Chapter 4 - Eye of the Beholder
The next morning I go down to breakfast with Ginny. Ron's already at the table eating, and while he's polite, he doesn't make an effort to speak. He answers my questions and then busies himself eating. Ginny gives me a concerned look and I shrug.
Harry isn't there when we arrive, and he doesn't show up. I'm grateful for a distraction when my subscription to the Daily Prophet arrives, and after putting a coin in the little purse attached to the delivery owl, I open the paper to the front page.
The news isn't good.
"Sons of the Serpent? What's that?" Ginny asks, looking at the front page from her place beside me.
We immediately dig into the article which features a large image of a serpent in the sky that looks eerily similar to the serpent that snaked out of the mouth of the skull in Voldemort's Dark Mark.
"It says there's a new organization of Dark wizards forming in Romania. They're demanding the release of several high profile Death Eaters or they'll begin attacking key Ministry personnel."
"Excuse me, Miss Granger," a first year girl says nervously. She's in Gryffindor and I know she lost her oldest brother in the Battle of Hogwarts. She seems much too small to be here, away from her parents. "Professor McGonagall wanted me to give you this."
"Thank you, Elsa."
I take the note and open it. McGonagall wants me and Ron to come to her office right away. I give Ginny the paper and promise to fill her in on what's happening as soon as I see her during our next free period.
"This probably has something to do with that new Romanian lot," Ron says, finally speaking up. I nod silently in agreement. We don't speak again until we reach the Headmistress's office.
McGonagall is already in conversation with Harry, who sits in one of the three chairs at her desk. She has us sit, and I notice Harry avoiding looking at me as much as I avoid looking at him. I can't help but think of last night, him standing there so close I can feel his body heat, my knickers in my hand, his eyes flashing with jealousy, me wishing he'd have just done what he does in my dreams and pushing me to the floor to-
"I wanted to speak with you before you could see this morning's edition of the Daily Prophet," McGonagall begins.
"Too late, Professor, we've seen it," says Ron.
"I thought as much. There's a new threat arising in Romania. Several escaped Death Eaters, as well as their supporters, have formed a new organization called the Sons of the Serpent. While they don't call themselves Death Eaters anymore, they're of the same ilk. They uphold the ideals of pure-bloods reigning supreme over all others in the wizarding world. They're calling for the release of several key Death Eaters currently imprisoned in Azkaban. If they don't get what they want, they threaten to assassinate the people on this list."
McGonagall hands us each a copy of a letter with the seal of the Auror's department on the letterhead. There are twenty-five names on the list, all of them recognizable as having either been in the Order of the Phoenix, or very close to and supportive of Order members. The Muggle Prime Minister was also listed, at number six.
My eyes read off the top five names. Harry Potter was number one unsurprisingly, followed by Ron, myself, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Ron's dad, Arthur Weasley. As I read, I find several other familiar names further down the list, including George, Bill and Fleur, and the wandmaker Ollivander. I wonder why Ollivander would be a target by this group. Voldemort had a reason for seeking the wandmaker, but this group…what could they want with him? Do they know of the Hallows? Do they know of Horcruxes?
"My family is as popular as ever, I see," Ron says grimly. I squeeze his hand and he squeezes it back.
"It's not a surprise, Mr. Weasley," says McGonagall. "Your family is considered to be the very worst blood traitors. I'm surprised your mother isn't on the list, considering she killed Voldemort's top lieutenant; Arthur and Bill have been instrumental in convicting many Death Eaters who may otherwise have escaped justice, not to mention the three of you are directly responsible for defying and then defeating Voldemort himself."
"Is Draco Malfoy involved in this new group?" Harry asked.
McGonagall shakes her head. "As far as we know he is not. I believe that he and his family are trying to put the past behind them and want nothing to do with dissention of any sort."
"What is the Ministry going to do about this new group?" I ask.
"We're increasing security around the school as best we can. Aurors will patrol the grounds while repairs continue on the castle. As Head Boy and Girl, Miss Granger, you and Harry have offices that are connected to the Floo Network. Kingsley has had your hearths disconnected for safety reasons. No one will be allowed in and out of the castle via the Floo Network for the duration of the school year except on Christmas. That will be handled in the Great Hall."
"Are they really that much of a threat?" Harry asks with interest that bothers me. He doesn't seem to be the least bit afraid. In fact…I'd say he's feeding off the possible danger involved in this new group.
"From what Kingsley tells me, the Sons of the Serpent are very well organized and well-funded. The magical community of Romania is, if you'll forgive my candor, a cesspool of Dark magic and corruption. It's almost impossible for any nation to extradite a criminal once they flee to Romania, regardless of what they're wanted for. I'm surprised Voldemort himself didn't base his entire operation there. Russia has had several ministry officials die or disappear in the past three months, and we believe the Sons of the Serpent are behind it."
"Who leads them?"
"We don't know. We don't even have suspicions at this point. We do, however, have reason to believe they have operatives in Hogsmeade. As of now Potter, Weasley, Granger, consider yourselves on lockdown. You're not, for any reason, to go further than the Quidditch pitch without faculty or Ministry supervision."
I expected Harry and Ron to protest, to remind McGonagall that if Voldemort himself had a hard time catching them, then they could handle a few Death Eater fugitives and their gang, but thankfully neither of them did. They just nodded and she dismissed us. I'm glad they didn't argue. I guess they're growing up more than I sometimes give them credit for.
"Fancy some practice on the pitch?" Ron asked Harry, as soon as we left McGonagall's office.
Harry grinned and said, "Sounds like fun. I could do with a good game."
Or maybe they're not as mature as I thought they were.
"Are you both mad? Didn't you hear anything McGonagall just said?"
Just like the old days, they both ignored me and made plans to meet on the Quidditch pitch in an hour. Maybe it's just my imagination, but both Harry and Ron walked off together chatting and laughing and happier than I've seen them since the end of the war, like they've been waiting for a moment like this since Voldemort's fall. Perhaps they have. Perhaps they've been fighting for so long they don't know any other way. Especially Harry. His entire life has been one long struggle against something, and that hurts me in a way I can't really put to words, and I'm very good in putting my feelings into words.
I go looking for Ginny at once.
***
"It's sick, how happy they are to hear we're on some nutter's assassination list," I say one windy Saturday morning while getting dressed.
November has rolled into December. Snow falls outside, covering the grounds with a glittering white blanket that sparkles in the sunlight that breaks through the cloud cover. Ginny and I dress for the cold and put on our makeup. Harry and Ron tell me I'm overreacting, but Ginny sides with me-at least in private.
"It's like they don't know how to be happy without a target on their backs," she says, blotting some excess gloss from her lips. Ginny is a strikingly beautiful young woman. I feel a pang of jealousy, especially when I think of how well she and Harry have been getting on lately. Are they back together and just not saying anything?
It's none of my business anyway.
Ginny turns away from the mirror looking thoughtful. "I can understand Harry's reaction. He's been a target literally before he was even born. He's had people bully and try to kill him his whole life, but what's Ron's excuse?"
"I think he got used to it being friends with Harry. I know I have. Unlike them, I hate this. Life was just starting to seem normal, and now here comes another gang of Dark wizards with our names on their hit list. I'm honestly scared, and they're acting like they've won some kind of prize."
"You don't fancy even a little danger?" Ginny asked, brow raised.
"Not even a little."
Ginny shrugs. "I guess that's what makes them different from us. I guess this is what makes them Auror material and not us. See you at dinner. Harry and I are going to study in the library."
"Friends again?" I ask with false cheer.
Ginny smiles brightly. "Yeah. We study and talk. We're not as close as I want, but I think we'll get there, especially considering how news of being a target again has cheered Harry up. See you!"
"Bye."
Harry's getting closer to Ginny while he and I are back to the way we were. I should be relieved. I should be happy for her, but I'm not.
***
Defense Against the Dark Arts has always been my weakest subject. Professor Malden is a wonderful teacher, but he's demanding and with all my other classes, I'm struggling to keep up. I'm getting E's in every practical exam. Harry couldn't find it funnier that the tables are once again turned and he's getting O's.
"You'd think I could do better after all we went through last year," I grumble.
"Stop by my study after dinner," Harry says. "We'll go over Blinding curses together."
"I won't be interrupting anything with Ginny, will I?" I say, smiling.
Harry rolls his eyes. "I told you, she and I are just friends."
"That's not what she thinks, Harry. She thinks you're getting closer."
He's serious when he nods. "I'll talk to her again. This time I'm going to tell her there's someone else I like."
I gulp. It's so embarrassing, an automatic response to an unpleasant surprise. "You have someone else you like?"
Harry nods. "I like her a lot. She doesn't know it, but I'm mad about her. See you around eight?"
"Yeah."
I watch Harry hitch up his bag and walk away. He's not terribly tall, but his shoulders are very strong, so are his arms. I remember he carried me in those arms one night when I'd hurt my ankle while we were looking for the Horcruxes.
I look like a prat, standing in the corridor, watching Harry disappear into the long shadows of early evening, feeling like I've just been dumped by the only man I've ever loved. I hitch in a breath and turn to go into my final class of the day, Advanced Runes, and find Ron leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes hooded.
"Ron! You startled me!"
"I'll bet," he says coolly. He pulls the door open for me and I start in.
"Want to go for a walk tomorrow evening after dinner? We can talk about this mystery girl of Harry's…or not…"
"I have an idea who she is, but I don't want to talk about her," he says.
Ron swallows and leans against the door, looking at me. My heart pounds in my chest. He saw my reaction to Harry's admission that there's someone he likes. He saw that it hurt me in a way it shouldn't have and now, here he stands, hurting too.
Deny it, I tell myself.
Denying it will only confirm it, I hear in the back of my mind. For Ron and for me.
"A good walk will do us good. We've been hemmed in this castle for so long."
Are those tears in his eyes? They look red, but he's blinking too fast for me to really tell and now I feel horrible.
"Ron?"
"Harry and I are going to go flying around the pitch tomorrow."
"Maybe you shouldn't. McGonagall doesn't think it's a good idea for us to be away from the school."
Ron's voice is hard, a little rough like he's just come in from the cold. "I really wish one of those Serpent blokes would take a shot at me right now. Their mistake."
"Ron-"
"I'll pick you up after class. If Harry doesn't get here first."
Ron starts off down the corridor. I make sure we're alone and rush after him. He needs me to rush after him too, rather than always seeing me run after Harry. I grab his shoulders and push him against the wall. I kiss him hard and in a way I've never kissed him before. Ron's so surprised he drops his bag, and in a moment he puts his hands on my hips.
"You're the only one I want to walk with," I say in a stupidly high-pitched voice that verges on hysterical. God, the pain in Ron's eyes is like a knife. I care about him so much. If I ever lost his friendship because I can't control my stupid feelings…
Ron kisses my forehead and then grabs his bag.
"You're the last person in the world I ever want to hurt, Ron. You have to know that. You're my friend. You're…you're so much to me."
My proclamation of friendship is so terribly inadequate and we both know it. He needs to hear I'm desperately in love with him. I need to know I can say that and mean it, but I know I can't because it's not true. I want it to be true, but it's not.
Ron can't quite blink fast enough to keep the tears from being noticeable.
"You're my friend too," he says. "I'll pick you up after class."
Ron walks away, heading the opposite direction Harry did. I watch him disappear, and for the first time in my life I decide to skip a class, heading up to my study where I can be alone with my misery.