Chapter 14 The Suicide Clause
The first day of November dawned cold and rainy. Harry stared out his bedroom window at the miserable weather. Hedwig landed on his shoulder but perched for only a few seconds before flying to the top of his dresser. The owl didn’t sit there very long either. In less than a minute she flew to the top of Harry’s bed and began walking along the rail that held the curtains.
“You’re restless. Do you feel trapped girl?” he asked his owl. “Aren’t we all.”
The opening game of the Quidditch season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, was just two weeks away but Harry was not looking forwards to practice. It would be his job to push the team out into the cold rain.
He could think of something he would rather do. He could sneak down to the kitchen under the cover of his invisibility cloak, grab Hermione and go hide in some corner for the rest of the day. She was his wife! He couldn’t quite believe it. His poor stressed out little wife, he hadn’t even taken her to Madam Puddifoot’s for a cup of hot chocolate and here they were legally married. She was the smartest girl in Hogwarts and today she was barefoot and in the kitchen. She was still in the Nursing program but was serving twenty hours a week in detention. She was being punished because she broke the rules. She broke the rules because she loved him. That added up to being punished because she loved him. What was he going to do with her? At least she was popular with the house-elves now and as long as she was surrounded by a hundred of them she probably wouldn’t be attacked by a crazed murderer. Running away looked better every day.
But Harry had to get the Quidditch team whipped into shape for the match against Slytherin. He didn’t want anyone getting injured or sick from practicing in the rain. But on the other hand, Hermione would be working in the hospital this evening. If anyone got sick he would have an excuse to visit the hospital.
A half of an hour later, he pushed away the uneaten bites of his breakfast and summoned the team over.
"It's cold and rainy, but the opening match against Slytherin is two weeks from today," Harry said, "what would Oliver Wood do?"
Katie Bell was the only team member besides Harry who had played when Oliver was captain, so the rest of the team looked at her.
"Oliver would make us practice in a hurricane," Katie said, "but you're not that kind of person Harry."
"The weather's bad today," Harry admitted, "but we need to practice if we want to win. And I want to win by a wide margin."
"If we win by a wide margin it could help make up some of the house points a certain person's girlfriend lost," snickered Jack Sloper.
"I wouldn't mind talking strategy with Katie and Ginny for a while," Seamus volunteered. "Maybe the rain will let up."
"Alright," Harry relented, "chalk talk until the rain slacks up a bit."
In an hour there was less rain, so Harry pushed them out onto the pitch. There is only so much Quidditch that can be learned from theoretical discussions. Soon they were all cold and wet, but they practiced on. Harry earned some nicknames that weren’t as nice as “Dragon Killer”, like: “Hurricane Harry” and “Harry the Horrible” and “Heartless Harry.”
Ginny and Katie told Hermione all about the rainy Quidditch practice at dinner and Harry had to endure a lecture about the link between physical stress and a lower resistance to infectious diseases.
“What’s more important, Quidditch or your friends’ health?” Hermione asked gruffly.
“You just don’t understand Quidditch,” Ron chimed in. Then he sneezed and ruined the point he was trying to make.
“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” Harry said. “Tell me more about the little germs and the mucosal epithelial thingy.”
It rained all day on Sunday so there was nothing to do but study, which was all that Hermione seemed to want to do. She was all tense about special nursing exams and some project.
On Monday morning there was an announcement on the bulletin board that said a supervised classroom would be available in the evenings for practicing magic. This was popular because a lot of the students had been complaining that the alarm system on their wands kept them from practicing for their class work. On Monday evenings Professor Flitwick was assigned to watch the practice room. On Wednesday Professor Snape took over. On Thursday it was Professor Sprout's turn to supervise the students and on Fridays it was Professor McGonagall. Harry noticed that the practice room was closed on Tuesday evening.
That evening Harry and Ron escorted Susan Bones to the hospital, following the schedule that Hermione had devised when the days were longer and Quidditch practice followed supper.
"How long is Hermione going to be in detention every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening?" Susan asked. "We need to spend more time studying for nursing."
"Tonight's her last night," said Harry. "She's served her four weeks because she also spent Saturday mornings and afternoons in detention."
"No wonder she's been so stressed out," Susan said. "She looked like she might cry during Nursing class this evening but she wouldn't say why."
At ten o'clock Harry and Ron met Hermione at the entrance to the secret passage that she used to get to the kitchen and escorted her back to Gryffindor tower.
"Susan Bones told us you were upset," Harry said. "Do you want to tell us why?"
"Susan's a sweet girl," Hermione said, "I'll tell you the news later, Harry."
"Can't talk in front of me?" Ron asked.
"I'd like to tell you Ron," she said. "It's good news. But it's a Ministerial secret."
"A Ministerial secret?" Ron said incredulously, "and Harry's in on it?"
"I'm sorry Ron," she said, "but that's the truth. I need to talk to Harry alone."
"Fine," Ron said. "You two go ahead and talk. I know Ministerial secrets I can't tell you two."
Ron left them in front of the portrait of the fat lady.
"Ministerial secret?" Harry said quietly when Ron had left, "are they concerned about the house-elf stuff?"
"No, it's about my parents Harry," Hermione said with a sigh. "It's terrible to keep it from the Weasleys that they aren't dead, but I suppose it's necessary."
"Are they alright?" Harry asked in concern.
"The Ministry finally got around to arranging a new identity for them. They've had higher priorities than a couple of Muggles," Hermione said. "Harry, they're moving to Vancouver. They want me to move to Canada too."
She waited for this to sink in.
"We could leave. We could transfer to a school in Canada. Harry, we can leave the war behind," she said quietly but in a pleading tone. "Mom and Dad want me to leave and they don't even know about the attempts to murder me in September."
"You should go," Harry said. "I'll come for you when the war is over."
"I'm not leaving you," she said bluntly.
"You should go," he repeated, "it's not safe here. But I have to face Lord Voldemort. And I don't want you following me into combat."
"But I need you Harry," Hermione said. "I'm staying if you're staying."
"Fine, but I don't want you following me into combat," Harry said sternly.
"I can get into trouble all by myself," she said. "Will you be there to protect me?"
"Of course I'll protect you," he said. "What sort of trouble are you talking about?"
"Oh nothing definite, I'm just talking about what could happen," Hermione said. "My parents finally got some money from the insurance. They set up an account for me at Gringott's Bank. I can buy some clothes and other things now," she said smiling.
The change of subject seemed pretty abrupt. Harry wasn't so sure that she was telling him the whole story.
On Tuesday Kingsley Shacklebolt cornered Harry in Defense Against the Dark Arts class and suggested that he should organize a group to practice defensive spells on Friday evenings. He told Harry that Professor McGonagall was all for it.
"I'm for it," Harry said, "but won't the practice room be open to Slytherin students?"
"Yes of course," Shacklebolt said. "You'll need to organize two groups. One that's open to everybody which would act as a cover. We’ll have to keep the group that really counts a secret."
That evening Dumbledore announced that students would be confined to their dormitories following dinner.
"This includes Prefects and their volunteer patrols," he said looking directly at Ron.
Harry spent the evening studying with Ron in the common room and wondering if the hospital was safe. For the fourteenth time this term he wished he had the Marauders’ Map. It had been confiscated by Dolores Umbridge when the D.A. was broken up and Draco Malfoy captured him.
On Wednesday morning the rooster woke Harry and Ron so they could escort Hermione back to Gryffindor Tower. When they arrived at the hospital wing the door was closed. Hermione was usually waiting at the door. Harry and Ron pulled out their wands and knocked on the door. They heard movement on the other side of the door, then Hermione's voice removing locking charms. The door opened and Harry was almost smothered by a hug.
"Are you alright Hermione?" they asked.
"I'm fine," she sighed. "But I'm very tired, let's go home."
"Didn't you get a chance to sleep last night?" Harry asked as they walked towards Gryffindor tower.
"There were no patients at all," she said. "I was alone in the hospital all night. I was scared. I couldn't sleep."
"Did something frightening happen?" Harry asked.
"Oh… it was just my over active imagination, don't worry about it," she said as she grasped Harry's left hand with her left hand behind her back. She held her wand ready as she scanned all around them.
"You're looking in every corner like you expect to be attacked," Ron observed. "What happened? Was there another murder last night?"
"Not that I know of," she said. "But it does seem to happen on Tuesday nights. It's just… Oh, when Madam Pomfrey hears about it, I'll probably loose more House Points."
"Hermione," Harry said firmly, "tell us what happened."
"I was unprofessional," she said with a sigh. "I was alone and nervous and Mr. Filch came in. I pointed my wand at him in a threatening way. I didn't like the way he was looking at me."
"Filch is a creep, he tortured you. Madam Pomfrey will understand," Harry said squeezing her hand gently.
"I told him I didn't need any new shoes, and he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about," she said angrily. "So I told him that the hospital didn't need any cleaning and he just stared at me. Then I asked him why he was there. I was a bit gruff," she admitted. "He complained of a stomach ache so I tossed him a bottle of stomach potion. Then I made him leave and I never took my wand off him."
"He might complain about being treated like that," Ron said sadly. "He's a touchy creep. Still, I don't blame you. Don't worry about it. It's just House Points, we're not going to win this year anyway."
"There's more," she added. "A half an hour later there was a knock on the door. I checked through the peep hole and Filch was back. I sealed the door with magic and I didn't let him in."
"What if he was really sick?" Ron asked.
"I thought about appendicitis," she said nervously, "but I just couldn't open the door. He scared me. Oh, I hope he's not dead! It's just…"
"Just what?" Harry asked.
"I'm just being paranoid," Hermione said angrily.
"That's not what you were going to say," Harry deduced. "What was it about Filch that frightened you."
"This is silly," she said. "But… But I thought saw a wand in his hand."
"Filch is a Squib," Ron said. "Even if he had a wand, he couldn't use it."
"I'm going to get more detention," Hermione said sorrowfully.
But that evening at dinner Hermione told Harry that Madam Pomfrey hadn't said a word to her about the incident.
She talked Harry and Ron into hanging around the hospital for an hour when they dropped off Susan so the two girls could study together. They had some special exams coming up soon. Madam Pomfrey was getting involved in some project at St. Mungo's.
For the rest of the evening Harry and Hermione sat together on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room. The incident with Filch bothered Harry. Was Hermione losing her mind or had she been in real danger? Neither possibility appealed to him. He wanted to hold her all evening but they just sat beside each other and studied. She was finally out of detention and they were spending the whole evening studying. That was not very romantic. The room was full of other students so they couldn’t even take a break for kissing. Hermione was tired and went to bed early.
Early on Friday morning as Harry and Ron escorted Hermione into the Gryffindor common room, there was a flash in the fireplace and Mr. Weasley appeared.
"Dad!" Ron said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"You're already up! Excellent! Come with me at once," Mr. Weasley said excitedly. "Harry and Hermione you too, come along."
Ron pointed his wand at his father and said coldly, "Just who are you?"
Harry and Hermione pointed their wands at Mr. Weasley too.
Mr. Weasley looked at them in surprise.
"Ron, this is a crisis," he said urgently. "Charlie needs you. It's dragons. Harry and Hermione can help too, we've got to hurry.
"What happened to Rex Bruin?" Ron asked suspiciously. "And don't go for your wand!"
"Rex Bruin?" asked Mr. Weasley. "I don't know who you're talking about. Don't hex me! Dragons are attacking muggles and Charlie needs your help!"
"My dad would know what happened to Rex Bruin!" Ron said as he raised his wand a few inches.
"Wait Ron," he pleaded, "let me think!"
They stared at each other for a few seconds.
"Rex means king," Mr. Weasley said. "Give me a hint, was Rex Bruin a king?"
"He was the King of the Misty Forest! No more hints!" Ron said hotly.
"Ah! Misty Forest! I know that," Mr. Weasley said in relief. "It's what you kids called the woods between the Burrow and Ottery St. Catchpole. But there is no King of the Misty Forest."
Ron pointed his wand directly in his father's face.
"I think I'll use the Flagrate spell," Ron said hotly.
"Harry, Hermione, don't let him do that," Mr. Weasley pleaded.
"He might be your father," Hermione said.
"Or a very good actor," Harry said.
"I called my teddy bear Rex Bruin." Ron said through gritted teeth.
"Oh… That Rex Bruin," Mr. Weasley said sheepishly. "I killed him," he said to Harry. "But he was a huge venomous spider at the time. Fred and George thought it was funny."
"Alright Dad," Ron said. "We'll go with you. What's up?"
"Old Mad Eye would be proud of you Ron," Mr. Weasley said beaming. "The magical barriers at the South Celtic Dragon Preserve have been disrupted. Some Welsh Greens are raiding a Muggle village between Bideford and Bodmin. We've got to stop them before it gets on the Muggle tellyvisors! We've got to modify the memories of the affected Muggles and get the dragons back into the preserve!"
"Why do you want Harry and Hermione to come?" Ron asked.
"They can help rescue Muggles," Mr. Weasley said. "It's a low priority, but it's a nice thing to do."
They followed Mr. Weasley into the fire and were transported to the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. There were guards checking everyone who was coming or going.
"Weasley! Diggory's been asking about you" said the guard named Eric. "Go check in quickly."
Mr. Diggory sat at a table in the middle of the atrium. There were several stacks of Muggle toys on the table. Percy was with him managing the paperwork. Harry saw Percy give Mr. Diggory a nudge.
"Arthur! Bring Ronald over here," Mr. Diggory called.
"Ronald, Charlie needs your help. He'll explain. Grab a green toy. It's a portkey," Diggory said as he handed Ron a broom from a stack behind him and pointed to a pile of green toy army vehicles.
Ron took the broom, picked up a tank and vanished.
"Is Potter on the list?" Diggory asked Percy.
"She's listed as an aid to Madam Pomfrey," Percy said showing a list to Mr. Diggory.
"She hasn't had much training," Diggory commented to Percy after looking at the list. "Find Madam Pomfrey and do what she tells you to do," Diggory ordered Hermione. "The other healers will either tell you to do things that are above your level or not let you do anything at all. Take a white toy.”
"Hermione picked up a toy ambulance and vanished.
"Is Harry Potter on the list?" Diggory asked Percy.
"No, but he could be useful," Percy said. "He has a history of rescuing people."
"Arthur and Harry, you take brooms and red toys," Diggory instructed them as he handed over two brooms.
Harry picked up a red toy fire truck and felt his stomach lurch as he was suddenly jerked into a black vortex. He landed near a red tent. The lurching in Harry's stomach hadn't quite stopped when Mr. Weasley appeared beside Harry.
"That's Rescue Headquarters, they'll assign us a job." Arthur said.
They entered the tent and tossed their toy fire trucks into a basket. A wizard with a big black mustache and green robes sat at a table in the middle of the tent. He looked familiar. Harry thought he may have been on the Wizengamot.
"Joe??" Mr. Weasley exclaimed in surprise, "We're looking for the Muggle Rescue Headquarters."
"This is it Arthur," said the wizard with the mustache, "Diggory's organized everyone for emergency situations. I see you've brought Harry Potter. That's good. You two are naturals for a Muggle rescue team.”
Harry thought that the wizard with the mustache seemed a bit bored with his job.
"There's a farm a mile south of here where a young dragon is looking for breakfast," the wizard in green said with a slight smile. "Take the Muggles to the first aid tent, weather they are injured or not. If you see any Muggles wandering around, take them in too. Don't harm the dragons. They're a protected species."
He handed Harry and Arthur each a rope.
"These are grappling ropes. Tie one end to your broom and toss the other end in the general direction of the thing you want to tie up and the rope will do the rest."
Harry and Mr. Weasley mounted their brooms and flew over the trees towards a column of smoke.
At the farm Harry saw the dragon standing over the fallen body of a man. An old woman came out of the house with a gun. It was an old fowling piece that could do nothing but make the dragon angry.
"Expelliarmus," Harry said aiming his wand at the old woman.
The gun flew out of her hands. Harry then tossed the grappling rope around her and lifted her to the edge of the woods.
Mr. Weasley cast a Reducto spell on the barn door. Several cows, sheep and horses came running out of the burning barn. The movement of the animals caught the dragon's attention, but it seemed reluctant to leave the fallen man.
Harry flew past the dragon close enough to pester it but out of reach. The dragon was watching Harry now. Another zoom past the dragon and it was more interested in getting the annoying boy on the broom than in eating the farmer.
While Harry distracted the dragon, dodging a shot of flames as he did so, Mr. Weasley picked up the injured farmer and headed towards a white tent about a mile away. Harry summoned a lamb and levitated it towards the dragon. The dragon went for the flying sheep. Harry zoomed over to the old lady.
"I'll take you to the hospital. But first, is there anyone else here?" he asked her.
She shook her head, so Harry picked her up and followed Mr. Weasley.
In the distance he saw two red headed wizards on brooms chasing a dragon away from a village.
At the healer's tent, Mr. Weasley gave the injured farmer over to the care of Augustus Pye.
"I'm sorry I had to tie you up," Harry said to the old lady. "I hope the ride on the broom wasn't too frightening. That Healer is very good with burns," he said pointing to Pye. "He'll take care of your husband."
Hermione came over with a cup of tea for the farmer's wife.
"You poor dear, what a dreadful nightmare," Hermione said to the woman as she handed her the tea and patted her on the back.
The woman drank a few sips of tea and fell asleep.
Hermione levitated her to a cot.
The Obliviators would be along later to modify her memory.
Harry spent most of the day working with Arthur Weasley. Towards late morning when he was bringing a Muggle reporter to the hospital, Harry saw Ron being treated for minor burns and a broken arm.
By mid-afternoon some of the volunteers were being sent home. Mr. Weasley directed Harry and Hermione to board the Knight Bus to return to Hogwarts. Hermione was so tired she wanted to curl up and sleep on the bus. Harry held her tightly and tried to keep her from falling as the crazy purple bus jerked and lurched towards the school.
Sunday's Daily Prophet blamed the collapse of the magical barriers that surrounded the dragon preserve on the Death Eaters.
The dragon preserve is on a peninsula that juts out into the Celtic Sea. It is completely invisible to the Muggles, who think it is a chain of dangerous rocks that have to be avoided by their boats. A Muggle spy satellite may have taken a photograph of the peninsula when the magical barrier was down. Amos Diggory had diplomats working with Russian wizards to cover up that potential secrecy breech.
The Ministry of Magic introduced new restrictions and controls on travel by the flue network and portkeys. Joseph Steelman, the wizard with the big mustache and green robes, introduced a bill before the Wizengamot that would grant the Minister of Magic sweeping emergency powers in the event of a national disaster.
Hermione was as agitated about this bit of political news as she was about the death and destruction caused by the release of the dragons.
"Amos Diggory's a decent fellow," Ron argued.
"That doesn't matter. The travel restrictions are an infringement on our basic civil rights and that Emergency Powers act is just a bad idea," Hermione huffed.