Reign O'er Me

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Chapter 28 - Faith In Something Bigger

It may be warm but the snow is going to fall,
Enough to cover us all.

The more we learn, the less we believe to be true.
The more we prove, the more remains to be proved.

We've got to have faith in something bigger,
Faith in something bigger,
Faith in something big inside ourself, inside ourself.

- Faith In Something Bigger, The Who

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Albus Dumbledore sat alone at his desk in his office, his hands folded in front of him. The first hints of morning light were visible through the windows, but Dumbledore seemed to be unaware of the new day dawning outside. His gaze was directed towards a stack of parchments that rested on one side of his desk, but he seemed unfocused.

Nicholas had brought him word some hours before of what the Aurors had found. He had taken the news without comment, indeed, almost without acknowledging Nicholas' presence. Nicholas had departed a few minutes later. Some undetermined time after that, he stood up and forced himself to walk into his office and sit at his desk, confronting the parchments and other objects spread before him.

He reached out and stroked a reed wand lying on the desk, remembering. In the waiting stack of parchments, there might be answers--or at least hints--of what they faced now. He remembered the bittersweet smile Cassandra sometimes wore when he had speculated about their future... and her warning. Was he making another mistake in looking here for answers? By unsealing her chamber, had he already given in to the temptation of which she had warned him?

He could not afford to let this paralyze him; it had come much too close to that already. All of this had been dealt with long before, but now it returned to task him as if it had been yesterday. He had responsibilities--to Harry, to the Order, to the wizarding world--and he was little use to any of them stuck wallowing in the past. He could ill afford such self-indulgence.

His fingers sought out a small velvet bag. He hesitated a moment, then opened it and shook the contents into his hand. Dumbledore untangled a long, fine chain, then held it up. A silver and gold phoenix dangled at the end of the chain; its ruby eyes sparkled in the candlelight. He sat looking at it for several minutes, and then he carefully unhooked the chain and fastened it around his neck. He tucked the tiny phoenix inside his robes and then turned to the stack of waiting parchments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jamie awoke from an uneasy sleep. She had been tired when they had returned from Hogwarts, but what she had seen through Voldemort's eyes had kept her awake for a long time, and those images had haunted her dreams as well. She thought about rolling over and trying to drift off again, but the bits she could remember from her last dream made that unattractive. Besides, there was a hint of light from behind the curtains.

She rolled reluctantly from her bed, drawing a protesting mew from the kitten sharing her pillow. The kitten, not yet named, had given Jamie an offended look before promptly returning to whatever dream she had interrupted. Jamie stretched and made her way to the bath and prepared to shower.

Twenty minutes later, fully awakened by the hot water, Jamie re-entered her bedroom and began looking through some of the clothes she had bought. This was a largely a new experience for her--actually having to think about what to wear. She looked thoughtfully at the skirts and dresses--it had been years since she had worn anything like that--but too much of her life on the streets was still visible on her legs. Ginny had hinted that magic could fix some of that, but thus far, there had not been a chance to explore that further. She didn't want anyone else looking at her the way Ginny and Hermione had when Ginny loaned her clothes that first night. Hopefully they could help her without involving anyone else.

Settling on a pair of jeans and a baby-doll t-shirt--at least her arms were not too badly marked--she dressed and then attempted the bed-making charm Hermione had shown her. The results were not especially satisfactory to her... or to the kitten, which was once again disturbed from its slumbers by the moving covers. The young cat stood, stretched, gave its mistress a hurt and offended look, and hopped off the bed to search for a more peaceful place to sleep.

Jamie emerged from her room carrying the books she would need later for her session with Hermione. The doors to the suite were closed, which wasn't really a surprise given the hour. She didn't really expect to find them up this early. Hermione seemed to tolerate mornings well, but the other three, particularly Ron, seemed to think that sleeping in for as long as they could--having a lie-in as they called it--was an integral part of the summer. And while it was nice to have the option of sleeping in, she had been long accustomed to rising at first light, and this morning that old habit seemed to be asserting itself.

The third floor, like the fourth, was quiet. She looked speculatively at the library doors--Hermione had said it wouldn't be a good idea for her to explore in there alone quite yet--but decided instead to continue towards the kitchen.

The kitchen was empty. This seemed a little strange; she had heard Molly Weasley refer to it as the heart of the house, and it did seem to be the center of a lot of the activity. She wasn't quite ready to attempt to cook something on her own--she had never really had a chance to get comfortable in a Muggle kitchen, let alone here--but some milk and cookies were certainly manageable.

She walked back to the table, took a seat, opened The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, and began reading. She had gone through the first book several times, and while Hermione had barely begun working with her on it, she was eager to accomplish as much as possible this summer.

"Hi, Ginny."

Jamie looked up.

"Oh... sorry. Hi, Jamie," Chris said, smiling. "With your head down you and Ginny look a lot alike."

"I'm the skinnier one with the glasses." Jamie grinned. "Or just listen to me..."

Chris nodded. "We are the odd ones out around here, I guess. I can tolerate most of it... except for the blasted tea. I need my coffee in the morning." She looked at Jamie speculatively. "Want a cup?"

"I'd love it. Coffee was one thing that used to be pretty easy to come by."

"I live on it. Hey, are you getting settled in okay?"

"Yeah... it's been a lot easier than I expected. Everybody's been pretty cool... though I didn't exactly have a lot to leave behind."

Chris carried two mugs to the table, set one down in front of Jamie, and took a seat. "Honestly, I didn't either. An apartment I almost never spent any time in--at least while I was awake--and a grumpy house-cat... though Mittens doesn't really count; he's in quarantine now. You and the other kids getting along?"

Jamie nodded. "Yeah. I think Harry was a little nervous around me at first, but we're past that."

"That's great. He's a really good kid, Jamie."

"I know... though a lot of the time he doesn't seem much like a kid."

"Could have fooled me at the Quidditch field," Chris replied with a grin. "But I know what you mean, kid. It's not the years, it's the mileage; and by all accounts, Harry's had more miles than most wizards three times his age."

"They've told me about some of it. Harry's a lot braver than I'll ever be. I don't know how he's managed to do some of the things Madame Flamel talked about."

"Don't sell yourself short, Jamie. It took a lot of guts to make it on your own like you did."

"That wasn't anything. I just did... well, what I had to."

"A lot of times, courage is nothing more than that, just doing what you have to."

Jamie nodded thoughtfully. She had been about to ask a question when the fireplace flared and Albus Dumbledore stepped gracefully from the flames. Somehow, he had managed to travel through the Floo network without so much as a single smudge. "Good morning, Miss Allen. And to you, Miss Potter." He peered carefully at Jamie for a moment. "I trust all is well?"

"So far, at least," Chris replied. "Would you care for a cup of coffee or tea?"

"Coffee? What a delightful aroma. From Colombia?"

"No, it's Kona, from Hawaii. I have jaded tastes."

"Then allow me to accept your kind offer," Dumbledore said, as Chris rose to prepare another cup. "And Miss Potter, how does our newest Gryffindor fare this morning? Did you rest well?"

"Uh... not really, Sir. What I saw... it made it kinda hard to get to sleep. And when I finally did, I still dreamed about it."

"I regret that you should experience such things as you begin your new life," Dumbledore said. "Harry found such visions and dreams profoundly disturbing. His bonding with Ginny seems to have given him a measure of protection." He smiled sadly. "It seems unlikely that a similar option would be possible for you, though there are techniques you might learn that would help."

"I'd... I'd like that," Jamie replied.

Dumbledore nodded. "I will see what can be done. I understand that you and Miss Granger have devised a quite ambitious schedule."

"I'm already way behind where I should be," Jamie said, a little hesitantly.

Chris returned to the table and handed Dumbledore a cup, but did not sit. "Do not be overly concerned, Miss Potter. From what I have been told this far, your progress has been quite good. Are you ready to begin, Miss Allen?"

"Yes, Professor. Though I'm a bit curious as to how you're in the middle of all this." Chris said, as they began to walk towards the door.

"The Minister has granted a certain--shall we say latitude--regarding the education of our students," Dumbledore replied. "Your request was... unique, to say the least, and was met with both considerable concern and some resistance..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry dropped wearily onto the sofa in the fourth-floor sitting room. It had been a long and tiring day. After breakfast, Chris had pushed them mercilessly for forty-five minutes, and just before they had finished, Dumbledore had arrived with Lupin and the Flamels. Harry had expected the Headmaster to observe, but instead, a few minutes later he found himself dueling with Dumbledore. Harry, to his surprise, and apparently to Dumbledore's as well, had connected with a depulso on his initial attack, knocking the Professor backwards. Dumbledore had regained his feet, studied Harry for a few moments, and exchanged looks with Nicholas and Perenelle. Then the battle had begun in earnest.

It was different dueling with Dumbledore than with Perenelle: for one thing, the pace was slower, and he needed to rely less on fancy footwork to avoid the spells cast at him. Dumbledore, however, was quite creative, and sometimes, instead of attacking him directly, he had either used other objects or had in some way changed the environment, as by inverting gravity around him. They had dueled for almost the entire period, when Dumbledore spun around suddenly and launched a spell at Ginny. Then, while Harry watched Ginny duck away, Dumbledore turned back towards him and cast percutio at him. He had not been able to raise a shield in time; the curse dropped him to his knees. Dumbledore moved towards him then, but Harry rolled quickly aside before Dumbledore's next spell reached him and launched a counter-attack of his own, the sepelio spell that Perenelle had shown him in Atlanta. The spell found its target, and suddenly Professor Dumbledore was buried up to his chest in the floor. That had not stopped him from another counter-attack, and Harry was unable to dodge Dumbledore's claudeo spell. At that point, Nicholas had called a halt, noting that their time was up. Perenelle had wryly noted that perhaps that was a good thing, as she freed Dumbledore from the floor; the last exchange had come dangerously close to requiring the services of Madam Pomfrey for both participants.

At lunch, Sirius had taken advantage of Dumbledore's presence, and the subject of properly warding and defending the now-being-renovated Shrieking Shack had dominated the lunchtime conversation. Then the four students spent the next two hours with McGonagall. Hermione and Ginny were both able to repeat their prior accomplishments, and Harry's ball deformed slightly as well. Ron's clay ball, to his frustration, still remained unchanged.

As McGonagall prepared to depart, Snape and Perenelle had arrived. They learned that Snape would be taking over the second afternoon slot, and that Perenelle would work with them after the evening meal. To Harry's pleasure and Snape's obvious annoyance, Perenelle remained in the classroom for their Potions session; then after a quick meal, she and Hermione had worked with the rest of them on the Portkey spell, while Jamie practiced what Hermione had outlined for the next morning.

None of the three had managed to craft a working Portkey. Finally Perenelle departed. Hermione and Ron had left to prepare for their upcoming meeting with the Grangers, and Lupin had stuck his head in the door long enough to tell Ginny that Molly wanted to see her for a few minutes. As Ginny left the room, Jamie closed her book and moved from one of the chairs to the other side of Harry's sofa.

"Harry, can I ask you something?" she asked. Harry noticed she didn't look even slightly tired.

"Sure."

"What's the deal with Draco Malfoy? Why do all of you hate him? I know you said you weren't friends..."

Harry suppressed a sigh. Ginny had told him about the encounter at Hogwarts... and he was tired. He didn't really feel like dealing with this now, but...

Harry started at the beginning, describing his earliest encounters with Malfoy and how their initial dislike, after Harry had rejected Malfoy's offer of friendship before their sorting, had evolved into a mutual, festering hatred. Harry described Lucius' involvement with Voldemort, their mistreatment of Dobby, and how the family had been connected with dark forces for generations. "And on top of everything else, Draco Malfoy wasn't in Atlanta on holiday or to experience American culture. He was there to help his father find you and deliver you to Voldemort."

"But he didn't."

Harry started to make an angry retort, but caught himself. "He must not have had a chance."

"How much of a chance would he have needed? I was with him for hours."

"He's still bad news, Jamie. If he's not a Death Eater yet, he will be."

"He wanted to talk to me last night at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded, but said nothing; he did not want to fight with Jamie--particularly over Malfoy.

After a moment, Jamie continued. "I want to hear what he has to say."

"Don't you understand what I've been telling you?" Harry shook his head in frustration. "No matter what he wants, it can't be good for you or for any of us. Why, Jamie?"

"The sorting hat," she answered, very quietly. "What it said..."

"What did it say to you?" Harry pressed.

Jamie had started to answer when Perenelle and Nicholas entered the sitting room, followed by Dumbledore, all their faces grim. Jamie shrank back as Harry demanded, "What's wrong?"

"Harry," Dumbledore held up his hand as Harry started to rise, "please, remain seated, and pardon our intrusion. There is a matter of some urgency that we would like to discuss."

Harry settled back as Dumbledore and the Flamels took seats. Dumbledore looked toward Jamie for a moment, and Harry saw Perenelle barely shake her head once. "Voldemort has called for parley," Dumbledore said. "That is, a meeting between the two sides to discuss terms. It is to take place later tonight, at midnight, at the truce flag. He has demanded your presence, Harry, as well as that of Nicholas and myself."

"How? And why?"

"The how is simple enough," Nicholas replied. "A message, delivered by owl, to Brian and also to the Ministry. As to why--that is a matter of speculation; however, given that Voldemort is demanding Brian's presence as well as yours and mine, it seems likely that he intends to apply additional pressure, in hopes of obtaining the elixir or the means of making a stone."

"I thought we had a week," Harry objected.

"Under the rules of a truce," Nicholas explained, "either side may call for parley. Undoubtedly, Voldemort's acquiring a part of what he sought has changed things. From Jamie's vision, there seems to be little doubt that he did not hesitate to make use of it."

Harry sighed and had started to reply when Ginny walked in, smiling. "Harry, let's call it a night. I want...." She paused, taking note of the three professors. "Um... want to er, get an early start tomorrow."

"Doesn't look like that's going to happen." Harry quickly recapped what Dumbledore and Nicholas had said.

"And, Ginny, we would ask that you come as well," Perenelle said. "For the same reasons as last time, even though both Nicholas and Brian think it unlikely Voldemort will break the truce."

"Of course I will," Ginny replied, as Harry moved to the center of the sofa and she took a seat beside him.

"His position is not yet so powerful that he can casually ignore such magic," Nicholas said. "While we do not currently understand what his ultimate goal might be, a trap that would breach the truce seems unlikely."

"That gives us five of the twelve." Seeing the confused look on the younger faces, Perenelle explained. "By convention, unless otherwise agreed, each side may send up to twelve to a parley."

"Chris," Harry said firmly.

Perenelle nodded. "That was my thought as well."

"Ron and Hermione?" Harry suggested, though quite a bit less firmly.

The three professors exchanged a long look. Perenelle finally said, "The three of us have discussed this, even before tonight, what we should do if this situation should come to pass. I have argued in favor of their taking part. Brian has been reluctant to involve any of you; though given the communication from Voldemort, we have all agreed that you must be involved. Further, given the creature, Ginny's presence may well be of value."

"Harry, I regret the necessity of involving you and Ginny in this." Dumbledore said. "I do not wish to place Ron and Hermione at greater risk. At this age, all of you should have had no cares greater than your lessons and liaisons."

"As I said, I have argued for their inclusion," Perenelle said. "Four and eight shall stand. This is the first circumstance where I see a possible explanation for that line. Further, I believe that Ron and Hermione have played a significant part in the other parts of this prophecy that have come to pass, and that they will continue to do so. Harry has said that he relies on Hermione, not on us, to find the ultimate solution. For better or for worse, dealing with Voldemort has fallen to their generation."

"After much discussion, we have agreed that it shall be your decision, Harry," Nicholas said. "Choose well."

Harry nodded slowly; somehow this changed things. The words Sirius had written ran through his mind... and the knowledge that neither Ron nor Hermione would forgive him if he tried to leave them behind again, and that he would never forgive himself if something happened to them. Ginny took his hand, and a few moments later he said, "I'd like them there, if they are willing."

Dumbledore nodded resignedly, as if this were the answer he had expected. "That brings our number to eight..."

"I'll go." Jamie said quietly.

There was a moment of silence; then Perenelle replied, "No one doubts your courage, chérie, but not only are you one of the things that Voldemort has sought, you are not yet ready for such a confrontation."

"She's right, Sis." Harry agreed. "You're not ready for this yet. You've only just started to learn about magic."

"I know. But I'm not afraid. I'm going to try not to let him frighten me again."

"An admirable sentiment, Miss Potter," Dumbledore said, "but do not let it blind you to the very real dangers Voldemort represents." He paused for a moment. "I believe we would do well to ask Bill Weasley, given his background and talents, and Remus Lupin."

"Sirius?" Harry suggested.

"Given what occurred with Bellatrix Lestrange, that could potentially present a problem," Perenelle said. "However, leaving him behind, under the circumstances, might prove difficult if not impossible. That gives us eleven. I am surprised that the Ministry did not insist on representation."

"After what happened with that young unspeakable, the Minister was willing to allow us a free hand," Dumbledore said. "I do not wish to involve Alastor, Kingsley, or Nymphadora. This may give us some chance to formulate a response before the events become widely known."

"Who will be the twelfth?" Nicholas asked.

"Charlie?" Ginny suggested.

"You family already bears a heavy burden in this matter, Ginny, but I can think of no one better suited," Dumbledore said. "Are we in agreement?" When no one spoke, Dumbledore continued: "In that case, let us meet in the kitchen fifteen minutes before midnight. Harry, will you and Ginny undertake to make Ron and Hermione aware of the situation? We will make the other necessary arrangements."

"We will," Harry replied, as the three professors rose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's almost time," Harry said. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," Ginny replied. "This wasn't how I wanted to spend our evening." After briefing Ron and Hermione, they had decided to lie down and rest for the two hours before meeting the others in the kitchen.

"You wanted an early start, right?" Harry teased.

"Something like that," Ginny said with a smile, as she watched him get ready. "What are you doing?"

"Switching wands. If something does happen..."

"Do you think it will?"

"Dumbledore didn't seem to think so," Harry replied. "If he had, I don't think he would have given in so easily on Ron and Hermione."

"Or us."

Harry nodded. "Maybe. But I was able to hold my own with him this morning. I don't think he was holding back very much."

"Have you noticed that our Dark Arts training seems to be different from Ron and Hermione's?"

"Not really. I haven't had much of a chance to watch them since the Flamels took over."

"I don't think either of them have attempted the sort of dueling that Madame Flamel has us doing. I've not seen either of them attempt anything wandless."

"I really hadn't noticed. I've been too busy dodging."

"Try watching tomorrow... or whenever we go again."

"I will. Shall we?"

They emerged from the bedroom and found Jamie waiting in the sitting room. She rose from the sofa where she had curled up with a book and approached the young couple. "Please be careful, both of you."

"We will, Sis. Don't worry."

Ginny and Jamie hugged, and then she wrapped her arms around Harry and whispered something in his ear. Harry held her close for a moment and whispered a reply.

"I'll be waiting for you here," Jamie said, as they walked out the door towards the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They met Ron and Hermione, hand in hand, on the stairs. Noting Ron's bearing and remembering how his friend used to react to the mere mention of Voldemort's name, Harry observed, "Ron, you seem pretty relaxed about this."

Ron started to reply, but Ginny interrupted. "This isn't the meeting he's worried about, Harry. That one is on Thursday night. Have you got him presentable yet, Hermione?"

Ron glared at his sister as Hermione replied, "We're working on it. He at least knows enough to leave the plugs and switches alone."

"Are you going to wear the ring?" Ginny asked.

"Yes! I'm only taking this one off for one thing, and that's to put another one on under it."

"How's that going to fly with your parents?" Ginny asked. "I thought Muggles usually settle down a lot later than wizards."

"How was it Sirius said his drummer friend used to put it? 'This is gonna go down like a lead zeppelin.'" Hermione said, not quite managing to mimic the Cockney accent Sirius had used. "My parents waited until they were almost finished with university before they got together, and it might be a bit of a shock that the norms are a bit different in our world."

"All Ron has to do is keep quiet and let Hermione handle it," Ginny said. "Right, Hermione? Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded, remembering his encounter with Arthur Weasley, as Hermione agreed, "Pretty much, especially my Dad. If Mum asks questions, just answer her simply and honestly, as long as she's not too upset. Otherwise, leave them both to me."

As they entered the kitchen, the lighthearted mood they had enjoyed on the way down evaporated. Molly was facing Dumbledore, hands on her hips, her face red. "I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT OLD FRAUD SAID, ALBUS!!! They are still CHILDREN, and they have no business whatsoever in something like this. You lot had no business taking them the last time..."

"Molly, please..." Dumbledore began.

"Don't Molly me, Albus. Even if Harry has no choice, it's foolhardy to send Hermione. The girl was in a coma just a few days ago. And Ron is..." Molly suddenly stopped as she noticed the four of them standing there.

"Mum," Harry said as he stepped forward alone towards Molly. He reached her side, and wrapping an arm around her, he guided her toward the other side of the room, away from Dumbledore and the others gathered behind him. "Listen, Mum," he said softly, so that only she could hear, "I know this is hard on you, and I'm really sorry. I wouldn't do this if there were any other way. If I could leave Ginny here, I would; but together she and I might be able to do something if that creature that came back with Sirius is under Voldemort's control. And I was the one who decided about Ron and Hermione. Don't be angry with Professor Dumbledore; be angry with me. I'm sorry, Mum, but I need them. I can't do this by myself; I need Ginny's courage, Hermione's brains, and Ron's strength."

"Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see that..."

"It's okay, Mum. You're only trying to do what you've always done, protect us. And you've done a great job; I don't know what would have happened to me if Ron hadn't become my friend... if you hadn't taken me in... if Ginny hadn't given me something to live for. When I think about Voldemort, I see my life as it could have been--what might have happened to me without the love that you and all your family have given me.

"Harry... I... I..."

"Mum, it's okay. I know you want us to be safe, but the only way that can happen is for me to deal with Voldemort. I'm sorry it has to happen now and happen this way, but this is how it has to be. You've got to let me... let us... take care of you now."

"I'm sorry..."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Mum. You don't know how much it means to me to know how much you care. And I'll do my best to take care of everyone. Would you do two things for me while we're gone?"

"What, son?"

"In our room, on the table, there's a leather folder with the letters Sirius wrote to Ginny and me. I'd like for you to read them. You never saw them, and you should have. Just tap them with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' And Jamie is upstairs in our sitting room, waiting. Would you look in on her?"

Molly nodded, and then threw her arms around him. "Please be careful, Harry."

"I will, Mum."

Molly hugged the other three young people, then turned toward Dumbledore and the others. "Be careful, Albus. All of you be careful." Then she turned and left the kitchen.

Harry glanced at his friends, then towards Dumbledore and the others near him. Ginny and Perenelle were beaming at him; most of the others were looking at him with varying degrees of surprise.

Dumbledore motioned for them to approach and quickly described what they would do. He concluded, "We have prepared a Portkey that will transport us to roughly two hundred yards from the truce flag, in a copse that will hopefully offer some cover. If nothing seems amiss, we will approach the truce flag from there. Questions?"

None were forthcoming. Dumbledore held out the Portkey, and a moment later the kitchen was empty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Harry and Ginny had gone down the stairs, Jamie had returned to her room long enough to change into her nightwear, a t-shirt and a pair of boxers Ginny had provided while Harry had pretended to object. In the admittedly short time she had been there, the fourth floor had seemed to belong strictly to Harry and his friends after lessons were over, and she had decided that it didn't really matter if Harry saw her like this. He and Ginny apparently had no secrets, and probably Ron and Hermione didn't either. She curled up on one of the sofas, the kitten beside her, apparently sleeping again.

Jamie wasn't aware of Molly's arrival, or of her watching her for a few moments from the door. She looked up, startled, as Molly walked into the room and asked, "Are you waiting up for them too, dear? Would you like some company?"

Jamie sat up and shifted, trying to tuck her legs under her as much as possible, and concealing the rest as best she could with the book as Molly took a seat on the other end of the sofa. "That'd be nice. Do you think they will be gone long?"

"It always seems like a long time to me," Molly replied. "But Professor Dumbledore seemed to think this would be fairly quick."

"I feel so useless sitting here," Jamie said. Ginny's only a little older than I am, and I'm helpless compared to the rest of them."

"They all started off like you did, dear. For some things there isn't any substitute for study and practice; there aren't many shortcuts that won't come back and bite you."

"I hope I won't be totally helpless by the time school starts."

"From what everyone's said, you're making good progress."

"I'm trying."

"I know you are, dear. Jamie, may I ask you a question?"

Jamie felt a moment's uneasiness. "Sure."

"What happened to your legs, dear? I didn't get a good look, but it looked like there was a pretty bad scar on one of them."

"Living on the streets, I guess." Jamie said, blushing, but shifting her legs so that they were visible. The long one is where I cut myself on something under a bridge one night. I think that's the one that got infected just before they found me. The rest... well... just accumulated."

"You poor dear. Why didn't you say something? You and Harry are just alike."

"When Hermione and Ginny saw them... the way they looked... I guess I was just so ashamed. I didn't want anyone to feel sorry for me. Ginny said magic could help, but there just hasn't been a time to ask..."

"I think I can do something about most of these," Molly said. "I've had a lot of practice with my kids. And don't feel bad, dear. Ginny's would look worse than yours if she hadn't been patched up regularly. She used to be quite a tomboy. A couple of those look pretty deep; if I can't do it, Madam Pomfrey can. And she'll be here again tomorrow. Would you like me to try?"

"Yes, please, would you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark among the trees where the Portkey took them. While his eyes adjusted, Harry tried to listen carefully, but he heard only the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, insects chirping and buzzing, and the distant sounds of Hogsmeade. Everyone was still for several moments, and then Dumbledore made a motion with his hand. Chris slipped away in one direction and Bill moved away in another, fading into the darkness. Perhaps two minutes later Dumbledore made another motion, and they all fanned out and moved forward slowly.

A few minutes later found them spread out in a wide semicircle around one side of the truce flag. Most of them stood about twenty feet apart, though Harry and Ginny, as planned, were only a single step apart. There was as yet no sign of Voldemort.

Two minutes after midnight, as Harry watched, several figures appeared on the other side of the truce flag. Voldemort stepped forward, illuminating himself as he had during their encounter a few days before. He stood silently for several moments, slowly surveying their ranks, then took another step forward, positioning himself just behind and to one side of the flag. "How the mighty have fallen! Have you fallen on such hard times, Dumbledore, that you must rely on children to fill your ranks?"

"These children, as you name them, Tom, have proved themselves more than capable, as you are undoubtedly reminded each time you gather your circle." Dumbledore paused for a moment, returning Voldemort's stare. "You called for a parley, Tom. I am here, as are Nicholas and Harry, as you have requested."

"Yes, I see the Alchemist, lurking as he does, in the shadows. I have often wondered, Dumbledore, does he pull your strings, or you his? And Harry Potter... I see you have chosen to follow in my footsteps by taking up with my discarded leavings. I trust the training I provided has made her sufficient to your less-discriminating standards? Or do you tolerate her obvious inadequacies because of her resemblance to your mother? Even your Mudblood has more buxom, alluring qualities. Still, given her lineage, perhaps she might be suitable for a brood mare. Or perhaps you thought to keep her and your sister as a matched set?"

Harry glanced sideways at Ginny; her face had remained as impassive as he hoped his had been. His eyes then glanced towards Ron and Hermione. Her expression matched Ginny's, but Harry could see the fury lurking behind Ron's eyes.

"Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, "we did not come to engage in idle banter. Do you have anything of substance to say?"

"Dumbledore, Dumbledore, Dumbledore, always in such a hurry to get right to the point. Very well. I was pleased with how rapidly you complied with the first portion of my instructions, and in such an acceptable way, without the necessity of discerning what magics were used on the Potter wench. Your cooperation has advanced my work significantly."

"Is there a point to this, Tom? Or have you invoked parley merely to obtain an audience for your gloating?"

"I have come to give you proof of both my capabilities and my sincerity, Dumbledore." Voldemort made a motion, and two large, masked Death Eaters moved forward, carrying something large and bulky. As they moved past Voldemort, there was just enough light to identify what looked like a large box. "As I said, Dumbledore, I can restore what Grindelwald took." The two Death Eaters had moved past the truce flag and set their box-shaped burden down. They bent down and worked at the box for a moment, and then removed the top. The two hooded figures then straightened and silently moved back behind Voldemort.

Voldemort did something to brighten the light he held. "Look, Dumbledore, SHE LIVES!" Voldemort paused, watching carefully. "The process is not yet complete, and you should understand that time is of the essence. I require a stone, or the book, or four hundred gills of the elixir. Give me what I seek, Dumbledore, and I will not only complete the process but will even restore any of those that my wand took that you should desire."

Dumbledore was silent, his eyes fixed on the form only vaguely visible in the box before the flag. Finally Nicholas replied, "If you are so certain of yourself, Riddle, why these half measures? Tell us how to complete the process, so that we can verify the truth of your words. Part of the process is still known only to you."

"So, Alchemist, it is you that pulls the strings, after all. Done." Voldemort tossed something into the open box; Harry wasn't sure but the figure inside appeared to move when whatever Voldemort had thrown landed in the box. "Given that you still mange to walk this earth, I shall assume that you still have access to an ample supply of the elixir. We shall resume..."

Whatever Voldemort was saying was cut off by a horrid screech coming from above. Harry looked up and could see something above them blotting out the stars, and then he felt it again; it was like he had fallen into a whole nest of Dementors. He stumbled towards Ginny and wrapped his arms around her--he was aware of spells flashing around him--surprisingly, almost all of them seemed to come from the other side of the flag.

The cold feeling diminished as something swooped directly overhead--Harry could feel the air move as it passed over them--and then there was another screech, and then a high-pitched scream. Whatever the thing was, it was attacking Voldemort. Spell after spell crashed into the creature from behind the Dark Lord. The creature appeared to be lifting Voldemort upwards. Its wings were flapping powerfully as it started to gain altitude, when the Dark Lord suddenly disappeared with a crack that was immediately followed by the sounds of other departures. The creature gave a furious screech, then climbed higher, wheeled, and dived again--this time towards Dumbledore. The Professor just stood there as the creature swooped down on him, struck, and started to lift him into the air.

"HARRY! GINNY! YOUR PATRONUS!!!" Perenelle screamed.

Harry had already stepped back just far enough so that they could both move; he groped for Ginny's hand as he freed his wand. As their hands came together, they moved their wands and shouted "EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!" A huge golden form took shape and sped towards the creature. It screeched again in anger, and as the two forms clashed, Dumbledore dropped heavily to the ground.

The two forms broke apart and circled, the creature apparently intending to recapture its prey, but the attacking Patronus successfully blocked the creature away from Dumbledore. Other spells were hitting the creature, but they seemed to have little effect. The Patronus attacked again, and this time, with another furious screech, the creature wheeled away and then sped off with the Patronus in pursuit.

Bill and Chris had moved up beside Dumbledore; Harry was vaguely aware of their conjuring a stretcher and levitating the Professor. He suddenly became aware of Perenelle's hand on his shoulder. He and Ginny allowed her to guide them towards the box--somehow Harry could not quite bring himself to think of what it really was--where Bill and Charlie lifted it, then they all touched the Portkey and were swept away. A moment later, only the truce flag remained.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the kitchen at Grimmauld Place came into focus, Harry stumbled, but managed to regain his balance. Then, without warning, he was suddenly supporting most of Ginny's weight as she fell against him. His knees sagged, and he would have fallen if Sirius had not caught him. Lupin saw Ginny slump and Sirius shift to support Harry when he staggered. He moved beside them and wrapped an arm around Ginny and guided her to a chair, while Sirius did the same for Harry.

Harry was aware of the beehive of activity going on around him, though he felt distant and disconnected--it was almost as if everything around them were happening in slow motion. He saw the Flamels and Chris cluster around Dumbledore, and saw Bill and Charlie lower what was unquestionably a coffin to the floor. Perenelle began issuing instructions, while Chris and Nicholas continued to huddle over Dumbledore. She had started to use her communicator, but suddenly stopped and dispatched Bill, Charlie, and Lupin to Hogwarts instead, with instructions to seek out Poppy Pomfrey, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape, and bring them back as quickly as possible. Ron was sent to find Molly, while Hermione was tasked with finding chocolate. Sirius continued to hover over Harry and Ginny.

Harry felt Ginny slide her hand into his. There were no words, but he could feel her weariness and exhaustion. She was drained more than he was. Harry remembered how shaky and pale Ginny had been just after bringing Sirius through; perhaps it had been the effect of the creature or of the Patronus that had been the cause, rather than the Portkey.

Harry watched dully as Perenelle knelt beside the coffin. There was no sign of the lid; perhaps it had been left behind. She remained there for several moments, peering within, then placed her hand inside. Sometime later she finally stood, holding what looked like a roll of parchment.

Perenelle conferred with Nicholas and Chris, and then Chris knelt beside the coffin and Nicholas began levitating the stretcher containing Dumbledore towards the door. Harry heard Perenelle ask Sirius to accompany Nicholas and help him settle Dumbledore into one of the second-floor bedrooms, and then to prepare another bedroom. Sirius had started to protest, but Perenelle assured him she would take care of Harry and Ginny.

Hermione returned not long afterwards, carrying a small carpetbag that contained a wide selection of sweets. She commented wryly that Ron wasn't going to be very happy; she had raided his personal stash that he believed she did not know about. Perenelle asked Hermione to sit with Harry and Ginny, and to try and get them to take some of the chocolate.

After looking carefully at the almost-dazed young couple, Perenelle rejoined Chris beside the coffin. They talked softly, and apparently a decision was reached. Both bent over the coffin, their hands reaching inside, and then Chris levitated the body and guided it toward the door. Ron returned and announced that Molly was helping Nicholas and Sirius, and then Perenelle dispatched him again to assist Chris.

Harry finally got a good look at the person--or body--that had been inside the coffin. It was a woman who appeared to be around Molly's age, maybe a little older. She was very pale... Then he became aware of Perenelle settling beside him and placing her hand on top of their already joined hands. The room seemed to suddenly come into clearer focus.

"Are you well, mes enfants aimés?"

"I... I think so," Ginny managed. "I'm exhausted."

"I am, too," Harry said.

"Take some chocolate; it will help," Perenelle said encouragingly. What Hermione had placed before them was untouched. "When you have regained a little strength, you both should retire for the night. Draw what comfort you need from one another, and then sleep for as long as you will. I was proud of how all of you remained stalwart while Voldemort railed."

"How... how did he know? I thought that... that it had... been destroyed." Ginny whispered.

"Wormtail," Harry said. "It's only a memory of a memory of a nightmare, Ginny, and the words of a murdering liar."

"And only said in hopes of provoking a reaction. Voldemort would have relished nothing better than one of us violating the truce, so he could demand sanctions," Perenelle added. Seeing Jamie quietly enter the kitchen, she waved for her to join them.

Harry felt her gossamer touch on his shoulder; he turned and wrapped an arm around her waist. "We're okay, Sis. Just a little tired."

"I was a little worried when Ron rushed in to get his Mom. Are you really okay?"

"Yeah. Things got a little busy for a moment..." and then he remembered what had happened to Dumbledore. "Is Professor Dumbledore all right?"

"I hope so, Harry," Perenelle replied, but Harry could see the worry in her face... and feel it through whatever connection their joined hands gave them. "Poppy Pomfrey is already with them upstairs. She had a portkey directly to the upstairs hall."

"And what..." Harry started to ask.

Perenelle shook her head and after a moment softly replied, "It did appear to be Cassandra. And her body, at least, was alive, though I would say only by the barest margin. For now, we all have many more questions than answers."

Ron entered the kitchen, walked to the table, and took a seat by Hermione. "Mum said to tell you that everyone from Hogwarts are... well, were upstairs; they used Madam Pomfrey's Portkey to get here. But Madam Pomfrey sent Snape and Charlie back to Hogwarts to get some things, and she sent Bill and Professor Lupin to St. Mungo's to track down a healer. Professor Flamel would like you to join them," Ron looked at Perenelle, "as soon as you can."

"Ginny, how are you feeling, chère fille?" Perenelle asked. "Do you think you can make it upstairs on your own? Or shall I craft a Portkey?"

"I think I can..."

"Non," Perenelle said, "I think it best if... or, Hermione, would you mind?"

"Of course not." Hermione took the key ring and a moment later, it glowed blue. "Grimmauld Express, directly to the master bedroom."

"May I depend on the three of you," Perenelle asked, looking at Hermione, Ron, and Jamie in turn, "to assist Harry and Ginny upstairs?"

"Sure," Ron replied. "We'll tuck them in."

"Very well, then. Do not hesitate to call for me in the night," Perenelle said. "Both Nicholas and I will be here."

Harry nodded; Perenelle gave their hands a squeeze and walked quickly out of the room.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked.

Harry glanced at Ginny; she nodded. "I think so." Harry carefully stood, with Jamie on one side and Ron behind him. Hermione helped Ginny to stand; then, touching the Portkey, Harry felt the familiar yank as they were transported to the fourth floor.

"You are getting better at landings," Ron said. Ron, Hermione, and Jamie hovered over them as Harry and Ginny walked the short distance to their bed and sat down. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"I can't think of anything. Thank you all," Ginny said. "We'll be okay in the morning."

"You better be," Ron said. "You two owe me a trip to Honeydukes' tuck shop."

"Good night, Harry. Good night, Ginny," Hermione said, as she and Ron left. "We'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," Ginny said.

"Harry, is there anything I can do? Ginny?" Jamie asked.

"I can't think of a thing, Sis." Harry replied.

"Okay, but I'm going to sleep on the couch out there."

"That's not necessary," Harry objected.

"Maybe not, but I want to. Just call me if you need anything, even a glass of water," Jamie said.

"Thanks, Jamie," Ginny said, as Jamie left, closing the door softly behind her.

Harry and Ginny did little more than toss aside their outer clothing and remove their shoes and socks before falling back onto their bed. Ginny curled beside him as had become their custom, but Harry had known since they first joined hands downstairs that she had been troubled by what Voldemort had said. He ran his hand along her arm and asked, "Want to talk about it?"

"Yes... no... I... I don't know. I'm...um..."

"It's okay. Just tell me."

"Am I... inadequate, Harry? Was Voldemort right?"

"Ginny! No! You can't be serious... You're my life."

"No, not... not like that. Are you disappointed in me? How I look? Even Voldemort said Hermione was more attractive," Ginny's voice dropped to a whisper, "because she's... bigger... than me."

It took Harry moment before he understood what she meant. "I don't fancy Hermione... or her, um, you know...."

"You fancied Cho... and she's got bigger boobs than Hermione."

"I only fancied her before I got to know her, Gin. She was all fur coat and no knickers. Besides, that... um, sort of thing, it just isn't important."

"I want you to be happy, Harry, not just tolerating me... I'll do whatever it takes... I could even take polyjuice when it's just the two of us."

"No," Harry said, gently. "Ginny, you are all my heart desires, exactly as you are... I wouldn't change one freckle, even if I could."

Ginny giggled. "I'm not sure I'd go quite that far."

"I would."

"What if I asked you to prove it?"

"I thought you were exhausted," Harry said as he pulled her closer.

"I'm not that exhausted."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH HARRY AND GINNY!!!" Molly yelled at Ron. After leaving Harry and Ginny, they had descended to the second floor, where they met Molly, who was rushing towards the stairway.

"Mum, there's nothing wrong," Ron replied. "They're both okay, they're just really knac... um, exhausted."

Hermione nodded, supporting Ron. "They really are fine; Madame Flamel just asked us to make sure they got upstairs okay. They went straight to bed."

"Why wasn't anyone else affected? What happened?" Molly demanded.

Hermione suddenly looked thoughtful. "They cast a Patronus together, just like Harry did when we got Sirius back... and they were both really drained after that, too."

Molly looked at them closely, seemed to decide they were not concealing anything, then asked, "And both of you are all right as well?" They both nodded; then Perenelle, from somewhere down the hall, called for Molly. "Listen, there's nothing you could do here now other than get in the way. Go on to your rooms; it's late enough already." Not even waiting to see if they had started back up the stairs, Molly turned and moved briskly back down the hall.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look; Hermione nodded at the stairs and Ron shrugged. They climbed back to the third floor together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jamie suddenly woke. The reflexes honed from her years on the streets were now fully engaged; she was wide awake and completely still, with all of her senses straining for some clue as to what had awakened her.

There--she heard something move--and she could just make out a shape in the not-quite-complete darkness. Someone, or something, was in the room with her. Just a few days ago, her only thought would have been to run or hide... but now... weren't there options? As well as her... her... family... depending on her?

Jamie groped for her wand. She had placed it atop the book she had been reading earlier. Her fingers closed around the cool wood, then she shifted up into a sitting position and then stood. "Lumos!" she cried, then prepared to cast the only defensive spell she had learned, the disarming spell.

Molly jumped back, surprised and startled. "Oh, Jamie, dear, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's... it's okay. I was just startled."

"I was just going to look in on the kids," Molly said, as she walked over to the sofa and sat down. Jamie sat beside her, shaking slightly as the adrenalin drained away. "I didn't know anything had happened to them until they were already in bed... or that you were here. Did you fall asleep revising?"

"No... I... er..."

"You were watching over them, weren't you?"

"Yes." Jamie seemed almost embarrassed by the admission. "They both were kinda wiped out. I said I'd be here if they needed anything, even a glass of water."

"I feel a lot better knowing you're here, dear. Do you mind if I take a quick peek, just to be sure?"

Jamie shook her head, and Molly stood and walked quietly to the bedroom door, and lighting the tip of her own wand, cracked the door open and looked in for a few seconds. She gently closed the door, and walked back toward Jamie. "They're both asleep. Thank you; will you try and get back to sleep? I'm sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay. I'm... fine, really."

Molly sat down beside Jamie and put an arm around the girl's shoulder. "Is something bothering you, dear? I can't help if I don't know what it is."

Jamie looked down and mumbled, "It's nothing."

"The little things can sometimes wear you down more than the big ones, dear. And if it's bothering you, it's more than nothing."

"It's... this.... All of this." Jamie said, seeming to deflate. "Harry and everyone coming to find me... even though all they had was a name... and a... and a rap sheet. Not just Harry... but Ginny and Hermione and Ron and you and everyone else... you treat me like I belong here, not like some worthless delinquent from the street. Madame Flamel said that Uncle Sirius and Uncle Severus had been fighting a vicious feud that started before I was born, and... and they ended it to work together to find me. Your son, Ron, told me I was family, and all of them have gone out of their way to include me in things and teach me magic. Last night, when you fixed my legs, you didn't laugh or tell me what an ungrateful little brat I was... you... you understood... and you just did it.

"It's just so much... this house, my own room... clean sheets, a pet all my own. You making sure I eat. At the store, I would have been thrilled to have a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts, but they wouldn't stop until they had enough to fill... what's it called? The wardrobe. And the broom, and the books, and the hours Hermione has spent teaching me..." Jamie looked directly into Molly's eyes. "How can I even begin to repay that? How can I help, instead of being a burden on everyone?"

Molly was silent for several minutes. "Jamie... I can't even begin to imagine what your life must have been like back in the States... But family isn't like that. Love isn't an exchange of value for value or something to be bartered. Love... love is about giving... and what it gives back. I met Harry when he was eleven, when he and Ron were leaving for their first year at Hogwarts. This little boy had been dumped at a huge railway station and left to find his own way, with all his things, all on his own. Though I didn't know it then, he'd never traveled or ever been much of anywhere; but there he was, doing his best to make his way. All he asked was how to get to the train.

"I ached for that little boy then... so brave and unassuming, and worst of all, acting like this was normal, fending for himself... and then we found out who he was: Harry Potter, the hero who had defeated Voldemort ten years before. It was bad enough that any child would have been treated this way--but this child had saved our world.

"Harry and Ron became friends on the train to Hogwarts. That year was a particularly difficult one for our family, with four children at Hogwarts, and I didn't even have a few Knuts to give Ron for the train. Harry had money, and Ron said he bought out the trolley, and then acted like Ron was doing him a favor by letting him share it with him.

"I learned a lot about Harry from what Ron and the twins wrote home... and he found a place in my heart, not because he was a hero or an orphan, but because of who and what he was, and what he had come to mean to my youngest son. That Christmas I knitted him a sweater, like I've done for all my children every year since they were small, because Ron said Harry wasn't expecting any Christmas presents at all. My heart broke when Ron told me how he loved that sweater, and how proud he was to be seen with it, especially together with Ron and the Twins in theirs. That meant more to me than I can put into words.

"I feel like Harry's my son. I love him like any of the children I gave birth to. I would care about you, Jamie, if for no other reason than that you're his sister, and because he cares about you. And to Harry, having a family and having some place where he belongs is very important. But I've also got to know you a little, Jamie, and I see the same qualities that I love and admire in Harry in you. I've tried to be careful not to push or overwhelm you, but you have your own place in my heart, one that's grown from just what I've seen tonight. I saw the stance you took when you lit your wand, Jamie. You were prepared to duel." Molly hugged Jamie to her for a moment. "Your being here is not a burden, Jamie; it has been a great gift. And I can tell you this: when Harry hears what you did tonight, he will consider himself repaid a thousand times over."

"Indeed," Perenelle said from the doorway. "There is no greater gift you could give to Harry, Jamie. Molly, I presume you have checked on them?" Molly nodded as Perenelle entered and walked toward the bedroom door. "Might I do so as well?" She asked, and this time both Molly and Jamie nodded.

Like Molly earlier, Perenelle eased the door open for a few moments, and then quietly closed it. "Bon. They have done as I asked, and are now sleeping."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you know if Brian found anything?" Perenelle asked.

"He said he had begun looking through the parchments, but no more," Nicholas replied. "Given the circumstances... I do not know if we should forge ahead, proceed blindly, or wait."

"Unless I am gravely mistaken, we do not have long to reach a decision. And Voldemort's parchment supports that."

"If anything, I believe Voldemort's estimates were generous."

"Then we should be prepared."

Nicholas nodded slowly. "I almost fear to return to Hogwarts. Or what I should hope for if I do."

"You mean Pymander and Fawkes... and Praetor?"

Nicholas again nodded. "It may already have passed."

"In either case, beloved, you must consult with Harry. You saw what they did tonight."

"You suspected even before, did you not?"

"Not at first, but later; the possibility occurred to me after Praetor saved Jamie."

"You and I have never attempted it... and Brian and Cassandra never joined."

"It is indeed ironic," Perenelle said. "Tonight, after helping to evoke a spell, perhaps for the second time, not seen since Merlin and Nimue, Ginny returns home to worry over Voldemort's lies, that she is somehow lacking."

"They are still both quite young, and Voldemort unfortunately is all too aware of both of their vulnerabilities."

"I only hope that he is in the same shape, or worse, than Brian. That would buy us time."

"True, but there is one decision where we do not have much time. I shall return shortly with the elixir."