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Chapter 8: Aftermath
Harry sat on the couch with Ginny next to him in the sitting area of their flat. Hermione was huddled next to Ron in the love seat across from them. Professor Dumbledore had finally taken a chair facing all of them after pacing around the room for a minute or two.
“To begin with, Mrs. Weasley,” Professor Dumbledore stopped himself. Harry recognized the look in his Professor’s eyes. He may have suffered huge losses and pain in the last two days, just as the four of them had, they even glistened with unshed tears, but even that could not completely bury the pride radiating from him.
“Hermione,” he started again, “I may have given you….all of you, the impression that I find your life to be worth less than that of mine, Ronald’s, Harry’s or Ginny’s….That is as far from the truth as it could be, few people on earth have as much right to live happy and free as you do.
“I don’t really expect you to understand why I asked you to help Cho. I would not have been disappointed in you in the least if you had chosen not to. Cho, along with the others you helped were as good as dead. Only someone with immense strength of mind and heart could have done anything for them. I only hoped that you might have that in you. You far exceeded anything I might have hoped for.
“I know you have heard this from many other people, but I feel it is time I tell you myself. You truly are the most brilliant witch of your age; perhaps in time, even all of history. That however is not what makes you special.
“You have always displayed the heart and courage of a Gryffindor. After what you did yesterday, I believe that even Godric Gryffindor himself would bow to having his house renamed Granger….or Weasley. I thank you for the sacrifice you were willing to make to help others.”
Harry and the others stared at Professor Dumbledore and each other. Astounded would not describe their reaction to his words. Hermione was as red in the face as any of them had ever seen. She could hardly even look at the three of them having suddenly turned very shy. Harry and Ginny despite everything, all of the pain of the past two days, couldn’t help laughing at her.
“Quit it, you’re picking on me,” Hermione whispered at them.
“No, Mione,” Ginny replied moving over, on the floor in front of her and wrapping her arms around her legs. “I am in awe of you. I always have been.”
“Professor Dumbledore is right, Hermione. I have always been amazed by you,” Harry added, as he joined Ginny in front of Hermione.
“I’ve been telling you, you were brilliant for years, Mione. You’re the only one who does not see it,” Ron whispered into her ear. Hermione basked in the glow of the praise she was receiving, tears welling in her eyes.
“Thank you, Professor,” she said quietly, as she wiped her face, laughing at herself for a moment.
“Thank you, Hermione,” Professor Dumbledore replied. He then took a deep breath and continued.
“I would also like to tell you, Ginevra Potter, that I am in awe of the selflessness you displayed in going to help your friends. You deserve recognition for that every bit as much as Hermione.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Ginny replied, grinning sheepishly. Professor Dumbledore smiled at all of them again.
“I thank you, Ginevra. At the same time, I must ask you, all of you, not to do something like this again. Had I been able to stop you from going to help your friends, I would have.”
“I had a feeling this was coming,” Ginny remarked quietly.
“You probably wonder why, why this was different than Harry going after Sirius a year ago, or the Dursleys a few months ago,” Professor Dumbledore said to her. Ginny did not reply. Dumbledore took another deep breath and continued.
“I would have stopped Harry if I had known he was leaving to go after Sirius. That was the same failure I suffered with you. Both times, I was lucky enough to not lose either of you.” Professor Dumbledore paused, stood up and started pacing the room again.
Harry could not help but feel a sense of deja’vu. Dumbledore was confessing his failures to all of them now, as he had with Harry the night Sirius died. He was hiding nothing about his emotions, letting them see everything. This time Harry understood better the burden he carried.
“Go on, Headmaster,” Hermione said to him.
“I allowed Harry to go after the Dursleys for two reasons. One; I knew about the pictures Ginny had put on the chocolate frog cards. I hoped that the danger he was in would cause Ginny’s picture to react, try and wake her to come after the rest of you, which it did. Two; I knew what both Harry and Ginny had seen in the Mirror of Erised.” Harry could not help but smile.
“Is there anything I do that you don’t watch, sir?” Dumbledore let out a quick snort of laughter and sat back down in the chair again.
“The picture knows better than to report certain things to me, Harry.”
“Good,” Ginny replied blushing slightly.
“Serves you right, Gin,” Ron said, grinning from ear to ear.
“And why is that?” Ginny asked, slightly irritated at him.
“Well now you know how I felt taking that thing into the shower,” Ron replied.
“Git,” Ginny snapped at him before breaking into a smile. Dumbledore watched this exchange carefully; it buoyed his heart a little.
“After learning what both of you had seen in the mirror,” Dumbledore continued. “I knew that Ginny was the third friend in the second prophecy, so I took a chance on interfering with it. A very dangerous proposition considering the warning that came with the prophecy, but I felt that Ginny had claimed her role, even if she had not taken Harry as hers yet. Even Bridgette, not knowing what the prophecy said, had reached this conclusion as you know from her words to you at the party the night before your weddings."
Harry felt his stomach lurch at the mention of Bridgette’s name. The slight levity of a moment ago gone in an instant. He knew the others felt the same, and were all thinking about the party.
“He really does watch everything,” Ron mumbled sadly to Hermione.
“I would really like to have her pouring that punch down my throat right now,” Hermione added softly.
“Sir, you watch everything, what went wrong? Cho, Bridgette, Luna, Neville all of them had one of the cards. Why did you not know about the attacks the other day?” Harry asked. Dumbledore sighed deeply.
“Harry, I am sorry. I did know about most of the attacks by the time Ginny left and was sending help to all of them. However, there is a limit to what the cards can do in a given time. So much information was coming in that there were delays, and there is a priority that the information will be given to me in.
“Despite everything waiting for me before Ginny left the other morning, her departure overrode everything. The only thing that would have come before that would have been news of you leaving. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Harry replied quietly.
Professor Dumbledore nodded at him before continuing.
“Moving back to the second prophecy, the truth is that I could have told Ronald about his place the night he was sorted. And Hermione could have been told Halloween night of her first year. I think you would both concur you were not ready for that information,” Ron and Hermione nodded at him in agreement.
“I felt Ginny first started to emerge as the third friend her first year. That was the year she was marked by Voldemort. Others were still possible, but as time went on, it became impossible for me to believe anyone else could reach Harry the way Ginny does.”
Again Dumbledore stood up and started pacing the sitting area before continuing. The four of them shifted in their seats as they watched him. It seemed that his voice grew stronger as he paced and his confidence became more evident.
“It has been evident to me for over a year that Harry would reach new heights because Ginny demanded them, and as the prophecy says, Harry would love her more, even if Hermione had taken Harry as hers.
“I believe that had Hermione chose Harry that would still be true. The love would have just stayed as that of a brother and sister. So you see how I felt safe in interfering, if you can call it that, with the prophecy.” Harry and the others considered what Professor Dumbledore had told them.
“So, having identified Ginny as the third friend,” Dumbledore continued, “I decided that I would bring her to Harry in the field when he went after the Dursleys. I knew that Ginny would not gather the others and leave as Harry asked. She would make him fight, or die with him. I hoped that this would somehow cause Harry to find the key to defeating Voldemort that night.
"That is why I allowed you to go after the Dursleys. I hoped that it might be the end battle. I was prepared to step in and save all of you if I had too, I was already moving to break the connection between Voldemort and Harry, when he lashed out to save Ginny.” Dumbledore stopped and turned to them, his eyes locking on each of theirs momentarily.
“Do you see the flaw in my plan? Why Harry did not win that night?” he asked them a moment later. Harry shook his head after thinking about it for a minute.
“No, sir, I do not,” Harry replied. Dumbledore sat down heavily in the chair again.
“Examine the second prophecy, the answer is there,” he said.
“Your plan failed,” Ron answered after another minute, “because I am the one who must make the plan for Harry’s victory. Or Harry must do it alone.”
“Yes, Ronald. You see my interference with the second prophecy did have a price. It brought the three of you to Voldemort’s attention before it was necessary. That is why I kept all of you here this summer. And why you all must stay here no matter what happens until we have come up with a way to defeat Voldemort.
“If Voldemort comes here and Harry is not ready, then we must get the four of you away, because I am afraid that the next time Harry and Voldemort meet one will not survive. We must make sure it is Harry who lives. I do not mean to reduce any of your existences to that of a weapon of war. I value each of you for the person you are, and should one of you be injured or killed I would mourn the person lost, not the weapon. But I must ask you, especially you Ginevra, because you have the means.
“You are all either too important or know too much to risk that you fall into Voldemort’s hands. You must not go on any more rescue missions for any reason. The next fight between Voldemort and Harry must occur on our terms.” Dumbledore stopped talking and let his words sink in to the four of them. Ron was the first to speak.
“Voldemort was looking for us then, he attacked our homes and the homes of our friends in case we were there. All of them, the people who were injured, killed, it is because of us, because they chose to follow us and you want us to sacrifice them to save ourselves.”
“They told you they would be your shield, Ronald. Bridgette was the first to learn that she had to pick a side in this fight, do not blame yourself for their deaths. The fault in these attacks lays with Voledmort….and myself,” Dumbledore said, shaking his head.
“How is it your fault?” Ginny demanded angrily.
“It was my mistake that caused Voldemort to become aware of you three. That in turn has brought about the attacks on all of your friends from the DA. Voledmort was hunting for all of you yesterday morning. He hoped that he would find one or more of you, or that you would come to help your friends.
“Ginny, you should know that Peter Pettigrew was in that field the other day. He watched the whole thing as a rat. Voldemort apparated into the field only seconds after you left,” Dumbledore replied.
“That’s crap,” Ginny spat at him, causing everyone to jump in surprise. “The only one responsible is Tom and the idiots who follow him. I suggest you quit feeling sorry for yourself and start fighting back,” she finished angrily.
“Bloody Hell, even you aren’t safe from her,” Ron said, shaking his head at Professor Dumbledore.
“Promise me you will stay,” Dumbledore replied calmly.
“We will do as you ask, Professor,” Harry broke in to the conversation. “Won’t we?” he said glaring at the others and Ginny in turn.
“You have my word, sir,” Ron replied.
“And mine,” Hermione added. Ginny returned Harry’s glare.
“As you wish,” she said quietly.
“Headmaster,” Hermione said reaching out her hand to Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore took her hand in his.
“Yes Hermione?”
“We know you value us for who we are, not because we are the people in the prophecies,” she said to him.
“You have no idea what that means to me, Hermione, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Headmaster.” Professor Dumbledore dropped her hand; pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose before continuing.
“Now that I know you will not be running off again on me, I will let you know the state of things after the attacks,” Dumbledore said as he stood up and began to pace the room.
“First, the good news. You will all be glad to know that Cho, Susan, Alicia, Angelina, Fred, and George are recovering well. They are still having nightmares, and will for some time. They and their families are very anxious to see you, Hermione.” Dumbledore paused and smiled at her again. Hermione blushed slightly, before he continued.
“Though the reason will not be announced, so as to prevent it from reaching Voldemort’s ears, you will be quietly awarded the Order of Merlin 2nd class,” Dumbledore paused once more to let this news sink in. Hermione was in complete shock, none of the others knew what to say.
“Even in the darkest of times, it is important to celebrate life. None of you forget that as you pick up your training again tomorrow,” Dumbledore said quietly. They all nodded at him.
“Ginevra, since both Cho and Neville were unconscious when you rescued them. I was able to keep your animagus secret. I also have managed to convince the Ministry that Neville’s grandmother gave you the portkey you used, because you were supposed to visit that morning.
“You arrived to find them under attack and were able to drive off the Death Eaters and bring Cho and the others back to Hogwarts. You are being awarded the Order of Merlin 3rd class.” Harry shook his head, while Dumbledore stopped to smile at Ginny before continuing.
“The other members of the DA and their families, while under attack, managed to put up a much stronger fight than any of the Death Eaters expected. The death curse was largely ineffective as most members of the DA were successfully able to perform the Phoenix charm.
“Once they found themselves under attack by the death curse, your friends responded in kind. It is believed that over three hundred Death Eaters and supporters of Voldemort participated in the attacks; forty-two were killed, including two from Voldemort’s inner circle, McNair and Nott. There were also a number of injuries to Voldemort’s supporters that resulted in their capture. You four have much to be proud of, most of the damage was done before Aurors started to arrive and help your friends and their families.”
This news did little to alleviate the pain of the deaths that occurred in the attacks, but the news that the DA had hurt Voledmort and his followers provided some comfort to the four of them.
“The last bit of good news is that the Ministry has finally seen fit to declare war on Voldemort and his followers. A number of them are on a list that authorizes the use of the death curse against them on sight. The use of the death curse has also been authorized when you find yourself under attack as your friends did. This will prevent any of your friends or their
family who did use the curse from being tried as criminals. None of them need fear having their wands taken, or spending time in Azkaban,” Dumbledore finished.
“Lucky for the Ministry, because they would put Cho or any of them in prison over my dead body,” Ginny replied.
“Mine too,” Harry, Ron and Hermione added. Dumbledore smiled at them.
“Mine too. In fact, I mentioned that to the Minister myself before she assured me that they would not be prosecuted,” Dumbledore said to them.
“I guess that leaves the bad news then, doesn’t it sir,” Harry said after a minute. Dumbledore frowned.
“That and my instructions for you,” he replied. “You already know that Bridgette, Luna, Neville’s Grandmother and Cho’s father are dead. Luna’s father, Colin and Dennis Creevey, along with both their parents, Seamus Finiagan, and both his mother and father are also dead. There are also numerous injuries, mostly broken bones, and cuts. A few are suffering from the effects of the Cruciatus curse. No, Hermione,” Dumbledore cut her off, “they do not need your help. They did not suffer the breakdown of their mind as the others did. They are merely having nightmares as they try to adjust to what happened to them,” Dumbledore stopped, giving them time to digest this news before continuing.
Harry and Ginny were still sitting on the floor in front of Ron and Hermione. The two of them were holding Harry and Ginny from behind. Harry looked at each of them. Hermione and Ginny were both quietly crying again. He was too; they had all spent too much time with tears in their eyes the past two days.
The roller coaster of emotions was driving him nuts. Terror at Ginny’s disappearance, anguish over Bridgette’s death, terror each time Hermione went into the mind of one of his friends, elation each time she saved one of them and was ok herself. There was the pride he had in how the DA had fought, anger that he had not, more anger that he was going to hide, and even more anger at Voldemort.
Harry looked at Ron as he stared straight ahead. For not the first time in his life he envied him. Ron was not crying, and Harry wished he had the strength to hold his tears in. He wanted to do all his crying when Voldemort was dead.
Ron is crying too, if you know him well enough you can see it, the voices said to him. Harry looked at Ron again. The voices were right.
“You said you had instructions for us, Professor,” Ron said quietly. Dumbledore sighed again before he started speaking.
“All of the families of the DA members have gone into hiding. All of the adults have asked to join the Order. Thankfully, actually amazingly, all their children are in the DA or have left school already. That makes it easy enough for your friends to join you at school here for the rest of the summer. Voldemort will expect them to go into hiding, he does not know you four are here, and will not expect them to be brought here either. Even if he did, he is not prepared to attack the school.
“The DA will start again with you four teaching. The battle training you did with them all year saved their lives. You will take time to specifically train them against your stunning spells. They can develop the ability to deflect the blasts, and the increase in the strength of their shields will help them against all other curses except the death curse. Help them build up to it. Ginny, you will teach everyone the shield spell you used to reflect the curse back at that Death Eater. And the four of you will begin to train them in Legilimency and Occulemency.
“You four have all performed magic without your wands. During battle training you will fight without wands. The Unspeakable will be here tomorrow to begin your training against the Cruciatus curse. He is the person who I trained with, and will be more than capable of performing the curse correctly. You may also offer to train any of the DA who want against the Cruciatus curse, unlike you or I, they will not be able to shut the pain out, but tolerance can be developed none the less.”
“Sir, I don’t know about that,” Harry interrupted him.
“I have visited with Cho; she let me in her mind.” Dumbledore cut across him. “Luna shut down and died from the curse almost twenty-five minutes before Cho even developed the wall in her mind. That comes from a will to fight. You all know it can be developed. I ask you to offer the training. Let them decide if they want it.” Harry turned to the others. It was one thing to train against it, another to cast it at someone.
“You and Ron both know I will do it,” Hermione said to them.
“What is she talking about, Harry?” Ginny asked.
“Hermione got mad at Harry and I while you were in the hospital, Gin,” Ron answered. “We were moping about you, not paying attention, so she took over for you in the DA one night.”
“She hit both Ron and I with the Cruciatus curse to get our attention told us that you would kill us both when you woke up if we did not get our act together,” Harry said, smiling at the memory now. “As I remember, Ron asked me to step in for him and marry Hermione at that point.”
“Good for you, Hermione,” Ginny remarked, obviously impressed. “You’re lucky Harry didn’t take Ron up. You and Harry would look really funny with green hair,” she teased them both. Harry turned back to Professor Dumbledore.
“Sir, I have question.”
“What is it Harry?”
“You ask us to cast this curse at our friends. Are you willing to do it also? Will you come to the DA and cast the Cruciatus curse at your students?” Dumbledore studied Harry for a moment.
“I did cast the Death curse at you, Harry,” he replied.
“I’m not forgetting that. Fawkes was there to protect me, and you. There is nothing to protect us or you from what we are going to do to them,” Harry answered. Dumbledore considered Harry again.
“I will come and cast the curse against any who wish to train against it, Harry.” Harry nodded at him.
“I thought you would, I just needed to hear it,” he said quietly. “I know you have other things to attend too, you do not have to come and prove it. I will take your word.”
“It was a fair question, Harry,” Dumbledore replied.
“Thank you, sir.” Dumbledore smiled at him and the others.
“I have one more instruction for you.”
“I hope this is an easy one,” Ginny mumbled under her breath.
“I want you all, the DA included, to make sure you still live
life. You four enjoy your spouses, invite each other into your minds, go run in the woods as lions. There will be enough of you here to play quidditch. Anywhere on the school grounds will be safe. Prepare to fight Voldemort, but do not let it rule you, leave that to me.”
“We will try, Professor,” Hermione said quietly.
“Let me help you get started,” Dumbledore said summoning the table and Ron’s chess board to him. “May I set up a new game, Ronald?”
“Sure, I know where all the pieces go, I can put them back.”
“Good then, let’s see if you are up to taking on the four of us in a quick game before we go to the hospital wing. Say three minutes to make a move per side.” Harry, Hermione and Ginny scrambled to their feet.
“You’re going to get whipped, Chess Boy,” Ginny said to Ron. Ron laughed at her.
“Care to make a bet, Ginny?” he asked
“Sure, Ron,” Harry cut in, “if we win you have to give us all a shoulder massage. If you win,”
“If I win, you all have to wear, Weasley is our King, shirts to the first DA meeting,” Ron interrupted him. “You’re excluded from the bet sir,” he added a second later to Professor Dumbledore.
“Oh no, Ronald, I would not dream of giving up a free shoulder massage,” Dumbledore replied his eyes twinkling.
“Ok then, you asked for it,” Ron replied.
“Shut up and play, Love,” Hermione said to Ron.
Hermione fell in next to Harry and Ginny as they headed down the hall to the hospital wing to visit with their friends and familly.
“Ginny, would it be to late for me to marry Harry, and give you back your brother?” she asked. Ron smiled to himself as Hermione squeezed his hand.
“No way, you keep the stupid chess genius,” Ginny replied grumpily.
“Well, Hermione, you could just dump him and be my mistress,” Harry remarked casually.
“Ouch,” he yelped. Ginny had given him a very hard elbow in the ribs.
“Watch it, Potter. I don’t share,” Ginny said glaring at him, her eyes twinkling, her mouth smiling.
“As you wish, Ginny,” Harry replied before they walked into the hospital wing.