Author Note: I just wanted to make an apology for the last chapter. I realise that it was the weakest so far and I think the reviews reflect this. Perhaps I cracked under the pressure. I hope this chapter is slightly better.
Chapter 14 - The Tapestry Unravelled.
Harry sat upstairs alone for over an hour dwelling on the reminder Hermione's thoughtless words had brought to his mind. The realisation that the task before him belonged to he alone had been pushed back, covered by the false hope being intimate with Hermione had generated. He had almost forgotten the words of the prophecy, almost started to believe that he could defy destiny and weave others into aiding him in the final confrontation with Voldemort. Somehow with Hermione's stark reminder that he had no parents to shoulder the burden, the awful truth was once again at the forefront of his thoughts.
Not that he was really that angry with Hermione, he just wanted to make a point with her. The tactic, he knew, could backfire badly but he was assured enough of the strength of his relationship with Hermione to risk upsetting her a little to make her understand certain things. He hadn't expected her to use his orphan status as a reason for him not understanding her, but he had to try and make her see the value of prudence and thought, even when the emotion of certain situations could carry you away. This was the reason, he thought, that she had told her parents about their dealings with the Horcruxes, for he was certain she wouldn't have been so open about it with anyone else, especially another from the magical community. Harry feared what he considered Hermione's `Muggle naivety;' that she somehow thought her parents were safe and free from it all. Harry, who felt he knew Voldemort's mind much better than Hermione, thought they were in more danger than most.
So he sat and stewed. This period lasted much longer than he expected; Hermione usually wasn't the type to let him be alone with his thoughts, especially if they painted her in a negative light. There was, of course, the possibility that she felt she had crossed the line this time and Harry tried not to think of her sitting alone in the kitchen crying with the guilt of it all. The thought made Harry feel about as bad as his imaginary Hermione was. But he was determined not to cave in and go to her; he needed her badly, but she had to keep her promise to do as he said, the first rule of which was to avoid unnecessary risks. So far she wasn't keeping her part of the bargain.
It was just as a resistance to his determination was beginning to form that Harry heard the handle to the living room door creak down. Hermione walked in slowly, sheepishly, her face pale but her eyes sorrowful rather than red and puffy. If she had been crying, Harry thought, it had passed a long while ago. She looked up at him uncertainly; she looked so sorry for herself, so pitiful with regret that Harry lost all his will to be steely with her.
`Don't say it,' he said as Hermione made to speak. `I know you're sorry, I know you didn't mean it, and I forgave you the moment you said it.'
A hint of a smile crossed Hermione's face as part of her sorrowful veil lifted. She made her way across the room to Harry and sat at the foot of his chair, hugging his hand and resting against his legs. For a few moments they simply sat like that and said nothing.
`Oh, Harry I just have to say it,' said Hermione suddenly, sounding rather desperate. `I'll just die of shame if I don't apologise. I was so thoughtless, so stupid. I was caught up in my own things and I just blurted it out. I didn't mean it.'
`I already said I know you didn't,' said Harry, smirking at the frantic look in Hermione's eyes.
`It was just about the most horrid thing I could have said,' Hermione cried. She stood up and began pacing about. `I don't know what got into me. I can't believe I even mentioned anything about what we're doing to my parents. It's like I've learned nothing important in all these years. There could have been spies somewhere, like when we had that first DA meeting in the Hogs Head, remember? Or someone could have intercepted my letter and Polyjuiced mum and dad. Oh, dear…'
Hermione flopped down into the chair opposite Harry looking horrified and exhausted. Secretly Harry agreed with most of what she'd said but he had learned enough about pacifying people to know that know wasn't the moment to voice his agreement.
`Hermione you need to calm down,' said Harry. `I'm sure your parents weren't Polyjuiced. And if there were spies I stopped you before you said anything to important. Don't worry about it.'
`Don't worry about it!' Hermione thundered, springing back to her feet. `How can I not worry about it? I nearly gave away our plan! I put our lives, my parents' lives, and everyone's life in danger! Then I said something really horrible to you, and you probably secretly hate me for it, and if I lost you over that I'd go nuts! What isn't there to worry about?'
`Well losing me for a start,' said Harry. `I need you more than anyone or anything and it'd take a little more than you venting your anger at me once to change that. You'll have to work a bit harder than that to get rid of me, girl.'
`Why aren't you mad at me?' asked Hermione. `I expected you to be furious with me.'
`And maybe before I might have been. I just don't seem able to feel anything bad towards you for very long. You've softened me a bit.'
Hermione looked as though she had melted; her shoulders seem to collapse down and she smiled.
`Oh Harry…'
`Don't go thinking you're in control of me though,' said Harry. `I'm my own man and I still make the decisions around here.'
`Ha! If you say so!' laughed Hermione.
`Okay, maybe you control me a bit,' said Harry. `But don't forget that when it comes to fighting Voldemort you don't do anything without my agreement. That includes talking about it, even to people we trust. I hope you won't make that mistake again.'
`No,' said Hermione nodding fervently. `As far as that goes I will do as you say. But lets not joke around; you're under the thumb in all other areas!'
`Excuse me, I am not!' Harry protested. `You may be able to enchant other boys under your spell but I have my own mind.'
`Really?' said Hermione looking sultrily at him. `I bet I can bend you to my will. I just have to offer the right inducements.'
Harry felt himself involuntarily shiver at the look Hermione pierced him with. Despite all his protestations he knew that Hermione did have a certain power over him that was difficult to resist. It made throwing of the Imperious Curse look like child's play.
`Hey, no flirting,' said Harry. `I'm supposed to be giving you a sermon here.'
`I give you a simple choice,' said Hermione stepping forward to whisper in Harry's ear. `Cleanse me of my sins or come with me and we'll commit a few more.'
And with a wink she slinked out of the door. Harry sighed to himself and chided himself for being so weak. He thought how Ron would laugh at him for being, as Hermione had termed it, "under the thumb". Harry made his way to the door thinking to him that somewhere Sirius and his father would be having a nice little chuckle at how, when it came to being addicted to their women, Harry really was his father's son.
* * *
For the next few days Harry enjoyed a period of relative peacefulness. The mid-October mildness was rapidly giving way to chillier winds and the leaves were beginning to fall on the handful of trees in the crude park just outside Grimmauld Place. The house was feeling increasingly draughty and the fires were being lit considerably earlier than they had been. It was during this time that Harry received a piece of news he was looking for.
It was on a Wednesday afternoon. He and Hermione were at Hogwarts discussing with Headmistress McGonagall their plans for teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry was surprised to learn that the plan had been met with universal approval by the students when McGonagall had suggested the idea to them. Harry confessed his astonishment to Hermione as they left the office.
`I don't know why you didn't see this coming,' said Hermione. `It doesn't surprise me at all.'
`Why not?' asked Harry. `Lessons have never been popular so what would be different this time?'
`Oh come, Harry,' said Hermione. `You are dense sometimes. It's just like when you were Quidditch Captain; the lesson, like the team, isn't popular - you are. If you were popular last year then I don't know what you could call this. Why do you think I burn the Daily Prophet after I read it? If you got hold of it your head would grow so big I doubt you could get it through the door. It doesn't hurt that you've started being a bit of a rebel, either, standing up to the Ministry and things. Plus there was the fight last year. It gives you a rugged sort of edge. It makes you not just more fanciable but something of a god in that area. You're picture is in every issue of Witch Weekly, they even have a special column all about you. I mean, even I've fallen for you and nobody could have predicted that!'
`Cheek,' said Harry, flushing at this piece of news. `I think I could have predicted it if I'd stopped being so blind and read between the lines. They have pictures of me?'
`Yes,' said Hermione simply. `I don't know who takes them but they are quiet good. There was one topless one, though how they got it is a mystery. It must have broken a few hearts at Hogwarts to see you didn't have that tattoo of a Horntail on your chest.'
`Yeah, well,' said Harry. `I didn't want to upset Ginny the time but I much prefer a Hippogriff to a Horntail any day.'
`Glad to hear it,' said Hermione with a wink.
They were just turning out of the Charms corridor and making for a staircase when Harry heard someone hiss behind him. Turning curiously he looked towards the source of the sound. There, shrouded by the shadows of an alcove, was the unmistakable blond sheen of Malfoy.
`Psst! Potter. Over here!' Malfoy hissed.
`Yes I can see you,' said Harry. `You're sounding more like Voldemort's pet every day. You'll be eating rats any day now.'
`Very funny, Potter,' said Malfoy.
`Is there something particular you wanted?' asked Harry. `Or have you just popped your head up to ruin my day?'
`I did have a message for you,' said Malfoy, `but perhaps I shouldn't give it to you.'
`Perhaps you need to have a rethink of your loyalties,' said Harry darkly. `I know the way to Little Hangleton quite well. You know who has a house there I suppose?'
Harry grinned in satisfaction as he saw Malfoy try to mask a shudder.
`Like you'd want to go there any more than I would,' said Malfoy eventually. `Anyway, the message I've got comes from the portrait of Dumbledore.'
`Really?' said Harry fighting a battle against his natural urge to disbelieve every word that came from Malfoy's mouth. `We were just up in the Head's office, why didn't he give it to me then?'
`Perhaps because he was in the Charms classroom with me. He has a portrait in most rooms of the castle. Don't tell me you don't know that portraits can move between frames?'
`Yes of course he does,' snapped Hermione as Malfoy started to snigger.
`What's it like to have a girl fight all your battles for you?' asked Malfoy.
`What's it like being the world's biggest twit?' asked Hermione scathingly.
`Just give me the message,' said Harry.
`As you like,' said Malfoy. `It was so much more fun when you weren't whipped, Potter.'
`Message,' Harry insisted.
`Dumbledore says to expect a visit later. He says you'll learn things in your bedroom, like you did before. He said you'll know what that means. Sounds a bit disgusting to me but then you are friends with the Weasley's so I expect you are used to being surrounded by filth.'
`Well I did share a school with you and the rest of the Slytherin scum for six years so I must be well used to it by now.'
`Come on, Harry,' said Hermione tugging the sleeve of Harry's robe. It might have had something to do with him reaching for his wand but it did manage to get him moving again. `Do you know what that message means?'
`The only thing I can think of,' said Harry, `is that portrait of Phineas Nigellus at Grimmauld Place. He has one at Hogwarts and Dumbledore used it to send messages to Sirius and me when Umbridge was at Hogwarts. He must be planning to use it himself.'
`Can a portrait visit another portrait's frame somewhere else?' asked Hermione.
`I don't know,' said Harry. `I know they can leave their own frames for others next to them. The fat lady always did, and that mad knight, Sir Cadogan, led me around once. I don't know if they can move between frames in different places but this is Dumbledore and if there are rules for portraits I'm sure he knows how to get around them.'
For the rest of the day Harry waited at Grimmauld Place. He and Hermione sat in the bedroom staring at the blank canvas on the wall and listening to the distant sounds echoing from the twin frame at Hogwarts. Harry thought that perhaps their time could have been spent a little more constructively but he was so curious as to what information he was going to receive that he doubted whether he could seriously concentrate on anything anyway.
At around seven o'clock Harry heard a little cough and looked up at the portrait. He had been playing with a Snitch that Hermione had conjured to amuse him during the wait. He was letting the Snitch fly a little from his hand before snatching it back again. He realised that while his father had used the little game to show off his reflexes it was also quite fun as he grew more daring each time by letting the Snitch a little further each time. Hermione didn't seem as impressed as Wormtail had been by Harry's dad; the appreciative whoops of the would-be traitor had been replaced by tuts and snorts as Hermione went on darning some multicoloured bobble-hats.
`It's about time,' Harry said as Phineas Nigellus pretended to snooze against the edge of the picture frame.
`I see you haven't lost any of your charm,' said Phineas. `You'd think you'd be more appreciative of all this effort I've gone to.'
`Effort?' scoffed Harry. `You're a portrait and lazy by those standards. Like you do anything else.'
`I shall never regret leaving my own youth,' said Phineas. `Perhaps I was never quite as arrogant as you but I must have had similar traits. Let us hope that at some stage you grow out of them.'
`Yeah whatever,' said Harry. `I thought I was supposed to be getting a message.'
`Impatience is not a virtue,' said Phineas. `Oh very well - Dumbledore! Let's get this over with. I have a dinner date with Miranda the Manicured at eight.'
At the command Dumbledore stepped from the side frame and into the centre of the portrait.
`Thank you, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. `You may go now, but do not stray too far. I shall need to be called back when I am finished here.'
`Very well,' said Phineas lazily and disappeared from where Dumbledore had arrived.
`Ah, Harry, good to see you looking well,' said Dumbledore. `And Miss Granger too. Excellent.'
`Evening, sir,' said Harry. `How's life as a painting going?'
`Picture perfect, Harry,' said Dumbledore. `I highly recommend it. Why only yesterday I played a few frames of pool with the Baskerville Hounds on the second floor. They weren't happy to lose to me, I can tell you.'
`I can bet,' said Harry. `So, what is this all about, Sir?'
`As always I can see you are not to be distracted, Harry,' said Dumbledore. `Very well. I have been keeping up with your progress in the struggle against the dark side, Harry.'
`Really? How?'
`I was a highly clever wizard, you know, and I have my ways. Anyway, I have noticed that you have struggled recently and things seemed to have stalled. I have come to the conclusion that I left you far too much to do at such a young age. My age, Harry, is what gave me such cleverness in life. I had lived so much, seen and learned so much, whereas you have not.
`After a series on discussions with various parties I have stumbled upon a piece of information that could be of great use to you.'
`What is it?' asked Harry eagerly.
`This is the problem,' said Dumbledore. `The information comes from Phineas who, as you know, is not the most helpful of souls. He told me, after a few glasses of brandy one night, as we discussed the state of things that you might find some direction in a certain tree at your residence.'
`That doesn't make sense,' said Harry.
`At first I agreed,' Dumbledore continued. `But Phineas always was, and remains, aloof and ambiguous. Unfortunately my knowledge of Grimmauld Place is limited. However I thought you might be able to make more sense of it.'
`But there aren't any trees here,' said Harry. `I don't understand. Didn't you get anything else from him?'
`No, I'm afraid not. The only reason I tell you is that it was a rare honourable moment from Phineas. They are as rare, and reliable, as the predictions of Sybil Trelawney. I thought that perhaps you could investigate the permutations of his cryptic message further.'
`Professor,' said Hermione. `What were you and Phineas discussing at the time, precisely? It might give us a clue to start from.'
`I believe we were discussing my death and the false Horcrux which weakened me,' said Dumbledore. `I recall Phineas debating my reasons for allowing myself to be left defenceless.'
`Dumbledore!' came a call from nowhere. It was Phineas. `Will you hurry this along? I have to get ready for my date!'
`Alas our time is at an end,' said Dumbledore smiling. `I am sorry I cannot be of more use to you, but such is the tapestry of things. Good luck.'
And with that he was gone.
`Well that was useless,' said Harry. `All that waiting and for what?'
`Dumbledore wouldn't have told us unless he thought it was worth doing so,' said Hermione. `There must be some meaning in it. We just have to figure it out.'
`That's your field of expertise,' said Harry. `Come on, let's go downstairs. It's freezing up here now.'
Harry led the way to the living room and lit the fire in the grate while Hermione flopped onto the couch to think.
`It could be anything,' she said thinking aloud. `Trees, trees - branches, leaves - hey maybe the answer's in tea leaves!'
`This coming from the girl who quit Divination when she didn't believe in it,' said Harry. `No it can't be that simple. Phineas Nigellus likes to have his jokes, I think. A bit like Peeves.'
`So you think he doesn't mean trees at all?'
`Probably not,' said Harry leaning against the wall. `Maybe not real trees. What sort of fake trees can you have? You know, what's the word -'
`Metaphorical?' said Hermione who was suddenly sat bolt upright.
`That's right. Wrap that immense brain of yours around that.'
`A tree with branches,' said Hermione who was now stood up.
`Well most have them,' said Harry, eyeing her warily.
`In this house.'
`That's what he said.'
`And Dumbledore mentioned tapestry.'
`Did he, I wasn't listening.'
`Harry…'
Hermione was pointing at the wall behind him. Almost with a dread of slow understanding, Harry stepped forward and turned around.
`The Black Family tree,' he said.
`It must be the only tree of any kind here,' said Hermione. `This must be what he was on about.'
`But how will this help us?'
`My area of expertise, you said,' said Hermione. `My task. Harry read through the names.'
`Why?'
`Aren't we looking for a set of initials? A set of initials that Dumbledore found at his death. A set of initials that might have been part of a family from the Dark Side?'
`R.A.B!' Harry cried. `The B could stand for Black.'
`Start looking,' said Hermione.
Frantically they began scanning the tapestry.
`Meliflua, Malfoy, Lestrange,' said Harry reading the names at his eye level.
`Harry,' said Hermione in barely a whisper. `What about this one?'
Harry looked down. Hermione was pointing at Sirius's name which, Harry saw with a pang, now included a death date. He followed the line sideways to another name.
`Regulus Black!' Harry exclaimed. `But he died, Sirius told me.'
`Harry - there is no date of death,' said Hermione. `What if - now this is just an idea - but what if he faked his own death? Other people have done it and wouldn't it have been better to appear dead to escape being captured by Voldemort? It makes sense.'
`But we only have two initials,' said Harry. `How do we know his middle name began with A?'
`Didn't you say you wanted to follow every lead?'
`Well, yes,' said Harry. `But where do we start?'
`We already have started,' said Hermione. `The question is what to do next, and I have a plan. It might take a while but it could work.'
`What do you need?'
`Just one thing,' said Hermione. `That locket from around your neck.'
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