money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Chapter 12: Bluff Discovered
Ron woke up early the day of Hermione’s birthday and climbed carefully out of bed so he did not wake his sleeping wife. He showered quickly and exited the bedroom; sitting down at the table in the dining area of the flat with his chessboard and the newspaper. Ron studied the board for a moment and then moved the white king’s bishop taking the black queen’s knight. It was a move he had been contemplating for two days. He then settled in with the paper and waited for the voices to make their move.
Ron had to smile sadly for a second. If Bridgette or Luna could see him now they must be laughing he thought. Ron Weasley reading the paper, if someone didn’t know better they might have thought he and Hermione had switched bodies or something.
He set the paper down angrily after twenty minutes or so; there was nothing, not one single attack. There had not been in almost a week. Ever since the attacks on Harry’s birthday things had been going well for the Order and the Ministry.
Right after those attacks, Voldemort had launched many more. Never at undefended targets though. He always sent his Death Eaters at places where they were sure to run into members of the Order, Aurors, or Unspeakables.
Dumbledore didn’t understand why Voldemort was moving in the manner he was. He had always gone after the weak first, and now he was attacking the strong. The Death Eaters had been paying a very heavy price for those attacks. The Phoenix charm was changing the tide of the war.
On top of that a number of successful raids by the Ministry and the Order had taken place. As no breakouts had occurred since Harry’s birthday, Azkaban, even without the dementors as guards, was getting full. Many of the Death Eaters who had been captured had already been tried for their crimes. Some of them had even been sent through the arch in the Death Chamber, many more were given life sentences. And now the attacks had stopped.
Things were going well, too well in Dumbledore’s opinion. Ron had to agree with him. The thing that had puzzled both of them the most was Voldemort not attacking the Hogwart’s Express when it ran from King’s Cross Station to Hogsmead village that fall.
Dumbledore and the Ministry had staged an elaborate trap. Convinced that an attack would occur, they had let the train run as normally happened every year. But the moment it had left, Aurors, Unspeakables, and members of the Order apparated onto it. Every student had, had a hair plucked from their head, and been sent by portkey to the school. It had taken ten minutes to accomplish this task, twelve had been allotted.
Once the students had been off loaded, each of the Aurors, Unspeakables, and Order members had dropped the hair into a vial of polyjuice potion and drank it; changing a train-full of adults back into the train-full of children it was supposed to be. They had then waited for the attack they expected. It had never come.
The last thing that was bothering Ron and Dumbledore was none of Voldemort’s inner circle had been so much as glimpsed at any of the battles that had occurred.
Well we wouldn’t show up either if we knew the death curse could be used against us on sight, the voices said to Ron.
Are you going to make a play or not? he asked.
We’re getting there, they replied.
Ron thought about the comment the voices had made. They had a point. One thing that had been noticed in all of the fights so far, was that none of Voldemort’s followers were able to perform the Phoenix charm. The Ministry thought it was because no one was teaching them how.
Ron thought there was another reason. As difficult as it was for someone who did not want to cause pain to cast an unforgivable curse, he figured it was that difficult for an evil person to cast the Phoenix charm. Ron was of the opinion that Voldemort, despite his great ability and power might never be able to do it. Dumbledore had agreed with him.
Ron turned back to the chessboard again, trying to figure out what move the voices would make. The division of his mind into two players, as he had explained it to Harry, was not exactly what was going on.
Ron, if he chose to, did have the ability to hide things from the voices. But unless he chose not to look for it, they could not hide anything from him. The integrity of the game depended on him not cheating the voices out of their secrets.
After each game, he would examine what they had done, and use it to his advantage next time. By hiding his plans from the voices, he was forcing them to come up with a new plan every game, Because there were three of them, they were still figuring out what he was going to do every time, but it was getting harder and harder for them.
The game he had played against Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Dumbledore that summer had allowed him to put almost all of his ability together. His four opponents had thought they were only playing him. In fact, Ron had been two players that day, yet that wasn’t what he was truly capable of. He had wanted to work with the voices, but not give them everything he had been working on, on his own.
Even in this decreased capacity, Ron had countered each move Dumbledore and the others had made within seconds of their instructions to the chess pieces. Dumbledore had been exasperated and thrilled at the same time.
Move our queen’s bishop; take your king’s side castle, the voices said to him. Ron told the piece to move and studied the board; his queen was in danger now. Not right this instant, but he was going to have to scramble to save it. The brilliant play that always came if the other side was good enough had just happened.
Ron wasn’t too disappointed at his dilemma. He had predicted it a few moves ago, but had been unable to figure out how this whole scenario would work out. He had wanted the voices to make the move they did so he could play it to its conclusion.
Ron made his counter quickly, and waited. He was pretty certain, as he scrambled to keep both his king and queen in the game, that it would move fast for a few minutes. He had been on this path for a while now. Even though he had put the queen at risk, something kept telling him that he had to keep her in play to ultimately win the game. The voices gave their instructions to Ron for their next move and he instructed the piece to move.
“Damn!” Ron whispered under his breath as three plays later he was forced to give up his queen to save his king. He had been close that time, mounting an attack, pushing the black side into a defensive postion. One play later he had been in trouble and now the game, while not technically over, was a lost cause. Ron studied the board looking at what he had done wrong. He had most of his pieces left, having lost two pawns, a castle his queen and a bishop. The other side though had lost a knight, bishop and all but one of its pawns before it had made the decisive move of the game.
We let you think you were winning, the voices said to him.
I know, Ron replied. You let me think I was safe, and lured me…. Ron’s voice trailed off as he looked at the newspaper. His mind turned back to an overheard conversation between two Slytherin students complaining that there would be no Hogsmead visits this year.
We need to go see Dumbledore, the voices said to him. Ron didn’t answer as he was already on his way out the door.
“Be careful now,” Harry said to Hermione as he marched his blindfolded friend up the steps to the top box on the quidditich field. Hermione stumbled on the first step, and then slowly started feeling her way up the rest of them.
“This would be a lot easier if you let me take the blindfold off you know.”
“But not nearly as much fun, and if I let you do that, you might figure out what your birthday present is.”
“Well wouldn’t that be better than me breaking my neck going up the stairs?” Harry caught her as she stumbled a second later.
“If you would quit arguing, and just pay attention to getting up the stairs you would be fine,” he replied. “Here, hold onto me,” he said moving in front of her one step up. Harry took her arms and wrapped them around his waist so she had to press up against him. He then started to move carefully up the steps again.
“Ginny is going to kill me.” Hermione laughed from behind him.
“This was her idea, it’s Ron I’m worried about,” Harry replied.
“Ron is not jealous of you and I being close, Harry.”
“I know, and neither is Ginny. I’m more worried about what he’ll think of this little gift when he sees the memory in your mind.”
“What are you planning to do to me, Harry?”
“Just wait, careful this is the last step,” Harry said as he led her through the curtains at the top of the box. “Now, don’t move an inch, Hermione.”
Harry quickly cast the invisibility spell over the both of them and then climbed over the railing of the box.
“Harry?” Hermione whispered, concerned that he was no longer near her.
“You can take the blindfold off now, Mione.” Hermione took the blindfold off and looked around to figure out where she was. When she realized where Harry was standing she let out a gasp.
“Get back here before you fall,” she snapped at him. Harry just smiled.
“I thought you wanted to try this?”
“Try what?”
“This,” Harry replied as he fell backwards off the ledge.
“HARRY!” Hermione shrieked at him. Rushing to the edge, her heart leapt into her throat as she watched him fall away from her turning over in the air and transforming at the same time. Harry’s wings caught the air and he flew back up to the box. Transforming again as his back legs touched the ledge, his front legs turning into hands that grasped the railing tightly.
“Scared you, didn’t I?” he asked with a grin. Hermione’s face had turned white, and now color rushed back to it.
“You are the biggest prat I have ever met, Harry James Potter,” she snapped at him smacking his arm as hard as she could.
“Careful Mione, you wouldn’t want me to fall again would you?” Harry teased pretending to slip. “And I thought Ron was the biggest prat you knew.”
“Just get back here, what kind of birthday present is it when you scare me half to death.” Harry laughed at her.
Hermione opened her mouth to yell at him again, but Harry beat her to it.
“Ginny said you told her you wanted to try this.” Hermione stopped, her mouth hanging open, remembering the vision of Ginny and Harry plummeting towards the ground and then flying off into the distance.
“I also told her I was going to kill both of you,” she finally replied stepping closer to the railing.
“Are you coming or not?” Hermione glared at him a moment and then before she lost her nerve, she quickly climbed over the rail and stood on the edge. Harry moved in front of her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Ready?”
“Mmph,” she squeaked in reply.
“It’s best if you keep your eyes open,” Harry said to her. “And it would be good if you didn’t choke me.” Hermione relaxed her grip around his neck a fraction. Harry let go of the rail and fell forward.
“AAAAIIIIEEEEEEEE!” Harry laughed at Hermione’s scream as they plummeted to the ground, his wings catching the air and propelling them forward and back up. He flew her high up into the sky and out over the lake.
Hermione tried to catch her breath, flying was exhilarating and terrifying to her all at the same time. She loved to ride on the back of Ron’s broom and feel her heart pounding in her chest against his back as she held on for dear life. This was close to the same.
Harry floated lazily across the sky. Hermione was not Ginny. She held on tightly the whole time, laughing in joy at the marvel of flying one moment, and screaming in fear the next. Harry eventually headed up to the top of the divination tower and landed, carefully changing back to his human form as his feet touched down.
“Did you have fun?” he asked as he turned around.
“Yes, thank you,” Hermione replied giving him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.”
“Good,” Harry replied, leading her to the trap door. He opened the door; and playing the role of the gentleman held it for her so she could go first.
“You are still a prat, you know.”
“Am I forgiven?” he pouted at her.
“I’m not Ginny, that won’t work on me, Harry,” she said playfully to him. Harry continued to pout at her. Hermione rolled her eyes. “Fine, you’re forgiven,” she said smacking his arm again. Harry grinned at her.
“Come on then, we’re late for the DA meeting,” he said taking her hand and pulling her along with him.
Harry walked along the hallway with Hermione on his arm. It had been quite the ordeal to come up with a way of getting her to the Room of Requirement instead of the Apparation Training Room for the meeting. The three of them, Harry, Ron and Ginny, knew she would know something was up the moment they told her the room had been switched. Finally, Ginny had hit on the idea of Harry taking her flying as a birthday surprise. He would land on the top of the Divination tower when they were done. That would force them to walk by the Room of Requirement to get to the Apparation Training Room for the DA meeting. Neither Harry nor Ginny mentioned the part about jumping off of the top box to Ron. They wanted to see his face when Hermione showed him the memory.
As they walked by the door to the Room of Requirement and turned the corner, Harry stopped suddenly and tensed his body.
“What’s the matter, Harry?” Hermione asked, alarmed at the change in his demeanor.
“Peeves,” Harry whispered, nodding his head. Harry didn’t know what the twins could have done to get the poltergeist to go along with this, but he had a feeling that there was going to be a lot dung bombs and Weasley’s Wizard Wheeze’s fireworks going off in the halls in the near future.
“He hasn’t seen us yet,” Hermione hissed pushing him against the wall. Harry was really having a difficult time keeping a straight face, but he managed it well enough, knowing Ginny would let him have it if Hermione guessed before he managed to get her in the Room of Requirement.
“What do you suppose our chances of another free pass are?” he asked.
“Slim to none,” Hermione replied watching the poltergeist bobbing slowly towards them.
“Quick,” Harry said, pulling her with him, “The Room of Requirement is just back around the corner. Harry pushed Hermione around the corner and through the door; closing it quietly behind him. He turned around in the darkness and started laughing.
“I feel like I’m in first year, running from Filch again,” he sniggered. Hermione started to laugh with him. They calmed down after a second or two. Harry was really glad it was so dark in the room because he was smiling much too broadly now to keep the surprise going any longer in the light.
“Hermione,” Harry said, grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her around so she was facing into the room.
“Arrgh, what are you doing, Harry?” Hermione hissed as loudly as she dared, still afraid that Peeves was in the hallway outside the door.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIONE!”
The DA roared as the lights came on in the room followed by a flash from a camera.
“Oh that will be good picture,” George commented, walking up to Hermione.
“This one will be better,” Fred said, as he quickly popped a canary cream in Hermione’s open mouth. A second later, Hermione had sprouted yellow feathers over her whole body, with the words, Birthday Chick, spelled out in purple feathers to liven up the color scheme.
“Congratulations Harry, I think we may make a prankster out of you yet,” George said, clapping him on the shoulder.
Hermione, finally recovered enough to say something, whirled around to face Harry.
“TWEET TWEEETER TWEET,” she squawked at him. The laughter in the room was merciless, and Harry sank to the floor holding his sides, at the expression in Hermione’s eyes as her hands clapped over her mouth.
“I say Gred, the sound effects are really starting to come around on those,” George remarked.
“I don’t know Forge; I can still tell it’s Hermione squawking away.” Fred laughed in reply. Harry struggled to his feet hiccupping from laughing so hard. He pulled Hermione to him and hugged her as the feathers molted off of her.
“Happy Birthday, Mione,” he sniggered.
“Harry James Potter, you are a prat,” Hermione replied joyously, smacking him on the arm again. Harry flinched under the punch.
That's three now, we’re going to have a bruise from that you know, the voices remarked to him.
She does have a pretty good punch, doesn’t she? Harry replied rubbing his shoulder.
Maybe we can ask Malfoy about it. She nearly laid him out third year, they said. Harry smiled at the memory.
“Hi Love,” Ron said coming up behind her. Hermione spun around. Throwing her arms around Ron’s neck she planted her lips on him in a kiss reminiscent of the one she gave him at the, Ball and Chain Party, that was thrown in this same room not so long ago.
“Careful Hermione,” Cho hollered from across the room. “You’re starting to put on more and more graphic public displays of affection.” Hermione ignored her and kept right on snogging Ron to the cheers of the group, until he finally broke away from her gasping for breath.
“I’d say she was happy,” Ginny whispered, sliding up next to Harry.
“Hi, Gin.” Harry smiled kissing her lightly on the top of her head as her arm slipped around his waist.
“Hello, Husband.”
“Was this your idea, Love?” Hermione whispered to Ron. Ron smiled.
“I might have had something to do with it.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey there, Hermione,” Alicia and Angelina said sliding up next to her. Alicia handed her a glass of punch.
“Don’t worry; it’s not spiked this time,” she said when Hermione looked at it warily. “School is in session, and getting the Head Girl pissed might be a bad idea.” Harry and Ginny couldn’t help laughing at Hermione’s smile of relief.
“Thank you for controlling my brother’s-in-law,” Hermione replied hugging them, and then twins. “You’re doing alright?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah, sis, we’re doing ok,” Fred replied holding her tight for a second longer than would be comfortable for most people.
Harry, Ron and Ginny watched quietly from the side as George, Angelina, Alicia, Susan and Cho each took an extra second or two to say happy birthday to Hermione.
The three of them each individually marveled at the bond their friends now had with Hermione after she had saved them from the effects of the Curciatus curse. Harry understood the bond that formed when someone saved your life. He had had his own life saved by more than one person. But it was different with what Hermione had done.
She had not acted blindly in the heat of the moment by stepping in front of some deadly curse. And the act had not been over in a few seconds. She had knowingly entered a trap from which there was only one, truly safe exit. She had to be successful. And she had remained there, fighting for each of these six people, for hours on end. Harry felt it was truly the bravest act he had ever witnessed, and he had seen a number of brave acts in his lifetime.
The only thing that compared in his mind was what Ginny had done for him and the others when he was on his knees defeated in front of Voldemort. She could have attacked Voldemort herself that day and saved all of them. Harry knew, especially with Dumbledore there, that Voldemort had been weakened enough that he would have fled if she did.
Even though Harry realized now, that he had not been thinking clearly when he told her to gather the others. That if she left him to die, it only delayed the day Voldemort did kill her. It still boggled his mind that she didn’t do as he asked.
Instead Ginny had chosen the path that was most dangerous, but held the greatest reward, without concern of the consequence it might have. Ginny had not demanded he fight to save her, or anyone else that day. She had not demanded he fight because she loved him and hoped if he lived he might return those feelings, she had demanded he fight because she had faith that he was strong enough to win, even if he did not.
It was her faith in him; his love and utter devotion to her that allowed him stop Voldemort from killing him or anyone else that day. And now the love they shared was giving him the strength to believe he could ultimately win.
The six people who Hermione had saved, Harry realized had the same devotion to her as Ron did, or he did to Ginny. Their faith in her was unbreakable, and they would all reach deeper into themselves to protect her than they had ever reached before. Voldemort’s hatred was building an army of people who loved each other so much that the pendulum balancing good and evil in the world was swinging back to the middle. If Harry could defeat Voldemort once and for all, the rest of the Death Eaters, no matter if it took a day or ten years, were going to live the rest of their miserable lives cowering in fear of the day they would be caught and taken to Azkaban.
“You better make sure you never hurt her, Ron,” Harry whispered to him. “If you do, the Curciatus Curse would be mild compared to what they would do to you.” Ron grinned.
“What about you, Harry?” he asked. “I seem to remember you threatening to break my neck if I caused her any harm.”
“By the time they got done with you, there wouldn’t be anything left for me,” Harry replied.
“Yeah well, you just make sure you never hurt my sister, because they would do the same to you.”
“I know,” Harry said.
“Come on you lot, it’s time for presents,” Ginny called out loudly. “Let’s get the birthday girl up on the table.
After opening her gifts and having some cake, Hermione was talking with Cho and Neville, when she saw Ron standing in front of Harry and Ginny discussing something.
What do you think? she asked the voices.
Oh yes, much too good of an opportunity to pass up, the third remarked.
Harry did say they wanted to see Ron’s face when he saw the memory, the first commented.
And they’re getting off pretty easy, we did say we were going to kill them, the second added.
“Ronald,” Hermione thought to him.
“What, Mione?” he replied.
“Do me a favor?”
“Anything, Mione.”
“Don’t ask why, and make sure you are facing directly at Harry and Ginny, but I want you to chug that glass of punch.” Hermione felt Ron’s mental shrug at her request.
“Ok,” he said and started to drink. A second later an image came into his mind and he sprayed punch all over Harry and Ginny.
“Thank you, Love,” she said. It took Ron a second or two to stop coughing.
“Oh, you’re welcome, Mione,” he replied as he wiped his mouth.
“Did you two enjoy seeing the expression on his face when he saw the memory of Harry and I jumping off the tower?” Hermione asked a punch soaked Harry and Ginny.