After All We've Been Through

Chapter 4

Through the Years (Part 2)

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Everyone had returned from seeing Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's. They were all pretty happy because they were told that he would be coming home in a couple of days. Mrs. Weasley had set out some sandwiches for everyone to snack on.

After eating their lunches, the five friends tried to keep themselves busy. Hermione and Ginny were each reading a book by the fire while Harry and Ron finished up their holiday homework, occasionally asking Hermione for help. The twins were playing a game of wizard's chess and it was at this time that Fred decided to talk to George about writing Jen a response to the letter that he had received at the start of the holiday.

"So, are you going to write back to Jen, George?" he asked him as he finished his turn. George didn't look at him; he only took his turn and waited for Fred to do the same. "By the way, you left the letter she had sent you on the table in the Great Hall that day. We all know what it said and we all think that you should write her back."

This time, George looked at his brother and then at the others, who had all stopped what they were doing and were now staring at him, with anger in his eyes. "You read my letter?"

"I asked you what it said, but you didn't answer me. You just left the table, leaving the letter behind. So I read it," Fred told him calmly.

"You had no right reading that letter," George told him angrily. He stood up to leave, but Fred was too quick. He had already stood up and grabbed a hold of George's arm.

"You aren't leaving yet. You have to talk about this," Fred told him with anger rising in his voice. George wouldn't look at him; he just stared at the floor. "George, why are you being like this? Is it that hard for you to write her back?" Fred asked him softly.

"You have no idea how I feel so why don't you just bugger off!" George yelled as he wretched his arm free of Fred's hold and started to leave again. Fred grabbed his arm again, but George didn't want to hear it. "SOD OFF!!!!!" he screamed as he turned around and punched Fred in the face. He stormed out of the room as the others rushed over to where Fred had fallen to make sure he was okay. After wiping the blood that had begun to trickle from the corner of his mouth, Fred grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began scribbling furiously. After he had finished, he asked Ron if he could borrow Pig. Ron agreed and Fred sent the letter off.

George walked into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him. He sat on his bed and thought about everything that had happened recently. He put his head in his hands and silently screamed. I can't believe I just punched my brother. What the bloody hell was I thinking? All this over writing a stupid letter. He got up and began pacing. Why am I acting like this? Why can't I just write to her? He thought to himself. Just write her a letter. You know you want to, a voice in the back of his mind told him. I won't, he told the voice. But you love her. Don't just let her go like this, the voice told him. No, I can't do it. I love her more than anything, but I cannot do this, he told the voice. Then you have already lost her, the voice told him. George shook with rage at the battle taking place within his head; using that rage, he punched the wall. He had left a small hole in the wall and blood had started to run from a fresh wound in his hand. He fixed the wall with a flick of his wand as he sighed heavily and plopped down on his bed; eventually falling asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~George's Dream~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When George Apparated home from work, he was immediately knocked down by a small child with blazing red hair and vibrant hazel eyes.

"Daddy!" the young child exclaimed as he gave George a huge hug.

"Hey Kyle. How was your day today?"

The little boy smiled. "It was great. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon with grandma. She took me into Diagon Alley to buy some things and then she took me back to the Borrow for lunch. She told me stories about what you were like when you were younger," he told his father excitedly as he stood up.

George laughed at what his son had just told him. "She did, did she?" he said as he stood up too. He knew that Kyle loved hearing stories about his parents, uncles and his aunt when they were little.

"Yeah, and then mommy came to pick me up and she told me some stories about you too," he said as they neared the kitchen.

"Oh she did, did she?" he said as he caught sight of his wife standing in front of the stove.

"Oh I did what?" she asked without turning around. George walked up to her and put his arms around her waist, rubbing her very pregnant belly.

"Telling Kyle stories about me when I was younger."

"Well, Molly was telling him. I only filled in on some of the things that she didn't know," she told him innocently.

"I'll bet you did too," he told her as he nuzzled her neck. She laughed and turned around to hug him as best as her stomach would allow.

She kissed him lightly on the lips before saying, "I love you, George."

"I love you too, Jen."

~*~*~*~*~*~End of Dream~*~*~*~*~*~*~

George sat upright in his bed, sweating profusely. Bloody hell! he thought to himself. He rubbed his face with his hands and thought about the dream he had just had. Did I just dream that Jen and I were married with a child and another one on the way? he asked himself. You know that is what you want, the same voice from the back of his mind told him.

Before he could even think of a response to that, Fred had sat up in his bed and looked over at George. George cringed at the state of Fred's lip, which was slightly swollen and discolored. "What in the bloody hell are you doing, George?"

"Nothing, listen..." he began, not really sure of where to begin. Fred raised his eyebrows at him. "I wanted to say that I'm very sorry about what happened earlier. I lost my temper and I shouldn't have hit you. I am truly sorry. I just don't want to talk about Jen right now. If and when I decide that I want to, I will let you know. But until then, will you please just leave me alone about it?" he asked his brother with a hopeful expression.

Fred looked at him with skeptical eyes. "I accept your apology for the lip and I understand why you don't want to talk about it, so I won't bring it up again. However, I will say one last thing to you. Silence is the hardest argument to refute." George raised his eyebrows at his brother's philosophical words. "I'm not trying to sound smart or anything, but I am trying to get a point across to you. I know that you love her and that you miss her very much, but don't take her parents decision to move out on her. She is your best friend, George. Don't make her suffer for something she had no control over. Don't shut her out. This silence will only bring about bad blood between the two of you; something that I know neither of you want to see happen. She needs you now, more than ever. You will regret it," he warned.

George didn't say anything at first, he just nodded. "So are we cool?" he asked warily.

Fred smiled at his brother. "Of course we are. I wouldn't be your twin otherwise." George smiled and they both went back to sleep. The next day, they would be returning to Hogwarts for the start of the new term.

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It was the end of the Christmas holiday and Jen had been given special permission to go to school earlier than everyone else. She had already met with all of her professors and her new headmaster so that she could find out what they have covered so far and how far ahead or behind she was. She had also been sorted into her coven. The headmaster had given Jen her own room as a special favor to Dumbledore. She did not know why, but she would soon find out.

On the night before the rest of the students would return from holiday, Jen could be found lying on her bed, reading the letter that Dumbledore had given her before she had left Hogwarts.

Dear Miss Henley,

I know that I was not very detailed with you as per our discussion back in November and I am very sorry for that. However, I will do my best to explain it to you now.

When I first heard that your father had taken the job with the American Ministry and that you would be moving, I was seriously contemplating letting you stay at Hogwarts until you graduated. However, after I thought long and hard about it, I came to the decision that you would be better suited and more helpful if you were away from here for the remainder of this year. As you are probably aware, the lines of communication both in and out of Hogwarts are being watched; which is why I delivered this letter to you personally before you left.

Since you are reading this letter, you are in your new school and you have been given your own room. This has been done for a specific reason. The fireplace in your room has been directly linked to the main one located in Grimmauld Place. It will allow you to talk to us and vice versa whenever necessary. You will be kept informed of any important information that comes through us here. You are probably wondering why I have done all of this. I have done this for two reasons. The first is because I know how close you are with some of those still currently attending Hogwarts and you will be notified immediately if anything happens to any of them. The second reason is of great importance. I am officially naming you an unofficial member of the Order of the Phoenix. You will become an official member once you have graduated at the end of term.

The only people who know about this are myself, Minerva, Molly, Arthur, Severus, Alastor, Remus, Sirius and yourself. At this time, I must ask you not to tell anyone. I am sorry to make you be secretive, but this is to ensure the safety of yourself and everyone else involved. I do hope you understand this.

Your first mission is to continue on at your new school as you would have here at Hogwarts. You are a very important part of our organization, for you are the only one of us who is not being watched.

I do hope that you are not angry with me for not being straightforward with you earlier. And I hope that you are not angry with me for making you a member of the Order without first asking your permission. You had told me at the beginning of the summer, along with Fred and George Weasley, that you wanted to join the order and that you would join as soon as you graduated; which is why I have arranged all of this.

I will contact you again if I am in need of further assistance from you. Until then, I encourage you to keep up with your studies; especially in Potions, Charms and Defense against the Dark Arts. You never know when you will need them.

Best Wishes and Luck

Albus Dumbledore

She read and reread the letter several times; slightly confused by what Dumbledore was telling her. I'm a member of the Order? I am important? Why am I so important? Why am I so special? She was pulled out of her thoughts by a faint popping sound. She looked up to see Remus Lupin's head in her fire. She smiled and sat in the chair that was the closest to the fire.

"Hey, Professor Lupin. How are you?"

The werewolf smiled at her. "I haven't been your professor for two years now. And since you are unofficially a member of the Order, I wish for you to call me Remus.

She nodded, but didn't call him Remus only out of respect. "What's new in the homeland?"

He smiled at her choice of words. "I know that you miss all of your friends here, but you are where you need to be right now."

She looked away at his words; she still wished that she didn't have to be here. "How is Mr. Weasley doing?"

"He's doing much better now. He should be coming home within the next day or so," he told her. "Speaking of home, there are two people here begging me to talk to you," he told her. He stepped out of the fire, only to be replaced by the smiling heads of Ginny and Hermione.

"Hi Jen," they chorused. Jen nodded her head in response. Their conversation was brief because Mrs. Weasley was calling them for dinner. They said their good-byes a few moments later and they disappeared from the fire.

After the flames returned to their normal color, Jen went back to her bed and just laid there, thinking about everything that had happened since the first of November. She was shaken from her thoughts when she heard the sound of an owl pecking at her window. She opened the window and a small, overexcited owl zoomed into the room and landed next to her on her bed. She untied the letter and the owl flew over to Isabella's perch for some food and water.

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As per Dumbledore's instructions, Jen did nothing but go to class and do her homework. She kept to herself and she rarely interacted with her fellow students; at least not the way she would have if she was still at Hogwarts.

One morning, sometime in the middle of March, Jen was sitting in her Charms class taking notes when several of her classmates began to talk in hushed voices. She looked up from her notes to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway. His eyes twinkled when she met his gaze.

"I am very sorry to have interrupted your class, Professor Williams, but I must request an audience with one of your students," he told the professor as he glanced at Jen. She silently nodded and began to quietly put her things away. "Miss Henley, I need to speak with you immediately." She silently rose from her seat and exited the room, as whispers from her classmates followed her out the door.

"What is the matter, Professor?" she asked as she followed him towards the headmaster's office.

"I will tell you in a moment's time, but we must first go somewhere a little more private," he told her as he made his way into the headmaster's office. He briefly spoke with the headmaster, who left his office to give Dumbledore and Jen some privacy.

Once the headmaster had left the room, Professor Dumbledore began to explain to her why he was there. He told her about how the DA, he knew that she knew about it, had been discovered and he was to be arrested. He told her that he was going to be staying in the area, just until things were cleared up back in Britain.

She was still confused as to why he had come to see her. "Professor, I am confused. Why have you come to see me?"

"Do you remember the letter that I gave to you the day you left Hogwarts?" he asked her. She nodded. "I told you that I would contact you if I was in need of further assistance from you. Well, I am indeed in need of your help." She was still confused.

"What exactly are you asking of me, Professor?"

"First off, Miss Henley, call me Albus. Secondly, the assistance I ask of you is something very secret and very ancient. It requires an extensive knowledge in Potions and Charms, both of which you possess."

"I am not sure I understand."

"I will do my best to explain it to you," he told her as he gestured for her to make herself more comfortable. Once seated, he began to explain what it was that he was asking her to do. He explained of a very ancient ritual that would allow a wizard to transfer their powers to another wizard. He told her that he wanted to perform this ritual with Harry so that he would be stronger when it came time for him to face Voldemort. He also told her of the catch to the ritual; that the person who was transferring their powers would lose them permanently. "What I want you to do is find a way for me to retain my powers after I have transferred them to Harry," he told her.

"But that is impossible, Professor. I don't think that I can do that. Surely Hermione of even Professor Snape or Professor Flitwick would be better qualified than me to do this for you," she told him.

He merely smiled at her as he looked over his half-moon spectacles at her. "You are the only person that can do this, Miss Henley. I know how smart you are, the only rival to Miss Granger, and I have the utmost confidence that you can do this."

"But why me?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot answer that at this time. Will you except your mission, Miss Henley? The Order needs you; Harry needs you, although he knows nothing of this and I would prefer that only you and I know about this."

"How will I be able to do this? I have no background information about this ritual and I do not have access to any of the necessary equipment that I may need," she told him.

"All of the materials that you will need in order to research this subject further have already been brought to your room. As for your limited access to the necessary potion ingredients and any other materials that you will need while you are here at the Salem School, have already been taken care of. You have been granted full access to the Potions classroom as well as any ingredients that you will need, including the Potion master's private storeroom. All you have to do is let him know what you need and it will be provided for you. You also have permission to be out of your dormitory after hours and you are allowed to bring any necessary materials to your dormitory.

Jen was dumbstruck by what she had just heard. "I don't know what to say, Professor."

He smiled at her. "I know that you are concerned and confused, but I am asking you to trust me. Have I ever given you a reason not to?" She shook her head in response. "As I said earlier, I have complete faith and trust in you that you will be able to do this. I wouldn't have asked you if I did not think that you could do it."

"Thank you, Professor. I will do my best."

"I never expected anything less from you. Also, I will be here until further notice, so I will be helping you during my stay here. And since your fireplace has been linked directly to Grimmauld Place, I can easily contact the Order if necessary. You may go to your next class and I will see you at dinner."

She nodded and rose from her chair. "I have always known that you are and will become a very powerful witch. You have abilities that are still unknown to you and I do hope to live long enough to see you reach your full potential," he told her with a smile.

She looked at him from the doorway and returned his smile. "I won't let you down, Professor," she told him just before disappearing from view.

Never been a quitter. That is one of her best qualities. She will need that for the final battle; we can't win this war without her. She is the key to everything, he thought to himself after she had left the room.

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< Back at Hogwarts - around Easter holiday>

It was nearing the end of the Easter holiday and Dumbledore was still gone. Fred and George had done their best to raise hell for the new headmistress. Finally, their moment would come when Harry would need their help sneaking into Umbridge's office so that he could talk to Sirius through her fire since it was the only one that was not monitored.

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It was the last day of the Easter holiday and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room looking through career pamphlets. "Ginny told us that you need to talk to Sirius," Fred said as he and George joined them.

"Yeah, I do, but-" Harry began.

"You can't, Harry. Especially with Umbridge watching the fires and all owls in and out of the school.

"We can easily get around that, Hermione. It's all about creating a good diversion," George told her with a smile.

"Yeah, we've been good during the holidays, but we are more than ready to start up again now that classes will be resuming. Since we were planning to cause more mayhem anyway, why not do it for a reason," Fred said.

"We'll do our thing while Harry talks to Sirius," George added.

"But how will Harry talk to him even if you do cause a diversion?" Hermione asked them.

"That's easy," George said.

"Umbridge's office," Fred added with a smile. Harry knew that they were right. She had told him herself that her fire was the only one that wasn't monitored.

"Have you both gone nutters?" Hermione said in a hushed tone. Harry thought about it and decided that he would do it. Hermione couldn't believe that he was actually going to do it. And when she asked for Ron's help, he only told her that he couldn't stop them.

"I'm thinking that we will do it tomorrow, jut after lessons because everyone will be in the corridors," Fred began.

"We'll set it off in the east wing so that she will be drawn away from her office," George added.

"That should give you about twenty minutes or so to talk to him," Fred told him.

"What are you going to do exactly?" Ron asked with interest. Hermione shot him a dirty look for condoning what they were talking about doing.

"You'll see; as long as you are near Gregory the Smarmy's corridor around five o'clock tomorrow," Fred told him with a smile.

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The time finally came; it would be a day to remember. Just as classes were being let out for the day, the sounds of the diversion being carried out could be heard from above. Screams could be heard throughout the corridors. Umbridge flew out of her classroom, en route to the origin of the commotion. Harry took off in the opposite direction, heading for her office.

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The diversion that Fred and George had in mind was actually a swamp. Harry saw that Fred and George were standing in the middle of the floor, looking very grave because they had gotten caught.

"So you think it's amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp?" she said to the two of them.

"Actually, it's hilarious," Fred told her, showing no fear. At that moment, Mr. Filch had joined the conversation, producing forms to allow him to whip the twins.

"You two are going to learn what happens to offenders in my school," she told them.

"No, I don't think we are," George told her. He turned to look at Fred, saying "I think we've finally outgrown our time here, wouldn't you agree, Fred?"

"I most certainly do," Fred told him.

Before she could say anything else, they both raised their wands and yelled, "Accio Brooms!" A loud crash was heard and Fred and George's brooms came hurtling down the corridor. They mounted their brooms and then turned to all of the students watching them.

"If anyone wants to buy one of our swamps or any of our other products, come to ninety-three Diagon Alley, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. That's our new place," George told them.

"Special discounts given to Hogwarts students, as long as you swear to use them to get rid of this old bat," Fred bellowed as he pointed at a very thunderstruck Umbridge.

"Stop them!" she shrieked, but it was too late. They had already taken off.

"Give her hell for us, Peeves!" Fred yelled to him as they left the castle on their brooms.

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The twins had left school and went straight to their new shop. They had already had some boxes sent over, so they began to unpack them.

"I can't believe that we actually did it," Fred said as he began stacking the shelves.

"Nor can I, but I am glad that we did. I hope they get rid of that old cow soon," George replied with a smile. Fred nodded in agreement as they continued to sort through boxes. Then they both heard a tapping sound on the window. George opened the window and an owl flew in; hooting thankfully as it landed on Fred's shoulder.

He untied the letter and said, "Thanks, Isabella." He gave her an owl treat and then she took off out of the window. Fred read the letter Jen had sent him while George continued to rummage through some boxes. When he finished reading it, he peered over the top of the parchment at George, who was busying himself with boxes. "Jen said hello," he lied. George never acknowledged his words. Fred sighed and looked back at the letter; rereading the last few lines she had written to him.

This is the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. I know that it is extremely difficult to do, but it must be done. I, Jennifer Henley, no longer wish to have any relation to George Weasley for as long as I live. I have given up on him being my friend, especially when I need him to be, or my lover. This may come as a shock, but I have always loved him; even more than a person should love their best friend. From this moment on, I will forget that George Arthur Weasley ever existed; he is no longer my friend, my companion, my classmate or my heart.

Fred stopped reading as he looked up at his brother. What he wouldn't give to tell him that she loved him just as much as he loved her. He sighed and tucked the letter into his robes; he would write her back later.

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As the headmaster gave his speech, Jen couldn't help but think about the graduation ceremony taking place at Hogwarts at the same time. She missed the fact that she wouldn't be graduating with Fred, George and Lee, even though Fred and George wouldn't have been graduating anyway.

Instead, she was with the unfamiliar. Her last term at the Salem School was spent doing her homework and, mainly, research for the Order.

The headmaster had finished and called upon the valedictorian to give his speech. Jen smiled to herself because she was supposed to be the one giving this speech. She had approached the headmaster a few weeks prior to graduation, telling him that she didn't feel right accepting the honor of being valedictorian since she hadn't been there long enough. She felt that the person to give that speech to their fellow graduates should be someone who had spent all seven years with them, not 6 months.

Once the speeches were over and the ceremony was concluded, Jen found her parents. As they were about to leave, a man wearing dark red robes approached them. He nodded to her father, obviously someone who worked with him at the Ministry, and asked her if he could talk to her for a moment. She nodded and followed the man away from where her parents were standing.

The man's name was Michael Walker and he was the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, which was Umbridge's position, only he seemed much nicer than she was. He was there to offer her a job, but not just any job. It was a research and development job; one that did not exist until now. She would be the only witch in the world to hold a position like this.

"Due to your outstanding scores in both your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in every class, both here and at Hogwarts, it is an honor to offer you this job. I have already spoken with your former professors and headmaster from Hogwarts, since they know you the best, and they all spoke very highly of you, especially Albus Dumbledore, whose opinion is highly valued by our Minister."

She looked at him and a smile crossed her face. "What exactly does this job entail?"

"Come by my office tomorrow morning and we'll discuss it further, along with you level of clearance and your wages. Your father knows where my office is. I'll see you in the morning. It is an honor and a privilege, Miss Henley," he told her as he handed her a card with his name on it.

"See you tomorrow," she told him as they parted ways. She returned to her parents and told them about the job offer.

That night, she wrote two letters. She sent the first one to Dumbledore, thanking him for the high recommendation. She also asked him if this job offer had anything to do with the work that she was doing for the Order. She sealed the envelope and tied it to one of Isabella's legs. She told her to stay since she had another letter to send as well.

The second letter was being sent to Fred with strict instructions to relay the message to everyone else. She told him about her job offer and that she would tell him more once she had met with Mr. Walker the following morning. She asked him how the shop was going, having received an owl from Hermione and Ginny telling her what had happened just after Easter. She then asked him how everyone was doing after the incident in the Department of Mysteries, having received that news from Dumbledore not too long ago. She sealed that letter and tied it to Isabella's other leg.

"I want you to go to Hogwarts first to see Albus Dumbledore. After he takes his letter, you may rest if you wish before you go to see Fred in Diagon Alley." Isabella hooted in understanding before flying out of the window. Jen watched her fly away before lying on her bed, thinking about what will happen next.

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