Chapter 65: Weasley Family Tree
“So Malfoy took the mark?” Hermione asked the next morning when Harry told her and Ron about the vision he’d had that night.
“Looks like it…” Harry said guiltily.
“Harry, you can’t blame yourself… you tried to change his mind. It’s more than I would have done…” Ron told him.
“You’re right “ but still, that’s one more Death Eater, isn’t it?” Harry said.
The three of them were sitting in the hospital wing. Hermione had Double Potions scheduled for that morning, but since Snape was indisposed and Alchemina was in London on business at the Ministry, the class had been excused. Harry and been given the day off “ Ron, the rest of the week. Ginny entered the hospital wing looking very windswept, carrying a ton of books and a thick parchment envelope.
“Hey…just wanted to check on the two of you…” she said breathlessly.
“We’re fine,” Ron said. “Just talking about Malfoy “ he’s taken the mark you know…”
“Could you lower your voice a bit?” Hermione hissed.
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Ron said. “Didn’t think Snape would hear, being unconscious and all… because it would be so terrible if he did hear us…”
“Ron, I just got this from Professor McGonagall, Mum sent it from home…”
She threw her books at the end of Ron’s bed and handed him the envelope. Ron looked at it curiously for a moment, and then opened it carefully. He took out a letter, and a thick, string-bound collection of parchment. He opened the letter first and read it aloud.
“Dear Ron and Ginny,
After the passing of your father, I thought it might be nice for you and your brothers to know more about our family history, and I wrote away to one of your father’s cousins to see if there was any record of your ancestors. I was very pleased when he wrote back that there is, indeed, a detailed Weasley family tree. I have managed to get a few copies of it, and I’ve enclosed one for the two of you to have a look at. I think you’ll find some interesting facts about your bloodline. Send my love to Harry and Hermione, be safe.
Love Always,
Mum
While Ron finished up reading the letter, Ginny took the bound parchment and unfolded it carefully, her eyes widening in astonishment as she did.
“Wow, who knew there were so many Weasleys?” she said.
“Look, there we are…” Ron said, pointing to the names of the seven Weasley children, sprawling from the names ‘Arthur Weasley’ and ‘Molly (Prewett) Weasley’.
Harry got up from his bed and moved over to Ron, Hermione and Ginny, to have a look for himself. The tree was certainly very elaborate, Harry could see hundreds of names on that fold of the parchment alone, each detailed with dates of birth and death, occupations, and accomplishments.
“See, there’s Bilius Weasley “ he was a Quidditch Player for England…” Ron said pointing to a name a few generations back.
“Ooh, look Ron “ Arthur Melliflua, Headmaster at Hogwarts…” Hermione squealed excitedly.
“And here’s a Healer, and an Auror, and “ wow, Minister of Magic!” Harry said, running his finger down the names on the tree.
“There are hardly any women on this tree,” Hermione observed. “None at all for several generations back…”
“Yes… I’m named after Ginevra Clementine; she was the last female Weasley before me…”
“It says here she was a Seer,” Hermione said dubiously.
“And what if she is?” Ginny asked. “Just because Trelawney’s a fraud…”
“Well “ Trelawney isn’t that much of a fraud…” Harry interjected. “She has made two prophecies, after all…”
“Still…” Hermione huffed stubbornly, but did not elaborate.
“Hey, look at this “ Twins Romus and Derick Weasley, they were magical-prank pioneers…” Harry pointed out.
“Bet Fred and George got a kick out of that,” Ron laughed.
“Ron, look at this!” Hermione said ecstatically. “Greenlee Weasley…”
“What a horrible name…” Ron exclaimed.
“No, no, Ronald “ it says he was a House-Elf Advocate!”
“Well, no one ever claimed that our family was perfect…” Ron said sadly. Hermione scowled at him.
“Well, I’d love to stay,” Ginny said. “But I have a lot of studying to do…O.W.L’s are only two weeks away…”
“Good luck with that…” Ron said, still pouring over the family tree.
“Thanks for the enthusiastic support, Ron…” Ginny said.
“You’re very welcome,” he said, grinning.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
“Good luck with the studying, Ginny “ if you need any help, just ask us…” Harry said.
“Thank you Harry, it’s good to have a brother who actually cares,” she said, shooting him an adoring grin and leaving the hospital wing.
“Did you hear that Harry?” Ron said. “She called you her brother…”
---
“Harry, can I talk to you?”
“Sure, Professor…”
The bell rang to signal the end of Defense against the Dark Arts, and the sixth years quickly gathered their things to head for lunch. Harry laid his things back down on his desk and approached Professor Lupin.
“How are you doing? After Pettigrew and Malfoy?” Lupin asked him quietly.
“Oh, I’m doing alright, especially considering what could have happened…” Harry said darkly.
“And Ron?” Lupin asked.
“He’s in the Hospital Wing, still. He’s still in some pain from the curse…”
Lupin nodded.
“Listen, Harry “ there’ something I have to tell you. At least, I wanted you to know first, before anyone…” he said tentatively.
“What is it, Professor?” Harry asked anxiously.
“That ‘development’ Alex and I told you about, you remember don’t you?”
“Of course…”
“Well, it looks like we could have some success with it after all. Alex is in London right now, visiting Mr. Ionus. They’re trying to get some Ministry support on the project, and it looks like it’s going to come through. And…” Lupin paused. “Well, Mr. Ionus wants to have me under full-time observation, he wants to take care of it personally, and he wants to run extra tests on me…”
“So, what are you saying?” Harry asked, though he feared he knew the answer.
“I’ll be leaving again. In fact, I’ve already turned in my resignation. I’ll be moving to Manchester.”
“Manchester?”
“They have an Unplottable, more secretive facility to use there… and I’ve seen it: much more comfortable than the Department of Mysteries, or St. Mungo’s for that matter,” he added, smiling slightly.
Harry didn’t want Lupin to go. Not only was he the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he’d ever had, but he was a friend , too “ and he was the only one who came close to understanding the pain of Sirius’s death.
Harry thought painfully for a moment of Sirius, and of his Firebolt.
But Harry knew Lupin needed to go. He needed to find out if he could ever be cured, and he also needed, even more maybe, to leave Grimmauld Place.
“So when are you leaving?” Harry asked hoarsely.
“In two weeks.”
“Will you still be working for the Order?”
“I believe I’m supposed to be secluded for the first several months,” Lupin said tiredly. “So no…”
“So, I won’t see you then?” Harry asked.
“I’ll write.” Lupin told him. “And Alex will be in touch with me, and she’ll be your teacher. You should know that you can feel free to talk to her whenever you want…”
Harry felt somewhat better. At least he’d still be able to keep in touch with Lupin.
“Alright then…” Harry said quietly. “Well, I hope you…er… ‘accomplish your goal’”
“I certainly hope so, too…”
Harry stood there uncomfortably for a moment, unsure of whether to say goodbye or not.
“We still have two weeks, Harry…” Lupin told him. “Now, go to lunch…”
Harry smiled at him, and left the classroom slowly.
“What was that about?” Hermione asked, pouncing on him as he finally exited the room.
“Scare me half to death, why don’t you?” Harry said, recovering from his fright.
“Well…” Hermione said, as they went downstairs.
“Lupin’s leaving again…” Harry said.
“What?” Hermione said, looking crestfallen. “Why?”
“He didn’t really say,” Harry lied. “I suppose we’ll find out when he announces it…”
“That’s too bad, Harry,” Hermione said. “I know how much you like having him around… oh, and who knows what horrid teacher we’ll get to replace him; and with our N.E.W.T’s, too!”
“Alchemina is taking over for him,” Harry told her.
“Oh, well that’s good at least…” Hermione said, sounding somewhat mollified.
They entered the Great Hall, and Hermione didn’t sit down. She grabbed her wand and levitated two cups of and drinks steadily in front of her.
“I’m going up to the Hospital Wing to visit Ronald…” she said. “I’ll tell him about Lupin “ or do you want to come?”
“No, I think I’ll just eat down here, today… thanks,” Harry told her, and he sat down alone at the table and started to eat. He was soon joined by Ginny and Luna, who both looked very sweaty and out of breath.
“What happened to the two of you?” Harry asked.
“Hagrid,” they replied together as they began to down pumpkin juice.
“What’d Hagrid do?”
“Let’s just say,” Ginny told him, grinning. “It was an ‘interesting’ Care of Magical Creatures class…”
Harry felt that this was enough information for him.
“So how are you’re O.W.L.’s coming?” he asked the two of them.
“Tiring,” Luna told him, as she cut her sandwich with her knife and fork.
“Exhausting…” Ginny sighed.
“Impossible…” Luna added, pouring some pumpkin juice onto her neatly sliced sandwich.
“That good?” Harry asked, grinning. “Hey, you know I meant what I said about helping you, right?”
“Yeah, actually “ I wanted to ask you about that. We’re working on this new hex in Lupin’s class, and since it seems to be your area of expertise…”
“Gin “ can I talk to you?” a voice said from behind them.
Ginny and Harry turned to see Dean standing there, looking rather nervous.
“About what?” Ginny asked curiously.
“Ummm…” he threw an awkward glance to Harry and Luna. “I just wanted to talk… about… us.”
“Dean, I told you yesterday,” she said, sounding mildly impatient. “There’s no ‘us’. And I’m really busy, I don’t have time for this…”
“You have time for Harry, though?” Dean asked.
Luna was watching them with mild intrigue on her face, as she picked up a piece of her sandwich with a fork.
“Harry’s one of my best friends!” Ginny said incredulously. “He’s offered to help me with my O.W.L.’s “ which is what we were talking about before you interrupted us! Besides - he was there for me when you and I broke up, he was there for me when my dad died, and he’s still here for me!”
“Ginny “ if you’d just give me a chance, I could do the same…” Dean said angrily.
“She gave you a chance,” Harry said standing up to face Dean. “You threw that chance away Right now, Ginny feels that the last thing she needs is a boyfriend, and apparently she’s already told you that. So please, Dean, just leave her alone.”
Harry said all of this trying to sound as non-confrontational as possible. Dean, though he didn’t look happy, got the message and left the three of them at the table.
“Thanks, Harry…” Ginny said, sounding distressed.
“Don’t mention it…” Harry said. “Now finish your lunch “ because I believe we have some hexing to do…”