Tested In Fire

For myself, because I deserve it. No, I'm just kidding. This is for Zach, because he does deserve it. After all, it's not everyone who gives you a poster with Legolas on it because he feels like it.

Chapter Twenty: A Hard Day's Night

"Loch Ness? The password was Loch Ness?" Remus could hardly believe it. "Of course, I've only heard stories, but..."

Sirius grinned. "Ah, that's all they were, I'm sure. Stories. James and I never got into any sort of trouble when we were in school. We were too smart to get into trouble with Lily."

Anna snorted. "Sure."

Harry leaned forward, and Ginny noticed how he was intrigued by the conversation. She thought that if you had never met your parents, perhaps stories about their school days would be interesting.

"I'm curious to know who this voice is that keeps interrupting things," Hermione spoke up, voicing Ginny's other thought.

Dumbledore merely smiled. "That is a story for another day. I'm more curious to see what exactly is in that book."

There was a subtle knock on the door. "Professor Dumbledore, you signaled the staff?" Snape's voice was greasy and polite.

"Yes, come in."

A group of Professors entered the room and glanced around, confused.

"What's going on?" Professor Sprout's voice was tired and irritated.

"Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley have made quite the discovery," Professor Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Perhaps it will change the tides of the war. For all of us," he said, exchanging a significant glance with Snape.

"It's just a book," Ron mumbled.

"Hush," Hermione admonished him. "If you don't have anything intelligent to say, don't say anything at all."

Ron grinned up at her, and she blushed when she realized that he had been teasing. "Sorry, Ron."

He leaned toward her ear and whispered suggestively, "You'll have to make it up to me later."

"Ronald Weasley!" Even though she reprimanded him, Ron noticed that, judging by her blush, she wasn't exactly displeased.

Meanwhile, Ginny had opened the book. "Hermione, you'd have better have a close look at this. It's some sort of ancient runes, or different language, or something. When she does bother to write in English, it's so muddled that I just don't understand. That's only the first few pages, though."

Hermione smiled as she read the book over Ginny's shoulder. "It's not muddled English, it's shorthand. It's the way I keep all my notes. That way I can copy them quickly for people who forget to take their own."

"What's so special about this book that's got us up this early in the morning?" Snape demanded to know.

"It's Lily's," Remus said gently, then watched Severus's face grow pale.

"Lily?"

Sirius nodded. "It's the genuine article."

"But no one's seen that in more than a decade. James and Lily didn't even keep it with them, at least not at their house. I know Voldemort has looked for it."

Clearly, Ginny noted, there was more going on here than met the eye. What Dumbledore said next confirmed her suspicions.

"No one was supposed to find it, until we were quite ready to."

"What do you mean?" Severus's voice was sharp, accusing. "Are you saying you've known where this has been the entire time? Lives... lives could have been saved! You're toying with..."

"Peace, Severus. I did not know where James and Lily had chosen to keep the book. Even if I did, I strongly suspect that I would not have been able to get to it. Unless I miss my guess, and I rarely do, the only people that would have been able to retrieve that book are Harry and Ginny. Harry because he is the only descendant of the Potter line, and Ginny because she is a Seer, among other things."

"Professor Dumbledore, what exactly where James and Lily working on?" It was Hermione's turn to look at the Professor with wary eyes.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Telling me would have endangered the project. It was something along the lines of a spell to defeat Voldemort, possibly even a counter-charm to deflect Avada Kedavra."

"Well, we know that they found the counter-charm for the Killing Curse," Harry said bitterly.

Dumbledore nodded. "It would have only worked for a very powerful witch or wizard, and only one who truly wished to lay down his or her life for the person on the unfriendly end of that curse."

Hermione shouted. "Yes! This is brilliant, and it just might work! Of course, it's still in the early stages of development ..."

The others in the room stared as she went off on a monologue that consisted mainly of mumbling, hand gestures and unintelligible phrases that she never seemed to finish.

"What is it exactly, Miss Granger?" Snape sneered at her.

Hermione pushed her hair away from her face. "Well, it's a spell to capture Voldemort, to defeat him without destroying the balance. It's not perfect, and it probably won't work as is, but if we simply make a few changes..."

"Why won't it work, Miss Granger?"

Hermione stared Snape down, her gaze seeming to pierce through layers of his skin. "Because it specifically states that the spell-caster would suffer a fate worse than any I would wish on anybody, let alone those on our side who would be willing to go through with such a thing."

"That's not entirely specific."

"Well, here's the gist of it. The spell-caster would be consumed. Eaten alive. Destroyed. Their bones would melt while they were still alive, and that's just the beginning."

Horrified glances were exchanged.

"You got all that from reading a few pages?" Ron asked, his voice slightly squeaky.

"Well, it's standard shorthand, and Lily must have a been a very direct person. She certainly made no bones about writing this down. Perhaps she wanted to discourage someone."

"Probably herself," Anna muttered, and Remus made a sound of agreement.

"Or James," Sirius added.

There was silence in the room.

"Look," the Arthimancy professor said, breaking the silence, "spells can be modified- rewritten. Perhaps we can 'fix' this spell so that it won't require a human sacrifice."

Hermione nodded. "It sounds like a reasonable idea to me."

"How much time will it take?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Well, that's the hard part. You see, it'd probably take someone who does this for a living quite a bit of time. Three months, at the least."

"Three months!"

"Of course, the other problem is that this is a practical application of magic that has only been theory, until now. Additionally, this spell is for capturing a human, and Voldemort, from what we've seen, isn't quite... well, human, anymore."

Sirius nearly snarled, but he managed to keep control of himself. "Then we'd better start working on it right away, as there isn't anyone who writes spells from scratch that's alive."

"Can someone hand me a quill?" Hermione asked, as she began to mumble to herself again.

Ron hastily handed her one of his that had been sitting on his nightstand. As she reached over to take it, he laid a gentle and discreet kiss on her cheek. "You're wonderful."

She grinned at him, then moved over to sit next to Dumbledore. Quickly, the Professors assembled behind her to get to work.

Occasionally one of them would pause her to make some correction, or exclaim in surprise, but Harry and Ginny were too exhausted to care.

A short time later, Madam Pomfrey came into the room.

"Anyone who is not injured, out! I have patients who need sleep. Out! Out! All of you!"

With some minor grumbling and moaning, the Professors and Hermione headed out. However, before Hermione left the room, she paused by Ginny's bed.

"Next time you go out and try to get yourselves killed, let me know ahead of time. Okay?"

"All right, Hermione."

When the door closed gently, and Harry and Ginny could hear the distant sound of Ron's snoring, Ginny turned towards Harry one more time.

"Harry. Hey, Harry."

"Hmmm?"

"I have the other prophecy in my pocket. It fell into my pocket."

Harry blinked. "I- I can't think. We'll talk later."

Ginny yawned. "We can wait. Good night."

She didn't have to wait very long until she heard the soft and soothing sound of Harry's breathing. "Well, that didn't take long. I just can't help but wonder what I've got myself into this time."

**

A few days later, Hermione and the Professors had made very little real progress with the spell begun by Harry's parents, and Harry and Ginny hadn't had time to meet alone.

On this particular Saturday morning, Harry and Ginny were sitting across from each other at breakfast in the Great Hall, trying not to look at each other while Hermione chatted easily about her research.

"If only I felt like I had more time," she would say constantly, "then we could do this properly. Maybe I could get it working right. Thank goodness for the professors. They just don't give up."

Harry had a feeling it was really, "Thank goodness for Hermione", and he knew for a fact that he didn't like this rushed feeling at all, either.

Ron would be out of the Hospital Wing in time for the first Gryffindor Quidditch match, another thing Harry felt that he wasn't ready for. Mrs. Weasley had gone home a week ago, but she would be coming back up to watch the match.

Pushing his eggs around his plate, Harry almost missed Ginny's raised eyebrows. In fact, he wasn't really paying attention to much of anything until Ginny placed a well aimed kick to his shin.

"Ow!"

"How about a walk around the lake?" Ginny asked, looking perfectly innocent, despite the fact that a number of Gryffindors were looking at Harry like he'd lost his mind.

"Oh, but we were going to visit Ron," Hermione protested.

"We'll let you two have some time alone. It's about time you did anyway, right, Harry?"

"Um, yes."

"Go on, and do whatever it is you do with my brother when no one else is around. Just don't tell me about it."

Hermione laughed. "Harry?"

"Go on, you know you've been dying to get away from us and have him to yourself."

"Well, if you're sure you don't mind..."

"Go!" they chorused.

As Hermione dashed off, Harry chuckled.

"What is going through your mind, Harry Potter?"

"Maybe she'll be a bit more... relaxed when she gets back," Harry mused.

Ginny blushed. "Harry."

"Yes?" It was his turn to look innocent. "Let's go for that walk you wanted to take."

"All right."

They made their excuses to the people sitting around them, and managed to get away fairly quickly.

They set off down the path towards the lake, but they did not speak until they were sure that they were entirely alone.

"We're out of everyone's hearing range. Let's talk," Harry started.

"Okay. In the book there was a loose-leaf sheet of paper," Ginny explained. "It fell into my pocket, and it would have stayed there, I suspect, if I had tried to pull it out."

"My parents were thorough, at least," Harry commented dryly and made her laugh.

"I'm sure we would have been the same way."

Harry grunted. "I'm sure."

Ginny smiled. "Besides, I think that this one is just for us, even it was the one given by the false Seer."

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Harry said, then shrugged. "Let's see it, then."

They bent over the paper that Ginny pulled from her pocket, on which an elegantly flowing script and recorded:

Of the Stag and Flower comes a son so bold-

As a Gryphon he will be called

From two with flaming hair comes a maiden fair,

Together they shall battle the Dark Lord

The Dark Lord has much to fear of these two

For in their net they will capture the essence of him

It all goes well- as I wish it will

A traitor lies in wait among them

He is not to be dismissed

But among you also lies one of great Strength

A servant of Maid and Gryphon will fall,

But in the end the servant wins

Tides come and go

Seasons pass with alarming speed

Until this prophecy comes of use, I will sleep

"Hope," Ginny whispered.

"Excuse me?"

"That's what this second prophecy is. It's hope."

"It doesn't guarantee that we'll win. It says the servant will... Someone else has to die." Harry spat. "No one would should have to die."

Ginny bit her lip. "I don't think we'll ever get that kind of guarantee. If anyone dies, it will be someone who is willing... and nothing about the prophecy is concrete. We can change it, if we wish. We can change the future."

"I agree."

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Never mind. Do we show the others this?"

"Yes," Harry said after a moment's pause. "But I think that when it comes right down to it, it's just going to be you and me."

Ginny smiled, wanting to ask all kinds of questions, wanting desperately to know where she stood. Was that kiss they'd shared meaningless? Was he finally coming to see her as more than Ron's little sister? Was there something under that mask he was wearing that knew what she felt for him?

Harry cut off her train of thought. "What do you think of this traitor business?"

"I don't want to think about it at all," Ginny responded thoughtfully. "To think that someone is watching us- reporting our movements- that frightens me."

Harry nodded, and considered carefully his next comment. "My father... In looking for his traitor, he made a mistake, and he lost it all."

"All I know is that I don't want to be constantly looking over my shoulder worrying about what I'm saying, or what I'm doing."

"I don't know, Gin. That might be how we have to play it."

"I can't live that way."

"I can." Harry's smile was bitter. "I remember thinking about Snape... wondering where his loyalties truly lied. Now, there's no doubt. Damn, but it was easier when everything was black and white, you know?"

Ginny nodded. They were sitting together, having slid to that position without really noticing it. She hugged her knees to her chest and looked over the lake.

"I don't think you ever had it easy."

"Easy wasn't in the job description," Harry tossed back. Then considered her words more carefully. "I had it easier than some people, though."

Ginny watched a parade of emotions run across his face. Suddenly she stood and forced a smile. "Good luck tomorrow. I hope you trounce those Hufflepuffs."

"Are you coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," she said with a laugh, then bent over and kissed his cheek.

As Harry watched her walk away, he caressed the spot she had graced with her lips. He was unaware of a pair of eyes watching him intently.

"Interesting," the watcher whispered. "Very interesting."

**