Iuga Sortis II

Nineteen

Ron sat anxiously at the table, one eye on the Charms essay in front of him and the other on the door. He needed to speak with Ginny and soon. He was concerned for his baby sister, and the fact she wasn't speaking to him made him hurt and frustrated. Ron couldn't believe she was still smarting over the confrontation after the Quidditch game three weeks ago. Perhaps he was wrong for blurting her dream in front of Malfoy, but that didn't mean she had to give him the silent treatment. He was at least grateful she put aside their differences for a moment when he celebrated his birthday in the common room on Saturday. When she gave him his present with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, he realized just how much he missed his sister's affections.

He wanted his Ginny back.

"She's not going to talk to you, Ron. She's still angry with us, me in particular . . ."

Ron glanced at Hermione briefly. If Ginny was angry with Ron, she was downright spitting nails at Hermione. She'd told him about her confrontation with his sister after she overheard Malfoy and Roberts plotting against her.

The phrase "I told you so" was never more bittersweet than then. For some reason, neither Ron nor Hermione wanted to discuss the revelation in front of Harry, mainly because of his role in Ginny's dream. He was already annoyed Ron told Malfoy about the dream; hearing the ferret was a Death Eater would surely cause blood to spill.

It was only a matter of whose and who did it first.

"She doesn't have to talk. All she needs to do is sit there and listen to me. In fact, I think we should tell McGonagall right now and get him to switch partners. That way you and Ginny could be patrolling partners, and the Death Eater and his little gal pal can go as well."

"And they would be able to create even more chaos together. No, the pairing will have to work as it is."

His eyes widened. "Even better. Ginny can be paired with Ernie, and I can be paired with Malfoy! He wouldn't dare do anything with me breathing down his neck. Matter of fact, I vote no Slytherins are allowed to be prefects. We'll just give them some from the other houses . . ."

"That's a horrible idea, Ron."

He scowled but said nothing. He knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't understand why Dumbledore would put Slytherins in positions of power, especially when they knew all the secrets going on within the school. They'd be liable to tell their Death Eater parents and give You-Know-Who the edge--case in point, Draco Malfoy.

His lip curled in disgust. He didn't understand what his sister saw in that ferret, especially when his best mate wanted to be with her. For Ron it was a no-brainer--sidekick's sister gets hero. Why would Ginny want the son of the enemy? More importantly, why would the hero vouch for the pairing? As the lines of his parchment swirled into a vortex before him, he remembered an episode during the summer when he confronted Harry about Ginny . . .

"I thought we were best mates! You should tell me what kind of bloke dares to catch my sister's interest."

"No, thank you. No need to be the cause of you going to Azkaban for murder. Hermione would kill me!"

"Would I like this bloke?"

Harry was silent, as if judging his words. "He's not for you to like . . ."

"Wrong answer!" Ron growled, and he pinned Harry against the wall. "Who is he?"

"Ron! Get off of him now!"

"I knew you'd react this way! And I haven't even told you his name!" Harry gasped.

Now he realized Harry knew the entire time and didn't tell him.

Ron was going to kill him.

"Where's Harry, Hermione?"

"He had detention with Snape, remember? He said he'd meet us at dinner."

He stood from the table quickly, his Charms essay forgotten. His steps were purposeful as he went to the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?"

"To kill Harry Potter," he muttered as he stepped out the hole. Ron heard the clicking of heels behind him, but he didn't stop his rapid pace. A hand grabbed his arm, and he stopped.

"Yes?"

She looked at him with frustration. "You can't go marching into a detention with Snape! It'll get Harry in even more trouble!"

"And why should I care?! If he'd told me Ginny and Malfoy were seeing each other earlier, we wouldn't be in the fix we're in right now!"

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms in front of her. "And I say it wouldn't have made a bit of difference! Even after my warning, she's still seeing him."

"Speaking of which, did you warn her when she let it slip out? Why didn't you tell me?!"

Hermione had the decency to blush. "It was just a crush! I didn't know it had progressed into something more until earlier last term . . ."

"Even still, why didn't you tell me?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest. Ron instinctively welcomed the embrace and gripped her tight. "Honestly, Ron, I don't remember seeing her so happy than she had been since she started seeing Malfoy. It's obvious she really loves him, and up until that day in the library, I was entertaining thoughts he might have feelings for her as well--"

"Slytherins make excellent actors--I mean, look at Snape! He has to act like a Death Eater when he's actually working for the Order!"

Hermione stiffened before she jerked back in with a gasp. "Oh dear . . ."

Ron frowned and cradled her face with his hands. "'Oh dear'? 'Oh dear,' what?"

"What if I jumped to conclusions? What if Draco isn't really a Death Eater at all?!"

He narrowed his eyes, unwilling to accept that possibility. "You heard him say he worked for Voldemort--"

"But so does Snape, in a way; I mean he is still a Death Eater, after all . . ."

"Exactly!"

"But what if Malfoy is actually working for the Order, like Snape is?"

He scoffed and began walking again. "No bloody way. This is Malfoy!"

"Yes, Draco Malfoy who I believe is in love with your sister!"

He stopped walking and spun to face her. "Malfoys are incapable of loving anything but their own reflections and fat purses. He no more loves Ginny than I love Snape!"

Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "Then why are you with me then? Don't you have a Potions Master to snog?"

Ron turned green and barely contained his urge to throw up. "No more kisses for you today . . ."

She smirked. "You don't have the willpower."

Damn sexy Know-It-All.

"I'll figure out something to get back at you . . . and it will be good."

"I'm sure it will, Ron," she said condescendingly.

He turned away from her and started towards the stairs. He heard her footsteps but ignored them, his mind on Hermione's suggestion.

Could Malfoy be doing a Snape and playing spy for the Order? As much as he wanted to shoot the thought down, Ron couldn't help but see the plausibility of it. Malfoy--the boy groomed to follow his father's footsteps--did, but not in the same pairs of shoes, so to speak.

Malfoy use evil for good? Not bloody likely . . .

Yet he couldn't get Malfoy's words out of his head.

"No? Then what if I called her a goddess . . . my goddess . . ."

He'd heard the tenderness in the other boy's tone, and it threw him for a loop. Come to think of it, Malfoy had been pretty mild all school year, only confronting them when it was they who started an argument. Malfoy still gave as good as he got, to be sure, but he seemed more concerned with other things than taunting the trio as he used to do.

Ron couldn't believe he didn't notice before. There had to be a reason Professor Roberts would let Malfoy have extra lessons with Harry Potter of all people . . . maybe Malfoy had defected from the Dark Side . . .

Ron shook his head. Until he saw the git fighting for the Order, he would not believe the possibility. He couldn't, not when his sister's virtue was at stake.

But then again, Ginny's in those extra practices as well . . . I even think she's more powerful than she lets on . . . I remember the scarlet light from her hands; surely that means something!

"Hermione?"

She reached his side and grasped his hand. "Yes, love?"

He grinned at the endearment and thought he'd never tire hearing her call him such. "Did you ever do any research as to why Ginny was able to heal me the way she did?"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't, but it's obvious she's a very powerful witch, Ron."

"Yes! Perhaps they want Ginny for more reasons than to get Harry . . . with a Healer as powerful as Gin could be, why not? They get hurt, she heals them; the cycle never ends . . ."

"Or worse reason, Ron. They could want an heir! Remember the dream?"

Ron didn't like thinking about it, but he did, and his anger increased.

"We need to get her away from Malfoy," he said with more force than his previous times.

"I agree, but I also think we can't force Ginny to do anything. She's in this relationship with her eyes wide open--"

"Open, Hermione?" he asked as they reached the final step. There were kids already heading to dinner as they walked through the main corridor. "Her eyes are as open as a bat's! She's blinded by love of that arsehole!"

Speak of the devil . . .

Malfoy passed in front of them, in deep conversation with the Roberts girl and Goyle. Crabbe was a few paces behind them, looking more menacing than ever. Trepidation settled in Ron's stomach.

No doubt thinking of ways to get Ginny to Voldemort . . . but why would Crabbe not be in the discussion?

"What's with Crabbe?" he whispered to Hermione.

She shook her head. "I don't know, but be glad Ginny's not in love with him!"

"I don't know which is worse, quite honestly!"

Hermione clucked her tongue as they reached the steps of the dungeons. Neither said anything while they walked, both deep in thought. They creaked the door open to see the room empty--save for a satchel.

It was Harry's.

"Where is he?" Hermione asked, her voice having a panicked edge to it.

Ron squeezed her hand in comfort, his ears perked up to catch any stray sounds.

"Oi! Harry! Are you here?"

There was a rustling from the case of potions beside the grandfather clock. Hermione and Ron looked at each other curiously before they heard the case moving.

Ron's mouth dropped open, and Hermione shrieked.

"SNUFFLES!"

The black dog bounded to Ron and placed its front paws on his thighs. Hermione backed up until she hit a desk.

Harry smirked. "Might as well come back here; Snuffles here couldn't stay in the room like a good dog . . ."

Snuffles turned innocent eyes toward Harry before looking at Ron with mischief.

Ron snickered. Hermione was still staring at Snuffles in disbelief.

"Told you so," Harry said smugly.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and brushed past into the secret room.

"I think she's mad at you, mate," Ron snickered. Harry rolled his eyes and followed Hermione. Snuffles butted his head against Ron's leg as if directing him to the door.

"I'm going, Snuffles, really!" Ron laughed. He went inside and heard the case slide closed with a hiss. There was a bed, a fireplace and other necessary furniture for Snuffles to live in comfort. The dog transformed and wrapped Ron in an enthusiastic hug.

"It's so good to see you again!" Sirius said happily.

Ron returned the hug with the same enthusiasm. "You, too! Though I'll admit I didn't expect to see you breathing when I did . . ."

Sirius laughed and went to hug Hermione. Her embrace was stiff.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you really Sirius?"

"I walked in on you and Ron last Christmas . . . remember? You were straddling his lap, and--"

"Good to see you, too, Sirius!" she said quickly, her embrace firmer.

Ron felt Harry's eyes on him, and he blushed.

"Straddling your lap, eh?"

"Bugger off!" Ron replied as he punched Harry's shoulder.

"So how's the school year been, you two? Haven't been leaving poor Harry alone now that you're an item, have you?"

Hermione blushed even more.

Ron grinned. "Not as if Harry's made it difficult to do; he's rarely in the room now, always off with the extra lessons."

Sirius became serious and looked at Harry. "Yeah, we were just talking about those. I heard she's incorporated magic now."

Harry nodded. "We're practicing conjuring the weapons with our wands. She even hinted at the possibility of transfiguring our wands into our weapons, but with a special spell that allows the weapon to go back into the wand if it's broken."

Hermione frowned and sat on the sofa. "That sounds difficult."

Harry snorted. "Difficult is an understatement. The only who can do it right is Ginny. Nia's having a real time of it, though, considering she's the baby after all."

"The baby?" Hermione asked.

"I'll say! That girl's hardly a baby . . ." Sirius said with a raised eyebrow.

"And apparently working with Malfoy to bring Ginny to You-Know-Who!"

Sirius's face darkened, and Ron shrank back from him.

"There's no possible way Nia would ever do something for Voldemort."

"But she's in Slytherin!"

"And her mother was a Gryffindor, and her father was a Ravenclaw and is a current Auror. Nia Roberts will not be an accomplice for the Dark Lord . . . not like Pettigrew was . . ." Sirius's voice left no room for argument, and it left Ron confused.

"But she's friends with Malfoy--"

"He's my cousin."

"Not by choice!"

"And not by Narcissa's either."

The three teenagers frowned. "What?"

"Never thought you'd hear me say that, did you? To be honest, I didn't either. Narcissa and I weren't particularly close, especially after Andy went off with Tonks. By then I thought Narcissa was a Bellatrix-in-training, and if my aunt and uncle had her way, she would've been."

"And why do you think Malfoy's different? Like father, like son!" Ron exclaimed.

"Malfoy and I had a little chat--"

"He knows you're here and hasn't said anything!? That's not Malfoy then . . ."

"Or it's a Malfoy who's determined not to follow the same path as his father."

"He's still horrible to us, especially Hermione!"

"He doesn't like you."

"Exactly!"

Sirius grinned. "Just because he doesn't like you doesn't mean he hasn't changed, or, more to the point, finally become himself."

Ron narrowed his eyes at the older man. "Are you saying Malfoy doesn't want to be a Death Eater?"

Sirius sighed. "I'm not saying he's not a prejudiced brat, because he is. What I am saying is he's too proud to ever take orders from a half-blood, half-human."

"But he'll take them from Dumbledore instead? I thought he didn't like Dumbledore!" Hermione said.

"Appearances may deceive."

"I cannot believe you're defending the ferret," Ron moaned.

Sirius chuckled. "Want to know something? I can't either. But dying does things to a person--most of which reassess relationships."

"Clearly, if you're staying in the dungeons with Snape!"

Sirius scowled. "No. He's still a greasy git."

They all laughed.

"But we work for the same side, and we try to keep personal business outside of Order business."

"Easier said than done, I'll bet," Ron said sympathetically.

"I'd have an easier time trying to fit Hagrid in a teacup without magic."

Ron snickered and looked at Harry. He'd been oddly silent throughout the entire exchange, and it worried him.

"All right there, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry looked at Ron and gave a half-smile. "Good as I'll get, I think."

Sirius glanced at Harry. "He's having girl problems."

Ron sighed. "I know Ginny's still mad, but she'll get over it! She'll see you two are perfect for each other! Malfoy won't--"

"Break her heart, Ron. He won't."

Ron's jaw dropped at Harry's declaration. Hermione seemed just as surprised, but Sirius seemed resigned.

"Did you just hear yourself?" Ron whispered.

Harry let out a humorless chuckle. "Believe me, mate, I can't believe I said it either . . ."

Ron sputtered, unable to articulate his thoughts properly. Luckily Hermione saved him the trouble.

"But this is Malfoy we're talking about! I heard him say he worked for You-Know-Who! He said if everything went well, it was worth their hearts!"

Harry gave a wry smile. "Did you 'hear' all of it, Hermione?"

Hermione blushed. "Well . . . no, not all--but I heard enough to--"

Harry continued to smile, but it was sadder as he glanced briefly at Sirius. "How many times has the misinformation we receive got us into more trouble than solutions?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at Sirius as well, and they dropped their heads. A silence draped the room as they remained in thought.

"Sacrifices are necessary in a war, Hermione," Sirius said quietly. Something told Ron he referred to more than this conversation. He looked quickly at Harry and noted his somber expression.

"We know that, Sirius," Hermione said as she locked eyes with Ron briefly. "What Harry's parents did was--"

"Harry's parents weren't the only ones who had to sacrifice . . . Neville's parents, Angelina and Nia's parents, Snape--they all had to sacrifice."

Ron snorted. "What did Snape have to do? Be nice for a change? I'll bet that was a huge sacrifice!"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't like the git anymore than you do, but I will not take his sacrifice lightly. I don't think I would've had the strength to do what he did . . . it takes a great deal of faith to be able to do it."

Ron's mind immediately drifted back to the dream, and he gasped. "You think it takes faith to rape a woman!"

Sirius's eyes flashed in anger. "Don't you dare belittle that! You didn't have to read the letters Malika sent to me! She could've died--died--if the plan didn't work the way it was supposed to work! If anyone figured out Snape switched the vials, all of them would've been dead and, with it, the opportunity to win this war. It had to be done that way . . . it took a great deal of sacrifice to betray her trust like that."

A tense silence overcame the room as the full force of Sirius's words hit them.

Hermione moved her mouth a few times before sound happened. "I don't understand . . ."

Sirius sighed and rubbed his hand along his face. "There are a lot of things you don't understand--and the most important of all is forgiveness--or at the very least respect. It took me upwards of fifteen years to forgive Snape what he did to Malika--fifteen years. Fifteen years of wasted anger, hatred, and all other negative feelings which ate away at me. Do I like Snape? Hell no, but I do respect him. Though, I should be grateful, for in a way he allowed me to leave Azkaban with my soul. Not a happy day went by in my time there, so there was no soul to lose. But at the end of the day, it's all Pettigrew's fault. He's fucked up Harry's life, and he's fucked up Nia's--both robbed of the parents they should've had."

Ron never felt such shame, especially in terms of Nia. He didn't know the girl, but he was doing exactly what he blasted the Slytherins for--stereotyping people. He glanced at Harry again to see him staring at the wall with blank eyes.

"You knew all about this--Draco and Ginny--didn't you?" Ron asked quietly. "From this summer?"

Harry nodded. "I'll tell you, mate, it knocked the wind out of me when I first found out, but it wasn't until I saw them together that I had to face facts. Regardless of how we feel about each other, Malfoy really does love your sister. The way they train, the way they talk to each other, the little looks they give--it's all there. And while Ginny, to my knowledge, is the only one who's said anything, I know Malfoy feels the same way. But it didn't clinch for me until I kissed her. Dear Merlin, that was one of the most horrible things I've ever experienced. She was so angry with me, and the look of hurt on Nia's face . . ."

Harry stopped talking and looked at his hands.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other with confusion at the mention of Nia.

Sirius clapped Harry's shoulder. "Yeah, Harry, I know. At least you learned quickly. I spent two and a half years trying to change Malika's mind . . . look what happened with that . . ."

Ron didn't know what to think of this--Sirius and Harry defending Malfoy and Snape were two things he'd never thought he'd see. But then again, he and Hermione had been out of the loop for most of the year, leaving these two with insight on the arrogant ferret.

He still wasn't prepared to give Ginny away on a platter.

"While your concern for my sister and your 'faith' in Malfoy are really touching, I am not prepared to hand her over to Malfoy. To me, that's a one-way ticket to You-Know-Who, and I'll be damned if they have her! She's just a kid! Whatever she learns in those extra lessons of yours can't possibly be enough to defeat the Death Eaters!"

Hermione nodded. "I have to agree with Ron. Malfoy doesn't sound like the same person who's been tormenting me for years. I have a hard time believing he's changed, especially when he insulted me only days ago!"

"But this Nia girl . . . if you and Ginny say she's okay, then I guess I'll take your word for it. Fred seems to like her well enough, and she is Angelina's sister . . . though Angelina can be quite scary at times . . . scary and Slytherin is usually not a good combination." Ron shuddered at the thought.

Harry grinned. "Believe me, I know, mate. I know all too well . . ."

"Then why do you defend her? And Malfoy for that matter!" Hermione asked.

Harry looked at them unflinchingly. "Nia told me once--'if you don't understand by now this thing is bigger than you and Draco and some silly little House rivalry, then maybe we need to find a new Apedemak.' That helped me put things in perspective."

Ron hesitated before answering, his mind still wrapped around Harry's comment. Hermione didn't take as long. "But this isn't just a House rivalry! It's about people being able to come here and live in the wizarding world regardless of how much magic runs down the family line!"

Ron nodded emphatically. "Yes, Malfoy is all for the purification of the wizarding world--just like his father and the other Death Eaters!"

"And yet they follow a half-blood. Kind of defeats the purpose, now doesn't it?"

Three heads whipped around to see Malfoy, Nia, and Ginny watching them. Malfoy was even so bold as to slip his hand in Ginny's. She squeezed it, looking directly into Ron's eyes.

It was a challenge if he ever saw one.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but Malfoy beat him to it. "You can't very well kick me out of the dungeons, mind you--this is my turf."

"But that is my sister! Kindly take your cruddy hands off her."

"I like his 'cruddy' hands just where they are, thank you," Ginny said lowly.

Ron felt his ears turn red in anger. "Didn't you hear Hermione when she talked to you? He's a bloody Death Eater!"

"So is Snape, and he works for the Order!"

"But Snape is not a Malfoy! The Malfoys are the evil among evil!"

"No, that would be the Lestranges. They make Malfoys seem like puppies. Is your father still messing around with Bella?" Sirius asked.

Malfoy snorted. "And rubbing it in my mother's face, of course."

The older man shook his head. "'Cissa was all right until Andy left; then they married her off to Malfoy. Poor Remus . . ."

Five mouths dropped open. "Remus?"

Sirius laughed. "Oh yeah, Malfoy, you could've been a Lupin if your mother and he had their way. But alas, Narcissa didn't have the spine--"

"Kindly refrain from speaking of my mother like that."

Sirius shrugged. "She didn't. Never had I seen Remus so depressed . . . the death of Lily and James surely didn't help matters, either."

"Sacrifices," Harry muttered.

Sirius gave him a wan smile. "Indeed."

Nia snorted. "I feel so out of the loop; I have no idea who you're talking about . . ."

Sirius grinned at her. "Your mother was a good friend of Remus. Had to be because she helped brew the Wolfsbane Potion with Snape."

Ron frowned. "You were friends with Slytherins?"

Sirius chuckled. "The only Gryffindors who were 'friends' with Slytherins were Nia's mother and Lily. The rest of us were too busy pulling pranks on them."

Nia arched an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms in front of her. "One of them almost got my father killed."

Sirius looked away from her penetrating gaze. "That wasn't the intent. Just wanted to scare some color into him. He's awfully pale, don't you think?"

Nia rolled her eyes but couldn't refrain a chuckle.

"And just so you know--you three missed dinner," Ginny said.

Ron looked at his watch and groaned. "To the kitchens it is, then. Harry, are you coming?"

He shook his head. "I ate with Sirius, and besides, we need to meet with Snape before we go to extra lessons."

"The kitchens . . . Weasels make themselves right at home there, don't they?"

"Better than an arsecrack, huh, Ferret?"

Ginny groaned. "Enough, you two. Ron--go eat. Draco--be quiet."

"Yes, Mum!" they both said at the same time.

Ron's ears reddened again as he heard snickers. He turned to see Nia and Harry smothering their laughter behind their hands. The girl whispered something into Harry's ear, and he laughed harder.

What is up with that?

A hand grabbed his, and he was dragged from the room.

"What's the meaning of this?!" he demanded of Hermione.

"Did you hear what he said?"

"He who?"

Hermione's eyes went wide as they went to the kitchens. "Harry! Did you hear?"

"I couldn't hear much of anything, but that Nia girl sure had him laughing a fit--"

She looked curious. "I noticed that, too, actually. Interesting, huh?"

"Very."

"But not as interesting as this Apedemak fellow!"

He stopped as they reached the painting that led to the kitchens. Confusion reigned on his face. "Who is he?"

Hermione raised a perfect eyebrow. "Exactly."