The Final Lesson
by Jardyn39
Chapter 7 - Nothing Much of Interest
Much later that evening, Harry found himself sitting alone in the dark in the living room at the Burrow. Mrs Weasley had insisted that they all stay over that night and Harry was the last one to turn in.
He mused that he had actually enjoyed the evening, once he had given up on having any time alone with Hermione.
"Shift up, you," whispered Hermione.
Harry smiled and tried to move. He was actually sprawled across the settee rather than sitting down now. He also found he was unable to move, partly because he was stiff from not moving but mainly because Hermione had just climbed up over him.
Hermione brushed back his hair and kissed him.
"I've missed you," Harry whispered when their lips broke apart.
"Me too."
They lay together in silence for a long while, Hermione playing her fingers through his hair.
"I'm sorry about the flowers."
"Don't worry about it."
"I'll be quicker next time," he promised.
"I doubt it. George said Mrs Weasley hasn't looked so happy for ages," said Hermione.
Harry smiled but didn't say anything.
Hermione lifted her head and asked, "What?"
"I was just thinking about the reason why she's so happy," Harry whispered. "It's a secret, though. Fred and George mustn't find out yet and nor can anyone else. Ron will have been told by now, I'd imagine, but the news is that someone came home today. Percy is staying over."
"No," breathed Hermione in disbelief. "I mean, it's great; but so unexpected. What prompted them to be reconciled?"
"Oh, they're not exactly reconciled and I'm not sure how long Percy will agree to stay for."
Harry re-lit the lamp beside them and told Hermione how he'd brought Percy back to the Burrow after he'd been attacked.
"Gosh, Harry. How did they even know he had the file?"
"That's what I wondered."
"Have you read the file?"
"No, I only had time to secure it in the Room of Requirement."
"I should read it tomorrow. It might be important."
"I'll need to release it first. I didn't want to take any chances, so I put some additional protections on it."
Hermione didn't say anything, but he knew what she was thinking. Why was it necessary for Harry to put additional protections on something that only he, Hermione and Ron could gain access to anyway?
Knowing they needed to talk now, Harry pushed himself up and Hermione slipped herself off his lap.
Finally he said, "I'm worried about Ron. Something happened while you were away."
"What?"
"Well, we were warming up for our practise as usual," began Harry.
"You mean you were duelling, I suppose?"
Harry smiled and kissed her forehead before continuing.
"Ron hit me with a Rodium hex."
"A Rodium hex? I've never even heard of it," admitted Hermione.
"Neither had I, but it was certainly effective. I looked it up later and it is a member of a family of really dark hexes. They are actually really difficult to perform but they key is to learn how to do the Rodium hex first. After that, the others are relatively easy, if rather nasty."
"I see. Where did he learn it?"
"He said he saw it being performed on someone in Knockturn Alley. Ron has been spending a lot of time down there just lately. He told Fred and George that I'd put him up to going down there, but he may just have said that to get them off his back. You saw how they have been riling him lately."
Hermione considered this news carefully for a moment before saying, "I want to hear Ron's side of this. He did seem a little off this evening, but I just put that down to Fred and George. We'll talk to him tomorrow. Perhaps he'll come for a walk or something."
"That's what I'd hope you'd say," said Harry smiling.
Hermione reached behind his neck with both arms and pulled herself towards him into a kiss. He allowed himself to slide sideways down to his original sprawled position. Harry folded his arms over her and held her tightly.
Eventually, Hermione snuggled herself against his neck.
"I felt just awful leaving Mum and Dad again," she admitted. "I wish you could have come away too."
"So do I," Harry whispered. "It was just too risky. I might have been followed."
"I know."
"At least this way they'll be safe."
"They were hinting that they were thinking about coming out of hiding."
"That's not a good idea," said Harry evenly.
"I told them that, but also I know how difficult it's been for them. They have been out of contact with family and friends for so long, now."
Hermione's quiet emotional voice broke as she finished. Harry held her gently as she quietly sobbed herself to sleep.
*
Harry woke slowly to find Hermione still lying with him on the settee. The lamp had been extinguished and they were once more in darkness.
Not wishing to wake her, Harry brushed his lips against her hair before resting his head down against hers.
Harry then realised what had woken him.
"Can't you sleep either?" asked Hermione.
"Something woke me," he replied. "I was just trying to decide what it was."
Hermione snorted and he felt her warm breath against his bare chest.
"I'm just having a problem with this last button. You haven't charmed it, have you? Your shirt buttons were much easier."
"Well, perhaps I would have, had I known I'd be taken advantage of in the middle of the night."
"I would have woken you eventually," she reassured him. "I just thought I'd get a head start, that's all."
Harry gave an involuntary squeal and then burst into laughter.
"Shh!" said Hermione urgently. "You'll wake the whole house!"
"Well, be a little gentler, then."
"No," said Hermione teasingly, "I don't think I'll bother, actually. Nothing much of interest here anyway. Hardly worth rummaging around for, really."
"I notice you're not actually letting go, though?"
Hermione laughed silently and shifted herself before kissing him again. In the darkness, Harry felt the smile playing on her open mouth as they kissed.
*
They woke again just before dawn but this time Hermione insisted that Harry go up to bed and absolutely refused all of his whispered pleas not to leave him.
Once he was finally alone, he washed and dressed rather than go to bed.
Hermione had also insisted that he should read Bateman's report as soon as possible, so Harry decided to go to the Room of Requirement before breakfast. He crept downstairs and Flooed to Hogwarts from the kitchen.
When he stepped out of the fireplace, he realised that breakfast may have been on his mind as he had entered the room. No less than three tables were waiting for him, each heaving with silver breakfast things.
Unable to resist temptation, he helped himself to coffee and a poached egg and toast.
He retrieved the thin manila file and sat down in front of once of the seven fires and began to read.
*
Two hours later Harry sat frowning at the closed file. Behind him, one of the fires flared up making him start. He quickly slid the file down the side of the chair and out of view.
Hermione walked over, stooped down and kissed him on his cheek.
Harry looked behind her and let go the breath he'd been keeping. He looked up to see her smiling down at him.
"Ron made an early start as well this morning," she said. "I tried to talk to him but he said he'd agreed to get in early to move some stock before the shop opens."
Harry nodded and brought the thin file back out.
"I'm surprised you didn't seal the room."
"It didn't occur to me until you arrived and gave me a scare," he admitted sheepishly, handing her the file.
Hermione went over to the centre table, lit both reading lamps with her wand and sat down to read.
"Did you find anything interesting?"
"No," said Harry.
"Nothing?"
Harry got up and sat opposite her at the table.
"I've read through this report twice now, from start to finish. There is a detailed description of the original plan, the training they all did for it and the sources of all the information they used. Bateman then went on to give a detailed description of the raid, including reports from everyone who got separated. He reported everything about Falcon and what he said. The report ends with a summary of the medical reports on the injuries."
As he spoke Hermione was going through the report, apparently keeping pace with Harry's description of the main sections.
"So why is this report so important?"
"That's just it," agreed Harry. "I can't see how this report could identify who the traitor is. There really isn't anything there. It's also incredibly boring."
"Boring? Just what did you expect? This is a military report not an adventure story."
Harry shrugged.
"Was everything described as you remembered it?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, pretty much. The most obvious difference is where Bateman hasn't identified you, Ron or me. It reads like we were Ministry people assigned to them."
"He probably did that to protect you."
"Yes, I suppose so. He also downplayed a lot of the magic, making it sound like we might have been using advanced Muggle technology."
"That's understandable. He wouldn't want to be considered mad by anyone not knowing about the magical world. Did you notice anything missing from the report?"
"Well, there isn't any detail or background on Bateman nor any of his team. If this report was intended for someone outside the group, they wouldn't know why they were selected."
"Well, their experience or capabilities would be a matter of record. They are identified by these code numbers," Hermione observed. "I imagine that anyone with security clearance to read this file would also have access to their service records."
"True."
"Anything else?"
"Just that there isn't a conclusion nor any reference to the library."
Hermione went to the last page of the report.
"Was Bateman really aware of the true significance of the library?" she asked.
"Perhaps not entirely, but wouldn't you have put in a conclusion? We'd just been told that there was a traitor. Wouldn't that deserve emphasising?"
"It would, together with a recommendation for further action," agreed Hermione. "From the numbering of these pages, it looks like this copy of the report is complete, though."
Hermione closed the report and placed her palm down on the cover with her eyes closed, much like Harry read the Kemmynadow book. Harry waited patiently for her to think things through.
"I think there are a number of possibilities that we need to consider," she said finally, opening her eyes.
"First of all, we could all be mistaken. I mean, that this report never included any information that could compromise a traitor and everyone has just assumed it did or might."
Harry nodded.
"Secondly, this report might, as you said, be incomplete. Perhaps it was altered by the traitor before we got it."
Harry shrugged and nodded again.
"Thirdly, this copy might contain information that has been magically hidden. I'll examine it properly for that when I read it properly."
"The report was typed by Bateman in the presence of the Prime Minister and Kingsley," confirmed Harry. "Kingsley personally handed it to Scrimgeour."
Hermione nodded and said, "Yes, there doesn't seem to have been much of an opportunity to alter the report, unless Scrimgeour did it himself. Still, we should eliminate that possibility before we discount it entirely."
Harry nodded.
"Lastly," said Hermione, trailing off deep in thought.
Hermione looked up from the manila cover and said slowly, "Harry, what if Bateman knew this report might be intercepted."
"He did know that."
"Yes," Hermione agreed, shaking her head in annoyance. Harry smiled warmly at her.
"What I mean is, wouldn't he have hidden the message?"
"How?"
"Something subtle. Something so insignificant in the text that anyone not looking for it, or knowing its significance, would overlook it."
"Well, I was looking for it, remember?"
"No, Harry. You were looking for a sentence like The Traitor is X!"
"Er, yes, I was, actually."
"So we need to look for something else. Something that looks perfectly right but actually isn't."
"What like?"
"I've no idea," she said with a smile.
Harry smiled back at her, but then his smile faltered.
"Hermione, are you sure that Bateman is capable of something like this? I mean, this is pretty deep."
Hermione bit her lower lip considering this.
"I honestly don't know," she said finally. "I'll have a better idea when I've read all this in detail. He's certainly intelligent and resourceful, but I always thought in a physical way."
Harry nodded.
"Miss Alice always thought very highly of him," he said.
"True. She didn't suffer fools gladly."
Hermione lifted her hand from the file.
"What are you doing today?" she asked.
"I've no firm plans. I thought I'd help you with this, actually."
As Harry spoke, Hermione was smiling and shaking her head, no.
"I don't need any distractions today," she said. "I'll examine this report first but then I need to go though all the information and books I gathered while I was away."
Harry made a pouting face and Hermione burst into laughter, making him grin at her.
When she'd calmed, Hermione said, "Don't you normally practise with Ron today?"
"Well, yes. But that's not until lunchtime."
"It would be a good idea if you talked to him. He's the only one who can reassure you."
"Yes, but you need to be there too!"
"Harry, he's your best friend. Let him know you're concerned and care about him!"
"That kind of conversation only happens when you are there, actually."
"So just firing hexes at each other is enough to bind your friendship is it?"
"Pretty much."
Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry got up. He rounded the table and bent down. Lifting her hair and kissing her lightly on the back of her neck he said, "I could be quiet. You'd hardly know I was here."
*
Harry stepped out of the fireplace in the Burrow kitchen having finally been evicted from the Room of Requirement at wand point.
"Well, someone looks in a good mood," said Mrs Weasley seeing his rueful smile.
"Morning, Mrs Weasley," he said brushing himself down. "I just popped back to thank you for last night. It was a really nice evening."
"It was. Tea, Harry Dear?"
"Thanks, I will. I'm meeting Ron here later but I thought I'd check up on the Dursleys first. How is Percy?"
"Recovering nicely, although he hasn't got his appetite back yet. He's slept soundly for most of the time, poor lamb."
"Did you, er, tell Ron about Percy?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"I did, dear, although I didn't get a chance to until late last night. I'm not sure he entirely believed me, actually. Anyway, he's promised not to tell Fred or George for the present. That reminds me, I really ought to bring him down before lunchtime."
"Bring him down?"
"Yes, dear. He's perfectly safe, tucked away up there, but the Ghoul does like plenty of room to hammer the pipes."
Harry looked up, trying not to imagine Percy stuck up in the attic all night with only the Weasley family Ghoul for company.
*
Harry Apparated directly into the basement kitchen at Grimmauld Place and was alarmed to find Dobby and Kreacher fighting their way around the table.
"Hey! Stop that!" Harry shouted and lunged for them. The struggling elves wrestled themselves under the table and emerged on the other side. Harry jumped onto a chair and then over the table.
He grabbed each of them by an arm and pulled them apart. Neither of them particularly noticed this and Harry suffered several blows to his legs.
"Stop fighting!" he shouted angrily at them both.
The elves appeared to calm and stopped struggling.
"Kreacher, I ordered you not to fight with Dobby! Dobby, I'm surprised at you!"
"Please Sir, but Harry Potter is mistaken."
"Yes," agreed Kreacher. "Master is wrong."
"Wrong? Alright, what was the loophole?" asked Harry, keeping tight hold of them both. Clearly his instructions hadn't been quite specific enough.
"There is no loophole, Sir."
"Kreacher was not fighting Dobby."
"Then why did I have to pull you apart?"
"Master did not."
"Come off it!" Harry cried incredulously.
"No, Kreacher means that Harry Potter did not have to pull us apart."
Harry let go of both their arms.
"You were fighting."
"No, Sir, merely practising."
"Practising?"
"Indeed, Sir! Dobby and Kreacher want to be ready for when Harry Potter does allow us to fight for him!"
"What?"
"Dobby hoped Harry Potter would be proud," the elf said, his ears beginning to droop even more.
Harry sighed and sat down.
"I suppose I am proud," he said, adding quickly, "of you both."
"I just don't want you to hurt yourselves. I can't really have any objection to you fighting anyone else if you really want to.
"I just want to be clear on one thing. You are both subject to the restrictions of house elf enslavement, so I will never order you to fight anyone on my behalf. If you fight, it must be because you want to; not because I have forced you."
Dobby looked fearful for a moment while Kreacher stared contemptuously up at Harry.
Then Dobby said slowly, "So, Harry Potter has not forbidden us to fight?"
"Only each other," said Harry. "I still don't want you to really fight each other."
Dobby grinned widely up at Harry who smiled reluctantly back at him before lunging to grab the chair that Kreacher was about to smash over Dobby's head.
"Kreacher was merely practising," said the elf with a wide smile.
Harry was about to yell at Kreacher when Dobby burst out laughing.
"Dobby has to prepare dinner now, but he hopes Kreacher and he can practise later."
He vanished leaving Harry and Kreacher alone.
"You knew I'd stop you from hitting Dobby with this chair, didn't you?" he asked hopefully.