Harry rapped on the door to Nathan’s office and waited for a reply. When none came, he knocked again. Hearing nothing, Harry took a hold of the knob and gave it a little push. It opened easily revealing an empty office. Puzzled, Harry looked down at his watch. Professor Borgin was running late.
Harry stood in front of the now open door trying to determine where he should wait. He glanced over his shoulder at the hard wood benches of the classroom then wistfully at the comfortable, worn leather chairs in Nathan’s office. Beyond the chairs, Harry’s gaze touched on Nathan’s desk.
Covering the scarred wood was a road map similar to the ones Uncle Vernon kept tucked in the glove box of his car. Harry’s curiosity prodded him forward. Setting his book bag on the floor, Harry walked around Nathan’s desk to be able to view the map right side up.
“Oh, good, Harry, you’re here,” Nathan said from the doorway, a pitcher of pumpkin juice in one hand and a plate of biscuits in the other.
Embarrassed for being caught behind his professor’s desk, Harry took a step back, his knees hitting Nathan’s chair. Harry lost his balanced and fell into the chair. Oblivious to any impropriety on Harry’s part, Nathan set the plate and pitcher down and came to stand beside his desk chair.
“Did you find where we’re headed?” he asked excitedly.
“Uh, no,” Harry replied, “not yet.”
Nathan pulled a folded piece of parchment from his robe pocket. “Anna handed this to me. She and Ginny will be along shortly.” He unfolded the letter. “Tonks dropped it off at Gringotts this morning. Thought it best to hand deliver it just in case.”
“Now,” Nathan continued, bending over the map, “Brocelinde is located approximately sixty-five kilometers southwest of Rennes.”
“Which is,” Anna said, entering the office and coming to stand in front of the desk, pointing a finger at the map, “right here. Hello, Harry!” she smiled, setting down two sizeable boxes on the desk.
Harry grinned up at Anna and then Ginny, who was standing in the doorway.
“Uh, actually, Anna, that is Le Mans you are pointing out,” Nathan commented. “Go west.”
“Really?” Anna squinted at the map. With a sigh, she pulled her glasses out of her robe pocket and slipped them on her nose. “Oh, yes. Sorry about that.”
Nathan chuckled.
“What?” Anna asked, planting her hands on her hips.
“It’s just I can’t imagine why Gringotts hasn’t required you to wear those permanently.” Nathan watched as Anna’s cheeks flamed. “They have!” he laughed triumphantly.
“Enough out of you,” Anna swatted his arm good naturedly. “Back to the map. What does Tonks have to say?”
“As I was telling Harry,” Nathan said, resting his arm around his wife’s shoulders, “Brocelinde is located in the area surrounding the village of Paimpont in the Ille et Vilaine.”
“I don’t see it labeled,” Ginny said, searching the tiny print.
“It won’t be,” Anna explained, “this is a Muggle road map. Mythical places such as Brocelinde, and the tales of the legends that occurred within its wooded lands, don’t have a home on such concrete depictions.”
“So then, how do we get there?” Ginny asked, sitting down in one of the leather chairs. She caught Harry’s eye and motioned with her head to the chair opposite hers.
“Oh!” Harry exclaimed, pushing himself out of Nathan’s chair and moving around the desk. “Anna, would you like to sit down?” he asked.
“Thank you, Harry, I would love to,” she said gratefully, sitting down and pulling the plate of biscuits toward her.
“Good question, Ginny,” Nathan said, tapping the map with his finger. “Our goal is to attract as little attention as possible with this adventure. Legal Portkeys leave paper trails and the Floo can be traced. And despite your aptitude for Apparating long distances together,” Nathan smiled at Harry and Ginny, “I’m not going to suggest we try it from here to the continent.
“That being said, Tonks has suggested we use a combination of Muggle and magical transportation. Two days from now, you will ride the Hogwarts Express with everyone else to London. That way, it will look as if you are simply returning to the Burrow for the holidays to surprise your parents who don’t know a thing about any of this at the moment. Anna, Remus, Tonks and myself will meet you at Kings Cross station. We’ll spend the night at a nearby Muggle hotel to avoid questions. From London,” Nathan consulted the parchment in his hand, “Tonks has procured us tickets to France. Bill will meet us in Paris “ I understand he and Fleur are there visiting Fleur’s sister.”
Nathan chuckled as he scanned Tonk’s remarks. “My mother would have loved this. Tonks is having us take the Eurostar train from London to Paris and then the…,” Nathan glanced down at the letter, “Atlantic TGV from Paris to Rennes.”
“The French high speed train?” Harry asked. “I’ve heard about that on the Muggle news.”
Nathan nodded. “I believe that is what she means. She writes she wants to find out how something can go that fast and not be flying.” Nathan folded the parchment and stuck it back in his pocket. “Once in Rennes, we should have no problem Apparating to Brocelinde.”
“How long are we staying?” Ginny asked.
“At least a couple of days,” Anna answered. “The exact location of Merlin’s tomb is somewhat unknown and most likely on privately owned forest land. Since we will be trespassing on private property and not obtaining the proper permission to excavate this tomb and thus breaking several dozen magical and Muggle laws, we are going to have to first set up several deterrent wards around the area we will be excavating. We will need to work quickly. The wards will keep the Muggles away, but should a witch or wizard encounter them, we might not be so lucky.”
“So, uh, how do you propose we get to the tomb?” Harry asked, wondering if he was missing something.
Ginny snorted. “I bet you want us to knock on some poor French farmer’s door, hope he speaks English and ask if he’d mind us traipsing across his land.”
Anna shrugged her shoulders. “Well, yes.”
Ginny stopped laughing. “Seriously - that is your plan?”
“We are hoping that if we present you two as students on holiday needing to write a paper on the mythical legends of Merlin, we can simply convince the landowner or owners to let us traipse, as you put it, across his property,” Nathan replied.
“Bill is picking up a couple of Muggle notebooks and some writing instruments for you to tote along so you can look the part,” Anna smiled.
“And what happens if we fail?” Harry asked.
“Then we’ll have to resort to doing a little spell persuasion, but I’m hoping we don’t have to do that,” Anna answered. “On the odd chance we are found out, I really would rather not do the paperwork on why we had to perform an obliviation spell so we could so some illegal trespassing.”
Ginny looked at Harry who shrugged. “It’s worth a try,” he said.
“Alright, then,” Ginny answered, sounding less than convinced.
“Bill and I have collected all the data we can on the layout of the tomb and the most likely location for the circlet,” Anna continued. “I’m hoping things go rather quickly, especially since the ground has been undisturbed for hundreds of years. That being said, pack clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Now, as far as shoes go,” Anna said, reaching over to the boxes next to the map, “Bill was thinking you two might need these.” Anna glanced at the ends of the boxes and handed the top one to Ginny, the bottom one to Harry. “He calls them tools of the trade.”
Ginny lifted the lid of the box and squealed. “Harry! Go on! Open yours,” she urged, fitting the lid back on her box.
Harry carefully lifted the lid of his box and stopped. “Wow,” he breathed.
Anna laughed and clapped her hands together. “Try them on! If they don’t fit, I’ll pick you up another pair tomorrow.”
Harry set the box down on the floor and pulled out a brand new pair of highly polished, black dragon hide boots. He glanced over at Ginny who has already slipped off her shoes and was eagerly pulling on one of her chocolate brown boots.
“They’re so soft!” Ginny exclaimed, standing up and admiring her feet. “And comfortable!”
“That’s important,” Anna said, motioning for Ginny to walk around for a bit. “When you’re in the field, sleeping in your boots is about as common as walking in them, so you want them as comfy as possible. How are yours, Harry?”
Harry stood up and looked down. His feet had never looked so cool. He grinned at Anna. “Thanks!”
“Don’t thank me,” she smiled, “it was Bill’s idea. Thank him the next time you see him.”
“I will!” Harry exclaimed.
“Alright, do you two have any questions?” Nathan asked, leaning against his desk.
Ginny glanced at Harry and raised her eyebrows in question. Harry shook his head. Ginny turned to Anna and shook her head.
“Well then,” Anna said, pushing herself out of the chair, “I suggest we head to dinner. I’m starving.”
“Didn’t you see the “ oh,” Nathan said as Anna pushed the empty biscuit plate back in his direction. “Did you even share?”
Anna looked guiltily down at her fingertips. “When do we learn to share? I mean really, do you know anyone who shares well?”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Harry, Ginny,” he whispered out of the side of his mouth, “I’ve been using a concealment charm in our flat I’ll teach you. Just put it on any food you bring. Works like a charm.”
Her eyes still focused downward, Anna cleared her throat and shook her head, her cheeks warming.
Nathan looked at his wife incredulously and sighed before chuckling and holding his hands up in defeat. “Never mind. You’re on your own,” he said, waving Harry and Ginny out of his office toward the Great Hall.
+++++
For the amount of Muggle transportation involved, Nathan had to admit the trip went rather smoothly. The Hogwarts Express had pulled into Kings Cross station on time. Lupin had met Harry and Ginny as they stepped off the train and ushered them off to The Cheswyck Mannor, a small Muggle hotel nearby for the night. Harry was pretty sure he had just closed his eyes when Lupin had knocked on his door to tell him it was time to get up again for the next leg of their journey. Once dressed, if not fully awake, they Apparated to just outside the Eurostar station.
There was a moment of tense panic as they realized they had made it to the front of the Security and Passport line and were now facing a Muggle security agent who was asking for identification which they did not possess.
“Right here! Wotcher Harry! Hello, Ginny,” Tonks greeted them, as she wove her way to the front. She stumbled slightly over the strap of Ginny’s bag resting at Ginny’s feet. Lupin caught her before she went down and smiled at her. Straightening up, Tonks blushingly handed over a stack of burgundy colored booklets stamped with the Queen’s seal. The security agent took the passports behind the glass shield and started flipping through the pages, checking pictures against real faces and adding the appropriate stamps to the appropriate pages.
“What are those?” Ginny whispered, smiling at Tonk’s blush.
“Passports,” Tonks whispered back. “It helps Muggles keep track of who’s going where.”
“How’d you get them?” Harry asked, peering through the plexiglass to see if he could get a better look at his picture.
“Livvy Saunders is a muggle who works in the London Passport Office,” Tonks explained quietly. “Her husband is wizard and a new Order member which worked out rather beautifully, because we didn’t have to go through the Ministry.”
The security agent closed the last passport and slid them back through the opening in the glass. “Bon voyage,” he wished and waved them on through.
Working their way through the crowded station and onto the train, they found seats in the near vicinity of each other and settled in for the two and half hour trip to Paris. Harry was rather surprised when Ginny reached down, opened the bag at her feet and drew out a book. He was doing his best to ignore the voice in his head that sounded remarkably like Hermione telling him to use this time to study for NEWTs, and had been hoping Ginny would do the same.
“Did you know, Harry,” Ginny said, leaning into his shoulder across the armrest, “that the mineral spring that supplies the Fountain of Barenton where Merlin met Nimue bubbles up if you throw a piece of iron or copper into it?”
Harry looked around at the spine of the book she was reading. It was a Muggle travel guide to France. Feeling his guilt evaporate, he grinned and settled back into his chair.
“No, I didn’t,” he replied, stiflingly a yawn. The sway of the train cars was beginning to make him sleepy. “Did you bring any?”
Ginny giggled. “No, and it’s probably better that way. Anna said the less we disturb the better. It also says here,” Ginny said, following the words on the page with her finger, “the Fairies who reside there are kind to children “ well, of course they are! “ and the fountain is supposedly able to produce rain in times of drought. That would be handy, wouldn’t it?” she said. Harry, who was loosing his battle to keep his eyes open, mumbled something unintelligible as his hand found Ginny’s knee and rested there. Ginny looked over and smiled, placing her hand on his arm and giving it a squeeze. Closing her book, Ginny nestled as close as she could to Harry with the armrest as their chaperone.
Bill met them in Paris and together they boarded the TGV. It was an exhausted group that shuffled off the high speed train in Rennes.
“Gabrielle, Fleur’s sister, lent us her map of Apparation points in France,” Bill said, pulling out a folded paper from his pocket. “According to this, we just need to go across the street to the phone booth by the alley. Then, Tonks? Where are we going from there?”
Tonks pointed at two bags behind her. “We’ll Apparate to L'auberge De Jardin. It’s a renovated seventeenth century farmhouse just minutes from the forest. We’ll grab a bite to eat before heading out”
“Are we staying there?” Ginny asked.
“Nope,” Bill said, kicking the bag at his feet. “Our sleeping accommodations are right here.”
“Tents?” Harry asked, remembering the ones Mr. Weasley had borrowed for the World Cup several years ago.
“Tents,” Bill nodded.
“Did the department ask why you needed them?” Anna asked concerned.
“No,” Bill shook his head and grinned. “I told them you would fill out the requisition forms when we returned.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Thanks.”
“Anytime, ma’am,” Bill nodded smartly.
An hour and lunch later, Harry fell gratefully into a lumpy chair in the lobby of the inn. He rested his head on the back and closed his eyes.
“Oy! No napping, Harry!” Tonks cheerful voice came from above his knees. “We’ve got work to do!”
Harry groaned as a notebook and pencil landed on his stomach. “I was just testing the chairs to see if they were as comfortable as they looked,” he grumbled.
Anna appeared next to Tonks. “Who’s napping? Harry? Haven’t you heard? Sleep is overrated.”
“Not if you’re a growing boy,” Tonks said in all seriousness.
“Good point,” Anna nodded. “Harry, quit growing. We’ve got work to do.”
Harry glared at the two witches in the doorway through a barely open eye.
“Don’t make me call Ginny over,” Anna threatened.
“Or worse, Ginny’s older brother,” Tonks dared. “We could fill his head with all sorts of tales about the things we did with boys when we were Ginny’s age. Could prove to be a right long weekend, Harry.”
“You know, you two are enjoying this way too much,” Harry said, sitting up straighter in the chair.
“Here,” Anna chuckled, handing Harry a piece of parchment. “That’s a copy of the map of the tomb “ or at least Bill’s best guess. And here is one of the surrounding forest. The gold dot is the location of the Hawthorne Bush which we believe is the entrance to the tomb. The blue ring is where we’ll place the wards,” she finished, as she leaned down to pick up her pack.
“We’ll meet you out front, Harry,” Tonks said, stepping back at the same time Anna did. Harry looked up to answer and watched as Anna picked up her pack, catching Tonks foot in the strap. Tonks flew backward into Anna and both stumbled into the wall behind them, sending a picture of a rather severe looking old matron in an ornate gold frame to the floor.
Harry bit his bottom lip, his shoulders shaking with mirth. How did he end up in France with two of clumsiest witches he had ever met?
“Right,” Tonks said, regaining her feet, brushing herself off and extending a helping hand to Anna who took it gratefully. “Out front, Harry.” And with that, the two witches turned with as much dignity as they could muster and headed down the hall.
Harry poked his head out into the corridor leading to the front doors and grinned as he watched Anna hug one wall and Tonks hug the other, careful not to touch anything, including each other.
++++++
Ginny shifted her weight from one foot to the other as Anna knocked on the front door of the little cottage and stepped back off the well worn stone step to wait.
“Une minute! J’arrive.”
Several flakes of peeling green paint floated off the door as it was pulled back to reveal a man who Ginny believed could have been as old as the forest and not much taller than herself. Built compactly and dressed sturdily, much like the cottage he lived in, the man looked at the group standing in his front garden expectantly. Ginny fought to contain her smile as the old man’s white bushy eyebrows lifted in curiosity, causing the strands of white hair standing straight up on the top of his head to stand up even straighter.
“Oui? Comment est-ce que je peux vous aider?"
“Bonjour! Parlez-vous anglais?"
“Un peu. Little,” the man replied.
“Oh, well, uh, Je m’appelle Anna. Je vous presente Harry, Ginny et Nymphadora Tonks.
“Neem-pho-dora?” the man said, his eyes resting on Tonks.
Tonks shrugged, her chocolate brown curls bouncing up and down. “My mum.”
The old man chuckled. “Ma mere, she called me Merlin.”
“No way,” Tonks exclaimed smiling.
“Oui! Sense of humor, eh?” the man grinned, the lines around his mouth deepening, until his face resembled their Muggle road map. Ginny had the feeling this man spent most of his days laughing. She smiled as the man turned to look at her.
“Ma mere “ she had flame ‘air, aussi,” he said, pointing his knobby finger at Ginny’s tresses. Ginny blushed as the old man chuckled. “What can I do for you?”
Anna stepped forward and explained how Harry and Ginny were students on holiday. She and Tonks were their tutors. Their school assignment over the break was to write an essay on some historical or mythical event that took place wherever they were spending their holidays. Harry and Ginny wanted to write about Merlin.
Merlin Abney propped himself against the doorframe of his cottage and smiled wistfully into the sky. He obviously had a great love for his namesake. Not giving a thought to inviting his unexpected guests inside, Merlin crossed his arms over his chest and began spinning stories, in a choppy mix of English and French, of legendary exploits in the forest surrounding his home.
“Ah, Merlin, ‘e is certainly the stuff of legends, is he no?”
“Yes, he is sir,” Harry answered solemnly.
“You must go to the Miroir-aux-Fees where they say the great wizard would sit and dream of ways to enchant the world.”
“Yes, we would like very much to do that, sir, if we may,” Anna said, clasping her hands in front of her. “We were hoping we could use your path to get back there.”
“Oh, you must!” Merlin insisted, waving his arm back toward his garden. “Through the gate. Go. When the light fades, the fairies, they will help you find your way back.”
“Merci,” Anna smiled.
“Non, merci,” Merlin smiled back. “It is good to have someone to tell the old tales to. Demain, aussi?”
“I promise we will knock. Au revoir. A demain.” Anna said as she started to lead them down the garden path.
“Au revoir,” Merlin nodded and waved as he shut the door.
Anna pushed the garden gate open and stood back to let the others through.
“I didn’t know you could speak French,” Ginny said impressed as she passed.
“I can’t really,” Anna answered truthfully. “My French is pretty much limited to, “Do you speak English?” and “Yes, I’d love a tuna fish sandwich.”
Ginny giggled. “Do you even like tuna?”
“Can’t stand the stuff,” Anna grinned, “but when I’m in France, I tend to eat a lot of it.”
The little stone path gave way to bare earth, weaving through the forest. Merlin Abney had told them of the trees and their meanings. The Celts had believed that sanctuary could be found in the forest, the trees being symbols of the sacred. Ginny kept her eyes open for the burial mounds left from ancient peoples. As she walked deeper into its depths, she felt history surround her, the stories and myths weave about her, blanketing her with their magic. How could Muggles not believe this was real?
Tonks stopped without warning and looked around. Anna ran right into the back of her. Harry’s arm shot out and caught Ginny before she became involved. Harry snorted.
“Don’t start, Harry, really,” Anna pleaded. “I’m clumsy enough as it is, then to have this extra anchor in front…it’s just a lost cause.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Harry replied, trying to swallow his laughter.
“Alright, according to the maps, that is Merlin’s tomb,” Tonks said, pointing off to the side of a series of old graves.
Anna passed by Tonks and carefully walked up to the stone. She turned and put her back to the stone and looked out into the woods. Carefully she walked in the a straight line “ five paces, ten paces, twenty paces “ and stopped. She looked down at her side at a bush covered with white thorns.
“And that means the entrance is right here,” Anna pointed down.
Ginny stepped over to Anna’s side. She watched Anna’s face, her cheeks flush in the shadows of the trees, her eyes bright with excitement.
“Can you feel it?” Anna whispered. “It’s here. It’s below our feet.”
“The tomb?” Harry asked, coming to stand beside Ginny.
“That “ and the stories of lives lived, of loves lost, of ideas and dreams realized or not,” Anna said. “Raiding tombs isn’t always about finding treasure. It is also about preserving the memories of the people who were laid to rest in them. It is about respecting them and their loved ones even in death. And it is about unearthing the mystery and magic that those loved ones felt was necessary to send with the deceased into the afterlife. And, of course,” Anna said, dropping her bag onto the ground at her feet, “all of that needs to be done without getting hexed into the afterlife with them.”
“Details, details,” Tonks said, pulling out her wand. “Let’s make sure the area is clear and we’ll call in reinforcements.”
“Right,” Anna said.
The four of them walked around the perimeter of the area, making sure they were alone.
“Harry, Ginny, come with me,” Anna said, pulling a small book from her bag and handing it to Ginny. “We’ll start setting up the wards. Turn to the marked page. You can read along and learn the spells. Tonks?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Tonks said, holding out her wand. She caught Harry’s eye. “You know, Harry, maybe you ought to do this. Rumor has it a white footed stag travels these parts,” she said, cocking her head to the side. “They say deer carry souls to the afterlife, you know.”
Harry looked at her blankly.
“Harry, we need to tell Remus, Bill and Nathan where we are so they can come help,” Tonks prodded, “and bring the tents.”
“Oh!” Harry exclaimed, reaching for his wand. “Deer “ stag “ Order - right, got it,” Harry nodded and held his wand up in front of him.
“Good boy,” Tonks said, patting him on the shoulder.
+++++
Instead of joining Harry and Ginny on the Hogwarts Express back to London, Hermione and Ron had stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays. When Ron grumbled about not being able to go to France, Hermione told him staying at school was good for him. He would have the opportunity to spend some quality time studying for NEWTs and figuring out what he wanted to do after school was over.
Now that Harry had announced his change in careers, Ron had suddenly started questioning his decision to become an Auror. It wasn’t that he thought he couldn’t do it on his own, but rather that suddenly, the idea of additional options “ of there being more out there than just fighting dark magic “ was open for him to consider as well. Hermione had not seemed a bit surprised by Ron’s meandering confusion when he had confessed his indecision to her. She had listened patiently, nodded her head, made the appropriate sympathetic noises at the proper times and then went back to reading when he was finished.
Ron had stared at her for a few moments before finally blurting out, “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?”
Hermione looked up from her Ancient Runes text and shrugged. “No.”
“You’re going to let me flounder?”
“Yes,” Hermione nodded. “Ron, you’ll figure it out. I’m glad you are looking at other options. You should do what makes you happy. It will make you easier to live with,” she said in all seriousness before returning to her book.
Ron’s face flushed scarlet. “Live with?” he squeaked.
“Here - at Hogwarts!” Hermione sighed. “Alright, you want some input? Study hard. Do well on your NEWTs. If you do well, you can go out and have your choice of jobs. There? Will that do?”
Ron chuckled. “Yeah, that will do. Thanks.”
“Anytime,” Hermione said, returning to her book.
After that discussion, it should have been no surprise to Ron that the first thing Hermione had done once Gryffindor Tower emptied out of eager holiday-bound students, was to suggest they do some revising. Grumpily, Ron had gathered his books and dutifully followed Hermione to the library. He headed toward her favorite table, the one under the window in the front with the good lighting to read by and the excellent view of who was coming and going through the doors. Hermione, however, continued back to the stacks against the far wall to the seats where students went when studying was not the only thing on their schedules. Ron had looked at Hermione questioningly as he dropped his book bag on the table in the corner. Hermione blushed.
“You didn’t think we were going to study the entire break, did you?” she asked.
Now, as Ron made his way back to the library from collecting a book he had left in his trunk, he had to admit, he rather liked certain parts of the library.
“Watch where you’re going, Weasel.”
Ron blinked back to attention barely missing colliding with Draco Malfoy who held several packages in his arm.
Ron stepped to the side, deliberately brushing his shoulder against Malfoy’s. Malfoy hissed as his shoulder jerked, causing one of the small, square packages tied with twine to drop to the floor and come to rest next to Ron’s trainers.
Without thinking, Ron drew his foot back and kicked the package down the corridor, hearing a satisfying crunch of glass as the package hit the feet of suit of armor.
Draco’s wand was at Ron’s throat before he looked up. “You are a rodent,” Draco snarled into Ron’s face, “you and your Mudblood of a girlfriend!”
Ron pulled his knee up, connecting with Malfoy’s stomach. The Slytherin doubled over and tripped backwards. Ron shoved his hand in his pocket for his wand and realized it was in his book bag in the library. Malfoy straightened. Ron sent a silent thank you to his older brothers for years of beatings and bent over, ramming his shoulder into Malfoy’s middle. Ron’s forward motion slammed Malfoy into the stone, cracking his newly healed ribs. Malfoy’s wand clattered to the floor as Ron’s hand grabbed his throat, pressing the air waves closed.
“Never call her that again,” Ron growled, watching Malfoy skin flush red from his effort to breathe.
A disgusted look on his face, Ron released his grip and Malfoy slid to the floor.
“Exactly why was it that your mother wanted Potter and your sister but not you home for the holidays?” Malfoy rasped from Ron’s feet.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ron spat.
“Then why are you here and they’re not? Unless,” Malfoy sneered, a knowing smile beginning to play at the corners of his mouth as he pushed himself back up the wall, “they did not go home.”
Ron swallowed, a sinking feeling gathering in his gut. He needed to leave. If he stayed, he would most likely say more than he already had.
“Where did they go, Weasel?” Malfoy taunted.
Ron turned away, shaking his head. “Pathetic,” he muttered.
“Weasley!”
Ron groaned as he saw Snape striding purposefully down the hallway. “What is going on here?”
“We were just discussing our holiday plans, sir,” Ron growled.
“Does discussing holiday plans involve strangling a student? Fifty points from Gryffindor and you will be spending your Easter break in detention,” Snape snarled, before turning to Draco. “You need to see Madam Pomfrey.”
“Ask him why he’s here and Potter isn’t,” Draco urged, as he clutched his side, sending Ron a triumphant smirk over his shoulder as he hobbled down the corridor.
“Weasley?” Snape snapped. “Look at me!”
Ron dragged his eyes away from the decrepit form of Malfoy and met Snape’s gaze.
“They didn’t go home, did they?” Snape snarled, looking deeper.
Ron’s eyes widened. Snape was using Legilimency on him. Ron went to move his head but Snape’s hand reached and held his chin firmly in place. Ron slammed his eye lids shut and felt Snape’s grip release.
“I think you may be the more pathetic one, Weasley,” Snape sneered.
+++++
“Hermione!” Ron cried desperately as he charged down the isle in between the bookshelves in the library.
“Shh, Ron!” Hermione scolded. “We might be on break, but that’s no need ““
“Snape used Legilimency on me!”
“What? Are you sure?” Hermione stood up, her eyes boring into Ron’s.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Ron panted, “the git knows Harry and Ginny didn’t go home.”
“Did he figure out where they went?”
“I don’t think so. I shut my eyes when I figured out what he was doing.”
“I wonder why he’d want to know,” Hermione pondered.
“What are we going to do?” Ron asked.
“Find Dumbledore,” Hermione said, grabbing Ron’s hand.
+++++
Harry stared at his plate. It looked really good. He just wasn’t sure he had the energy to pick up his fork and eat it. His mind was numb from exertion. He watched the butter pool around his green beans. He had had no idea how much energy it took to set up wards, especially wards such as these. They had been casting spells for what seemed like hours when Lupin had commented to him these were very similar to the ones placed around Number Four, Privet Drive, and the Burrow when he came to stay. Never again would he question the time and effort it took to set them up.
“Harry? Is there something wrong with your dinner?” Harry raised his eyes from his plate and blinked numbly at Anna who was looking at him with concern. “You’ve been sitting there staring at your plate for ten minutes and haven’t touched a thing. Do you want something else?”
“No, no, it’s fine “ excellent, in fact,” Harry assured Anna, “I’m “ I’m just not all that hungry.”
Anna smiled gently as Harry tried to stifle a yawn unsuccessfully. “You’re tired.”
“Yeah,” Harry nodded.
“You’ll sleep well, tonight,” Anna said, “which is probably a good thing, considering the cots that these tents come equipped with.”
“Yeah, sleep,” he said wistfully, spearing a green bean with his fork.
“Eat up, Harry,” Bill said, patting Harry on the shoulder from behind. “We’ve got work to do after dinner. I’ll meet you in our tent in twenty minutes.”
“He can’t be serious,” Harry asked Ginny across the table as Bill left the tent she, Tonks and Anna were sharing.
“I’m afraid so,” Ginny answered, setting her fork down. Harry noticed she looked as tired as he did.
“What happens when we fall asleep in the middle of it?” Harry asked.
“We can hope he doesn’t notice,” Ginny shrugged, setting down her napkin and pushing her chair back. “I’ll go see about bringing some tea over. I’ll meet you up there.”
Ten minutes later, Harry ducked under the flap and into the tent he was sharing with Nathan, Bill and Lupin. The tents from the outside looked like Dudley’s two man pup tent that had been used for one summer until Dudley got too big to fit through the flaps. As Bill set the men’s tent up earlier that evening, he had told Harry these were standard issue for curse breakers and to be careful where he walked just in case the stray scorpion had hitched a ride from the last jaunt. Unlike the highly decorated tents at the World Cup, these tents were nothing but functional. Decorated in various shades of brown and kakhi, the tents came equipped with a small kitchenette; one sleeping area filled with cots that could be stacked to form bunk beds; and a sitting area that was cramped mainly because of the oversized, ornately carved wood desk against the far wall. Bill had explained that the goblins, while they were rather unconcerned about the comfort level of their employees, always wanted to make sure their curse breakers had decent workspace.
The soles of Harry’s boots crunched against the centimeter of sand covering the floor which Bill also noted came standard with each tent. (”No spell created can get this stuff out of here. Believe me, we’ve tried!”) Noticing he had the tent to himself, Harry sighed gratefully, arched his back and stretched his arms out wide. Harry was pretty sure the only part of his body which wasn’t aching were his feet in his new dragon hide boots. Letting his arms fall back down, Harry fell straight forward onto his cot, planting his face in his pillow and exhaling happily.
“Don’t get comfy, Harry,” Bill’s voice came from above. “I need a place to sit.”
Harry groaned and rolled over. “Bill, you realize we aren’t going to remember any of this in the morning, don’t you?”
“I can always hope,” Bill answered, sitting down on the edge of the cot.
“Here, this might help,” Ginny said ducking through the flaps of the tent, holding a tray laden with a tea pot and three mugs.
“I love you,” Harry said as Ginny sat down in between him and Bill.
“Hey! Big brother, in the room,” Bill reminded, as he spread out a roll of parchment on the opposite cot. “Hand me your shoes, Harry.”
Harry slipped off his boots and handed them over. Bill weighted the corners of the parchment down with them. “Here,” he said, handing Harry another roll of parchment. “And, Ginny, you take this roll. Now, as you know, the circlet, when we find it, has places for fourteen stones. Once we remove any that are left in it, we will need to put in new ones. Two of those stones are yours and Harry’s birthstones. The other twelve represent the months of the year. Those months represent twelve people who are a part of your lives.
“Our job is to come up with those twelve people. Now, this circlet obviously was not made based on your lives so we will have to come up with some friends to fill in where Merlin had family members represented. The most important thing is that it all balances out “ whatever we have for you, Ginny, we must also have for you Harry. Got it?”
Harry and Ginny nodded.
“Good,” Bill said. “As you can see, on this side of the parchment are the months of the year. This column lists the corresponding birthstones. And this column,” he said, pointing to the row of blank boxes, “is for the name of the person born in that month who can help perform the spell. The last column is for their relationship to you.
“Because of the age of the circlet and the fact that the spell we are using is straight out of one of Nathan’s Ancient Magic lectures, I used a mystical birthstone chart of Tibetan origin that was over a thousand years old so some of the stones may look a little off.
“Now, Harry,” Bill pointed at the parchment covering Harry’s knees, “that is a copy of the pages from McGonagall’s records of all the students and their birthdates who are currently enrolled at Hogwarts in the fifth, sixth and seventh years. Ginny, you have the faculty members since we might need a few of them as well. So, where do you want to begin?”
“Alright,” Ginny said, rubbing her hands together, “let’s start with the obvious, our parents.”
Bill picked up a quill. “February “ Bloodstone “ Arthur Weasley and,” he dipped the quill in the ink, “October “ Jasper “ Molly Weasley. Now, here is where we have to balance it. Harry, when was your mum born?”
“May,” Harry answered.
“Hmm…Sapphire…Anna’s birthday is in May,” Bill mused. “She’d be an excellent stand in for your mum.”
Harry glanced at Ginny who smiled encouragingly. “Alright,” Harry nodded, “and my dad was born in December.”
“December…December…” Ginny ran her finger down the parchment spread over Harry’s knees. “Perfect!” she exclaimed. “Hagrid!”
“Hagrid’s birthday is in December? I didn’t know that,” Harry said.
“I didn’t either,” Ginny answered. “But he’d be good, wouldn’t he?”
Bill wrote in Reubeus Hagrid next to Onyx and snorted. “Well, with a birthstone like that, it certainly makes his Rock Cakes a little less of a mystery.”
Ginny giggled as she took a sip of tea. “Bill, your birthday is in November.”
“You sure?” Bill asked, the quill poised above the parchment.
“Sounds good to me,” Harry said. “But does that mean I have to have someone stand in as a brother?”
“Yeah,” Bill said, filling in his name next to the birthstone Pearl. “Any ideas?”
Harry didn’t even have to think about it. “Ron.”
“Brilliant!” Ginny grinned as Bill filled in Ron next to Jade, March’s birthstone.
“If you have a brother, you must have a sister for balance,” Bill pondered. “When is Hermione’s birthday?”
“September,” Harry answered.
“This is a little too easy,” Bill observed. “Hermione Granger, September, Agate. Alright, Ginny?”
Ginny trailed her fingers down the list of students. “Do we have anyone for August yet?”
“No,” Bill answered, consulting the chart.
“Joanna would be a good sister,” Ginny said before chuckling. “Neville had better save up. August’s birthstone is Diamond.”
“Only in the Mystical realm,” Bill reminded her with a wave of the quill.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Ginny asked, furrowing her brow. “I mean, we are really just picking names out of the air. How do we know they are the right people?”
Bill sat back. “Birthstones have meanings. Some people put those meanings in the same category as Divination. However, birthstones are true magical objects. Charmed properly, their meanings combine to form the protection. To be honest, it’s almost uncanny how some of those meanings can fit the people born to that stone like a glove.”
Harry pushed up his glasses and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, blinking several times to clear his vision before focusing on the chart again. Bill and Ginny looked at him questioningly as he chuckled.
“By any chance is Luna’s birthday in June?” he asked.
Ginny scanned the parchment on her knees. “It is,” she answered, looking back at the chart. She giggled as she watched Bill write Luna Lovegood next to the birthstone Moonstone. “Well, that is rather fitting, isn’t it?”
“See,” Bill grinned. “Uncanny, isn’t it? Alright, Luna is Ginny’s friend. Harry?”
“Neville?” Harry suggested. “His birthday is July.”
“Of course,” Bill nodded. “Ruby is July’s birthstone. Who do we have left now?”
“January and April,” Ginny read. “According to the people column, these should be leaders or people we look up to.”
“Right. Mentors,” Bill said, glancing at the parchment Harry held. “How about Dumbledore, Harry? His birthday is April for Opal.”
Harry nodded slowly. If anyone deserved the mantle of mentor for him, it would certainly be Albus Dumbledore.
“That leaves someone in your life, Ginny. Mum’s already on the chart, and so is Anna.”
“And Catarina’s gone,” Ginny said quietly.
“Can someone stand in for Catarina?” Harry asked.
“Yeah, as long as they were born in January,” Bill said.
Harry glanced at the date column on his parchment, his finger stopping at the first January birthday it came to. Harry met Ginny’s gaze.
“Nathan,” he smiled.
“Nathan,” Ginny nodded, leaning back against the wall. “Perfect.”
Bill’s quill scratched Nathan’s name next to January’s birthstone, Emerald, then sat back and looked at the chart. He nodded, satisfied.
“That is your circlet,” he proclaimed quietly.
Silence filled the tent as the trio contemplated the completed chart. Harry’s chest swelled as his eyes read the names of the people to whom he was tied. These people “ their lives linked with his “ this was where the true magic could be found. Harry felt Ginny weave her fingers with his and squeeze gently.
“This is our circlet,” Harry repeated softly.
++++
“What do you mean he’s not here?” Ron asked disbelievingly.
“The Headmaster has business elsewhere,” Professor McGonagall answered crisply.
“Professor McGonagall, we think Professor Snape used Legilimency on Ron to find out where Harry and Ginny went for the holidays,” Hermione said. “We need to tell Dumbledore.”
“An accusation like that is a very serious one, Miss Granger,” Professor McGonagall scolded.
“And if he finds out what they are doing, it could very serious, too!” Ron exclaimed angrily.
“And what is your fear if Professor Snape figures out Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter went home for the holidays? I’m assuming all proper wards were put in place, correct? If it makes you feel any better, I will send an owl to your parents and check they arrived safe and sound.”
Ron felt Hermione stiffen beside him and place a restraining hand on his arm. “No, thank you, Professor,” Hermione said, stepping back and pulling Ron with her. “You’re right. We over reacted. Thank you.”
Stunned into silence by Hermione’s sudden change of track, Ron looked from Professor McGonagall’s questioning gaze to Hermione’s determined one. Hermione slipped her hand into his and tugged impatiently.
“Right, Professor,” Ron said, stepping away, too, “sorry. You’re right. They were surprising my parents. Bill was meeting them at the station. I forgot. Uh - Happy Easter.”
“Happy Easter to you, too,” Professor McGonagall answered shaking her head. Glancing over her shoulder as she walked away, McGonagall saw Hermione pull Ron into an alcove and out of sight. She paused briefly. Perhaps sending an owl wasn’t such a bad idea.
Hermione turned to face Ron who looked thoroughly confused.
“Hermione!” Ron whispered. “What was all ““
“Ron, the Order doesn’t know where they went,” Hermione whispered back. “And they aren’t supposed to know until they get back with the circlet.”
“The Order doesn’t know? But what about Lupin and Tonks? Aren’t they Order members?”
“Yes, but they were sworn to secrecy by Dumbledore,” Hermione explained quietly. “If we tell McGonagall where they went, she’ll have to tell the Order.”
“And that would be bad how?” Ron asked. “Harry and Ginny need help!”
“I know!”
“Then what should we do?” Ron demanded.
“I “ I don’t know,” Hermione cried.
“You always know, Hermione!”
“I know, but when it comes to things like this, well, usually ““
“Usually Harry’s here,” Ron said understandingly.
Hermione smiled apologetically. “Yes, Harry is usually here.” Hermione rubbed her temples in frustration. “Look, they are well protected. If we wait until Dumbledore gets back tomorrow morning, he can get in touch with them. We can try sending an owl today with a coded message in case it gets intercepted, but past that, there isn’t much we can do here.”
Ron clamped his mouth shut hard and growled. “I feel helpless. I hate feeling helpless.”
“I know,” Hermione said quietly. “Come on, let’s go get our books so we can head to the Owlery.”
Ron kicked the wall in frustration before following Hermione out of the alcove.
++++
“Severus.”
Snape looked up from the book he was flipping through to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the door to his office.
“How is Draco?” Snape asked, shutting the book.
“He is recovering,” Lucius informed him. Lucius stepped into the office, his curiosity piqued as Snape hid the book under a piece of parchment.
“That is encouraging,” Snape replied, standing up and moving around to the front of his desk.
After his confrontation in the hall with Ron, Snape had gone directly to Nathan’s office. He knew Borgin was behind Potter not going home. He knew this had something to do with the Dark Lord. And he was certain a clue had to be in Borgin’s office. Snape had been cursing Ron for closing his eyes too soon when he found what he was looking for on Nathan’s bookshelves. He had almost laughed as he stepped forward, reaching out to the books arranged in alphabetical order by author within subject categories. All, that is, except one.
“Do you have news?” Lucius asked, taking a step back.
“No,” Snape said, his lips pursed.
“I think you do,” Lucius said, stepping around Snape and snatching the parchment up. “A travel guide to France? What is this?”
“Research,” Snape snarled, reaching out to grab the book from Lucius’ hands and failing.
Lucius turned to the marked page. “The Forest of Brocelinde? Severus, you never struck me as a follower of Merlin.”
“I’m not,” Snape bit out. “Borgin is.”
“Borgin? What does Borgin have to do with this?”
”Borgin went to France for the Easter holidays,” Snape said.
“Isn’t that romantic,” Lucius replied caustically, his mind turning.
Borgin unprotected, unaware.
Lucius dropped the book back on Snape’s desk and turned to leave.
“Let it go, Severus. I will take care of it,” Lucius assured him over his shoulder.
Snape’s eyes narrowed in anger at Lucius’ retreating back. He growled, his nostrils flaring with hatred. How dare he speak to him as if he were an imbicle! As the anger settled in his gut, Lucius’s words rattled in his brain.
I will take care of it.
Snape’s lips curled into a snarl. If Lucius took care of Borgin, Borgin would be gone. Snape narrowed his eyes. Then, he took Lucius advice. He let it go and smiled.
“Then, by all means, take care of it…”
+++++
A/N “ Oh, the people to thank!
To Czarina “ thank you so much for your help with the French translation! Without you, Merlin only knows what I was saying. Merci!
To wvchemteach “ Luna’s moonstone is all yours. Many, many thanks!
To Anya and your mom “ thanks for the second set of eyes. And yes, my son is growing up against my wishes!
To Bogus 7 “ mods rule!
As far as the next update goes…it’s that time of year again when we pack up our kids, send the dog to camp, hire a cat sitter and schlep half way across the country for nine days of family fun with the grandparents. It’s wonderful, exhausting, nerve wracking, necessary and we eat well! But it does throw a wrench in the whole fan fic updating business.
That being said…look for another update a little early (Thursday, Nov 16th). Then, the next update will not be up until most likely Monday, Nov 30th, when we and our fifteen loads of laundry return.
If you sense that I don’t enjoy these trips, I do. But yes, I end up needing a vacation from my vacation at the end of them.
If you want to learn more…
Birthstones - http://www.bernardine.com/gemstones/birthstones.htm
General Information - http://france-for-visitors.com/brittany/index.html
Travel info - http://www.smh.com.au/news/France/The-enchanted-wood/2005/03/25/1111692620456.html?oneclick=true
Passport office - http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/index.asp
Passport/train information - http://www.chainreaction.com/eurotrip05.htm
Eurostar - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurostar