Chapter 30 “ Call Me Molly
For the next five days Harry’s mind raced with questions: Why had the Unspeakables still not been found? What were the Death Eaters doing to them? What where they trying to get from the Department of Mysteries? Where had Snape disappeared to? Was he even still working for the Order? Perhaps he was really working for Voldemort and had left Dumbledore because he had finally gotten the information he needed. Maybe he was working for the Order, but Voldemort had discovered him and had him killed. Theory upon theory was building up in his mind, each more ridiculous than the one before. Harry found himself wishing, for the first time in his life, that Snape was safe and sound somewhere, far away from Voldemort. Harry was never so happy to see Christmas arrive, despite having to watch Ron and Hermione go at it every time they ‘accidentally’ stepped under the mistletoe. He went to sleep the night before knowing he wouldn’t be given the chance to think about the war the next day, and woke up without a trace of worry in his mind. He looked at his new watch and smiled as he heard Sirius’s voice in his head singing “God Rest Ye, Merrye Hippogriffs” “ it was eight o’clock. He looked over at Ron’s bed “ he wasn’t there. Either he was already up, or he had spent the night on the couch with Hermione, again. He got up and ran downstairs excitedly “ he found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ginny, Ron and Hermione sitting around the huge Christmas tree, decorated with dazzling red and gold fairies and topped off with a sparkling white gold star. There were few “Have a Very Harry Christmas” baubles. They hadn’t been on the tree the night before; Harry wondered where they had come from
“Merry Christmas, Harry dear,” Mrs. Weasley said when she saw him. “We got a package from your friend, Dobby I think his name was “ he sent us these lovely ornaments. He must really like you...”
“Er, yeah...he’s a big fan,” Harry said laughing “ he should have known.
“Thank you for the cauldron by the way,” she continued. “I’ve been meaning to get a new self-stirring one for a while. Now come and have a seat, you’ve got quite a few presents of your own to open.”
She forced him onto a large cushion on the floor where she had arranged his gifts in a neat pile, while Mr. Weasley thanked him ecstatically for the rubber duck he had given him.
At the top of Harry’s pile was a messily wrapped assortment of things from Mrs. Weasley, including a green hand-knit sweater with a silver stag on the front. Ron had given him a book called “The Best Seeker You Can Be”. Hermione had gotten him personalized parchment with his initials and lightning bolts running along the side in scarlet ink. Dobby had sent him socks, one was red, the other gold “ and they both had roaring lions stitched on to them. Mr. Weasley gave him a professional secrecy sensor he had gotten from an Auror at work. Katie had sent a picture of the two of them they had taken at Florean Fortescue’s; it was inside a silver picture frame with their names and the date inscribed at the bottom. Harry grinned as he watched his picture self try to tickle Katie as she struggled, laughing, to get away.
Lupin arrived at the Burrow about an hour before dinner, with Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavor Beans for everyone. Everyone sat around the fireplace playing games of wizard’s chess and Exploding Snap while they waited for the turkey to finish. There was even a competition to see who would eat the most disgusting jelly bean. Ginny had a bright green one that tasted like grass, and when she frantically drank a glass of water to wash out the taste, it “ for some reason “ only got stronger. Fred and George even managed to get Percy to eat an odd brownish bean that turned out to be dirt. The contest winner, however, was definitely Charlie who had bravely picked up a dark brown one that turned out to be dragon dung. Luckily for him, dinner was served the second after he had swallowed the bean.
Everyone gathered around the table but before they had a chance to tuck in, Mrs. Weasley said she wanted to say a few words.
“I know some things have happened over the past year that we wish had never occurred, but we need to be grateful for what we have now and move on from the past because you never know what will happen tomorrow, or how much time you have left with the ones you love.” She smiled at them all, her eyes resting a moment on Harry. “I just wanted to take a moment to remember how fortunate we are to all be here, together, this Christmas.”
“I think we should toast to the memory of Sirius,” Mr. Weasley said solemnly, raising his glass, everyone else following his lead. They were a silent a few moments, and then they chinked their glasses together as Charlie said ‘rest in peace.’ Harry thought of his godfather a moment as the other’s began to eat “ he realized that wherever Sirius was now, he was probably happy “ he wasn’t locked up in Grimmauld Place any more, trapped in a place he loathed, unable to go outside in fear of being caught and sentenced to the Dementor’s Kiss. As much as he missed Sirius, he was in a better place. Harry smiled to himself as he looked at his watch; he looked up to see Lupin watching him. He sent him a look to say “I’m okay,” and Lupin smiled and turned to Bill.
“Pass me the potatoes, Bill?”
“Sure,” Bill said as he pulled his wand out and pointed them at the potatoes, levitating towards Lupin. Mrs. Weasley scowled.
“Bill, having a wand at the table is rude...”
“So is having long hair,” he winked at his mother, who tried to hide her smile.
“The food is delicious, Mrs. Weasley,” said Hermione.
“Thank you, Hermione dear,” she said smiling. “You know, you can call me Molly if you like.”
“No, that’s quite alright. Mrs. Weasley,” Hermione said
“If you feel more comfortable calling me Mrs. Weasley, its fine,” she replied. “But once you and Ron are married, I’ll insist that you call me Molly.”
Hermione blushed furiously, Ron nearly choked on his carrots.
“Mum “” he said recovering, “We’re only sixteen...”
“Yes, Mrs. Weasley “ we’re much too young to be thinking about marriage,” Hermione said.
“That’s certainly not true,” Ginny said in an undertone to Harry. “She’s already asked me to be her maid of honor...”
“Whatever you say, dear...” Mrs. Weasley said.
“Anyway “ did anyone hear about the Cannon’s game,” said Ron, trying desperately to pretend that they hadn’t just discussed his marriage to Hermione.
Nobody said anything. Everyone at the table, minus Ron and Hermione, couldn’t stop grinning.
“Stop smiling like that,” Ron begged.
Everyone laughed. Charlie smiled, taking pity on Ron.
“Yeah...so, how about those Cannons...”
By the time dinner was over, everyone was full to the brim with food and all the Christmas crackers had been opened. It was most amusing when Ron and Hermione had pulled at one, revealing a veil and two golden rings. Percy read a joke that came out of a cracker he shared with his dad “ he told it rather badly, as though he were reading an official document at a Ministry hearing, but Harry was sure he had never heard Percy tell a joke before, so it was understandable. They all moved from the kitchen to the sitting room, laughing and talking merrily. They sat around the fireplace and at Lupin’s suggestion that they sing Christmas carols, they all broke into a loud chorus of “Jingle Bells” (the wizarding version was quite different from the Muggle version, Harry observed.)
“That sounded horrible,” laughed George.
“Well we’re not very good singers...” said Fred.
“Ginny is...” said Bill.
“I am not!” said Ginny, her cheeks turning pink.
“Yeah you are “ go on Ginny, sing us a song,” said Charlie.
“No,” she protested.
“C’mon Ginny! Please?” pleaded George, grinning.
“Oh, alright...” she said grudgingly and stood up to sing something “ suddenly Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared in the Weasley’s fireplace.
“Sorry to interrupt you all “ Arthur, I have something very urgent to discuss with you...” he said very seriously.
“Alright ,Kingsley,” he turned to the others. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
They nodded and silently filed out into the next room, everyone was very tense. Whatever was going on, it had to be very serious for Kingsley to call on Christmas evening.
“What do you s’pose has happened?” Ron asked nervously
“Must be pretty bad...” said Fred.
They waited five minutes, doing nothing, saying nothing. Finally, Arthur opened the door and sat down at the table.
“Arthur, dear what’s happened?” Mrs. Weasley asked frantically.
“We’re not sure, but three Aurors were on duty today down at the Ministry and they’ve been killed...” it was clear that there was more, but that he couldn’t bring himself to say the words
“What were they doing at Ministry on Christmas, Dad?” Fred asked.
Arthur looked at Lupin. It seemed he already knew the answer to Fred’s question, as well as Bill, Charlie and Mrs. Weasley “ whose expressions had all become very fearful.
“Arthur “ Bellatrix and Lucius...?” Lupin said quietly.
Arthur nodded slowly.
“They’ve escaped.”
A petrified silence ensued this announcement.
“Dumbledore said it was going to happen,” Harry said suddenly. The others looked at him with surprise. “He said it was only a matter of time before they returned to Voldemort.”
Almost everyone in the room flinched at the name.
“What now? What is the Ministry doing?” asked Bill urgently.
“They’ve raised the alarm...it’s pretty much all they can do,” replied Mr. Weasley.
Harry couldn’t take it anymore; he stormed out of the kitchen, upstairs to Ron’s room.
He couldn’t give us one day, Harry thought. He had to take Christmas away from us. Three people are dead “ on Christmas. Two more Death Eaters to worry about “ on Christmas.
He felt a bitter sense of loathing taking over his insides as he threw himself down onto his bed. Ron, Hermione and Ginny entered the room.
“What’s wrong, Harry?” asked Ron.
“I would have thought it was obvious,” he snapped. Ron was taken aback; he looked to Hermione for help. She walked over to Harry and sat next to him.
“We know “ Bellatrix and Lucius...but something else is wrong...”
Harry sighed.
‘It’s just “ I’m sick of this. I’m sick of it all “ I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about all of this today “ but they made sure we’d remember what’s going on “ wouldn’t let us be at peace for one day...”
“Harry, this is all going to be over eventually,” Hermione said, trying to comfort him.
“When? When I finally figure out how to defeat him? How long is that going to take “ and by then who knows how many people will have died...”
“So that’s it,” Hermione said. “You think this is your fault, you think that if you hurry up and get rid of him, all the pain will end...”
“No, Hermione “ I know that for a fact,” he said, getting angry again.
Ginny looked confused;
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Ron looked at Harry, wondering if he should say anything.
“Go ahead.”
Ron took a deep breath and explained it as simply as he could.
“There was this prophecy “ it says that Harry has to be the one to ‘vanquish’ You-Know-Who...”
“Last year, at the Department of Mysteries “ that’s what they were after...”
“Yeah...”
“So “ what are you going to do, Harry?” Ginny asked, worried.
“Me? Well I’m going to sit here and have a laugh with you lot while more people get murdered...” he said bitterly.
“Harry “ it’s not your fault. Dumbledore said that the time will come “ you aren’t able to defeat Voldemort now any more than any one else is. I’m sure it’s all part of the prophecy...” Hermione said.
“Yeah, mate “ you can’t blame yourself.”
Harry wanted to scream at them; tell them it was easier said than done “ that they couldn’t possibly understand the guilt eating away at him. But he stopped. He knew he couldn’t afford to waste another day “ not with all the death surrounding them.
They’re just trying to be there for me, he told himself. This is hard on them, too.
“You’re right,” he said. “You’re right; blaming myself won’t get rid of Voldemort.”
There was a light knock on the door.
“Come in,” said Ron.
It was Lupin.
“Are you okay, Harry?”
“Yeah “ I’m fine. Just stressed, is all.”
“Good “ well I just thought I’d check on you. I have to go, take care of some things for the Order,” he said.
“Alright “ thanks,” Harry said. “Merry Christmas.”
“You, too.” He nodded to the four of them and left. When he was gone Harry collapsed backwards onto the mattress.
“I think I’m going to go to sleep for the night,” he said.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Ron agreed. “I think I’ll turn in as well.”
“Well I s’pose we’ll leave you boys here,” Ginny said, saying good night. Hermione gave Ron a kiss and left behind Ginny.
Harry felt so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. Maybe it was just a long day, or perhaps the burden of the prophecy was weighing his body and thoughts down. He thought about just letting himself fall asleep in his glasses and clothes, on top of the blankets, but he exhaustedly changed and climbed under the covers.
“Good night, mate,” he heard Ron say as he was drifting off. “And don’t worry; everything’s going to be all right.”