Chapter 5 The Duel
Harry woke up to an icy touch. Pushing his glasses back up on his nose, he shivered. “Sir Nick, what are you doing here?
“Harry, I’m so sorry, but Bill Weasley is outside and the Fat Lady won’t let him in without the password.”
“Please tell him it’s ‘Spotted Dick’, Sir Nick.” Harry still got a chuckle at the password Ron had picked.
Harry took in the sight of Ginny sleeping draped across his chest and shoulder, her hair slightly covering her face. “I love waking up with her in my arms!” he thought.
“Ginny.”
“I heard. I’m not moving, Harry. This is the perfect time for him to find out,” Ginny finished yawning.
“Okay.”
Bill came into the dorm, pulled back the curtains and bellowed, “Harry Potter, just what are you doing with my sister?”
“Ginny, what do I do?” Harry pleaded.
“Just be honest, Harry, but I think I’ll just continue to act asleep!” Ginny said through a fake snore.
“Holding your sister while she sleeps,” Harry grinned.
“Good, I wouldn’t kick a beautiful lady out of my bed either!” boomed Bill as he sat on the end of the bed facing towards the head.
Harry, continuing to be honest stated. “Bill, this isn’t the first time we slept together.”
“Hey Mate, that’s not my concern,” Bill replied after a few seconds.
“Yes it is, because I’m sure it is your…OUR Mum’s concern and I know she will be questioning you about it. Bill, all we have been doing is sleeping. We have been behaving ourselves.”
“Not that I didn’t want to,” Ginny piped in.
Harry grinned, “Just a couple of more weeks Ginny.”
“So now you can tell Mum that you did your big brotherly thing and you can report my intentions are honorable,” Harry advised with a smile on his face.
Bill snorted, “Okay, okay. Boy, you have our Mum pegged. It was the first thing Mum said I was to find out about!”
“Was that the only reason you are here?” Harry asked.
“No, I’m taking over for Remus today and tomorrow. Mum told me about all the training you lot are doing. How is she holding up?” Bill asked concerned.
Harry with lots of pride exclaimed, “Bill, I don’t know how she is doing it. First, she making up a year’s difference in schooling to catch up with us, learning to Apparate, Occlumency and Legilimency class, reading that book Dumbledore left her, and making some time for me. She’s just amazing and I love her.”
“You’re pretty amazing yourself Harry, and I love you.”
Bill with pride in his voice now said, “Well, of course, I always knew it, the seventh sibling, plus being a daughter. What did you expect?”
Ginny beamed, “Now you know why he and Ron are my favorite brothers.”
Bill continued, “By the way, where is my little brother? I have a letter for him. I and Fleur went to see the Grangers for a few days and they finally wrote him back. I don’t know what’s in it, but I have hopes.”
“Boy, you sure get around,” Harry laughed.
“That is what big brothers are for,” Bill bragged.
“I’ll call them. Ron and Hermione like to take morning walks around the lake.” Harry picked up his wand and sent a silver streak out the window. A few seconds later, a silver rat terrier appeared, did a little dance, and then disappeared. He told Bill they were on the far side of the lake and will be here in about ten minutes.
Bill was stunned, “When…How did you learn to do that?”
Once again Harry pleaded, “Ginny?”
“Just tell him the truth,” Ginny answered.
“Well, Bill, Ron was getting real annoyed about walking in on Ginny and me snogging. So he told Hermione, Hermione then told Ginny, and between the two, they remembered the Order using their Patronus to communicate, so we learned how to do it,” Harry explained.
Bill was extremely impressed. “Everyone knows your Patronus is a stag, just out of curiosity, whose was that?”
“Ron’s; Hermione’s is an otter, and Ginny’s is a doe, of course.” Harry’s face beamed with pride.
Bill was sitting in the common room tossing owl treats into the air and watching Pig catch them while dodging Crookshanks. Hedwig sat on the arm of Bill’s chair in a dignified matter. Harry and Ginny arrived from upstairs just as Ron and Hermione came through the portal. The two couples sat down. Without a word, Bill handed Ron the letter from the Grangers.
Ron looked at it, then Hermione, and then began to hand it to her. Hermione shook her head very deliberately. Ron opened the letter very carefully.
Dear Ronald and Hermione (we know you are reading this too!)
We have been very reluctant to answer that most excellent letter you wrote Ron, for many reasons. The simplest and easiest one is we were not ready for her to grow up. We keep forgetting that in her new world, she is already an adult, but foolishly thought we had one more year.
The next reason is that we just don’t know you. Yes, we have met a few times over the years, but never long enough to really get to know you and your family. Knowing that, we also know our daughter and we now realize you must be an extremely excellent young man to catch our Hermione’s heart.
Our last reason is Voldemort. You see, Hermione forgot to cancel her subscription to the Daily Prophet when she left for school last summer, (for her to forget to do something is a major event), so we are fairly aware of what is going on in your world. Knowing you and then Harry will be in the worst to come has scared us. We don’t want our daughter hurt! It was under these reasons we were not prepared to offer our permission for her hand.
But three days ago, Bill and Fleur showed up at our house. They answered all of our questions about you, your family, Harry, and this Voldemort character. Then, your Mum and Dad, Charlie, Fred, and George showed up. We can’t remember laughing so much when the twins retold the stories with such jest and zeal about you, Harry, and Hermione’s earlier adventures. Then they retold the Ministry of Magic mission where Ginny, Luna, and Neville went along. We realize that these adventures were deadly serious, but the twins made us realize that it is better to laugh than cry sometimes. Please tell Harry we are sorry to hear about his godfather Sirius. Somewhere during the day, we realized that Hermione is very lucky. While we are still afraid for our daughter, we now know you would do everything in your power to protect her, Ginny, and Harry. So it is with a little sadness that we acknowledge we no longer have a baby but a young lady. Ronald, her dad and I give you our blessings and permission to marry our daughter.
Love,
Mom and Dad
P.S. We expect lots of grandkids!!!!!
Ron dropped the letter on the table and was beaming.
Bill asked innocently, “Good news?” Harry, Ginny, and Bill picked up the letter and started to read it.
Ron, with too much enthusiasm, “The best, well next to the best, the best was when she said she loves me.” Ron reached into his pocket and held out the ring he had bought earlier. “I love you, Hermione.”
Hermione stared at the ring. “Where…when did you get that?”
“The weekend Tonks and Remus took us to Hogsmeade. I know it isn’t as big as…,” he started.
“Ronald Weasley, don’t ever say it. I’m not impressed with Galleons or how good your clothes are. I love you. YOU! I don’t care about the rest,” Hermione declared once and for all. Ron’s face was amazed. He put the ring on her finger and kissed her.
Bill, Ginny, and Harry had just finished reading the Granger’s letter, when they noticed Ron and Hermione still kissing. Ginny said, “Merlin, go get a room!” which caused everyone to roar with laughter.
A few minutes after Ron and Hermione faces returned to their natural shades, Bill cleared his throat, “I understand you don’t have classes with Aberforth anymore. Are you that good?”
“He said we had reached the point where he couldn’t teach us anything new, and just to keep practicing,” said Ginny.
“Good, lets go flying!” Bill declared.
“Hey, that’s great,” Ron said as jumped up heading for the dorm. “I’ll get your broom too, Harry.” Ginny went to her room to get her broom.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and the Quidditch field was a shamrock green. They decided to only use the quaffle, playing two on two, and to a hundred points. Hermione sat in the stands watching. Ron and Harry were pitted against Bill and Ginny. After that game, Bill was with Harry, then with Ron. During the third game, Bill noticed something strange. No matter whoever he was partnered with, they were getting slaughtered. Finally, everyone went down to the stands where Hermione sat.
“Come on Hermione, let’s go flying,” Ron pleaded.
Hermione squeaked, “Ron, you know I don’t like to fly.”
“But Honey, it will be fun,” Ron emphasized.
“Go on, Hermione,” Ginny said. Reluctantly, she got on the broom with Ron and they were off. The three watched Ron and Hermione for a few minutes. All three laughed every time they heard Hermione squeal when Ron did some kind of maneuver other than level flying. Finally, Ron flew them down to the far-end of the field.
“Are you two still planning on getting married the first week of August?” Bill asked Ginny and Harry with a gleam in his eyes.
Ginny answered, “We thought about it, but it seems too crowded. Harry’s birthday on the 31st of July, a wedding anniversary the first week of August, and then my birthday on the 11th all in less than a month just seems too much.”
Harry winked at Bill. “I don’t know. It would make it easier for me to remember our anniversary and your birthday.” Ginny mockingly hit him in the stomach and kissed him.
Ginny looked at Bill. “Why are you asking?”
“Well, Fleur and I are getting married Monday and we were just wondering if you still wanted to have that triple ceremony,” Bill said with a smile.
Ginny rushed over to Bill and hugged him. “Why did you move the date?”
“Gringotts hired Fleur on full time as a Foreign Liaison Officer. They asked her to start next Monday, and since we want to go on a honeymoon before she starts work, it has to be this Monday,” Bill informed them.
Harry made a mental note to himself to ask Grorn about this sudden job for Fleur. Harry realized that there were now two things he needed to ask Grorn about.
“But Bill, there is no way Mum and Dad will let me get married Monday,” Ginny protested.
Bill chimed, “She has already agreed.” Not for the first time, Harry watched Ginny at a lost for words, but it wasn’t because of him this time.
“What changed her mind?” Ginny finally said hesitantly.
“There was this big quarrel going on about this between Mum and Dad, Professor McGonagall, Tonks, Remus, Fleur, and me. Mum was holding her own until Professor McGonagall looked at Mum and simply said, ‘Molly.’ I have never seen Mum cave in so fast. I still wonder what that was about,” Bill finished.
Ginny and Harry laughed and Bill eyed them suspiciously. When they didn’t say anything, he continued, “We will leave for the Burrow after class tomorrow. By the way, where did you get all the Galleons? Mum told us about the guardianship Galleons. Where did the rest come from?” Bill asked. He knew Harry was better off than his whole family, but he didn’t think he was that well off!
“Mom and Dad left me a very sizeable amount of Galleons more than what Sirius and Dumbledore were keeping for me,” Harry answered as he thought he was going to have to come up with a better excused.
“Cheers Mate, you shouldn’t have,” assured Bill.
“What else is a family for?” quipped Harry.
“This is from Charlie and me, welcome to the family, both ways, as a brother and a brother-in-law.” Bill then surprised Harry by hugging him.
“What about Fred and George?” Ginny asked.
“Oh, they are happy for you too, I think they are going to let you know in their own special way!” Bill jokingly said.
Harry moaned, but Ginny smiled. That was everyone but the Git. Ron and Hermione finally came back to earth. Bill informed them of all the news as they went back to the castle.
After their training was completed for the day, the four teens were back in the common room. As they had routinely done since after the first week, all four appeared to be quietly studying. Harry and Hermione were both acting as if they were discussing a charms assignment while Ginny looked like she was doing an essay, and Ron was reading a book.
”By the feel of your minds, I would say everything work perfectly tonight?” Harry asked the two witches.
“Oh, yes. I was able to drop the wards at the start of class and Ginny was able to raise them back up at the end. Ron and your distractions were excellent and well timed. Professor McGonagall never realized that she wasn’t the one to change the wards.”
“Harry, now that we have successful done this, will you tell the real reason why you wanted us to learn how to drop and raise the anti-Apparation wards?”
Harry had been expecting the question for days once they were getting close to succeeding. It had taken all four working every available minute to find the information needed to drop the wards. At first, Hermione and Harry thought the answer would be found in the library. They wasted valuable hours looking through tomes in the library before concluding that the necessary information was not in the library.
Harry then ordered just about every book Flourish and Blotts had on wards, trying to find the information. While the four had, in essence, become experts on modern day wards, they learned the Hogwarts wards were of an ancient magic that so far they had found no information on.
It was Ron who suggested that they just ‘steal’ the information from Professor McGonagall. Initially, Hermione was against the idea but the eagerness and determination of the other three slowly brought her around to the idea. So, not knowing the reason Harry wanted them to do this, Hermione came up with the way to do it, Ron devised the plan, while Ginny tried to blow holes in Ron’s plan.
Ten days ago, the assault was on. It was Ginny’s responsibility to watch and document the wand movement that Professor McGonagall used when dropping the wards and then do the same for when she raised the wards. It had taken her four days to get the wand movements down perfectly.
Hermione was given the task find out the actual words of the two spells. Harry originally felt this would be the easiest to accomplish. It turned out to be the hardest. Harry and Hermione had both tried to use their new Legilimency skills on her. Harry and Hermione, and eventually, Ron and Ginny all failed to get into her mind. There was an Occlumency shield around her that they could not penetrate. When she accompanied them to Hogsmeade one Saturday, Harry was surprised to discover the shield gone but so was the information on the wards. If was like her mind had been wiped of the information. Hermione felt that the shield was an extra protection that the castle provided the Headmistress.
Hermione’s ‘thief’ of the spell met with minor success the first day. She was able to hear a word. She immediately retired to the library and began researching. Two days later, she found a reference that led her to an old tome of dead languages. She quickly learned the word was ancient Celtic. Harry immediately sent Hedwig with an order for the only three books on this language. He was soon reading and speaking a language that was thought to be dead. Their learning ability had reached a point where they only had to read a book once and would have instant knowledge of the information contained in the book. All four had become lightening fast readers too. Like everything else, Harry shared this information with the other three.
A surprise note to this was the way Ron became infatuated with languages. By the end of summer, Ron would read and shared with the other three, Old Latin, Modern Greek, Old Greek, German, and Hebrew. When asked, he stated that some of the earliest Quidditch matches could only be read if you knew one of these languages.
With the help of the knowledge of their ‘new’ language, Hermione was able to verify the rest of the two spells within days.
Yesterday, they tried to execute the last part of the plan. Ron and Harry were to distract Professor McGonagall at the precise moment she was dropping the ward so one of the witches could substitute and do it herself. They were forced to abandon the attempt when Bill unknowingly walked between Harry and Ron just as they were setting up their ‘distraction’ causing the timing to be buggered.
Tonight’s performance had been done flawlessly.
All this information flashed through Harry’s mind before he began speaking, “Okay, the first reason, just to see if we could do it, is true, mostly. One of the reasons is that night, if I could have dropped the wards, I could have taken Him straight to the Hospital wing and maybe he would still be alive.” Harry paused a second to wipe away a tear. “Another reason is I couldn’t catch up with Snape and Draco with everything else going on. I could have Apparated to the gate and prevented those two from escaping.”
Harry’s face took on a stern look, “But the main reason is I want us to be ready for when and if Hogwarts is attacked again. I want us to be able to move about the castle quickly. Being able to drop and raise the wards will give us a huge advantage over the Death Munchers and Ol’ Red Eyes.”
Harry stood up and extended his arm to Ginny. They then went up to their shared room. Ron watched them until the curve of the stairways blocked them from view. Turning to Hermione, “I think he has definitely decided to return to school next year.”
Minerva was sitting at her desk, thinking. The development the four had made over the past four weeks astonished her to no end. She wished the school governors would have allowed her to offer the four to take their N.E.W.T.’s next week. She had no doubts that all four would pass. She was distressed knowing that they would not return next year. She knew it all depended on Harry, as the other three would follow his example. She also knew that no student has ever returned to Hogwarts to finish their education once he or she left.
Albus returned to his portrait after visiting with his brother. “Why the sad face, Minerva?”
“You know why,” she shrieked. “After tomorrow, those four will not be students here any more. They should be returning this fall, not hunting down Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Especially Miss We…Ginny, she has two years left.”
“Minerva, you know that the training they have received has Miss Weasley at the same level as the rest. The only thing they have over her is experience, and I think that will not be a problem too much longer.”
Minerva slowly nodded, “I know, Albus, I just want them to return.”
“Minerva, this job will have many ups and downs, you have to accept that you can’t do it all. Besides, tomorrow’s test should prove to be very interesting. Is everything ready?”
“Yes. Bill informed me earlier that everyone has arrived and are in guest quarters.” Minerva snickered.
“What are you hiding, Minerva?”
“Oh, nothing really, Remus and Tonks requested adjoining rooms,” said Minerva as she continued to snicker.
“Minerva, your fierce exterior is starting to crumble! If you don’t get it under control, even the first years will be able to see right through it.”
“Leave off, Albus. I have been hard pressed to find anything to laugh about the last month!” It was Albus’ turn to slowly nod. Minerva took a couple of deep breaths.
“Just so you know, they finally succeeded in dropping and raising the anti-Apparation wards tonight.”
“Oh! Good for them. Minerva, I can see that twinkle in your eyes again.”
“Let’s just say, I forgot to tell Bill that little bit of information.”
“Minerva, what has got into you lately? You seem to be almost…well…enjoying yourself.”
That Friday morning found the castle-grounds were quiet and peaceful. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the Whomping Willow, the Giant Squid was in the shallows, and Hedwig and Pig were making their way back to the common room after a night of hunting. Both couples were headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron and Hermione were in front holding hands and Harry had his arm around Ginny.
“Ron! Hermione! STOP!” Harry commanded as he halted Ginny and himself.
“What?” Hermione asked.
“Look ahead in the Great Hall,” Harry directed.
Ron smiled, “Oh! What do we have here?”
“Well, Ron, it looks like we get to try out one of your plays. It’s a good thing we did all that practicing. Which one do you think?” Harry asked with excitement in his voice.
“Let’s try the ‘Phoenix’ with a slight modification. Let’s play dumb. Everyone go to the table as usual and wait for them to make the first move.”
“Right. Are you ready, Hermione?” Harry asked.
Hermione, knowing she was not very good at this and that she was the weakest member, said, “Yes.”
Harry then asked, “Ginny?”
“Yes, this is going to be fun. I can’t wait to get hold of that brother of mine!” she said quivering in anticipation.
“I’m ready, Harry,” Ron said simply.
“Then let’s go have some ‘breakfast’!” Harry said with a glow in his mind.
The four walked into the Great Hall. Harry noticed the table only had four seats, which was odd as there were many more than four wizards and witches in the Hall. ”But they aren’t really here to eat, are they?”
Bill watched the four enter, sit at the table and start eating. When Ron reached for his second helping, Bill decided it was time.
“Alright guys, Bill is about to release the Snitch! Everyone got a target?” Harry announced.
Ginny spoke, “Leave Bill to me.”
Harry grinned, “Be easy on him, Honey!!”
Bill gave the signal and sixteen members of the Order emerged from their various hiding places. Bill was wondering why the other four Order members were not moving.
“Nice start; let’s get the rest of them,” said Harry chuckling.
Ron replied, “Got one,” as his stunning spell hit Mr. Diggle squarely in the chest.
Ginny chimed in, “Me too.”
Hermione told them that she had summoned their wands.
Bill looked around, why was there six Order members not moving, then seven, eight, ten. “What is going on?” he thought. The four teenagers were still sitting at the table, but with their wands out. Bill suddenly saw a wand fly to the table from one of the fallen Order members. They haven’t moved from the table, yet they had taken out eleven members.
Ron told Harry, “I think it is time.”
“Okay, Ginny do it.”
Ginny waved her wand and said, “Done.” Harry was certain that Bill and the rest would be taken totally by surprise when the four teen Apparated.
Bill was watching the four when they Disapparated. He saw Ron Apparated right next to an Order member who crumpled to the floor.
Hermione was laughing. Ron concerned, asked, “Honey, why are you laughing?” Ron moved behind another Order member and sent her to the ground, stunned.
“Ron, I’m having so much fun. You know I’m not very good at this and here I am stunning Order members without being scared. Ron, move one step to your left now,” as she sent a spell at Remus right through the space Ron had been standing. Remus had a shocked look as he went to the floor.
Bill looked around and realized only three people were still standing who wasn’t a teenager. Now two! The last thing he remembered was that Ginny Apparated right in front of him and smiled.
The four teenagers went back to the table and sat down. Nineteen wands were in a neat little pile. “Hermione, why is there a wand in the pumpkin juice?” said Ron seriously, which caused everyone to laugh.
Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey walked into the Great Hall just as the teens burst out laughing. Madam Pomfrey started going around and reviving the stunned Order members. Professor McGonagall looked at them sternly, “How do you explain four teenagers defeating twenty Order members?”
“Tell her you saw someone move,” Harry directed to Ginny.
“Professor, when we came into the Great Hall, someone moved behind the head table, so the surprise wasn’t total,” said Ginny seriously.
Bill, who had just been woken up by Madam Pomfrey, knew she was hiding something. Bill knew no Order members were hiding behind the head table before this all started.
“Professor Lupin, we thought you were ‘unavailable’?” said Hermione trying to change the subject.
Remus and Tonks, holding hands, came up to the table to retrieve their wands and said to the group, “I will be tonight. I’m glad I was able to make it to this ‘class’. It was educational. Good work, I’m proud of you four.” Other members of the Order came by to reclaim their wands and say their ‘hello’s’ and ‘good work’.
Later, Bill and Minerva were seated in her office. Bill said with a stern expression on his face, “Albus, that was all they would tell us. That they thought it would be a good idea to practice being ambushed by Death Eaters. Frustrated, I finally sent them upstairs to pack.”
Albus began slowly, “I think that they have achieved a higher level than I even thought possible. To not even trust someone who is simultaneously their brother, foster-brother, and future brother-in-law is most revealing. I believe that they have passed the point of wanting our help. I think now the Order will be asking for their help.”
A/N Chapter 6 Horcruxes