User:Jackhagrit
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J.K.ROWLING IF SHE WROTE LIKE THIS..
Chapter One: Dark Eyes
J.K.Rowling -just said she did kill off Harry Potter in book #7.So no one can re-write on the story of young wizards.-Harry Potter is Dead!
“I believe I have already told you why, Harry,” Hermione said in a huff as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. She was very impatient with him lately, as he had become increasingly overprotective. Not that she could really blame him, with Voldemort still on the loose. They each were unusually protective of the other but Hermione would say Harry had been nearly clingy.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. “Then humor me Hermione. Why have you been spending so much time in the library all of a sudden? I mean, if you spend much more time in there, they‘ll end up moving your bed in the back corner,” Harry paused as he saw Hermione’s eyes flicker toward the door of the common room.
“I took on a few extra projects for Professor Vector. It’s been taking longer than I expected,” Hermione answered, quickly brushing a stand of chestnut hair from her face with the back of her hand and hoping Harry would believe her.
Harry sighed. He had been spending an awful lot of time alone in the common room these days. Ever since he asked Hermione to be his girlfriend he noticed that Ron had been avoiding him. Not that he could really blame him. Harry figured had he been in Ron’s position, he’d probably be acting the same way. “And where has Ron been? Surely he hasn’t been in the library with you. He doesn’t study…..unless….wait a second….”
He took a deep breath and Hermione shifted nervously. She had been nearly cheating on Harry for a month now, with Ron of all people. She considered it only “nearly” cheating because there was nothing physical going on between her and Ron. On an emotional level, however, she knew that she and Ron were way beyond the lines of friendship.
She felt differently toward Ron than she felt toward Harry. She was even fairly certain she could never feel toward Harry the was she did toward Ron. This was not something she had planned. And she had never expected to be the type of person to do something like this. It killed her to do it, but Harry was not the one she wanted. She had always loved Harry, but in more of a brotherly sort of way. When he asked her out at the beginning of the school year, she had said yes because she was tired of waiting for Ron to get up the nerve. Ron’s heart was shattered, though their time alone in the library was steadily fixing it. And now Harry’s would be too, if she couldn’t figure out how to fix this situation.
“Harry, it isn’t what you’re thinking-” Hermione started.
“And what is it I’m thinking,” Harry asked, leaning forward in the chair he was sitting in. He was suddenly very glad that most of the other Gryffindors were in Hogsmeade this weekend. This was not a conversation he would have liked people to be in on.
“You think I’m cheating on you with Ron,” She answered breathlessly.
Harry realized, just at that moment, that she really had been cheating on him. He supposed the situation would eventually come down to something like this. He had known the two of them liked each other, but he hadn’t known how much. And while he had teased her about cheating on him in the library, he had never said it was with Ron.
“One might think you had a guilty conscience, Hermione,” Harry said softly. He looked up from the floor and for a brief moment, brown eyes met green.
Hermione took in a quick breath. It only took one look in his eyes and she knew that he knew. She threw her books in the floor and flung her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. At first, Harry wanted to throw her off and scream at her. But after a minute, he settled for pulling her closer and hugging her tightly.
He tried to see things from her point of view. And he almost could. Enough so that he could forgive her, he thought.
After a little while, Hermione’s sobs became more quiet. She was able to pull away from him and, with an enormous effort, looked at him.
“Harry, can you ever forgive me? I mean, he’s your best friend,” Hermione said in almost a whisper. Harry sighed, unnerved at the terrified look on her face. He brought her face in his hands, wiping the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.
He took a moment before answering. “Hermione, if it had been anyone else, I would have never forgiven you. But you’re right. He is my best friend. And he’s your best friend. And you’re my best friend. And there isn’t any silly little love-triangle that can undo that. I love you Hermione. I always have. But I know I don’t love you the way Ron does. And he deserves something perfect in life for once.”
Hermione blushed at the last part and smiled. “Harry, you’re a real hero, you know that?”
Now it was Harry’s turn to blush as he turned his head aside, “Yeah, that’s what they tell me.” “You can’t be serious!”
Professor Severus Snape rolled his eyes and sneered at the outburst of a certain red-haired Gryffindor. He moved around to the front of his desk, crossing his arms and looking down his long nose to the student at the table before him.
“I assure you, Mr. Weasley, that I am completely serious. Ten points from Gryffindor for the interruption. Now, as I was saying,” the foul tempered potions master continued. “This is a gender-altering potion.”
Snape pulled from his robes a medium-sized vial of a viscous, blue liquid. The students, both Gryffindor and Slytherin, shuddered at the idea that their teacher was proposing. A quiet murmuring broke out among them at the thought of swapping genders.
“Sir,” Pansy Parkinson said, raising her hand. “Why would we need to learn how to make a gender-altering potion?”
Snape smiled, though to the Gryffindors it looked more like a grimace. “You will not be brewing this particular potion because, regrettably, it is closely regulated by the Ministry. It is used mostly for disguise, not unlike the Polyjuice potion. However, the misuse of this potion is the reason for its regulation. There are a few individuals who would prefer to remain…in a transgender state.”
Draco Malfoy let out a cough which sounded suspiciously like “Potter!” amid the snickers of his housemates.
Snape cleared his throat loudly, regaining the attention of his pupils. “What you will be making today is the antidote. At the end of the period your potions will be tested.”
“Tested how?” Ron blurted out before he could catch himself. Harry ribbed him hard with his elbow. Ron glared back at him, rubbing his side, well aware of the trouble he had likely just brought upon himself and possibly his friends.
“Interesting that you should ask, Mr. Weasley. And thank you for volunteering yourself and your housemates. I will be giving the potion to the Gryffindors to test the Slytherins’ antidotes,” Snape said, causing half the room to protest and the other half to cheer. “I will be testing the Gryffindors’ antidotes as well, so you had all better get started. The instructions are on the board.”
With a wave of his wand, the instructions appeared on the board and the students scrambled to retrieve their ingredients. Everyone on the Gryffindor side of the room feared for their genders at the thought of taking a Slytherin antidote.
“Harry, what are we going to do?” Ron whispered across the table as he sorted out his supplies.
Harry gulped. “I dunno, mate. This is going to be bad. Surely he knows the Slytherins won’t make decent antidotes on purpose. They all want to see us swapped!”
The antidote proved to be a tricky potion indeed, and most of the class toiled with great effort throughout the period. Hermione’s potion, to no one’s surprise, was the only one that looked like it could remedy anyone, much to the Gryffindors disappointment. It looked as if most of them were going to be stuck in a transgender state for the rest of the day.
“Now, when you are through, please bring a vial of your remedy to the front to be tested,” Snape said as class was nearing the end. He watched as the students each brought their samples to the front and left them on his desk. After they had cleaned up their work spaces and packed their belongings away, he made his way to the front of the classroom with the vial.
“Unfortunately, I do not have enough of this potion to change the entire Gryffindor House, as amusing as that might have been. I’ll need three volunteers then,” He narrowed his eyes and acted as if he were actually thinking intensely about who to choose. In the end he said “Granger, Potter, and Weasley. I believe you’ll do.”
Hermione, Ron, and Harry gulped in unison and each made dark looks at their teacher. Reluctantly, they moved to the front of the classroom. Snape forced them each to drink a large mouthful of the liquid, which was surprisingly tasty. The transformation was nearly immediate.
Hermione’s hair shrank quickly to become a short nest of curls. She grew nearly six inches to become as tall as Ron. She suddenly seemed to be off balance and nearly fell forward as her center of gravity moved from her hips to her chest. ‘Speaking of chest,’ she thought to herself as she brought her hands up to said location. It had been years since her chest had been this flat and it was quite unnerving. Though this wasn’t the only surprise she was going to find. Her robes were now terribly too small for her and she was incredibly embarrassed. She did feel a little better though, as she looked to Ron and Harry.
Ron had suddenly shrunk to the size of his sister. He hadn’t been this short since he was eleven. His hair grew out to the length of his waist and was surprisingly wavy. His nose was smaller, his hands were smaller, everything was smaller. ’Well, not everything,’ he thought as he realized he now had breasts. His robes hung off of him like a dress and revealed more cleavage than he was comfortable with. He pulled them closely around him in an attempt to hide himself from his fellow students.
Harry was the most incredible transformation. Even the Slytherins had to admit that Harry was a beautiful girl. His hair shot down to his shoulders and was more tame than he had ever remembered it to be. His eyes didn’t change and were far more noticeable with his high, female cheekbones. His height didn’t change much, making him very long-legged and curvy. His robes still didn’t fit him correctly, however, and he found that they clung to him in awkward places.
The room was in an uproar. The Slytherins, and even most of the Gryffindors though they were trying to hide it, laughed hysterically. Finally, the Golden Trio had gotten themselves into a situation that they couldn’t argue their way out of!
At this moment, the bell tolled for the end of class. The three potion testers turned to their teacher in hopes of receiving the antidote. They were to be disappointed.
“Since that is the bell, you are all dismissed. We will have to test the antidote next class period. I will be expecting a foot of parchment on the affects of gender-altering potions on human emotions, due at the end of the week,” And with a foul grin, he turned to Hermione, Ron, and Harry. “And I hope you have a very nice day.”
The trio stared at each other in complete disbelieve. Snape had to clear his throat three times to get their attention. “I want you out of my classroom, NOW!” he finally bellowed.
They each grabbed their belongings and took off toward the Gryffindor common room, determined to get there before anyone else should see them. This was the start to a very confusing day.
~~*~~
Ginny found she had to breathe very deeply several times to keep herself from falling on the floor and laughing herself into a coma. Her brother was a girl! She could not get over it. Here he was now, in her dormitory, begging her for a spare set of robes.
“Ginny, stop being a git and please give me something to wear! I can’t wear these boys robes!” Ron shouted in a much higher, female voice. He stopped his pacing around her room as he realized what he had just said. “Oh no, please don’t tell me I’m starting to think like a girl! Oh no, oh no, what are the others going to say?!”
“Ron, chill out. Breathe and don’t start pacing again. Just, here, sit on my bed and I’ll find you something decent,” Ginny said, leading Ron by the hand and practically forcing him to sit down. Ron seemed to be on the verge of hyperventilating, his lightly freckled cheeks stained pink and newly formed chest heaving.
Ginny crossed the room to her wardrobe and pulled out an older set of robes. They would be about Ron’s size, for Ron was a little smaller than Ginny now. Ron looked at the robes in dismay.
“But those are old! Ginny, what are you trying to do to me? I’ll be the laughing stock of every girl in school!” Ron fussed, wringing his hands in desperation. A moment later, he seemed to come to himself and hear what he was saying. “Oh bloody hell, what is wrong with me? Since when do I care what other girls say? Wait, NOT OTHER girls, I’m NOT a girl. I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!”
He paused and locked eyes with Ginny. “I’m not, right?”
Ginny could contain herself no longer and fell to the floor as silent laughter overtook her.
Meanwhile, Lavender had loaned Harry, who was nearly the same height as her, a set of robes that fit him rather well. Harry was having similar problems with his thoughts becoming too, well, girly for him to handle. He decided it was too much when Lavender began fussing with his hair and he asked her about highlights. He rushed off to find Ron and Ginny before he could let Lavender talk him into something he would later regret.
He came into the fifth year girls’ dormitory to find Ginny laying in the floor, laughing. Ron had changed into his sister’s robes and was sitting on a bed, brushing his long hair over his shoulder. The male inside of Harry couldn’t believe how incredibly attractive Ron was as a girl, which grossed him out beyond belief because he KNEW that Ron was a boy on the inside.
‘Wow,’ Harry thought. ‘This is incredibly confusing and will scar me for life.’
Harry cleared his throat and Ginny and Ron noticed him for the first time.
“Oh, Harry! Why, you’re beautiful! Those robes fit you perfectly!” Ginny exclaimed, wiping tears of merriment from her eyes.
Harry twirled around once, holding his robes out. “Oh, these old things? I’ve seen much better on that Lucy Billings of Ravenclaw. Just last week, she wore these incredible navy blue robes to Hogsmeade and--”
Harry stopped mid-sentence as he noticed how Ron and Ginny were looking at him. Both had their mouths agape and glanced at one another from the corners of their eyes. “What?” Harry demanded.
Ron swallowed hard. “Harry, can you hear what you’re saying?”
Harry groaned and grew rather pale. He ran his hands through his hair as he made his way across the room to sit next to Ron. “Mate, this is terrible. I don’t think I can handle these girl thoughts.”
Ron snickered. “I know what you mean,” he said. He laid the brush down in front of him and began braiding his hair, vaguely aware that he hadn’t known how to braid hair before.
Harry watched him passively. Ginny gathered herself up from the floor and joined them on the foot of the bed. “Man, if the two of you are behaving like this, I wonder how Hermione is coping.”
Ron and Harry exchanged startled looks. Before Ginny could comprehend what was happening, both girls had dashed off in the direction of the sixth year boys’ dormitory.
~~*~~
To say Hermione was coping poorly was definitely an understatement. Everything she did embarrassed her beyond comprehension. Dean had been no help either, snickering at her every question and every move. Ron had told Dean to go into his trunk and get Hermione a set of robes that fit, since Hermione was now the same height that Ron had been. Dean had done so, but not without a few jabs at his housemate. Hermione remained scarlet as she dressed and discovered things about her new body that she would rather have never known. Every time she thought of what would happen when she had to go to the bathroom, she flushed a whole new shade of red. It wasn’t that her body embarrassed her. It was the thought that she now knew what male anatomy looked like close up that embarrassed her. Before, she had been blissfully unaware and now wished she had remained that way.
‘Ah, if wishes were fishes, we’d all have a fry,’ Hermione thought one of her mother’s favorite sayings as she ran her fingers through her short hair. She watched herself in the mirror with a mild fascination. The female in her had to admit that the male she had become was very attractive. She shook her head in an attempt to clear the thoughts and was surprised when it worked fairly well.
A moment later, she heard what sounded like a heard of hippogryphs coming up the stairs. She turned around in time so see two very beautiful girls throwing themselves through the door and slamming it shut behind them.
“Well, well, to which of the gods do owe my gratitude for this?” Hermione said in an overly cocky, newly masculine voice. Her face suddenly drained of all color and she dove into Ron’s bed, throwing a pillow over her head.
“Hermione!” Ron and Harry gasped at the same time.
“I swear I didn’t mean it!” Hermione called from under the pillow.
The two boys, or girls rather, moved over to the bed and sat down next to Hermione, who pulled her head out from under the pillow. She rolled over on her back and stared up at the curtains around the four poster bed. “There has got to be something we can do about this.”
The trio sat in silence for a few moments, deep in thought. Ron’s eyes finally lit up after a bit of thinking. “Guys, why didn’t we think of this before? Let’s go to Professor McGonagall! Remember what how she reacted when Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret? Surely she’ll put us right!”
Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement and the three teenagers made a mad dash down the stairs toward the common room.
Unfortunately, they had to cross the common room to get out, a very crowded common room due to the fact that classes were over for the day and most of the house was waiting to go down to dinner. Harry and Ron had to endure several catcalls along the way as Hermione was the topic of many whispers and giggles. They finally reached the portrait hole, much to their housemates’ disappointment, and darted toward the office of the deputy headmistress.
Professor McGonagall was furious at the state of her three students. She flooed Professor Snape to her office, immediately, and ordered him to bring the antidote with him. Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at one another with sighs of relief, knowing that in a few short moments they should be back in their original bodies before dinner.
When Professor Snape arrived, however, they were disappointed again. For according to Snape, the remedy took nearly an hour to take affect.
“What!?” Shouted the three students.
Ron placed one hand on his hip and pointed at his professor with the other. “Now wait a minute. The first potion worked like that--” he said, snapping his fingers. “Why does the antidote take so long?”
Professor Snape rolled his eyes. “If it did not, Mr. Weasley, or shall I say Miss Weasley, your body would be thrown into shock and the three of you would need a week in the infirmary.”
Hermione shuddered at the thought of missing a week’s worth of classes. Ron and Harry both sighed in a defeated manner. It seemed as if they would have to endure dinner in front of the school like this after all.
Hermione turned an anxious face to Professor McGonnagall. “Please Professor, don’t make us go down to the Great Hall like this. It would be too humiliating,” she, or he rather, pleaded an a newly masculine voice.
“No, no, of course not. I wouldn’t hear of it,” Professor McGonnagall answered, much to Professor Snape’s dismay. “No, you three may have dinner down in the kitchens if you wish,” she paused for a moment. “I daresay you know the way,” she finished, hiding a playful smile.
Hermione sighed in relief, as did her female companions. After thanking Professor McGonnagall profusely, they headed out and down to the kitchens.
After she was sure the trio was out of earshot, Minerva rounded on Severus.
“Severus, how could you have done that to them? Most teenage psyches can’t handle that sort of metamorphosis!” Minerva said and then gasped, placing a hand over her mouth and the other to her chest. “You may have scarred them for life!”
Severus’ normally severe eyes glinted with child-like mischief. “Are you expressing doubts about the Golden Trio of Hogwarts?”
Minerva shook her head. “I’m not sure when those three picked up such a nickname, but I don’t think of them as ‘Golden.’ They are just students to me, three students who are undergoing an incredibly confusing ordeal at this moment, no thanks to you!”
Severus moved to the doorway, a smirk gracing his grim features. “Yes well, Mr. Weasley was the one to volunteer them. Perhaps you should have a talk with him about interrupting my class.”
And with that and a swish of his robes, Severus Snape was gone.
Minerva shook her head and moved behind her desk, conjuring a cup of hot tea before sitting in her chair. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and began massaging them in circles.
‘I will never understand that man,’ She thought to herself before lifting the steamy tea to her lips.
~~*~~
Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their way down the winding corridors in the direction of the kitchens. They were relieved to find that the halls were all but empty. Everyone had rushed to the Great Hall early in hopes of seeing the three of them in their current state.
“Well, they’ll all be sorely disappointed when they see us next,” Ron said, curling a strand of his hair around a forefinger. “We’ll be back to normal and no one will have proof that we ever looked like this.”
“Yeah,” Harry agreed. “This is one time I am very thankful Colin Creevy hasn’t been around with his camera.”
“No kidding,” Hermione said, chuckling as they turned the corner and headed to the painting of the bowl of fruit.
“Aha, and here they are now. Our transgendered trio.”
The three of them froze. Directly in their path to the kitchens stood Draco Malfoy and crew.
Hermione stepped in front of her companions, effectively shielding them from view. She didn’t like the way Crabbe and Goyle were ogling her best friends. “What do you want this time, Malfoy?” She asked, spitting out his name as if it were some sort of communicable disease.
Draco smirked and turned his head to the side. “We wanted to see what all of the fuss was about, naturally. I must say, Granger, you make a better male than you did female. I mean, it isn’t much of a change, is it?”
Hermione’s eyes narrowed.
“You mean you didn’t get enough of an eyeful back there in class?” Harry growled, trying to step around Hermione. She put her arm out though, keeping Harry in place.
“So where’s your Gryffindor courage now? Here we find you coming down here for dinner instead of going to the Great Hall,” Draco said, elbowing Goyle in the ribs as a sign that he should laugh now.
“McGonnagall insisted,” Hermione fired back with a glare. She could feel both Harry and Ron trying to creep out from behind her but she wouldn’t let them. She was much stronger than either of them now, and had to force herself to not smile at their feeble attempts.
Draco chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure she did. How would it make her look as Head of Gryffindor House if three of her students were,” Draco tapped a finger on his lips, pretending to be thinking hard. “How shall we put this delicately…playing for the other team? Would that fit this situation?”
Ron finally managed to jump out from behind Hermione. “And what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You mean that your girl brain doesn’t find me attractive?” Draco replied, raising an eyebrow at the redhead.
Ron muttered something unintelligible as he ducked back behind Hermione, blushing.
“That doesn’t mean anything, Malfoy, our bodies can’t help what’s going on in them,” Hermione said angrily. She could feel Ron now clinging to the back of her robes. She knew that Draco had hit on a touchy spot for all three of them.
Draco took a few steps closer. “Oh, you mean that just because you find your friends attractive as females now, doesn’t mean that when you turn back into a female, you’ll find other females still attractive?”
“That’s exactly what I mean, if I’ve gotten you’re meaning correctly,” Hermione said. She was starting to become very angry. Normally, she was able to keep her anger in check. For some reason, unknown to her at this moment, she was angry enough to pummel Draco.
“I see. Well then, Mr. Mudblood, why don’t you take your two little whores and do what you can with them while they’re female. For surely--”
But whatever Draco had intended to say after this point was to never be heard as Hermione threw a punch that landed square across his jaw.
Draco stumbled back a few steps, unable to believe what had just happened to him. As the realization came to him, a murderous glint came into his eyes and he went back at Hermione, full force.
Fists were flying, feet kicking, and before either of them knew what was happening, they were both on the ground, rolling back and forth.
Harry and Ron tried to intervene. As soon as they moved toward the fight, however, Crabbe and Goyle each grabbed one of them and forced them to watch as the brawl continued.
A few minutes into the scrap, Harry began to feel the stirrings of something strange. He looked down and realized that he was changing back. It was happening slowly to him, since he hadn’t grown much in height to begin with. But Ron was growing rapidly. His hair was becoming shorter very quickly. When the two of them realized what was going on, they shot one another a terrified look.
Hermione!
On the floor, Hermione and Draco were slowing becoming aware of the change as well. As it were, Hermione was on her back, pinned by Draco who was laying across her with his face barely inches from hers. They stayed this way for a moment, each silently daring the other to move. Finally, Draco pushed himself away from her and jumped up to his feet.
Crabbe and Goyle had let Harry and Ron go and moved over behind their leader once more. Ron rushed over to Hermione and helped her up. She had a black eye and a cut lip, and would surely be feeling the effects of the fight for a few days. The robes she had on were now entirely too big on her and she had to grab them around her for fear of being exposed.
Draco looked the worst off from the fight. One of his eyes sported a new cut directly over it, which was bleeding profusely down his cheek. His nose was also beginning to bleed. All the blood made him look as if he were injured worse than he was. Hermione had done her work well.
“You just wait until I tell the Headmistress about this!” Draco said and spat blood at Hermione’s feet.
“Oh, and I guess you’re going to run off and tell her that you were beat up by a girl then?” Hermione said as she narrowed her good eye. “Or would you rather tell her about how you beat up a girl? I don’t mind accompanying you so that she can see what you’ve done to me as well.”
Draco stopped for a moment, thinking about the situation. After he weighed his options, he said, “Well then, I guess no one else will know about this, if you know what’s good for you.”
“You mean, what’s good for you,” Harry interjected.
Draco turned on his heal and stalked off in the opposite direction, Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind him.
After the three of them were sure their provokers had moved on, Harry and Ron rounded on Hermione.
“How could you have done that!”
“You could have been seriously injured!”
“Or worse, expelled!”
Hermione laughed out loud at the pair of them, acting like fussy hens. “Boys, you really should straighten out your priorities. Besides, who‘s ever been expelled for knocking some sense into someone?”
Ron and Harry both stared at her incredulously.
“Anyway, lets just eat so I can get to the hospital wing, shall we?” Hermione asked, groaning at a sore leg as she turned to the entrance to the kitchens. Chapter 1: I Should Have Known Better
After Albus Dumbledore's funeral, Harry Potter and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were conversing on the far side of the Hogwarts lake, when Ron's sister Ginny walked up to them and said, "Professor McGonagall has just called a meeting of The Order of the Phoenix, and she wants the four of us to attend the meeting in the Great Hall. She also sent Dobby to find the Longbottoms and the Lovegoods."
"Professor McGonagall wants us to attend an Order meeting?" Ron answered, sounding bewildered. "What about the Hogwarts Express? I thought it was supposed to leave an hour after the funeral was over."
"You, Hermione and I aren't going home on the train. The three of us are either going to floo home or to the Leaky Cauldron. Professor McGonagall said she's already sent an owl to have Hermione's parents meet her at the Leaky Caldron this afternoon around six o'clock," Ginny explained.
"What about me?" Harry asked dolefully. "How am I supposed to get to Little Whinging?"
"Harry, Professor McGonagall will have to tell you that herself, as I don't know how you are getting home," Ginny said, as they strolled back along the lake shore.
"Maybe someone overheard what Ron, Harry, and I have been talking about, and that's why we've been asked to attend an Order meeting," Hermione contemplated, as they made their way back to Hogwarts Castle.
"I hope not," Harry remarked with a grimace. "I really don't want anyone to know what we're planning."
1111
"Good, we're all here, now we can start this meeting," Professor Minerva McGonagall said, after Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had entered the Great Hall. "Alastor, Arthur, and Remus, would you kindly shut the doors and seal us inside this room, so no one can hear what's going on in here." After the three wizards had done as Minerva asked, she continued, "I have called all of you to the Great Hall, so we may together receive Albus Dumbledore's instructions regarding the continuation of The Order of the Phoenix."
"Professor McGonagall, why are we here?" Harry asked. "We're not members of The Order."
"Mr. Potter, according to written instructions Albus left behind, it was his wish that your five friends, Dobby, and especially you were to be present at this meeting. I am not privy as to why this is so, but I'm sure we'll be finding out why very shortly. Because Ludwig is Miss Lovegood's father, and Augusta is Mr. Longbottom's legal guardian they've also been asked to attend," Minerva replied smiling at Harry. "Now, Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind, since you are sitting in front of Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve, please take out you wand, stir the contents of the Pensieve with it, and say final instructions of Albus Dumbledore come forth."
After Harry had done as Minerva had requested, the familiar form of Albus Dumbledore rose from his Pensieve and said, "Before I say what I need to say, please indulge an old man for a moment whilst I insure that everyone present in this room remains loyal to our cause. Starting with Harry Potter, I want every one of you to touch one of the series of objects now appearing before you. I have enchanted these objects to test everyone's loyalty, and all not found to be loyal will be instantly transported back to their homes with no knowledge of this meeting."
Everyone present then touched an object and three wizards that Harry didn't recognize were suddenly whisked away, after which Dumbledore's memory continued, "Now that only those loyal to our cause are present, I shall repeat what I told Harry Potter several years ago. Death to the well-ordered mind was but the next great adventure. Do not be sad my friends, colleagues, and charges, because I have at long last embarked upon my next great adventure."
After pausing for a moment, his memory continued, "First and foremost, I feel I must caution you one and all, that all is not as it seems. Do not be rash in your judgment of others, for appearances can be and often are deceiving. Some among you may appear to be allies, while others may be perceived as the enemy, but again I caution you, do not judge a book by its cover. Long ago, many thought highly of one Tom Marvolo Riddle, and he later became known as Lord Voldemort, the reason The Order of the Phoenix was formed."
"Because I am no longer with you, does not mean all is lost," he continued after another pause. "Although I truly wish it were not so, I have come to realize that the future well being of both the magical and non-magical worlds rests on the able shoulders of one Mr. Harry James Potter and his most loyal friends Miss Hermione Jane Granger, Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley, Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley, Mr. Neville Frank Longbottom, Miss Luna Marna Lovegood, and Dobby the house-elf," Albus said to the surprise and dismay of many of those present.
"NO!" Molly Weasley then shrieked. "NOT MY BABIES!" Then she bolted from her seat, stormed across the room, threw her arms around the six stunned teenagers and began to wail, "Please God, don't let them be the ones, please don't let them be the ones that have to face...."
"Now, most likely my words have upset a number of you, but please let me explain why I feel this way," Dumbledore's memory said interrupting Molly's lamentations. "Last summer, just days before I traveled to the Dursley's home to take Harry from Privet Drive to the Burrow, I had rather interesting dream in which Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Dobby were being hailed as the saviors of the Magical World. But, alas I also had a premonition, that these six youngsters and Dobby could only accomplish this great feat working together as one unit with the support of all who wished to give them assistance. Harry, in my instructions to Minerva, I specifically asked her to make sure Dobby, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and especially you were present to here what I have to say. I know you have already told Ron and Hermione most of what I have shown you since I took you from the Dursleys last summer, but now, I also want you to share this information with Minerva, Remus, Poppy, Hagrid, Miss Tonks, Alastor, Kingsley, Dobby, the Lovegoods, the Longbottoms, and all Weasleys present. I don't wish to offend anyone else who might be in attendance, but the fewer the number who know of what Harry knows, the better. Harry, I also want you to promise my memory in front of all who are present, that you'll accept the help of anyone willing to help you defeat Lord Voldemort."
Then a resolute Harry answered, "Professor Dumbledore, I solemnly swear, that I'll accept the assistance of all who wish to help me in my quest to defeat Voldemort. I also say in front of all present, that Albus Dumbledore will only be gone from this school when none here are loyal to him or his memory." Then the assemblage gathered in The Great Hall once again heard Phoenix song and with a golden flash a Phoenix appeared before them and came to rest on Harry's lap.
The Phoenix then leaned forward to let a tear drop into the Pensieve, and Dumbledore's memory said, "Apparently once again a Phoenix has appeared to yet another sixteen year old wizard, and I surmise this Phoenix has appeared to one Harry James Potter. Harry, the Phoenix is a very rare and loyal bird, and you now have a friend and companion for the rest of your life. It is an honor few of us achieve, congratulations."
"Albus also left instructions that if a Phoenix should come to any member of The Order, that individual would then assume the leadership of The Order of the Phoenix," Minerva interjected gazing fondly at Harry and the Phoenix.
"HERE, HERE!" exclaimed Hagrid, "I always knew yeh were ta be a grea' wizard." Then he patted Harry on the back pushing him headlong onto Ginny's lap, knocking them into Neville, Luna, Ron and Hermione, thereby sending the six teenagers sprawling onto the floor in a tangle of arms, legs, and other body parts.
"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry said, as the six laughing teenagers untangled themselves and returned to their seats.
"Hagrid, you're a real treasure," Ginny giggled; as she reached up to kiss the half-giant's bearded cheek. "I'm glad you're on our side. I'd hate to see what you'd do to us, if we were your enemies."
"Probably what he did to those unlucky blokes, that Umbridge brought with her to sack him last year during our Astronomy Owl," Ron chuckled. "Any bloke who tries to go up against Hagrid has got to be completely mad."
"Sorry abou' tha'," Hagrid replied. "'M gla' I din' hur' the six o you's."
"No harm done, Hagrid," Hermione said, while she and Luna also kissed Hagrid's furry cheeks. "We all love you just the way you are." After that tears of great joy began to flow from his eyes, as he beamed affectionately at the six teenagers.
"'Arry, what an honor, a Phoenix has come to you," Fleur Delacour said, as she sat next to Bill Weasley. "I 'eard one time, zat ze Phoenix only comes to someone with a pure, loyal, and virtuous 'eart."
"That is quite correct, Miss Delacour," Professor McGonagall added. "Young Mr. Potter is but the second person I've known to have a Phoenix come to him. Harry, Albus would have been thrilled to know a Phoenix has come to you in your time of need."
"Thank you, Professor, Fleur," Harry replied smiling at the two witches. Then the Phoenix cooed and Harry added, "This Phoenix just told me, that his name is Oracle, Fawkes is his brother, and somehow Professor Dumbledore knows he appeared to me."
"How is that possible?" Ginny queried, as she began to pet Oracle, while he sat cooing on Harry's lap.
"Well, for one thing, Miss Weasley, Albus Dumbledore was no ordinary wizard and nothing concerning our dear departed Headmaster surprises me any more," Professor McGonagall replied smiling at Ginny. "As for the Phoenix, not much is written about them or their powers. In addition, since this particular Phoenix is the brother of Albus Dumbledore's Phoenix I suspect he may equally as amazing. This meeting is now adjourned for all those Albus didn't mention by name earlier. We will be contacting you about further developments as they arise."
"Fleur, please don't leave," Ginny said, as her soon to be sister-in-law got up to leave. "You're a Weasley now, and I'm sure you're to be included in our meeting."
Molly added, "Yes, Fleur Dear, please stay. We all think you're part of the family now, please stay."
"Zank you, Geenny and Mum," Fleur answered with tears in her eyes. "'Eet means so much to me to 'ave you say I am also a Weasley."
"You're welcome, dear," Molly said, while Ginny and Fleur held each other tightly. "You're part of this family now, and we all want you to stay."
After everyone had returned to their seats, Minerva said, "Mr. Potter, since you are now the leader of The Order, you may now take over this meeting."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied. "I'll continue this meeting by saying this summer Professor Dumbledore wanted me to return to Privet Drive until I become of age. However, this year I want Dobby, Neville, Luna, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione to join me there. The seven of us have an enormous task before us, and I think we should begin preparing ourselves as soon as possible."
"What about the Dursleys, won't they object?" Molly asked.
"I wasn't panning to give them a choice in the matter, and I was hoping for some assistance in doing so," Harry replied with a grin. "I was extremely touched by what the lot of you told them last summer, and I was hoping you could help me inform them Ginny, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Hermione are staying with me for a month or so. Additionally, I also want to hire Dobby to help us this summer."
"Thank you, Harry Potter, sir," the tiny house-elf replied with glee. "I is always wanting to help Harry Potter and all his friends. Harry Potter and his friends is always being good wizards and witches to Dobby. I is being honored, Harry Potter, sir."
"Harry, I'd also be happy ta help you's, but Grawpy 'n me 'r goin' ta help Olympe find her brothers. She thinks maybe we could talk 'em inna joining our side agin 'You-Know-Who', 'n we're leavin' taday," Hagrid replied.
"That's all right, Hagrid Dear," Molly added smiling warmly at the half-giant. "Mr. Dursley was quite taken with Alastor last summer, and I'm sure they'd like renew acquaintances."
"Molly, couldn't have said it better myself," Moody said with a growl. "I most assuredly want to see Vernon Dursley yet again, and from the look on Mrs. Dursley's face I'm quite certain she'd like to see Miss Tonks, once more."
"Wotcher, Alastor, you really think old horse face Petunia wants to see me again," Tonks replied with a grin. "Maybe this time I could show up with my hair like this." The young Auror then changed her hair color to that of the rainbow.
"Ooh, Tonks, I like your hair!" Ginny squealed. "What do think Harry? Think your Aunt Petunia would like her hair now?"
"Oh, I think Aunt Petunia will be positively speechless when she sees it," Harry replied with a grin.
"Harry, if you don't mind, I think I'll ask my parents to join us, when we talk to the Dursleys," Hermione added. "When I told Daddy and Mum about the way the Dursleys have treated you, they both said they'd like to have a long chat with the boors. Daddy also said he'd like to turn them in to the Muggle authorities for what they've done to you."
"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said smiling at his friend. "I'd like that very much. I've never really met your mum and dad, but if their daughter is anything like they are, they must be really great people." Then in a blur, Hermione hugged him, as his face was once more filled with her bushy brown hair. Then she kissed his cheek causing them both to blush, as a warm tingly sensation spread throughout their bodies.
"Hermione, let the bloke come up for air," Ron said grinning at his two best friends.
"Ooh, sorry about that, Harry," the blushing Hermione answered, as she and Harry stared into each other's eyes. "When do you want to have your meeting with the Dursleys, tonight?"
"Hermione, as far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to be sorry for. I always enjoy your XXX's and OOO's," Harry responded with a huge grin on his face. "How about having our meeting with the Dursleys tomorrow afternoon around two o'clock? Tomorrow's Saturday, so they should be home then, and your mum and dad could meet us there and not have to travel at night."
"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall asked, "if we're not going to visit the Dursleys until tomorrow afternoon, where do you intend to stay this evening?"
"Minerva, Harry can spend the night with us, and we can take him to Little Whinging tomorrow afternoon," Arthur Weasley said. "I'm sure Molly won't object to having him spend the night with us."
"Most certainly not," Molly replied. "Harry's always welcome in our home. Besides, he's family now, anyway."
"Thank you, Arthur, Molly," Minerva added. "I hadn't sent the Dursleys an owl about picking Mr. Potter up at King's Cross Station, anyway. I was planning to take him to Little Whinging myself, so I could have a word or two with the Dursleys. Since we're planning to invade their world tomorrow, I see no problem with him spending the night with his real family."
"Harry, you said you and your friends wanted to begin preparing for your task. What kind of preparations were you talking about?" Mad-Eye Moody asked.
"Do any of you other than Ron or Hermione know anything about Horcruxes?" Harry asked.
"I know they're very dark magic," Bill Weasley answered. "I read something about them while in training to be a curse breaker, but other than that I have no idea what they are."
"Well, without going into all the details," Harry explained. "Horcruxes are means by which a dark wizard such as Voldemort can transfer part of his soul from his body to insure his survival."
"You mean that's how Voldemort managed to prevent himself from being destroyed?" Remus asked.
"That's what Professor Dumbledore thought, and I believe he was right," Harry explained. "Professor Dumbledore believed Voldemort split his soul into seven parts and placed portions of it into other things. He and I speculated one of these Horcruxes was the diary Lucius Malfoy slipped into Ginny's cauldron four years ago, but I destroyed that one down in the Chamber of Secrets, when Ron and I rescued her."
"You mean that thing was part of Vol-Vol-Voldemort's soul," Ginny replied grabbing and holding her father's hand tightly.
"Yes, Ginny, it was," Harry said, as Oracle once more broke out into Phoenix song soothing everyone's nerves.
"I think my grandson and his friends need Auror type training," Augusta Longbottom said. "I've never heard of these so called Horcruxes before, but if they contain part of 'You-Know-Who's' soul, destroying them could be very dangerous."
"That's how Professor Dumbledore's hand got blackened last summer," Harry explained, "and the one I destroyed down in the Chamber of Secrets nearly took Ginny from us."
"How about you, Alastor?" a very concerned Arthur queried. "You're the best Auror I've ever heard of. Could you train these youngsters for at least the next two months?"
"Arthur, it would be my pleasure," Moody answered. "But, I wasn't even close to being the best Auror. That distinction belonged to Harry's great grandfather James Henry Potter. He and Albus started the Aurors after the defeat of Grindewald in 1945."
"My great grandfather helped form the Aurors?" Harry inquired. "Did you know him?"
"Yes, Harry, I knew your great grandfather quite well," Moody answered. "Your grandfather Harry Josiah Potter, his fiancée Sarah Dursley, and I were among the first graduates of the Auror's Academy."
"I never knew my grandfather's name was also Harry, and you say my Gran was a Dursley?" Harry said dumbfounded. "She wasn't related to the bloody Muggles was she?"
"Interesting thought, Harry my boy," Moody replied with a smile. "I honestly don't know if your bloody Muggle kin are related to Sarah or not."
"Mr. Potter, your grandmother, Sarah Potter, was a cousin of Vernon and Marge Dursley's father," Professor McGonagall explained. "After your grandmother found out your Aunt Petunia was going to marry a Dursley, she did some research into her family tree and discovered Vernon and Marge Dursley's father was the son of a wizard hating Squib, who married a Muggle. From what I know of your Uncle Vernon, it would be most unsettling to him, if he discovered his great grandfather is a wizard. The last I knew, this wizard, who would be your great-great grandfather Elton Dursley, currently resides in a small Wizarding village in southern Ireland. When your parents were murdered he wanted to take you in, but after he found out, that it was your mother's sacrifice that prevented 'You-Know-Who' from killing you as a baby he agreed to let you live with your mother's only surviving relatives. He has been observing you at his great grandson's home over the years and has become most agitated at how you've been treated under their care. Now that you know of his existence, why don't you send him an owl, because I'm sure he'll be delighted to here from you? I wouldn't be surprised, if he decided to pay a visit on you and the Dursleys in the near future and set the record straight with them regarding their treatment of you."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "I think I'll send him an owl from the Burrow, after we get there tonight. It's been a long time since I sent Hedwig to deliver a letter, and I'm sure she'll enjoy the journey."
"You're quite welcome, Mr. Potter," Minerva replied.
"Elton Dursley is also my great-great grandfather," Luna said. "Mum's father Samuel Dursley may have been your Gran's brother. When I go home with Daddy, I'll check my family tree to make sure. Daddy and I went to visit him last summer, after we returned from our expedition to Sweden. Visiting him helped us overcome the disappointment of not seeing any Crumple Horned Snorkacks. He is a very kind and gentle man, and I believe Professor McGonagall is correct in saying he'll be delighted to hear from you. He says he always enjoys my letters, although I'm not sure why he thinks they're so entertaining, as I just tell him things like I tell everyone else. And Harry, I'm much delighted to know we're cousins."
"Luna, I'm also delighted we're cousins," Harry replied with a grin.
"You are most welcome, Honorable Harry, my most noble cousin," Luna giggled, as she walked over to kiss Harry on the cheek.
Then Minerva added, "Alastor, if I remember correctly, you were also named April's and James's godfather, were you not?"
"Yes, Minerva I was," Moody replied solemnly.
"You were my father's godfather, and he had a sister?" Harry asked. "What happened to his sister? Was she murdered, too?"
"Yes, Harry my boy, I was godfather to James and April, and yes, April was also murdered by Voldemort or his bloody Death Eaters," Moody responded somberly. "Times were very dark then, and too many good people were murdered. Now, you and your friends had better get yourselves ready, because I'm going to be a harsh task master over at least the next two months to get you ready to for your devoir."
"Wotcher, Alastor, I also want to help get them ready," Tonks said.
"As do I," Remus added.
"Alastor," Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his deep baritone voice, "I would also like to assist you in their training."
"Can we take the training, too?" George Weasley inquired.
"I want to take it, as well," Charlie Weasley added.
"After our honeymoon, I'll also be there," Bill Weasley chimed in.
"I will take ze training weeth you," Fleur remarked. "I'll not 'ave my 'usband and 'ees beloved family taking such training weethout me."
"After we get Harry and his friends settled in at the Dursleys, I'll come up with some training ideas," Moody said with a smile. "It won't be easy, and I'm not going to take it easy on any one of you. Give Miss Tonks, Kingsley, Remus, and me your best efforts and we'll be fine, if not I'll personally ask you to leave, understand?"
When everyone had agreed to Moody's demands, Harry added, "Professor McGonagall and anyone else who wants to help us, if we have any time after Alastor is done with us, we'd appreciate any additional training you could give us, as well."
"Mr. Potter, it would be my pleasure," Minerva replied. "However, I'm not going to be easy on you, either. What you've asked us to train you for is very serious business, and I expect your best efforts, as well. In addition, I don't want any of us to burn ourselves out. We've all been through some very difficult days recently, and we all need some time to recover. So, I want each and every one of you to spend some time enjoying your summer holiday. I for one intend to take some personal time this summer, and I want each and every one of you to do the same."
"How will they get around this summer?" Arthur asked. "Harry and Neville will be able to apparate at the end of July, but what about Luna and Ginny? I doubt if we can get approval for them to apparate before they're of age."
Oracle then cooed, and Harry said, "Oracle just told me he can flash any of us any where and at any time we need him to do so. In addition, I can now do Side-Along Apparition. I used it to get Professor Dumbledore and me back from a cave on a seacoast."
"Harry, you can do Side-Along Apparation!" Hermione squealed. "After you pass your Apparition test, will you teach me how to do that?"
"Miss Granger, it would be my pleasure," Harry replied, and then she kissed his cheek again once more causing a warm tingling sensation to course its way throughout their bodies.
"Harry Dear, what does Oracle mean by flashing?" Molly then queried.
"Let us show you," Harry ginned. "Neville, Ginny, and Luna touch Oracle's tail feathers with me, and we'll flash to the Burrow and back."
In a flash, Oracle and the four teenagers were gone, and when they appeared in the Burrow's living room seconds later, Ginny said, "Everyone take one of Mum's puffs off the sofa, and then we can flash back to Hogwarts."
Less than a minute after they'd disappeared, Oracle and the four teenagers reappeared in the Great Hall, and Molly exclaimed, "You've brought back my puffs, and you went to the Burrow and back in less than a minute! That's faster than apparating."
"And it's a lot smoother than using a port key or the floo network," Neville explained. Then he asked, "Harry, could you tell us more about these Horcruxes?"
"Professor McGonagall," Harry asked, "could I use Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve to show everyone what he told me about Voldemort and the Horcruxes?"
"Yes, Mr. Potter, you may," Minerva answered. "Put your wand to your temple, think of the memories you want us to see, pull your memory thought strands from your mind, put them in the Pensieve, stir them with your wand, and we can see what Albus told you."
"Harry, it seems to me that in order to make his Horcruxes, Voldemort had to murder people," Hermione pondered aloud, after they'd finished viewing what Albus had told him. "Maybe he had planned to make another one, when he murdered your mum and dad and tried to kill you as a baby. You already told Ron and me you wanted to visit Godric's Hollow, because that's where it all started for you. Perhaps we could find something of value, when we visit there."
"Since I am now the secret keeper for the location of Godric's Hollow, when you're ready to go there, I'll tell you the location," Minerva said.
"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied. "Are you also the secret keeper for Grimmauld Place?"
"No, Mr. Potter, I am not," Minerva said. "You became its secret keeper, when Oracle appeared to you, and you became the leader of The Order of the Phoenix."
"As I am now the leader of The Order and the owner of Grimmauld Place, I would like it to remain the Headquarters of The Order," Harry said. "The location of The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters is Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London."
"Because Mr. Potter told us the location of Grimmauld Place, we are now all Order members and are now free to go there," Minerva explained.
"These six students aren't," Molly argued. "They're not old enough."
"Molly, Ron and Hermione are of age, and Harry and Neville will be of age in four weeks, so they can join if they want to," Arthur said hugging his wife. "Besides, Harry is now the leader of the Order, and he may admit whomever he pleases into The Order."
"Mrs. Weasley, Professor Dumbledore said we have to remain united as one, if we're to defeat Voldemort," Harry added. "If I had any choice in the matter, I wouldn't let any of you in The Order. However, I Should Have Know Better than to think any of you would let me do that, would you?"
"You've got that right, Harry James Potter," Hermione answered. "You're stuck with all of us, so you'd better get used to it."
"Harry Dear, I love you, as if you were my own child, and we're all going to stand by you, no matter what happens," Molly said hugging Harry tightly.
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, I really appreciate that," he replied. After they were seated once more Harry said, as he passed around the fake locket and the note inside it, "On the night he was murdered Professor Dumbledore and I thought we'd found one of the Horcruxes, but it turned out this locket was a fake. This note found in the locket indicates a similar locket once belonging to Salazar Slytherin has been destroyed, but I don't know for sure, if that is so. In addition, do any of you have any idea who R. A. B. might be?"
"It could have been Regulus Black," Remus answered. "Sirius never talked much about him, and I don't know what his middle name was."
"Regulus Black was a student here in the late seventies and there is a register of all former students in the library," Minerva added. "Miss Granger, after this meeting is adjourned would you kindly go to the library and check for sure?"
"I'd be happy to, Professor," Hermione replied.
1111
"Ginny, I think Oracle is quite taken with you," George Weasley said to his sister after their meeting had adjourned, as Oracle cooed, while Ginny continued to pet him.
"As is Ickle Harry," Charlie Weasley surmised smiling at his sister and Harry holding hands.
"What, what do you mean by that?" Molly asked as she gazed fondly at Harry, Ginny, and Oracle. "Is there something about you two I should know about?"
"Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and I have been seeing each other for about a month now, but just this morning I told her we could no longer see each other, because I don't want to endanger her for being my girlfriend," Harry answered forlornly.
"And I told you, I don't care about my being in danger for loving you," Ginny replied, as she continued to stoke Oracle. "It's you I care about, Harry James Potter. I don't give a damn about what Voldemort or his bloody Death Eaters might do to me because of it. I'd rather die knowing you love me than to live wondering what I might have had with you. Potter, you're a hard act to follow, and now that I've caught your attention, I'm going to my best to keep it."
"Harry, Ginny's right," Hermione said with tears in her eyes. "You are a hard act to follow, and the whole lot of would rather die fighting with you, than to live without you."
"Yeah, mate," Ron added. "It's too late to get rid of us now. Besides, do you think the whole lot of us followed you into the Department of Mysteries, just to have fun last year? Like Hermione told you about two hours ago, we've had our chance to leave, but we've stuck by you."
"HEY, THAT'S IT!" Harry then exclaimed causing many around him to jump in surprise. "The love and the loyalty we have for each other is the power the Dark Lord knows not. Mum's love for me saved me when Voldemort tried to kill me as a baby. Our love for Ginny is why Ron and I went after her in the Chamber of Secrets. My love for Sirius is why Voldemort couldn't possess me in the Ministry of Magic..."
"And our love for you is why we're all going to stand with you as you battle Voldemort," Hermione interjected.
"I is being loving and standing with Harry Potter, too," Dobby said smiling broadly as he placed his hands on Harry.
After everyone in attendance made it known they were in total agreement with Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Dobby, Harry exclaimed, "The whole lot of you are mental, if you ask me! I appreciate all that every one of you has done for me, but you're really off your rockers if you follow me. I'm just Harry, and you'd all be much better off following someone else."
"Well, just Harry," Ginny said looking up into Harry's fierce green eyes, "we're not giving you a choice in the matter. We intend to remain at your side, no matter what. What do you have to say now?"
"Please don't help me, I don't want..." Harry said just before Ginny hit him with a Bat-Bogey Hex.
"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO HARRY?" Molly shrieked at the sight of Bat-Bogeys streaming out of Harry's nose.
"If he doesn't agree to accept our help, he's going to get worse than that by the time Ginny, Luna, and I get done with him," Hermione said as the three young witches pointed their wands at Harry with fire in their eyes.
After the Bat-Bogeys were cleared from his face, Harry threw his hands up and said, "No more, please! I give up. I Should Have Known Better. Even though I still think the whole lot of you is stark raving mad for sticking up for me, I accept any help you can give me. It won't be easy, and when all is said and done not all of us may survive our war against the forces of evil, but we have to fight or we'll lose for sure."
"Mate, you'd better remember that," Neville commented. "Those three look like they'd hex you good if you don't do what they tell you."
"All right girls, leave Harry alone, he's surrendered to your demands," Molly said. "By the way, since these youngsters are going with us to visit the Dursleys tomorrow afternoon, I suggest they all spend the night in the Burrow."
"No offense, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied, "but I haven't seen Daddy and Mum since Christmas, and I really want to spend this evening with them. Then tomorrow we can drive to Little Whinging and meet the rest of you at the Dursleys."
"No offense taken, Hermione Dear," Molly smiled. "Have a good time with your mum and dad tonight, and we'll see you at the Dursleys tomorrow afternoon."
"Molly, since today you're not taking offense," Ludwig Lovegood chuckled, "I'm taking Luna home with me tonight. I too, have not seen my daughter since Christmas and want to spend some time with her this evening. We're practically neighbors, so I'll bring her to your home tomorrow around noon, and since my Luna will be staying with her friends for the summer I want to go with you to meet Harry's Muggle relatives, too."
"Molly, I'm going to allow Neville to go home with you this evening," Augusta Longbottom said. "I want to spend time with him as well, but we live far from you, and he's not allowed to apparate yet. I'll meet you at your home, tomorrow noon, so I can also go with you to meet these Dursleys."
"Augusta, Neville's always welcome in our home," Molly explained. "Why don't you have dinner with us this evening before returning to your home?"
"Thank you, Molly Dear, I'd like that very much," Augusta answered. "I'll send my brother Algie an owl, so he won't worry when Neville and I don't show up at King's Cross Station, this evening."
1111
"Hermione what did you find out about Regulus Black?" Harry asked a short time later.
"His middle name was Arcturus, so maybe he really was the R. A. B. in the fake locket" Hermione answered.
"It's possible the real Horcux locket is somewhere in Grimmauld Place," Ginny commented.
"It might be with the junk Kreacher was trying to save," Ron suggested.
"We'll have to search Grimmauld Place from top to bottom," Harry explained. "Until we know for sure, that the Horcrux was destroyed, we have to keep looking for it. Professor Dumbledore felt destroying these Horcruxes was the key to defeating Voldemort, and I think we need to make sure they're all destroyed."
"I hope we can also remove Mrs. Black's portrait from Grimmauld Place," Ginny remarked with a frown. "I think having her scream every time someone enters the front door is very annoying."
"Dobby, would you please come here?" Harry then asked, "I have something I want you to do for me."
"What is the great wizard, Harry Potter, wanting Dobby to do?" the house-elf replied.
"Dobby, I want you to go to Grimmauld Place, where I want you to remove and destroy the portrait of Sirius Black's mother that's just inside the front door," Harry answered with a grin. "Every time a good witch or wizard enters Grimmauld Place she starts screaming at them, and we all want her removed."
"Dobby is knowing how to help you, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby answered.
"If you can do this for me, I will give you more socks," Harry said, causing Dobby to squeal with delight.
Torturer
Jarlaxle casually pinned the goblin to the wall with a few daggers, smiling benevolently at its squeaking. His crimson eyes lit up with a fiery gleam as the goblin began to plead. Nothing the assassin could understand; it was in the goblin language. Artemis watched from the mouth of the alley, horrified.
“I just happen to have,” the drow mercenary said, pulling out a glass jar from under his cape and holding it up with a dazzling grin, “raspberry jam.” He showed it to his captive for a few moments while he drew a dining knife from his belt.
Now the goblin spoke badly accented Common. “No, no, I know not the information you want!”
Jarlaxle looked over at Artemis without seeming to notice the human’s sick expression and said conversationally, popping open the lid on his jar of jam and beginning to slather it on the goblin’s wounds, “I found that raspberry jam interacts with something in the blood of those of goblin heritage in a very interesting way.” He pointed at the goblin with his knife. “Look! It foams.” He turned his crimson gaze to his victim, who was whimpering, twitching in pain from the white foam gathering around the edges of the bleeding wounds on his arms. The drow looked transfixed with fascination. “My, my, that must hurt, mustn’t it,” Jarlaxle said in a low voice, honey-smooth and melodious.
Artemis resisted the gag impulse in the back of his mouth trying to prompt the assassin to throw up. “I don’t want to know.”
Jarlaxle laughed and glanced at him curiously, no hint of remorse or comprehension at the man’s revulsion in his manner. “Whatever is the matter?”
“You make me sick.” Artemis couldn’t hold it in anymore and noisily vomited in the gutter. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “I don’t think I’ll be able to eat jam ever again.”
“How entertaining!” Jarlaxle said. “I must remind myself to have the next place we patronize offer you some of this delicious raspberry jam. It must be a local specialty.” He licked the side of his knife clean. “Now will you start talking, or shall I try blueberry?” he asked the goblin. “I bought the elusive jelly just for the occasion.” The drow mercenary looked eager to try it out.
The goblin soon spilled everything he knew, talking rapidly as Jarlaxle yanked his daggers out of the goblin’s body and nodded in satisfaction. The moment the goblin finished, he took off.
“I suggest washing with soap and water,” Jarlaxle called after him. “I hope there are no permanent effects!” He waved at the goblin gaily, standing on the balls of his feet. “Wonderful man,” he commented to Entreri, who still looked faintly sick. “We should have lunch sometime. Beautiful children.”
Torturer
Jarlaxle casually pinned the goblin to the wall with a few daggers, smiling benevolently at its squeaking. His crimson eyes lit up with a fiery gleam as the goblin began to plead. Nothing the assassin could understand; it was in the goblin language. Artemis watched from the mouth of the alley, horrified.
“I just happen to have,” the drow mercenary said, pulling out a glass jar from under his cape and holding it up with a dazzling grin, “raspberry jam.” He showed it to his captive for a few moments while he drew a dining knife from his belt.
Now the goblin spoke badly accented Common. “No, no, I know not the information you want!”
Jarlaxle looked over at Artemis without seeming to notice the human’s sick expression and said conversationally, popping open the lid on his jar of jam and beginning to slather it on the goblin’s wounds, “I found that raspberry jam interacts with something in the blood of those of goblin heritage in a very interesting way.” He pointed at the goblin with his knife. “Look! It foams.” He turned his crimson gaze to his victim, who was whimpering, twitching in pain from the white foam gathering around the edges of the bleeding wounds on his arms. The drow looked transfixed with fascination. “My, my, that must hurt, mustn’t it,” Jarlaxle said in a low voice, honey-smooth and melodious.
Artemis resisted the gag impulse in the back of his mouth trying to prompt the assassin to throw up. “I don’t want to know.”
Jarlaxle laughed and glanced at him curiously, no hint of remorse or comprehension at the man’s revulsion in his manner. “Whatever is the matter?”
“You make me sick.” Artemis couldn’t hold it in anymore and noisily vomited in the gutter. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “I don’t think I’ll be able to eat jam ever again.”
“How entertaining!” Jarlaxle said. “I must remind myself to have the next place we patronize offer you some of this delicious raspberry jam. It must be a local specialty.” He licked the side of his knife clean. “Now will you start talking, or shall I try blueberry?” he asked the goblin. “I bought the elusive jelly just for the occasion.” The drow mercenary looked eager to try it out.
The goblin soon spilled everything he knew, talking rapidly as Jarlaxle yanked his daggers out of the goblin’s body and nodded in satisfaction. The moment the goblin finished, he took off.
“I suggest washing with soap and water,” Jarlaxle called after him. “I hope there are no permanent effects!” He waved at the goblin gaily, standing on the balls of his feet. “Wonderful man,” he commented to Entreri, who still looked faintly sick. “We should have lunch sometime. Beautiful children.”
~~*~~
