Chapter Thirty Six
Harry couldn't stop fidgeting as they got ready to go to Notgrove barrow. It was somewhere in Gloucestershire, thankfully Hermione had thought to pack a map so they could find where they were going.
Harry had a vague memory of going there once when he was very young but he had no idea how to get there. He mostly remembered that they'd forgotten the glasses in the picnic basket so had had to swig the zesty lemonade from the heavy glass bottles. He'd struggled to lift the bottle, so Severus had lifted it to his lips every time he'd wanted a drink.
Harry, Hermione and Draco had all agreed to apparate into a field a few miles away from the barrow. They could walk to Notgrove barrow and it would help prevent them from getting caught in any traps.
Harry wasn't sure if it was desperation to see his family, a family that were going through a tough enough time as it was before he'd left without so much as a goodbye, or he genuinely thought that this couldn't possibly be a trap. Either way, he couldn't wait to get there and see them.
Hermione had been heartbroken and stormed off when Harry and Draco had told her that they were going to try and see Harry's mother.
For a while they'd been worried she wasn't going to come back but half an hour later she was standing just outside the wards and Draco let her back in.
She'd sat down with them and explained herself as tears fell down her nose into the cup of hot chocolate that Harry had made her. She missed her parents, she assumed that they were in Australia but hadn't been able to confirm it before they'd had to go on the run. She was facing possibly never seeing them again and, for all she hated herself for feeling it, she was jealous it couldn't be her seeing her folks again.
"We'll get them back." Draco assured her, "It'll be OK."
Hermione had smiled sadly and nodded, holding onto the thought of seeing them again.
It was pitch black and bitterly cold outside when they quickly packed down the tent. Even in the dark the light from their wands was enough to let them see their breath floating in front of their faces with every breath.
"What time is it?" Harry asked, trying to keep his teeth from chattering.
"Just passed six." Hermione yawned, trying not to snap at him, "Now please stop fussing. Are we ready?"
The three of them gripped hands and landed on a frost covered, grassy hill.
It was a long, cold walk through the countryside to the barrow. They couldn't see one another through the disillusionment charms they had heavily covered themselves in, just their wands making the air around them slightly lighter than the surrounding thick darkness.
"What are we going to do if she asks us to go home with her?" Draco asked. He couldn't lie, the idea of his warm bed and proper food were calling to him. The marsh they'd ended up camping in the other week had only added to the longing to go home.
However, he also knew that what they were doing was important, more important than nice sheets and a few hot meals, however soft those sheets and how expertly prepared the meals were.
They climbed over the top of the last hill and stopped, frozen at the sight before them. A huge fire was burning in the air, surrounded by over a dozen people, wrapped up well in heavy cloaks.
Harry, Draco and Hermione stripped away their disillusionment charms and called out to Lily and Lucius.
"You made it!" Lily beamed, handing a very sleepy Danica to Lucius and Narcissa before rushing over to her son and wrapping him in a rib crushing hug.
"Hi mum!" Harry mumbled into her cloak, "Missed me much?"
Lily laughed, tears falling down her nose, she cradled his face in her hands, "More than I can say. You look well. Are you eating properly?"
Harry nodded, "Yeah… yeah we're doing OK."
"There are a lot of people here to see you," Lily said, "and we've not got long."
Harry nodded, a plan starting form in his mind, "I'll make sure I see everyone, but I need to make sure we can talk to Narcissa before we leave."
"Ok." Lily said, with a curious frown, "Whatever you need."
Harry, Hermione and Draco split up, wondering around the gathering of people. They all felt overwhelmed seeing so many people at once after months with it just being the three of them.
"Hallie and Hannah have gotten so big!" Hermione beamed, looking over the sleeping twins, curled up with one another at the foot of the hill, like resting fairies.
Neville beamed proudly, "Yep! They're going to be six next year. They'll be upset that they slept through seeing you. Mum and Dad weren't going to bring them but they screamed the house down!"
Danica was clinging tightly to her brother's hand, not wanting to ever let him go again.
They greeted Bill and Fleur who were talking excitedly to Alice and Frank Longbottom about what they'd do to help break into the Ministry Aurors training course.
Harry realised how well he had managed to push his feelings down about being so alone; feelings which now bubbled ferociously to the surface. He quickly wiped his eyes, turning slightly to the side so that Danica wouldn't see him crying.
"You're pregnant!" Harry gasped, spotting Tonks rubbing her swollen stomach while talking to Nikka and Remus.
"Nope, just taken up a career in smuggling melons." Tonks grinned, "Watcha, Harry."
"When did this happen?" Harry asked, giving her a hug.
"We found out mid-October." Remus beamed. He'd been unable to stop smiling since he'd come to grips with the fact he was going to be a father.
He didn't care if the baby was a werewolf, he just wanted them to be happy, and hopefully healthy. Whatever came their way, he and Tonks would manage. For the first time in his life he felt like he truly belonged and that everything would be ok.
"Will you be the godfather?" Tonks asked quickly, afraid Harry would be pulled off any second. Lily had been very clear they couldn't see Harry for long no matter how much they wanted to, it would just be too dangerous.
"Nikka is going to be the godmother." Remus told him, "And we would be truly honoured if you would be his, or her, godfather."
Harry wiped away tears that were quickly spilling down his face, "Yes! Yes of course I will! Thank you so much."
Tonks smiled, moving her hand quickly to the edge of her belly, "I think Button approves. Would you like to feel?"
Harry slowly reached out his hand, Tonks guiding it to where the baby was moving happily inside her.
"That is so weird." Harry said, feeling a hand pressing through the skin against his own, he'd been too young to remember when Lily was pregnant with Danica, and she'd not been a very movie baby, he'd never felt so connected to life before, "Do you want to feel Danica?"
Danica smiled at him, "It's OK."
"Danica has been a huge help since we found out I was pregnant." Tonks smiled, running a hand over Danica's hair, "She ends up falling asleep against the baby most nights now."
"I'm basically going to be an auntie." Danica said, trying to show she was very grown up now.
Harry grinned, wishing that this moment would never end. This is what he was fighting for, the future, for 'Button' which was a terrible name that Harry hoped wouldn't stick after the child was born, for Danica and all the others who would come up behind them.
He quickly wiped away a fresh layer of tears, his resolve to keep going strengthened ten fold. He could tell it was the same for Draco and Hermione, there was no going back now. He'd worried seeing people again would just increase their longing to go home, to give up but it hadn't, quite the opposite.
They were simply either going to win, or die trying.
"I'll see you soon." Harry said, finally pulling his hand away from the movement, "And thank you. I really am honoured to be their godfather."
Tonks, Remus and Nikka buried Danica and him in a hug for a few minutes before letting him go.
"Danica I need to go talk to Aunt Cissy, you have stay here, or go to Mum OK?" Harry told her.
Danica huffed and pouted slightly but nodded, dragging Remus over to Lily.
Harry took a deep breath and walked over to where Hermione was chatting with Daphne.
"I'm sorry that Cho and Pansy and William and Luna couldn't make it." Daphne said, giving Harry a tight hug, "They wanted to but they'd been invited to spend the solstice with the centaurs and it's really important that we keep things friendly as possible there."
"It's OK." Harry said honestly, "I miss them, of course but we'll see them soon. I actually need to steal Hermione away if that's OK?"
Daphne nodded, giving him another quick hug, "Do not leave without saying goodbye!"
Harry grinned and promised they wouldn't.
"What's this about?" Hermione asked, following Harry towards where Draco and his parents were sitting.
Narcissa had stayed tucked away from the others, in fact several of the others there didn't seem to even see she was there, Harry suspected that she'd used some very tricky magic to make her invisible but only to certain people.
"I think we need to ask Narcissa to get into the Lestrange vault." Harry said frankly.
"Harry… we're not even sure there's something in there." Hermione pointed out.
Harry nodded, "I know but it's the only lead we have. We have to try. I wont let 'Button' be born into this world, Hermione, I just can't, it's… it's like it hurts, the idea is ripping me open."
"Ok." Hermione said calmingly, "It's worth an ask."
She walked with Harry towards Draco and his parents.
Draco hadn't stopped crying silently into his parents shoulders since he'd arrive. Lucius was looking as well as could be expected. He was pale and slightly more tired than he'd been in August but not in a massively unhealthy way; the Malfoys were known for being pale after all.
Narcissa on the other hand was barely recognisable. Gone was the never ending elegance that she'd always had. Her clothes were slightly scruffy, a black brocade corset pulling her already small waist in even smaller. Her cheek bones were sharper against her pale skin, her long blonde hair loose around her face, falling down her back, Harry wasn't sure he'd ever seen it completely down before.
Draco sat up seeing Hermione and Harry approach and wiped his eyes on the handkerchief he always had stuffed in his pocket. Hermione and Harry sat down on the frozen grass next to them and took a deep breath.
"Narcissa, we need to asking if you could do something for us." Harry said.
Narcissa nodded, a deep tiredness in her eyes, "Of course, anything if I can help."
"You're doing enough." Lucius said, a sharp edge to his voice coming from the helplessness he felt.
His beloved wife was risking her life everyday and she was fading away, losing herself in the horror she was living and there was nothing he could do to help.
"We need you to try and look in the Lestrange vault." Harry explained, scanning her face for any sign she didn't want to help any more, he wasn't about to force her, "We're looking for something that was once Rowenna Ravenclaw's or Helga Hufflepuff's cup. It looks like this." he pulled out one of the many drawings he'd made of the cup, "You'll need to steal it and get it to us as soon as you can."
Narcissa looked deathly pale in the light of the floating fire, "I wish I could help you Harry, but the Lestrange vault is locked up tight since Bella had Slytherin's scram sax moved in, she rarely even goes herself and wont let anyone else, not even Rodolphus or Rabastan."
Hermione, Harry and Draco all grinned.
"She didn't have the scram sax moved in." Hermione said, pulling the real scram sax from her small beaded bag, "We have it. The one in her vault is a fake."
Narcissa reached out a slow hand, running her long fingers over the blade, "She thinks it's the real one…" she frowned for a moment, "I think… perhaps… I'd need proof that you had this. It would get her worried enough to check."
"You don't have to, Mother." Draco said, the worry of it crashing down on him in waves and making him want to throw up.
"Yes I do." Narcissa said fiercely, "You three… you six, eight… nine? However many of you there are now, out there, fighting this. You are still only children, but you are being so very brave. What sort of warrior would I be if didn't play my part?"
"We'll go to Luna's father." Harry suggested, "Both to let him know that she's safe and get him to put some photos of us with the scram sax in the Quibbler."
"That would work." Narcissa said, "I will do my best. Bella… she's… struggling at the moment, made worse by how much Gemini is struggling as well. I'm starting wonder just how much insanity is in our genes." her mind flashed back to her childhood, of being scared to say the wrong thing or make a mess. There had certainly been times she wasn't sure she had much of a grip on reality both as a child or as an adult.
"Don't read into it too much." Hermione said kindly, "You did pretty good with Draco after all."
Narcissa and Lucius's beamed at one another, holding their son that little bit tighter.
"He's the best thing we ever did." Lucius said firmly.
Lily walked over, holding Danica's hand. She coughed loudly to let them know she was there.
"Get the pictures sorted as soon as you can." Narcissa told them, "Things will only get harder where I am the longer it takes. Severus sends all his love by the way, he wishes he could have been here." she handed Harry a small bit of folded parchment, "He wanted me to give this to you."
Harry thanked her for passing on the message, and promised her that they would get her the pictures as soon as they could before following his mother. They weaved through the crowd of people, saying hello to Nikka's brothers and father before making it to the head of the crowd, everyone looking out in one direction.
Harry stared at the horizon as the first glimmers of light began to fill the sky.
Lily's voice rang out clearly across the field, "As we wait, surrounded by family in this world and the next, by friends who will always stand by us and those who are yet to come, we give thanks to the warmth from the rising sun. The darkness will pass, as all things must. Giving rise to new life and new birth. As the days from now grow longer we set out minds to the coming year, and all that it may bring."
Harry squeezed his mother's hand, "Don't worry Mum, look; we're half way out of the dark."