Harry Potter and the Serpent's Eye by Marauder9744
Chapter Notes: Sorry for the wait “ my beta was running a little behind. She’s still the best though “ you’re great, LucyLupin! Thank you all, once again, for reading and reviewing, and I promise you won’t have to wait so long for the next update. Chapter 7 was just sent to my beta. Thanks again, to all. I’m glad that everyone is enjoying!
Chapter 6 “ The Burrow is attacked; Harry learns that there are two unexpected visitors at Grimmauld Place; the trio finally tells Mrs. Weasley their plans.
“Severus,” called a high-pitched voice.
Severus Snape swiftly entered a cold, dark room, his black cloak billowing behind him. In the centre of the room was Lord Voldemort, sitting in a high-backed armchair, his large pet snake coiled on a hearthrug next to the chair.
“Yes, my Lord?” replied Snape, his face expressionless.
“How far along are you in the preparation of the Draught of Life?”
“It is… not going as well as expected, Master. It may take more time than I had originally planned,” Snape answered coldly.
“I don’t like being disappointed, you know this, Severus,” said Voldemort.
“Yes, of course, my Lord. I shall double my efforts.”
He showed no sign of fear.
“Good. It has also come to my attention that Potter is currently at the Weasley residence. Bella is planning to lead a raid on the Burrow as soon as possible, inform her that she is to bring the boy back alive. I still may have some use for him.”
“What of the others, my Lord?” Snape asked lazily.
“Tell her to kill anyone who gets in the way. Perhaps if we dispose of those close to Potter, we will force him into the open “ he may come looking for me.”
Snape’s lip curled.
“Yes, my Lord. Is that all?”
“No, make sure that “ wait a moment. Severus! The boy is here!”
Harry immediately awoke to the sound of Ron’s loud snores as his scar burned white-hot. He instinctively grabbed his forehead with his hand, trying to quell the pain. Surprisingly enough, it soon subsided.
Harry’s eyes quickly shot open and he threw the covers off himself, trying to remember what he had just seen. Voldemort and Snape had been talking about the Draught of Life and then about Harry himself. Voldemort knew where Harry was and Snape was going to lead a raid on the Burrow.
Harry leapt out of his bed and hurried over to where Ron lay sleeping.
“Ron, wake up!” Harry yelled as he pulled the covers off of his best friend. “Ron!”
“’Ermione?” Ron asked groggily, his eyes still shut.
“RON!” yelled Harry louder still, shaking his friend awake.
“What… what is it, Harry? Are you all right?” he asked, sitting up straighter and rubbing his eyes.
“No, I’ve just had a vision. I mean… I’ve seen what Voldemort is planning. We have to get everyone out of as fast as we can.”
“Harry, what are you talking about?” asked Ron, evidently still tired. Harry lost his patience and pulled his best friend out of his bed.
“Ron, we’re in danger “ everyone is. Go and wake up Hermione and Ginny while I go and tell your parents.”
Harry rushed out of the room, followed closely by Ron. Harry reached Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s room and banged on the door loudly three times. He heard shuffling footsteps behind the door and Mr. Weasley opened it.
“Harry… what’s the matter?”
“Mr. Weasley, I’m sorry to wake you but I’ve had a dream. Voldemort and Snape are planning a raid on the Burrow. We have to get everyone out of here as quickly as we can.”
Mr. Weasley’s eyes grew wide and his face turned a pale white.
“Harry, listen carefully, here is what I need you to do. There are two Aurors stationed in the garden right now. I need you to tell Ron to go and warn them while you move all of your trunks into the kitchen. Don’t leave anything important! There has been an emergency Floo connection set up between the Burrow and Grimmauld Place… we’ll use that to escape. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Mr. Weasley,” replied Harry and he rushed to find Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
He told Ron what Mr. Weasley had told him and then told Hermione and Ginny to grab their trunks as quickly as they could and to meet him at the top of the stairs in three minutes. He turned on his heels and dashed into his room to do the same.
“Harry, be careful!” he heard Ginny shout before he reached his bedroom door, but he had no time to respond.
It had sounded, in the dream anyway, like the raid would take place almost immediately. He could not let anyone get hurt. If anyone, especially a Weasley, died because of him, Harry didn’t think he’d be able to forgive himself.
Harry had his trunk packed within seconds, and soon he was hauling it and Hedwig’s cage out of the bedroom and onto the landing. There was no sign of either Ginny or Hermione. Harry was on the verge of running down the hall and banging on their door until he saw a flash of red light illuminate the Weasley living room, forcing the front window in with an almighty crash. Harry quickly covered his face and threw both his trunk and Hedwig’s cage roughly down the stairs.
He himself tore down the stairs, taking four at a time until he had reached the bottom landing. He grabbed his trunk and forced it into the kitchen where he met a stern looking wizard standing in front of fireplace, his wand drawn. The wizard, whom Harry recognized at once to be an Auror, had a bag of Floo Powder in his hand.
“Where’s Ron?” asked Harry to the Auror, who had grabbed the trunk and the cage and was forcing it through the green flames which had erupted in the fireplace.
“Out back with Dawlish,” the Auror yelled, trying to force Harry into the fireplace as well.
Harry heard the sound of shattering glass coming from somewhere near the back of the house.
“No!” Harry yelled, fighting off the Auror and drawing his wand. “There are more people upstairs. Make sure they get through safely.”
The Auror released Harry and nodded as Harry sprinted towards the back door. He reached the door within seconds, threw it open and immediately ducked as a jet of green light flew over Harry’s head and struck the wall behind him.
Harry looked up and saw Ron, who was engaged in a vicious duel with a tall Death Eater, and Dawlish, who was battling three at once. Harry saw Ron Stun the Death Eater he was fighting, as four more rushed into the garden, led by Bellatrix Lestrange.
“It’s Potter!” she shrieked. “Don’t kill him! The Dark Lord wants him alive! Stupefy!”
A jet of red light raced towards Harry, who barely was able to dodge it.
“RON, RUN! Get back into the house and help Hermione and Ginny!” Harry yelled, sending a Stunner at the closest Death Eater.
Ron adamantly shook his head.
“You first!” he yelled back and fired a Stinging Hex at another Death Eater, hitting the Death Eater squarely in the eyes.
“Don’t let him get away! Kill the others if you must!” cried Bellatrix, aiming her wand this time at Ron, who was not ready.
“Avada Kedavra!” she shrieked, sending the Unforgivable Curse at Ron.
Harry didn’t have time to react but Dawlish did. He dove in front of Ron and was struck squarely in the chest by the Killing Curse.
“RON, COME ON, GET BACK INSIDE!” yelled Harry, rushing over to his friend and pulling him back towards the house.
Harry and Ron raced back to the back door, dodging stunners all the way. They reached the door and dove inside as another Killing Curse connected with the side of the house, above their heads. They reached the fireplace and saw that the Auror who had been there before was no longer there. Harry rushed into the living room, leaving Ron to guard the fireplace, only to see Mr. Weasley battling with two Death Eaters on the staircase.
“Harry!” Mr. Weasley cried over his shoulder. “Get to the fireplace. Everyone is safe. GO!”
“Not yet!”
Harry fired two stunners in quick succession at the Death Eaters battling Mr. Weasley and they dropped to the ground. Mr. Weasley rushed down to Harry and pulled him into the kitchen where he tried to usher Harry and Ron into the green flames
“Go “ now!” he cried, trying to push them through.
“No… you first!” Harry replied earnestly.
He was going to make sure that no one else died.
Suddenly, the back door was forced in by a flash of red. Bellatrix rushed in, followed closely by at least half a dozen Death Eaters. The moment she caught sight of them she aimed her wand squarely at Harry’s chest.
“Stupefy!” she yelled, sending a stunner through the kitchen.
Harry dodged it and prepared to fire a spell back at her, but Mr. Weasley firmly pushed Ron and then Harry into the flames. Harry landed a second later in the middle of the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, next to Ron. He looked up to see ten wands aimed directly at him.
“Hold it!” growled Mad-Eye Moody, lowering his wand with a crooked smile. “They made it.”
“Harry!” cried Ginny, rushing over to him and helping him to his feet.
“It’s all right… I’m all right,” he said, holding on to her while trying to catch his breath.
A second later Mr. Weasley came hurtling through the flames. He raised himself up off the floor and looked quickly at Lupin.
“Close it! Close the connection, Remus!”
Lupin tapped his wand on the fireplace mantle and the lights in the kitchen flickered.
Harry and Ron remained on the floor for a moment, trying still to catch their collective breaths. Ginny was kneeling next to Harry, her hand gently rubbing his shoulder. Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, Mad-Eye and McGonagall were surrounding Harry, Ron and Mr. Weasley with worried looks on their faces. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione were kneeling next to Ron, both of them tending to a nasty gash on his forearm.
“It looks pretty bad, doesn’t it?” asked Ron gravely, staring at his own arm and then at Hermione.
She gave him a very Hermione-ish stare and raised her eyebrows.
“I think you’ll be fine,” replied Hermione, dabbing Ron’s cut with a damp washcloth. Ron looked slightly disappointed.
Harry turned to Ginny who had not let go of him since he came through the flames; he smiled at her.
Mrs. Weasley soon finished with Ron and moved over to where Harry sat.
“Harry…” she began and then dissolved into sobs on his shoulder, “you “ you “ you saved my family… again. Oh, Harry.”
Harry patted her on the shoulder consolingly, all the while smiling at Ginny who was smiling at him as if to say ‘sorry’.
“Come, Molly, let’s get you cleaned up,” said Mr. Weasley, lifting her off the ground and steering her towards the kitchen table. Harry and Ron got up off the floor as well and took seats at the table along with Hermione and Ginny.
“Do we know how they got past the wards, Remus?” asked Mr. Weasley, pouring numerous cups of tea.
“No,” replied Lupin shortly, handing Hermione a bandage for Ron’s arm. “Someone who knew that Harry was at the Burrow must have divulged that to Voldemort. Who “ we don’t know.”
“We may never know,” Mr. Weasley responded, before turning towards Harry.
“Do you remember what you saw, Harry?”
Harry nodded in response, a grim look on his face, and he recounted what he had seen to everyone at the table.
“Snape said he was having trouble with the potion?” asked McGonagall.
“Yes,” clarified Harry. “He said it would take him longer than expected to make the potion.”
“That is saying quite a lot,” Lupin said, frowning slightly. “Of all the potion-makers able to brew the Draught of Life, Severus would be the best.”
Everyone let this sit for a moment. Mr. Weasley opened his mouth to say something but he was cut off by his wife.
“Come on now, you lot. It’s the middle of the night and you need your sleep,” she said, standing up from the table. “Remus, are their bedrooms prepared?”
He nodded ‘yes’ to Mrs. Weasley and she quickly ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny up the stairs.
“Thanks, Hermione,” said Ron half way up the stairs, motioning towards the bandage on his forearm.
“Don’t mention it “ I’m just glad everyone’s all right,” she replied with a sigh, and bid Harry and Ron goodnight at the top of the stairs.
Ginny grabbed Harry around the waist and kissed him deeply.
“That’s for scaring me,” she said, looking into his eyes and smiling.
“Maybe I’ll scare you more often then,” he teased, smiling back at her. She kissed him again.
“A simple handshake will be just fine for me, Ginny,” joked Ron, trying to avert his eyes from Harry and Ginny.
Ginny quickly punched him in the arm before kissing Harry goodnight. Harry watched her walk to her and Hermione’s room before he and Ron walked the other way back into their room.
Once Harry had settled into bed he asked Ron something that he had been meaning to ask him earlier. The night’s events, however, prevented him from thinking of it.
“What happened between you and Hermione?”
“What do you mean?” asked Ron, settling into his bed before turning off the light.
“At the wedding… you know what I mean,” replied Harry, slightly annoyed.
“Oh… well, we had a good time. And umm… she’s never snogged Krum, I meant to tell Ginny. It was fun “ we had fun. Goodnight, mate.”
Harry smiled to himself as he rolled over. Well, he thought to himself, it’s a start.
“Goodnight.”
* * *
Harry awoke the following morning, a slight twinge of pain on his scar and a thick mane of red hair in his face.
“Good morning, you,” said Ginny brightly, leaning over and kissing him.
Ginny pulled up from the kiss, and snuggled up next to him, resting her head gently on his shoulder.
“Oi!” called Ron sleepily from his bed, having just woken up.
“What?” retorted Ginny angrily, snuggling even closer to Harry. Ron looked over at them, merely grunted and got up out of his bed.
“I like that you two are back together again and all, but honestly, can’t you wait till I’m at least out of the room before… well, you know,” he added walking towards the bedroom door.
“Why don’t you go and find Hermione and do the same?” replied Ginny irritably.
Ron turned round on a sixpence, his mouth gaping.
“That’s… you… I… we…” but he seemed to be at a loss for words. He turned back around and walked quickly out of the room.
“Trouble-maker,” teased Harry as he leaned in to kiss Ginny again. “Did Hermione say anything about Ron last night?”
Ginny looked at him for a second before answering.
“Yes “ but I’m not telling you what she said.”
“Why not?” Harry asked, letting out a bark of laughter.
“Because I told her that I wouldn’t,” Ginny answered, enjoying herself immensely.
Harry raised himself up a little so that he could look her square in the eye.
“She said that she had fun “ but that’s all I’m telling you,” Ginny said, forcing Harry back down so that she could lie down next to him again.
The two of them lay contently in Harry’s bed for a long time, but Ginny had to quickly get out of the bed and into a nearby chair when she heard her mother’s footsteps coming up the stairs. Mrs. Weasley marched into the room and looked suspiciously between Harry and Ginny for a moment but said nothing except:
“Breakfast, dears.”
Harry and Ginny followed Mrs. Weasley down the stairs and into the kitchen. At the kitchen table sat Ron, Hermione, the twins and Hagrid (who looked rather strange as he was twice the size of the table).
“How are yeh feelin’?” asked Hagrid, getting up and clapping Harry on the back, before clearing his plate at the sink. Harry winced slightly in pain as Hagrid’s large hand hit him on the shoulder. Harry said nothing. Hagrid frowned at Mrs. Weasley and then exited the kitchen without another word.
“Are you all right, Harry?” asked Hermione, looking up from the Daily Prophet, a concerned look in her eye.
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” he said quickly, taking Hagrid’s empty chair and noticing Hermione give Ginny a small, worried glance.
“Oh, leave the man alone, you two,” said George bracingly, standing up from the table.
“I mean, who knows how long he’ll still be among the living. You might as well be as nice to him as you can,” Fred added, smiling at Harry and following his brother out of the kitchen quickly.
“Fred, George!” cried Mrs. Weasley heatedly after them.
“We’re kidding, mate,” George yelled from the living room, apparently intent on staying as far away from his mother as possible.
“Harry, dear, don’t listen to them,” Mrs. Weasley said, throwing the twins an angry glance.
“They’re only kidding, Mrs. Weasley, I don’t mind,” Harry replied, a smile on his face.
“Either way, I bet you’ll be glad to get back to Hogwarts and away from these two,” she said, turning back towards the sink.
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked between each other worriedly. They had to tell her soon. Ginny poked Harry in the ribs.
“I wanna go with you,” she whispered to him once he turned around towards her.
“No!” he whispered back at once. “I’m not going to put you in that kind of danger. I don’t know what I would do with myself if something ever happened to you.”
Ginny looked away, scowling, but Ron caught her attention.
“Harry’s right,” he whispered, looking towards Hermione for support.
“Harry is right,” Hermione began, as Mrs. Weasley had now left the kitchen to go into the washroom. “If anything…” but whatever Hermione was going to say was drowned out by the clatter of Ron’s dishes as he stood up quickly, his wand drawn.
“Malfoy?” he exclaimed with a horrified look on his face. Harry turned around to see Draco Malfoy slither into the room.
“Ah ha, my four favourite people; let’s see… Weasel, Potty, Weaselette and Mudblood,” he drawled, indicating the four of them as insulted them in turn.
“You…” Ron began, raising his wand to perform a curse.
Luckily, for Malfoy anyway, his arm was grabbed by Mr. Weasley, who strode into the room followed closely by his wife.
“Ron… no!” Mr. Weasley said, moving Ron’s arm down to his side as Hermione grabbed Ron by the front of the robes.
“Sit down!” she whispered angrily, under her breath.
“Why are you here?” said Harry, glaring at Malfoy, his hand gripping his own wand inside his robes.
“It’s a necessity, Potter. Surely you’re not that thick. Leave it to you to be unable to understand why my mother and I must live in this hell hole.”
“This is my house and I want to know why you’re here,” Harry said angrily, this time turning to look at Mr. Weasley.
Mr. Weasley looked slightly defeated.
“He’s here on Dumbledore’s orders, Harry,” said Mr. Weasley, “Dumbledore’s last orders. The night Dumbledore was… the night he died, he gave Professor McGonagall specific instructions that Draco and his mother were to be protected at all costs.”
“But it’s his fault,” said Harry angrily, pointing at a smug Malfoy. “It’s his fault that Dumbledore’s not here to see those orders carried out.”
Harry looked over at Ron and Ginny who both wore identical looks of complete rage.
“Harry, he and his mother have been vital in helping us to understand Voldemort’s plans. Voldemort has no use for them anymore. If we let them go, Voldemort would surely kill them both, as punishment for Lucius’ failures,” Mr. Weasley explained, placing a calming hand on Harry’s shoulder.
Harry did not like the idea of Malfoy living in his, Harry’s, house nor did he like the fact that he wasn’t warned about this; however, he simply nodded at Mr. Weasley, quickly cleared his plate and rushed out of the room.
* * *
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny managed to stay out of the Malfoy’s way for most of the next few days, much to Harry’s delight. On the Friday before Harry’s seventeenth birthday, he, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting in the library together. Hermione was poring over a very old and very large book that she said may have something in it about the Serpent’s Eye. Ron lay on the couch, drifting in and out of sleep while Harry and Ginny sat quietly in the corner of the room, each it seemed, lost in their own thoughts.
“I want to go with you,” Ginny said, not looking at Harry.
Harry turned towards her and looked up at her face. Her red hair was dancing beautifully in the light created by the burning candles. Harry looked at her and couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He stared at her for a moment before speaking.
“Ginny… you can’t come with me.”
“Why not?” she said angrily.
“Shhh,” scolded Hermione irritably, from across the room.
“Why not?” Ginny said again, a little quieter this time. “You’re letting Ron and Hermione go with you.”
This was true, Harry thought. But no, he said to himself, shaking his head.
“Ginny, first of all, your mother would never let you leave Hogwarts and go off on a dangerous adventure with me. There’s nothing she can really do about Ron or Hermione; they’re both of age; but you’re not seventeen yet.”
Ginny said nothing to this. She turned her gaze away from Harry for a moment and then she looked back at him, tears shining in her eyes.
“I… I… I just don’t want anything to happen to you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I know,” Harry said soothingly, rubbing her back as Hermione looked on anxiously. “I know.”
Ginny sat up straighter and wiped her tears.
“Sorry, I’m being stupid,” she said sniffling, “you must think I’m an idiot.”
Harry looked her in the eyes and grinned.
“The only idiot in your family is over there, snoring on the couch.”
Ginny let out a small laugh.
“Oi, I heard that!” Ron replied angrily, opening his eyes and looking over at Harry and Ginny.
Harry smiled at his best friend and then grabbed Ginny and kissed her soundly. When they came up for air, she let out a small laugh.
“My thoughts exactly,” she said and wrapped her arms around his neck again.
Hermione came over to where they were sitting and rubbed Ginny on the back.
“When are we going to tell Mrs. Weasley, Harry?” she asked looking a little worried.
Harry looked between Hermione, Ginny and then at Ron before answering,
“Tonight.”
* * *
Harry, Ron and Hermione lingered a bit, helping Mrs. Weasley cleanup, after dinner that night.
“Thank you, Hermione,” Mrs. Weasley said, taking the glasses that Hermione handed her.
Hermione turned on the spot and gave Harry a look as if to say ‘now’.
“Umm… Mrs. Weasley,” Harry began, unsure of what exactly he was going to say.
“Yes, Harry, dear?” she replied, turning around and smiling at the young man.
Harry took a moment to collect his thoughts before he said anything. He might as well just come out and say it.
“I’m not going back to Hogwarts.”
Mrs. Weasley looked startled as she gazed quizzically at Harry.
“Come again?”
“I’m not either, Mum,” said Ron, moving to stand loyally at Harry’s side.
“Nor am I,” said Hermione, taking her place on the other side of Harry.
Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry and smiled. They were in this together “ until the end. Harry looked to his left and he saw Ginny’s head poking around the kitchen door and she gave him a small nod. He returned it and then turned his attention back towards Mrs. Weasley.
“What do you mean ‘you’re not going back to Hogwarts’?” Mrs. Weasley asked, her temper beginning to fume. “You’re all going back to Hogwarts.”
“Er… Mrs. Weasley, I don’t really know how to say this. Dumbledore gave me a job to do and I have to do it. I can’t return to Hogwarts,” Harry replied, doing his best to quell Mrs. Weasley’s anger.
Mrs. Weasley, however, was beginning to build up steam.
“Mum,” Ron interjected before she could say anything, “he has to do this. We have to do this. We’re not kids anymore.”
“You will be going back to Hogwarts, all of you!” she said with a tone of finality in her voice.
Harry looked at his friends, not knowing quite what to say.
“Molly,” said Mr. Weasley, entering the kitchen, followed closely by Lupin. “Harry’s right, he has to do his job.”
Mrs. Weasley looked at her husband as if he were insane. She looked at Lupin.
“Surely you think Harry should return to Hogwarts, don’t you, Remus,” she said in an attempt to sound more confident.
Lupin took a moment before answering.
“I know you fear for them, Molly “ we all do, but Harry needs to do what is required of him and we need to do what is required of us,” he said, offering her his handkerchief.
“They’re not children anymore, Molly. They have their own destiny that they have to follow and we have ours,” said Mr. Weasley.
It was clearly evident that Mrs. Weasley was not going to win this battle. Ginny then walked into the room, tears streaming down her face as she moved to stand next to Harry.
“Sometimes, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry began, inching closer to her, “we have to do things that other people may not like, not for ourselves but for others. I’m doing this for you, Mrs. Weasley. I’m doing this for you, for Ginny, for Dumbledore, for Sirius, for Cedric and for everyone else that Voldemort has ever harmed, so that maybe he won’t have a chance to damage anymore families or ruin anymore lives.”
No one spoke for a few moments as they digested what Harry had said. Finally, Mrs. Weasley grabbed Harry around the neck and hugged him in a way he could only imagine that his own mother would have hugged him had she been alive.