Based on the Harry Potter Series By J. K. Rowling
Chapter 44 “ Minerva’s Secret
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Harry reached the door to Ginny’s room at the same time he heard her Disapparate. Damn you! Harry thought, though he was not sure if he had intended the curse for Ginny or himself.
One thing he had learned from the war is that you had to have support, reliable support, when facing the enemy. That Ginny had taken off on her own convinced Harry of two things: first, Ginny was acting from her heart and not her head; second, he had to get his own support, and quickly, before going after her.
Stepping into Ginny’s room, Harry opened the window and saw Ron and Hermione where he had left them moments earlier. As casually as he was able, Harry called down to them. “Hey Ron, Hermione, can you guys come up for a second, please?”
Double damn! Fred, Patty, and George were coming too. But then they stopped to talk with Percy; it looked like he’d fallen asleep. In all this excitement? Who’s he kidding? But a very small voice in his head suggested something else.
Ron and Hermione stepped into Ginny’s room just as they all heard Molly Weasley cry out. Harry instantly knew the reason, but he also had to get to Ginny immediately. “You both have your wands? Good, on the ready.” Harry took his wand out and the others followed. Both Ron and Hermione had concerned looks on their face, and Ron was about to ask where they were going, but Harry would not let him.
“Each of you take my arm and pull in tight.” Harry’s ‘command voice’ told them not to question, just do.
Ginevra Weasley, you bloody fool!
The assault rifle pointed at her chest, as she stood in Rebecca’s room, seemed to agree with her assessment of her actions. The security agent was speaking into a radio, telling someone that he had “the girl” in his custody. Seconds later they both heard feet running up the stairs. The guard motioned for Ginny to start out the door.
As Ginny stepped into the hallway, the guard saw a hand grab her arm and yank her out of sight. Now it was the guards turn to do something very foolish. Lowering his weapon, he looked around the corner and received a fist in his face, generally centered on his nose.
“Ouch!” Harry exclaimed. “Why do Muggles fight like this?”
“Get his feet, Ron. Harry, you get his arms, I’ll get the… gun.” Hermione led them off; dragging the guard into Rebecca’s room, Ginny closed the door behind them. Just as the door closed, they all heard shouts and more feet pounding up the stairs.
“Hang on, Ginny,” Harry growled as he grabbed her. Ron and Hermione were already gone. As the unconscious guard’s associates reached the door, Harry and Ginny Apparated to the Burrow. The four were back in Ginny’s room less than two minutes after leaving.
“I’m sorry, guys.” Hanging her head, Ginny started to cry. Hermione went to comfort her but Harry stopped her.
“GINNY, YOU NEARLY GOT YOURSELF CAPTURED, OR KILLED. THERE ARE ONLY A DOZEN OF US AGAINST THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO ACT SMARTER THAN THIS!”
Ron and Hermione jumped at the force of Harry’s rebuke. Neither had ever seen Harry this angry with Ginny, not that she didn’t deserve it. In numbed resignation to the admonishment, Ginny sat on her bed and calmed herself. Harry asked Ron and Hermione to leave and then sat on the bed as the door closed.
“Gin, I know you feel strongly for Rebecca, but you have to use your head, not your heart... Sorry I yelled at you in front of Ron and Hermione.” Putting his arm around her, Harry told they had to go down to see the rest of the family. There was more bad news.
Two hours later, nearly everyone at the Burrow was sitting at the kitchen table, silent, numb, grief stricken. Harry and Ginny were in Percy’s old room, sent to find his best robes for the ceremony the following day. Their brother lay in the bed he had slept in just a few hours earlier and where his family had laid him, lovingly, only an hour before. He looked like he was sleeping again.
As Ginny looked through the closet, Harry was sitting against Percy’s desk, remembering the summer he and the other Weasley’s taunted him about the report on cauldron specifications. Turning, as if he hoped to see him writing again, Harry caught site of a small pile of envelopes; the top one was addressed to Harry Potter. Rifling through the others, Harry saw that everyone in the house, except the Fairling’s and Granger’s, had a note addressed to them. The implication was obvious: Percy and Snape had known the end was imminent.
Ginny turned when she heard Harry choke back a sob. “What is it, love?”
“Percy left these for us. He must have known what was coming. I mean, we all knew, but not that it would be so soon.”
Taking Ginny’s hand, and the letters, Harry walked down the stairs. At the bottom he stopped and handed all the notes to Ginny, except the one addressed to himself. “Please, Gin, would you hand these out? I’m going to the parlor.”
Seating himself on the sofa, Harry opened the letter. As he had always done, Harry looked at the bottom to see who had written the note. It was, when he thought about it, a silly practice. The sender of a letter always had their name in the return address and Harry easily recognized notes from the few people who wrote to him. Still, it was a habit and he continued looking.
Severus Snape?! In a way, the name did not surprise Harry all that much.
Returning to the top of the short note, Harry read:
Harry Potter,
As I look back at these past 8 years, I fear that my behavior towards you does not do me credit. I had my reasons at the time, and petty though they were, I cannot change what has passed.
Over the past few weeks I have come to appreciate more than just your talent; if this is the honest machinations of the unfathomable human brain, then it does me some credit. If, due to the unique physical situation in which I find myself, it is do to the influence of Percy Weasley, then I have failed us both.
How the events of the past nine months might have affected this object, I know not; but please accept as a parting gift “and an apology- the pensieve I recently acquired. If it is still functional I ask that you explore my life and accept me for what I was.
Severus Snape
It was a long time before Harry could speak with anyone; another empty spot in his life had appeared, and he was not quite sure how to fill it.
When Harry walked into the kitchen a while later, Patty was weeping, alone in a corner, looking at the simple note Percy had left her.
Patty, I’m sorry I will not have the opportunity to know you better. My brother is a good man; if you can get around his silliness you might find him a good friend. Percy Weasley
Harry asked Molly, who was not weeping, where he could find Ginny, her answer was a simple point up the stairs. Climbing the flight, he found Ginny in her room with Hermione, crying in each others arms. Ron sat in the chair by the desk and looked empty and far too worn for the time of day. Harry knew they had to go through this, just as he had done so many times over the years. Sitting on the Floor next to the door, Harry waited, and watched, in case someone needed his comfort.
Eventually Ginny saw Harry. Thanking Hermione, she walked to him and let him hold her while she grieved. Ron and Hermione left quietly and went to Ron’s old room to talk. While Harry did not believe that either of these deaths was directly related to the war, they brought back painful memories. Whispering to Ginny, he made a suggestion.
Arthur Weasley walked down the dirt road toward Gerry and Deborah’s house. Deb had remained at the Burrow to help where she could and Gerry walked with his neighbor. It was an interesting sight. Arthur was surprisingly calm and resigned, talking about his three oldest boys. Gerry, on the other hand, was having an impossible time holding back tears that had not flowed for thirty years.
Later that morning, Molly busied herself by preparing a light lunch and roaming the Burrow for her guests, letting them know there was food ready, if they were hungry. To George’s delight, his mother had cooked up a batch of her homemade tomato soup; he felt it was particularly satisfying on this cold winter day.
Molly looked into Ginny’s room and she saw a familiar sight: Ginny with her arms around Harry, healing him with the therapy he had needed so desperately just days ago. What Molly could not see was that the therapy was working for both the patient and the Healer.
Completing her self-appointed rounds, Molly sat at the kitchen table and thought back, with great appreciation, that she had had time with Percy and Snape when she traveled to Merlin’s world the night before. Molly was aware that her child would leave her soon, even before Percy and Snape had made the announcement. As with Hermione, Molly spent a number of “days” in Merlin’s world, most of the time visiting the echos of her son and the late Headmaster. With the goodbyes said, Molly only had the initial shock of seeing Percy sitting lifeless on the lawn chair to deal with. She knew tears would come again, but not like the bitter ones she’d had for Bill and Charlie.
Early Wednesday evening found Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Fred, and Patty bundled against the cold, walking around the property, admiring the evening stars just beginning to shine in the crystal clear sky. They traded stories about Percy and Snape; some happy, some sad, most of them personal. There were still some tears, but more laughs accompanied them now.
An oddly muffled noise stopped the party and they all looked at each other.
“Harry, that sounds like your phone.” Patty said.
Remembering that Tiernan promised an update on the investigation into Kingsley Shacklebolt’s murder, Harry pulled out the phone and answered.
“Hello, Tiernan?” At least he hoped it was Tiernan.
“Harry, thank God you finally picked up. Where have you been?” Tiernan sounded annoyed with Harry.
“Sorry, I can’t really explain right now. Are you safe?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I be? I’ve been put up in a decent hotel by Scotland Yard. Bloody civilized chaps they are.”
“Did you hear the Prime Minister this morning?”
“Aye, but only parts, a bit of a wanker he is, don’t you think?
Harry had never thought of Brian in quite those terms. “Tiernan, Thompson is under the Imperius Curse, that’s why he’s acting strange.”
“Bloody hell! Is that why everyone here is in such a twist? The talk is that he’s acting very odd.”
“Yeah, it’s Scrimgeour trying to get that legislation run through Parliament, not Thompson…”
“I see now. Of course, I dismissed that rubbish about you and Ginny. I think the team I’m working with should be informed. Want me to take care of that?” An edge of excitement crept into Tiernan’s voice.
“That’d be great. We’ve been talking about this all day, trying to think of a way to get rid of Scrimgeour without making it look like wizards are interfering in Muggle affairs. The last thing we need is more bad press.”
“I see what you’re getting at, Harry. We should move soon, once those laws are passed it will be difficult to prove they were in error. The MP’s don’t take kindly to admitting mistakes.”
“What’s an ‘MP?’”
“Member of Parliament,” Patty chimed in. Harry looked up and saw everyone standing in a circle around him, listening as best they could.
“Ok, I have an idea. Can you talk to your friends over there right away? Try to get a feel about where their loyalties lie after you explain the Imperius Curse.”
“Yes, two are with me right now, I’ll get back to you shortly.”
Oh, great, I hope they really believe him. “Ok, call me as soon as you can.”
“Oh, and Harry, I couldn’t reach Liam. Want me to keep trying?”
“Oh, no, it’s too late now. Thanks anyway.”
“Cheers, Harry.”
Harry broke the connection and sighed, “Yeah, cheers.”
“Billy, Ryan, there’s a bit of magic I need to explain to you. It may clarify a lot of the activities from the past couple days.”
When Tiernan finished a few minutes later, the officers stepped outside Tiernan’s room and exchanged their ideas about the new information.
“What’d’you think, Billy?”
“Well, he hasn’t been wrong yet, has he?”
While the kids were out walking, Arthur called the adults together in the kitchen. At the head of the table, he began to outline something that would get everyone moving. “We have to do something, and right away. We’ve dodged a bullet so far, but with Thompson firmly pressing for these new laws we might be in a bad position overnight.”
“He’s right.” Remus declared, “Can we get to Scrimgeour this evening?”
“No! We have to find out what power that medallion gives him before moving. Rash moves will only hurt us.” This sole dissenting voice came from Molly.
“NOT MOVING WILL KILL US, MOLLY! This isn’t Voldemort and a couple thousand Death Eaters against a group of Wizards. This is the entire country against a dozen of us; waiting only hurts us.” Moody was yelling and motioning wildly, frustrated by the inaction up to this point.
“Alastor, Molly, please calm yourself. You’re both correct. Remus, would you please go look for Hermione? I have an idea that the book Harry brought back may have part of our answer.” Remus got up, feeling more like an errand boy than a wizard, and went out searching for Hermione.
“Minerva, what’s your idea?” Tonks asked, though intimidated by the flashing tempers.
Standing and looking from one end of the table to the next, the former Headmistress and Transfiguration professor said simply, “I need to do something. Please trust me; I have no desire to spend the rest of my life in hiding either.”
Fifteen minutes later, Hermione and Patty met with McGonagall in her room on the third Floor. When their discussion was over, the girls left to work on another translation, this time with more of a sense of urgency. McGonagall sat alone in the room for a while, then walked down to the kitchen and asked Ron to bring Dumbledore’s portrait up to her room. He did.
Alone in her room, McGonagall removed the cover from the empty portrait and played her cards.
“We were very close to each other, why can’t you do anything?” Receiving no response, she continued. “They know now, why is this secrecy still necessary?”
Still receiving no response, Minerva stared at the portrait in frustration and played her ace in the hole.
“Very well, if you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you.” Taking out her wand, McGonagall touched it to her temple, but before she began the spell, Dumbledore’s face appeared in the portrait. He looked most displeased.
“Minerva, we said our goodbyes the other day and you gave me your word not to come after me,” he said crossly. “I should have known better than to trust a Muggle.”
“You needn’t be rude, Albus. You broke a promise, also, if I recall correctly.”
“And what might that be?”
Now it was McGonagall’s turn to be cross. “My powers, and you have the power to fix all this, why are you hiding behind death, of all things?”
“Mini, please listen.” Dumbledore’s features softened. He was no longer speaking with a subordinate, but to his former lover. “The rules cannot be broken, you know that. I offended again with Grindlewald; anything I do would be a third offense.”
Something about Dumbledore’s statement caught McGonagall’s attention, A third offense? But her issue was far more important. “Even when it means this?” McGonagall was standing, her arms stretched out, gesturing to...everything. “And what almost happened to Ms. Weasley? I suppose that would have meant nothing to you?”
“That’s not true, Mini, but she is a very small part of this world, almost insignificant when you…”
“HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT! After all she did for Harry, I’m surprised you can’t show more appreciation. Have you become as heartless, and indifferent, and STUPID as your father?” Minerva knew she had hit Dumbledore hard with that last comment. Just how hard quickly became evident.
“Step up, Minerva.” McGonagall, in the decades she had known Albus Dumbledore, had seldom heard him use that voice; she obeyed instantly.
“Now turn, you know what to do.”
Again obeying the voice, she turned away and placed her hands over her eyes. For the third time in her life, Minerva McGonagall experienced the sign that things would get better, quickly. Her only concern was the cost.
“Hello my friend.” When she heard the words, McGonagall knew it was safe to turn around.
“My, you haven’t changed a bit.”