Disclaimer: The fine tapestry of plot and characters belongs to J.K. Rowling. I am merely pulling threads at will and weaving my own design in counterpoint to hers.
Chapter 72
Wheels within Wheels
“Let me guess: Orders of Merlin all around, right?” Lupin observed jovially as Harry settled himself back in the adjacent chair. Tonks smiled briefly from where she was scribbling on a piece of parchment on Lupin’s other side.
“First class,” Harry mumbled as he popped another chunk of chocolate into his mouth.
On the far side of the room, Ginny and Ron were being repeatedly swamped in hugs by their parents. Fred and George were scampering around the group, obviously anxious to jump in whenever they found an opening. Beyond them, Fleur had drawn Bill aside and was fussing over him excessively. Harry shuddered involuntarily.
“Can’t say I’d like being adored in that fashion myself,” Lupin whispered sardonically as Harry chuckled.
“Can’t say I’ve changed my opinion about the Minister much, either,” Harry noted in an undertone. “He still wants to use me as his poster boy, only now it’ll be a group photo with some of the Order members, as well. Wouldn’t surprise me if he weeded out those who were less photogenic. Your assessment was right on the mark, Remus; he’s quite a piece of work.”
“Don’t even tell me what he said about me,” Lupin warned.
All right, Harry thought to himself, I won’t. Why ruin a perfectly good surprise, anyway?
“You should’ve heard what he had to say about Voldemort. Said he was a thorn in the Ministry’s side.”
Lupin’s eyebrows threatened to retreat completely into his hairline. “Are you serious? That monster would’ve gladly scalped Scrimgeour’s silver mane and perched it atop his own bald skull “ and then, he would’ve killed him!”
“Don’t make me laugh!” Harry cried helplessly. “It makes my arm hurt when I jostle it.”
“Merlin! We’re sunk then,” Lupin returned merrily. “If pain gets associated with laughter in our brains, we’ll just both short-circuit ourselves!”
“Glad to see the chocolate’s doing you both some good,” Tonks remarked with a grin.
The sound of cheering wafted musically through the jalousie windows that were cracked open the length of the Hospital Wing. Scrimgeour must have proclaimed Voldemort’s defeat before the assemblage in the Great Hall. Fleetingly, Harry wondered whether the wizard-owned businesses would decide to close their doors on Monday just as they had on that first day of November sixteen years before. At least this time, it wouldn’t be just a short-lived reprieve from the threat of Voldemort’s tyranny.
“Are you done with the note for your mother?” Pomfrey asked Tonks gently from the other side of the bed.
“Yes, I thought it best if she got the news from me. Seeing as how it was her sister and all,” Tonks replied with a sad smile.
“Did you mention that her other sister, Narcissa, is still alive?” Harry supplied as an afterthought.
Tonks whipped her head in Harry’s direction. “Where did you hear that? I don’t want to tell her if it’s not true.”
Briefly, Harry outlined his discussion with Draco’s spirit, praising him for the valuable assistance, even if it had been posthumously.
“Give me a moment to add a postscript, will you, Poppy?” Tonks begged through glistening eyes.
“Naturally, dear. Just let me know when you’re ready so the Headmistress can post it with a priority eagle.”
Ginny sidled up to Harry’s chair and perched herself delicately on the side of Lupin’s mattress. She handed each of them an egg salad sandwich. “Just arrived on the tea tray. Thought I’d snag some for the two of you since you’re in no condition to elbow aside the twins.”
“Not to mention Ron,” Harry muttered, concentrating whole-heartedly on his sandwich. After all the medicinal chocolate, it felt surprisingly satisfying to put some solid food in his stomach.
“Speaking of whom, Ron was telling me the most entertaining tales of the Weasley family exploits,” Lupin ventured. “No, not the twins, for once.” He chuckled, as Ginny rolled her eyes dramatically. “He really went to task: engaging my brain so I could get my mind off the pain until we could return to Hogwarts,” Lupin continued. “Hermione got hoarse after a while, but Ron kept at it until he had us all laughing. I never knew Molly was such a card!”
“Oh, Mum, yeah, she can get really caught up in stuff,” Ginny admitted knowingly. “Obsessive,” she breathed, keeping careful watch that her mother’s attention was currently consumed by Bill.
“Like the Muggle detective novels?” Lupin prompted.
“Only the ones penned by Brits,” Ginny defended.
“You mean like Agatha Christie?” Harry inquired, wondering where Lupin was headed.
“Precisely. Thank you, Harry,” Lupin returned with a hint of the Marauder’s grin. “Said they laughed for hours over your unique take on Hercule Poirot.”
“Two pages after the character is first introduced and it was so blatantly obvious.” Ginny grinned back. “Poirot was a Squib. All the classic traits “ positively textbook.”
Lupin laughed merrily, then purposely stopped short. “Professor Hooch told me about the Muggle Studies assignment, the one that’s going to count for a third of your final grade.”
“Don’t remind me, Remus,” Ginny groaned. “I haven’t even had a moment to think about it. I dread all that research…” She was caught short by the positively sly look on Lupin’s face. “Surely, you don’t think….But it would set the assignment on its ear!”
Lupin’s grin just spread across his face as he added softly. “Just like Flitwick convinced Neville to do with the costume guidelines, you recall.”
“I think you should go for it, Ginny,” Hermione urged. “It sounds like a pretty amusing angle.”
“No fair,” Ron groused. “You just gave her the assignment on a platter!”
When had those two joined the group? Harry thought to himself. Behind them, he noticed both of Ginny’s parents were watching him closely. Arthur’s look was indulgent, but Molly was staring daggers at him. Belatedly, he realized he’d unconsciously wound his free arm around Ginny’s shoulders and she was resting her hand on his knee for balance. It all seemed so natural, he hadn’t given it a moment’s thought. He flashed them his most charming smile. They were just going to have to get used to the idea of him and Ginny being together. It was as simple as that. He was finally free of the yoke that had dragged him down for countless years and he wasn’t about to back down now.
Emboldened by standing up to the Minister, Ron was training his most belligerent stare on Lupin.
“You’re not even in the class!” Hermione chided him. “If anyone’s going to complain, it should be Luna!”
“Who, me?” Luna asked dreamily from Neville’s side. “I already have an original idea of my own. Thanks for the offer, though.”
“See?” Ginny turned to Ron.
“Please tell me I’m not going to have to mediate this discussion,” Tonks added in a rather droll impersonation of the Headmistress.
“That won’t be necessary,” Lupin returned calmly. “Ron just has to realize Ginny came up with the idea all on her own; all I did was suggest she bank on her own originality.”
“You really think so, Remus?” Ginny asked with a hopeful sparkle.
“Bet you she reads your paper in front of the class,” Lupin affirmed.
As the evening breeze took on just a hint of coolness, Madam Pomfrey leapt up from where she was watching over her charges and directed her wand purposefully at each of the jalousie windows in turn. In perfect obedience to their commander, the handles turned of their own volition and slowly cranked the panes shut. But not before Harry caught a whiff of gunpowder.
Like an avalanche of phosphorescence, the entire bank of windows lit up with a spectacular fireworks display. Very faintly, he could hear the whoops of joys coming from the lawn. It had to be Fred and George! Idly, Harry noted the twins were no longer in the room. Only the brains that had come up with the portable swamp could create the sensation of being in the center of a meteor shower. The sounds of celebration and laughter grew louder until Ron propped his lanky frame on the nearest empty bed so that he could look outside.
“They’re pouring out of the school and onto the front lawn in jubilation!” he exclaimed. “Teachers, too! Even Firenze, who’s always so solemn, is galloping about in circles. Why there’s even Hagrid, he must have just--”
The remainder of his words were cut short by the squeal of the double doors to the Hospital Wing and the arrival of the Minister’s entourage. Hastily, Ron assumed a more sedate position sitting on the edge of the bed. Hermione claimed a spot next to him to lend her moral support, if nothing else.
“What, Guy Fawkes Day already?” Scrimgeour intoned in a lame attempt at friendliness. Percy laughed uproariously from his side until he realized he was the only one doing so.
Recovering quickly, Percy added, “Your words served as an inspiration to them, Minister.”
With confident strides, the Minister walked up to Lupin’s bed as the rest of the crowd parted stoically before him. He smiled indulgently at Tonks who hastened to her feet nervously, barely managing to avoid knocking over the ink stand perched nearby.
“Nymphadora, how well you look,” he oozed. “Hogwarts obviously suits you.”
Clearly uncomfortable with the attention, Tonks mumbled, “Thank you, Minister.”
Turning his eyes towards the figure propped up amid a small mountain of pillows, he intoned, “Remus Lupin, well met indeed. The consensus of opinion indicates the success of today’s… events… owes in large part to your quick actions with Peter Pettigrew.”
“Thank you, Minister,” Lupin responded humbly. “But it was truly a group effort.”
“Yes… so I was told in no uncertain terms,” Scrimgeour agreed with calculated candor. “I would be remiss if I didn’t invoke the discretionary powers handed down to me by the Wizard’s Council and present you with a battlefield commendation on this glorious day.” Percy’s lips moved in time with the Minister’s hastily rehearsed speech. “I believe nothing less than the Order of Merlin, first class, will suffice.”
Scrimgeour offered a congratulatory handshake as Lupin’s eyes grew wide with amazement. It was only when he had surveyed the grinning faces surrounding his bed that the reality of the situation began to sink in.
Caught uncharacteristically off guard, Lupin stammered, “I don’t know what to say... Thank you. It’s truly a great honor.”
“Nonsense, those are the words I should be saying to you -- all of you,” the Minister announced. “Although, I suspect we have quite a chore ahead of us to round up the remaining Death Eaters.”
Percy stood up straighter and coughed sharply to redirect Scrimgeour’s attention. “With all due respect, Minister,” he volunteered proudly. “That task has been greatly facilitated by the detainment of Dolores Umbridge. Thanks to inside information Remus relayed, she has been conclusively identified as Lord Voldemort’s mole within the Ministry. We are mounting an all out search for corroborating evidence; but I’m sure once her questioning is completed, she will have sung to her heart’s content.”
“Thank you, Percy,” Lupin remarked with a broad smile. “I always knew we could count on you.”
Percy? Harry could hardly believe it! After all those years of thinking Percy was a total prat…. Maybe, he’d just misunderstood the nuances.
At all the astounded looks, Shacklebolt addressed Scrimgeour directly, “Percy has been the Order’s mole within the Ministry for the past few years, Minister. I hope you won’t hold it against him.”
Scrimgeour looked Percy up and down critically and replied, “Since we’ll definitely be working through the weekend, Weasley, I think a long talk about your future is in order.”
“You’re not going to sack him, are you, Minister?” Molly offered shakily as she worked her way to the front of the crowd.
“Not at all,” Scrimgeour returned. “I actually think I may have underestimated him. Perhaps a different posting would better suit his skills.”
“Thank you, Minister.” Percy beamed through the crowd of redheads engulfing him in a gigantic hug.
“And Weasley,” Scrimgeour added in an undertone, “who was that student with the curly hair?”
“Hermione Granger, sir,” Percy supplied automatically.
“Let’s see if we can offer her a post somewhere,” the Minister whispered. “I think we need to make doubly sure she’s on our side.”
Just wait until the Minister discovered Hermione aspired to the Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures, Harry smiled inwardly. He might rethink his appointment once she started reshaping the laws dealing with goblins, elves, and werewolves.
The double doors crashed open to reveal Hagrid’s burly form. A portion of his beard was still smoking slightly from where it had become a bit too friendly with the fireworks still gamboling through the school grounds.
“Not wantin’ ta alarm anyone,” he announced. “Aberforth wanted me ta inform yeh right away tha’ the Fidelius Charm seems ta be loosenin’ its hold on the Potter estate. I’m already seein’ a silvery, ghostly outline o’ everythin’.”
“Do you think you might be able to take us there tonight, my good man?” the Minister suggested with determination.
“Yes, sir, Minister, sir,” Hagrid stammered. “Aurors are standin’ by on yer order. I’ll be glad ta escort yeh meself.”
“Before you go, Minister,” Harry volunteered as he hastily dug the makeshift map from his pocket. It was smudged and torn and there was a curious brownish stain along one border that he strongly suspected was blood. “This will help you locate the bodies more easily.”
Scrimgeour looked somewhat dubious as he accepted the parchment scrap. His eyes grew wider at the sight of the unmoving red dots labeled ‘Bellatrix Lestrange’ and ‘Tom Marvolo Riddle.’
“If I’m not being too bold, Minister,” Professor Flitwick intoned with vigor from where he was dwarfed at Hagrid’s side. “I’ve long been a student of the unique properties of the Godric’s Hollow Conundrum. It would be a distinct honor to be present for its swan song.”
“Excuse me,” Bill stepped to the forefront, “as the only representative of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, I believe it’s my duty to accompany the Minister’s party as well. The Potter estate has been entrusted into our hands for safekeeping on behalf of the heirs “ who are in no condition to accompany you tonight.”
“Naturally.” Scrimgeour assumed his best politician’s smile as he graciously accommodated both requests. Seeing Percy’s valiant efforts to extricate himself from the twins who had newly returned, the Minister proposed, “In light of the fact that another of your brothers is accompanying me, Percy, why don’t you spend the rest of the evening here with your family? You probably have a lot of catching up to do.”
The doors had barely closed behind the Minister’s party when Molly turned to Lupin with an accusatory frown. “And to think you knew all this time, Remus,” Molly scolded. “All the bitter tears I’ve shed over Percy!”
“I’m sorry, Molly,” Lupin sympathized. “Only Kingsley and I knew. It would’ve jeopardized the plan “ maybe even Percy’s life “ if anyone else had known.”
Moody harrumphed, “Forgetting who brought the lad to your attention after I found him practically crying in his soup?”
“And of course it’s impossible to keep anything from Alastor,” Lupin amended.
“Just be glad you weren’t in charge of wrapping his retirement gift,” Tonks chimed in.
“Ah, lass, you did great job,” Moody beamed as his magical eye swirled dizzyingly. “Not even I suspected that under the shaggy highland pony you’d transfigured lurked a Seven-Lock Trunk.”
Amid the chuckles, Tonks muttered, “You only say that because you weren’t assigned to the clean-up detail!”
“Seriously, though, Mum, Dad, I’m sorriest of all.” Percy smiled as he enclosed them each in a huge hug. “You’ve no idea how difficult it was to maintain my cover.”
“You had me totally fooled, son,” Arthur admitted with a wry chuckle. “Hidden talents, indeed.”
“I take back all the awful things I said about you, Perce.” Ron grinned sheepishly.
“Just don’t make him enumerate them all,” Ginny suggested with a conspiratorial wink. “Or you’ll be likely to start a new feud.”
“Absolutely incredible,” McGonagall smiled proudly. “The entire family recruited by the Order!”
“I suppose the ghoul in the attic’s next,” Fred suggested to much happy laughter.
“I posted your letter, dear,” the Headmistress whispered softly to Tonks. “I’m sure your mother will appreciate your kind words. By the way, this came by owl post earlier today; in all the excitement, I forgot to give it to you before.”
“What a coincidence,” Tonks cried. “Surely, Mum couldn’t have heard already…”
“I don’t think so, dear,” the Headmistress reassured her with a kindly pat on the back. “The owl who delivered it seemed to have crossed a great ocean. I’m sure it was written a number of days ago.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t have doubted that Scrimgeour would come through for Lupin,” Ron commented, shaking Percy’s hand for the fourth or fifth time that night. “Not with you on our side, that is.”
“Perhaps not,” Percy acknowledged with a wide grin. “But it’s always a tricky circus act to keep the Minister from noticing he’s being manipulated.”
“Excellent job, Percy,” Shacklebolt complimented him with a huge wink. “Don’t know what we would’ve done without you in our camp.”
“I suspect he would’ve still capitulated.” Percy sighed dramatically, as he caught Lupin following their conversation intently. “It was Ron who set him up as a bigot -- and Hermione who trumped him at the end!”
“Why do I have the feeling there’s a very amusing story behind this?” Lupin weighed in.
“Tomorrow, Remus,” Hermione reminded him. “We have to add the appropriate pauses for the laughter.”
“And applause,” Ron quipped.
“Oh no!” Tonks exclaimed as she glanced up from the letter she was reading. “You’ll never guess where Mum and Dad are: Yosemite Valley!”
“Blimey!” Ron rejoined. “That’s in America!”
“Not too far from my cousin, relatively speaking,” Hermione added. “I wish I’d known.”
“None of us knew,” Tonks admitted. “Last minute change of plans when Mum refused to go to any cold climates, restricted Dad stringently to the northern hemisphere in May. She’s been happily taking photos while he’s been rock climbing. Biggest complaint is that the place is crawling with Muggles.”
“Schools in America let out earlier than ours do,” Hermione explained. “They managed to hit the height of tourist season.”
“But here’s the most astounding news of all: Mum’s photography has been discovered and she’s having a gala opening in a trendy Soho gallery next month. Nothing but color landscapes. It’s entitled, ‘Loneliness and Splendor: places of evocative power within the British Isles.’ She says everyone has to come! And Remus, she offers special thanks to you for showing her all the untouched places you’ve collected over the years. Apparently, those figured prominently in the photographs that most impressed the gallery.”
“Glad my restless wanderings did somebody some good.” Lupin grinned.
“You mean to say Tonks’ mum could have pinpointed the place Remus took Wormtail?” Harry inquired.
“That was one of the spots, certainly--” Lupin admitted.
“But Remus gave her a hundred at least,” Tonks finished. “Mum had this map with all these colored pins sticking out of it in the most unlikely places.”
“I actually doubt she’s had time to visit them all,” Lupin explained.
“Sounds like she has material for her second exhibition then,” Hermione supplied.
“Tell me, Remus,” McGonagall inquired as she pulled a chair close to where Harry was seated. “Have you given any thought to our earlier conversation?”
“You mean about returning to teach next year?” Lupin supplied in a thoughtful tone. “I’ve discussed it a bit with Tonks, but I suppose it depends on other things.”
“I should extend the offer to you as well, Tonks,” the Headmistress added with her most encouraging smile. “Remus and I had a few hours to kill in that cave earlier today.”
“I doubt the Dark Arts post is jinxed anymore,” Moody observed.
“Oh, Minerva, there’s so much that’s still undecided,” Tonks admitted. “It’s not that I don’t love it here…”
“That goes double for me,” Lupin added. “A king doesn’t get such adulation… I might as well tell you, since you’re bound to find out anyway. You don’t mind do you, cherub?”
“Go ahead, Remus, no one’s around but family anyway. Alastor’s always been like a slightly demented uncle.” She laughed somewhat nervously, but the warm smile Moody returned showed he was far from insulted by her irreverence.
Harry noted that Neville was nowhere to be seen. Not surprising, really, when you considered Luna’s passion for fireworks. Other than the Weasley clan and Moody, there was just the Headmistress, Hermione and himself present.
With a deep breath, Lupin announced, “Tonks and I were thinking about starting a family of our own.”
“Since you’re planning on discontinuing your potion over the summer, that will greatly improve your chances,” Madam Pomfrey volunteered from where she had escaped Harry’s notice.
Before Lupin could be embarrassed by those frank words of encouragement, the Headmistress interjected, “But that’s wonderful! I had no doubt you would do so when I first offered you both teaching posts. None of that should interfere with your duties here.”
“Well, I certainly can’t go back to active Auror duty if I’m expecting,” Tonks agreed.
“Teaching is nothing more than a glorified desk job,” the Headmistress proffered. “Especially now that you won’t have such a compelling need to teach the students to duel.”
“Well, that’s really been Remus’ project all along,” Tonks conceded. “You know how he and Harry always like to push things to the limit.”
“Certainly explains why they invited Ginny to join them early on,” Ron sniggered.
“Truthfully, Tonks, Remus, nothing would make me happier than to have you back next year,” McGonagall admitted candidly. “For far too long, our teachers have either been too old or disinclined to bring any more children into the world. I think it’s a symbol of hope now that Voldemort has been defeated. As for any sort of childcare assistance, both Pomona and I would be thrilled to have little ones to look after again. All our own grandchildren have long since grown.”
“You’re really too kind,” Tonks demurred. “You certainly paint a compelling picture.”
“I, too, am rather fond of children,” Pomfrey added with a sly wink at Lupin. “Even if they do turn out to be incorrigible imps.”
“Don’t forget Hagrid,” Harry reminded them.
“How could I?” the Headmistress agreed. “Small children absolutely adore Hagrid. Trust him instinctively. You should have seen him with Harry when he was a baby. Could silence any tantrum by just picking him up in his burly arms.”
Harry felt Moody’s walking stick tap him gently on his right side. “Let’s you and I have a talk,” he growled amicably as he motioned towards the next bed.
Sitting himself on the mattress, Harry turned his attention to the scarred veteran before him. In the background, he could still hear Tonks and Lupin merrily making plans with the Headmistress.
“I have a proposition for you, Harry,” Moody began. “Considering Tonks probably won’t be returning to the Auror Department right away, it looks like I have an opening for a new protégé.”
“Didn’t I just hear that you’d retired from the Department?” Harry observed.
“Aye, but was soon bored,” Moody admitted. “Robards, the new head, has been actively recruiting trained assistants in the war against Voldemort. You and I both know there’s going to be countless threads still needing to be tied up. My loose association with the Department is similar to that of a free agent. There’s a Muggle term for it, but it escapes me right this minute.”
“Excuse me for overhearing,” Hermione offered with a smile. “I believe the term you’re searching for is ‘outsourcing’.”
“That’s it, thanks.” Moody nodded as he focused his magical eye on Hermione behind him.
“It’s a tempting offer, Mad-Eye,” Harry admitted. “But what about the requisite N.E.W.T. scores?”
“You don’t think they’ll make a few allowances for the man who ultimately defeated Lord Voldemort? Take some time to think about it. School term’s not over yet and I know you’re going to be inundated by the goblin brigade from Gringotts in the next couple of days,” Moody commented with a chuckle.
“Thanks.”
“If you’ll excuse me, Minerva,” Moody spoke up as he hobbled past the Headmistress. “I’m going to see if I can’t round us up a nice supper. No, don’t get up. Let me work it out with the house-elves personally, sort of my treat.”
“Please give them my word that you have carte blanche then,” the Headmistress agreed with a smile. “I already called for a feast in the Great Hall to begin once the outside celebrations wind down, but some of the main heroes are clearly indisposed.”
“And as for these two here,” Moody added with a sly wink. “I suggest you offer them a hefty rise in salary commensurate with their new standing -- Orders of Merlin and all that.”
“Well, yes,” the Headmistress stammered as she returned her attention to Lupin and Tonks. “I suppose we still have the details to iron out. There’s still over a month before the end of term.”
“Speaking of the end of term, Harry,” Lupin considered. “Any idea what topic you’d like to explore next? Nothing too strenuous, I hope.”
Harry walked over to Lupin’s bedside and sat down gingerly on the mattress. He felt Ginny’s soft touch as she leaned her cheek against the top of his head.
“I’d like to study to become an Animagus,” Harry announced with his most winning smile.
Lupin’s eyes lit up with mischief. “I think I’d like that,” he replied.
Harry Potter and the Hero's Lament by L A Moody
Chapter Notes: A few surprises as plans are made for the last remaining weeks of the school term.