best mate mode.
"Harry, what happened?" Sirius asked, his voice shifting to a gentler tone.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know," he croaked out. "I was in my bed and the next thing I know is Ginny was standing in front of me in the common room. I don't know what happened."
"Listen to me very carefully, Harry," Sirius commanded. "Stay with Ginny and Ron. Do not leave their side. I am going to get someone to Hogwarts to collect you and bring you to me, understood?"
"Sirius…" Harry trailed off. "Don't leave. You can't come."
"Don't worry about me," Sirius insisted.
"Sirius!" Harry pleaded, and Ginny swore she saw tears well in his eyes for a brief second before they disappeared.
"Listen to me!" Sirius snapped. "I won't come unless I can't find anyone else. Keep your mirror on you. I will call you when someone is on their way. At that time, you'll head to the one-eyed witch statue and make your way to Hogsmeade. Ron, go with him and take the Invisibility Cloak. Do not leave him until whoever is at the drop arrives, understood? Then, you will go back to the castle and be blissfully unaware of where Harry is."
"Sirius…" Harry trailed off, a slight waver in his voice. "What's going to happen?"
"You will receive daily Occlumency lessons until I'm satisfied that it won't happen again," Sirius explained. "I need to make arrangements. Wait for my call."
Harry's jaw clenched and Ginny could only assume the connection dropped. His head dipped back to look at the ceiling and Ginny's arm dropped. She glanced down to see Sirius was no longer in the mirror, just like she suspected. Her gaze snapped between Ron and Harry, waiting for one of them to make a move. Ron moved first, moving his hand from Harry's shoulder to thump him on the back.
"Right, let's get you packed," Ron announced, carding a hand through his hair. "Don't worry about Hedwig. I'll send her to Grimmauld without a letter tomorrow."
Harry didn't say anything, but he nodded. Reaching around, Harry grabbed the map once more and they made their way out of the Room of Requirement. Stepping into the corridor, Ron wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder and gripped his shoulder once more. Ginny lingered back, walking behind them. Harry's shoulders looked tense. His head bowed as he focused his entire concentration on the map while Ron steered him away from statues.
"Filch," Harry said out of the blue.
Ginny paused in her stride, not knowing what to do. But Harry and Ron did. They moved in tandem, like they had done this particular maneuver a hundred times before, creeping into the shadows as Ron snapped the Invisibility Cloak open. Harry stuffed the map in his back pocket as he turned around, his gaze catching Ginny's. He reached out a hand, wrapping his fingers around Ginny's wrist and tugging her towards him.
Ginny crashed into his chest just as the fabric engulfed them. Harry pulled Ginny close to his chest, his arms wrapping around her as Ron took a step backwards until his back was pressing against hers. If he felt Harry's arm around her waist, he didn't say anything as the three of them stood huddled together.
Filch strolled by them, muttering to himself as he looked around the corridor. Ginny pressed her face into Harry's chest, her eyes screwing shut as though that would help them not get caught. She had never been out of bounds at night. Not since the diary forced her to.
Harry's chin rested on top of her head, and Ginny felt herself melting into him. She could hear his heart beating in his chest, fast and harsh. She forgot Ron was even there for a moment until Ron shifted against her. She winced, hating that it was the three of them squished together and not just two.
The footfalls of Filch faded. Harry kept one arm firm around her while the other reached into his back pocket. She opened her eyes and looked at their three dots huddled together on the map and saw no one else near them.
"Clear," Harry announced.
The Invisibility Cloak glided off them and Ron folded it messily. Harry's arm dropped from around her waist and he took a hasty step back, his eyes snapping up to look at Ron. But Ron didn't pay any attention.
Ginny had the urge to reach out and touch Harry, to show him some support and give him some comfort. Except before she could reach out, his gaze dropped to the map and they set off again in complete silence. Ginny's bottom lip slid between her teeth and she walked behind them, her mind unsettled and her limbs trembling in anxiety at the very thought of Tom possessing and using Harry as regularly as he did her.
I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! We are really in the thick of the AU now as many things are going to start to change! Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate me to keep writing and they have inspired some ideas!
Special and big thanks to Bell for being a superb editor.