Harry wasn’t completely sure as to what was going on all around him. All he knew was this: his best friend was safe. Both he and Ron had their arms slung companionably around Hermione, who for once seemed perfectly content to remain in their protective embrace instead of buzzing around, tossing out theories and ideas. The three of them kept grinning foolishly at each other, all of them feeling, without having to say anything, they were all much happier to be together, working as a team again. It just seemed wrong otherwise. Harry took a moment to glance around him.
If someone had suddenly appeared in the Burrow’s kitchen at this very instant, he or she would have no idea that it was close to four o’clock in the morning. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were standing at the old stove, Mrs. Weasley stirring several pots at once, and Ginny primarily rolling her eyes at her mother as she was instructed to ladle this onto a plate or pour that into a dish. Hagrid was stationed by the back door; George had gone to fetch Lupin and Tonks from Number Twelve, and all three were expected back shortly. Mr. Weasley was deep in conversation with Fiora Podlink, who seemed, at first glance, to be an interesting combination of Ginny and Hermione “ sassy, outspoken, bold and very very bright. Fiora saw him looking over and tipped him a wink. Harry felt himself blush and turned towards the sound of Fred thundering down the stairs.
“Mum!! Smells fantastic “ it’s about time we added another meal to the day, aside from the standard three,” Fred hovered over Mrs. Weasley’s shoulder, sticking his finger directly into pot she was stirring. She swatted it away absently and waved her wand at a drawer. Silverware zoomed out, glittering projectiles. Fred managed to catch most of them.
“Mum! Are you trying to dismember me?” He huffed mockingly, beginning to slap knives and forks haphazardly onto the table. He reached Harry and placed a fork in front of him. Harry was flummoxed to see that Fred’s lip was trembling, his eyes brimming with tears.
The Weasley twin was making doe eyes at Hermione, who was speaking softly to Ron. She hasn’t noticed Fred gazing at her yet. Harry stifled a smirk. He had a feeling something entertaining was coming…and Fred’s pinch on his shoulder confirmed it.
“How can you…can you just sit there, ignoring me? After all the hours I’ve spent, weeping into my pillow, concerned for your safety?” Fred’s lower lip jutted out, wavering. His leaned forward, unmindful of Harry, and clasped Hermione’s shoulders tightly.
Harry chuckled and could see Hermione trying not to do the same. Ron looked irked. But Fred was on a roll. “And look! You’ve made it back safely, and you’ve even managed to pretty yourself up for the occasion,” now the whole kitchen was watching with wry smiles, because Hermione looked exactly as she should look at this particular moment “ tired, covered in muck, her hair standing in out in every direction - certainly not her best.
“Fred, honestly, now, you really are “” Hermione’s voice was scolding, but she spoke through a grin as he clambered over Harry and engulfed her in an enormous, sloppy hug. Harry burst out laughing, trying to push Fred off of his lap. Ron looked thunderous, which for some reason, made the whole situation even funnier. Harry caught his best mate’s eye, shrugged, but couldn’t stop chuckling.
“Mum! MUM! Quick! Hermione’s fading away here, honestly, Mum, she needs something to eat. Also, it looks as if her hair could use some maple syrup…” Fred busied himself fluffing Hermione’s already wild curls, and Harry wasn’t sure whose face was redder “ hers or Ron’s.
“FRED! Oi! Geroff her, stupid git -” Ron began wresting his older brother’s hands free from Hermione’s tresses. Now all four of them were shrieking, laughing, yelling and pretty much tangled in Hermione’s hair.
“ENOUGH!” Mr. Weasley’s voice was loud but amused. “You lot are Order members, can you show a touch of decorum, please?” Fred removed himself from the fray and the other three disentangled themselves. Harry kept grinning at Hermione, who was still chuffing laughter, though Ron seemed less entertained.
Fred ambled over to the stove, slung his arm around his little sister. His face was quite serious now, not a hint of the silliness from a few minutes before. “Honestly, Hermione,” he began, and Ginny turned to listen to her brother. “Honestly “ we were all very worried, the lot of us. It’s good to have you back “ you’re nearly a Weasley yourself.”
Harry caught Ginny’s eye and she smiled at him. Hermione appeared to be blowing her nose. Ron was staring thoughtfully at his brother, his face calm. These Weasleys. Is there any other family like them? Harry thought gratefully.
Then Fred continued, looking right at Ron, a slightly wicked grin on his face, “I mean, you’re not a Weasley yet “ but you will be one day.” The entire room broke into nervous giggles as Ron and Hermione’s faces went from red to purple. But Harry noticed neither of them contradicted Fred’s insinuation. He also saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchange a warm, knowing grin.
“Ok, this is more like it “ walking into the Burrow’s kitchen with everyone smiling about something, instead of in sackcloth and ashes,” a voice at the back door made everyone’s heads turn. Tonks was standing there, a huge smile on her face, her hair in purple whorls around her head. Lupin, George and Hagrid stood slightly behind her. Fiora dashed across the room and engulfed Lupin in an embrace.
And for few minutes, Harry lost himself in the greetings and hugs and warmth of friends reunited, of order restored. They’d get down to business soon enough.
* * *
“Well,” Lupin scrubbed his hands across his weary face, smiled ruefully at the rest of the table. He caught Harry’s eye and his grin broadened. “That’s how Harry and I, and the rest of that merry crew, managed to retrieve Tonks from imminent peril,” he and Tonks exchanged smirks, but their eyes were serious. “Fiora, Hermione? If you would, I’d like very much to hear what the past four days have held for the two of you…?”
Harry, like everyone else in the room, swiveled his head towards Hermione and Fiora Podlink. Ginny, who was seated next to Harry, squeezed his hand in anticipation. The two women exchanged glances. Hermione, who was leaning against the far wall, Ron’s arm around her shoulder, stared hard at Fiora, her brow wrinkled. To Harry, the older woman, who was seated between Lupin and Hagrid, appeared to be struggling for words.
“The most important thing you have to know is that Severus Snape is “” Fiora began.
“Harry! We we’re wrong. Professor Snape actually “” Hermione turned towards him, her eyes pleading for understanding.
The two women stopped mid-sentence, smiled at each other. “Go ahead,” they said in unison, then both started laughing. But Harry saw no humor in the situation.
“Hermione! What is it about Snape?” Harry could feel his heart beating faster. It seemed as if a red curtain was being drawn over his eyes. He couldn’t think of Snape without a nearly-paralyzing mixture of anger and shame. Anger at Snape for killing Dumbledore in cold blood, and shame at being unable to prevent it. Harry drew away from Ginny, stood up and faced Hermione, his arms folded across his chest. “What has he done now?”
“Well, erm, Harry, actually “ actually, Snape was the one who set us free “ he saved us,” Hermione murmured tentatively, glancing at Fiora for support. “He “ he also gave us the Horcrux.”
The reaction from the room was varied “ the twins let out cries of disbelief; Hagrid and Ron’s parents gasped in a surprised, hopeful way; Ron, Lupin and Tonks had matching expressions of confusion and doubt on their faces. Harry barely registered all of this. All he could here was the pounding of his heart, louder and louder, in his ears.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Hermione! Have you forgotten what happened less than two months ago? Snape killed Dumbledore! He murdered him! Right in front of me! He’s evil, Hermione, can’t you see that? You’re supposed to be the smart one!” Harry suddenly realized the rest of the kitchen had fallen silent, that everyone was staring at him guardedly.
“Harry, listen to me,” Hermione left Ron’s side, stepped forward, placed her hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I “ I understand where you’re coming from. I wouldn’t believe it myself if it hadn’t happened to me. But “ but “ we have to leave the possibility open that Snape might be on our side and that he’s “”
Harry angrily shrugged her hand off. This was insane. The very thought of Dumbledore’s murderer being on the same side of this battle as he himself was, was ludicrous. He briefly wondered if Snape had placed the Imperius curse on his friend. A look of annoyance crossed Hermione’s face, but before she could speak, Fiora did.
“Harry,” the small woman’s voice was sweet and scratchy. She was standing on the other side of him, her tiny hand resting on his arm. “Harry, I understand how you feel. I knew Severus Snape at Hogwarts, and he was, well, not the most likeable bloke around.” She paused, caught Lupin’s eye. “But, truthfully, he had more than ample opportunity to kill both of us, or to bring us to You-Know-Who. And he didn’t. He let us go. And not only that, he gave us the cup back. The cup that Peter brought to me the night before “” Fiora abruptly closed her mouth.
“Before my parents were killed, right? That’s what you were going to say!” Part of him felt ashamed to be yelling at this woman he didn’t know, this woman who’d been so close to his Mum and Dad, to Sirius, but he couldn’t contain his rage. “Do you know why they were killed? Do you?” Harry addressed the entire kitchen now. “Snape! SNAPE! Because, because Snape overheard Trelawney’s prophecy! Because Snape went to Voldemort with the information! That’s why!”
“Harry, I really think we ought to at least “” Lupin stood, spoke softly.
“I’m not listening to this, Professor. Sorry, I’m just not,” he brushed Lupin aside and went out the back door onto the porch.
The sun was rising, turning the horizon a milky blue. Birds twittered, carefree and unbothered by human distractions and worries. He stood gazing at the brightening sky for awhile, not thinking. Then he heard someone behind him. He was sure it would be Lupin “ or perhaps Ron, sent by Hermione to smooth things over. Ginny’s voice surprised him.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she spoke slowly, carefully. She wrapped her arms around his waist, stared hard at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ginny,” he replied, but he fought at the lump rising in his throat. “I’m not blaming anyone but Snape here.”
“You know what I mean, Harry,” her eyes were blazing. “There was nothing you could have done. I know you miss him. But he wanted to protect you. Did you “ did you ever consider, that, well, Dumbledore let Snape kill him? That he’d asked Snape to do it?”
“That’s insane, Ginny,” he couldn’t look at her, or the tears that threatened would spill down his face. But he was remembering…
Dumbledore, his face looking haggard and older than Harry had ever seen. Snape, advancing on the Headmaster, his dark eyes blank and unreadable. Dumbledore begging the Potions professor, “Please, Severus…please!” Harry had thought, on that terrible night, that Dumbledore had been begging for his life. But…but what if Dumbledore had been begging for something else…was that possible? Could it be? But why? Why?
Ginny must have seen some of this in his eyes. She put her hands on his face, made him hold her gaze. Harry felt twin tracks of tears roll hotly down his cheeks. Ginny brushed them away, kissed where they had been. “It’s not your fault,” she whispered again, firmly. Harry’s tenuous control broke.
“But it is! It IS my fault, Ginny,” he choked into her shoulder. “Dumbledore was protecting me! Don’t you understand?” Her hands soothed over his rumpled hair; the flowery smell of her calmed him down.
“What I do understand, Harry, is that things aren’t always what they seem on the surface. I wasn’t there, but I do remember you all talking about your first year at Hogwarts, and how the lot of you thought Snape was trying to kill you at that Quidditch match. But, Harry, he was trying to protect you. I am not saying that we go out and nominate Snape for Wizard of the Year or anything, but…there may be more to this than meets the eye. You should at least consider the possibility, hear Hermione’s story. She’s nobody’s fool, as we all know,” Ginny gave him a wry grin, and he chuckled reluctantly.
“I can’t promise anything, Ginny,” he began, pushing her ginger hair out of her face. “But I’ll try “ I’ll try to have an open mind. I’m at least ready to listen. I just can’t promise I’ll believe.” He put his arms around her, kissed her.
They walked towards the kitchen door, and Harry thought maybe, just maybe, he could let go of his guilt. And perhaps, when he did, he could hang on to faith “ faith that anyone, even Severus Snape, could have good intentions.
Stranger things have happened I guess, Harry thought to himself with a reluctant smile. He was, after all, a wizard, wasn’t he? He knew miracles took place every day.
The Time is Now by Hermione816
Chapter Notes: All of our favorite Order members gather together to share their various recent adventures. But will Harry be able to accept that a sworn enemy may turn out to be a valued ally?