Chapter 4
“It’s here!” Ron’s voice screamed up the stairs. Harry’s hand froze on Ginny’s arse, his lips pausing at her collarbone. He had been fairly certain Ron wasn’t awake yet. He glanced at the clock by Ginny’s bed and saw it was only just after 8. It was far too early for Ron to be awake, which was why these early morning snogging sessions with Ginny were so well-timed.
Ginny groaned with disapproval as Harry pulled away from her with a frown. “You know that if Ron’s up your mum will be getting us all up soon enough.”
“I know that I haven’t spent any time with you in days,” she said, lying back, annoyed, against the pillow.
“We spend all our time together!” Harry protested.
“With Ron,” Ginny grumbled. Harry gave her a quelling look and she let out a sigh.
“He’s my best friend, Gin.”
“And he’s my arsehole brother.” She pulled herself up quickly and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Don’t you miss when we used to nap in an afternoon? When was the last time we had a nap together?” Harry opened his mouth.
“IT’S HERE!” Ron’s voice came again. Ginny let out a groan.
“What is bloody here?” Ginny snapped, scowling. She stood up, slipping on her flipflops, and stomped out of the room. Harry groaned, throwing himself back on her bed and closing his eyes briefly.
Harry pulled himself upwards and walked downstairs to find Ginny and Ron pouring over the Daily Prophet at the kitchen table, Molly looking on with interest behind them. “That’s a nice one of you, Ginny,” Molly admitted begrudgingly.
“I agree,” Ginny said, looking up at Harry with a sparkly grin.
Harry groaned. “Are these the pictures of us at the auror office?”
And they were. There, arrayed across the front page, were full-sized pictures of Harry and Ginny, alongside Robards and various other aurors, under the headline, “The Chosen Couple Choose to Fight”.
“Lazy headline,” Harry commented. Ginny shrugged.
“I’ve seen worse.”
“Chosen Couple,” Ron scoffed. Ginny waggled her eyebrows at Ron, who scowled. Molly laughed at the two of them and left the room, a basket of laundry on her hip.
“The prophecy chose Harry, Harry chose me,” Ginny said quietly with a grin. Ron said something back to her that Harry ignored. He remembered arriving at the Burrow the year previous and seeing her and messing with her, throwing lemonade over her. Had he really chosen her? She was just there, inside his head.
“I do not want to know what you are thinking,” Ron’s disgusted voice interrupted him. Harry blinked and smiled at Ginny.
“Just about choosing Gin,” he said and she stood up, her cheeks pinking. Harry grinned and put his hand out for her. She came around to him and leaned against his chest. He pressed a kiss to her head. “I don’t think I did have any choice.”
Ginny squawked and pulled away, while Ron chortled away by the kettle that he was filling. Harry laughed, tugging Ginny back. “I didn’t force you into anything, Potter,” she grumbled.
Harry shook his head. “Not what I meant. I wouldn’t have chosen someone else for anything in the world.”
“That’s more like it,” she said, grinning up at him, her unbrushed morning hair a messy wave down her back. He pushed a strand away from her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you,” he murmured back. Harry looked away when he saw that Ron was watching them blankly.
XXX
Harry groaned as he lay back against the sofa, feeling utterly exhausted. His head lolled from side to side against the cushion. “I don’t understand what’s so hard about it,” Ron commented. “It’s all in your head.”
Glaring at his friend, Harry accepted Ginny’s hand to pull her down onto his lap, her feet burying themselves behind his back. “It is exhausting,” Ginny agreed, leaning in to rest her forehead on Harry’s chest. “You’re either trying to keep someone out of your head or try getting into another one.”
“To be fair, I imagine either of your brains are exhausting to be inside.”
Ginny let out a peal of laughter and leaned back the other way, so that she was stretched out along his legs, her hair spilling onto the red-patterned carpet beneath her. Her stomach peeked out from between her jeans and t-shirt. “It’s easy to be in Harry’s mind. I’m the only thing that occupies it.”
Harry snorted. Much as he loved her, that was bloody untrue. Still, he loved that she hid that from the others. “Ginny’s mind is pure quidditch, I assure you.” Ginny shuffled closer to him and he pulled her up. “Will you pick a position, witch?” he demanded.
“I’ve heard that before,” she replied wickedly and Harry’s face flamed red. Ron groaned out his disapproval.
“What’s going on in here?” a bright voice said from the door. Harry looked up and smiled as he took in Hermione, her bushy hair surrounding her face.
“Hey, Hermione,” Ginny called. “Join us on the floor.” Hermione came in and took a seat beside Harry and Ginny. Harry felt the tension coming off her and realised her brightness was a façade. He wondered when the last time Ron spoke to her was.
“I’m going upstairs,” Ron said tightly. The door slammed. Harry blinked.
“Nope,” Ginny said, shuffling to turn around on Harry’s lap. He winced as she clumsily manoeuvred herself. “Stop this now, Ron. Hermione explained herself. She made a mistake. She didn’t hold it against you when you abandoned Harry during the Triwizard Tournament.”
“Not the same bleeding thing at all,” Ron muttered. Ginny shot him a glare that would’ve made Harry weep. Ron flushed and looked away. Harry pulled Ginny back to his chest and pressed a kiss to her chin.
“How’s things, Hermione?” Harry asked, letting Ron stew. Hermione shot him a grateful smile.
“Well. It’s been nice to spend time with mum and dad and I’ve read a lot.” She shrugged. “It would be nice to be here, too, though. I’m going to speak to Mum and Dad about staying here.”
The four of them chatted for a while, Ron eventually somewhat warming to Hermione’s presence. “Do you have a plan for the meeting, Harry?” Hermione asked curiously. Harry was surprised it had taken this long for her to ask.
“Yes, Hermione,” he said with a pleasant smile. She huffed and he shrugged, wishing his stomach didn’t squirm as he did. “You’ll have to wait and see like the rest of the plebs.”
“I bet Ginny knows,” Ron said in a faux-hushed tone. Harry nearly smiled to see them start to interact properly.
“That’s because Ginny’s not a pleb.”
“Remember when he used to tell us everything, Hermione,” Ron said, leaning back on the armchair behind him with a dramatic sigh. “Back before he decided to pick up a hellion.” Harry snorted and Ginny smacked his arm.
“Oi!”
“You are a bit of a hellion to be fair, Gin.” Ginny opened up her mouth to respond but was interrupted by the slamming of the door and sudden rush of voices. She scowled at Harry and jumped up instead. “Bill!” she cried.
Harry felt a rush of anxiety in his stomach. The Order was arriving.
XXX
“Right, moving on then,” Harry said, glancing around the room. His fingers tapped on the table. Ginny wished she was next to him so that she could grab his hand. “Due to the attack on the Burrow, the Weasley family are having to live here for the foreseeable.” Ginny noticed Harry didn’t mention himself. “As this is also our headquarters, I thought that it would be good to have a second safe house.”
“With the same protections?” Bill questioned.
Harry nodded. “This – well, this place is not exactly the most homely place and God knows how long we might be here. I’d hate to think of other people in the future losing their homes, fleeing Voldemort and having to stay in this bloody place.” Ginny looked down the table and saw others agreeing, as well as some general disinterest. “We’ll use Sirius’ money to do it. He’d want that. I just thought I’d put it out to a vote,” Harry said with a shrug.
It was a simple vote that fell in Harry’s favour. Ginny smiled at him proudly. “The second thing is looking at ways to protect other people, people outside of the Order. We need a way for people to call for us in time of need.”
There were many voices of agreement. “How do we choose who?” Kingsley demanded. “We can’t protect everyone.”
“Which brings me onto another point, recruitment. I am going to invite those we spoke about at the previous meeting to our next meeting, at which point we will be in a stronger place to be able to protect the wizarding community.” Harry swallowed. Ginny saw his throat wobble. “Err, Hermione, will you work with the twins on a way of contact?”
Hermione practically sparkled. “Of course,” she said promptly. “Are you thinking another protean coin?”
“Erm, yeah, sure,” Harry agreed. The twins looked prouder than Ginny had ever remembered seeing them. She tampered down her own smile and met Harry’s eye. He seemed to become less tense and the meeting ended quickly afterwards.
As people started to filter out, Ginny approached Harry and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Well done, Harry,” she said softly. He wrinkled his nose at her.
“I’ve just got to speak to Remus and Bill, babe,” he said. “I’ll see you in a bit?” Ginny nodded, recognising the dismissal as what it was. She headed out, with Charlie who was only laughing at the ear jokes George was making to Fred and Tonks.
XXX
“What’s this about, Harry?” Remus said as Harry dragged him and Bill into a small lounge. Bill leaned against the doorframe.
“A few things,” Harry said, cringing. “Firstly, I need you to do me a favour.”
Bill crossed his arms. “You better not have got my sister up the duff, Potter.”
Harry felt his skin lose all colour. “Ignore him, Harry,” Remus said with a tinge of amusement.
“Of course I bloody haven’t,” Harry said hotly. Bill pursed his lips at him. “I – I need you to take the Dursleys one of whatever Hermione and the twins come up with.”
Bill scoffed. Remus met his eyes. “We do already have a guard there,” he commented.
“Waste of bloody manpower,” Bill grumbled. Harry put his hands behind his back and squeezed his fingers together. He swallowed and blinked away old memories.
“Fleur or Tonks could do it. There’s no one else I can ask without inviting questions as to why I’ll not take it myself.” Harry shook his head. “It’s bad enough fending off questions about why I’m not staying there this summer.”
“Have you told Ginny yet?” Remus asked. Harry shook his head and Remus frowned.
“It took you a long time to get your head out of your arse about Tonks, so you’re hardly a paragon of relationship advice!” Harry protested. Bill snorted, turning to Remus.
“How was the honeymoon?”
Remus smiled and he looked ten years younger. “It was very pleasant.”
“Villa in Italy,” Bill commented. “Sounds very nice that.”
Remus winked at Harry. “A too kind present from Harry.” Bill smiled at Harry. “Which is one of many reasons that I will do as you ask, Harry.” Harry swallowed and nodded his thanks. “As will Bill.” Bill nodded grudgingly.
“What was the secondly?”
Harry grinned. “Ron is keeping Mundungus in the building.”
XXX
“No, you can’t leave yet, because I – I need to ask you-” Ron was stuttering as they entered. Mundungus was tapping his foot impatiently, glaring at Ron. “I need to ask you something, something about Knockturn Alley!” he cried triumphantly but then shook his head. “No, that’s no good,” he muttered and Mundungus groaned his disapproval.
“No worries, Ron,” Harry said upon entrance, clapping Ron on the shoulder. “You can stop now.”
“Thank the bloody heavens,” Ron breathed. “Hermione had to leave.” Bill grinned weakly at him as the three of them closed the door behind them, Remus taking his place leaning against the doorframe and Bill collapsing in the nearest chair. Harry had to remind himself that Bill had been injured twice in the past week.
Mundungus was slowly backing away from them. “Now – now – boys,” he stuttered. Harry smiled.
“There doesn’t have to be an issue here, Dung,” Bill said pleasantly. “We’re just after some information.”
Mundungus scowled. “I’ve nothing to say,” he said, glancing around. “I need to be off, actually, boys, got a meeting to get to, you know how it is.”
“We do know how it is,” Remus said, smiling tersely, “which is why we’ve come to you.”
“There was a necklace,” Harry said simply, “with a large snake-embellished pendant.”
Mundungus blinked. “He’s asking you where it is,” Ron added helpfully.
“We know you took it,” Bill lied. Mundungus’ throat bobbed. Harry nearly smirked. They had him.
“I’ve got some lovely deals on necklaces, boys. I suppose you want one for that firecracker of yours, eh, Potter? Lovely deals, rubies, emeralds, all you could want-” Mundungus cut himself off, his eyes widening. Harry was only vaguely aware of the lightshade above sparking.
“Where is it?” he asked again.
Mundungus sighed.
XXX
“Umbridge!” Ron cried. “Fucking Umbridge!”
Bill, Ron, Remus and Harry were sitting on the chairs in the living room, feeling fairly hopeless. The door creaked open and Harry felt Ginny’s magic come close. She slipped onto the arm of his sofa. He slipped his arm around her waist and pressed his face briefly to her side.
“What’s happened?” she asked, her eyes darting around the room.
Harry sighed. “Mundungus had the locket,” he told her. Ginny’s eyes widened.
“Don’t get excited,” Bill warned, “he’s given it away, the fucking sod.”
Ginny groaned in disappointment. Harry barked out a bitter laugh. “Oh, it’s worse than that,” he said.
“He gave it to fucking Umbridge,” Ron said, his face in a snarl. Ginny’s eyes went wide, her lips parted. Harry nodded into her hip, feeling rather than seeing her rub her thumb across the back of his hand, where the words “I must not tell lies” were still scrawled.
“How- I mean – What are we going to do?” Ginny asked, glancing from Harry to Ron, who looked at her, bereft. Harry felt Ron’s pain. This was supposed to be the easy one.
Bill narrowed his eyes at her and then moved his eyes from Harry, to Ginny, to Ron. “What is this all about?” he demanded. Remus looked up with interest. Harry looked at Ron and Ron looked at his brother consideringly before shrugging. Harry sighed.
“I suppose you should know.” Pushing down guilt at betraying Dumbledore, Harry cast muffliato to keep out listening ears. “The locket is what’s known as a horcrux.”
Remus blinked. Bill’s jaw tensed. “There hasn’t been a case of horcruxes for a long time,” he said, sitting forward on the sofa. Remus looked at him curiously. Harry wondered, perhaps for the first time, what exactly it was that Bill did for Gringotts.
“You’ve come across them?” Harry commented. Bill nodded.
“Once, in a tomb.” He cringed. “I know how to destroy them.”
“I’m sorry,” Remus interrupted, “but can we back up a little?” Harry opened his mouth but Ron cut in, “You-Know-Who stored pieces of his soul inside objects that meant something to him so that he can live forever.” Harry gave Ron a grateful look.
“They can be destroyed, if we find them, and then Voldemort can be killed, but not until they are destroyed.”
Bill nodded. “How many are there?”
Harry bobbed his head from side to side. “Dumbledore thought six.”
“And which ones are we aware of?” Remus questioned.
Harry licked his lips to wet them. He glanced at Ginny but she was watching Bill. “Dumbledore destroyed Voldemort’s mother’s family ring. He thought that Voldemort had tried to get something from each founder, the locket being Slytherin’s. There was a cup which he thought belonged to Hufflepuff and he was hypothesising about something of Ravenclaw’s.” Harry paused.
“That’s four,” Bill pointed out. Harry nudged Ginny lightly and she shook her head at him. Bill looked between the two of them and then at Ron, who grimaced. “What is it?” Bill demanded.
Harry swallowed. “Do you remember Tom Riddle’s diary?” he said softly.
Bill closed his eyes. Remus frowned. “The one that opened the Chamber of Secrets?” he asked, glancing at Ginny. Harry nodded tersely, widening his eyes to make Remus shut up. Ginny scowled at him as she caught him and he smiled apologetically
“That was me,” she corrected shortly. Remus winced, meeting Harry’s eyes. Ginny’s voice was like ice as she said, “I wrote in the diary and it wrote back. Eventually, it took over me and I opened the Chamber.”
“You were possessed by a horcrux,” Bill said, his voice hoarse and eyes empty. Harry met his eyes, almost begging him to not make a big deal of this.
“You already knew I was possessed by Voldemort,” Ginny said crossly, folding her arms. “What does it matter if it was him or his horcrux?”
Bill shook his head, his eyes rather dazed. “I suppose it doesn’t really.” Bill swallowed. “Possessed by a horcrux and none of them even noticed.” Harry glanced at Ron to see his ears flame bright red. Harry frowned at Ron. Ron shrugged and looked away.
“That one is destroyed then?” Remus questioned, looking between Harry and Ron. Ginny nodded.
“Harry destroyed it with basilisk venom,” she said. Bill nodded firmly.
“That’ll do it. The only other option is fiendfyre.” Remus blew out a breath. “That’s what I used in the past.” He gave Harry an amused look. “Not all of us have access to basilisk venom on tap.”
Harry rolled his eyes, trying not to look at Ginny too much for fear she’d think he was mothering her. Her skin was pale, though, and her eyes were trained on the floor. “Do we have any of it now?” Remus asked.
“It’s in the Chamber,” Harry told him.
Remus opened his mouth and closed it. Harry met his eyes curiously. “Well, shouldn’t we have some here? It’s a bit of a nightmare to have to go to Hogwarts to get it.” Ginny went stiff besides Harry and he put his hand on her knee. “We could collect it from the Chamber and store them here.”
Harry squeezed Ginny’s leg. “Me and Ron will go at some point,” Harry said, sharing a look with his best friend, who was watching his sister worriedly. Ginny didn’t relax.
“And we need to make a plan to get the locket from Umbridge,” Remus reminded them. Harry blew out a breath. Ginny’s leg started to shake under his hand. Harry swallowed, wondering when his priorities had changed. As Ron had said, fifth-year Harry would never have allowed a girlfriend to take priority over the fight against Voldemort.
Still, there was no point living if Ginny wasn’t happy.
“I think Ginny and I were going to go for a run,” he announced, moving his hand from Ginny’s leg to her hip and pinching her lightly to get her to look at him. She blinked and tried to smile.
“Where?” Ron asked incredulously. “It’s pitch-black outside.”
Harry gave him half a grin. “Not to worry, I’ll have Ginny there to protect me.” Ginny didn’t respond, so Harry took her hand and led her out of the room, giving the occupants a terse smile as he did. Bill and Remus both frowned.
Silently exiting the terraced house, they took a right along Grimmauld Place and entered the park at the end of the street. It was dark, full night in fact, but Harry ignored it. He and Ginny had done this route once before in the light and he was sure they’d be fine to do it again now.
“You ready?” Harry murmured.
Ginny nodded and started to run before Harry. He stifled a groan and pushed himself to keep up with her break-neck speed, trying in vain to run beside her. His own mind was going haywire, just wondering what she was thinking about. It was not difficult to recall the chamber, to remember Ginny lying there prone, to remember begging her not to be dead. For Ginny, he knew those memories lived inside her head day and night. And this was the first time in a while that she’d had to discuss them in any way.
When she eventually came to a stop, she bent down and pressed the heels of her hands into her thighs. Her breathing was heavy, as was Harry’s. “Don’t go,” she panted.
Harry shook his head, reaching to try and touch her and make her look at him. “I’m not going anywhere,” he promised. She shook her head rapidly.
“Don’t go to the Chamber.” Harry opened his mouth.
“I have to, Gin.” She started to protest but Harry reminded her, “I’m the only one who can open it.” Ginny’s whole body slumped and she let herself fall to the ground, to the side of the park path. She pulled her knees to her chest and worried her wrist skin with her teeth. “We need the basilisk fangs to destroy the locket.”
“We don’t even have the locket,” Ginny said, slightly hysterically.
“We will have it,” Harry assured her.
“From Umbridge, Harry?” Harry shook his head and came down to kneel beside her.
“Gin, let’s not worry about this anymore tonight-”
“We have to! We have to worry about this! You’re the leader of the Order. You can’t blow off something that important because your girlfriend is a bit sensitive.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Being the leader of the Order is exactly the reason I can do that. You’re my priority.” Ginny scoffed and Harry leaned back, wounded. He shook it off and said, “Ginny, it’s late. Let’s just go back. I’m not going to bloody solve anything tonight, you or the horcruxes. I want to get into bed.”
“Without me,” she reminded him bitterly.
Harry groaned. “What did you want me to do, Gin?” he cried, holding his hands out and standing up. “It’s your parents that don’t want us in the same bed!”
“It’s not even their house! It’s yours!”
“It’s – they’re your parents!” Harry shook his head and put his hand out. “I’m not having this argument with you. Get up, we’re going back.” Ginny let out a groan but took his hand, allowing him to pull her up. She scowled at him and tried to undo their hands. Harry was having none of it and laced their fingers together, pulling her close to him. When they arrived back at Sirius’ house, Harry noticed that she had stopped fighting him on it a while before.
XXX
Hermione had heard the odd beeping that her mobile phone made when it tried to ring when she was in an area surrounded by magic and she knew it was only her parents who ever tried to phone her. They knew where she was and why. She’d left Ron with Mundungus and, saying goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley, had left to apparate home.
A shiver ran down her spine as she took in the alleyway she apparated into. She glanced around but the only shadows moving were those of the trees. Hermione slipped her wand into her hand.
The walk home was the same as usual, nothing out of place, yet Hermione could not bear to put her wand away. It poked out of her jacket sleeve, ready to be put to use.
Her street was quiet but for the sounds of the cats in number 74 yowling. A TV flashed in the window at number 72 and she watched as number 70 turned off the light in the front bedroom. Numbers 68 and 66 were all locked up for the night.
Number 64 was fractured.
That was the only word for the way it felt. It looked right but Hermione knew that the wards were shot. It had barely been twenty minutes since she’d heard her phone try to ring. Her wand came out fully as she approached, wondering whether she should call for help. She shot out a spell to cast out for wizards and witches nearby. There was nothing.
Her chest lurched. Nothing. Where was the guard? Who had been on guard tonight? They would not have abandoned their post.
Hands shaking, Hermione unlocked the door, one hand on her protean coin, ready to call for help. There, lay on the floor, was Mr Hughes from number 68. His lawn was always manicured and, once, when Hermione was little, 6 or maybe 7, he’d shown her where the gnomes were hidden in his garden for his grandchildren to find. She always thought of that, whenever she had to degnome the garden at the Weasleys. What had he heard to make him come here? What was Hermione about to be walking into?
Mr Hughes’ eyes were wide open in a way that Hermione had never seen before. An odd calm had overcome her, to go with the quiet ringing in her ears. She stepped over the body and oddly thought of James Potter, dead in the hallway while trying to fend Voldemort away from his wife and son.
Sturgis Podmore lay on the floor next, his head bleeding out on the tiled kitchen floor. They weren’t old, those tiles. Her mum and dad had only redone the kitchen two years ago. It had been the same summer that Cedric Diggory had died because Hermione distinctly remembered being cross at them for caring about a stupid kitchen when Voldemort had returned.
Hermione blinked and looked up. Scrawled across the wall of her kitchen, in dripping red blood, was the word Mudblood. Draco Malfoy had called her mudblood. She’d reclaimed it. It didn’t feel very reclaimed right now. She walked through to the living room.
The spike through her father’s chest was silver, probably conjured. It had not been thrown near her mother. No, because her mother had been attacked by a werewolf. Werewolves couldn’t be near silver. She wondered whether they were together now, her silver-killed father and werewolf-attacked mother. What was the rule there, she wondered? Was her mother technically a werewolf? Was it the full moon? No, she had only seen Remus less than half an hour ago.
In a daze, Hermione sank down to the floor and slowly closed her mother’s, and then her father’s, eyes. She leaned back against the sofa and closed her own eyes.
XXX
Harry crept downstairs early that morning. He hadn’t checked the time but it was still dark outside. He’d heard the door go and wondered who it was, fear beating in his chest as he remembered that Snape had known the secret to Grimmauld Place. It took him to the bottom of the stairs to remember that he’d wasted a day putting the fidelius charm on this place and that that day had cost them the Burrow.
At the bottom of the stairs, he found Hermione, dazed. He blinked and she opened her mouth.
“They killed them,” she said simply, nodding and swallowing.
Harry met her eyes. “They…”
“Killed my parents,” Hermione filled in with another nod. “And Sturgis Podmore – he was on guard duty. And Mr Hughes, the neighbour. I don’t know why he was there.”
“Hermione,” Harry breathed. There was a horrid feeling in his chest, filling him.
Hermione looked around as if seeing the place for the first time. “Can I stay here? I didn’t know where else to go.” Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He took her hand and led her to his bedroom, his eyes never leaving her for a second.