Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Fourteen: Of Dueling, Training,
Flying, Dating, and Dreaming

Where has my heart gone?
An uneven trade for the real world;
I want to go back to:
Believing in everything
And knowing nothing at all.
~Evanescence: Field of Innocence

The next two weeks were some of the happiest of Harry's life. He and Ginny spent most of their free time together and were the topic among the gossipers. His classes were going well; he had even managed to get an O on his last potion. His training with Thia was great. They had spent a lot of the time Tuesday talking about his mum and dad. She told him about them, why they went out and why they got married.

Tonight was going to be the first dueling lesson in D.A. The members had decided that they'd meet on the weekends if that meant they'd get to the dueling sooner. Harry was a little apprehensive about teaching this; he wasn't that great at it yet. He had made sure that Thia was going to supervise this meeting so that she could help him out if needed. He thought he would need it.

"Good, evening everyone. Welcome to our first dueling lesson. First some rules. Do not use any spells that are overly harmful. Do not use any spells that you don't know the counter for. Do not interrupt another duel on purpose. Do not resort to physical attacks. Do not break these rules. If you do, I won't let you participate. If too many people break the rules, well, I'll stop teaching you this. Understood?" Everyone nodded.

"Good. We'll start then. Ron, would you help me demonstrate a duel?" He got up and walked to the front of the room. Tonight, Harry had required a larger room and this was exactly what he wanted. Ron, who had known about this, turned to face Harry. They bowed to each other, never taking their eyes off the other. They turned and walked five steps away from each other. Harry turned quickly and before Ron was ready shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Ron got a shield up just in time and shot back the same spell. Harry saw it coming and dodged to the left. He raised his wand and yelled, "Furnuculus!" Ron didn't get out of the way and the spell hit his right cheek. A large boil appeared.

"Tarantallegra!" Ron shouted angrily at Harry. Harry decided to take the spell and started to dance when it hit him.

He pointed his wand at himself and whispered, "Finite." He turned towards Ron and yelled, "Stupefy!" The spell flew quickly, but Ron moved to the left, right into the path of a second stunner Harry had sent quietly right after the first one. Harry walked over to wake Ron up and heal the boil on his face.

The class clapped for the two and Harry saw Thia's small nod of approval. "Quiet, please." Everyone became silent. It always amazed Harry when they listened to him like that. "So, I'm guessing from your applause that you liked that." There were many nods. "What can you tell me about it?"

They looked at one another, not sure what he meant. "Let me explain myself, what did we do that was good and what did we do that was wrong?"

"That second stunner was a brilliant idea. That was a good idea." Harry nodded at the fifth year Slytherin.

"Correct. It was a gamble though. What if Ron had fallen the other way? How did I make sure Ron fell to the left of me?" Harry waited until everyone had given up. "Ron?"

"You shot it slightly to my right. If I would have fallen that way, I might still have hit it. So I went left and right into the second stunner."

"Good. That's something for the rest of you to think about. If you want your opponent to go somewhere, make it the most appealing choice. Anything else?"

"Ron didn't turn quick enough," Hermione said reproach filling her voice.

"No, he didn't. But no one turns fast enough in a duel against a better dueler. Always try to be the first to cast a spell, whether it's offensive or defensive. Anything else?"

"Why'd you take that spell?" Cho asked quietly.

"Because a shield charm costs more energy than just removing that spell once it hit. I knew how to end it and knew that once it hit I would be able to end it. In a short duel against a friend that's not that important, but in a battle it is." After that he had them duel, two at a time and he watched them closely. They followed the rules with a few exceptions. He was surprised when the Slytherins were the only house not to break the rules. Temper was the major reason that the other houses broke the rules. Or, more particularly, the lack of control over said temper. But before he knew it, it was eight and time for them to go.

"Well, everyone, good night. We'll meet sometime next week. Cho, Zachariah and Katie if you'd stay for a bit." They talked about Quidditch practices and figured out the best times for the next meeting. Katie and Harry walked back the common room talking about their team.

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The next day was Saturday and Harry had a lesson with Thia at ten that morning. He got up as early as normally did and dressed for a run. When he got back, hardly anyone was up. He showered and then went down to eat. He waited until Ginny joined him and talked to her while she ate. They walked back to the dorm and played a game of chess. She beat him soundly and Harry pretended to pout. Ginny got up and left him, pretending to be disgusted by him. He got up and caught up to her. Hardly anyone was in there, so Harry kissed her.

"I thought my one rule about you two dating was that I couldn't catch you kissing," Ron said grumpily right next to them. It startled them and they jumped apart. Ron smiled happily.

"Well, if that's the way you're going to play, Ron Weasley," Harry said as Ron kissed Hermione good morning. "I don't want to catch you snogging my sis either." Hermione smiled at Harry happily and then mockingly at Ron.

Ron grumbled something unintelligibly and then said, "Fine," with his usual morning cheerfulness. They sat talking for a long time, but it was soon 9:45 so Harry said bye.

"Ron, turn and look the other way," Ginny said sweetly to her brother. When he didn't, she mumbled, "Prat." She wrapped her arms around Harry and kissed him soundly. Harry felt his hands slip into her hair and loved the feel of it. Unfortunately, the common room was filling up again and Dean and Seamus entered the room. They took one look at the kissing couple and started cat calling. Harry broke the kiss reluctantly and glared at his roommates. He hugged Ginny and whispered, "Bye, Gin," in her ear.

Ten minutes later he was outside the door of the Dark Arts classroom. He entered it and saw, to his surprise, Remus looking at the Wall. Thia was standing next to him, pointing out some photos. "Hey," he said to let them know that he was here.

"Hey, Harry," Thia said happily. "Remus is here to help today. We're hoping that he'll be able to come every weekend when there isn't a full moon. We didn't think you'd mind."

"No, it's great to see you, Remus." He looked at the Wall. It had grown ever so slowly over the weeks. Voldemort was getting active; there was a Revelry at least once a week. Many of the pictures were cut outs from the paper that Harry put up. Others were photos of lost family members. "What are we doing today?" he asked turning away from the photos.

"The normal, but you're going to duel both of us, one at a time. The other is going to watch and comment after. Alright?" Harry nodded.

"Who's first?" Harry asked eager to get started.

"I am," Remus said stepping forward. The duel was short, even by Harry's standards. Remus had the upper hand the whole time and could have ended it at any moment he wanted. Harry awoke groggy from the stunner that had hit him.

"What'd I do wrong?" Harry asked once his mind cleared.

"Nothing much, Harry," Thia answered overly cheery. "Remus is levels above you and he didn't dumb it down like he was supposed to, the git," she said hitting his shoulder.

"You dumb it down?" Harry asked her surprised.

"Of course I do, Harry," she said smiling. "Not as much as I would for any of your classmates, but I do. I always stay several steps ahead of a student. I'm never leaps and bounds beyond them; it doesn't help them much in the long run. Now, one thing I noticed though..." Harry listened to her recount the short fight, picking it apart, telling him how to improve his odds against a tougher opponent.

"Thia, your turn," Remus said once she was finished. The duel between Harry and Thia lasted longer, but not by much. Once they were done and Harry revived, Remus went through it carefully. He not only told Harry what to do differently, but he gave Thia directions also. She put up with it; Remus was the older one, so she was used to it.

After that, Thia quizzed him on all the spells that he had learnt so far this year. She did that every so often so that he wouldn't forget them. Harry was surprised at how easy he found remembering these spells to be. He had noticed that his memory had been improving over the past few weeks. At the end of the training session, the three of them sat down to drink a cup of tea, as was Thia and Harry's custom.

"So what do you think?" Remus asked Harry quietly.

"Does he know?" Harry asked Thia instead. She nodded and a shadow passed over Remus' face.

"Your father told me," Remus said quietly, "when he gave me that box with the rings. Sirius had already known. Your dad never thought about telling Peter, which was a blessing in disguise I suppose."

"Harry, have you opened your mum's gift?" Thia asked him. Harry looked at her and shook his head. He hadn't thought about it much over the past month and a half. "Why not?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know. It never feels like the right time. At first it was because I never could find a time to be alone at the Weasleys'. Then school started and I had to get in the swing of things. I was learning to balance everything all of September. Now, well," a faint blush rose on his cheeks, "I haven't thought about it much 'cause of... stuff."

"You mean, your girlfriend?" Remus asked. The faint color deepened to a nice rosy red. "Molly was thrilled when she heard the news. If Ginny had rejected you that day, I think Molly would have come to Hogwarts herself and knocked some sense into the girl," Remus added with a chuckle. "How is it going?"

"It's great," Harry answered shyly, but truthfully.

"They're the talk of Hogwarts, Remy," she told her brother with a huge smile. "Always holding hands when they're together. Both have been caught writing notes to the other in class." Harry felt his cheeks burn from the blush now. Snape had loved catching Harry reading one note Ginny had written him. Snape had enjoyed reading it out loud even more. As for writing notes, well, he had written it after a Dark Arts test and Thia hadn't said much about it. "They sneak peeks in the hallways when they think no one's looking. Peeves has even written a little ditty for them." She sighed romantically and Remus burst out laughing.

"Shut it, Remus. I'm happy, even with that stupid song," Harry said loudly. He had started controlling his temper better since the night the Burrow was attacked. He shouldn't be angry anyway, but Thia had been teasing him endlessly about the rumors.

"Oh, I'm not really laughing at you, Harry. Did Peeves just change the first names? I don't think he rhymed Evans with anything," Remus asked Thia between his laughs. She nodded. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry about that song. Sirius and I helped Peeves write it for your mum and dad after they became an item. We did it to get back at James for something he'd done to us, I can't remember what though."

"He had put a dye in their shampoo bottles," Thia remarked casually. "Their hair was green for a week and a half. Sirius had been particularly furious about that because he especially hated that color. That was, of course, the reason James picked it."

"Lily hated that song. She was madder than James was about it. You and her got us good, though," he said to Thia.

"What'd they do?" Harry asked when neither elaborated. Thia gave Remus a questioning look, but he nodded.

"I've always wondered how Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff had convinced the other two guys that girls were more trustworthy than the boys," she said thoughtfully. "We snuck into their room and charmed all of their undergarments. They couldn't go under clothes, so they jumped a layer and Remus and Sirius had to wear them on the outside."

"Couldn't you take them off and go commando?" Harry asked Remus.

"Nah, Lily and Thia thought of that," Remus said fondly. "If we tried to take the pants off, the underwear would jump back a layer and not come off. So we were stuck until they told us the counter-charm."

"And they had to pay for that charm." Thia smiled at Remus. "In the end, we made them do a runway walk in the common room that night. And they promised not to prank Lily or I in return." Thia was laughing hard. Remus couldn't stop smiling.

"What'd you do to them?" Harry asked, knowing that there had been some kind of retaliation.

"Now, Harry," Remus said laughing and shaking his head, "if we do this, we'd be talking for weeks. Whatever started that prank war had happened in the first year and never ended until James and Lily died, Sirius sent to Azkaban, and Thia and Peter disappeared, believed dead. So how's school?"

"Fine. I like the classes. Even Potions surprisingly." Harry thought for a moment. "It helps that Snape isn't breathing down our necks though. If he wasn't ignoring us, I don't think I'd like it that much. Our Defense teacher is almost as brilliant as our third year Defense teacher. She's good though." Harry thought for a moment. "What's up with the investigation of Fudge?"

"Oh, he's delaying it," Remus said rolling his eyes. "Percy took the blame for the smuggling, though we all know that he was working under orders. That little trial slowed it down for a bit. At the moment, the Ministry is planning something and it's keeping some of the Heads too busy to get to the meetings. Completely by chance, Fudge has just as many Heads busy so the investigation has to stop. If a certain amount is missing they can't meet. It's a mess, but it only makes it more obvious that he needs to be removed. Once the Heads can meet and finish the paper work they need, they'll have him out of there with a replacement in until Britain's wizarding community can vote on it officially."

"Molly took Percy's crime badly. She has no idea what she did wrong with him, but it's not her fault," Thia said shaking her head. "It's just something in Percy's personality. My turn to ask a question," Thia said brightly. She started to say something, but Remus stopped her.

Instead he asked, "Why'd you add all those pictures of people you don't know?"

"'Cause, I feel like I know some of them because I watched them die," Harry answered quietly. This time Remus tried to say something, but Thia stopped him. "The others deserve to be remembered. The students need to realize just how much suffering Voldemort continues to causes, to everyone." Harry shook his head.

"Do you have trouble sleeping?" Thia asked worried. He looked up at her startled. "It's not that hard to tell, Harry. Every one of your teachers have remarked about how tired you look to me at one point or another."

"Yeah, nightmares," he said looking at his shoes. "I think I need to go. I promised Ginny, Ron, and Hermione that I'd be back in the common room in time to walk with them to lunch." Harry got up and left, noticing the look that Remus and Thia exchanged.

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The next week's weather took a turn for the worse. The rain came down hard; it almost seemed like a never-ending sheet of water was falling from the sky. The wind was blowing hard; it was difficult to even walk straight for a few feet. And of course, Harry and Katie decided that the Quidditch team still needed to practice. Their first game against Slytherin was just about a month away and both captains had decided that the practice would be good if they played in the rain.

"I thought you said we weren't practicing in thunderstorms," Ginny complained to Harry as thunder boomed outside.

"I never said that. What I said was that I wouldn't make you practice everyday in it," Harry answered putting a charm on his glasses so that he could see in the rain.

"No, mate," Ron said grumpily. "You said that you wouldn't take after Wood and it sure feels like you are." They were now standing at the entrance to the pitch looking out at the field.

"Must you all complain?" Katie asked testily. "Just because there's a little rain doesn't mean we have to cancel practice."

"You call that a little rain," Sloper said, pointing out at the pitch. "You can't even see the grass through the rain."

"It's nothing," Harry said rolling his eyes. "I've played in worse conditions. Now, everyone mount and get out there."

Practice went well considering the weather. The wind blew the quaffle all over the pitch and the Chasers were literally chasing after it. Harry had no chance of seeing the snitch, so they hadn't even released it. He didn't want to run the risk of losing it. Instead he worked with the Beaters, because the bludgers still worked fine in the weather. Finally, after a peal of thunder Katie whistled for the end of practice.

"Just a little rain," Ron mumbled peeling the wet clothing from him. "I'll be lucky if I ever dry out."

"I'm sure Hermione knows something to help you out," Harry said thoughtfully. "I wonder if there's some charm that could withstand a cold rainy game and still keep us warm and dry."

"Do we have practice tomorrow?" Kirke asked carefully.

"Why would we?" Harry asked after he pulled his head through his school robe. "We never practice two days in a row. Though maybe we should," he added thoughtfully. "Hey, Katie," he yelled to the girl's side of the changing room, "Hufflepuff cancelled their practice right!"

"Yeah, why?" she yelled back.

"'Cause Kirke wants to practice tomorrow and we should if we can get the pitch."

"I never said that," Kirke yelled. "I was just wondering."

"Isn't the D.A. meeting tomorrow?" Ginny's voice said. Harry heard Ron, Kirke, and Sloper sigh in relief.

"Yeah, but I can always move it." Harry smiled at the looks on their faces. Oh, sometimes he loved authority. He met Katie in the main part of the locker room and they exchanged smiles. The other team members were staring grumpily at the two.

"We'll, quit, Harry," Ginny said forcefully. "And you don't want your girlfriend pissed at you."

"Oh, in that case," Harry said pretending to be frightened. "I don't think we can practice tomorrow. I can't have her mad at me."

"Oh, but I disagree, Harry," Katie said thoughtfully. "The way she was flying today, well, I think that she needs to practice. Maybe everyone but her can have the day off, but Ginny needs it." Ginny stuck out her tongue and started to storm out of the locker room.

"Wait, Gin," Harry caught up to her. He embraced her, hearing Ron's groan of disgust, and leaned his mouth next to her ear. "How about I move the D.A. meeting and everyone else but you and me can have practice? We'll stay nice and dry in the Room of Requirement." She giggled and nodded.

"But that's not very fair, Harry. Why do they have to practice?" she asked motioning to the team members just a few feet away. Harry turned her around to face him.

"Because, otherwise Ron and Hermione would be using it." Harry laughed at the disgusted sound Ginny made at the thought of her brother and his girlfriend making out.

"Harry, Ginny, if you're done?" Katie asked impatiently. "We won't have practice tomorrow. Get warm, eat well, and sleep a lot. 'Til next Monday, everyone." She left, followed by Natalie, Kirke, and Sloper.

"Do you guys have to do that in front of me?" Ron asked slightly nauseated. Harry and Ginny had leaned together for a kiss once the door shut behind Sloper.

"No," Ginny said breathlessly. "You could leave and give us some privacy." She kissed Harry again, running her fingers through his hair. Harry loved it when she did that; it felt so calming.

"And leave you with him?" Ron asked, trying to keep his supper down. "I don't think so. I'm not leaving until you both do."

"Ron, I won't do anything to hurt her," Harry said, blushing slightly when his voice broke. "If you can't trust me, who can you trust?"

"It's not really you I'm worried about, Harry," Ron said apologetically. He was happy now, because they were heading back up to the castle. Talking on the way up was impossible, so he had to wait until they arrived in the Entrance Hall to finish his thought. "I'm worried about what Ginny would do to you now that she has you." Ginny punched him hard and pulled Harry down a corridor.

"You want to do something this weekend? I don't know what, with the weather the way it is, but..." she trailed off, slightly worried by the expression on Harry's face.

"Sure," he said after a moment. "I think I even have a plan. Do you trust me?" She nodded. "Good. Meet me here at 5:30 Saturday evening and don't eat."

They kissed goodbye, Ginny left for the common room and Harry went to talk with Dobby about dinner Saturday night.

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"Do you trust me?" Harry asked her that Saturday evening. The weather was still horrible, so Harry had gone through with his plan. He had managed to keep it from Ginny since the Tuesday they had arranged for it.

"Harry, you know I do," Ginny answered angrily. She wasn't too happy with Harry for keeping this a secret. She hated not knowing things and Harry knew that.

"Then put this blindfold on. And don't try to cheat. Fred and George charmed it somehow to do something if you cheat." Ginny glared at him, but Harry just smiled. She slipped it on and slipped her hand into his. "Follow me." Harry took her up several staircases and down countless corridors until he reached the entrance to the Room of Requirement. "Stay right here and don't take that blindfold off." He paced three times past the bit of wall where the door would appear. He thought of the place he had created the other day and on the last turn saw a wonderfully carved wooden door appear.

He slipped his hand into hers again and led her through the door. Dobby followed them in, surprisingly quiet, and placed the picnic supper near Harry and left.

Harry stood behind Ginny and carefully took the blindfold off. He slid it from her face and heard her gasp in amazement. They were on top of an extremely high cliff. The land continued to go for as far as the eye could see in front of them. To their right and down hundreds of feet was an ocean; they could just hear its roar. And to their left was the world stretched out beneath them. Dead center between the two edges was an old oak tree, it's branches spread far and wide. The sun was high in the sky, there was little wind, and the temperature was just right. Harry had thought of this place and knew he'd be coming here to think from now on.

"It wonderful, Harry," Ginny whispered in amazement.

"Then you like it?" Ginny hit him and went to look out at the land, looking at the farms, forests, villages, and towns that made a checker board out of it.

Harry spread out the blanket under the tree and laid out the meal. They were all of Ginny's favorites. "Come, eat, Gin." Harry and Ginny laughed throughout the whole meal and enjoyed the food immensely. They were now sitting, Harry leaning against the tree and Ginny with her head in his lap. She was holding his hand and stroking it absently. Harry was brushing her silky hair with his fingers.

"How'd you think of this place, Harry?" Ginny asked after several minutes of silence.

"Oh, well, I like high places, so I knew it would have to be a cliff. I love looking at pictures of the ocean, but I've never been there. That's why there's the ocean." He motioned vaguely to the right. "But flying high over England the summer before fifth year made me appreciate the view from the sky. So that's why there's land," he said motioning to the left. "The tree's for shade and the weather is wonderful." He leaned down and kissed her slightly opened lips. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it!" Ginny said, pulling his neck back towards her and they kissed briefly. "And Hermione was worried you'd be clueless about finding a place to have a date." They both laughed and sat in silence. "Why do you like heights? Or, rather, why'd this have to be a cliff?" she asked running her fingers along his leg.

"I love heights. I think best in the air." He paused for a moment. "The hardest thing about Umbridge's ban wasn't that I couldn't play Quidditch. It was that I couldn't fly. I started to climb the Astronomy Tower last year to think, but now, I think I'm going to come here." Harry traced her jawbone and felt her shiver when he tickled her.

"Don't tickle me," she said, feigning anger. They sat the rest of the evening in silence, just enjoying the other's presence. They packed up the picnic and went to the door. It stood in the middle of nowhere, seeming to lead to nowhere, but when Harry opened the door, Hogwarts castle was on the other side.

They said goodnight at the bottom of the dorm steps and Ginny headed straight to bed. Harry walked over to where Hermione and Ron were sitting in one of the larger chairs together. "So I couldn't find a decent place to take her on a date, could I?" Harry asked Hermione.

"So you did. Well, I'm impressed. Where'd you take her?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Ask her yourself; I'm sure she'll spill the beans to all of you fifth, sixth, and seventh year girls." Hermione nodded, kissed Ron goodnight, and followed Ginny upstairs.

"Why'd you have to go and make her leave?" Ron asked complaining.

"'Cause I enjoy watching you two cuddling as much as you enjoy watching me and Gin cuddle." Harry laughed at the face Ron pulled and sat across from him. They played one game of chess and Harry told him the basics of the date. They were the only two up (it was about eleven) and they enjoyed being alone to talk. It had seemed like a long time since they had had a chance to talk. But, Harry never broached the one topic he wanted to talk about now: the Prophecy. He had decided earlier in the week that he was ready to tell them. However, he couldn't figure out how.

"Reckon we should go to bed," Ron said yawning. Harry nodded and followed him up the stairs. They changed silently and mumbled goodnights. Harry climbed into bed and pulled the curtain around him.

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"I'm here to collect a debt, Jones. Do not make your brats pay for you." Voldemort's high cold voice rang in the quiet house. The only sounds were the crying of three young children; Harry thought the oldest couldn't be more than eight. They were hurt, tortured by the Death Eaters surrounding them. "If you can not tell me where the location of the headquarters for that little resistance group the fool Dumbledore started, I'm going to kill your brats."

Hestia Jones started to cry. "Please, don't kill them. They don't deserve to die. Just kill me and my husband." The man, lying next to her, nodded in agreement. "You know we can't tell you, even if we had wanted to."

"Wrong answer. Bella, kill the brats." Three quick spells and the three children were dead, never to feel the pain again.

Hestia and her husband stared at them shocked. Neither was sobbing, they couldn't. "Now," Voldemort started, "is there a spy?" Neither would answer him. No matter what the Death Eaters tried, they couldn't get them to speak. After about an hour of torturing them, Voldemort raised his hand for them to stop. They did, quickly.

"Kill them. Cut off a finger from each body, the smallest finger, and send them to the fool." Voldemort turned and exited the building. He waited for them to join him and then blasted the Dark Mark into the sky.

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Harry woke in a cold sweat. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. He changed into some robes and walked to Dumbledore's office trembling. He knocked on the door, causing the voices inside to quiet. "Come in."

Harry entered and there was a stunned silence. Dumbledore recovered quickly and conjured a chair for Harry to sit in. Harry vaguely noticed everyone in the room, there seemed to some sort of meeting going on.

The Order members in the room were surprised at the appearance of the boy. Not only the fact that he was in the room, but the way he looked. He was as white as any ghost and seemed just as transparent. His face showed nothing of the emotions inside, but his eyes told it all. He was dealing with pain, grief, horror, and fear. He was deep within the realm of shock.

Finally, Dumbledore found his voice. "Is there something I can do for you, Harry? We are in the middle of a meeting and many here need to go to bed for work tomorrow." Harry looked around hoping to see Hestia sitting in one of the chairs.

"I-is Hestia here, sir?" Harry asked quietly, his eyes focused on a spot right above the headmaster's head.

"No, she never showed up for the meeting." Harry looked at the ground feeling despair grab hold of him. "Why?" the headmaster asked quietly.

"Voldemort," there were several gasps, but Harry couldn't be bothered to wonder why, "he, he..." A hand rested on his shoulder and Harry looked up. Remus was standing next to him. He nodded at Harry, lending the boy his strength. "Voldemort attacked her house tonight."

There were several people who disagreed with him loudly, these were people who didn't know or didn't believe in the connection Harry had with Voldemort. "We weren't told about that," someone said angrily. Harry thought the man was angry with him, for he couldn't see that the man was staring at a figure standing in the shadows.

"Everyone, be quiet and let Harry continue," Dumbledore said loudly over the noise. The room fell silent quickly. "What did he do there, Harry? Please tell me as much as you remember."

Harry looked at him pleading with the old man not to have to relive it. Harry knew better than to hope for that, but he did anyways. When Dumbledore nodded for Harry to continue and Remus squeezed his shoulder, Harry took a deep shuttering breath. "I had stayed up late talking with Ron. We went to bed about," Harry glanced at his watch, " an hour and a half ago." He was surprised that it was only an hour and a half later; it seemed like days. "As soon as I fell asleep the vision came. Death Eaters surrounded three children and they were crying. Voldemort said something about a debt and then asked for the location of Grimmauld Place."

"He knew the name of Headquarters?" Mr. Weasley asked alarmed. Harry turned towards him and shook his head no.

"No, he called it the headquarters of Dumbledore's resistance. She wouldn't tell him, so he had Bellatrix kill the kids. She and her husband went into shock, I think. Voldemort asked for the name of the spy, but they wouldn't talk. The Death Eaters tried to torture it out of them, but Hestia and her husband never said another word. Voldemort told the Death Eaters to kill them and... and..." Harry couldn't say it. Just then there was a tap on the window. Dumbledore waved his wand at it and it opened. A pitch-black bird flew in and placed a box on his desk. It then flew out the way it came. Harry knew what was in the box. Dumbledore read the note and grimaced. "Please don't open that," he said quietly. He didn't beg or whine, but everyone could tell he didn't want to see what was in there.

"What's in there?" Moody asked warily. "I can't see what's in it. Is it dangerous, Harry?" Harry shook his head no and Dumbledore opened it. Harry looked out the window and so missed the look that passed over Dumbledore's face. He placed the lid back on the box and shook his head in disgust.

"What is it, headmaster?" McGonagall asked from her seat.

"The note said that it was a gift. Voldemort sent me the fingers of all five of the Joneses." There was a shocked silence. "You knew that, Harry?" He nodded. "Harry, I think you need to go back to bed."

"Why didn't you guys know about this?" Harry asked quietly. Everyone saw that the shock had worn off and was replaced with anger and determination. Only Thia and Remus recognized it as the look he wore as he looked at the Wall.

"Because," the oily voice said from the shadows, "the Dark Lord does not trust me at the moment. He tells me nothing about attacks on the Order. He tells me next to nothing," Snape added bitterly.

Harry nodded. He had expected that answer. "How old were the kids?" Harry asked quietly.

"The oldest was seven, almost eight, one was four and the other was barely one," Mrs. Weasley whispered between her sobs.

"He's going to pay for this," Harry whispered. The only ones to hear him were Remus and Dumbledore and both exchanged looks of worry. "I think you're right, Headmaster. I need to return to my bed. Goodnight, or hopefully a better one. See you tomorrow Remus and Thia. Goodbye, everyone."

Harry walked out and no one recognized him as the boy who had entered the office just thirty minutes ago. It seemed that he had matured and grown into a man. They knew as much about the Prophecy as Voldemort did and if this boy was the answer to their prayers, they would and could put their trust in him. The door shut behind him and Dumbledore looked at Remus sadly.

"How long has he been like that?" Dumbledore asked worriedly.

"Seeking revenge?" Remus asked and Dumbledore nodded. "For a long time, Albus. But it's not why he fights. He fights for his living friends."

"No, Remy," Thia corrected him, "he fights for all of those living. If he gets revenge on the side, well, he won't complain about that. Why do you ask, Headmaster?"

"Because of what Harry said after he found out about their ages," Dumbledore replied, a deeply pensive look on his face. Almost in a voice that wasn't meant to be heard by the others, Dumbledore added, "Harry said, 'He's going to pay for this,' and it worries me."

"Just remember, Voldemort killed his parents when he was one and tried to kill him at the same time," Thia said thinking. "I'm not sure, but I think Harry's more angry about the kids' deaths than Hestia's."