The War for Souls

Chapter 4--Antigestus Potion

Harry was awakened the next morning by the rushing sound of someone arriving by Floo. He looked up blearily to see Remus standing in the center of the room, brushing off his robes. The werewolf was holding six vials of potion. "Morning, sleepyheads," he said in an artificially cheerful voice.

There were mingled groans and mumbles of protest as--one by one--the six students propped themselves up in bed, pulled back the hangings, and looked with various degrees of displeasure at Remus. "Potion time," he said. "Everyone drink up." He held out the vials, an absurdly hopeful look on his face.

"Remus," said Harry, "I trust you, but Mad-Eye would have my head if I drank that without at least asking what it is."

"Damn," said Remus. He looked at the fireplace. "Curse you, Molly," he muttered. With an embarrassed look, he turned to the students again. "Antigestus Potion."

The room erupted as violently as if he had said "Basilisk venom." Luna burst into her rare hysterical laugh. Ron snickered, then cast a bizarre glance in the general direction of the girls' beds. Remus suddenly seemed to find his tattered old shoes to be the most interesting subject in Wales. Hermione made the boggart-like error of trying to scowl at Ron, Luna, and Remus at the same time, and failed abysmally. Neville was oddly quiet, which was explained as soon as Harry looked at him, and saw that he was the same color as his Gryffindor bed hangings. Harry still had no idea what Antigestus Potion was or what it did.

"Well," said Ginny pragmatically. "I guess this means I'm a grown-up for real now." Ron stared daggers at her, but the other girls erupted in laughter.

Realization dawned on Harry. "Oh, no!" he shouted. "Not bloody likely!"

The Marauder in Remus seemed to find in Harry's discomfort more than sufficient relief from his own. "Harry," he teased, "I'm so disappointed. You're stuck here for two months with two of the prettiest girls in Gryffindor--not to mention the best that Ravenclaw has to offer--and you don't want Antigestus Potion."

This time the girls looked uncomfortable--particularly Ginny--but Ron and Neville found it to laugh. "Come on," said Remus, "just drink it and make Molly happy."

"Oh, alright," said Ginny. She snatched a vial and downed it. "Who's joining me?" she quipped, smirking at the boys.

Neville mumbled something totally incoherent, and took another vial from Remus. "Alright, Nev," said Ginny. She leapt out of her bed, around Hermione's, and plopped down on the bed next to him. A few seconds later, when no one moved to take a vial, she turned to Neville again. "Well, Nev, guess it's just us." And she turned and kissed him full on the lips. Everyone but Harry and Neville burst into unrestrained laughter at this. Poor Neville--whose blush had just started to fade--turned bright red again, and began to sputter incoherently.

Why am I jealous? What? Ginny? No way. Harry was waging a battle with his subconscious. Why can't I get that image out of my head?

Because, idiot, she's a pretty girl and you saw her in her knickers. Do you have a pulse?

But she's Ginny!

You fancy her.

Bollocks! She's Ron's sister!

She's a pretty girl, she likes you, you like her...so she's your friend's sister.

I don't like her! Not like that!

"Earth to Potter," said Ginny.

Oh, God, now she's sitting on my bed. "Sorry, just thinking."

"Well, you told me just last night that Hermione's like your sister, so were you contemplating me or Luna?"

"What? No, nothing like that!" Right, Potter, nothing like that.

"Shut up!"

"Who were you talking to?" asked Luna.

Brilliant! I just told my subconscious to shut up--out loud.

"Sorry. Give me the blasted stuff." He downed the vial.

"Well, Hermione or Luna better drink some soon," said Remus, grinning broadly. "Or else Ginny's getting two for the price of one."

"Hey!" said Ginny, mock indignation on her face. "That doesn't sound too bad, actually." She regarded Harry, then Neville, with an appraising eye.

"Hmm," said Luna. "Perhaps I should have some. Not that I would necessarily need it." She gulped down the grayish liquid. Neville had a look of pure relief on his face, and gave a faint smile towards Luna.

"That just leaves our two original lovebirds," said Remus, smiling mischievously at Ron and Hermione. They stepped up, and drank the potions without looking at each other or Remus.

"Curse you, Remus," said Ron, as he made his way back to bed.

"Oh, really," said Harry, "Hermione's not that bad looking."

"Sod off, Harry."

Remus left them to catch up on their interrupted sleep, but no one seemed to be very interested in sleeping. After a few uncomfortable moments, Ginny pulled Hermione downstairs to cook breakfast, and Harry turned to Ron. "Are you my best friend, or Ginny's brother?" he asked.

"What? I'm both. But why--"

"Because, I need some advice."

"Okay, Potter, if you were thinking about my sister this morning--"

"Shove it, Ron!"

"What are you two doing?" asked Luna, wandering over to stand between their beds.

"Talking," said Ron shortly.

"There's no need to be rude, Ronald," she said. "I was merely curious."

"Luna," said Harry, a light clicking on in the back of his brain. "Come and talk to me a minute, please." He led her around the fireplace and into the tiny upstairs room.

"Yes, Harry?" she said, a placidity radiating off her that seemed to soothe his frazzled nerves.

"I'm...well, I don't really know what, but I think...or, I don't know..."

"Ginny?" she asked. "She's not dating that boy in your year, you know."

"How'd you know what I was on about? And I knew that, she told me yesterday."

"It must be difficult when your best friend is the brother of the girl you fancy," she said, ignoring his question. "Having no one to share with."

"Huh...no, I don't fancy her...well, I don't know if I do..."

"You do." She turned, began humming "Weasley is Our King" under her breath, and walked down the stairs.

"So," said Ron. "Have a nice chat?"

"Huh...oh, yeah."

"Is she right?"

"I dunno, mate," he said as honestly as he could. "I just don't know."

*****

Luna was singing quietly to herself when she came down the stairs and found Ginny and Hermione in the kitchen. "Morning, Luna," said Ginny, not bothering to look up from the stove.

"Good morning," she said in reply. "You need advice."

"I do?" Now Ginny turned around to face her friend.

"I've known you since you were two, Ginevra. You need advice."

"You know why we put the sign up," Ginny began.

"He fancies you," said Luna bluntly.

"He...what?"

"He doesn't know it yet, though. You have to have patience."

Ginny shook her head. "No, Luna, he just thinks of me as Ron's sister. I'm a friend, but I'll never be the type of girl he likes. Look at Cho."

"Cho Chang? She didn't fancy him, really. She would date any famous wizard."

"And she knew right how to get to Harry, too, making him feel sorry for her."

"You have already been more help to him than you know," said Luna. "Be patient. He will come around."

"Thanks, Luna," said Ginny. She smiled fondly at her oldest friend, a friend whom long experience had taught her to trust entirely.

*****

When Remus reappeared through the downstairs fireplace that evening, Harry visibly cringed. "Oh, come on," said Remus. "You're not making this any easier on me."

"More potions?" said Ginny, suppressing a giggle.

"No, that would be simple," said Remus. "No, tonight we start your training. I could bore you to tears with the long and detailed explanation Dumbledore gave me, but I'll give you the short and sweet version."

"Oh, dear," said Neville in a small voice.

"My thoughts exactly," said Remus. "This," he held out a small, highly polished rock, "was invented by none other than the dearly departed Padfoot." Harry forced a smile and groaned inwardly. "He called it a truth-stone, but Lily had a much more colorful name for it that Molly would kill me if I told you. Suffice to say it is a devilish contraption to be on the receiving end of."

"Why do I have the feeling that Dumbledore's gone really off his nut this time," said Harry.

"Well," said Remus, "it is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, I'm the person to be the moderator. The idea is that you would all open up to each other completely, and this--and me--are here to facilitate that."

"How does it work?" asked Hermione.

"What?" said Ron indignantly. "Not even a concern that we could end up spilling our deepest secrets to each other?"

"Actually, Ron," said Remus, "that's precisely the idea. Somehow, Dumbledore thinks this will help. In his belief--and I have to say I see his point--you six need to be molded into a single unit. You were extremely effective together at the Ministry, and...well...we all know the importance of Harry to our cause. There are plans I don't even know about, but I'll tell you this. Keeping secrets from each other will only hurt you in the long run. Like it or not, you six are in this together for a while. So, yes, you will be spilling your deepest secrets to each other, eventually."

"No," said Harry. He was met with six cold stares.

"Okay," said Luna. "I can go first, and we can work around to Harry. That way he'll be more comfortable." Harry felt a rush of fondness for the Ravenclaw girl, and practically beamed at her.

"But how does it work?" asked Hermione insistently.

"I haven't a clue, really," said Remus. "Sirius and James made it, and neither of them is readily available to ask. Dumbledore seems to trust it, though, and I know neither of them would ever make anything that could possibly harm someone for real, so I do too."

Hermione seemed slightly mollified by this, and Remus extended the rock to Luna. "Take a hold of it, Luna," he said. She wrapped her fingers around it. "Hortoris Veritalapis."

"What now?" asked Neville, finding his voice again.

"Well, an innocent question to begin with," said Remus. "Hermione, you're familiar with the Muggle game Truth or Dare, aren't you?"

Hermione blushed, but nodded. "Okay, then why don't we start with some questions like that--simple, easy ones that aren't too deep." She nodded again, and smiled at Luna. "We'll ask the same question to everyone, because I don't think I can invent too many questions."

Everyone looked askance at him for a moment. "Hey, blame this whole thing on Padfoot, alright? Well, him and Dumbledore."

"Oh, I bet this is Dumbledore's idea of a grand joke," said Harry.

"Just be glad he sent Remus and not Moody," said Ron.

"Ah, the little blessings in life," quipped Luna.

"Okay," said Remus, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Luna, take the stone. If you tell the truth, it'll turn red. If you lie, it turns green, and we'll all know. So...let's see here...oh, I know. I remember Sirius doing this to Lily once. Who was your first kiss?"

Ron blushed furiously, but Harry couldn't imagine why. The only time he knew of that Ron had been kissed was by Fleur at the end of their fourth year. He, on the other had, would have to divulge regarding Cho.

"Ronald," said Luna very calmly. "When I was nine."

"WHAT?" said five voices at once. Sure enough, the stone turned a brilliant Gryffindor red, and Ron matched it.

"Oh, Luna, you have to tell this story," said Remus, as everyone else continued to gape at Ron.

"It's very simple," she said. "Ronald's family lives near me, and I have been friends with them since we were young. The year before he left for Hogwarts, we were playing some games, and one of his brothers--George, I think--dared me to kiss him. It wasn't anything serious."

Harry was still staring, open-mouthed, at Ron, but just about everyone else was trying to suppress their giggles.

"Okay, then," said Remus, taking charge again. Ginny, I think you're next in line."

She took the stone, said, "Michael Corner, and you don't get the details," and passed it to Neville.

"We didn't want them," said Ron, "but I'll kill that--"

"Ron!" Hermione cut him off.

"Neville?" said Ginny.

Neville muttered something indistinct, and the stone turned red. "Well," said Remus. "That was truthful, but perhaps you could tell all of us."

"Ginny, this morning," he mumbled, still somewhat indistinctly. Harry wasn't surprised that Neville had never been kissed before, nor did he wonder at the embarrassment. He was fairly certain that Neville had at least a mild crush on Ginny.

Competition, said his subconscious.

Stop!

"Hermione."

She took the stone. "A proper kiss, or just a friendly one?"

"A proper kiss," said Ron hastily.

"Never," she said.

"But," said Harry, "I was sure Krum..."

"No," she said, and the stone confirmed.

"Wow," said Ron.

"You're next," said Harry, pointing to his best friend.

"Bugger," he said. "Luna, like you all heard a minute ago."

Everyone laughed heartily again, but Harry cut off as Ron passed him the stone. "Ron and Hermione know," he said, earning a pale blue response from the stone.

"Ah," said Remus. "A property I never shared with you. If you tell the truth, but evade the answer, it turns that color."

"Cho," Harry practically spat. The stone warmed in his hand and turned red. "Come on, Remus," he said, seizing the chance as he passed the stone back to the werewolf. "What about yours."

For a moment there was a clamor as everyone agreed with him, then Remus held up his hand. "Okay, I'll play too. You'll like this one."

"Who?" said Ginny, leaning conspiratorially towards him.

"Andromeda Tonks--Andie Black, as I knew her--my second year at Hogwarts."

"Tonks' mum!" said Ginny incredulously.

"She was a seventh-year," said Remus, a look of almost pride on his face. "And Head Girl."

"Wow," said Ron, obviously awed.

"Sirius," said Remus, laughing. "She was his cousin, he was my best friend, and there was mistletoe involved."

"Aha," said Harry, his good mood increasing. "I knew you couldn't have done that on your own."

"Well...okay, next question. A little more personal, and thanks to Lily this time. She pulled this one on James right before they started dating. If you had to get married tomorrow, who would you marry?"

"I wouldn't," said Luna, turning the stone evasion-blue.

"Nope," said Remus. "You have to say someone."

"Neville," she said, the tiniest blush forming on her face. "He's kind."

"Thanks," said Neville, looking at her in shock.

Ginny took the stone, mumbled Harry's name, and practically threw it at Neville. "I suppose...well, if I had to get married tomorrow, I suppose I'd pick Luna, since she picked me," he said.

"Thank you," said Luna.

Harry didn't hear Hermione or Ron's answers. He was trying to figure a way to tell the truth without saying Ginny. He didn't want to believe that it was Ginny. She said you, nagged his subconscious.

But she's had a crush on me for years.

Just say it, how bad can it be.

I don't fancy her! And she's over me!

"Harry?" Ron was looking at him with some concern. "You're the only one in there right now, right, mate?"

"Just thinking," he said. Oh, great, now they think Voldemort's trying to break into my head.

"Well," said Remus. "Who?"

"Ginny," he blurted. Oh, now you've done it.

Good job, said his subconscious.

"What?" said Ron.

Well, no running away now. "Ginny. She said me, I said her. I...well...maybe I..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. "Neville picked Luna because she picked him."

"And you and Hermione picked each other," said Neville. Harry gave him a warm smile.

"Well, she's my best friend," said Ron defensively.

"Okay," said Remus, rather loudly. "We're not here to cause arguments. Let's get a little deeper with the next one."

"Remus, you didn't answer."

"Lycanthropy rules out marriage," he said, and surprisingly, the stone glowed red. "Two last questions, and then we'll go to bed. Two deep questions," he added.

"Okay," said Luna, grabbing the stone.

"Deep question number one. What is your greatest desire?"

"The mirror," Harry whispered to Ron, who nodded.

"Wow," said Luna. "I think I'd like to be myself. I'm happy with who I am." The stone glowed red briefly, then she passed it to Ginny.

"Incredible," said Remus. "I can't help but be impressed with you, Luna." She regarded him calmly, and then seemed to study Ginny as she spoke.

"I'd like Percy to make up with mum and dad," she said. "I hope he does soon." She handed the glowing stone to Neville.

"My parents to be cured," he said, handing off to Hermione.

"The war to end," said Hermione. The stone glowed green. "What? No, I won't!" The stone darkened. "Oh, alright." She lowered her voice. "I want Ron to fancy me," she said very softly. The stone glowed red. "I'm not saying it again, Remus, so don't try."

"I heard you, and I won't."

"What'd she say?" asked Ron.

"Wouldn't you love to know," she said, shoving the stone into his hands.

"I want to be something more than just Ron," said Ron. "I'm tired of being seen as nothing other than Charlie Weasley's little brother, or Harry Potter's best friend. Not that I mind, Harry," he added quickly. "But, you know..."

"Ron," he said quietly. "You have everything I'd want. You think you're so poor, but you're the richest man I know. You have a wonderful family, parents who love you, a home that's a real home, good friends..."

"Sorry, mate," said Ron. "Sometimes it's annoying being the youngest boy."

Harry nodded and took the stone. "I'd like the prophecy to be wrong," he said. "I don't want to kill anyone, even Voldemort." The stone agreed with him, and he passed it to Remus.

"I'd like Sirius and James back," he said. "And I'd like to be fully human."

Everyone looked extremely drained. "Okay," said Remus. "Think you have one more in you?" Harry nodded rather feebly, and the others went along. "Alright then. I'll dispense with the stone for this one. What is the deepest, darkest secret you have--one you would never reveal to anyone."

Luna seemed rather pleased, almost, to have this question. "Harry knows," she said. "I was there when my mother died. I watched her die. I couldn't do anything to stop it, though."

"I knew that," said Neville softly. "You could see the thestrals." Luna looked at him with surprise for a moment, curling her lips into a slight smile.

"I didn't even know that," said Ginny. "And I knew you when it happened."

"Something you would never reveal to anyone," said Luna.

"Wow," said Remus. "Ginny?"

"Well, I suppose everyone knows I fancied Harry for a long time, and that I dated Michael Corner, and most of you know I was never really dating Dean."

"What?"

"Ron, I'm sorry, but you're too much fun to wind up. Dean fancies Mandy from Ravenclaw, and has forever."

"Oh...then you still--"

"Ron Weasley, finish that sentence and you'll make Malfoy the ferret look lucky." She had her wand out in a second and was pointing it straight at her brother's heart. Ron backed down quickly.

"I guess what I never told you--any of you--was that I went through Harry's stuff in first year. I had to find that diary. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done, I know, but I kept running back to him. He was...it was...I dunno, just..." Tears sprung into her eyes, and one dropped to her t-shirt.

"Gin, it's alright," said Harry. In a flash, he moved around Ron, Hermione, and Neville, and had both hands on her shoulders. "He fooled me, too, you know. It wasn't until I was actually in the Chamber with you that I realized what he was. I thought up to then that he was a decent bloke, and that Hagrid actually had opened the Chamber fifty years before. He reminded me of myself, actually."

"Sorry I brought it up," said Remus, looking embarrassed.

"Don't be," said Ginny, wiping her tears away on her sleeve. "I needed to get that out. Thanks, Harry," she added. Harry blushed, and quickly turned to where she couldn't see him.

"You want to, Nev?" asked Ron as six pairs of eyes turned to the round-faced boy.

"Of course," he said. "My secret, I guess, is that I fancied Hermione since...I dunno...well, since first year, I guess. I don't anymore, though, really. But I still think she's great, though."

Hermione was smiling broadly at Neville now. "Don't worry, Neville," she said. "I knew all along. I didn't want to hurt you, so I didn't say anything. But I was rather flattered. And I think you're pretty great, too, even though I don't fancy you."

Neville managed to blush even harder than he had that morning, which was difficult, and muttered something that only he could hear.

"I had the hugest crush on Lockhart," said Hermione, "but I guess you all knew that." There were general nods. "And I sort of had one on Remus our third year," she added, earning a blush from the werewolf. "But the big thing I need to let you in on is actually two things. First, I never, never, never fancied Viktor. Not once. We were friends, and that was it. I'm shocked, upset, and all those things that he was a Death Eater, but I never fancied him and we never dated. The second thing is that I never fancied Viktor because I was then and still am in love with someone else. I have been since sometime during third year."

"Who?" said Ron.

"I'll tell you later," she said. "Some things don't have to be said, do they, Remus?"

"No, Hermione, they don't. Not at certain times, at least. But...well, later for that. Ron?"

"Lavender," said Ron. "I fancied Lavender. But I guess my big secret is that I'm jealous of Harry. I really am, but I love him still. I just sort of wish people liked me the way they do him."

"Ron," said Harry darkly, "if you want to know what it's like to be me, find me a Pensieve and you can see a few of my more interesting experiences. I'm sure everyone would love to have been in that graveyard. Cedric enjoyed it a whole lot, I think."

"Harry," said Ginny sharply. "Don't start. You know bloody well what he means. You're popular and you were a Tri-wizard Champion, and you have all sorts of money--everything Ron isn't and doesn't have. I don't think anyone disputes that you haven't had it easy."

"You don't understand, either of you," he said. "You want my money, you can have it. You could have been Tri-wizard Champion. I didn't want to be. It nearly killed me. And I'm not popular, the Boy-Who-Lived is popular. Honestly, I don't remember it. I don't remember any of it. I remember living in a cupboard. I remember being locked in my room with bars on the windows. I remember trying to fight off the Dementors without any happy thoughts because I'd been stuck in Little Whinging all summer without a word from anyone. I'd rather remember growing up at The Burrow with six older brothers and a mother who smothers me with love. I'd rather remember playing with puffskeins and garden gnomes than cooking breakfast for an Uncle who barely stopped short of beating me most of my life. I'd rather have spent a lifetime with Percy--however annoying of a git he is--than the ten years I spent running from Dudley. Ron, do you know why you're my best friend?"

"Why?" asked Ron, very subdued.

"Aside from the fact that you're a pretty decent bloke, and keep trying to stop people from killing me, you're my best friend because you wanted to be my friend. The only other friend I had before you--well, before Hagrid, actually--was a girl when I was six. She said she liked me because I was quiet and didn't act like the other boys. Dudley beat her up so badly she had to go home for the day, and she never talked to me again."

Hermione and Ginny were weeping openly, and even Ron and Neville had unshed tears in their eyes as Harry finished. "Harry," Hermione began, "we had no idea."

"I did," said Ron. "I saw the bars on his window. I saw what they did to him. Nobody believed me. Mum didn't even believe me."

"We do now, Ron," said Remus. "We have for a while."

"For what it's worth," said Harry, a slight smile creeping back over his features, "I think your threat might have done more harm than help with Vernon. But it made me feel better, at least."

"Glad it did that. I think you've shared enough, though. Mind if I don't ask for more?"

"Not at all," said Harry, laughing. "Truth be told, I'm knackered. I think I may turn in a little early."

"You wouldn't be alone," said Ginny. Every face in the room was turned to her, and she suddenly blushed bright red. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean...no...but, well..."

"No worries," said Neville. "We didn't think you did."

"But as you said," added Ron. "Winding you up is too much fun."

"Bugger you," she said, walking up the stairs.

"Well," said Remus. "On that cheery note, I'll leave you all, and I'll see you tomorrow sometime. Good night." He tossed some powder into the fireplace, and disappeared through the emerald flames.