Unofficial Portkey Archive

With Malice Aforethought

S. P. Smith

Christmas supper was a large, boisterous affair. This year, both of the youngest Weasleys were jammed in around the staff table, along with Harry, Seamus, Neville, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. There were a few of the younger Gryffindors there as well. A handful of Ravenclaws, Luna Lovegood, and four younger Hufflepuffs Harry didn't recognize rounded out the affair. Crackers had been passed out, bursting noisily, and the students were warming themselves over hot butterbeer after the earlier snowball fight on the front lawn. Snape looked moderately uncomfortable to be sharing a table with people who laughed and smiled openly; Harry had the distinct impression the Potions Master would have preferred to spend the day in bed with his covers pulled up over his head, waiting for the high spirits to pass. The image brought a soft chuckle to him, and he leaned over to Ginny to share the thought.

This was another new thing, this sharing thoughts with someone. Generally, Harry would have kept all this to himself. Now he was whispering things to Ginny, and hearing from her what she thought. It was new, and quite frankly the absolutely best part of dating, he thought. Except perhaps for the kissing. Yes, the kissing was awfully nice, too.

Hagrid popped open a Wizard cracker, and put on the over-sized Father Christmas hat that tumbled out. "Got a lot more students 'round the table this year, I notice."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat delicately. "Yes, well, it is nice to share the holidays with so many students."

Toying with her stolen, Professor Sprout wondered aloud. "Odd though, so many people here this year."

Professor McGonagall glanced sidelong at Dumbledore. "I'm sure I hadn't noticed. Can I get you some more tart, Mirriam?"

"Oh no, no." Mirriam Sprout waved the plate away. "I'm positively stuffed. No, I was just wondering why all the crowd this year? It seems-"

"Oh, for sake of my sanity, stop it!" Snape closed his eyes wearily. "Voldemort! Is back! Obviously, some of our graduates recognize both the obvious safety of the castle as well as the rather clear danger he represents to their children.

"Even if some of our Professors are oblivious." Snape muttered the last, but the silence at the table was so absolute it carried quite clearly.

Every face stared at the Potions Master, white ovals of shock. With a sudden shudder, one of the young Hufflepuffs burst into wailing tears. "He- He- He- He said! He said it! He!"

Luna leaned sideways to reach across a stunned classmate and pat the sobbing boy's hand. Snape merely flinched from the noise, and rested his greasy head in one long-fingered, pale hand. "Merlin. The noises of the terminally dense actually worsened."

Professor McGonagall slammed her fork down hard enough to bounce the ham and sauce on her plate. "Severus Snape! You have gone too far this time. Honestly! Saying such things around children. And on this of all days! Why, in all my years I have never-"

Albus Dumbledore raised a hand, and waved her to silence. She did, but her lips thinned to a hard white line as she bit back the rest of her comments. The headmaster smiled genially. "Severus was quite correct, if perhaps lacking somewhat in the tact my deputy headmistress would have liked to have witnessed." Dumbledore smiled indulgently at his two teachers, who both bristled.

"What is more important to remember is that Hogwarts stands as a bastion of safety, as it has for more than a thousand years. We are quite safe from the outside world here." Dumbledore raised an aged hand, and with a deft gesture everyone's glasses refilled. "And the important thing is to appreciate the company we share here."

Ginny turned to look up at Harry with a wide smile. Somewhere in the room behind them was a loud pop, and a staggering thud. A girl's voice called out "Harry!" in terror, and opposite him, Luna and Ron went white with shock. Harry spun in his seat to see several crumpled and soot-stained bodies huddled in the midst of the Great Hall, in the center of a spreading fan of blood. From the bushy hair, the girl lying atop was-

"Hermione!" Harry leaped to his feet, his chair falling to the floor in a loud clatter as he ran on nerveless legs to his friend. The dinner plates crashed and shattered as Ron and Luna vaulted the table. The three friends slid to a stop on their knees, Harry getting there just a second ahead of the other two.

Hermione pushed herself upright, oblivious to the cuts on her face, one hand clutching her wand. "My parents," she managed, and collapsed unconscious.

Ron caught her as she crumpled. Luna helped Ron pull her from atop her parents, and cradle her in his lap. Ignoring the blood staining her sleeves, Luna reached in and turned Hermione's parents over. They were ghastly, pale. Her mother's eyes were open. "Harry-" Luna began. Behind him were screams, oddly muted and silent. The world faded to a dull roar in his ears.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Harry cried out, blinking furiously as his vision kept wavering out of focus. He pulled his Gryffindor tie off and tightened it around Mr. Granger's right arm, just above a deep gash showing white at the bottom. "Madam Pomfrey!"

Harry turned, and saw the school nurse rising slowly from the table in shock. Too slowly. Harry fumbled with blood slicked hands at his robe, tugging his now sticky wand out. Thrusting it at the doors to the great hall, Harry yelled, "Accio Pomfrey's Kit!"

Harry looked up to see Luna trying several minor cut-healing charms on Mrs. Granger. The Ravenclaw looked up, a smear of blood on her forehead and her hair wild about her. Blinking wide eyes, Luna seemed to be talking to no one. "She looks rather like my mother."

Ron was rocking Hermione gently, tears cutting tracks down his face. With a rattling crash, the doors to the Great Hall banged open, and several trunks and carts full of Nurse Pomfrey's medical supplies raced into the room. They skidded to a halt in front of Harry, the cart of potions fishtailing in its' hurry. A Blood Replenishing potion fell from the edge as it bounced to a halt, rocking. Harry reached out, and caught it mid air. Popping the cork free, he thumbed it closed, then used his off hand to pry Mr. Granger's mouth open. Tipping the bottle upside down, he pulled his thumb free and emptied the bottle down his throat. In seconds, Mr. Granger started turning from grey to pink. Harry reached out wordlessly and a box of sickly green powder leaped into his hand. He opened it, and started dusting down the larger wounds.

Luna spoke again, now trying the same Blood Replenishing potion on Mrs. Granger. "This isn't working."

Harry scrambled over Mr. Granger, and slipped in the pool of blood on the floor. Fighting to get his hands under him, he crawled over to Hermione's mother. No matter what Luna thought, Harry thought she was the spitting image of her daughter. He checked her throat, and couldn't find a pulse. He couldn't find his wand, so he tried waving his hand over her to perform the Salubranquiro Spell Madam Pomfrey used to check people's health. Hermione's mother was surrounded by a dim grey glow, though he couldn't tell if that was because he had botched the spell.

In a sudden rustle of linen skirts Mada Pomfrey was there, brushing Harry's hands aside. "Out of my way, quickly now." She spoke gently, but Harry slipped backwards, landing hard on his seat. He tried to push himself to his feet, but found his hands were shaking too badly. Pushing his damp bangs back, Harry looked around as suddenly the din of the Great Hall fell in on him. It was as though he had all at once been granted hearing for the first time.

Several of the students were babbling and sobbing in shock. Tiny Professor Flitwick and tall, thin Professor Sinistra were herding them in huddling, crying groups toward the door. Hagrid was crying silently, great fists clenching and unclenching in white-knuckled anger. Ginny was sobbing in her seat, with Neville smoothing back her hair. Professors McGonagall and Snape were having an argument at the tops of their lungs, though Harry couldn't make out any words. The lone quiet figure of Albus Dumbledore sat downcast at the table.

Madam Pomfrey called out from her spot on the floor. "I need to get them to the infirmary!"

Harry scrambled to his feet on the slick floor, searching for his wand. A great black form descended upon him. Snape grabbed him by one shoulder. "Not you, you twit, you've done enough damage! She means the Headmaster."

Harry gasped, and pushed past Snape's great looming shape. Dumbledore already had everyone bobbing briskly out the doors, Madam Pomfrey trotting alongside. Ron was chasing after Hermione's drifting body, and Professor McGonagall was shooing the medical supplies after everyone.

Professor Snape drew himself up to his most imposing, sallow height. "Now take your little friends and go to your dormitories. Or are you incapable of even the simplest tasks?" With this, he departed in a swirl of black velvet.

Harry staggered sideways, and slipped a little. He looked about the trampled, bloodied room with it's festive decorations bobbing just overhead. Luna was still kneeling on the ground, trying to clean up the empty vials scattered there. Neville and Ginny stood together by the table. Seamus was sitting stock still in his chair, white as a sheet. The room was otherwise empty.

He took a deep breath, then spun on his heel and headed out of the room. Harry noticed idly that his four friends had joined him, wiping their tears away. Neville took out his wand. "Not going to the tower?"

"Infirmary." Harry paused at the doors out of the hall to let his wand catch up to him.

Luna tried to push her stained hair out of her face. "I imagine Professor Snape will be unhappy."

Ginny sobbed, but kept marching. "Screw him."

The small student posse rounded the corridors, and pounded up the stairs, until the doors to the hospital wing swung into view at the end of the hall. Ron was sitting on the floor next to the doors, expressionless.

Ron looked up at everyone blankly. "Hermione's going to be okay. Dumbledore said her dad was going to recover, but her... her mum..." Ron cried without a sound.

Seamus slid down the wall alongside Ron. He very quietly called the Death Eaters some words Harry didn't even recognize.

Ron continued in a monotone. "I guess that little Pez thing worked. H-Hermione, she, uh, managed to get behind it and make a portkey. I didn't know she could."

Everyone gathered round, and slid one by one down the walls to sit on the floor outside the infirmary and wait. All Harry could think about was his own skin. His hands were sticky, but he couldn't imagine wiping them off; somehow it seemed disrespectful. Everywhere he touched stone, Harry was freezing. But somehow his face was flushed, burning. It was as though the triphammering of his heart was squeezing out every thought but these few physical ones.

After many minutes of silence Luna started to speak, but stopped short when she heard echoing footsteps down the corridor behind her. She turned, and saw Professor Snape leading a pair of blue robed Aurors toward the infirmary.

Ron struggled to his feet. "Do you have to talk to her now? Madam Pomfrey just got her to sleep."

Snape looked like he was going to snap at Ron, but Auror Dawlish pushed past him. Harry recognized the sour looking man from Dolores Umbridge's brief reign of terror at Hogwarts. "We're not here for your little friend, boy." Dawlish sneered. "Just the muggle."

Harry kicked off from the wall with a disbelieving laugh. "'The muggle?' You mean Mister Granger, one of Voldemort's other victim, right? He nearly died, and I don't think he can give you a description of the Death Eaters right now, either."

"I don't need to speak with him." Dawlish pulled back his uniform cloak to reveal his holstered wand. "We're just here to Obliviate him and be done."

"What?!" It was hard to tell who yelled what, as the corridor exploded into pandemonium. The noise only died when Dawlish fired red sparkles into the air, his oaken wand in his hand.

"Right then, everyone. Play time's over. Back to your classrooms, we've got official Ministry business here."

"I don't think so, mate." Seamus scrambled up next to Ron and Harry, wand clutched in his fist. "All you got here is trouble."

"You've got no right to attack the Grangers!" Harry shook his head to emphasize his point.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor!" Snape bit the words out sharply. "Now go to your common room and stop interfering with things that don't concern you."

"This concerns me." Luna blinked delicately, staring over Dawlish's shoulder as she lined up alongside Ron. "I think finding a Ministry Auror who wants to assault unconscious hospital patients is something to be concerned about. Don't you?"

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw!" Snape rounded on the others. "And twenty more from Gryffindor for failing to follow instructions."

"You're not going in there." Harry's green eyes were cold and dark. Neville and Ginny lined up with the others, filling the corridor with students shoulder to shoulder.

"One hundred points from Gryffindor, Potter," Snape snarled. "And detention for a week for your rank insolence. Now let them do their job!"

Harry's sneer matched his Professor's. "Will! Not! Happen!"

"Oh, stop wasting time on children." Dawlish pushed his way to the front, and grabbed Ginny's shoulder. "Out of the way you little-"

With a move that could only have been learned from a lifetime of surviving older brothers, Ginny brought her knee up and dropped Dawlish like he'd been pole-axed.

Dawlish pushed himself up on one hand, aiming for Ginny with his wand as best he could with streaming eyes. Suddenly the hallway erupted as everyone drew down. Harry had a very clean line on Dawlish alongside Ron. Seamus and Neville had the other Auror covered, and Luna managed to point her wand at Professor Snape while looking as though she hadn't noticed where her hand was. For his part, Snape had his wand trained on Harry.

The door behind the students opened and closed, and a dry throat was cleared. "Am I interrupting anything?"

Harry twitched his head slightly to check that it was indeed Professor Dumbledore who'd stepped out of the infirmary. "Yes sir, he attacked Ginny!"

"She attacked me!"

"These students have all disobeyed the direct orders of a Professor at this school."

"This ruddy git wants to attack the Grangers!"

"They're interfering with Ministry policy, sir!"

"They're acting like a bunch of jumped up Death Eaters!"

"Kiss off, kid!"

Dumbledore gently pushed between Harry and Seamus, settling himself square in the middle of the hallway full of crossed wands. He steepled his hands, and looked around. "Let's sort this out straight away, hmm? Professor Snape, if you could check with Madam Pomfrey, and make sure we're stocked up on our potions, I would appreciate it. Auror Dawlish, the Ministry does not have authority to enter my school whenever it sees fit. If you have any questions on this subject, please direct them to Mrs. Dolores Umbridge; I understand she's regained the power of speech of late."

He held up a hand to forestall protest. "And I can assure you that Doctor Granger will not violate our secrecy, for so long as we do not violate his person. So you see, you are done here. And as for my students, as you can see, no one will be harmed here. Although in the future, you might wish to consider contacting your teachers rather than pulling wands on Ministry officials."

"She kicked me!" Dawlish pushed himself upright, his face beet red and wet with tears.

"After, unless I am mistaken, you assaulted her." Dumbledore peered over his glasses at the apoplectic Auror. "I have known Miss Weasley for some years now, and I assure you that your continued ability to walk demonstrates a great deal of restraint on her part. But do not worry; I am sure I can prevail upon her not to file any complaints with your superiors."

Dawlish ground his teeth together audibly. With a perfunctory gesture at his second, the Auror spun about and marched down the hall.

Dumbledore followed behind them for a handful of steps, then turned back to face his students. The lot of them hastily stuffed their wands back into their school robes. Dumbledore looked down his nose at the six students in front of him. "If I know my math well, and I like to think I do, then I believe I owe each of you twenty-four points for standing up for your classmate's family. That should, I think even things out. Now if you would all go back to your dormitories, I shall see to our guests."

The other students began filing past the Headmaster, but Harry stood stock still, his jaw falling open. "What? That's it?"

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "The Auror's are gone, Harry. Mr. Granger will recover. No one has been punished for acting according to their conscience. I'm not sure I see what else you think I could do."

"No harm, no foul?" Harry took an angry step forward. "That's all that counts now, is it? What about your Potions professor leading those thugs into hospital? Or the fact that the Ministry wanted to wipe out Mr. Granger's memory? Aren't you going to do anything about that?"

"Harry," Dumbledore tilted his head slightly, searching for a phrase. "Despite both our philosophical disagreements with the practice, licensed Obliviation is a legal tool the Ministry utilizes to preserve the secrecy of our world."

"But that's not true, is it?" Harry bounced another step further forward, face tight. "Mr. Granger already knew about magic; his daughter went to Hogwarts. This wasn't about secrecy. This wasn't about protection. This was about hiding what wizards could do to muggles."

Seamus tried unsuccessfully to clear his throat silently. No one wanted to draw attention to their presence by moving to leave, but standing in the middle of this argument was absolutely unnerving. Neville blinked, realizing for the first time that not necessarily every good wizard agreed with Professor Dumbledore.

"In part, Harry, that is true." Dumbledore paced slightly. "Both magic and technology have progressed to the point where they present a terrible danger to each other. In their fear, muggles could do our world great harm. And if the two worlds ever came into conflict, wizards could do terrible things to defenseless muggles. It is in their best interest for us to never let them know what kinds of threats exist."

"I've heard that patronizing, 'I know what is best' thing before." Harry clenched his fists. "That what Voldemort says about half-blood wizards. Is that why everyone's afraid of him, really? Because he treats other wizards the same way the Ministry treats muggles?"

Dumbledore blinked in shock, and shook his head so that his flowing white beard waggled like a tail. "No, he is feared because he is evil. If the Ministry is in error, it is misguided, not evil. You must-"

Harry cut him off. "Fine. I just want to know how to defeat Voldemort."

Dumbledore's face fell. "I cannot."

"Why? How long do I have to wait?" Harry advanced again, red in the face. "Every day I don't end this, more people die. Tell me."

Dumbledore bowed his head. "I cannot tell you how to defeat him, Harry, because I do not know."

Harry went pale. "What?"

The Headmaster removed his glasses, and began absently cleaning them with the sleeve of his robe. "Your love is the power Voldemort knows not. Love is an ancient magic, one he has never understood, fails to respect, and cannot use."

Harry's bright green eyes narrowed, and he tilted his head. "I don't understand. How do I use that to stop him?"

Dumbledore restored his glasses to his long, crooked nose. "If I knew that, I would have done so myself. I imagine it is something only you would understand."

"That's it?"

Dumbledore's bright eyes twinkled. "You have thought of something, then?"

Harry went to run a hand through his hair before seeing the drying blood all over them. He recoiled from his own hands, and looked over at his teacher. "No, I mean that's it? That's all? Sixteen years of planning, and all you have is, I've no idea?"

"It has taken rather that much time to identify love as your gift, Harry."

The anger was draining away from Harry as he approached the old headmaster. In it's place, his legs and his voice were left wavering. "And how do you know you're not wrong?"

Professor Dumbledore laid a firm hand upon Harry's shoulder, and with a wave of his off hand, scourged the stains from his student's hands. "The love your mother had for you defeated him sixteen years ago, and again when you first came to this school. Obviously he did not know or understand this power, or he would have tried to avoid his fate."

Dumbledore turned, and lead Harry over towards his friends. "Voldemort tried to use your blood to bypass the protections your mother laid upon you. But he again forgot about love, and the essence of magic it contains. Otherwise, he would never have attempted to possess you last year. So you see, I can be reasonably sure that the 'Power he knows not' in the prophesy is Love, Harry."

"Okay." Harry looked down at the flagstones as they walked, pale and shaking. "What can I do with love, exactly?"

"It is perhaps a failing of this school, Harry, that we so successfully teach the formulas of spells and potions." Gently, Albus Dumbledore steered Harry towards his friends. "Some magics, and Love is chief amongst them, transcends these formulations. There is no map, no lesson to teach these things."

He smiled sadly, and turned to reenter the infirmary alone. Ron bolted away from the crowd of students, and ran to the doors in the Headmaster's wake. With a silent, understanding smile, Dumbledore held the door open for the red-head. Quietly, he slipped in after his student and locked the door.

Harry turned away with a heavy sigh and started slogging toward the tower. He looked down; his hands were scrubbed perfectly pink, but his shirt sleeves were stained rust. Ginny slid in alongside him, and wrapped herself about his waist as they walked.

Seamus scrubbed his face with his hand. "Anyone going to tell me about this prophecy?"

* * *

It was a week before Hermione joined them in Gryffindor tower. She didn't volunteer any information about Christmas Day, and no one asked her about it. It was well known that her father was still in the school infirmary, and every day she slipped away to visit. But he had not been seen since.

Although it was still winter holidays, and a raft of students were staying over in the castle, Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent the majority of their time alone. No one really knew what to say to her, and found sitting quietly next to their unusually solemn classmate unnerving. So for the fourth day in a row, the three friends found themselves getting an early start on their homework in the library.

"I'm just saying, is all," Ron continued. He'd been talking off and on for the last couple of hours, filling the library's silence with at least a single voice. "I don't see how it is Harry managed to get out of Potions. I mean, couldn't Gred and Forge have told me I could skive off of it.

"No, they couldn't be bothered to tell their little brother anything. So here I am with four feet to write on dragon scale powder, and Harry's over there doodling. Figures."

Harry and Hermione looked up as Ron threw his quill down. For a half a moment, a ghost of a smile played across her lips. Then, as soon as it had appeared, it was gone.

Ron and Harry exchanged a look. Ron coughed. "You think they have a Remedial Potions class? Or maybe Potions for Thundering Gryffindors Who Can Barely Tie Their Own Shoes? 'Cause I'll be ninety before I figure out how to write four feet on this stuff. Unless I write in really big letters. What do you two think; big letters, or really big spaces between the lines?"

Luna swept into the library, and up to their table. "I know you're keeping Hermione company, but Professor Lupin is looking for you, Harry."

Harry looked up at Luna in alarm, then over at Hermione nervously. Hermione smiled wanly. "Please, Harry. I know why you two are in the library over holiday. I didn't think either of you really wanted to get ahead on your work."

Harry nodded and got up, and Luna settled into the chair he vacated. "I'll keep Hermione company for you while you're gone. I've got some rune puzzles in the Quibbler I haven't finished yet."

With that, Luna pulled out a dog-eared magazine, turned it sideways, and began making obscure squiggles in the margins.

Harry waved half-heartedly to his friends, and trotted off towards the third floor. The hallways were cold and empty as Harry jogged through them, the intermittent fireplaces failing utterly to hold the cold stillness of winter at bay. Harry pushed open the heavy door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, crossed under the reassembled dragon skeleton, and climbed the curving stairs toward his office proper.

He knocked on this door, and waited until Professor Lupin called for him to enter before opening the office door.

Lupin looked up from the pot of tea he was making at his desk. With a wave of his wand, he set the pot to stirring. Lupin pushed back his threadbare robes and dusted his hands on his worn cable-knit. He smiled lightly, pale eyes tightening ever so slightly. "Harry, thank you for coming. Tea?"

Harry shrugged, and shifted from foot to foot. "Please."

Lupin sorted out two chipped teacups and a plate of biscuits. They settled awkwardly into their chairs. Lupin spoke first. "Before I forget, I've got something here for a friend of yours."

Professor Lupin reached behind his desk, and extracted a wicker basket. He opened it, and a giant ball of ginger fur leaped onto the floor. Crookshanks shook himself grumpily, then turned his squashed face up to look at Harry. With a second bound, Crookshanks threw himself into Harry's lap, and settled in, knocking the plate of biscuits to the floor. Harry set his cup of tea to one side, and stroked the incredibly ugly cat. "Hello there. I know a girl who'll be very happy to see you again.

Lupin smiled, summoning the spilled plate to his waste bin. "Aurors found him hiding outside Hermione's cousin's house. I think he was waiting for her to come back."

Harry scratched the ginger cat under it's foreshortened chin. "You're a very bright cat, aren't you? Yes."

Lupin cleared his throat. "Crookshanks isn't the reason I asked Luna to go fetch you. I asked you here to talk to you about your Defense Association again, Harry."

Harry looked up, startled. Lupin stared out the window, the bright light further washing out his pale features. "I was wrong when I let you stop your Association. This war has come, and it's come for all the students here as well. What you know could save lives, Harry. I was wrong to let my feeling influence me on this."

"You think I should start the DA up again?" Harry ignored Crookshanks, his hands stilling.

"I think that Hermione and her father wouldn't be alive if they didn't have that little device of yours. I think that your work together last year helped. And although there is little either you or I could do to make anyone else into quite the student your Hermione is, I do think that everyone should have the chance to learn to defend themselves as best they can."

Harry spoke softly, and resumed stroking Crookshanks as the cat swatted his hand. "I'll do it."

"Thank you, Harry." Remus took a sip of tea. He continued in a suddenly conversational tone. "So, Harry. How is Morgraine's Mirror working out?"

"Fine." Harry realized he'd bit the word off harshly, and smiled to smooth it over.

"No bad dreams, no chills, no side effects?" Lupin raised a think eyebrow.

"Nope, every thing's fine." Harry stood up, sweeping Crookshanks into his arms. He headed for the door, smiling stiffly.

Lupin came to his feet with Harry. He thrust his hands into his pockets uncomfortably. "Harry, perhaps we should talk about Sirius."

Harry straightened, clutching Crookshanks to his chest. The cat helped remind Harry of what Hermione had told him months before. "Hermione's been telling me I need to learn to express things. Tell people how I feel."

Lupin rocked on the balls of his feet. "That's good advice, Harry. For everyone."

"You're the best teacher I've ever had, and next to Sirius the person I could talk to about anything." Harry cleared his throat, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. It's my fault your best friend is gone, and I'm sorry."

Harry turned, and fled the room, leaving Remus Lupin alone in silence.

* * *

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