AN Updating has been slow, not completely my fault though I do take part blame! I'm not JKR, she's far far far better than I.
Harry hurried out of bed Sunday morning. He’d ordered a special copy of The Daily Prophey that featured the election results. A tapping at the window announced the arrival of Hedwig, the paper strapped to her leg.
He opened the window and she perched on his shoulder, holding out her leg.
“Thanks, Hedwig,” he said, taking the paper. She nipped his finger affectionately and flew off. Spreading the paper on his bed he read the headline.
New Minster of Magic-AMELIA BONES
“Yes!” he said, punching his fist into the air.
“Eh?” Ron said groggily. “What’s happening?”
“Amelia Bones won! She’s the new Minister! This is great! She’ll be able to get the government back in control!”
“Mm,” Ron mumbled, rolling over and going back to sleep.
Harry rolled his eyes and left the dormitory. In the common room, he ran into Ginny and Hermione.
“Did you see?” he called, waving the paper. Hermione grabbed it and let out a squeal, which Ginny soon copied.
“I knew it!” Hermione said. “Has Ron seen this?”
“Uh, sort of. But then he fell asleep again.”
Ginny snorted. “Typical,” she said derisively.
The three of them left the common room, heading for the Great Hall. As they continued to discuss the election, they didn’t notice the brisk figure coming towards them.
“Good morning,” Professor McGonagall said crisply. “Mr. Potter, I’ve been sent to fetch you to the Headmaster’s office. Will you please follow me?”
Harry gave Ginny and Hermione a confused look but followed McGonagall down the hall.
“What does Professor Dumbledore want?” Harry asked. McGonagall pursed her lips but didn’t answer. When they arrived at his door, she smiled faintly.
“Go on in,” she said, her voice slightly choked. Harry lay is hand on the doorknob. As Professor McGonagall turned back, Harry noticed her hand sneak up to her face to wipe away a tear.
Harry swallowed hard and opened the door. Dumbledore’s office looked as it usually did. Clean and quiet, it was a refuge from the turmoil of the outside world. Dumbledore himself sat at his desk, writing. When the door opened, he continued to write, saying, “Trials bring wisdom and strength, but what a burden they are to bear.”
Harry cleared his throat and stepped forward to grip the back of the chair. “Sir?”
"War destroys lives. People are killed and never see their efforts come to fruition. However, their deaths are not wasted."
"What happened, Professor?" Harry said urgently, fear making his voice grow shrill. "It's not-is it?"
At long last, Professor Dumbledore lifted his head up. The ancient face was lined, the caring eyes tired, and tears fell freely down the worn cheeks.
"No," Harry said, taking a step backwards.
"Remus Lupin's body was discovered last night. There were signs of a struggle. It happened a few weeks ago at the full moon. Werewolf tracks surrounded him. His assailants tracks seemed to disappear." Harry sat down in the chair, a sob catching in his throat. "On closer inspection, the tracks didn't disappear. A rat's prints dotted the ground."
"Wormtail," Harry said, his voice quivering.
"Harry, I can't begin to describe to you the sorrow that I feel."
"I can't believe he's gone." Harry tried to swallow back his tears. Dumbledore stood slowly.
"Go on, Harry," he said gently. "Cry. It gives far more relief than holding back and being stoic."
He extended his arms and wrapped them around Harry. He tried to hold back his emotions but this tender gesture soon became to much for him to bear. Harry started to cry furiously, sobbing into the kind shoulder, releasing his frustration, venting his sorrow, and expressing his grief in tears. Dumbledore just held him, as a grandfather might comfort a grieving grandson. When Harry's tears were utterly spent, he pulled back, tired and drained, hurting still, but under control. However, there was still one thing that he had to ask.
"What happens now?"
Dumbledore returned to his chair behind the desk and folded his long fingers together.
"The search for Tonks will continue. Our tracers have hope that she made an escape. Over the months, Voldemort has disappeared again, but Wormtail's reappearance will make it easier to discover their new hiding place."
Harry nodded, an empty feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Tears crept to his eyes once more and he moved to brush them away. Then, a beautiful music filled the room. It was a sound that Harry associated with Dumbledore. Fawkes was perched on the desk, singing softly.
"The phoenix song, Harry. The sound of hope born again, as a phoenix is reborn from the ashes, baptized in flame, young, strong, and pure. There is always hope, Harry. Always."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry returned to the common room. All was quiet for everyone had left for breakfast. Harry debated simply going back to bed.
If only I could get some sleep, he thought. I could forget all this and... but it was no use. As Dumbledore had once said, sleep would just delay the time when he had to think about it and it would be even worse then. What he needed to do was talk to someone. He needed to talk to Ginny.
Harry ran up the stairs to his dormitory. Kneeling by his bed, he pulled out his trunk and grabbed the glass orb that Ginny had given him. Sitting on the bed, he said her name.
Ginny's face came swimming into view. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice sounding distant. Her eyes were furrowed with worry.
"I need to talk to you," he said. "Alone."
"I'll be right there."
Once more the orb became cloudy and Harry returned it to his trunk. After stowing it under the bed, Harry headed back to the common room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Telling Ginny that her vision had come true was one of the hardest things that Harry had ever done. Despite her own sorrow, Ginny comforted Harry as best as she could. When both of them had their emotions under control, Ginny offered to tell Ron and Hermione.
"It's just that you always have to deliver the bad news," she said when Harry tried to protest. "Let me do ir for once. It'll save you the pain of retelling it."
"But I don't want to inflict you with that pain."
"I'm strong enough. Don't worry about me."
Harry hugged her, breathing in her sweet scent. She relaxed briefly in his arms before pulling away.
I love her so much, Harry thought as she walked away. I wish she would let me tell her that.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hermione?" Harry said later that day. "I want to do something special for Ginny. Valentine's Day is coming up and we have a trip to Hogsmeade then. What should I get her?"
Hermione smiled. "Do you really expect me to tell you?"
Harry shrugged. "I kinda hoped that you would."
"Well, I'm not. Whatever you do will be much better if you can figure it out on your own."
"Oh, well, thanks for nothing," Harry grumbled sarcastically.
"No problem," Hermione replied brightly. "Glad to be a help!"
So, now you know the mystery of the horrific spoiler. Guess what! HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE!!!
"Hermione, what the..." She grabbed them, silencing him with a shake of her head. Further down sat Ginny and with her...
"What happened?" Harry cried, rushing forward.