Unofficial Portkey Archive

Lies and Illusions - chapter 8
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction, Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Author's note: Once again, I need to apologize for how long it's taken me to get this up. A severe case of writer's block slowed the final editing on this chapter to a crawl, and I didn't want to post it until I was satisfied with the end product. On a brighter note: chapter 9 has proven to be much more cooperative than the last two, and will be up in a couple of weeks (I promise).

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Chapter 8
Shadows of the Past

In the week following Bill and Fleur's wedding; Harry, Ron, and Hermione withdrew from daily life at the Burrow so they could concentrate on Voldemort's Horcruxes. With their search still hampered by a lack of information, they chose to work on how how they would actually recover the cursed objects once they got a lead. Also on their minds was their upcoming trip to Godric's Hollow -- which they planned to take as soon as Harry and Ron were licensed to apparate.

Due to new security measures at the Ministry, Arthur recommended that they schedule their apparation tests well in advance. This proved to be easier said than done, however. When Harry tried to call the Apparation Test Center on Monday morning, all he got was the Floo Network's equivalent of a busy signal. Giving up on that idea, Ron and him then went to visit that enchanted den of bureaucracy in person.

Coming out of one of the atrium's many fireplaces, Harry and Ron joined a long queue of people waiting to pass through a security gate that hadn't been there the previous year. This pretty much set the tone for the rest of their visit -- lots of standing in line, answering the same questions over and over again, and trying to ignore the stares Harry received whenever someone realized who he was. By the time they finally got their appointments for the 31st of July, the place was really starting to get on Harry's nerves. If apparation wasn't such a vital part of their plans, he would have just walked out in disgust hours earlier.

Fortunately, Harry was busy enough to take his mind off the magical government. After a long discussion, they decided to try out some of the ideas in the book Hermione's father had given him. While the infantry tactics described in the manual were pretty basic, adapting military doctrine to magical combat proved difficult. Wands were far more versatile than any Muggle device, but you needed to know which spells to use and be able to think clearly under stress. To be reasonably sure that they could do that when the time came, the three of them had to train.

Finding a place to practice presented its own problems. While the Ministry didn't monitor places like the Burrow for underage magic, Ron's mother would have a fit if she found out what they were up to. As if sneaking around Molly Weasley wasn't enough, they also had Ginny to deal with. She'd been in a snit since the wedding, and was now using every trick she'd ever picked up from Fred and George to spy on the trio. Between that and the snide remarks she'd been making around them; Harry and his friends started using privacy charms whenever they were working, or when him and Hermione wanted to be alone.

By an unspoken agreement, Harry and Hermione were keeping the public side of their relationship low-key for the time being. Everyone knew they were a couple, thanks to the kiss they shared at the reception, so neither of them saw any point in throwing it in people's faces. Besides, making out in front of everyone would just aggravate the situation with Ginny, and they already had more than enough to worry about.

Despite the troubles with Ginny, Harry's newfound romance was a source of comfort for him. From the very beginning, his relationship with Hermione was shaping up to be very different from the others he had. Mostly because they could talk about their problems, and find solutions they could both live with. It wasn't a perfect system, but it allowed Harry and Hermione to start building a relationship that could survive the dark times to come.

**********

Before going down to breakfast, Harry marked another day off his calendar with a sigh. He had three weeks left until his birthday as of today, and it seemed to be taking forever to get there.

No sooner than he'd sat down at the table; a screech owl flew through the window, dropped a letter in front of him, and flew back the way it came. The purple wax seal on the back bore the Hogwarts coat of arms. Inside was a brief letter written on school parchment.

Dear Mr. Potter,

Professor M. McGonagall,
Headmistress of Hogwarts

"Looks like the board of governors appointed McGonagall as the new headmistress." Harry said.

Hermione took the letter from him only to have it snatched away. "Hey, I was reading that!" she shouted.

"Oh, did I distract you? I thought only Harry's flirting did that," Ginny coldly responded.

"Wait a second...." Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Have you been eavesdropping on us?"

"The Burrow doesn't have eaves," Ginny said to no one in particular. Quickly reading the note, she asked, "What's this all about? Since when does McGonagall tell you about school business?"

"It's none of your concern, Ginny." Ron yanked the parchment out of his sister's hand as he walked by.

Giving him a deadly glare, Ginny shot back, "Is that so? I suppose it's also none of my business that Harry told me he was going away just so he could run off with some know-it-all Mudblood?!"

That last part was enough to bring Harry to his feet. However, another voice joined the argument before he could open his mouth.

"Ginny!" Arthur barked out as he came into the kitchen. "You know better than to call someone that in this house! Now apologize."

Looking straight at Hermione, Ginny said, "I'm sorry you're a Mudblood."

Mrs. Weasley's voice shook the Burrow. "GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY! That is not what your father meant and you know it! Now you can either apologize properly or be grounded for a week -- make up your mind."

With a defiant expression on her face, Ginny spun on her heel and marched out of the room without saying another word. The familiar sound of her bedroom door slamming shut echoed through the house a minute later.

Mrs. Weasley grumbled over her cooking once Ginny was out of earshot. "Oh, that girl...she's been impossible to deal with this summer. Why does it always happen when they turn fifteen?"

Taking his place at the head of the table, Arthur kindly suggested, "Perhaps it would be best if you moved into Percy's old room, Hermione. At least until Ginny cools off."

"Don't hold your breath," Ron said quietly, earning a dirty look from his mother.

Saying that he needed to answer McGonagall's letter, Harry excused himself from the table. Making his way upstairs, he heard Hermione call out, "Harry, wait up."

Stopping for her, he asked, "Are you okay? Ron told me that she might act like this, but I never -"

"It isn't surprising, if you ask me. She is Ron's sister, after all." The shy grin on Hermione's face gave way to a sigh. "Ginny and I have never exactly seen eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but she became rather rude to me after you started dating. Between you and me, I got the impression that she felt I was a threat to your relationship...which seemed odd to me at the time, since I had all but written myself off as the school swot who'd never be kissed." Hermione turned her head to hide her blush, even though it didn't stop Harry from sensing her embarrassment. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about -"

Harry quietly finished for her. "About changing my mind and going back to Hogwarts. I don't know, Hermione...there's so much we have to do, and I can't see how going to school can help. Hell, I don't think we've learned anything useful since fourth year. While I know how much you like school and that you're sure to be named Head Girl -"

She silenced him by placing her fingers over his lips. "Whether I become Head Girl or not has nothing to do with this."

Harry gave her a disbelieving stare.

"Okay, maybe a little," Hermione conceded, "but that's not what I'm talking about. I realize how important it is for us to find the...what we're looking for. But all the same, we also have to consider what comes afterwards.

Lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "Eventually, we're going to have to go after Voldemort himself. When that time comes, we'll probably have to fight our way through Death Eaters, dementors, and who knows what else just to get to him. That seems an awful lot for three people to handle by themselves. Especially after what happened when you fought Snape last month."

"I know!" Pausing for a breath outside his door, Harry went on in a calmer tone, "Sorry, Hermione. It's just...you're not the only one who's bothered by that fight. I threw everything I could at him, even an unspoken spell, and didn't come close to hitting the bastard. It was like he knew what I was going to do before I did it."

"Maybe he did...." Hermione lead him into his room. "Remember -- Snape is very skilled at Legilimancy, and could have used that ability to read your mind during your duel. There's also the very likely possibility that Ron was right about Snape using your Occlumancy lessons last year to weaken your defenses instead of strengthening them." She paused a beat before desperately saying, "Please don't tell Ron I said that, he'd never let me hear the end of it." Wrapping her arms around Harry once he shut the door, Hermione added, "In any case; if learning Occlumancy means becoming like Snape, it's definitely not worth it. We can always find another way to handle the Legilimancy problem."

Harry gently brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Yes, we can." Gently caressing her cheek, he let his mind wander until another thought passed through his head.

"Hermione..."

"Yes, Harry?"

"You don't suppose that Snape kept harping on using unspoken spells because Voldemort knows how to defeat them?" he asked.

Her brow furrowed as she considered this. "Teaching us an advanced combat technique that's totally useless against his master does fit into our theories about what Snape was doing." A long pause followed. "I still can't believe that I never saw him for what he really was. No, that's not true." Hermione looked up at him. "My heart knew it all along, my mind just refused to accept it."

With that, they dropped the subject and just relaxed in one another's arms. After a short time, Hermione took a deep breath and asked, "So what are you going to do about Professor McGonagall?"

"Hear her out, I guess," Harry said after he thought about it. "We just need to find the time to meet with her."

Hermione grinned at his answer, then furrowed her brow. "Umm, let me think. Whatever McGonagall wants to tell us must be important, or else she wouldn't be willing to come all this way...therefore we shouldn't make her wait too long. Your birthday is out of the question; the way the Ministry is getting, you'll probably end up spending the whole day there. I don't suppose you're willing to put off our trip to Godric's Hollow so we can meet her on the first, are you?"

Shaking his head, Harry told her, "No, we're already waiting long enough and...." He took a a deep breath and said, "I need to go there, Hermione. I don't know why, but it feels important somehow."

"I understand," Hermione said, even though she didn't. "In that case, how about the second of August? It's a Saturday, and we have nothing planned, so Professor McGonagall can talk with us for as long as she wants."

Harry smiled at her. "It will do."

"Excellent." Hermione gave him brief, chaste kiss before slipping out of his grasp. "While you're getting started on that letter, I'll go and move my things. I should also talk to Crookshanks. He hasn't been too happy with Ginny these past few days, and I don't want him taking matters into his own paws."

The two of them laughed at her statement, and Hermione started to leave. She was reaching for the doorknob when Harry caught her.

"In a minute," he said, leaning over for another kiss.

**********

Alone in her room; Ginny Weasley was curled up on her bed, holding her pet pygmy puff, and fuming with anger. Even now, she couldn't believe this drastic turn of events. For a brief time, she'd been happy...Harry had been happy...her and Harry had been happy and in love. After so many years of waiting, so much effort, she'd finally gotten her chance to be with the Boy Who Lived.

But that was over now. Something must have happened while Harry, Ron, and that...that witch were away that turned everything upside down. The three of them refused to talk about it, of course, but anyone with eyes could see the results. Not only were Potter and Granger now snogging each other's brains out (why else would they be sneaking off all the time?), but they had also convinced her traitorous brother to cover their worthless arses. It was enough to make Ginny want to scream.

Ginny didn't respond when she heard a knock on her door. Nor did she move as Hermione quietly packed her things. Even the older girl's attempts to placate her weren't enough to provoke a reaction. Ginny was too mad to listen to what she had to say. What would Hermione know about her feelings anyway? She already had Harry.

**********

Around midday, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked back to the house after spending most of the morning practicing in the woods behind the paddock. To a Muggle observer; their training resembled nothing more than a group of overgrown children running through the woods playing soldier, or hunting for lost treasure -- depending on what they were practicing.

"Er, guys...not to complain or anything; but the Death Eaters are just a little brighter than the shrubbery, and we're so familiar with Bill's wards and traps that we can find them in our sleep," Ron said as they came out of the trees.

"We know it seems a bit silly, Ron, but it's the best we can do right now," Hermione answered wearily. She'd never been very good at this kind of hands-on learning; but to her credit, Hermione hadn't complained once during their practice sessions. "It's pretty hard to practice group tactics when there's only three of us."

With a reluctant nod, Ron sighed, "Kinda makes you wish we had the DA around, doesn't it? We'd have plenty of folk to help us then."

Dumbledore's Army, DA for short, was the secret club they had created in their fifth year as a way to defy both Umbridge and the Ministry. With Cornelius Fudge and his crony out of the picture, Harry hadn't seen a reason to reassemble the group. As a result, only a handful of students came to assist the teachers when Hogwarts was attacked.

"Maybe we should restart it," Harry said to himself.

Ron turned to stare at him. "Wait a second, I thought we weren't going back to school this fall. Or did Hermione 'convince' you to change your mind?"

Harry didn't need to see the tilt of his friend's head, crooked smile, or wiggling eyebrows to tell just how Ron thought Hermione could have convinced him to return to Hogwarts. Then again, it wasn't hard to tell what Ron Weasley was feeling -- since he usually announced it at the top of his lungs.

"I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking about it," Harry answered. "By the way, Ronald, don't start on us unless you're willing to explain just where you and Luna disappeared to after your dance."

Laughing like the close friends they were, the trio entered the Burrow.

"What? She took a portkey to Africa the next day and wanted to say goodbye," Ron told them.

"If I had a sickle for every time I've heard that," a voice said behind them. Following the noise; they found Remus Lupin sitting in the living room, looking even more tired than usual. The full moon was only a few days away.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione excused themselves for a moment to get cleaned up. Coming back down, they joined Remus and Mrs. Weasley (Ginny returned to her room the moment she saw them) for lunch. Afterwards, and looking a little less pale than before, Lupin followed the trio up to Harry's room for a private talk.

Once everyone was settled, with Remus sitting in the only chair, Harry and Hermione holding hands on the bed, and Ron leaning on the door, they got down to business after hearing some comments about their love lives.

"Did I hear you say that Ron's dating Luna Lovegood now? I remember her from when I was teaching. Strange girl...bright, but very, very strange." The couple on the bed smiled at each other until the older man turned his attention to them. "No need to ask how you two are doing, I can tell just by looking at you." Lupin's eyes grew distant as he watched the young people around him. Harry felt a sense of deja vu as he returned the last Marauder's gaze. A lot of people had been giving him odd looks lately.

Shaking himself out of the past, Remus said, "Anyway, you wanted to talk about what Voldemort and his followers are doing. I wish I knew more, but we're all pretty much in the dark.

"You remember what I told you about the Death Eaters being sighted all over the place?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Now, the Ministry is still downplaying the reports because no one's been hurt and the Dark Mark isn't being seen all over the place. Because of this, we weren't even sure if the stories were real until Tonks overheard some other Aurors talking about it. We've been looking into it, but the sightings a so scattered that it's hard to keep up when you only have three or four people to work with. That's why I didn't come to see you earlier this week."

Ron quickly asked Lupin, "Don't you have any idea what they're up to?"

"I'm afraid not. Most of the sightings have been in places like Knockturn Alley, Hogsmeade, and villages where a lot of wizard families live. That's nothing unusual, since most Muggles couldn't spot a Death Eater if their lives depended on it. A few people have suggested that their recent victory has made some Death Eaters a bit cocky, while others think they're involved in something we're not aware of. I lean towards the latter myself: Voldemort doesn't have his minions do anything without a reason."

"You said that some of you are investigating these sightings," Hermione said. "So what's the rest of the Order doing?"

Lupin bowed his head. "I'm afraid that those of us who are working on this are all that's left of the Order of the Phoenix."

A stunned silence followed the announcement. Harry asked, "Why? What happened? This isn't the first time you've lost -"

"Think about what you're saying, Harry!" Remus exploded. "Albus Dumbledore wasn't just the leader of the Order, in many ways he was its heart and soul. His death has shaken its members badly, many to the point that they've all but left the group. We've also had to move our headquarters -- without the secret-keeper to tell them where it is, new members wouldn't be able to find Grimmauld. At least Mad-Eye has managed to keep the Order from completely falling apart, and he thinks we can convince the others to come back. Of course, getting them past the fact that Albus was killed by a trusted member of the Order who turned traitor will take some doing."

Harry said coldly, "Snape was a double-agent, not a traitor. You have to be on someone's side to betray them, and he was never on ours!"

"Calm down, Harry. Getting mad at Remus isn't helping matters," Hermione softly told him as she rubbed the back of his hand.

"I'm not mad, just making a point," Harry told her, covering her hand with his free one. Meeting Hermione's eyes, he added, "And you feel the same way I do about Snape." The corner of her mouth curled upward, mirroring his own smirk.

Remus looked at Ron. "How long have they been doing that?" he asked, pointing at Harry and Hermione.

"About a month. I think it started when we were at her parents' house," Ron said cheerfully. Leaning toward Remus, he added in a sly tone, "They'll start snogging if we step out of the room for a minute."

"What?" Harry and Hermione's heads snapped around, making the two men laugh out loud..

"Oh, nothing." Lupin's chuckle turned into a relaxed grin. "I was just reminded of your parents, Harry. They were always doing that sort of thing after they hooked up. At times, it was like they knew what each other were thinking or something. Sirius often took the mickey out of them for it, mostly because Lily couldn't stand your father until our seventh year. Come to think of it, neither of them ever really told us why she decided to give James another chance."

Harry felt Hermione staring at him, surprised to hear about his parents' early problems. A quick glance at her told him that they would be discussing this in detail later on.

"Look, Moony," Harry said softly. Lupin's head snapped up when he heard his old Marauder nickname. "I don't mean to insult Dumbledore's memory or anything, but I have to ask why no one ever questioned his judgment concern-"

Remus stopped him. "Now hold on, Harry. While I understand that you're not in a position to know otherwise, you shouldn't believe for a second that everyone in the Order was blindly following whatever Albus Dumbledore said. Snape was a case in point."

He paused for a long while as he pieced together what to say.

"When he first came to us, there was a huge fight within the Order about what to do with Severus. Alastor Moody, for example, hinted that we should force Snape to give up whatever information he might have, and then ship him straight to Azkaban. If I remember right, it was shortly after they'd started using dementors -- so you can imagine what he was thinking. Sirius was far more direct, as usual, and had to be stunned to keep him from killing Snape on sight. Within minutes of joining his first Order meeting, old Severus was living up to his name.

"After Dumbledore said his piece, however, enough of the Order agreed with him for Snape to be admitted -- barely, I might add. Your parents were among those who voted against him. What happened next...it didn't seem like much at the time, but now...." Lupin locked eyes with Harry. "Your parents had been sitting in a corner with Frank and Alice Longbottom during the meeting. When it broke up the four of them walked past Dumbledore, but James stopped just long enough to look at Snape and say 'He still hates us' just before they left."

Ron whispered, "Blimey, and no one listened to him?"

"No, people listened. The Potters and Longbottoms were too well respected to ignore, especially after facing Voldemort so many times. The thing is; both couples were rather busy just then, being new parents and all, and weren't as active in the Order as they used to be. Also, at least to me, there seemed to be a certain...distance between them and Dumbledore after that meeting." Lupin turned to Harry. "I suppose that might be why your parents didn't tell him when they switched secret-keepers," he said.

Harry nodded, but didn't ask any more about Snape. "Remus; from the little I know about them, I can't see Mum and Dad just sitting around hoping that Voldemort wouldn't find us. You wouldn't know if they were trying to do something about him, would you?"

"I'm afraid not, Harry. Your parents and I didn't see each other very much after you were born. Mostly because I...um, didn't trust myself around you." Lupin hung his head, guilt and pain rolling off of him. "So anything they might have been working on, they didn't have a chance to share it with me. Especially in those last months, when your parents went into hiding."

The trio shared a look before Hermione ventured, "Stop me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like the Order's troubles began when Snape joined it. Is that true?"

"Yes and no," Remus replied. "The Order always had problems. It was never that big, at least compared to what we heard about Voldemort's forces. That caused a constant debate over things like battle tactics, our overall strategy, and so on. But during that last year or so...yes, things got worse. It seemed like our best people and allies started dropping like flies, while the Death Eaters appeared stronger and more numerous than ever. At the time, we couldn't figure out why it was happening, but -"

Harry continued for him, "Now we know that Severus Snape never left the Death Eaters, and whatever information he gave to the Order was what Voldemort wanted you to hear. I also wouldn't be surprised if Snape didn't arrange some of the deaths you spoke of to weaken the Order."

If Remus Lupin hadn't been pale before, he would be now. "How do you know that? Mad-Eye has been working on this since Albus was killed and is only beginning to suspect what you just said!"

"We've been doing some work of our own lately." Hermione leaned on Harry a bit as she spoke. In return, he placed an arm around her shoulders. "Weeks ago, we...came across something about how Muggles use spies and propaganda in their wars and it-"

"Got us thinking about all the Death Eaters in the Ministry. Then we came up with the idea that they may be more than just spies, and are actively sabotaging any resistance to their master," Harry went on.

Ron finished, "It makes sense when you think about it. Especially considering the ruddy bastards he likes to surround himself with -- like Snape and the Malfoys."

Lupin gave the trio a weak, bittersweet smile. "To think, I had almost forgotten how much I miss my old friends."

"We're not them, Remus, and we can't take their place," Hermione sadly told him. Harry couldn't bring himself to speak.

"True, but you're a lot like them. All three of you," the older wizard said as he checked his watch. "I'd better leave if I'm going to see Tonks tonight. Being so close to the full moon, I don't like to take chances...not anymore. Moody will want to hear what you said when I see him again...if you don't mind."

The teenagers nodded their permission and said their goodbyes as Remus wearily got up from his chair. However, Harry ran up to Lupin as he left the Burrow.

"Remus, there's something I forgot to ask you."

"Go ahead," Lupin said, turning to face Harry.

"First, I want to know if it's possible to have some defenses up around a Muggle house. Nothing too obvious, but enough to warn the people there if any Death Eaters show up," Harry said.

"Without the Ministry knowing about it?" Lupin asked cautiously.

"Preferably," Harry answered. "I don't trust them. Especially when it comes to the safety of Hermione's -"

Remus stopped him. "Say no more. Give me the address and I'll talk to Tonks about it. It'll give her something to do this weekend besides pacing around our flat and tripping over herself."

Harry's eyebrows shot up as he handed Lupin a piece of parchment with Hermione's address on it. No one had told him that Remus and Tonks were living together.

Hoping to avoid any more questions about his love life, Remus cleared his throat and asked, "Anything else?"

"Just one thing." Harry replied. "I want to know exactly where my parents are buried."

This request stopped Lupin in his tracks. "Why do you - ?"

"I just want to visit them, and maybe see the place where I should have grown up," Harry replied.
Remus stared into his eyes long and hard, though Harry couldn't tell what he was looking for. "Do you know where the house is?" Lupin finally asked.

Harry nodded. Using both wizard and Muggle resources, and some help from Hermione, he had tracked down the exact location while staying at her parents' house.

Speaking in barely more than a whisper, Remus said, "You'll find them together in a plot under the old oak in the back garden. It was a special place for James and Lily, and we -" A tear rolled down Lupin's cheek. "We just didn't have the heart to put them anywhere else."

**********

On Saturday night, the full moon shone down on the Burrow and the nearby village. It was midnight and almost everyone was asleep. Except for Harry and Hermione who were busy commemorating their first week as an official couple with a good snog.

Sitting on his bed with Hermione in his lap, he gently caressed her back as her fingers idly played with his hair. They were trying to take it easy and not rush this part of their relationship into something they weren't ready for. Unfortunately, keeping themselves under control was proving difficult at best. Hermione's kisses were soft, tentative...almost shy in a way, but Harry found them positively intoxicating none the less. Admittedly, her enthusiasm for this new area of study might have something to do with it too.

Harry heard his girlfriend sigh as his lips found the pulse point just below her jaw. The rush of excitement he felt from her abruptly ended when she stared shaking him, and calling his name.

"Harry, what's that? There's some kind of glow...."

Blinking rapidly, he saw an odd greenish light coming from the window. Untangling themselves, they took their wands and Harry's glasses from the nightstand and went to investigate. Crookshanks, who had been snoozing by their feet, jumped up and let out a frightened growl.

Downstairs, they heard the chimes in Molly's grandfather clock sound throughout the house. Once, twice...ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen....

Reaching the window, Harry felt a stab of fear from Hermione as the blood froze in his veins.

The Dark Mark was hovering over Ottery St. Catchpole.

**********
end chapter 8