October had been an exciting month for Harry. Their first Quidditch match of the season was played against Hufflepuff where the outcome had been in Gryffindor’s favor despite loosing Dennis Creevey to a Bludger within the first fifteen minutes of play. Ron, with his new confidence, defended the posts brilliantly. Hufflepuff were only able to score once against him. Ginny and Katie were mavericks on their brooms and worked well together, executing plays Ron had drawn up the week before. Ginny, Harry had noticed, scored fifty points to Katie’s twenty. He had caught the Snitch after feinting, surprised that the tiny golden ball just happened to be next to him as he pulled up from the dive.
Professor Lupin had continued Moody’s lessons on the Patronus Charm. It was remarkable how many students were able to conjure the silver formless vapor when Mad-Eye wasn’t growling at them. However, he knew from experience that a grumpy professor was the least of your worries when dealing with the Dementors, but he didn’t want to discourage his classmates. Almost all the ‘original’ D.A. members could now produce a fully fledged Patronus; all, that is, except for Ron.
Divination joined the ranks of his least favorite classes. He was hoping that Professor Firenze would make more sense that Professor Trelawney, but instead he was left even more confused. Harry and Ron started to lean towards Hermione’s camp - it was all a load of rubbish.
Whenever homework and other obligations lightened up, which sadly wasn’t as often as they would have liked, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would walk across the lawn to visit Hagrid. He would often give them updates on Madame Maxine and Grawp, his giant brother. Hagrid told them that Grawp could now speak broken English, though Harry could hardly believe that anyone but Hagrid could understand him.
The butterflies had grown tremendously over the last two months; they were now as big as his hands and excreted a thin layer of ice on whatever they were attached to. Neville’s butterfly had crawled up onto his sleeve, freezing his robes to his arm and dragon hide glove. Hagrid was able to coax it back onto an icicle and Hermione was quick with a warming spell.
Harry was especially excited today, for tomorrow was Saturday, the first Hogsmeade trip of the year. However much he loved Hogwarts, it was nice to have a break once in a while. Even Professor Snape couldn’t dampen his spirits towards the upcoming furlough when he assigned a foot and a half essay on the accomplishments of Vurgeta Oxley, a witch who had discovered the five uses of Trillium.
Climbing up out of the dungeons, the trio arrived on the main floor of Hogwarts where they usually said their good-byes for the afternoon, Ron and Hermione had their class with Dumbledore. Today, however, was a different story.
“Come on, Harry.” Ron said, “There’s something I want you to see.” He looked at Hermione and smiled mischievously before laughing at Harry’s reluctant furrowed brow.
“Uh, I thought that this was between you, Hermione and Dumbledore?” Harry asked, letting Ron pull him upstream along the crowded corridor to the Headmaster’s office.
“Well, now it has to do with you.” His best mate called over his shoulder as he plowed through a swarm of first years, making Harry’s curiosity get the better of him.
“Bogus Whizzbees” Hermione opened the passage to the spiral stairwell as the gargoyle leapt aside.
Once through the door, they found Dumbledore waiting at his desk, expecting their arrival.
“Good afternoon,” Dumbledore greeted them. “I take it you’re ready then Mr. Weasley?” He asked when he saw Harry enter the room.
“Why not give it a go.” Ron grinned as he walked over to the cabinet of magical instruments.
“You might want to have a seat, Harry.” Hermione directed him to a chair he had already spent too much time in and pulled out a journal, ink, and quill; ready to take notes as she settled into the adjacent chair.
“Has Mr. Weasley told you why you’re joining us here today?” Dumbledore asked as he cleared his desk of parchments he was working on to make way for the Pensieve that Ron had brought over.
“No.” Harry was truly puzzled.
“Well, he’s about to tell you, I’m sure.” Dumbledore conjured another chair for himself beside the desk as Ron took the Headmaster’s when he left it. “Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Weasley.”
“Okay, here it goes.” He grinned and took out his wand.
Ron closed his eyes as he set behind the desk. Harry watched as his face relaxed and his breathing slowed. After a few moments, he scrunched his nose and drew his wand to his temple just like the many times he had watched Dumbledore and Professor Snape do. The glistening memory freshly pulled from his mind, Ron directed it into the Pensieve and opened his eyes.
“There, I think this one will do.” Ron smiled again. “Do you want to see for yourself, Professor?”
“No, I’m sure you did just fine, Mr. Weasley.” Dumbledore gave Ron a nod of confidence.
“Okay, then. Uh...” Ron seemed falter as to how he should proceed. “Well first off, Harry, I want you to know that this is not your fault. You have to promise me that you won’t feel the least bit guilty. It’s kind of a good thing really, it could have been a lot worse I suppose... Promise me?”
“I’ll try not to then.” Harry replied doubtfully, completely unaware of what was going on, yet having the feeling that he wouldn’t like it.
“Dumbledore says you’ve had experience with the Pensieve before, so I don’t need to tell you how to do it, right?” Ron asked looking back and forth between the Headmaster, the Pensieve, and Harry. When the latter nodded, Ron’s grin reappeared, “Let’s go then, shall we? Hermione, are you coming too?”
“Of course.” She put her journal and quill on the desk. “After you.”
“See you in a minute then.” Ron said before leaning into the Pensieve and being magically sucked into its mist.
Hermione was next; she too leaned over and disappeared into the stone basin. Harry turned to his questionable gaze to his Headmaster in a silent plea for an answer to what was happening.
“It’s alright, Harry. Let him share this with you.” Dumbledore looked at him reassuringly. “They’ve worked hard to get to this point, trust them.”
Harry merely gave an uneasy smile, that wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear and then he too leaned over the Pensieve and fell headfirst into Ron’s memory.
Falling through the mist, he kept his eyes closed until he completely stopped and felt something firm below his feet. Slowly opening his eyes, he found Ron and Hermione’s faces beaming back at him.
“Come on, Harry, let’s have a seat.” Ron flicked his head back.
When his two friends had stepped away, he caught the full sight of the memory. They were in a large stone hall; urns and torches lined the walls that held up the enchanted ceiling of the night sky. It was a familiar scene, but slightly different than what he had ever experienced it before. They were in the Great Hall and stood in the middle of what he had known by experience, the Welcoming Feast.
“Here, let’s sit in our usual spots, nobody else is.” Ron pulled Harry alongside the table and set him down of the bench. “It’s going to start in just a minute.”
“Harry, what are you thinking? You haven’t said a word.” Hermione, who he didn’t realize was sitting next to him asked.
“Er- we’re at Hogwarts.” Harry muttered, scanning the Gryffindor table for a familiar face. This was, after all, Ron’s memory.
“Welcome young Witches and Wizards, welcome to Hogwarts.” A sweet, but austere voice echoed through the hall, brining the students to attention.
Harry looked up to where Dumbledore had perched during the festivities, but in his stead, found a frail looking,short witch dressed in dark brown robes adorned with embroidered gold swirling trim and a matching wide-brimmed hat where the golden beaded edge sparkled with the slightest movement. She reminded him of a portrait in Dumbledore’s office.
“I would like to make a few introductions before we begin our wonderful feast.” The witch turned back to the head table and motioned for a man seated at the end to come forward.
The man rose from his place and joined what Harry assumed was the Headmistress’s side. He was tall; his thin graying hair curled just above his shoulders contrasting with the rich moss-green hue of his robes. His face contorted in what looked like a nervous smile as he dabbed his forehead with a graying handkerchief.
“I would like to introduce to you our new Ancient Runes instructor, Professor Ealdred Sigefert.” The woman smiled and joined the applause that arose from the students, none of which Harry could recognize.
The man slipped his handkerchief back inside his robe and cleared his throat with a sputtered cough. “Uh... Thank you. It’s an honor to be here.” He gave a slight bow to the mass of students, then turned and bowed to the witch; stumbling slightly, he bumped her hat off. “Thank you Headmistress Craster.”
Looking even more terrified when the hushed laughter rising from the students reached his ears, the man nodded his head and quickly resumed his seat at the end of the table, dabbing wildly at his brow with shaking hands. Harry watched him while Headmistress Craster secured her coif and continued on about the coming year as if nothing happened.
“Bit of a nervous bloke, isn’t he?” Ron nudged him. “I’ll explain it a minute, let’s get back.”
The memory started to blur and swim before Harry’s eyes as he felt his body fly upward and out of the pensive. Catching his balance and his position in the room, he sat back down in his chair.
“How did it go?” Dumbledore asked the group, smiling over his spectacles.
“Just fine.” Ron and the Headmaster exchanged curious glances.
“Ron, Harry probably wants to know what that was all about.” Hermione snapped him back to Harry.
“Yeah, what was that? Where were you? Where was everyone else for that matter?” Harry looked to his friend for answers.
“Well, I thought I’d introduce you to good ol’Ealdred.” Ron said off handed.
“Who is this Professor Ealdred Sigefert and why do you have a memory of him... and all those other people?” Harry’s confusion only grew.
“That was a Hogwarts Welcoming feast, only it took place two hundred and seven years ago. As for Professor Ealdred Sigefert, that was his memory.”
Harry’s mouth fell open, he couldn’t help it. He turned to Dumbledore who nodded in confirmation as Hermione reached out for his shoulder to comfort him.
“But... how can that be his memory if-?” Harry absently put his finger to his temple, “if it came from your head!”
“Harry, remember the Department of Mysteries... well, of course you do.” Ron rolled his own eyes at such a dumb remark.
“You know how I was- uh, a bit of a nutter and I summoned one of those brain things that were swimming in the tank?” Ron assessed the composure of his friend before continuing on his explanation. “Well, that was the- that was the brain of Professor Sigefert and all the memories that went with it.”
Harry felt faint, his stomach fell to the floor before the sensation of guilt started to pulse through his veins, a promise made or not.
He looked to Dumbledore, unable to face Ron. “Is that even possible? He’s sick right? It’s only temporary... I should have stayed and got that- that thing off of him.”
His Headmaster wore an expression of soberness, folding his long fingers together on his lap, it confirmed to Harry that Ron was indeed not sick and this was not temporary.
“Harry... Harry, you promised Ron that you wouldn’t do this. It’s not your fault.” Hermione’s voice shook as she tried to siphon off his guilt while Harry stared blankly at the side of the mahogany desk.
“Harry, I’m fine. Now will you look at me and stop blaming yourself, it’s not as bad as you think.” Ron’s voice was uncharacteristically strong. “Harry, will you please look at me.”
“Ron, I...” Harry could only look at Ron’s crooked robe collar where a speck of afternoon’s lunch missed his mouth. “I should have....”
“Are you about done, really?” Ron had dared him.
Slowly, his eyes climbed up Ron’s freckled neck to his chin and with one great last effort, their eyes met.
“Look, this isn’t such a bad thing. Professor Sigefert was brilliant, really brilliant. Not only did he specialize in Ancient Runes, he was well versed with Ancient Magic and forgotten potions.”
“But he’s in your head!” Harry was feeling a strange anger towards Ron’s optimistic outlook.
“Well, yeah... sort of. Harry, this could have turned out horrible, but it didn’t.” Ron’s face lit with excitement. “Think about it, he knows things, I know things.”
“You’re not you!” His anger was now evident.
“I am me.” Ron shot back, leaning across the desk like he was about to launch himself up. Hermione gave a little squeak at the heated exchange. “Harry, its just memories. If you could step away from your presumed guilt for just a second, you’d see that I can help you!”
“You want to help me?” Harry was on the brink of another tirade in Dumbledore’s office as he too teetered on the brink of his seat. “You’re the one who’s... who’s... ”
“Oh shut up you two and stop bickering!” Hermione’s unexpected outburst silenced the room. Remembering that the Headmaster was seated across from her, she blushed furiously. “Sorry Professor.”
“Not at all Miss Granger, you’ve sufficiently gained their attention.” Dumbledore winked.
Hermione turned back to the two childish boys who were glaring between each other.
“Harry, he’s fine with it. He’s accepted it. He’s worked hard to sort things out and control it.” Hermione’s stern voice hit him before she turned to Ron. “Give him a minute, Ronald. It’s a bit of a shock, honestly.”
‘She was right’, Harry thought. It pained him to know that Ron would never be the same, that he hadn’t been the same since that night. As he thought back, connecting the dots yet again to Ron’s behavior, it all made sense.
“I’m sorry.” He and Ron murmured at the same time as their countenances softened.
“I’m sorry.” Harry said again, leaning back into the chintz chair.
“So am I.” Ron confirmed. “It’s just that with his knowledge we can help you.”
“Dumbledore told us that Lily, your mother, invoked a sort of ancient magic to protect you from Voldemort,” Hermione said discreetly, “It could work again. We can help.”
Not knowing what to say, feeling ashamed of himself for being upset with them in the first place when they offered such a grand gesture.
“I guess this explains all those meetings you two had this summer then?” Harry asked off hand.
“He’s been helping me sort through Sigefert’s memories and letting me use his Pensieve.” Ron gave a thankful nod towards his Headmaster. Harry had remembered seeing the Pensieve back in the library at Grimmauld Place.
“Hermione, well...” He blushed slightly as he explained her part in the ordeal. “She was with me when I first discovered something was different. She’s been writing everything down and we’ve been looking up some of the spells and stuff I remember.”
“What is it that you- uh, remember?” Curiosity was making its way back over the ebbing anger, guilt, and shame.
“Loads of stuff really. We know there’s more, but I haven’t sorted it all out yet.” Ron’s smile returned at his interest. “There’s a whole other lifetime crammed in here.” He shook his head as if he expected it to rattle.
“Well now, I don’t think I’m needed here anymore. I heard that the house elves have prepared my favorite dishes tonight.” Dumbledore’s chair scratched across the floor as he stood up. “You’re free to discuss matters as long as you wish; I only ask three things of you.”
Ron, Hermione, and Harry gave him a consensual nod before he continued.
“First, please put the Pensieve away and do not venture into another memory without my presence. Second, you are not to speak directly about this outside of this room. Harry, I trust you know what to do with this information.” Dumbledore eyed him, he understood that this was to be locked away. “And last but not least, take comfort in each others’ strengths, accepted them for what they are and the intent in which it’s offered.”
When the aged Headmaster reached his office door, he turned again to his students with a stern gaze.
“And do try not to get into any trouble tomorrow. Misters Fred and George Weasley will accompany you in Hogsmeade, although I daresay with those two, you might already be in trouble.”
Dumbledore walked over the threshold and pulled the door shut behind him, leaving the three friends to their business.
................................................................
Excitement electrified the atmosphere of the Great Hall during breakfast. It was finally Saturday and it was the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. Ron was flat out excited to go while Hermione voiced her concerns about being away from the protection of Hogwarts. Ginny and Ron argued with her over the risks and reminded her that Fred and George were perfectly capable of handling things. After all, they were the first to arrive on Harry’s birthday and subsequent Death Eater attacks, even though it almost cost George his life.
“What are your plans for the day, Ginny?” Harry tried his best to ask nonchalantly. “Will you be hanging out with the rest of us, you know, with Fred and George?”
“No, sorry. Not this trip. Dean and I are going together.” Ginny said coolly. “I don’t have to stay with Fred and George, even though Mum and Dad asked me to.”
“She’ll be with me and Seamus and Lavender.” Dean piped up with a wide grin on his face, “It’s a double date.”
“Oh...” Harry’s voice squeaked before he got it under control, “That should be fun then.”
Trying to change the subject off Ginny and her date, he continued flatly, the excitement for the day sufficiently deflated.
“So Ron, Hermione, what are our plans for the day.” He asked before vigorously sawing away at his sausage link.
“Uh, well. I don’t know, what would you like to do Hermione?” Ron shifted the decision to the third party.
“Oh I don’t care. I suppose we could go to all the usual spots.” A wicked smile flickered across her face, “Ron’s probably dying to see Madam Rosmerta again, it’s been months you know.”
“Excuse me!” Ron’s face changed color before the words left his mouth.
“You’re excused.” Hermione tried her best to hide her smugness in successfully provoking him.
“I’ve never-“Ron began in his defense.
“Have some fruit.” Hermione had shoved an apple wedge into his mouth; a feeble attempt in shutting him up the same way he had done to her weeks ago, however, the out come wasn’t the same.
“Iyeb lot biker” Ron spattered his continued protest before swallowing the partially masticated apple.
“Yes, well... we understood every bit of it, didn’t we Harry?”
“Yeah, I know how you feel mate, older woman and all.” Harry temporarily crawled out of his disappointment to join in Hermione’s fun.
Ron had a dreamy expression float upon his features as he sighed longingly upward.
“No brains, no mollycoddling worries about her friends, no lectures on rule breaking, no prefect duties, no books to hide behind and especially no bushy brown hair to deal with. All the Butterbeer I can drink and non-stop appetizers. Really Harry, what more could a handsome bloke such as myself want?”
“Oh, especially no brains.” Harry played both sides of the fence. “Who wants a girl who’s smarter than they are and always bossing them around anyway? Nope, any future girlfriend of mine will be as smart as a post, worship the ground I walk on and address me as His Royal Majesty, Prince Potter of Hogwarts.”
“Why only Prince Potter?” Ron asked seriously, it was a serious discussion after all.
“Because you’re the King of course.” Harry bowed mockingly towards Ron who tapped his shoulders regally with his butter knife, crudely yet effectively knighting him.
“Now it’s His Royal Majesty, Prince Harry Potter Sir of Hogwarts. A title even Dobby would agree with.” Ron’s voice had an air of a particularly snooty monarch.
“I was only kidding.” Hermione huffed; slightly offended by their outlandish ribbing now that the tables were turned.
“Oh, you were?” Harry couldn’t read Ron’s blank expression, but saw the Weasley charm reflected in his eyes. “I wasn’t.”
“Ronald Weasley!” Hermione blushed and smacked his shoulder.
The table started clearing out as students left to get ready for Hogsmeade.
“See you around Prince Potter of Hogwarts.” Ginny smiled cheekily as she and Dean walked past. “I’ll see if I can pick you out a good post on the way.”
Harry tried to fight the flush that had begun to rise.
“We better get going - Fred and George will be waiting for us at the gate.” Ron swung his legs out from under the table.
Harry too got up from the table after throwing down the last bit of sausage. He had a feeling that it would be the last decent thing he ate before coming back for dinner, Honeydukes would surely spoil his afternoon appetite and a trip to the Three Broomsticks would only aggravate the situation.
“We better get our cloaks.” Hermione told the boys as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower, catching sight of the looming, rain heavy clouds seeping over the nearby mountains. “It looks like we’re in for a downpour.”
After filing into the courtyard, joining the queue of other students who had permission to visit Hogsmeade, Harry checked to see if Malfoy and his goons would be among the masses. To his relief, they were not. Ginny, he noticed was talking adamantly to Lavender and Seamus, while Dean looked otherwise engaged, checking his watch periodically and shrugging every now and then.
Filch, after scrutinizing every permission form for forgeries and being thoroughly disgruntled by the authenticity of all them, released them on their way. Fred and George stood just outside the gates, waving excitedly like a pair of little boys flagging down the ice-cream trolley.
“Ready for some fun?” George winked.
“We’re ready.” Fred answered before Ron could get a word in edgewise. “Let’s go!”
George grabbed Hermione’s arm and pulled her away from Ron’s side. “You look lovely today. Don’t you think, Fred?”
“As always.” He cheekily replied, turning back to the crowd. “Ron, doesn’t Hermione look absolutelyravishing?”
“Knock it off.” Ron retorted, keeping step with Harry.
“He fancies Madam Rosmerta.” Hermione told George outright, “Told me so himself over breakfast.”
“Good, then I assume you’re available to accompany me to Hogsmeade then, since my little brother has other plans.” George snickered, pulling a willing Hermione even closer so that she was sandwiched loosely between the twins.
“You prefer a girl with brains, don’t you George?” Hermione asked loud enough for Ron to hear her, flashing him another wicked smile over her shoulder.
“Brains? Of course, she’d have to be able to keep up with our stunning, brilliant intellect.” George replied while a steaming Ron and an amused Harry followed a few steps behind.
“She would have to be fast on her feet, quick with spells and knowledgeable on all the rules and regulations so that we can pick and choose which ones are worthy to bend a bit.” Fred sighed deeply, “I personally prefer brunettes to blondes.”
A loud clap of thunder echoed through the valley heralding the arrival of the impending downpour. A few large drops had begun to fall, prompting them to place their hoods swiftly over their heads. Some students quicken their pace and rushed past them, trying to beat the rain. Harry was hit in the shoulder by one of the students. He was about ready to yell at them to watch it, but when the cloaked figure turned around and pulled its companion along the trail, he saw that it was Ginny. When they were a few paces in front of them, Seamus and Lavender bringing up the rear, Dean looked over his shoulder and gave Harry a wide grin. Feeling his heart sink a few feet lower, he kept his eye on what was the back of Ginny.
“Let’s step it up, Ron. That’s Ginny just ahead of us.” He told him.
“I know, did you see the look on Dean’s face when he turned around?” Ron replied with a look of disgust. “That grin said ‘I’m going to snog your sister until there’s no tomorrow and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Ron told him, “We’ll see about that.”
Ron pushed between Fred and Hermione, separating her from his older brothers. “You can do better than these two gits.”
Harry had joined them on the other side of Hermione so that now Fred and George followed behind.
“Good, I’m glad you’ve taken a bit of initiative little brother.” They could hear Fred laugh through the rain.
“Oh, but Hermione and I were getting along so well.” George whined, “You’ll pay for stealing my girlfriend!”
“Shut up!” Ron hollered back.
“Hermione, we need to keep an eye on Ginny, alright?” Harry said in a low voice.
“Why is that?” She asked.
“Dean.” Ron stated. “He’s.... he’s wanting to- you know.”
“Oh, Ron.” Hermione exasperated, “She’s allowed to you know, she doesn’t need you permission to kiss her boyfriend.”
“No Hermione, it’s not like that.” Harry rebutted, “You didn’t see him when they passed us on the trail.”
Hermione was quiet for a minute as they were now trying to avoid the puddles that were starting to form.
“But she’s with Seamus and Lavender too so I highly doubt Dean would try anything inappropriate.” She had given in. “Okay, where are they?”
“A few meters ahead, just before the crest of the hill.” Harry had pinpointed her location, he hadn’t lost track of her since they passed.
The torrential rain had started in earnest as they sloshed their way closer to Hogsmeade. Fred and George followed behind.
“Did we hear that our baby sister has some boyfriend troubles?” Fred asked with a hint of mischievous excitement.
“We’ve been waiting ever so patiently for an opportunity to test a few of our newest creations.” Harry could hear George laugh through the rumble of the latest clap of thunder. “This could be fun.”
Casting the Impervious spell on his glasses, Harry continued to keep Ginny in his sight as they hurried after them. He couldn’t get over the feeling that something was indeed slightly different in the way Dean grinned but couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was.