Chapter 13 “ Enough
Ginny had arrived back at Grimmauld Place over a week ago in a state of shock and panic. Hedwig had not yet arrived to Hogwarts with the news of the Burrow by the time she was leaving. Dinner that night had been very tense. With Ginny’s new knowledge of her home being destroyed and Ron and Hermione still not talking, the table had been very quiet. Now, one week later, Mrs. Weasley was very distressed about four of her children not completing their education.
To be honest, Harry was a little disappointed in having to give up his dream of becoming an Auror. He brought this topic up with Lupin after a particularly difficult Occlumency lesson. Harry had not been allowed to use his Pensieve, and Mr. Mayar had to try to extract a memory as Harry tried to block it from him. Lupin had been very serious on the subject of Harry’s lessons.
“Well, Harry, you know when you leave Hogwarts, you can’t return,” he said cautiously. “What subjects were you taking, anyway?”
Harry told him about his subjects, and Lupin hesitated. After a moment he spoke, rubbing his temple.
“I suppose I could teach you Defence Against the Dark Arts,” he said carefully.
A fire glowed inside Harry’s stomach. He missed Hogwarts more than anything. Having a few lessons back would be like recreating the best times of his life.
“I think that might work,” Lupin continued. He we looking as hopeful as Harry felt. Harry knew that everyone regretted them dropping out of school, even if it was to find and destroy the worst thing to ever happen to the world. “Minerva might be able to help out also.”
A loud crash from the kitchen interrupted their conversation. With a quizzical glance at each other, Harry and Lupin raced down the stairs.
Mr. Weasley was laying spread out on the floor having apparently Apparated hastily. He got up and adjusted his glasses as he spun around looking for his wife.
“Molly!” he exclaimed upon seeing her standing by the door looking bewildered.
“Three more murders!” he gasped. “You-Know-Who is really furious! Must be because of Nagini!”
He slumped into a chair having given his message.
“Who was it, Arthur?” Mrs. Weasley asked urgently.
“Er… Mr. Watvey, I believe was his name,” Mr. Weasley rubbed his forehead aggressively, “and his wife, I think, and their daughter…”
“Gabrielle,” Lupin finished. Everyone in the room turned around to see Lupin in a state on shock.
“Richard and Emily Watvey, and their five-year old daughter, Gabrielle,” he stated more to himself than to anyone else.
“That is who purchased all the former belongings of Number Twelve; the one with… the locket!”
Ginny entered the room looking very aggravated.
“Those two are on the brink of another big row. They are just waiting for an excuse. I don’t think their relationship can withstand much more of this,” she said, mostly to Harry, as though asking him to do something about it.
“I’ll go try to stall the worst,” he sighed, and dashed upstairs. He did not want his friends to be constantly at each other’s necks like this. He had to stop it.
“Ron, you have to pay better attention to me when I talk!” Hermione was saying. Harry waited outside the door, not really wanting to intrude unless he had to. He crouched to the crack beneath the door to hear better.
“I do listen!” Ron snapped back.
Nice comeback, Ron, Harry thought.
“I was listening when you told me about that big fight you had with your parents,” Ron continued, and Hermione fell silent. Harry held his breath expectantly. Neither Ron nor Hermione had told him about this.
“You said that they were upset you weren’t going back to school, and that made you feel guilty. You said you felt guilty for not telling them about us, and then I said not to worry about it.”
“You only remember that because it concerned you, and you didn’t have a plate of food in front of you!” Hermione spat, hoping for a reason to stay angry, and most importantly, right.
“No, Hermione, I remember because I care about you and I love you!” Ron shouted over her, and the room once again fell silent.
Harry risked a peek from behind the door and saw his two best friends, one on either side of the room, thinking about what to say next. Harry hadn’t heard Ron say that to Hermione before.
“You do?” Hermione said, taking a step forward.
“Yes,” Ron answered, a lot more confidently than he looked, also taking a step forward.
“Well, I love you too,” Hermione said, almost defiantly.
Harry wanted to scream with exasperation. The baby steps they were taking toward each other were too slow.
“I… I’m gonna kiss you now,” Ron said, a little louder and more aggressively than before.
And like that, the baby steps toward each other grew into long fast strides. After so much pointless arguing, they finally kissed and made up.