Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Moments in Love	By : Gandalfs-Beard Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Harry/Hermione Views: 175861 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 14
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All rights belong to Rowling. Nor do I make any money from the story.

Chapter List
- 65
- 66
- 67
White Knights Take Castle, Black Knight Takes Pawn

When Harry finally came to rest he was sprawled face first in a powdery white snowdrift. He clambered to his feet, sputtering and shivering, thinking he liked traveling by Portkey about as much as he liked traveling by Floo - which is to say, not at all.
Not looking in any better shape, Hermione quickly cast a Warming Charm on the pair of them, and the rest of their friends followed suit, casting warming charms on each other.
“Brrrr...” said Harry, his breath clouding in the frosty air. “Thanks Hermione! Loads better... But I still wish Madam Black had a copy of Phineas Nigellus’s portrait. I don’t get it... You’d think Black Manor would have his portrait.” Harry glanced at Dora, but she simply shrugged.
“Dunno Harry... You’d ‘ave to ask Sirius or my aunt.”
Harry sighed and put that at the top of his questions-to-ask-Sirius list. He didn’t have to wait long because Sirius was traipsing through the snow towards him from the manor.
“What’s taking you lot so long?” Sirius asked, a big grin on his face.
“I was just wondering why Madam Black’s manor doesn’t have a portrait of Phineas Nigellus?” Hermione grumbled, much to Harry’s delight.
“Ah, well, that is an interesting story Hermione,” chortled Sirius. “One of the things Uncle Cygnus and my dear sainted Mum differed on was Phineas Nigellus... Their rows at Christmas were the stuff of Legend!
“Cygnus was a real Statute of Secrecy Hardliner... He hated Phineas Nigellus’s stance that Purebloods should openly rule over muggles. Mum was always more ‘open-minded’ in that regard...” Sirius couldn’t help chuckling again at the idea of his mother being open-minded about anything.
“Anyway, I was just teasing. The real reason I’m out here freezing my arse off is because I just thought I should give Dora a heads up... We found your mum and dad! ... Remus and I finally sniffed out where they were hiding.”
Dora’s face briefly lit up and her hair shone like the lights on a Christmas Tree, flashing all colours of the rainbow, before she groaned, remembering the reason why she had been avoiding her parents since Harry and Hermione’s trial.
Everyone followed Sirius up to the manor, Dora lagging back and hoping to just sort of blend into the background. Soon everyone was inside, hanging up their coats and enjoying the warmth of Black Manor. There were a lot of familiar faces milling around as everyone gathered in preparation for retaking Hogwarts.
Harry and Hermione both grinned when they spotted Fred and George chatting with Dean Thomas in Narcissa Black’s sitting room.
“Hey Dean, good to see you again! ... And I’m glad to see that Percy didn’t get his hands on you two,” said Harry, catching the Twins' attention.
“There he is... the man of the hour,” Dean said with a grin. He looked much better; more rested and not as thin as he had when Harry and Hermione had last seen him.
“Heh!” Fred snorted, smirking, “We’ve had a lifetime of experience evading Percy the Prat and keeping his pointy nose out of our business.”
“We saw your handiwork on the Wiz-Vision - that was bloody brilliant Harry!” exclaimed George. “And thanks for rescuing Dad...”
“When this is all over, you’ll be the Boy-Who-Made-the-Ministry-Look-Like-Amateurs,” Fred chuckled.
“It wasn’t just me,” Harry said quickly, his face reddening. “I couldn’t’ve done it without Hermione and the others... They were all brilliant!”
“How’s your mum doing?” Hermione asked, coming to Harry’s rescue.
“Oh, Mum’s alright,” Fred replied, “Dumbledore’s put up all sorts of protection charms at the Burrow. But she’s still having kittens about what a bloody sod Percy turned out to be...”
“Cruciating Dad was the final straw for her,” George added, scowling. “She went ballistic about the business of Percy putting you on trial with Harry of course, but Mum still held out a bit of hope that Perce would eventually come to his senses until he tried to arrest Dumbledore and locked up Dad...”
“...and when she found out that Percy tortured Dad after you and Harry rescued him - not to mention finding out how much he really believes all that pureblood rubbish now - Mum finally wrote him off as a bad egg,” Fred continued as his own face fell. “But she’s still heartbroken about it,” he concluded quietly.
“Oh no!” Dora groaned, looking distracted.
“Hunh? ... What’s wrong?” asked Harry as everyone turned to see what Dora was staring at.
“My parents!” moaned Dora.
Harry and Hermione both stiffened in recognition of one of the figures across the room near the entrance. It took them both a moment to recover when they realised who it must be.
“Is... is that your mum?” asked Harry.
“Yeah...” said Dora, “Scary ‘ow much she looks like my Aunt Bellatrix innit?”
“Just a bit!” Harry agreed, suddenly feeling extremely awkward for having physically transformed every inch of his anatomy into more or a less a replica (having had to make a best guess at what Bellatrix looked like under her clothes in order to wear her clothes - much to his great distaste) of the woman coming towards them.
“There you are dear,” beamed the witch who-unnervingly-looked-like-Bellatrix-Lestrange as she swept Dora into her arms.
“Hi Mum,” said Dora as she stood stiffly in her mother’s embrace, looking torn between happiness and guilt as she awkwardly returned her mother’s hug. “I’m glad you and dad are both safe. I’ve been worried silly about you both...”
“We might not’ve been if it weren’t for Sirius and Remus,” said Dora’s father, smiling.as Dora tearily flung her arms around him “They sniffed out me and your mum in hiding - rather literally actually,” he acknowledged wryly. “They thought I’d be safer here, so your Aunt Narcissa invited us both to stay.”
“I’m so sorry Dad - I ‘aven’t talked to you and Mum in so long...” Dora sniffled, looking very ashamed of herself. “I... I just didn’t know ’ow to tell you and Mum that I’d q...quit bein’ an Auror. And... and by the time the Minister started roundin’ up muggleborns I was... I was... ”
“...You were helping Harry Potter and tryin’ to stay undercover!” said Dora’s father. “It’s alright Dora love! Me and your mum - d’you really think we’d be fussed about that at a time like this? Narcissa told us a lttle bit about what you’ve been up to for the Order - and Sirius mentioned briefly that you helped raid that concentration camp that Dumbledore was showin’ on the wizard telly last night... We couldn’t be prouder of you sweetie...”
At that moment Dumbledore arrived in the hallway, looking very grave.
“I know you’ve got to go - that you’ve got another mission right now...” Dora’s father told her quickly, trying to keep the worry out of his face, “Just know that your mum and me - we both love you very much...”
“Your father’s right dear,” Dora’s mother interjected, giving her daughter another hug and a kiss. “Of course we love you... We’ll always love you no matter what! And I couldn’t be happier that you jumped ship from the Ministry when you did.... Can you imagine how worried sick I’d be if you were still on the Inside? Now let’s not have any more of this silliness.”
“Thanks Mum,” Dora let out a huge sigh of relief as a few tears trickled down her cheek, squeezing her mother as tightly as she could. “That makes me feel loads better. I’ll catch up with you again later then - when this bit’s all over...”
“Bye Love...Try an’ stay safe,” said Dora’s father. “And yeah, when it’s all over, we can talk... and you can introduce us to Harry Potter and his wife,” he concluded with a smile and a little wink.
Dora bit her lip and nodded, flushing slightly.
“See you later then Dad! I love you... Love you too Mum!” She swallowed nervously and smiled, giving her father and mother a kiss on the cheek before hurriedly following Dumbledore into the sitting room where most of the Order’s assault team and the Coven were now gathered.
For a moment, feeling slightly perplexed, Ted Tonks watched his daughter scurry away. He knew there was something else that she still wasn’t telling him - which was odd as they had always been very close. Ted sighed and glanced at his wife, Andromeda.
Andromeda arched one eyebrow and regarded her husband cannily. “Nymphadora would tell us if she could, dear. She has a job to do - even if it isn’t precisely the paying career path we’d hoped for - and secrets come with the territory in her line of work.”
“Er... yeah! S’pose so,” Ted muttered. “Somethin’ about her though. Seemed like there was somethin’ a bit more to it...”

~o0o~
Seeing the faces of the Potters and their friends among those gathered for the liberation of Hogwarts, Dumbledore sighed.
“I am afraid that I bear ill tidings,” the headmaster grimly began. “We must move swiftly, Minerva has just informed me that Neville Longbottom and Ronald Weasley were not to be found in their dormitory this morning. She believes that the Carrows took them sometime during the night and may be holding them in the dungeons...”
Harry felt his blood run cold and Hermione gave a little squeak of distress as the rest of the Coven drew a collective gasp, glancing at them both. Fred and George paled. Harry swallowed guiltily, wondering if Neville and Ron had been targeted in retaliation because of his destruction of the Ministry’s death camp.
“It wasn’t your fault Harry,” said Hermione perceptively. “And there really isn’t any way that they could know it was us specifically who had attacked the facility. It could’ve been anyone - and probably Dumbledore - as far as they know. None of the footage shown on the Wiz-Vision had us in it...”
“I suppose,” Harry muttered, not entirely convinced, “but that probably didn’t stop the Minister or Percy just assuming I was behind it somehow. Why else would they pick on my friends?”
“Because they know that you would do anything to save them Harry,” said Luna. “They might be hoping to convince you to go against Dumbledore and turn yourself in.”
“Whatever ze reason, it matter’s not,” Fleur asserted. “The Minister is responsible for this evil, not you, ‘Arry.”
“Quite true, Miss Delacour,” Dumbledore agreed. “In any case, locating and rescuing Longbottom and Weasley shall be a top priority when we reach Hogwarts. Most of the students ought to be in the Great Hall for breakfast by now - it is time...”

~o0o~
Minerva McGonagall entered the Great Hall feeling an odd mixture of anxiety and relief. She nodded at Flitwick who was sitting up at the staff table with several of the other professors and Amycus Carrow.
Before the Unspeakables guarding the entrance to the Great Hall knew what was happening, the oak doors slammed shut with a wave of Professor McGonagall’s wand, also startling a number of students. The shocked Unspeakables inside the entryway aimed their own wands at her. Minerva dropped one of them with a strong stunning spell, only barely dodging out of the way of the other Unspeakable’s stunner as some students began to scream.
“Bloody Hell! What’s all this then?” shouted the Inquisitor pretending to be a headmaster.
“A coup,” Flitwick said simply with a grin as a bolt of red magic shot from the end of his wand. His stunning spell was so powerful that Amycus Carrow hurtled across the Hall and slammed into a wall with a thud before collapsing to the floor, unconscious.
McGonagall just managed to avoid being hit with a white-hot spell which grazed her cheek. The Unspeakable began to aim another spell, but a student had recovered from their initial surprise and come to Professor McGonagall’s rescue. A stunning spell from the Hufflepuff table caught the Unspeakable in the side of his head and he tumbled to the floor, out like a light.
“Thank you Mr Diggory,” Professor McGonagall gasped, still out of breath. “Fifty points to Hufflepuff.”
The massive oak doors to the Great Hall started to shake with a noisy banging. The frightened pupils began clamouring Professor McGonagall for answers, especially Ginny Weasley who was beside herself with worry.
“What’s going on Professor?” yelled a Ravenclaw.
“Professor McGonagall, where’re Neville and Ron...?” Ginny shouted.
“Shouldn’t we open the door?” squeaked a terrified First Year.
Finally catching her breath, Professor McGonagall raised her hands for quiet as Flitwick cast a silencing charm on the doors.
“Everyone, please keep calm,” McGonagall said loudly. “Most of you caught the beginning of the broadcast on the Wiz-Vision before it was turned off by the Carrows last night, and must have some inkling that the Ministry has committed grave crimes against humanity. Given the public exposure of the Minister’s lies, Professor Dumbledore is taking the opportunity to return to Hogwarts and we are all to remain here safely while he and his compatriots deal with the rest of the Unspeakables.”
“And Miss Weasley,” McGonagall continued, “I am sorry, but we cannot be certain what has become of Longbottom and your brother until the castle has been retaken. Please try to be patient. This should all be over soon...”

~o0o~
Harry’s heart thumped loudly as he and Hermione cautiously led the Coven out of the portrait of Giordano Bruno (a wizard who was prone to telling everyone who walked by his portrait that he really hadn’t been burned at the stake, and that he was as capable of performing a Flame Freezing Charm as anyone) on the third floor, through the stone corridors of the castle and down the marble stairs.
Several Unspeakables already lay unconscious by the entrance to the Great Hall and were being shackled by a few Order members that Harry and the others weren’t well acquainted with. The occasional sounds of spell-fire could be heard echoing through the halls from other wings of the castle.
Harry and Dora silently nodded in acknowledgment of the Order members securing the Entry-Hall and continued on their way towards the dungeons. By all appearances the Potters and their friends were the first team to reach the dungeons.
Carefully, they entered the dungeons, covering each other as they kept an eye out for more Unspeakables. Recalling where some of the ancient castle’s cells were located, Dora led them forward, heading down the passage leading to the Potions classroom.
It seemed odd to Harry, the eerie silence, and he had to remind himself that most people would be in the Great Hall for breakfast. The Coven’s main concern was dealing with any Unspeakables they came across while trying to locate Ron and Neville.
Just as Harry was thinking it was too quiet, Fleur shoved him against the wall and a red bolt of magic shot past their heads, sparking when it ricocheted from a column.
“Down... everyone take cover,” Harry yelled.
Nobody needed to be told twice. Everyone ducked into alcoves or behind pillars and began returning fire. Hoping that he could keep his anger in check, Harry was surprised that none of the Unspeakables were using killing spells, but pleased.
Harry signaled to Hermione, Dora, and Fleur. Together, as a Coven spell, they performed a Protego Maxima Charm and advanced down the hallway while Luna, Daphne, Parvati, and Jennifer covered them. The Unspeakables’ spells bounced right off the powerful shield.
Seeing some more cover just up ahead, Harry took the opportunity. At his signal, the shield spell was dropped and Luna, Daphne, Parvati and Jennifer returned fire again, taking two of the Unspeakables at the junction ahead by surprise. Now there were only two left, apparently.
Suddenly, the spells stopped whizzing by the Coven, and they heard rapid footsteps echoing as the Unspeakables vanished down one of the corridors.
“I got this... go!” said Dora, casting Incarcerous Spells at the two sprawled across the stone floor.
Harry and Hermione needed no further prodding and raced through the dungeon passages, followed closely by their friends. Harry expected - he hoped - that the Unspeakables would lead them to whichever tunnel they were holding Neville and Ron in.
A bloodcurdling scream suddenly caught Harry’s ears and he came to a halt, bringing everyone up short; and not a moment too soon. He crouched, flattening against the wall and everyone else followed suit as a burning jet of orange flame lit up the corridor.
Harry had had enough. Fairly certain that there were no other students to get caught in the crossfire, Harry took the opportunity to cast an Expulsor in the direction of the Unspeakables. The sound of a grenade going off reverberated and the dungeon trembled. He glanced at the ceiling of the tunnel worriedly looking for cracks when it occurred to him that might not have been the best idea.
“It should be fine,” Hermione whispered, seeing Harry’s expression. “... ‘Upgrades,’ remember?”
Harry couldn’t help a snort of dark mirth, turning a bit pink.
Hermione cast the binding spell on the two Unspeakables as they passed by the two prone unconscious wizards. Everyone stiffened again when they heard another scream.
“This way,” Harry growled, looking down one of the corridors. “It came from this way...”

~o0o~
The dungeon passages echoed with screams as Alecto Carrow cackled at the boy dangling before her, hanging by his ankles from chains attached to the ceiling. She tossed aside the bloodied brass knuckles she had been using on Potter’s little friend and picked up one of her whips again.
Alecto’s face flushed with intoxication, her chest heaving with feverish release. She was delighted that at long last Dolores had given the go ahead for a punishment, and Alecto had been working on the boy since the wee hours of the morning.
“Such a shame that Bellatrix couldn’t be here,” Alecto purred at the sobbing boy, sucking on the fingertip which she had dabbed in the blood trickling down his cheek. “She loves a good whipping as much as I do, and she would no doubt find your punishment particularly delicious my dear...”
“But you should count your lucky stars Longbottom,” Alecto carried on, “as my dear friend tends to favour blades - a penchant she shares with Dolores - and sessions which end in death... when she’s not cruciating people beyond the edge of madness that is. You are much safer with me, my dear boy. I shall make certain that no permanent harm befalls you once we’re finished here.”
“I’ll even let Pomfrey regrow your teeth...” she cackled.
Alecto lifted her whip. Neville closed his eyes and grit his remaining teeth, bracing himself for the pain to begin afresh. Another shriek echoed through the dungeon corridors, but this time the howl of agony did not belong to Neville.
He opened his eyes again just in time to see the severed hand which had held Alecto’s whip sailing across the room followed by a spray of blood from the wrist it had been attached to.
“POTTER!” Alecto bellowed, her eyes bulging in astonishment and pain. “How... What the hell are you doing here?”
“Saving my friends!” Harry snarled, standing in the doorway of the cell, his features ablaze with fury. “What have you done with Ron?”
Alecto Carrow snorted with disdain, ignoring Harry’s question as she darted behind Neville, out of Harry’s line of fire, whipping out her wand with her left hand. Bristling with fury at the sight of Neville’s condition, Hermione sprang through the doorway into an air-flip, silently slashing her own wand.
Horror crossed Alecto’s features when she saw a fountain of blood spurting from her other wrist, and both of her hands lying on the cold stone floor of the cell. Alecto’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell into a dead faint.

~o0o~
It almost felt good to be sitting in the Headmaster’s office again with Dumbledore and Fawkes, along with Hermione and the rest of the Coven as the portraits in the Headmaster’s office cheered their return. Except for the fact that Ron was nowhere to be found in the Castle, and that Neville was in the hospital wing being healed with Hannah Abbott crying her eyes out at his bedside.
Hogwarts had otherwise been retaken without a hitch, the only casualty with permanent damage being Alecto Carrow.
The Order had taken most of the Unspeakables by surprise, capturing about forty of them, a dozen escaping through the Floo system which Dumbledore had locked down after returning to his office. Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, Dawlish, Hagrid, and a number of other Order Members had removed them and the Carrows from the Castle to a secret detention facility of their own: a proper one where they were to be held over until trial at the conclusion of the war.
Despite their success, Harry was torn, not really sure how to feel. He was certainly happy that Hogwarts was safe and that Dumbledore was back in charge. And he was happy that they had saved Neville. But Harry couldn’t help wondering if he had done enough to control himself - wondering if he’d gone too far with Alecto.
Harry tried to take some satisfaction in the fact that Alecto would probably never be able to hold a wand again, as they didn’t seem to work with prosthetic hands, and that he had restrained himself from killing her. Glancing at Hermione, Harry could tell that she felt much the same way.
“Well... I couldn’t be prouder of you all,” said Dumbledore, as he regarded his students warmly. His bushy eyebrows raised, Dumbledore looked directly at Harry as he continued. “You have all conducted yourselves with utmost professionalism, and we have managed to retake Hogwarts without turning the school into a morgue - most of the students are safe and unharmed, and Mr Longbottom is now safely in Madam Pomfrey’s care...”
“So what about Ron sir?” Harry asked. “How are we going to find him? I wouldn’t even know where to start. There’s no way they’d try and hold him at the Ministry after we got Mr Weasley out.”
“You are quite correct Harry,” sighed Dumbledore. “Locating Ron Weasley could prove problematic until the Ministry falls. However, I think we can take a small measure of comfort in the fact that Percy Weasley is not likely to cause serious harm to his youngest brother. Arthur has indicated to me that Percy seems to believe that his youngest siblings are still capable of being ‘saved’...”
“Yeah... that makes sense,” Harry muttered, nodding. “Percy never really seemed to hate Ron and Ginny quite as much as he did Fred and George. Right... so what do we do in the meantime?”
“I think that you and your wife and friends should continue to recuperate at Jennifer’s estate from your ordeals for a few days more at least - perhaps even indefinitely,” the Headmaster replied. “At least until such time as you are needed again...”
“Seriously?” Harry frowned in bewilderment.
“Yes!” Dumbledore said in a tone which sounded like more of a command than a suggestion. “There will be more battles coming up ahead - which are certain to be much deadlier than the one we faced this morning! When the Order locates the smaller facilities, or comes across a particularly unmanageable Inferi Swarm, you will likely be called upon to assist us. And at some point, we shall move to take the Ministry itself - but that will require careful planning.
“Arthur revealed something else of import about the mindset of the Minister and her Deputy,” Dumbledore continued. “They believe that I harbour some sort of Secret Weapon which gives me an advantage over the Ministry. And in a sense, they are correct Harry... You and Mrs Potter - and I daresay your entire team - are the Order’s ‘Secret Weapon’...
“But first and foremost, you are human, and for many humans, recovery from the sort of emotional turmoil you have faced recently - and will undoubtedly be called upon to face again - can take months and even years of recovery for even the most battle-hardened soldiers. I wish I could give you those years, but all I can guarantee for the foreseeable future is a few days at a time at best...”

~o0o~
Harry was surprised at himself when he realised how much he was actually looking forward to stepping back from things for a bit longer and returning to Jennifer’s manor. He felt a deep sense of relief that Dumbledore had more or less ordered him and the Coven to take some more time for themselves.
A part of Harry was more determined than ever to be out there fighting Minister Umbridge - and he couldn’t just let Ron rot - but he had to admit that seeing Neville being pulverised had also stirred up certain feelings again that he didn’t like. Over the past few days, Harry had been managing fairly well to push aside some of the horrific things he’d witnessed - been a participant in - and the attendant anger it had fueled, but seeing Neville looking so broken had brought much of it flooding back.
Sensing Harry’s inner-turmoil - and his relief - Hermione curled her arms around him, pressing her lips to his cheek. Harry returned Hermione’s embrace and they held each other as they looked out across the half-frozen surface of the Black Lake at the deceptively peaceful, glacial landscape of the Scottish Highlands in winter.
“This is a good thing Harry,” Hermione murmured reassuringly. “We all need this.”
Harry nodded and sighed.
“Yeah... we do,” Harry admitted, his voice hoarse. “I want to make sure that Neville’s alright before we go back though... And maybe talk to Seamus and Ginny a bit too - let them know that we’re not giving up on Ron.”
“Of course Harry,” said Hermione, smiling through her own tears. “Madam Pomfrey said we can visit Neville for a bit after lunch... we can go home later this afternoon if you’d like.”
Harry nodded again and managed a smile as he peered deeply into Hermione’s golden gaze, giving in to his urgent need to kiss her.
Making their way back up to the castle, among the many students braving the cold and snow to celebrate the removal of the Carrows and the Unspeakables by lounging around outside, Harry and Hermione spied a happy Dean Thomas kissing Susan Bones under an elm tree. And they weren’t the only ones eagerly making up for lost time; Angelina Johnson was snogging Fred silly near the Quidditch Pitch, and George was off elsewhere with Alicia.
Of course the story that the Potters and their friends had helped get rid of the Unspeakables and incapacitated Alecto Carrow had already spread through the school like wildfire, and all were greeted like conquering heroes.
The mood in the Great Hall was almost festive as the little company ate lunch at the Mingling Table with Padma, and a number of their other friends stopped by. Viktor and Lavender stayed for lunch of course. Seamus Finnigan, Cedric and Cho, Blaise, Theo, and even Pansy Parkinson dropped by the table and said hello.
But the Potters and their friends were all feeling a bit unsettled by the reverent attention from the many well-wishers whom they were far less acquainted with at Hogwarts.
“I know we’ve only been gone a few weeks - and that we’re not staying for long - but it feels a bit weird being back,” Daphne murmured, looking a bit anxious.
“I think I know what you mean,” said Parvati. “Most people seemed to ignore us more or less before... nobody had ever paid me much attention one way or another before this,” Parvati continued. “...I was just another Gryffindor then... just part of ‘Harry Potter’s lot’... Now it’s like everyone wants to know us...”
“Yeah... it is a bit odd!” Harry muttered. “I would’ve thought that a load of people would be believing all that rubbish about me and Dumbledore being criminals and violent rebels... But not even the Slytherins are really giving us a hard time, and now everyone seems to think I’m a hero again - that we all are...”
Ginny reddened when she remembered that she still hadn’t told everyone what had happened with Ron a few weeks ago, and decided to just let Padma continue the story.
“You don’t know what it was like after you left,” Padma told Harry, Daphne, and Parvati. “At first, loads of people didn’t really know what to believe. All they really knew was that Malfoy had been killed, and that Fred and George and you lot had fled Hogwarts with all of the muggleborn students... a lot of people thought the rubbish on the Wiz-Vision might be true at first.
“But when Crabbe and Goyle publicly backed up Katie and Alicia’s and Ginny’s version of events, most people began to question things over the next few days. By the end of the week, the Carrows put their foot down and threatened harsh measures to stop people talking about it, and the Unspeakables had the school on total lockdown...”
“Wait... Crabbe and Goyle did what?” Hermione’s jaw dropped in stunned disbelief. Luna raised her eyebrows at Ginny, who was cringing.
“You mean they actually told everyone in school the truth? ” Harry’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he gaped.
“Zey vere frightened of Ginny Weasley,” Viktor chortled, pointing at the Slytherin table where Goyle was sitting with crutches and a wooden leg.
Fleur guiltily tried to hide a smirk as she recalled the events of the evening they had all departed Hogwarts. Ginny hid her blazing face in her hands.
“I can't believe we forgot,” squeaked Daphne, clapping a hand to her mouth. “I don’t think Fleur or I ever told you what Ginny did to Goyle that night after they tried to rape Katie, and Draco tried to kill me...”
“I forgot to tell you too...” said Ginny in a little, muffled voice, hoping that Fleur or Daphne wouldn’t bring up McLaggen and Towler.
“Most of ze rest of the Slytherins haff been on their best behaviour ever since,” Viktor added with a grin.
“Blimey!” Harry wasn’t sure whether to feel proud of Ginny, or guilty for teaching her the Sectumsempra Curse, but all in all he was extremely glad that he had.
“Looks like Ginny’s really good at looking after herself now,” Harry said quietly to Hermione, a sheepish expression on his face. Hermione nodded, not sure what else to say.
“Good for ‘er,” Dora muttered, “... ‘opefully the lesson learned sticks with the rest of the Snakes.”
Even though she’d had very little personal interaction with Slytherins beyond meeting Blaise, Theo, and Pansy, Jennifer quite agreed. She had been given a thorough history of relations between most of the Slytherins and the rest of the school by Daphne herself, who hadn’t painted a very flattering picture of Slytherin House.
“Anyway,” Lavender finally chimed in, telling the bit of the story she’d been witness to. “After the Carrows and the Unspeakables tried to stop people talking about what really happened, nobody could even sneeze without getting detention and humiliating punishments.”
“The Carrows didn’t actually beat anyone half to death like they did to Neville last night, but people were afraid that they might after what Miss Carrow did to Ron, Susan and Neville...”
“Wait...” gasped Harry. “What did they do to Susan, Ron, and Neville?”
Ginny lifted her head and peered apologetically at Luna and Harry.
“Alecto Carrow vanished Ron’s clothes and made him take all of his lessons in his underwear one day when he called her a liar during class,” Lavender continued. “Neville and Susan Bones too...
“They backed Ron up and they all ended up having to go to classes in their underwear that day. Alecto Carrow told them they’d lose their underwear too next time, and threatened them all with a flogging as well if they did it again - corporal punishment is one of the stupid Educational Decrees now - I forget what number they’re up to now... Nobody dared cross the Carrows to their face after that.”
Harry groaned and rubbed at his forehead as if he still had a burning scar; Hermione gave him a comforting squeeze.
“See Harry,” said Hermione, “we told you it wasn’t your fault! It looks like the Carrows already had their sights set on Neville and Ron...”
“I hope he’s alright,” Ginny moaned. I suppose if he’s with Percy he might be okay...”
“We’ll get him back eventually,” Harry tried to reassure Ginny. “And yeah, I’m sure that Percy won’t actually try to hurt Ron...”
“...We think he’s trying to win Ron over,” Hermione concluded.
Oddly, a sardonic smile crept to Ginny’s lips.
“Fat chance of that! Percy’ll be wasting his breath - he’d have to Imperius Ron to turn him against you two,” said Ginny. “Ron’s been one of your biggest supporters since you had to leave, Harry.”
“And now that everyone knows that you lot thrashed a load of Unspeakables, crippled Alecto Carrow, and helped kick them out of the school, you’re all going to be really popular!” Padma concluded with a grin.
As lunch came to a conclusion, the members of the Coven couldn’t help but feel as if there were also something a bit more to their sense of discomfort. But it was hard to put their finger on it, and it went unspoken.

~o0o~
Hannah’s eyes were still red and puffy when Harry and Hermione found her at Neville’s bedside in the Hospital Wing. Neville was fast asleep, heavily dosed with pain potions and sleeping draughts. Though the cuts had been healed, and the bruising and the swelling had diminished, Neville’s face still looked a bit of mess. Hannah flung her arms around both Potters gratefully when they arrived.
“Thanks so much for rescuing Neville,” Hannah sniffled, fresh tears in her eyes as she clung tightly to Hermione and Harry.
“How is he?” Hermione asked gently when Hannah let them both go.
“Pomfrey says he’ll be alright in a few days,” Hannah replied. “She’s letting him sleep for most of today before she regrows his teeth and heals some of his most damaged bones though, because she’ll have to use Skele-gro...”
“That makes sense,” said Harry. “Neville’s already been through a lot, and regrowing bones is rough.”
“And how are you holding up Hannah?” asked Hermione sympathetically.
“I’ll be fine I suppose. Now that I know Neville’s okay...” Hannah smiled wanly. “I hope Ron Weasley’s alright too though,” she added quickly.

~o0o~
Delicate wisps of magenta drifted across purple skies as the sun slipped over the horizon. The first stars had already begun to twinkle in the darkest bits of sky when the air rippled above one of the snow-covered rolling Dorset hills.
Eight dizzy figures spun from the swirling vortex and collapsed on the cold powdery blanket of white in front of the Elizabethan manor at the top of the hill. The bitter wind brought with it the scent of the sea, and the Coven let out a collective sigh of relief to be home as they scrambled to their feet and brushed the snow off their coats.
“Of all the methods of wizard travel, I think I prefer brooms,” grumbled Jennifer.
“Me too,” said Harry and Dora simultaneously as the others giggled.
The smell of delicious food cooking wafted through the house when Jennifer opened the front door. Somehow, Dobby had known that they would be arriving just in time for dinner. Worn out from the long day, and curious to see what the WVN news would have to say about the turn of events, Harry elected to take dinner in the sitting room with the Wiz-Vision, and the others followed.
The news began as always with the introduction of the ever smarmy and splendidly coiffed William O’Hannity and his brassy, overly made-up co-anchor, Endora LeFay. Harry was a bit surprised not to see Minister Umbridge, as he had been expecting her to issue some sort of new proclamation now that Hogwarts was back in Dumbledore’s hands.
Instead, after scathingly castigating the Order’s hacked broadcast the previous evening as being an utter fiction, O’Hannity gravely announced the takeover of Hogwarts by the dastardly rebels with stock footage of the castle in the background.
“Perhaps ze Minister is too angry to make an appearance,” Fleur tittered. But the mirth was short-lived as the news segment continued.
“...Surviving Ministry security officials who managed to flee, described a bloodbath, forced to leave behind the mutilated bodies of fallen colleagues, and possibly students as well...” O’Hannity was saying.
“According to the officials, assassins Harry Potter and his wife were at the scene, and under Albus Dumbledore’s command, are apparently responsible for much of the carnage. It is not known how many were killed during this incredibly violent act of terrorism. Though, escaping Ministry officials were able to rescue at least one student from the bloodshed, someone known to be a close friend of the young insurgent...”
The Coven’s groans at the all-too-expected utter contrivance quieted as they glanced worriedly at Harry when a boy with red hair and freckles appeared on the screen. Harry’s nostrils flared as his face darkened with fury. Hermione drew closer to Harry and coiled an arm around him.
“Harry, please... how many more must die for Dumbledore’s madness?” Ron pleaded woodenly, staring glassily into the camera, dark circles under his eyes. “This violence has to stop. Can’t you see that Dumbledore is manipulating you?
“Please, if you turn yourself in now, you can help bring all the killing to an end... Please Harry! If not for your own sake, then for Hermione’s...”
“Well, there you have it,” said William O’Hannity with a sad shake of his well-groomed head. “Ronald Weasley, youngest brother of the Senior Undersecretary, and Harry Potter’s best friend, valiantly urging Mr Potter to turn himself in to the proper authorities...”
Trying desperately to stop herself from hyperventilating, Hermione clicked off the Wiz-Vision and peered at Harry.
“We don’t need to see any more of this rubbish,” Hermione hissed furiously. “It’s obvious that Ron’s been imperiused.”
Harry nodded slowly and sighed, allowing his own anger to drain away for Hermione’s sake - for both of their sakes - for everyone's. He could at least take some small comfort in knowing that Ron was relatively safe for the moment.
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Moments in Love