Tested In Fire

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for ending the chapter where I did. Okay, so maybe I wasn't sincere... hehe. Please consider joining the discussion group for Tested In Fire, located here: Tested in Fire Fans

Tested in Fire, Chapter 11: A Bit of Tea

Ginny was dreaming.

Godric's Hollow?

"James, I'm going to kill you!"

Lily Potter, James reflected, could scream. Or perhaps it was just the hormones. He remembered that the midwife had told him that Lily wouldn't mean what she said during childbirth, but she sure sounded like she meant it.

"I don't know about you, Prongs, but I'm glad I'm outside the door, and not in it," said a very nervous Peter Pettigrew.

James winced as Lily announced another explicative. "Do you think I should go in?"

"Not if you value your life, mate," Sirius cautioned him, and then popped another peanut into his mouth. Remus just smiled.

"She's very close," Anna said from across the hallway. "Go on in." James raised his eyebrows at Anna, but as she generally knew things, because she was a Seer, he took a step towards the door. "I promise she won't throw anything."

"Give one final push, dearie," James heard the midwife tell Lily as he pushed open the door.

There was silence for a moment, and those standing in the hallway heard a piercing cry. Anna lifted her face, tears streaming down it. "It's a boy," she said simply.

Inside the room, the midwife handed a bundled up, wailing baby to James. "Support his head, there you go," she whispered. "You're the father of a boy, Mr. Potter."

James blinked in wonderment. This little boy was all his. He pushed up the blanket to take a good look at his face, and then walked the few steps over to Lily, who took the child into her arms.

"James, he's beautiful," Lily said. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in all of your life? He's just so precious."

James shook his head, and cupped her chin lovingly with his hand. His world had quite suddenly radically changed. Everything was different now. "He is beautiful," James agreed. "You're beautiful," he finished with a kiss.

"Harry James Potter," Lily whispered. "That's his name."

Outside of the door, Peter ran a hand through his hair, and wondered exactly what he was going to tell Lord Voldemort. Despite his best efforts, the prophecy was being fulfilled, which could only mean bad things for the Potters. He didn't want to be the ones responsible for their deaths, but it would bring him rank and glory in the Death Eaters' minds.

Yes, when the time came, Peter would go down in history.

**

Ginny woke up, almost cursing. The dream had ended too abruptly. She hadn't been able to work anything out. Slowly she ran a hand against her stomach. The feelings that Lily had experienced had been powerful, and she'd been an outsider. Ginny had wanted to scream, wanted to implant something to tell Lily of Peter's imminent betrayal. Despite everything, the emotions she felt, the way everything seemed so real, they were only dreams.

She now understood the pain of the three remaining friends. Lily and James Potter had been so obviously in love, and a couple more deserving of happiness she'd never met. If only Peter hadn't given away their location, "Then," she thought, "Harry would be a very different person, but Voldemort wouldn't be after me."

Her mother's voice inside of her head cut through her wishing. "What might have been is a waste of time. You can't change other people's actions. The past is the past, the present is now, but the future, your future, is infinite in its possibilities." Ginny remembered asking her mother what would have happened if the Potters had lived, after listening to that story for what must have been the 100^th time.

It was a good thing that the following day was a Saturday. Perhaps she would be able to sleep during the day. Recalling that she had told Harry she would go to tea with him, she pulled the covers up and over her head.

Rolling over, she tried closing her eyes. Visions of the look on Peter's face when he heard of Harry's birth kept replaying over and over again in her mind's eye. Tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks. She tired instructing herself to calm down, to let her mind wander. Her mind, though, refused to give up. It was like the precise cutting tool that Professor Snape used to cut roots to the nearest millimeter, refusing to give up on solving mysteries that didn't have any clues. If she were Hermione Granger, she would have sat down and made a list of unknowns and knowns. The problem was she wasn't sure what exactly she knew and what she didn't.

What she had was a bunch of dreams, a prophecy that was next to useless, the knowledge of a second prophecy, most likely containing the reasons why Voldemort was after her, and a Gift that was more like a curse.

She sat up in bed and threw the covers back against the footboard, and tugged her ponytail from the nape of her nightgown. For a few minutes she let her feet enjoy the sensation of skin against linen before she swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and her feet hit the wood floor of the dormitory. She stood up and straightened her night dress. Not quite sure what she was doing up, she began to wander around the room.

Her night table was just beside her bed, and she made that her first stop. She fingered the wood, almost caressing, grateful for something familiar when her whole world was being pulled out from underneath of her.

Her eyes fell on the pretty box she kept her letters from Bill in. If she had been wandering around in daylight, she would've pulled out his latest letter and re-read the bit about Bill getting lost in a pyramid just recently.

Next her hand crept up to her Romanian stuffed dragon. She scratched it behind the ears, and it gave her a tired wink.

The pile of books on the right hand corner of the dresser reminded her of Percy, who shared an interest in literature with her. His letters were full of recommendations and reviews of the latest releases.

Fred and George, as a beginning of the year present, had sent her an entire box chock full of experimental Wheeze's candies. A grateful smile graced her face through the tracks of tears. Perhaps testing them would lift her spirits, she mused, turning the idea over in her head. Deciding against it, her eyes moved on.

A picture frame was the only thing left. She tried to move on, but was captured, however unwillingly, by the people in the photograph. She took the frame in her hands to study it in the moonlight.

Ron, her youngest brother, stood with Hermione, the love of his live, and Harry, the love of hers. The boys had their arms around Hermione's shoulders. They all waved enthusiastically at her. Occasionally Hermione giggled as one of the boys leaned in her ear to tell her something. It had been the trio's fifth year, just before the attack on Hogwarts.

Ginny took a moment to recall it all. Voldemort had been rising very quickly, and the Death Eaters who had remained faithful to him had been rewarded. Those who had not- Ginny shuddered. They only knew of the severity of the punishments from what Professor Snape had told them, which had been only minimal, but had been certainly enough for the students to get a very clear picture of what had been going on.

Whatever Voldemort was, he certainly wasn't cocky, which was why the attack had surprised everyone. No one had died, and Voldemort hadn't got to Harry, mostly thanks to Dumbledore. Harry had just begun to lose the haunted look in his eyes that came from the guilt he felt for Cedric, Ginny thought sadly. Maybe one day, she would see him fully happy again. Maybe she herself would be the cause of that happiness.

Ginny was, by nature, a very hopeful person. One doesn't wait around for a blocke for six long years and not be hopeful. Still, she had almost lost all of her hope until this summer. Harry was looking better, and had started treating her like a potential friend instead of just his best friend's sister, a definite improvement.

There were times, though, when he thought no one was looking, and he relapsed into feelings of guilt. Ginny wished desperately to be the one to wipe all that from his eyes. Maybe if he would just tell someone what happened the night of Cedric Diggory's death, but Ginny stopped herself, and crawled back into bed.

**

Saturday passed quickly for the Gryffindors enjoying their day off. Harry waited eagerly for their four o'clock tea. It would be the first time he'd ever just visited with Anna, Sirius, and Remus. Now that Hagrid was dead, they really were his only family, besides the Weasleys.

At just after three, Ginny came rushing down the stairs. "I didn't miss it, did I?"

Her cheeks were flushed with sleep, and even though she'd put on her robes, her hair had wild, tiny wisps sticking out all over. The sight of her made Harry smile.

"No, it's a little after three just now," Harry said then returned his attention to the chessboard for a second. The chess pieces he'd gotten in his Christmas crackers first year had, thankfully, more faith in him than Ron's chess pieces did. "Bishop to C8," he announced and grinned broadly as Ron furrowed his brow.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but Ron didn't look so worried after he had his queen destroy Harry's bishop. A short time later, Harry knew he was in for it. Just one more move, and Ron would have him beat. His fingers tapped against the table, but Ron just looked at him with a vacant expression on his face. Harry reached into his hair and massaged his scalp. Thinking became much harder when Ginny was in the room, he noted.

"I can't do anything, can I?" He looked up from the chessboard into Ron's victory grin.

"No, you're pretty much stuck," Ginny said.

Harry knocked his king over, and Ron's mouth broke into an even wider smile. "You almost had me, Harry. You're getting much better. But see, if you'd have moved your knight about twenty moves back this way..."

Ron began to manipulate the pieces, and Harry followed him, his eyes revealing nothing. After a minute or so, Harry began to ask questions, and the two of them pretty much replayed the whole game.

At a quarter till four, Hermione stood up, and brushed off her robes. Ron and Harry, seeing this, set about putting the chess pieces back in the box that they used to store both sets of chess pieces.

Ginny watched them from a sofa. The three of them had a rhythm just from being together for so long. They didn't need to speak a word to each other to know what was going on. She felt the tiniest prick of envy, but it was quashed when Harry put on a light cloak, and handed Ginny hers. It was cool for September, but not cool enough to warrant a heavy winter garment.

"We're not going to be late, you know," Hermione said as Ron helped into her cloak.

"I know, I just..." Harry ended his half-statement with a shrug.

"Let's be on our way, then," Ginny almost sang.

Their conversation was light on the way to the hut. Jokes were exchanged, and Harry and Ginny watched in amusement as Hermione and Ron got into a brief row over nothing in particular. Talk about their classes got them some of the way there, and Ginny asked Hermione a question about the Nightshade Potion they were studying in Potions.

Anna, Remus and Sirius also came up, and Harry entertained them all with a story about a misadventure he'd had with his two temporary guardians over the summer.

They were in stitches when they reached the door, and found themselves unable to mange to knock. Remus's expression when he opened the door was enough to set them off again. When Harry gasped, "Just like that," it got worse.

When they had calmed down enough, Remus gestured towards the inside. "Come on in."

The room had changed a bit since Hagrid's death. The giant's over-sized furniture had been replaced with normal-sized. A fire crackled, even though it wasn't really cool enough to need one. The laughing immediately stopped.

Anna and Sirius were sitting across from each other, and they talked quietly. Anna rose and patted Sirius' knee out of habit.

"How did you sleep last night, Ginny?" Anna's voice carried a gentle tone to it, otherwise she might have bristled.

"I was fine for a while, Professor."

Anna's eyes narrowed. "Another dream?"

Ginny nodded. "I didn't learn a thing."

"Well, that's about what's to be expected."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Sirius and Harry embrace and hold on to each other like it was a matter of life and death.

"All right, Harry?" Sirius whispered.

"All right. You?"

"All right." The two of them grinned. Unconsciously, Anna reached for Remus's hand and found it.

Grinning and chuckling, Ron and Hermione settled themselves into one armchair, Remus and Sirius occupied a couch, and Anna stood by the fire. From his position on the floor next to Ginny, Harry thought the stage was set.

"There's a lot we haven't been telling you," Remus said gently.

Anna and Sirius nodded, and looked like she thought that that was definitely an understatement.

"We know about the first prophecy," Hermione said, "and we've been able to work some of it out."

"Right. Obviously, we knew that You-Know... excuse me, Vol-Voldemort has come back," Ron agreed, looking quite pleased with himself for managing to say that name.

"The first prophecy has been fulfilled, up until a line, 'takes vows under the yew'." Remus and Sirius parted in the middle to let Anna sit down between them.

"That could have already happened," Ginny said. She and Harry had scooted closer together, without either one of them really noticing. Remus and Anna did, though, and grinned.

"Right," Harry agreed. "But what does it mean?"

"Well, the yew is a very important magical wood, with lots of valuable properties," Anna said. "Voldemort could be trying to take advantage of any one of them. That part of the prophecy is really very vague."

"All prophecies are vague," Sirius said.

"Sirius, we do not need to start this again. The last thing we need is a row right now." Remus narrowed his eyes at his old friend.

"All right."

"But it's true," Hermione said. "Divination is very imprecise, and even talented Seers with True Gifts don't always interpret their own signals correctly."

"You two both have a point, however, I'm not the only one trying to work out what this prophecy means. I learned my lesson the first time."

"From what I gather, there's supposed to be three prophecies, all tied together, right?" Harry now had his arm resting around Ginny's shoulders.

"Yes. We only have part of the second prophecy, though. You see, Sybil Trelawney also made a prediction the same year that Anna did," Remus said. "She wrote it down, in a hurry, but burned off part of the paper in an accident. At least, that's what she tells us."

"I'll bet anything that old bat knows exactly where the first part of the prophecy is," Sirius said and snorted.

"Why would she lie?" Hermione asked.

"Money, I'll bet."

Remus rolled his eyes. "If she is lying about the location of this piece of paper, there isn't much we can do about it because we have no proof, Sirius."

"I know. It just drives me insane!"

"If we could find the first part of the prophecy, then we could find out why Voldemort is after me, right?"

"We know why Voldemort is after you already, Ginny," Sirius said bluntly.

Ginny's face went white, and Harry tightened his grip without noticing it.

"He's after you for the same reason he's after me," Anna said in the same tone Remus had used. "You're a Seer, and it's always good to have one on your side. He's already asked me to join him, and you've made it clear through your actions that you'll have nothing to do with him, and he'd rather have us dead than helping Dumbledore and the Order."

"That's cheerful," Ron gulped.

"It's the truth," Anna said.

"Well, he's right about that," Ginny said. "I don't want to have anything to do with him."

"Of course not. You're a Weasley," Ron said proudly.

Hermione patted his thigh. "I don't know what Voldemort was thinking, trying to take over while the seven of you and Harry were around."

Everyone in the room laughed nervously.

"What are we going to do about finding the rest of the second prophecy?" Ron asked.

"I don't know that there's much we can do, Ron," Remus said.

"There has to be some way to find it," he protested.

"Perhaps if we had the first part, it would give us a clue," Hermione suggested, and everyone could tell she was eager to start.

"Right," Anna said. "I suppose there's no harm in letting you see it."

"I would think it would be to our advantage to see it," Ginny said, her eyes piercing her teacher's, "considering it's about us." She gestured at Harry and herself.

Anna blushed. "Well, we didn't want you two to think that your relationship was not a choice you two were making."

"Our relationship?" Ginny asked, shocked. "I thought it would be about how we were supposed to defeat Voldemort."

Harry blinked.

"Oh, damn. I've gone and opened my mouth at the wrong time again, haven't I?"