2. The Truth Be Told
Harry and Hermione arrived in the entrance hall of the Ministry of Magic with a pop. Letting go of Hermione’s hand, Harry quickly spotted Ron standing in front of the Fountain of Magical Brotherhood, staring longingly at all the money in the wishing pool. Ron’s family never had a lot of money.
Ron and Harry had come to the Ministry today so that they could take their Apparition tests. Harry was not worried about his test. He had just Apparated to the Ministry all by himself. The only reason for having Hermione Apparate with him was to make it appear that they had used Side-Along-Apparition. Ron, on the other hand, was very worried. He had taken the test before and only failed by a hair’s breadth, half of an eyebrow to be exact.
Harry and Hermione moved over to where Ron stood. As they approached he took notice that his two best friends had arrived.
“I’ve already checked in,” said Ron.
Both Harry and Hermione could tell that his confidence was low at the moment. Ron got like this at times, especially if he had time to think about the task he was facing.
Let’s pass the test so we can start kicking old Lord Moldy Short’s ass,” said Harry, as though the he was going to grab a bite to eat before degnoming a garden, and began to headed towards the reception desk.
Ron burst into laughter at this and seemed to be in a better mood. Hermione would have found this as funny as Ron except that she was too busy appreciating Harry for bucking him up.
Ever since the end of term, Ron and Hermione had been an item. At the first chance Ron got to get her alone after Dumbledore’s memorial service, he told Hermione exactly how he felt about her, and Hermione did the same.
Harry checked in with the desk clerk, telling him that he was there to take his Apparition test, Hermione telling him she was there for moral support. The clerk weighed their wands and then told them that the Apparition Test Center was on the sixth floor in the Department of Magical Transportation.
Before Harry left the desk, he asked if it were possible for him to send an interoffice memo. Harry had seen the memos that were folded up into paper airplanes and would zoom from department to department. The clerk told him that he could, and all he needed to do was take the bit of parchment that he offered Harry, write his note, fold it up in to an airplane and send it on its way. Harry borrowed a quill and wrote a quick note but did not send it on its way just yet.
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved over to the lifts that would take them to the sixth floor, Harry’s heart sank. Getting off the lift was Nymphadora Tonks. Harry had hoped to avoid anyone from the Order.
“What are you doing here?” asked Tonks.
“We are going to take our Apparition tests,” supplied Harry
“We are in a bit of a rush, but I know Lupin wanted to have a chat with you. I think he is at The Burrow,” said Harry, trying to prevent Tonks from asking too many questions.
It had worked, and a sparkle had found Tonks’s eye as she said goodbye.
“That was close,” said Ron, as Harry folded the memo and let it go.
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the Apparition Testing Center, having passed their exam, they saw the none other than the Minster of Magic blocking the lifts and their only exit. The trio had been expecting to see the Minster, as the memo Harry had sent was addressed to him. Rufus Scrimgeour had replaced Cornelius Fudge last year as Minster of Magic; the wizarding world had clamored for that change. Harry felt that while Scrimgeour was better suited at catching Death Eaters, he was not much better than Fudge when it came to being Minster of Magic. Harry knew that this was largely because Scrimgeour had appointed Fudge and Fudge’s senior staff as his own senior staff. It was Harry’s hope that this meeting with the Minster would fix some of the mistakes that the he had made.
“Good morning, Minster,” said Harry calmly. “I see that you got my note.”
“Yes,” replied the Minster, and then added, “So you wanted to talk to me?”
“I did,” smiled Harry contemptuously, “About what we discussed at Professor Dumbledore’s memorial.”
Scrimgeour could not hide the look of interest that engulfed his face. “Shall we go to my office where we can have some privacy?” offered Scrimgeour.
“No need, this won’t take long,” said Harry. “I am going to make you an offer that is non-negotiable,” Harry stated simply. “The Ministry must immediately release anyone it is holding who has been wrongly accused as being a Death Eater. Furthermore you must apologize to each and every one of them on the front page of the Daily Prophet,” Harry finished.
Scrimgeour’s look of interest quickly became a look of contempt. Harry cut any reply Scrimgeour might have had by saying, “Once you have released the people you have wrongly accused, I will provide damning information about Voldemort and how it should be used against him.”
With that Scrimgeour’s contempt washed away, this time replaced by curiosity. “What is this information?” Scrimgeour asked unable to hide the eagerness in his voice.
“As soon as they are free and your have made amends,” was all that Harry would offer as he pushed past the Minster and entered the lift followed by his friends. Harry closed the gate as Hermione pushed the button that would take them to the atrium and the exit of the Ministry of Magic.
“Now what?” Ron inquired of Harry as they approached the point at which they could Apparate.
“Home,” said Harry sullenly, just before the three disappeared with a pop.
Moments later they appeared in a small grove of trees, behind number Two Forty One Founders lane, Godric’s Hollow. This house was Harry’s home before his parents were killed and Harry was taken to live with the Dursleys.
“Everyone should be here,” stated Harry in a dry voice, as he stepped towards his home, followed closely by Ron and Hermione.
Ron gaped in awe as they entered the gardens of number Two Forty One. The gardens were huge to say the least. The grounds covered one hundred acres of which the house took up over five.
“This place is big enough to build a Quidditch pitch!” exclaimed Ron.
“Why should we build one?” asked Harry. “There are two already one the grounds,” Harry said in a tone that implied that Ron should have already know that, but he softened a bit as he noticed Hermione blush as she had forgotten to tell Ron about the pitch.
As Harry and Hermione had Apparated here yesterday to place the Fidelius Charm on the house and grounds, they had time to check out the place. The Fedelius Charm allowed a secret to be hidden within a person; the secret Harry was keeping was the location of his home.
“Two pitches!” expounded Ron.
“Well, one regulation pitch,” Hermione began to explain, “and there are Quidditch hoops at both ends of the pond,” she finished.
“Wow, I can’t wait to see that,” said Ron, excitement dripping from every word.
“There will be time after we have filled in the Order,” said Harry, as they reached the back door.
As the trio entered the sitting room they saw that in fact, everyone on Harry’s list had arrived. Almost instantly Harry spotted Ginny. “Boy, I love her,” Harry thought to himself as his heart began to race. It had been hard for Harry to keep Ginny out of his mind during his stay with the Dursleys. Harry fought, with every last bit of will power he had, the urge to run to Ginny, take her in his arms and never let her go. This was a fight Harry was not sure he could win.
“Oi Potter, nice house you got here,” said Fred Weasley, who was the first person to see Harry and his friends standing there.
Everyone in the room turned as one to face the new arrivals. Harry stared at all of them in turn. First Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then Bill, the oldest of the Arthur and Molly’s, children and Harry move down the line of Weasley children. Next was Charlie, and Percy would have been next, but he was still at odds with his family, and then Fred and George, who were followed by Ron and Ginny. Harry did not look at Ginny for fear of losing his resolve.
Harry’s reaction to her did not go unnoticed by Ginny; she now knew how to get what she wanted: Harry Potter.
After the Weasley family, who had become as good as his adopted family, Harry saw Remus Lupin his parents’ only living friend. Harry continued to take in the rest of the Order of the Phoenix until he finally spotted Fleur Delacour, Bill’s fiancé.
After a stunned few seconds, Molly Weasley moved towards the newcomers. Harry quickly put his hand out to stop her. “Mrs. Weasley, I must ask you to not fawn over us just yet. I fear if I let you, I would lose the strength I need to do what I must do today,” stated Harry with all the conviction he could muster.
It wounded Harry to see the pain he had just caused Mrs. Weasley, but Harry had to do it.
“If everyone would move into the dining room, Dobby the house elf should have lunch ready,” Harry was saying as he gestured toward the large double doors across the way.
Everyone began to move in the direction that Harry had suggested with the exception of Mad Eye Moody. Moody had both eyes fixed on Harry, including his magical eye, which allowed him to see through almost anything. Knowing that Mad Eye wanted answers, Harry once again cut them off before they got started.
“You have a right to know what is going on, but I must ask you to hold your questions until I have finished.” Harry made sure everyone could hear what he had said, hoping that would put an end to anyone preventing him from getting through this.
Once everyone was settled in the dining room with at table large enough to sit the whole of Gryffindor house around it with room to spare, Dobby entered the room carrying a large platter of sandwiches and two large tureens of pumpkin juice.
“Will Master Harry be needing anything else?” asked Dobby in a squeaky voice.
“Only that you stop calling me Master,” said Harry simply.
“Dobby is sorry sir, he is forgetting that Master Harry does not like to be called Master,” Dobby said as he bowed himself out of the room.
“When did…” started Ginny, but Harry cut her off.
“I will explain it all, now if you would like, please eat and I will start,” said Harry. Ron had grabbed two sandwiches before Harry had even finished his third word.
“The best place to start is with the reading of Dumbledore’s will,” Harry started. He told them what happened when he had gone to the reading; the only other person at the reading was Dumbledore’s brother. Who, it turned out, was the barkeep at the Hog’s Head. Most of Dumbledore’s worldly possessions went to his brother. Harry got a lot from Dumbledore’s estate; he was given a fair a sum of gold with instructions to use it well. Harry cared little for money; his parents and Sirius had left him enough gold to insure that he would never have to work a day in his life. Harry had the gold transferred to the Weasleys’ vault at Gringotts with instructions that the Weasley were the never find out where the money came from. He knew they would never take to money if they knew where it came from. Harry could not think of a better use for the money. Also bequeathed to him were two spell books that had pages marked and annotated so Harry could quickly find the spells Dumbledore wanted him to learn and use right away. Dumbledore left instructions on how to find his parents’ house, along with instructions on what Harry should done once he found it, a list spells the wizened old wizard put on the house and how Harry was to finish protecting the house. Hermione and Harry had done all that yesterday. The last thing Harry was given was Dumbledore’s pensieve, along with all the memories Harry had seen the year before, and the memory of the prophecy. The last thing left for Harry was a note:
Dear Harry,
It is my dearest hope that my death has not caused you much grief. If it has I can only say I am deeply sorry. I know you have felt more grief then anyone should have to endure in their lives, and for that I am again deeply sorry.
The last instruction I leave you with is to share your knowledge of Voldimort with only those you trust the most. I know that you are ready for the tasks ahead of you but they can make those tasks a little less difficult.
Your teacher and I dare to hope friend,
Albus.
Harry walked the stunned group though Dumbledore’s collection of Voldemort’s past. Harry told them everything as close to what Dumbledore had told him as he could. He explained about the Horcruxes, told the group that the Horcruxes are a spell that traps part of a wizard’s soul within an item. He watched as they all looked horror struck as he told them that a component of the spell that a wizard trying to cast it was to murder someone. The only reason a wizard would do such a thing was so he or she could prevent death, unless all the Horcruxes were destroyed. Harry thought that the people in the room could not look any sadder, but he was wrong.
Harry went on to tell those gathered that Voldemort had not only made a Horcrux, but he had made six. Harry provided the only good news he had to give since he told Ron that the grounds held two Quidditch pitches, informing them that two Horcruxes had been found and destroyed. The first Horcrux found was the very same diary that had taken Ginny captive in Harry’s second year. The second was a ring that belonged to Voldemort’s father.
Harry shared with his friends his trip with Dumbledore into that fateful cave along the sea, where they had sought out the third of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Harry stopped the memory long before they got near to Dumbledore’s death, he did not wish for his friends and family to see such a horrible thing.
The mood of the room was somber. Harry decided that it would be a good time to take a break; they had been there for hours. He told the morose group to come back in an hour, hoping but not expecting the group to take the last bit of news well.
As everyone got up Harry said, “I am still not ready for you to ask questions. I promise your answers will come, that is if I know the answer.”
“Mr. Weasley, would you and Mrs. Weasley please join me?” Harry inquired as he moved towards the kitchen.
“Sure, no problem Harry,” said Arthur as he and Molly followed him.
Once in the kitchen Mrs. Weasley began to fuss over Harry, “Are you ok dear? You look tired. We could finish up at a later time,” she said as she pulled Harry close.
“I am ok, really,” answered Harry. “I did want to ask a favor of you and Mr. Weasley, though.”
Arthur said “Anything, Harry,” as Molly lit up at the thought of helping one of her children. Even though Harry was not hers, she thought of him in the same way she thought of all of her other children.
“I would like you and join me, Ron, and Hermione here in my home until the war is over. This would keep you close to the three of us and would help us by keeping us in line,” Harry pleaded, adding the last bit knowing that it would be hard for Molly to be away from her youngest son.
“Well, Harry,” Arthur began but was interrupted by Molly.
“Only on one condition.” Then she paused before saying, “Only if you call Arthur and I Mum and Dad.”
“Now, Molly,” said Mr. Weasley, unsure this was something they should hoist on the boy.
Harry had to admit he did not see this coming, but in a way he saw the Weasleys as his family. “Ok, Mum,” said Harry a bit surprised at himself.
The three reentered the other room where everyone was talking; Molly quickly introduced her newest son, and told everyone that they would be staying over indefinitely with their new son for the holiday. Harry added that everyone should pick a room and make it their own, just in case they might need to stay over night, or if they wanted they could move in and make his new family even bigger.
Everyone was happy about the good news except Ginny; she was beginning to think that Harry was making her fight too easy. She smiled as she thought to her self ‘he’s mine.’
Harry was torn as he watched everyone once again take his or her place around the table; the somber mood was nothing compared to what was to come. With a look at Ginny Harry took a deep breath, steadying himself.
“I am sure most of you are wondering why I said that only two Horcruxes were found when I showed you Dumbledore and I retrieving a third Horcrux,” said Harry looking at their faces, all of whom had been wondering that exact thing, with the exception of Ron and Hermione as they both already knew what Harry was about to say.
“Dumbledore and I did bring home a locket, but it did not belong to Slytherin. In fact, it was not a Horcrux at all,” finished Harry. He produced a note.
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this
But I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret.
I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.
I face death in the hope that when you meet you match
You will be mortal once more.
R.A.B.
“As of yet we don’t know who R.A.B. is or if he destroyed the Horcrux, but I can tell you who he hoped would face Voldemort as a mortal,” Harry finished and once again stirred the contents of the pensieve with his wand, a woman floated out of the white mist that filled the pensieve, and an a unearthly voice recounted the prophecy that said that Harry must kill Voldemort or be killed himself.
Harry Potter and the Fight for Ginny by Sorn
Chapter Notes: Please let me know what you think.