AN: Some good news and some bad news.
While writing chapter 24, I realised that this story is coming to an end very soon. It looks like there will be 27 chapters in total.
The good news is that I plan to post four or five more chapters by the end of March. The bad news is that after that, I'll be going on holiday abroad and won't be able to write or upload anything for three weeks. Well, bad news for the readers—good news for me! Lol. After that, I should hopefully be able to post the remaining chapters fairly quickly.
And a quick note to my readers on FFNet: I get the impression that the platform is slowly falling apart. Sometimes, a new chapter doesn't appear for days, and I've even seen a four-week-old version of the story—with four chapters missing—randomly displayed as the latest update. I will, of course, continue posting on FFNet, but I just wanted to mention that my stories are also available on SIYE and AO3 under the same author name—just in case FFNet suddenly collapses!
Back at the Burrow, Harry and Ginny found Ron, Emily, and Graham in the living room, discussing the living arrangements for their move to Grimmauld Place.
"What took you so long?" Ron asked, sounding a bit worried.
"We were snogging our brains out," Ginny said with a mischievous grin.
"Very funny," Ron replied dryly. "You do that every day in the greenhouses. Now, seriously—what did Dumbledore want?"
"He offered to train me in advanced Defence and things like that," Harry replied. "And he asked Ginny to join me."
"It wouldn't hurt if we all joined in, would it?" Emily suggested.
"Mum would have to ask him," said Harry, somewhat sheepishly. "I'm not sure though—he only offered it to me, with Ginny as my duelling partner."
"And why you?" asked Graham, looking mildly astonished.
Harry hesitated, unsure whether to mention the prophecy. "Dumbledore says Voldemort is after me because he believes I'm the one who can defeat him," he finally admitted.
"Why would he think that?" asked Graham, visibly confused.
Harry sighed, realising there was no point in hiding something Voldemort already knew. "There was a prophecy, and for some reason, Voldemort thinks it's about me."
"Well, I suppose I should count myself lucky he only wants me to lick his boots," Graham said sarcastically. Scratching his neck, he added with a grim expression, "I really am grateful you're taking me in. I just wish my mum would be a bit more cautious."
Emily looked up. "My mum wants to talk to her again, offer her some support. Maybe...maybe your house can be better protected."
Graham sighed and glanced at Harry. "So, we're moving tomorrow after classes, yeah? Are you sure there's space for me in this mysterious, hidden house? Emily and Ron haven't been there yet, they only know it by hearsay. You've been there, right?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. There's plenty of room. Just… don't expect your own. You'll probably be sharing with me and Ron."
"As long as I don't have to share a bed with you," Graham said, waving a hand dismissively, only half-joking.
Ginny smirked. "Oh, you could always share with Harry, he loves to snuggle. As long as you're okay with being the little spoon."
"That's not what I meant," Graham blurted, shooting Ginny a horrified look.
Harry flushed and shot Ginny an incredulous look. "What's up with your no-sharing rule? Besides, I think my sister might have something to say about that." Turning back to Graham, he added, "Don't worry. No one's sharing beds here."
"Thank Merlin," Graham muttered, then glanced at Emily with a small smile. "Not that it matters. I'm more into your sister anyway."
"That's fine by me," Harry said, raising an eyebrow. "As long as you don't share a bed."
"That's none of your business, dear brother," Emily shot back, giving him a pointed look.
"Of course it's not," Harry admitted, holding his hands up defensively. "Just figured I'd save you from getting in trouble with Mum." Ginny placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, but before she could say anything, he added, "But honestly, I don't mind. I'm happy for you, Emm. You deserve someone who cares about you."
Emily's cheeks turned pink, but she smiled, grateful for his words.
The moment was cut short when Mrs Weasley called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"
Later that evening, as everyone was getting ready for bed, Ginny caught Harry's eye and gestured for him to meet her in the living room.
Harry nodded, waiting until Ginny had left before waving goodnight to Mrs Weasley, who was heading upstairs to her room. When he entered the living room, dimly lit by the light spilling in from the kitchen, he found Ginny already sitting on the sofa in the semi-darkness. She patted the spot beside her, inviting him to join her.
"Come on. I missed you," she said playfully, her lips curving into a small pout.
Harry chuckled. "We sat together all day," he replied as he plopped down beside her and leaned in to kiss her on the lips.
"I meant our alone time," Ginny murmured into the kiss, pulling Harry with her as she lay back on the sofa.
Finding himself on top of her, Harry met her gaze, his heart pounding as he realised just how close they were. He breathed in her floral scent and sighed. "It's going to be a bit crowded with all of us living at Grimmauld Place."
"I'll miss our evenings in the greenhouses," Ginny said softly, wrapping her arms around him. "Do you think we'll be able to come back here to water the plants?"
"That depends on the wards," Harry replied with a wry smile. "If Bill goes overboard, we'll probably need a personal Portkey just to reach the front garden." He reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face.
Ginny hesitated, her fingers trailing absently along his back. "How long do you think it'll take him…" She paused before continuing in quieter voice, "before Voldemort comes after you?"
Harry exhaled heavily, his brow furrowing. "I don't know," he admitted, suddenly feeling the weight of the prophecy pressing down on him. "Maybe it would be safer for everyone if I went somewhere else."
"Forget it," Ginny said sharply. "Don't even think about it. Unless you're planning to send him a letter with your address."
Harry frowned. "Why do you say that?"
"Because he'll be looking for you here, where we are," Ginny explained matter-of-factly. "He already knows where your house is, so it won't take him long to find the Burrow. We're all in this together. And anyway—" she kissed the tip of his nose, "Dumbledore said you need your friends."
Harry lifted his head and looked down at Ginny. "But that puts you all in danger."
"We are anyway. Haven't you been paying attention?" Ginny replied, her tone soft but exasperated, as if speaking to a stubborn child. Harry grimaced, but Ginny pressed on, unfazed. "I wasn't exactly thrilled when Bill mentioned I might be tied to the prophecy," Ginny admitted, her voice quieter now. She hesitated, biting her bottom lip as if searching for the right words.
"The thought of him hurting you makes me sick," Harry said, his voice tight.
Ginny gave him a sheepish smile. "I feel better now, knowing we're both in this together." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Otherwise, I'd probably be worrying you'd ditch me."
Harry raised his eyebrows, startled. "Why would I do that?"
Ginny gave him a mischievous look. "Oh, who knows? You have a tendency to do stupid things sometimes."
"I thought you liked that," Harry said, deadpan, a grin tugging at his lips.
"That depends," Ginny replied with a teasing smile. "Unless you storm into my room when I'm not wearing anything."
Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "As far as I remember, you admitted that it turned you on."
"But not at first," Ginny snapped, poking him in the ribs with her finger. "And now stop arguing. We could make better use of our rare time alone. Let's have a proper snog before Ron bursts in, demanding to know where you are. Or worse—Graham might've claimed your bed already, and you'll be stuck sleeping on the floor." She grinned wickedly.
**HG**
The next day began with a few unexpected developments. Mandy Brocklehurst and Kevin Whitby didn't turn up for class. Early that morning, the Brocklehursts had sent a message explaining that it would be safer for them to remain at home in Ireland. As for the Whitbys, there was no word at all. Concerned, Tonks went to investigate and found an estate agent outside their house on the outskirts of Brighton, putting up signs that the property was for sale.
The remaining students listened to the news in uneasy silence. Hermione's and Colin's parents confirmed they were content for their children to continue their studies despite the growing dangers. Knowing their joint classes would carry on brought some relief to the group.
Sensing the subdued mood and the lack of focus, Lily cancelled the lessons early for the day. After consulting with Dumbledore, they decided to move into Grimmauld Place a few hours earlier than planned.
Tonks passed around a slip of parchment with elegant, curving handwriting. Graham read it with a curious expression, then handed it to Harry. "Is this Dumbledore's writing? The Fidelius secret?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Harry confirmed, passing the parchment to Hermione. "Ginny and I have already been there, so we know it."
After the note was returned to Tonks, she burned it and announced, "Lily and I will Apparate to Grimmauld Place with Ron and Graham first. Harry, Ginny, you'll follow us. You'll find your way on your own, and you can let the others into the house while we go to collect Emily, Hermione and Colin." She glanced around. "Everyone clear?"
When no one objected, Tonks moved to Graham, and Lily to Ron. A moment later, the four of them Apparated away. Harry exchanged a brief nod with Ginny and followed. As he landed on the top step of the entrance to Grimmauld Place, the door was already open, and Tonks gestured for him to enter.
"Wait for us in the dining room," Lily said, before vanishing with Tonks in two soft pops.
When Harry was sure Ginny was behind him, he turned to Ron and Graham and gestured towards the stairs. "The kitchen's down in the basement. We're heading up to the ground floor now. Follow me." He paused outside the dining room, waiting for the others to catch up before pushing the door open and motioning them inside.
Ron and Graham glanced around. "There's plenty of space," Ron said, counting the chairs and coming to twelve.
"Yeah," Harry agreed, "There's a table just as big as this one in the kitchen. We'll probably have meals down there."
Footsteps and hushed voices echoed in the stairwell, announcing the arrival of the others.
Lily entered, ushering Emily, Hermione, and Colin through the door. "This will be our new classroom," she said with a warm smile. "Feel free to explore the house while I head off with Dora and Kreacher to fetch your belongings."
"Albus asked us to bring over a few things from his house as well. He thinks they'll be safer here," Tonks added and turned to address the group. "We'll meet in the drawing room on the first floor in half an hour to discuss our next steps."
"And behave yourselves," Lily added with a grin, raising a finger in mock warning before disappearing down the stairs with Tonks.
The group lingered in the dining room, glancing around curiously. Harry seized Ginny's hand, and they walked over to the windows, which offered a view of the small park in front of the house.
"The house once belonged to my godfather and served as the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Harry explained as he caught Hermione eyeing the blackboard in the far corner. "They used to hold their meetings in this room."
"The Order of the Phoenix?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "I've read about it."
"It was a group of people who fought against Voldemort," Harry said. "Dumbledore was their leader. My mum and dad, my godfather, and...well, a lot of others were part of it too."
"My uncles—both my mum's brothers—were in it as well," Ron added grimly. "They're all dead."
"Your mum was in the Order of the Phoenix?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "When Emily and I were little, she stopped going on dangerous missions. Instead she made the potions the Order needed."
Ginny gave Harrys hand a quick squeeze. He responded with a brief smile. "Come on. We'll show you the rest of the house."
"There's a study at the end of the hall—it's like a small library," Ginny said as she led the way, opening the door to a room whose walls were lined with shelves full of books. Two comfortable armchairs stood in front of the window, each accompanied by a small table with a lamp, making it a perfect reading spot.
"This is perfect," Hermione gushed excitedly, her eyes lighting up as she gazed at the shelves. "A really cosy place to study." She ran her fingers over the spines of the books. "I'm curious to see what's here. These look like books on potion-making."
"Be careful, though," Harry warned with an amused chuckle. "My godfather's family was known for their fondness of Dark Magic. You might not like everything you find there. But let's keep going for now. We'll have plenty of time to look around later—probably more than we'd like."
On the first-floor, Harry led the group into a two-storey drawing room. "Since the house doesn't have a garden, we'll probably end up spending a lot of time in here," he said. "Our bedrooms will be a bit cramped, especially with two or three sharing, so we'll mostly just sleep there."
"This room is cosy, though," Emily pointed out. "The seating areas are comfortable and spacious enough for all of us, and there are even more books on the shelves than in the study," she added with a warm smile at Hermione.
"I bet we'll find Ron in the kitchen most of the time," Ginny quipped, laughing.
"Smart Alec," her brother replied good-humouredly. "A growing boy needs his food."
Ginny rolled her eyes and gestured for them to continue. "A bit further down the hall, there's a room that Dora and Charlie will probably take. You can have a look if you like, but we're heading up to the third floor where our rooms are."
As they climbed to the third floor, a creaking stair made everyone laugh briefly. The conversation grew louder and more animated as they explored the master bedroom and the two smaller rooms. The master bedroom featured a king-size four-poster bed, a large wardrobe, and a dressing table. Two doors led to an en-suite bathroom and a dressing room. The smaller rooms each contained a bed and a small wardrobe and were still a bit dusty. One room's curtain rod hung crookedly, threatening to fall.
"It seems Kreacher and Dobby aren't finished cleaning up here yet," Harry observed. "There are still beds to be set up."
"Yeah, that's true", Ginny said, letting her eyes wander over the group. "Since Graham will be living with us now, we've got three boys and two girls. How are we dividing the rooms?"
"Before you get any ideas, Mum won't let you share a room with Harry, sis," Ron teased with a chuckle.
Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "But I'm not sharing with you either. You snore."
"I don't," Ron protested indignantly.
"Actually," Hermione interjected nervously. "I've been thinking about living here too—at least for a few weeks." She gave a small, hesitant smile. "I spoke to my mum, and she wants to discuss it with your parents. For their new practice, my parents need to attend some courses, so they'll be away quite a bit, and..."
"We'll find a place for you, Hermione," Ron reassured her, reaching for her hand.
She gave him a grateful look, her smile softening as she accepted his hand.
"And what about you?" Emily asked, turning to Colin.
"Oh, I... honestly, I hadn't thought about it," Colin admitted, looking slightly surprised. "But it does sound like a good idea." He hesitated, furrowing his brow. "My mum and dad weren't really sure about me continuing school here—it's dangerous, after all. I had to practically beg them. Maybe they'd feel better knowing I'm somewhere safe."
"Alright," Harry said, adjusting his glasses. "That makes four boys and three girls. Let the girls have the master bedroom with the en-suite, and we'll share the two smaller bedrooms and the bathroom in the hallway. Does that work for everyone?"
No one objected, and Ron spoke up again. "Is there anything to eat in this place? I'm starving."
Ginny giggled. "The upper floors have the old room of Harry's godfather, his brother's, and the attic under the roof. We can check those out another time. Let's see what the kitchen has to offer for now."
Down in the basement, they were pleased to find that Kreacher had already stocked up on supplies. Armed with bowls of biscuits and glasses of pumpkin juice, they returned to the drawing room and settled into the comfortable armchairs, waiting for their belongings to arrive.
It wasn't long before Lily appeared with Dobby, and, one by one, their possessions materialised out of thin air, neatly arranged by the house-elf.
"Kreacher thought banishing would be the easiest way to bring everything here," Lily explained with an amused grin.
Shortly afterwards, Donny, Dumbledore's house-elf, appeared with several large boxes full of books and two wooden chests with other things the old headmaster wanted to keep safe.
"What kind of books are these?" Hermione asked, already leafing through one of the boxes.
Lily looked up. "They're books Dumbledore doesn't want falling into Voldemort's hands. Dobby and Kreacher will put them away in the library."
"Does Dumbledore really believe Voldemort will come to kill him?" Harry asked sceptically.
"He's fairly certain Voldemort will pay him a visit," Lily said gravely. "It might have something to do with him being the one who defeated Voldemort's older self."
"And why does he want us to train at his house when if it's not safe?" asked Ginny, frowning.
Lily pulled a thoughtful face. "He assured me that no one can trespass the house without triggering an alarm and that you'd have time to escape in the event of an attack."
"But why does he stay there?" Harry asked, confused. "He said he doesn't stand a chance against Voldemort."
Lily sighed. "There must be something he's not telling us. He's always been secretive."
"Almost all of these books are about Dark Magic," Hermione noted, rummaging through another box of books.
Harry glanced at Ginny and murmured, "There might be something about Horcruxes in there."
With a soft pop, Kreacher appeared in the middle of the room. "Kreacher has brought all the things here," the house-elf announced. His eyes flickered to the boxes. "Do Master and Mistress want Kreacher to sort the books now? Kreacher and Dobby still have to tidy up a room so Master Harry's friends can sleep there."
"That's fine, Kreacher," replied Lily. "The books can wait until tomorrow."
Tonks entered the room and spotted Donny. "Ah, there you are. Is this everything Dumbledore wanted brought over?"
"Yes, Mistress Dora," the house-elf replied with a bow.
"What's in the wooden chests?" Harry asked, walking over to Tonks as she opened one and began rummaging inside.
"I'm not sure," Tonks admitted. "But there should be a list somewhere." Her face lit up as she pulled out a thick tome triumphantly. "Ah! This book is definitely important."
"What book is it?" Hermione asked, moving closer with curiosity.
Tonks held it up for everyone to see. "It's the Hogwarts Student Register. It's how we got your addresses. The Deputy Headmistress used it to send out invitation letters to the first-years."
Dobby, who had been tidying nearby, froze mid-step. His wide eyes grew impossibly larger, his hands clutching the hem of his tea towel.
"What is it, Dobby?" asked Lily gently.
"Dobby knows this book," the house-elf said in a low, trembling voice. "Master Lucius…he got it from a bad woman, Dolores."
Tonks frowned. "That explains a lot. Dumbledore thought the Ministry's copy of the register had been destroyed when the Ministry burned down."
"You think they've been using the register to track down Muggle-borns?" Lily asked worriedly.
Tonks nodded grimly. "It's the only explanation that makes sense."
For a moment, an uneasy silence fell over the room, thick with tension. Then Harry's hand slammed onto the table with a loud bang, making everyone jump. "Damn it," he hissed through gritted teeth. "We have to do something—but what?"
Ginny, who had been listening quietly, stood and fixed Dobby with a serious look. "Dobby, do you know where this book is now?"
Dobby nodded quickly, his ears twitching nervously. "The book is in Master Lucius' office." His face brightened with determination. "Does Mistress want Dobby to bring the book here?"
"No!" Lily exclaimed sharply. "You can't go back there. It's far too dangerous—they'll kill you!"
"Dobby is not afraid," the house-elf insisted, puffing out his chest. "Dobby can make himself invisible to wizards! Dobby knows every room, every passage in Master Lucius' house."
Kreacher, who had been standing silently near the door, cleared his throat with a low grunt. "Dobby may know the house, but it is dangerous. If they catch you, even for a moment, they will make you suffer in ways you cannot imagine," he muttered darkly, his eyes narrowing.
Dobby's ears drooped slightly, but his resolve remained firm. "Dobby can do it. Dobby will not fail."
Ginny crouched down to his level, her tone soft but firm. "We know you can, Dobby. But we need to think this through properly. If you go rushing in now, it might put you—and the book—in even greater danger."
"Listen to her, Dobby," Lily added. "We're not saying no. We're saying wait. We need to plan, to make sure it's safe and that we're ready when you do go."
Dobby hesitated, glancing between them and Kreacher, who gave him a curt nod of agreement.
Finally, Dobby gave a reluctant nod. "Dobby will wait. But when it is time, Dobby will bring the book—and do whatever else is needed."
Ginny smiled warmly. "Thank you, Dobby. You're braver than most wizards I know."
Dobby beamed at the praise, though his excitement still bubbled beneath the surface. Kreacher gave an exaggerated sigh. "Foolish, reckless house-elves," he muttered, though there was an odd note of pride in his voice.