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Author: buzzzz Story: The Gryffin Councilor Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 26 Words: 56,992
Almost at the very instant that they realized what was happening both Ron and Harry took action in their own ways. Ron took out his wand while Harry closed his eyes. The clock hand, which Molly Weasley had fought to keep, now expanded to full size and began to rotate. It went past "Lost" without stopping and crossed "Travelling". Then, with the entire Weasley family looking on, the hand with Harry Potter’s name on it came to a stop and the only expression visible on the faces of those present was shock. The hand was now pointing to “Mortal Peril”. Ron was the first to react. He cast a charm that the Gryffins used to send out an alarm signal and turned to look at Harry, just as Harry opened his eyes. “It's Hogwarts,” said Harry looking straight into Ron's eyes. “Let's go,” replied Ron, getting ready to Apparate but Harry put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “No,” Harry whispered, his voice urgent. “Protect your dad and your family.” Then he added with a meaningful look. “Keep them here. Keep Ginny here. It feels like someone's tinkering with the wards at the Castle.” Ron looked torn between staying and going but finally nodded his head in resignation. He knew there would be a lot of questions to answer. Harry turned towards Ginny who had finally recovered from the shock and was now looking at him threateningly. “I am sorry, Ginny,” he said, trying to smile. “I need to go now but thank you for the invitation and I promise I will make it up to you.” But Ginny was furious. “You are Harry!” She exclaimed and then walked up to him and held his shoulders in a painful grip. “You are Harry Potter, aren't you?” she shouted, her eyes filling with tears and her voice hoarse. “I really need to go right now,” replied Harry in a sad voice. “I am sorry, Ginny.” “No!” she shouted even as he Disapparated. “You can't go without telling me,” she half exclaimed and half cried out. Then, realizing he had disappeared, she turned on Ron. “Tell me!” She shouted, advancing on him angrily. She had had enough and needed to know for a fact now. Ron put a calming hand on her shoulder, completely lost about what to do. He instinctively looked at Hermione for help but the fury in her eyes forced him to take a step back. Hermione walked over to a now sobbing but furious Ginny and stared at Ron waiting for an answer. Her emotions were running wild. She had known that Evans was Harry but she was still completely overwhelmed. Her mind was in turmoil, questions swirling inside her. But the underlying fact beneath it all was that Harry was alive. In danger, maybe, but alive nonetheless. But was Evans really Harry? Or was it a coincidence that the clock had come alive just as Evans entered? She had heard Evans mention Hogwarts to Ron and she could put two and two together faster than anyone else. And it was worse that Ron had known. Hermione had guessed he would but, somewhere inside her, she had not believed it. Her two best friends would never leave her out like that. Ron looked at his wife and his sister advancing on him, their eyes moist, and their fury pushing him back. He saw the rest of his family standing still, waiting for him to say something. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't tell them anything even if he wanted to. He was magically bound not to. He couldn't shake his head or write on a piece of paper. His actions could not reveal who Harry was unless everyone around already knew. He knew denying it as vehemently as his tongue was about to do was asking for death. Ron kept moving back till he hit the wall behind him. Then he looked around the room for any help he could find. It was when his eyes locked with his father that relief washed over him. With a guilty smile he called out to Arthur. “Dad,” he said. “Help me here!” The reaction was instant. The entirely Weasley clan turned towards Arthur at the exact same moment. Despite the situation, Ron couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden look of fear on Arthur Weasley's face. He may be the Minister of Magic but facing the wrath of all the Weasley women together was probably a tougher task. “Arthur, what's this about? Is Harry alive?” asked Molly, her voice dangerous as she waited for her husband to answer. Arthur Weasley looked like a trapped mouse. He cleared his throat and began, “Now, now, look all of you. Calm down and sit and we will discuss this.” But the women were not having anything to do with that. All three of them advanced on him firing questions one after the other. Hermione was the first, “Arthur, you charmed the clock,” she said, taking a step up. “You should know.” Ginny, meanwhile, had elected to walk up to Arthur and looked formidable for her size. “Tell me Evans is not our Harry, Dad,” she said. “He can't be.” “Arthur, you wouldn't hide the boy from me,” said Molly accusingly. “You would have told him to come back to us, wouldn't you?” “You know who Evans is, Dad,” continued Ginny. “Tell me who he is. I need to know. I need to know now!” Arthur Weasley sighed and looked at each of the women in front of him. He dropped his head in defeat and sat down at the table. “I am sorry,” he said. “But I can't tell you. Not even if I wanted to. Professor Evans' identity is a guarded secret.”
Ron turned and sprinted after Ginny with Hermione in close pursuit.. They followed as she Apparated from just outside the Burrow and all three of them landed a short distance from the Hogwarts’ gates at nearly the same time, tripping over each other and falling. Ginny pushed herself up and rushed in, her face determined. Hermione ran behind her but stopped as she felt the absence of Ron. She turned around and saw Ron standing a few feet behind looking out at the grounds. She could see a group of witches and wizards in golden robes standing in a semi circle just outside the wards. She couldn't make out who they were from this far and was reaching for her wand when Ron called out to her. “Get Ginny, Hermione. I need to... I need to go there,” he said pointing at the group, his voice pleading. “Please get to her.” Even before Hermione could reply she saw Ron break into a run and his clothes transfigure to match the golden ones of the group standing there. She let out an audible gasp in surprise but then shook her head and ran towards the Castle. Ginny, meanwhile, had entered the main doors to the school and was now standing in the deserted Entrance Hall wondering where to go. She looked undecided for a moment before taking the stairs in front of her. She would get her answers today. Evans could not be Harry Potter. She was falling in love with him and she couldn't be falling in love with Potter all over again. Tears streaked down her face as she ran up the steps and into the corridor that lead to Harry's quarters. Ginny was angry beyond reason and had her wand out, ready to blast Harry's door if needed. As she reached the door, however, she found it to be open and rushed inside Harry's room fully expecting to see him there. But she needn't have worried for the room was completely empty. The clothes Evans had been wearing lay on the floor as if he had changed in a hurry. A few of the drawers were open and parchments lay scattered about. Ginny stood looking at the mess and wondering what to do. She needed to know if Evans was Harry and she needed to know it immediately, whatever the cost. She knew it was irrational, possibly dangerous, but she was beyond caring. She started going through his drawers to find something, anything, which could settle her doubts. It took about two minutes for Ginny to notice the door after it had appeared in the wall right next to her. She had been pulling out Evans' drawers at random and she didn't know how it had appeared. She hesitated only for a moment before pushing it open and running inside. Her blood turned ice cold and her heart leaped out of her throat as she entered and recognized the room. It was an exact replica of the Death Chamber at the Ministry of Magic. Even though it had been years since she had seen it, she remembered every detail vividly. The same old and dusty stairs; the same color to the walls; the same gloomy and chilly feel to the air… the Veil… the same Veil through which Sirius had fallen. The Veil which Harry Potter had feared in his dreams a lifetime ago. It fluttered as if blowing in a breeze. Ginny saw what was there but her mind refused to understand what it was she was seeing. Was this proof that Evans was Harry? Why did Harry have the Veil with him when it had tormented him so much? Who was Evans really? Questions filled her mind as she took a hesitating step towards it. Then another. Then another. It was as if something was pulling her towards the fluttering gray cloth. She thought she could hear voices from inside. Hadn't Harry thought, back then, that he had heard voices too? she thought, as she slowly but steadily walked up to it and reached out to touch it. Just before her hand made contact with the Veil something pulled her from behind and she was jerked away from it. Ginny turned around in surprise and crashed into Hermione who had been running towards her. Both of them fell down and lay there breathing heavily. After a few moments of silence Ginny turned her head to look at Hermione. The elder girl was staring at the Veil transfixed, her face white. Ginny waited as Hermione turned her head towards her and Ginny could see something gleamed in her eyes. It was a look Hermione gave when she had solved a hard and mysterious puzzle. “Hermione...” said Ginny, her voice sore. “Harry...” she continued, pointing at the Veil but then her control broke down and she began to sob loudly. “Why did he have to come back?” she cried out as Hermione hugged her, also crying softly. “He... he left me, Hermione, he left me,” she sobbed. “I loved him, I gave him all I had and he left me.” “It's all right, Ginny, it's all right,” said Hermione, patting Ginny's back and holding on to her. But it was as if a dam had broken inside Ginny. “He hurt me. He hurt all of us,” she cried out again, her arms moving wildly as she kicked out and sobbed. “He killed Percy and Bill. He hurt you. He was a miserable person, Hermione. He wasn't there for any of us when we needed him. Why did he have to come back? Why? Why did he have to come close to me?” Her voice was now rising in volume as her anger grew. “Couldn't he just bloody stay away!” she shouted. “HE was the one that left me. HE was the one!” She was now looking straight into Hermione's eyes trying to get the elder girl to understand. Both their eyes were filled with tears. “Shouldn't he have stayed away from me?” Ginny asked, her voice cracking again as she shook Hermione hard. Hermione looked into Ginny's eyes. “You still love him,” she said, her voice sad. It was as if Ginny had been given a shock. She pushed herself back from Hermione with a jerk. “NO,” she shouted. “I don't love him. I can't love him. Don't you see Hermione? He made me leave him and he never came back for me.” She was on her knees now, crying loudly. “He never came back for me...” “Ginny,” said Hermione. “It'll be all right.” “No,” replied Ginny. “No, it won't be.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He will always hate me for leaving him...” she said, barely audible. “He will never -” She stopped and looked up at Hermione with pleading eyes. “- He will never love me again like he used to,” she finished and dropped her head into her hands silently crying. Hermione held Ginny in her arms and looked up at the Veil. She couldn't begin to understand what was going on. What was this thing doing with Harry? Hermione had been an Unspeakable when the Veil had been taken from the Ministry. In fact, Hermione had been one of the more influential Unspeakables and even then she had never really found out where the Veil had gone. There was a rumour that Dumbledore had made the Ministry give it to him and another that said Harry Potter had fought with Minister Bones herself to take it with him. It was generally believed that it had been used in some way to defeat Voldemort but she had never really known its fate. And then there was Ron. Had he really known that Evans was Harry? Why hadn't he told her? Maybe he was required not to by the Ministry but Hermione was wondering if Ron had known about Harry before that. Long before that. Then there was a slight voice that warned her mind that despite all the evidence, they didn't have any concrete proof to say Evans was Harry Potter. They knew for sure their Harry was alive and that he had been in danger just this evening. However, it was just a hunch that led her to believe that Evans had been the one in Mortal Peril. She was guessing that if Hogwarts was under a major threat then Evans would be too and, clearly, something had been going on for Ron to have reacted the way he did. It was just a guess, though, and not in itself proof to Evans’ identity. Even the presence of the Veil did not prove anything. But the evidence, though circumstantial, was really strong. Unless someone could prove it otherwise, Hermione was convinced that she had indeed found Harry Potter and that life had given her a second chance to ask forgiveness for a mistake that had cost her one of her best friends. ----------------------------------- Some time later, Harry Potter walked out of the Headmaster’s office looking haggard and tired. He found Ron, Neville and Tonks waiting for him outside and it seemed Neville and Ron were having an argument. “What’s with you two?” he asked. “You shouldn't rely on Malfoy, Harry. He isn't in your debt anymore,” said Ron. Harry smiled. This was an unending argument between him and Ron. Some things just never change. “Harry has trusted Malfoy for a long time and he has nowhere else to go,” said Neville forcefully to Ron. “We need someone like him and if Harry trusts him that’s good enough for me and it should be good enough for you.” Tonks chuckled at them. “Ignore them Harry,” she said. “Did you find out anything?” Harry sighed. “It will take Malfoy some time, Tonks,” he said. “It has been a long time since I have asked anything of him and he will have to find his contacts again.” “What do we do with the two Death Eaters you caught?” asked Tonks. “You can file them as regular Death Eaters,” replied Harry. “I think we need to let their other friends know that the charms they tried don't break our wards.” “I am still surprised that they got the key to the wards,” said Ron, sounding surprised. “I mean I didn't even know there was a key like that.” “There wasn't,” replied Harry and watched as the question formed on all the lips facing him. He replied before they could actually ask. “Yes, only a Councilor or someone equally powerful can do this. I think it’s Blarney's work again but we'll have to wait for Malfoy to find out the why and the how behind it.” “If we can prove it’s Blarney's work the Wise will have to act. Right?” asked Neville. “If we can prove it and it's a big if,” replied Harry, stopping as they reached the gate. “Thanks for coming, Tonks. I don't think you will get any more information from those two. They had information that was deadly but they were novices really. I have a feeling that somebody is testing us, probing at our weaknesses and saving the worst for later.” He turned to Neville. “Neville, we had a bit of an ... err... incident tonight. It'll take me some time to handle my private life, now that I slipped up,” he said. “And I think Ron also has some tough days ahead. I want you to lead the Gryffins till then.” Neville chuckled. “Don't envy you the brickbats, Harry,” he said. “I don't think any of the girls will be as easy on you as I was.” Harry sighed as he felt a sense of dread grow inside him. This was a disaster he had been trying to avoid. He was just not ready. He waited for Tonks and Neville to leave and then walked back to his room with Ron. “What were you doing leaving me there like that?” asked Ron. “I... I just didn't have the time Ron,” explained Harry, looking very much in pain. “Is there any possible way I can get out of it?” “I don't know, mate. You'll have to build a long winded story to explain that clock hand and everything else,” said Ron. “And you'll only delay the inevitable; probably make it much worse for the second time.” Harry stopped as he entered the corridor that held his room. He knew Ginny and Hermione had been there as Hermione had left a message for Ron in the room, saying that she was taking Ginny back and she didn't expect to see either Ron or Harry anywhere near them. He silently cursed himself for forgetting the clock. He had asked Ron to turn the hand with Harry's name off by adding a ward to the Burrow that kept Harry's magical signature out. He had forgotten that when he was inside the wards the clock would jump to life. It was always the little mistakes that spoiled the perfect crime. Both of them silently walked till they reached Harry’s room, only to find Arthur Weasley sitting there looking glum. Harry couldn't help but chuckle. He was soon joined in by Ron and both of them were laughing hard, something which seemed to completely baffle Arthur. “Both of you caused immense trouble,” Arthur said, rubbing his temple. “I have always doubted that you should do this, Harry, and today was exactly why.” He turned to Ron. “And leaving me there like that. It’s the first fight I have had with Molly in ages.” His words filled with emotion and caused Harry and Ron to grow serious. “She cries over you more than she does over Bill and Percy, Harry,” Arthur continued. At the sad look on Arthur's face Harry walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I shouldn't have put the burden on you but… I... I didn't have any choice. If I tell them who I am, I have to tell them what happened and I have to make promises that I cannot make.” Arthur put a hand on Harry's and looked up at him. “I know, Harry. And I trust you have your reasons. But I ask you, as a father, that perhaps it’s time for you to consider us your family and come back to us.” Harry's shoulders slumped, his inner debate growing. “I...” he began weakly. “I am not sure I can.” “But why, Harry?” asked Arthur. “You have never told me why.” Ron gave a grunt and said, “if you are going to hear that story I should pour us all some Firewhiskey. I think today we all need it.” Ron got up and went to fetch the bottle. “And,” continued Arthur, “you never told me why it's just the two of you and why Hermione's not with you.” Ron almost dropped the glass he had just picked up and cursed. Harry sighed and looked up at the man in front of him. He was almost an equal now. In fact in some ways, as the Weapon, Harry had more power than even the Minister of Magic. If there was anytime to let it all go, this was it. Maybe with a few shots of Firewhiskey inside him he would finally manage to tell the whole story on his own. Maybe for the first time he would not need the Councillor to tell it for him. Harry grabbed a glass from Ron and chugged it down in one shot. Ron looked at him for a moment and then said, “What the hell?” before downing one himself and handing a glass to Arthur. Arthur looked at the young men that he had watched grow up. With a shrug, he downed his shot. It wasn't long before the three were a little tipsy and it was then that Harry began to fill gaps for Arthur that the Councillor had omitted. They were the most painful of his memories and he wondered how far he would be able to go. ---------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile at the Burrow, three women sat silently at the dining table. Hermione was sipping her tea and watching Molly fuss over Ginny. Ginny had put her head down on the table and her eyes were closed but Hermione knew that Ginny wasn't really asleep. After Ginny had broken down in Harry's room, Hermione had brought her back to the house. For a moment she had thought of seeking out Ron first but, in the end, she had decided she was in no mood to see him. On reaching the Burrow they had found Molly pacing the living room, fretting over them. They had found out that Molly and Arthur had had a big fight but Arthur had refused to tell her anything. Finally, Arthur had left, saying he needed to find Ron and Harry and Molly had pushed the rest of the family out the door. Only Veronica, George's wife, had stayed back to help Molly clean up, and was now finishing up in the kitchen. Hermione still hadn't got over the feeling that she was missing something. She had been betting on Evans being Harry Potter and, though she had been aware of flaws in her reasoning, she had pushed them to the background. Now that her conjectures looked like they were true, several questions were hammering her. Firstly, why had Ron not told her about Harry? The only reason she could think of was that he had only come to know recently and had been waiting for Harry to do it. That, however, brought up the question as to why Harry had differentiated between her and Ron. Then there were the questions she had about Ginny's involvement with Harry. She knew they had been in love but that had been nine years ago. She had thought Ginny's problems stemmed from a combination of her experiences during the war. She knew Harry had had a big part in how Ginny had turned out but the fact that Ginny could still love Harry and that Harry would come back and actually pursue Ginny was a mystery she didn't understand. How had their feelings survived the nine years of separation and ill will? Hermione turned her thoughts towards Ginny who was now looking fixedly at her nails. Molly had calmed down and was sitting quietly, stroking Ginny's hair. Hermione took a long deep breath. “Ginny, what was the dream that you had earlier?” she asked. Ginny looked up at Hermione wondering where that had come from. “Well,” she began. “I was under the stands watching Evans fly...” “Wait a minute,” interrupted Hermione. “Why were you watching Evans fly?” Ginny looked at Hermione as the sudden question took its time to register. “Oh that!” she said. “You remember how Harry had started doing these dangerous stunts on his broom?” “Yeah,” replied Hermione, looking thoughtful. “I remember the time when you had that big fight over it after Harry broke his leg doing something.” “He had jumped of the broom from over a hundred feet!” exclaimed Ginny. “Anyway,” she continued, “there was one particular stunt Harry used to love. I saw Evans do something similar and I just got curious. I guess I was right.” “Maybe,” replied Hermione, looking at Ginny intensely. “So, how did you end up in a dream?” she asked. “I don't really know,” replied Ginny. She looked thoughtful for a moment as if considering something. “It was like one moment I was thinking about the war and Harry and everything that happened then and suddenly I was dreaming of the time when I came back to the Burrow,” she said. “The summer when Harry and I had been hiding after Voldemort's attack. You remember that time?” she asked, not expecting a reply. “It was so different when I came back, you know.” She shook her head and continued. “So, I started dreaming of that day when I returned and Bill blew up at me and everything and something seemed missing in the story. Suddenly, I was seeing random scenes from the summer and then it just got hazy and I don't remember much after that till Evans woke me up.” Ginny finished and continued staring at nothing while a silence fell over the table. “Ginny, can you remember what particularly seemed to bother you in the dream?” asked Hermione. “A Dream Trap doesn't just occur. It's very, very rare and extremely dangerous. It occurs when some question or some situation has been bothering you for a long time and the solution seems just out of reach. It feels as if you have to reach out only a little more to get it. Usually, there has also been some external interference that is keeping you from the solution.” “What do you mean external interference?” asked Ginny. “You mean someone cursed me to not solve whatever was bothering me?” “It could be magical interference,” said Hermione. She then crossed her fingers under her chin and after a moment added thoughtfully, “like a curse or a potion. Or it could simply be a well crafted lie that you have taken to be a very strong truth. Try and remember what it was that you were fixating on?” Molly, who had been listening to the conversation half heartedly, suddenly got up. “You girls go on with this,” she said. “I'll help Veronica in the kitchen. Let me know if you need something.” Ginny watched her mother leave the table while thinking back to the dream that had haunted her earlier that day. She couldn't seem to place what it was that had really bothered her. It was all hazy. She had dreamed of coming back to the Burrow, worried about Harry. Everyone had doubted Harry that day and she had been furious. Except Ron. “Ron!” she suddenly exclaimed. “It was something about how Ron was behaving. Everything in the dream that followed, all the images were about Ron.” “What about Ron?” asked Hermione, now very curious. “You remember how strongly Ron supported Harry during that time when everyone had doubts on Harry turning dark?” said Ginny, then noticed the look on Hermione's face and hastily added, “don't get me wrong, you were by his side always but there was this sudden change in Ron. He took the lead and loudly supported Harry and you and the twins and me, we all just sort of followed him. Then that thing with Remus happened.” Ginny stopped for a moment as if remembering something. “Did you ever ask Ron where he disappeared to that time?” “I think I did,” replied Hermione then added thoughtfully. “But I don't seem to remember where he went.” Ginny was now sitting up, her back straight. “For that matter, did you ever ask Harry where he had been? I never did, not even when Harry and I got very close. That is strange. That is very strange. Why would I ignore something as important as that?” “I don't remember that either,” said Hermione, her brows furrowed. “It's as if that part of the summer never came to my mind.” They both looked at each other for a moment and then Ginny opened her eyes wide while Hermione looked ready to kill. “Isn't that the Preteritus Memoria charm?” asked Ginny. “Yeah,” Hermione replied nodding. “It makes recent memories seem like they happened a long time ago. It’s much safer than Obliviate but still does an equally effective job in stopping the questions and making people less inquisitive. It could be that or another similar charm. It would also explain the Dream Trap. I can't believe I fell for that!” “But Hermione,” said Ginny in a curious voice. “Doesn't that charm need to be modified as per the person it's cast on? They couldn't have done it to everyone could they?” They both looked at each other for a moment and then Ginny turned towards the kitchen. “Mum!” She called out. “Can you come here a minute please?” Then she turned to Hermione and continued, “I am sure Mum would know where those two had gone to, they wouldn't have dared keep it from her.” Hermione was rubbing her forehead clearly trying to figure it all out. “They must have been involved in what happened to Remus. Ron had been working there and he never told me what he was working on.” “Yes!” exclaimed Ginny. “That’s what my dream was all about - Ron and Remus. We never associated Ron or Harry with Remus' death. But Remus had clearly been visiting Harry and Ron had been going to Remus' place. Do you remember how Remus died, Hermione?”
“Isn't it strange,” Ginny continued, now sounding very sure of herself, “that we never tried to find out the details of someone as close as Remus? Neither Harry or any of my bloody family members never told me.” “Ginny!” exclaimed Molly walking in from the kitchen. “No one told you because you were children then, all of you.” “But Harry and Ron were involved, Molly,” Hermione insisted, her temper only held back due to the respect she had for her mother-in-law. “And what I find most difficult to believe is that this all started so far back.” She looked at Ginny and said, “I thought Harry only went away from us after his fights with you and me late in the sixth year. I can't believe Ron and Harry wouldn't tell us.” “It was a very difficult time for all of us,” Mrs. Weasley said, sitting down with the two witches. “Harry was going through a lot and none of us really knew why. He was such a lovely boy, has always been a loving boy.” “Where did the two of them go that summer, Mum?” asked Ginny. “I am sure you must have known.” “Harry was at some place where it was safe for him,” replied Molly with a sigh and then gazed out of the window. “Dumbledore didn't tell us much but he would keep insisting that Harry was facing another test. I think wherever Harry was, Dumbledore wasn't entirely happy with it. Only Remus knew for sure and he would just say that I was not to worry, for Harry was being looked after.” “So Remus knew,” muttered Ginny softly. “Ron was somehow involved too. How did Remus die, Mum?” “Well, you both know that story,” said Molly. “He was involved in some accident during Harry's training.” “What kind of accident would have killed him?” asked Hermione to no one in particular. “What about Ron, Molly? He was gone for days; surely you would have been given some idea where he had been.” “Ron had been trying to follow Remus,” said Molly. “He had been lying to us about that job with Remus, there was no such job. He would follow Remus when Remus went on Order missions and he got stuck somewhere on one of the missions.” Molly stopped for a moment thinking back. “I was so happy to see him that I didn't want to know where he had been. He was reluctant to talk about it and I just thought Remus' death was too fresh a wound. I do know, though, that Harry and Remus were trying to rescue him when Remus died. Where exactly they had been, Dumbledore kept to himself.” “So, Ron was present when Remus died?” asked Hermione. “Both Ron and Harry,” replied Molly. “I believe both of them blamed themselves for the accident. If Ron hadn't been following Remus, Remus could have been saved.” “You don't remember any details, Molly?” asked Hermione sounding exasperated. “Any little thing?” “There were the bruises!” exclaimed Ginny. “I saw Harry without his shirt once and his back was covered in bruises as if he had been whipped and beaten.” “Yes,” agreed Molly nodding her head. “It was the same with Ron, but to a lesser degree. They had been through a lot that summer.” Molly gave a deep sigh. “I confronted Dumbledore about their wounds but all I ever got was that it was time to heal them not be angry over their actions.” The three witches sat there silently, only an occasional sound from Veronica in the kitchen disturbing them. “I don't know why I didn't see it before,” said Ginny after a few minutes. “But Ron and Harry changed after that summer. They became so close and there was always something unspoken between them.” “Hmmm,” agreed Hermione, wistful. “The train ride back was an eye opener for me. I never knew Ron could be so cold and he really hurt me that day.” ------------------------------------ Hogwarts Express – 1st September 1996 Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione were sitting in a compartment laughing. They had just found out that Draco Malfoy would not be returning to school this year and were recollecting the time that Moody had turned Malfoy into a ferret. Hermione noticed Ginny and Harry share a look and smiled to herself. Since Harry had come back the two had seemed to have a bond and Hermione was happy for them. Ginny had always been fond of Harry and Hermione knew that if Harry returned her feelings, Ginny would be there waiting. As Hermione looked at them she wondered why the three of them had been leaving Ginny out for so long. Hermione had always been friends with Ginny but it was only recently that she had realized how well Ginny fit into their group. Hermione turned her attention to Ron. Ron was busy shuffling Chocolate Frog cards. Something had changed between her and Ron these past few days. It had started after they were left alone when Harry and Ginny went missing. When Harry had been publicly accused of Ginny's abduction Hermione had seen a side of Ron she never knew existed. Ron had, for just a moment, been philosophical about Harry's life. He had shared the pain his body still felt from the scars the accident at the Ministry had left. It was, however, just for a moment. For the rest of the time Ron had just been frustrated to be sitting doing nothing. The turning point had come when his own family, particularly Bill, had doubted Harry. Hermione hadn't expected Ron to stick up for Harry like he had done. He had fought, cursed and shouted out in favour of Harry till his voice was hoarse. In all that time he had looked at Hermione for silent support and she had always been by his side. Surprisingly, the twins had stood by him too. Then Ginny had come home and Ron's stand had been vindicated. The days when information about Harry hadn't been forthcoming had been tough on Ron and only Hermione knew how much. In the absence of Harry, Ron and Hermione had naturally gravitated towards each other and finally Hermione had sat down one night and figured it out that she wanted to be Ron's girl friend. She was quite sure that Ron cared for her, she only had to make sure the caring went a little further. When Ron had been missing, Hermione had been totally broken. She missed both Harry and Ron and she had found Ginny's company to be strangely comforting. It was then that, in a moment of sharing, Ginny had told Hermione of the Prophecy. What surprised Hermione was not the content of the Prophecy itself—she had always known there was more to Dumbledore’s and Voldemort’s obsession over Harry—but her own reaction to it. She had been scared. She had been scared for Harry, for Ron, for herself and most of all she had been scared because she couldn't believe that children like them would ever be able to defeat Voldemort. For all Harry's heroism, she had always been sceptical of his supposed power. She knew that some day Harry would become one of the greatest wizards of all time but she wasn't sure if he was already that powerful. He was brave and good at heart but he was still a child. She had listened quietly to the belief Ginny held in Harry and had found herself wanting to have the same faith in him. Her rational mind had, however, found the faith lacking and she had decided to hide that fact deep inside herself. She had done the only thing she could think of. Quietly, she had decided to find out if it was indeed possible for Harry to win. The logical conclusions she had come to continued to scare her. She could not see how Harry could win until years later and she had come to the conclusion that they would have the threat of Voldemort hanging over them for years to come. The only thing for them to do was to protect Harry till he was strong enough to face his destiny. The last week of the vacation had been more routine. With Ron and Harry back they had all been like teenagers should be. The only change in things was how the dynamics of the group had changed a little. Hermione had always been “one of the boys”, but with Ginny now included in the group there were some things the girls just couldn’t share with the boys: she was sure Ron and Harry had been acting funny about something, too. Initially, when Hermione had walked in on Ron and Harry laughing their pants off and Ron had flatly refused to tell her what it was about, she had been a little offended. However, it hadn't taken her long to see that they were all just growing up and that with Ginny joining in, Harry and Ron had started to notice that she wasn't just “ one of the boys”. For some reason that thought had made her happy. Now, as she sat there watching Harry and Ron lay out the chess board, she thought of what the year was going to bring. Being rid of Malfoy was a definite advantage but she was curious as to what had kept him from Hogwarts. Was it the fact that Lucius Malfoy was now a known Death Eater? Had Draco Malfoy joined his father? How many more students would refuse to come to Hogwarts now that Voldemort was such an open threat? Hermione sighed and began to watch the game in progress. Ginny was sitting on Harry's side watching the others. She had been doubtful that the three of them would include her once the term started but, as soon as she had started for the Prefects meeting, Harry had told her that he would save a seat for her. She wasn't sure if she was reading too much into his actions but he had spoken to her specifically and not to Ron or Hermione. It had been like this for the last two weeks of the summer since Harry had been back with them. It had started with the OWL results. They had all received their Hogwarts letters before Harry had returned and just after Ron had come back. Ginny had made Prefect and Hermione had received outstanding in all her twelve subjects. Even Ron had managed a decent seven OWLs, including an Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts with a score second only to Harry's, something that he continued to point out. When Harry had come back they had waited to make sure he was all right before handing him his letter. To Ginny's surprise, as soon as Harry had opened his letter, he had smiled and handed it to her. He had wanted to share his result with her before anyone else. It hardly mattered that Ron had snatched it out of her hands, for Harry had given her a big hug and proudly announced his six OWLs. She had seen the sceptical look on everyone's face and only she had understood what had made Harry so happy. He had a near perfect score in Defence Against the Dark Arts, the highest ever obtained by a student. More so, Harry had been worried about his Potions score and an “Exceeds Expectations” there was a relief for him that she understood. On the train, Ginny had seen Harry's face fall just before Ron, Hermione and Ginny had left for the Prefect meeting and she had hurried back to him. She was hopeless as far as he was concerned and now that he seemed to be treating her as a friend she wanted more. She was happy that she was being treated as a part of the group, now only if she could have with Harry what she saw developing between Ron and Hermione. This summer Ginny had gotten to spend time with each of the three members of the Trio. She understood the dynamics well. Hermione felt left out and alone as the only girl. Harry had recently begun to see that he was different from the other two and had a tendency to push them away from the less pleasant parts of his life. Ron, on his part, felt extremely loyal to Harry and extremely confused about Hermione. Ginny knew she was the perfect addition. She could connect with whoever felt like a third wheel. She was the girl friend that Hermione needed, the partner that Harry needed, and the ordinary person that Ron could feel safe about. The only thing left was for the four them to pair up into twos. When the four of them left the train at the station and reached a carriage, Ron stopped short, his eyes wide. It took Ginny and Hermione some time to understand what had gone wrong and it was only when Harry patted Ron on the back and gave a look that said “I know” that both the girls understood that Ron could now see the Thestrals. Ron just nodded his head and with a determined look boarded the carriage. On the ride back, Hermione tried to broach the subject of the Thestrals but Ron was adamantly avoiding her. By the time they were half way the row between the two moved on to Victor Krum and to Ron ignoring Hermione. The surprise of all surprises had come when Hermione had told Ron emphatically to shut it.. Ron had looked her for a moment then grabbed her and kissed her hard. Now, as kisses go it wasn't the best that Ginny had seen but it was certainly the most gross. Ron had not stopped till an out of breath Hermione had pushed him away. Furious, Hermione had mumbled something incoherent and then sat there dumbly, her face red and her breathing hard. Ginny had been rooted to her seat in total surprise. It wasn't long before she had noticed that Harry didn't seem surprised at all. In fact, Harry was barely controlling his smile. Ron and Hermione, on the other hand, had sat quietly for a moment, totally lost before Ron had smiled in a smug way and moved towards Hermione again. Either in anger or in surprise, Ginny never knew which; Hermione had slapped Ron and demanded to know how he had dared to kiss her by force. Ginny had felt her mouth open in surprise at almost the same time as Harry's and Ron's. Now Ginny was no expert at relationships but she knew how Hermione felt about Ron. She could see why Hermione would be furious but this hadn't been the reaction she was expecting and she knew that the relationship had ended even before it started. Ginny sensed that Ron was going to do something stupid even before Ron closed his mouth. She also saw that Hermione had realized that as well and that the older girl's eyes had filled up with tears. The next moment would be the most stupid thing that she would ever see Ron do and that is saying something. Hermione moved towards Ron mumbling an apology, now openly crying. Ron just swatted her away and turned to Harry. “My five galleons,” Ron said to Harry. Harry's eyes opened wide in shock and mumbled something incoherent as Hermione fell back to her seat in confusion. “Out with it, mate. I kissed her so I won the bet,” said Ron. Harry looked at Hermione, his eyes wide in shock, then quietly counted out five galleons to Ron. The carriage stopped almost at that very moment and Ron just looked at Hermione once before jumping out and walking into the castle with long firm strides. Harry started to give an explanation but both the girls were furious. ------------------------------------------- “We were all stupid teenagers, Hermione,” said Ginny after they had finished telling the story to Molly. “I cannot believe Ron would do that,” said Molly, her voice furious. “How did you children end up married after that?” “Look at that, Hermione, Mum's not blowing her top off,” said Ginny, smiling. The redness of her eyes, however, betrayed the hollowness of the smile. “There was a time she would have blown up at something like that.” “We all grow up, Ginny,” replied Molly. “I just wish I could have made it easier for my children.” Ginny looked at her mother, a lump forming in her throat. They all understood what pain was. At moments like this she wondered if Harry's association with her family had been worth it. Molly smiled at her daughter and gently hugged her. “Someday, my dear,” she began. “Someday you will see how much happiness Harry has brought to this family and to this world. He gave us all a sense of purpose and a part in history larger than we could have dreamed off.” Ginny tightened her hug as tears threatened to fall again and wondered how her mother always knew her mind. “Maybe we would have been happier in our own little world,” she said, her voice breaking, “watching him save the world from afar.” “We did watch him save the world from afar, Ginny,” replied Molly with a sigh. “It wasn't any better. It's never better to have your children away from you and Harry is my son.” Ginny smiled slightly at the fiercely protective tone her mother's voice had taken. She broke the hug and wiped away her tears. A firm resolution had begun to form in her mind. “How did I become so weak?” she asked. “I am not going to let this get to me.” “Good,” said Molly smiling at the sudden burst of energy from her daughter. “So how did you and Ron fall in love after that, Hermione?” she asked. Hermione had been watching the exchange between mother and daughter with a tender smile. Molly was like a mother to her but, sometimes, Hermione wished for such moments with her own mother. Molly's sudden question broke her out of her reverie. The week after that incident had been nothing like anyone would have expected. The girls and the boys sat separately for the dinner that night but, with Hermione adamant at not letting Ron see how he had effected her and Ron determined to make it a meaningless event, they were back to acting as normal the next morning. Normal was sitting together at meals and in the common room actively trying to ignore the other. However, anyone close to them could see that things were far from normal. Hermione barely spoke to Ron and Ron, in turn, totally ignored her. Harry was stuck between the two and refused to intervene despite Ginny's best efforts. Ginny had managed to goad the story of the bet from Harry. Ron had, at some point over the summer, told Harry that he was attracted to Hermione and at times felt a strong urge to kiss her. Harry had laughed and said that he would bet five galleons Ron wouldn't have the courage for years to come. It had since become a little joke between the two boys - whenever Harry caught Ron staring at Hermione, he would remind him of the five galleons. Ginny had confronted Hermione with that information but Hermione had just said that Ron needed to “grow up”. As Ginny finished describing to Molly how she had kept trying to convince Harry to help the two reach some kind of truce and failed, Hermione interrupted her. “It sounds really stupid so many years later,” said Hermione, chuckling. “The kiss had been so sudden and at so wrong a time that I overreacted. Don't get me wrong, I was heartbroken when Ron made it out to be a bet and like it didn't mean anything to him. Anyway, at least something good came out of it.” Hermione glanced at Ginny, her lips twitching. “What do you mean?” asked Molly, looking from one girl to the other curiously. “After about three weeks of trying to manage his time between the two of us,” Hermione began. “Harry finally gave up and decided he was better off spending all his time with a certain redhead who didn't mind the attention. I think it was that time that Ginny and Harry really got together, isn't it Ginny?” Ginny's smile faltered a bit at that and she took a deep breath. “Actually it was during the summer,” she said. “What?” exclaimed Hermione, “Even I never knew that!” “No, no,” said Ginny. “I mean we weren't together yet but that time we spent together while running from the Death Eaters was where it all began. At least for me. Harry was... I don't know how to put it... he was just so perfect even with all his faults. I mean his constant fussing over me drove me mad at times but I loved it all the same. I don't think Harry realized it but I think we grew very close in that one week.” “Put a teenage girl and boy together alone for hours and something is bound to happen,” announced Veronica, walking in from the kitchen and handing out steaming cups of coffee before sitting down at the table with the other girls. The four women were quiet for a bit as they sipped their coffee. “So, how did you and Ron finally get together, Hermione?” asked Veronica, breaking the silence. “We didn't get together till the end of our seventh year,” said Hermione, scowling. “You took that long to get over the fight?” asked Veronica, sounding curious. “Yeah,” interrupted Ginny. “And kept me and Harry miserable all the way!” “I would have thought something like that would have given you and Harry much more time together?” asked Veronica again, now looking at Ginny. “Hardly!” exclaimed Ginny. “We could never spend time together because it would leave either this one alone or that one alone and they would be miserable. Initially we spent most of our time trying to make peace and then we gave up. After that the boys would disappear and we never knew where they were. It wasn't till they made up that something happened.” “It really started then, you know,” said Hermione, suddenly. “What are you talking about?” asked Ginny. “The change,” replied Hermione. “Everything changed that term. We boarded the train like every term but things changed so much so fast. We never spent any time together anymore. It was always in twos. Even in classes we were not together...” “Why?” asked Veronica. “Didn't you have classes with Ron and Harry?” “Harry didn't take any classes that year,” replied Hermione. “He had private lessons. Ron took some classes in private with him and only had Charms and Care of Magical Creatures in common with me.” “I don't get it,” said Veronica. “What do you mean?” Hermione sighed and began to explain. ----------------------------- The atmosphere at Hogwarts that year was of an uneasy silence. There was an unsaid fear of the looming war. The wide scale attacks over the summer had taken several lives and news was filled with horrible stories. The tension and fear were showing their effects everywhere: students were twitchy, their wands kept at their fingertips; fights broke out with a surprising regularity in the corridors and even Dumbledore’s occasional speeches in the Great Hall seemed to be lacking their usual finesse. The term was even tougher for Harry and his friends. The Ministry and the Daily Prophet had spent considerable time pointing out that he may have had a role in the attacks that summer. The story about his kidnapping Ginny had been covered extensively and the subsequent truth had hardly received any attention at all. There were several stories covering his similarities to the Dark Lord, both in terms of his powers and his childhood. Most of the younger students stayed clear of him and the older ones were divided into two clear groups. There were those that actively supported him because of their association with the DA or with Harry personally and there were those who actively avoided him out of fear or apprehension. With Draco Malfoy gone, there seemed to be no one who actively sought to fight him. While Harry bore the brunt of it, his friends weren't spared much either. During the first few weeks of the term, Hermione and Ginny took to spending a lot of time together. Hermione, who seemed to be taking nearly every classes, would still find time to help Ginny with her homework and OWL preparation. While Harry occasionally spent time with them, he and Ron would mostly disappear for long periods of time. The biggest surprise for the girls was when the time tables were handed out. Harry would not be taking any classes this year. He was to be tutored separately by the teachers and they would all work on some special subjects. This was acceptable given what the girls had learned over the summer. The biggest surprise was that Ron would be training in some things with Harry and had thus taken only Charms, Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. It seemed that several of his friends had been given tasks by Dumbledore to help him out. While Ron was to be with him during most of the special classes, it was Hermione's duty to plan and teach Harry the usual subjects during his free time. Soon, the four of them fell into a routine. Hermione would spend most of her free time with Ginny except for her lessons with Harry. Ginny would sit with Hermione, except when Hermione and Harry had their lessons, when she would seek out either her friends or Ron. With Hermione and Ron not on speaking terms, the four of them never spent any time as a group. Ginny had been working on both Ron and Hermione to get it to some kind of a truce but was making no headway. Moreover, she was frustrated with her inability to spend any quality time with Harry. ----------------------------- “So how did you and Ron finally make up?” asked Veronica, as Hermione and Ginny finished telling her about the start of the term. “Make up!” exclaimed Ginny. “It got worse before it got better. Luna happened first.” Veronica looked at Hermione, her eyebrows raised. Before Hermione could say anything Ginny started to explain, her voice excited. Molly and Hermione exchanged a silent look -- the talking seemed to have brought Ginny out of her gloom. “Ron made out with Luna!” exclaimed Ginny. “I don't know when it started but Luna had been, in her own strange way, following Ron around all over the place. Now Luna can be pretty crazy about these things and Ron was the last one who could possibly understand her. Not that he cared anyway. From what I gathered from Luna later, he avoided her every chance he got until she kissed him.” Ginny chuckled a bit at that and the other three witches exchanged another look. Ginny pushed her hair back and sat up before continuing. “Then it was like Ron didn't mind her as long as they were snogging but as soon as she would want to hang out he would run away. Unbelievably, Luna liked that! Ron would go on and on about his supposed exploits and even Harry got sick of it.” Ginny chuckled some more shaking her head as she remembered. “That would have made you mad, Hermione” said Veronica, chuckling. Hermione smiled. “We had a fight over it,” she said. “A fight!” exclaimed Ginny. “They had a war over it. Right in the middle of the Great Hall. It was dinner time and Ron was, as usual, making not so subtle remarks about what he was going to do on his date later. Suddenly, Hermione gets up and goes over to him, shouting at him that he should respect girls more. It was nearly ten minutes and a week of detentions later that they stopped shouting. You showed him his place, though, Hermione.” “He was being a git about it as usual,” Hermione replied. “Well, anyway,” Ginny continued. “So they have a big fight over why Ron didn't respect girls and at the end of it Hermione shouts out that she couldn't believe how she could fall for a guy like him.” Ginny was laughing now, shaking her head. “Ron was stunned,” Hermione continued. “And I was mortified. I ran out of the Hall and vowed never to show my face again.” “Fortunately,” said Ginny. “It was like Ron came to his senses. Couple of days later he apologized to Luna and broke it off with her.” “I never knew you were such a gossip, Ginny” said Veronica on Ginny's enthusiasm. “So what happened then? They just made up?” “I am not a gossip,” protested Ginny, her face flushed. Then she added with a sigh. “They were just very happy times.” “So what happened then?” asked Veronica looking from Ginny to Hermione. “We didn't talk for a while after that,” said Hermione, “but Ron stopped being a git. He was actually being very sweet. I was feeling horrible about shouting that out in the Hall. I thought I had ruined any chance with him and was avoiding him but he just kept tracking me down. “ “Yes,” said Ginny then smiled sheepishly. “Not that he didn't have help,” she said. “So, when did you two start going out finally?” asked Veronica for the umpteenth time. “They didn't,” said Ginny throwing up her hands. “A month after the start of the term Ron was announced as the Quidditch captain and the first thing he did was to ask Hermione out. As a treat to himself, he said.” “But we decided that we needed to give ourselves some time,” said Hermione blushing slightly. “After the hocus-pocus of the last month we needed it. We were just friends after that till we got engaged at the end of our seventh year.” “You started snogging long before the end of your Seventh year!” exclaimed Ginny but Hermione just swatted at her and they all broke out laughing. The four witches were silent again, this time with smiles on their faces. Finally, Ginny spoke up. “Those were happy times,” she said, an edge to her voice. “It was the happiest time of my life.” “I was so happy when you and Harry got together,” Molly spoke up after a long time. “If it was anything as interesting as Hermione and Ron,” began Veronica. “Then your teenage years were far more exciting than mine.” Ginny smiled lightly and rested her elbows on the table with her chin in her hands. “It was on Halloween,” she said. “After Ron and Hermione made up,” she continued. “We all started spending time together. But Harry and I began to spend a lot of time just the two of us. I mean, Ron and Hermione had lots of classes while Harry had none so there was a lot of time when it was just the two of us. He was everything I had dreamed of, you know. He was so passionate about some things, like Quidditch or Voldemort and he could be totally clueless about others. We used to talk and talk and talk and never tire of each other.” “The two of them were really cute together,” interrupted Hermione. “They would just tune the rest of the world out when they were with each other. When they knew others were there, they would just be friendly, but when they thought no one was watching they would be totally into each other.” “It was the same for you two, all right!” exclaimed Ginny. “We were just happy together.” “So how did he finally propose?” asked Veronica. “It was on Halloween,” said Ginny again. “We had just come back from a Hogsmeade trip and by then I had stopped waiting for him to propose. Ron and Hermione went back to the common room to wait for the feast while I decided to walk Harry to his training room.” At a questioning look from Veronica, Ginny explained further. “Dumbledore and set out a separate room far from the rest of the students for Harry's training. He was supposed to be training with Dumbledore that day.” “Dumbledore was our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher that year,” interrupted Hermione. Ginny nodded her head and continued. “So I walk with him to the door and we were joking and laughing about something as I said my goodbye.” Ginny smiled at that point. “As I turned around to leave, imagine my shock when I saw that the wall behind us was now a huge mirror. Even more surprising was the dress I was wearing.” Ginny got a dreamy look at that and smiled to herself. “It was a beautiful navy blue dress,” continued Ginny, “with a glittering silver line in the middle. We had seen it at Hogsmeade earlier that day and I had pointed out to Harry that I might look good in it.” “He got me and Ron to buy it while he distracted Ginny,” said Hermione. Ginny's smile widened and she continued. “To this day I don't know how he got me into it without me noticing,” said Ginny. “He walked up to me from behind and put his arms on my shoulders. When I got over my shock and looked up at his eyes in the mirror, he asked me, ‘What do you see, Ginny?’ I looked up at him and stood their speechless. ‘It is the exact scene I saw in The Mirror of Erised’, he said.” “Mirror of Erised makes you see your deepest desires,” Hermione explained to Veronica. “Harry had taken the three of us to see it a few weeks before that halloween and had never told us what he had seen.” “Actually,” interrupted Ginny, smiling wistfully. “He had promised me that he would show it to me on Halloween.” “So what happened then?” asked Veronica, now totally immersed in the story. “That is strictly between me and Harry,” said Ginny, her chin up as everyone chuckled. “Suffice it to say that it was the moment I knew I would always be in love with Harry.” As soon as Ginny finished, she realized what she had said, and her smile disappeared and her face closed. “He came to me for my permission a few days before that,” said Molly, breaking Ginny out of her thought. “He did?” asked Ginny. “Typical Harry. I never knew that.” “Ron told me that Harry even asked him for permission,” Hermione chuckled. “No wonder he didn't tell me,” said Ginny, shaking her head. “I would have hexed both of them.” “Who would have known that it would be our last normal term with Harry,” said Hermione in a sad voice. “That term sounds so happy. When did things change?” asked Veronica looking from one girl to the other. “It wasn't all so happy,” said Ginny. “Things had begun to look rough on Harry even in that term. His training was horrible and he would often come back bloody and bruised. The ugliness was still in the background, though. We would sit and talk and pretend that the darkness around us didn't exist.” “Harry was becoming so different,” said Hermione. “He was no longer wallowing in himself. After both Sirius and Remus, I had thought Harry would have a really tough year.” “He did have a tough year,” said Ginny. “But I see what you mean. At least till the end of the first term he wasn't hiding from us or snapping at everyone. In fact that term was a dream term.” “Yeah, we should have seen what happened next term coming a mile away,” said Hermione. “Harry was being overloaded. The Prophet was scathing in insults and accusations and they played up the fact that he wasn't attending classes, linking it to his being dangerous. He was getting a cold shoulder from a lot of students and at times it drove him mad.” “We were all typical teenagers in some ways,” said Ginny, leaning back in her chair. “Brooding and difficult. Especially Harry. Don't get me wrong, the term was better than any other time in my life but it wasn't all perfect. Harry and I could both be very headstrong. We fought a lot but making up was always sweet.” Ginny smiled slightly at the memory and continued. “He portrayed a strong and happy image, but in our most private moments he could sometimes be so vulnerable and so young that it made me crazy.” “He was bubbling with something inside,” said Hermione. “There was power, anger and something else. As if there was a great destiny awaiting him. I mean, there was the Prophecy but there was something much bigger. We were all scared of the time when his control would snap and everything inside would come flowing out.” “And it did,” said Ginny. “Yeah,” replied Hermione. “Hogsmeade.” “We had had a Hogsmeade trip before Halloween and Harry wasn't suppose to go because he had training,” began Ginny. “I was going to go with Hermione and Ron but finally decided to go with some of my dorm-mates. I hadn't spent much time with them that term. So, here I was in Hogsmeade, sitting with my friends, when someone came and told us that Harry had been in a duel with Snape and both of them had been hurt. He said Harry might get thrown out of school.” Ginny shivered a little as she remembered that time and Hermione picked up the story. “Ron and I met Ginny on the way back and by the time we reached the Great Hall a large group of students had gathered there,” said Hermione. “We pushed through the crowd frantically and it was a horrible sight that greeted us. It was a like a bomb had gone off in the Hall. The candles that lit the Hall had been blown up and wax covered the floor. The walls were scorched as if they had been on fire. There was not a single table or chair standing.” “There were these great marks on the floor as if huge blasts of magic had charred it at several points,” Ginny continued, her eyes wide with the memory. She shook her head and continued, “it was difficult to believe that it was the work of two wizards.” “One wizard, if the rumours are to be believed,” said Hermione. “You would have to witness the sheer magnitude of destruction to comprehend why the school was in awe. We were all dumbstruck but there was more. Harry had done all that in the blink of an eye.” Even Molly had sat up on here chair now. They had never talked openly about Harry's transformation. Much had been written about it in the Daily Prophet over the years but few knew the truth of the “Terrible Year”, as the press called it, as extensively as Ginny and Hermione did. “It was unbelievable,” continued Hermione shaking her head. “For the first time I could see what powers Harry could hold.” “So what had happened?” asked Veronica, more curious than ever. “Even we don't have all the details,” said Hermione. “All I know for sure is that Harry had been training with Snape and Dumbledore and Snape had been taunting him as usual. Maybe Harry reached the limits of his tolerance or maybe Snape crossed the line or maybe Harry really was unstable and out of control as the Prophet liked to say. We don't know exactly what Snape said but before even Dumbledore could react, Harry blew the place apart in a single burst of magic.” “Harry did all that with a single spell?” asked Veronica wide eyed. “It wasn't really a spell,” said Ginny. “He just lost control and everything inside him, every bit of magic that he had, came tumbling out. He was miserable about it for days. He could have hurt someone, even killed. Snape got away with a few weeks with Madam Pomfrey.” “The Prophet had great fun with it, of course.” said Hermione with a scowl. “They began to take the negative portrayal of Harry to the extreme. It was a dark spell, they said and speculated on Harry having learned it from Voldemort and even if that wasn't true, how Harry had the potential of being a greater menace than even the Dark Lord.” “Harry was under a lot of pressure,” continued Ginny. “But he was coping. In fact till the end of that term at least, Harry coped well. There were more good times than bad and we continued to grow really close.” “In fact, it was as if Harry had grown up that term,” said Hermione. “With so much happening all around us we had less time with each other and especially me and Harry almost never had time for just the two of us. Still, occasionally we would take break from the times when I would teach him and we would just talk. He could be so profound with his thinking, so uncomplicated yet far seeing with his philosophy, and fiercely passionate about what he was destined to do. He was so intense that he scared me at times.” “Yeah,” said Ginny, smiling a little. “That was our Harry. He would try to be casual and fun and behave like the other teenagers around him but if you gained his trust and waited for just the right moment to see inside him, he would overwhelm you with the sheer force of his feelings; The sheer passion that he had inside him. It was sort of sad, at times. You would forget who he was and be normal, and then after a few weeks you would get to see or hear the depth of his passion and your actions would seem so trivial. It drove me mad.” “So what happened about the incident with Snape?” asked Veronica. “Dumbledore helped Harry, I think, for Harry was not thrown out,” replied Ginny. “Snape's scowl only grew worse, though, and The Prophet's accusations increased in fervour.” “I think that incident with Snape was a turning point in someway,” said Hermione thoughtfully. “Harry's magical ability increased tremendously in the weeks after that. Remember the time in the DA meeting when he ordered those birds and snakes!” Hermione looked at Ginny with wide eyes, than began to explain to Veronica. “DA was Dumbledore’s Army, a club for training to fight, that Harry used to lead,” she explained. “Harry had changed it slightly that year, he would have several meetings for a close group of friends and teach us how to defend ourselves, to fight. We would then take the larger open class where everyone in the school was allowed.” “Until the fight with Snape,” said Ginny, picking up from Hermione. “It was business as usual and though Harry was the best in a duel by a big margin, it was nothing extraordinary. Then in the weeks following that fight the DA began to grow intense. Harry took the training to another level that none of us knew existed. Suddenly, we were no longer learning to just defend, but to attack and to fight.” “Ron was also attending some training with Harry those days,” said Hermione. “What little he told me began to scare me. They weren't learning to fight, they were learning to kill. I was very upset for days, I told Harry and Ron off for that many times.” “Yeah,” said Ginny, nodding to Hermione. “It irritated Harry to no end when you lay into him for that.” “They were learning to kill!” exclaimed Hermione. She turned to Veronica. “It was in one of the core DA meetings a few weeks after the incident with Snape. Harry had begun to teach some really powerful spells and he would have people duel each other in groups. Some of us occasionally stayed back to practice. They were dark days outside Hogwarts and it didn't hurt to learn a bit more. Anyway, on that day we were outside on the grounds setting up mock duels. It was Dean's turn to duel Seamus. Or was it Neville?” “It was Seamus,” said Ginny. “Dean and Seamus had been taught some nasty spells by Harry and their duels were typically filled with spells the others hadn't seen before. On top of that, they weren't always very proficient in the spells. That day Dean did some kind of a Accio spell that pulled snakes and spiders from the forest into the clearing where we were sitting. Seamus responded with a spell that called on the birds. I had never heard of magic like that before.” “It was scary,” continued Hermione, her eyes reflecting the amazement she had felt at that time. “Unfortunately, both Dean and Seamus had bitten more than they could chew. Soon, both of them were mere spectators as the numbers of birds and snakes increased and the fight turned to one between the animals. We all tried to scurry away but there were too many of them.” Both Hermione and Ginny sat their shaking their heads and remembering. “Then what happened?” asked Veronica. “Then Harry came,” said Ginny, her eyes filled with wonder. “It was amazing,” said Hermione. “He and Ron came running out from the Castle and while Ron ran towards us in the clearing, Harry walked towards the snakes, spiders, eagles, owls and other creatures out there. He just walked right into them, his face red with anger and shouted Stop!” “There were a few hisses here and there but by and large all of them just stopped,” said Ginny. “It was unbelievable. It was like he held power over nature itself. For the first time I realized how truly powerful Harry could be. He stood there and glared at them like a father would do to his children and ... all those animals ... they flinched under his gaze. They backed up from him. They listened to him!” “Yeah,” said Hermione nodding her head. “It was unbelievable. But it would be just the beginning of his potential. That display would pale in front of some of Harry's displays later in his life.” “Yeah,” said Veronica. “I have seen one of his displays.” “Really?” asked Ginny. “Where?” “I knew Harry Potter when he was in Vienna,” said Veronica, slowly. The other three women looked up at her as if waiting for her to continue. “Harry was in Vienna?” Ginny finally asked. Veronica gave a sigh. No one had asked her to hide this information. The topic of Harry Potter had just seemed disallowed at the Burrow. “Harry used to stay with us sometimes when he was in Vienna for work,” she said. “Us? As in you and George?” asked Ginny. “Yeah,” replied Veronica. “George introduced him to me soon after he had started that business there. Harry worked on some undercover missions in Vienna and stayed with George and me a couple of times.” Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in thought. “That would be only four or five years ago?” she asked looking at Veronica. “Yeah, five years ago I think.” replied Veronica. “Harry kept in touch with George?” asked Hermione. “Well,” replied Veronica. “Not often. Fred and George didn't really know what he was up to but they had accommodated him without questions a few times before.” “So what was special about that time?” asked Ginny. “It was a Saturday evening,” began Veronica. “George and I had just come out of the Opera house and were heading up the Kärntner Straße towards St. Stephens Cathedral. It's lovely there on the weekends. There are people singing on the roadside, outdoor cafes, magicians and a lot of wizard shops mixed along with the usual Muggle ones...” “Where does Harry come in?” asked Ginny, sounding impatient. “We were walking up the street,” continued Veronica. “A strange feeling began to fill me. At first I thought it was something I ate but then I noticed George had become stiff and alert and his hand was on his wand. I was about to question him but he caught my arm and pulled me along, almost running. It wasn't till we entered the church that I saw it. There was a commotion going on at the North Tower of the church...” “The incomplete North Tower?” asked Hermione, and then continued without waiting for an answer. “It's a magical place. The tower isn't really incomplete; it's enchanted to appear so. The upper floors were discovered only a few years ago and have since been one of the bigger mysteries of our world. The magical signatures there are recent and from a magic so strong that it should have been impossible. It took a week to enter the top of the tower after the discovery and to the surprise of most it was empty to the point of fault. No dust, no paint, no droppings, nothing. Just pure magical power.” Hermione turned to Veronica and asked disbelievingly. “You are saying you saw something happening on the North Tower?” “Not exactly on the Tower itself, no,” answered Veronica, shaking her head. “I still didn't know the Tower wasn't incomplete, so I definitely didn't see it on the top.” “What do you mean by it?” asked Ginny. “It was a large animal,” said Veronica. “It looked like a lion flying and I would have told you it was a Gryffin except Gryffins don't fly around cities, especially not around the Muggle areas. I was sure I saw it as even the magician who was entertaining the Muggles had reacted to the flow of magic and I remember realizing that he was probably a wizard.” “Magic was flowing out of the Gryffin?” asked Hermione. “Not exactly flowing,” said Veronica. “The Gryffin, or whatever it was, was circling the Tower and a group of wizards wearing golden robes were casting spells at it.” “Golden robes?” asked Hermione, remembering the robes Ron had changed into. “Yeah,” said Veronica. “Anyway, I only got a glimpse as George pulled me into the cathedral and led me straight to a weird indentation on the left side of the church. He conjured a bread loaf and placed it on the indentation and pulled me right through the wall. There was a staircase behind and we ran up the stairs. I was asking George what it was all about but he just kept pulling me.” “Oh my god!” exclaimed Hermione. “That is the entrance to the North Tower. I can't believe George knew of the place back then! It was discovered much later than that” “The biggest surprise,” continued Veronica, “was when we reached the top and Fred was there along with Ron, and Ron was wearing the same golden robes.” A loud gasp left Hermione's mouth and her eyes watered. “Ron knew,” she said quietly and hung her head. “His robes had a Gryffin on them,” continued Veronica. “I remember seeing it and connecting it to the animal I had seen flying outside. Ron had been speaking to Fred when we had taken the turn on the stairs and as soon as he saw us he Disapparated. It was strange but I had always known that George and Fred were occasionally involved in things bigger than me and I usually left them alone. I got really scared, however, when Fred opened the door at the end and we stepped inside. Harry Potter lay there, bruised and bloody.” Veronica was again shaking her head at the memory. “I have never seen anyone in that condition and to have come across a legend like Harry Potter, I nearly died of shock. Anyway, the three of us took him home and he stayed unconscious for a couple of days. There was a protective wall of magic around him and you couldn't get anywhere close. It was overwhelming.” Hermione, Ginny and Molly were staring at Veronica, dumbfounded. Veronica looked at them for a moment and then shrugged. “That was it,” she said. “The third morning when I got up he had disappeared. George avoided the topic and after a few days I left it alone. We have never spoken of it since.” “When exactly did this happen?” asked Hermione after some time, her voice unusually sharp. “It was in the winter about five years ago,” said Veronica. “It was the last month that George was in Vienna, so that would be December of 2000.” Hermione looked at Ginny. “That fits with your theory that something drastic happened five years ago,” she said. “It's too much of a coincidence that Harry would be in such a condition just six months before almost the entire group of witches and wizards that we had known at school suddenly came back to wizarding life all at once.” “So, that’s why Harry was so much worse that Christmas,” whispered Molly. “What do you mean?” asked Ginny, her eyebrows narrowed. “How do you know how Harry was at Christmas?” “He was my son,” said Molly, looking old and tired. “A few days before Christmas, the year after Harry ran away from Hogwarts, I found him at our door. It was a few months after Percy and Bill died.” Molly's voice was low and her eyes were watery. “All of you were out at the Leaky Cauldron that night and I was alone at home. It was raining heavily and at first I was scared when I opened the door and found him standing there. That was before he became a hero to the press and I had begun to believe the Prophet and all the other rumours about him.” Molly let out a sob and Veronica placed a calming hand on her Mother-in-law's shoulder. “He must have seen the doubt in my eyes,” continued Molly. “The hurt that came over his face made me realize my mistake almost immediately. He was like a son and I had doubted him when I wouldn't have doubted any of the other six. I knew I had made a mistake and when he apologized for failing Percy and Bill I forgave him. I don't know if he actually killed them but my heart tells me that my son would never do that.” Molly looked up at her daughters and a smile came over her face. “He was in bad condition,” continued Molly. “And I don't think I gave him much of a chance to speak. I was just trying to get him to eat. I knew he didn't want to meet any of you so I fed him and gave him what I could and he left. Next year, something made me keep the house empty at the same time on the same day. I was hoping he would come -- and he did. Every year after that on the same day and the same time. I like to think I did my bit in the time he could give me. We never spoke much. He would come and I would hug him and treat him as normally as I could. Then, three years ago he didn't come and he hasn't since then. I had thought he was dead.” Molly was sobbing now and the women were at a loss. They had never seen their mother in such pain and they hadn't known that Harry had kept in touch with so many other people. “I know none of you ever met him for all those years,” gasped Molly. “I never betrayed his confidence in coming to me just as I would have for any of you.” Molly looked up at the witches sitting around her. Veronica's hand remained on Molly's shoulder in a show of support. Hermione was looking at her hands shaking her head in slow but definite jerks. Ginny's hold on herself seemed to be failing and Molly eyes grew sad as she saw the pain her daughter had been through. No one knew what had happened between Harry and Ginny but Molly knew that it had left a scar which would be difficult to heal. Hermione was busy piecing together all the information she had just heard but her thoughts kept coming back to the same thing. Ron had known about Harry and never told her. Till now she had let herself believe that it was only after Harry's return as Evans that Ron had found out about Harry and that it was probably in the line of duty. Hermione had reassured herself that if Ron had had the option he would not have lied to her. But Veronica's story was clinching evidence that Ron and Harry had discarded her. She had barely heard anything after Veronica had mentioned Ron. Ron had been with Harry in whatever Harry had been up to. Hermione had been afraid of this information for several weeks but she hadn't expected the range of emotions that it had brought out in her. She felt betrayed, she felt like her five years of marriage had been a sham, she felt alone, she felt so deeply furious that shouting and rage weren't enough. She couldn't make herself see the possibility of any reasons he might have had. Ron had betrayed her. He had been her only constant for several years and he had betrayed her. As Hermione reached her point of breakdown she clenched her jaw and fought to control her tears. She looked up and saw Molly looking at her with sadness. Hermione opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Molly nodded in understanding and reached out to her but Hermione knew that she had no more control left in her and with a mute nod towards the others she Disapparated. Ginny had had an impossible evening. She had broken down like never before and she hadn't thought it was possible for her to cry as much as she had. After Hermione had brought her back, Ginny hadn't been able to control her tears for hours. The talking had helped, though, and Ginny felt calmer. Her anger and hurt had been driven back by the memories of the good times. She knew the stories had been close to reaching the time when things had turned for the worse. She knew what it was that had changed it all so much in the next term. Draco Malfoy had come back to Hogwarts for the second term. Ginny sighed and looked up as Hermione Disapparated. She saw Veronica gently guide Molly up the stairs and indicate that Ginny stay put. As the two older women disappeared, Ginny suddenly felt very tired. She felt overwhelmed. She took a deep breath and decided she wanted to be alone. With a quick note for Veronica, Ginny Apparated back to Hogwarts. By the time Ginny had walked across grounds and up to the castle, the calming effect that talking about her fifth year had brought began to fade away. As she entered the castle and walked up to her quarters her thoughts were once again stuck on the faces of two wizards she now knew to be the same person. The Harry she had known as a child and the Harry she had met at Hogwarts a few months ago. By the time she opened the door to her room her emotions had again caught up with her and she felt a strange pull to lash out and get her answers. It was thus, that as the first light lit up the night sky, Ginny left the door to her room half opened, turned, and, with a determined look, walked towards the confrontation that she knew she must have before she could feel at peace. ------------------- AN: I know this is a really long chapter... 39 pages... but actually it’s a double chapter that I didn't know where to split. Let me know if you people think it’s too long and I'll make sure I write shorter one's from now on. AN: Thanks to Arnel and Katie for beta reading my story.
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