Author's Note
Won't keep you folks - you read and I'll get back to writing!
And as always, kudos to Kirsti for being the BEST beta! - Janie xoxo
FOUR WEDDINGS & A FUNERAL
By Lady Jane
Chapter Fourteen
Molly Weasley refused to back down: Ron and Luna would be left undisturbed on their honeymoon, as least for the time being.
`Nothing will be gained by dragging them back,' she maintained. `There's enough sadness and worry here as it is without destroying Ron and Luna's memories of their honeymoon as well.'
`Ron would want to know,' insisted her husband although he knew he wouldn't change his wife's mind and besides, she did have a point.
The whole Weasley clan was gathered at the Burrow, as well as Harry, Hermione, Dean and Priscilla; Fleur, who was now pregnant, had stayed home in France, she and Bill having returned there the previous evening following the wedding. Bill assured her that he would Floo her regularly during the day. Neville had returned to his office to set the official wheels in motion for the search for Ginny. Even Percy had returned that morning after being owled, only staying long enough to speak briefly to his parents before leaving again with their reassurances they would keep him up-to-date. Seamus had gone to stay with the parents of one of the Kestral team members, citing the overflowing numbers at the Burrow which, while true, wasn't the main reason; the fact was, he'd feel a slight discomfort around Harry and Hermione just at the moment.
Aside from Flooing Professor Dumbledore at Hogwarts, they'd told no one else of Ginny's disappearance as yet, perhaps unconsciously hoping that Ginny would miraculously come back and this could all be put aside as having been nothing but a bad dream.
Molly pushed her chair back from the kitchen table and walked over to the couch where Dean sat, his head in his hands, resting her hand on his shoulder in a mute gesture of comfort. Since they'd become certain Ginny was actually missing and knew, in their hearts, that her disappearance must have something to do with Lucius Malfoy, he hadn't moved from that spot - nor barely changed his position; he was a living statue depicting despair and pain.
Harry hadn't left Hermione's side - he felt ashamed that his first thought this morning had been, Thank God it's not Hermione! The terror that had assailed him when it first became definite that Ginny was missing had paralysed him - he hadn't been able to speak or think - he'd just held Hermione to him as tightly as possible. The fact that the mere thought of Hermione being taken from him again was able to do this frightened him; he realised he was still carrying a terribly deep-set insecurity over his powerlessness to keep Hermione safe - that insecurity having become the foundation of the Cautus Contego Charm. The flawed Cautus Contego Charm! said a mocking voice inside his head. He shook it off, concentrating on thoughts of staying with Hermione and keeping her safe.
The atmosphere in the Burrow was uncharacteristically bleak and hopeless. When Fred rose suddenly from his seat he startled everyone, causing them to jump as he started pacing in front of the kitchen fire.
`Damn it! We can't just sit here and do nothing!' he cried in frustration, voicing a thought that was uppermost in all their minds.
At that moment, Albus Dumbledore walked in the door having Apparated from Hogwarts. His solemn expression took in the scene in the kitchen as he joined them at the table, absentmindedly waving his hand to conjure up a chair. Molly rose and began brewing a fresh pot of tea, watching as the old wizard drank some Invenios Elixir.
Fred, frozen in mid-pace, watched from in front of the fireplace. `That bloody Elixir didn't keep my sister from being kidnapped!' he burst out.
Dumbledore looked at him. `Indeed it did not, Fred. And for a very good reason: we have been guarding against a method that I doubt is being used much any longer by Lucius Malfoy and his henchmen.'
The atmosphere altered immediately, becoming expectantly tense, all eyes on the Headmaster who waited for Molly to place a cup of tea in front of him before speaking. Taking a sip, he looked at each of them over his half-moon spectacles.
`I have some rather unfortunate news,' he began. `It was almost probably one of you here - less likely you, Molly, or you, Arthur, due to age and experience - that woke Ginny this morning and led her away, under the influence of the Imperius Curse.'
No one made a sound. They simply waited, staring at the Professor who turned and looked Harry in the eye; everyone's gaze following Dumbledore's as they too, looked at Harry, waiting.
`The Cautus Contego Charm has a weakness, Harry which I have tested for myself. It cannot detect danger in a person who is under the Imperius Curse.' Dumbledore stopped and waited for this information to sink in.
Harry felt an uncontrollable wave of sick fear wash over him. His gaze didn't leave the Headmaster's, who watched as if seeing Harry's thoughts forming behind his eyes.
The Imperius Curse! It meant Lucius Malfoy didn't have to rely solely on using the Polyjuice Potion to infiltrate the Ministry or anywhere else he wanted; Polyjuice Potion would have been a lot less useful since they'd begun using Invenios Elixir on a regular basis. And even if it a Death Eater did take Polyjuice Potion to impersonate someone, they would consent to Malfoy putting the Imperius Curse on them to ensure they wouldn't be detected!
Endless possibilities chased each other through Harry's mind, each one plunging him further into a well of horror. A hoarse whisper escaped him, breaking the terrible silence in the room.
`Sweet Mother of Merlin...'
Dumbledore's gaze was sympathetic as it rested on Harry for a moment longer before the Professor stood up, once again drawing all eyes to himself. `I have someone waiting outside who has more information about Miss Weasley's whereabouts.'
Arthur sprang to his feet, tipping his chair over as Molly cried out and ran towards the door, wrenching it open, only to stagger back a little as Draco Malfoy walked into the room.
As Dumbledore conjured another chair, everyone heard a low, guttural growl, filled with pain and hatred. Dean hadn't laid eyes on Draco Malfoy since Ginny had been in the hospital wing at Hogwarts over three months before, and on that occasion he'd found inside himself something he hadn't thought was possible: an overwhelming desire to kill another human being.
And once more the object of that terrible desire was standing before him. Dean, drowning in helplessness and horror, saw Draco as the symbol of his pain and loss and launched himself across the room, intending to kill the tall, blonde wizard with his bare hands. Because of the unexpectedness of his attack, no one moved for a crucial few seconds, allowing Dean to reach his target and lock his hands around his throat, squeezing - Die you bastard! You deserve to die!
Dumbledore reacted first, whipping his wand from his robes and waving it at Dean, causing him to crumple to the floor.
Fred ran around the table and was quickly joined by George and Harry, all of them leaning down to pick Dean up and carry him back to the couch.
`He's merely asleep,' the Professor assured them. `Best he remains that way for now, I think.'
As everyone sat down once more, Arthur, while not taking his eyes off Draco, waved his chair upright and sat down again at the head of the table, Molly to his right. George sat on his mother's other side and his twin next to him. Molly looked sympathetically at a forlorn looking Priscilla, sitting between Fred and Hermione and was glad to see Hermione take her friend's hand; Priscilla would be as scared as the rest of them and missing Neville.
Harry put his arm around Hermione's shoulders and after a sharing a look of trepidation with Bill who was sitting next to his father, let his gaze move past Charlie, seated beside Bill, to the other end of the table where Dumbledore was sitting with Draco on his right.
`Draco received an owl this morning, from his father. Ginny is being held at Malfoy Manor by Lucius Malfoy.' Dumbledore spoke quietly and matter-of-factly. No one was looking at Draco - no one noticed the look of utter anguish that flashed in his pale eyes as the Professor spoke.
`Why?' There was both anguish and anger in Molly's voice as the single word was wrung from her.
Dumbledore gave his head a slight shake. `He didn't say. However, my belief is that Lucius is aware of his son's,' the old wizard hesitated delicately, `feelings for Miss Weasley and as we all know, he has wanted to wreak revenge on Draco for sometime, something that partly motivated him to escape from Azkaban when he did. Lucius, of course, is fully aware that Hogwarts offers his son the strongest protection. Now, however, he doesn't have to get to Draco - he has ensured that Draco will come to him. He has told Draco to come to Malfoy Manor or he will harm Miss Weasley.'
`When are you leaving?' Harry's voice was hard and cold, his long held hatred for this man evident in his gaze.
Draco returned Harry's gaze steadily. `Soon.' He offered no further information.
`Draco will be coming with me to the Ministry where we will be meeting Mr Longbottom. He's expecting us shortly. I would ask that you all wait here, if possible - and take care of Mr Thomas, as I know you will. He should sleep for about eight hours.' The Professor stood, as did Draco. `I will come and see you the instant we have any news and in any case, I will return and let you know what our course of action will be and when Draco will be leaving.'
The Headmaster nodded in farewell and turned to leave, Draco in his wake.
A stunned silence hung over the room after they departed, broken by Molly who, after openly wiping tears from her eyes, rose and went to Dean, drawing a blanket over him. Then she stood there beside him and began crying in earnest, Arthur quickly joining her, pulling her into his arms and attempting to comfort her.
Bill, Charlie, Fred and George decided to go for a walk - sitting and waiting was not something they did well.
Priscilla also took her leave, telling Hermione she needed to do something and that she would go to work, pass off Hermione's absence as a continuation of family celebrations due to the wedding, then contact Neville.
`Are you sure?' asked Hermione as she walked to the door with Priscilla, concerned that she was going to be alone.
Priscilla nodded, smiling bravely. `Of course I am. I'll be fine - Neville's there. And I know I can come back if I need to.'
`Make sure you don't forget that,' Hermione told her just before her workmate-turned-friend Disapparated.
Harry and Hermione decided to go for a walk also, making their way to the ancient, carved wooden bench which sat on a rise overlooking a small lake - the very spot where Harry had proposed to Hermione. They sat, Harry's arm around Hermione's shoulders, her head resting in the crook of his neck, both watching as some ducks swam lazily across the lake. It was now well past noon and the afternoon was becoming increasingly chilly. Hermione shivered, despite her warm coat.
Harry struggled with his thoughts, wondering how best to say what he wanted to tell her. In the end, he decided it was easier to just say exactly what he was thinking.
`Hermione, I will not be leaving you alone for as much as a second until this is resolved. Not for any reason. Not for a second and not for any reason,' he repeated, his voice almost harsh in his attempt to emphasise his words. He could no longer trust the protective charm he and Dumbledore had placed on her.
He was a little surprised, but relieved when Hermione simply nodded; he'd been afraid she was going to argue about it. However, when she spoke, it was as though she'd been lost in her own thoughts and hadn't really heard him.
`Harry?' Hermione's voice was soft and held fear; it wrenched at him to hear it. `Lucius Malfoy's after you, you know that, don't you?' Harry nodded. `And he's using Ginny to get to you - and his own son - and he's going to try and use me -'
`He won't get you!' Harry's voice was almost a growl, his grip on Hermione tightening convulsively.
`But he's got Ginny. And we have to get her back. We have to do whatever is necessary to get her back.'
There was something in her voice that caused a cloud of sick horror to descend on him and he sat silently while an internal war began - he was fighting against understanding what Hermione meant. He refused to believe she could even contemplate -
`Ginny did it for me - I can do no less for her.'
`NO!'
Harry sprang to his feet in front of Hermione, leaning over her, his shoulders hunched and tense, his fists clenched, his face contorted with a dreadful fear and horror - once again radiating that unmistakeable aura of power that seemed to become most apparent under duress.
Hermione felt sick at knowing what this was doing to Harry - but she also knew she needed to do what was right. And it was right to help Ginny. Ginny had agreed to be a "decoy" in order to capture the Death Eaters who'd kidnapped Hermione and Hermione knew Ginny hadn't hesitated for a second when asked to help.
Looking up at Harry, Hermione gave him a wavering smile. `Please, Harry, you know it may well be the only way - if there is another way, then we'll do it. But I want to see Neville - and Professor Dumbledore. They need to know I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary to help.'
Harry shook his head violently. `I will go, it's me he wants. He is not getting his hands on you.'
Hermione looked down at her clasped hands, twisting in her lap. `If that's what Neville and Professor Dumbledore say is best, but…' I'll have to tell him, she thought, I can't keep it from him, now that I know what it means.
`But what?' prompted Harry.
Hermione looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. `I also received an owl early this morning - I didn't know exactly what it meant until after Professor Dumbledore spoke to us. Now I know I have to go and see Neville and the Professor. I have to tell them about the owl and see what I should do.'
Harry didn't know if he could stand anymore - his nails were digging painfully into his palms, he felt as though he was shaking all over. `Who was it from and what did it say?' he ground out, afraid of the answer.
`It was from Lucius Malfoy. It said, "When the time comes, if you are not alone, she will die." I'm sure it must mean that when it's time for me to go to Malfoy Manor it must be alone, or he will kill Ginny.'
Harry felt his legs give way, pain shooting through him as his knees hit the ground. He was shaking his head, looking at Hermione helplessly; he had no words.
Tears were now running freely down Hermione's face. She reached out and took Harry's hands, wrapping her small fingers around his cold, clenched fists, gazing into the green depths she loved so much.
`It will be all right, somehow, it will be all right,' she whispered. Harry freed his hands from her grasp and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to kneel with him, unable to speak. He tried to believe her - he tried to feel that it was possible for everything to be all right again - but at this moment he couldn't see through the thick, oppressive cloud of encompassing terror that was descending on him…
*
Neville put his elbows on his desk, dropping his head into his hands; he felt exhausted and it had only just gone noon.
He'd returned to his office as soon as it became apparent that there was something sinister about Ginny's disappearance and shortly afterwards had received an owl from Professor Dumbledore. He was now waiting for the Professor and Draco Malfoy to arrive.
When they did, Draco quickly made it clear that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to ensure Ginny's safety.
`You realise,' said Dumbledore to Neville, `that Draco's father undoubtedly knows of his feelings for Miss Weasley and is using them to manipulate him.'
`He's using them well,' said Draco curtly. He not only had his mother as motivation to kill his father - he now also had Ginevra.
They spent the next few hours discussing the myriad courses of action and options available to them. Later that afternoon, after they'd felt as though they'd exhausted every possibility, Neville received an owl from Harry advising him he and Hermione would be arriving shortly with new information. Immediately on arrival, they were shown into Neville's office.
`Where are Sunny and Lucky?' asked Hermione as she took a seat next to Professor Dumbledore, Harry sitting on her other side, `I didn't see them anywhere.' Neville explained that he hadn't told either Sunny or Lucky about the current situation as he believed the fewer people that knew the better. `Besides,' he said, `I can't be sure whether or not one or even both of them are under the influence of the Imperius Curse. On top of that, there's the possibility they may be Malfoy's minions using Polyjuice Potion.' Neville sighed; he missed the normally invaluable help of his two best officers but it was just too risky to use them at the moment.
Leaning forward on his desk, Neville looked at Hermione. `So what's this new information Hermione?' he asked her.
And so she told him about the owl from Lucius (handing the original to Neville as she spoke) and explained that she was quite prepared to do whatever was necessary to help free Ginny.
Neville glanced at Harry when Hermione spoke and he alone saw the dreadful expression in Harry's eyes.
He felt fear himself then because he knew that if anything - anything! - happened to Hermione the consequences would more than likely be explosive. And probably fatal for someone involved.
*
It was just as Molly was serving up dinner that Dumbledore, Neville, Harry and Hermione arrived back at the Burrow. Hermione noticed Bill was missing, Fred explaining he'd gone home to be with Fleur. As she slid into a seat next to him, Hermione asked Fred in a low voice about Ron and Luna. `Mum's dug her heels in,' Fred whispered back, `she doesn't want him told yet. I can understand why, but I'm not sure how Ron's going to take it when he finds out.'
Quickly setting places for them, Molly bustled about, glad of the distraction provided by preparing a meal.
Once everyone was sitting and eating, Professor Dumbledore said quietly, `I imagine you'd like to know what's going on.' He continued without waiting for an answer. `Draco is making his way to Malfoy Manor as we sit here. He will attempt to communicate with me via Phineas Nigellus although we cannot be certain when he'll be able to do so, or even if it will be possible. Phineas is aware of the situation and even if Draco isn't able to speak to him directly, he will be listening out for anything he can pass on to us once Draco has arrived.'
`What next Albus?' asked Arthur.
`Until we get further information from Draco or Phineas, we can't be completely certain about our course of action, although we have a number of options. However, Draco's main concern, after making sure Miss Weasley is still all right, is to find out how to get in and out of Malfoy Manor so that we can get some Aurors in there when needed. Whilst we are waiting, and receiving information, I feel there will be little sleep to be had. Mr Longbottom and I especially will need to be available to receive and process the information and make decisions as to what steps to take next. There are no set times that Phineas will be reporting and so we'll need to have someone in Neville's office around the clock.'
Harry took a deep breath. He had to ask. `Do you think it's possible that we'll be able to get Ginny back without using anyone besides Malfoy?'
His former Headmaster looked at Harry over his spectacles, sadness and sympathy in his blue eyes.
`Perhaps, Harry, perhaps,' was all he said.
But it wasn't to be.
The following evening they were all once again sitting around the kitchen table at the Burrow. However, this time there was no meal being served as no one was hungry, although Molly had put plates of sandwiches on the table in case anyone did feel like eating something. She simply kept making cups of tea while Arthur topped up glasses of Butterbeer and Firewhiskey. Dean was once more amongst them and although he was clearly suffering, it was obvious he was making every attempt to maintain his composure.
Professor Dumbledore's expression was grave as he surveyed the intent faces looking at him from every side of the table, Dean's the most attentive - and tense.
His voice was even as he spoke. `Phineas has reported that Draco is mostly being confined to one of the upstairs bedrooms - the threat of harm to Miss Weasley keeping him there. Fortunately, there is a landscape oil painting in Draco's room and as yet, Lucius seems to be unaware that Phineas is able to access the paintings in the Manor, a situation we fervently hope continues. Phineas has pointed out that there are no portraits in the house, only landscapes; a deliberate choice I would say that luckily doesn't preclude Phineas from using them. Draco has reported he's been allowed to see Ginny, although not allowed to speak to her, and she appears unharmed. Phineas has said as much, too. Also, Draco has told us that he gained entry to the Manor via a Portkey. Other than that, the situation, as Mr Longbottom puts it, is currently static.'
It galled Dean no end that Draco Malfoy had access to Ginny and he didn't. He knew if Malfoy put one foot wrong and brought harm to Ginny no one, not even Albus Dumbledore, could stop him killing Malfoy.
The Professor looked at Harry and as he listened to what the Professor said next, he felt his world drop away.
`We've received another owl from Lucius demanding that Hermione come to the Manor by sunset tomorrow or he will kill both Ginny and Draco. And he emphasises again that she is to be alone.'
Harry suddenly felt as if there wasn't enough air in the room to breathe properly - he could feel a huge weight pressing on his chest, preventing him from breathing and making his head spin wildly; he wanted to jump up, gasping for air, and claw his way out of the spinning vortex - but through his pain he was able to recognise that to lose control now would be disastrous, for Hermione's sake. Anything for Hermione. The Professor watched as Harry's eyes slowly closed - he knew it was taking an almost superhuman effort for his former pupil to maintain his self-control in the face of this ultimatum. `Harry,' he said softly, `you know that everything possible will be done to ensure Hermione's safety - as well as Ginny and Draco's.'
Unable to speak, Harry simply nodded. He could feel Hermione squeezing his hand in an attempt to convey comfort and reassurance. When I get there, he thought coldly, and I will get there, I'm going to destroy that pathetic imitation of Voldemort. He believes he controls everything - but when I get there, when I am looking at him - Harry's eyes snapped open, a steely resolve in them as he looked back at the Professor - he will find out what I can do and he will be no more.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note
Well folks, the writing is still going brilliantly - Chapter 15 is ready and waiting! I'll upload it in a week (unless you'd like a little more time to digest this chapter? *Janie grins* I'm kidding!) Looking forward to hearing from you all! Janie xoxo
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