Trinity

Chapter 32

"I can't believe you're making us go to the Hospital Wing," Ginny grumbled. "It's Halloween. The feast is on tonight."

"Ginny, we need to make sure you and Harry are well," Percy said firmly.

"Besides we'll make sure you get to the feast," Penelope added with a smile.

"It won't take long," Harry said. "We're obviously not hurt and I think Madam Pomfrey is getting sick of seeing me down there."

Ginny giggled. "Well, you have spent more time in the Hospital Wing than the rest of Gryffindor combined."

"Have you really?" Penelope asked, caught halfway between amusement and concern.

"Um, quite likely," Harry replied ruefully. "I don't really go looking for trouble. It just somehow always seems to find me."

"You don't go looking for trouble?" Percy said a hint of amusement.

"Well, I mostly don't go looking for trouble," Harry amended with an unrepentant grin.

"Of course not," Percy said dryly. "That's why I caught you and Ron and Hermione coming out of a girls' bathroom." He paused and frowned. "What exactly were you three doing in there?"

Harry snickered as they waited for one of the moving staircases to stop. "Um, that's a really long story. Ask me sometime when you've got a couple of hours free."

Percy shook his head. "I'm not sure I really want to know now." He worried at his lip for a moment. "Harry, I am sorry about the way I treated you."

"I know," Harry replied patiently. He'd had more than one penitent letter from Percy in the last couple of weeks. "Percy, it's okay. I understand. I didn't really like it at the time and I thought you were being a complete prat but it's okay. You at least had some valid reasons for doing what you did. It's not like I can remember the last war even if I did in some ways bring it to a halt."

"I remember that night, you know," Percy said suddenly. "Everything had been so tense and horrible in the weeks leading up to it then Dad suddenly came into my room that Halloween night and woke me up. Everyone was awake in fact. Mum and Dad got all of us downstairs and they were so happy and kind of sad at the same time. They said that everything as going to be alright; that You-Know-Who had been destroyed. They said that you did it and that you were a hero."

"I was a baby," Harry said with exasperation. "It was my Mum who did it."

"Well, no one knew that at the time," Percy replied. "I just remember that everything got better after that."

"I remember the same thing," Penelope added.

They arrived at the doors of the Hospital Wing and Harry and Ginny reluctantly entered. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and gave them a look of resignation.

"Mr Potter, what have you done now?" she asked with exasperation. "And Miss Weasley, are you alright?"

"I just have some bruises on my arm where Greyback grabbed me," Ginny said quickly.

"And I'm fine," Harry said right after her. "Voldemort decided to show me how angry he was but Ginny took care of that."

Madam Pomfrey gave him a sharp glance. "Let me be the judge of that, Mr Potter. Mr Weasley, Miss Clearwater, what are you two doing here?"

"Making sure that Harry and Ginny didn't do a runner halfway down here," Penelope said with a smile. "They'd rather go to the feast."

"Well, if you two behave yourselves then that might just be possible," Madam Pomfrey said, her amusement clear. "Now, roll up your sleeve and let have a look at that arm of yours, Miss Weasley."

Ginny quickly obeyed and after a couple of minutes of prodding and poking, the school nurse declared her perfectly fine. She was given strict instructions to come back if anything changed for the worse then Madam Pomfrey turned her attention to Harry. She flicked her wand at him and then took a close look at his scar.

"Well, Mr Potter," she said after a few minutes. "It seems you've been lucky this time. Off you go, both of you. And try to stay out of here from now on."

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and they quickly hustled out with Percy and Penelope behind them.

"You should head off to the feast," Percy said. "We ought to get back to Mum. She'll be worried."

"You will come the wedding?" Penelope asked quickly before they could disappear. "We're trying to decide between next Christmas or the summer after that."

"Of course," Ginny said with a grin.

"Absolutely," Harry replied. "And with any luck this'll all be over by then."

"Do you think so?" Percy asked, looking both hopeful and worried.

Harry was silent for a moment. "Yes," he said firmly. "I'm hoping to finish it before the summer."

Silence reigned as they walked into the Entrance Hall.

"Good luck, Harry," Percy said soberly though he looked slightly frightened. "And I meant what I said in my first letter. If you need my help, I'll do whatever I can."

"That goes for me as well," Penelope added, looking determined.

"I think in the end it's going to come down to just me and Voldemort," Harry said grimly. "But your help may end up being needed either here or with the Order."

"We'll be there," Percy said, taking Penelope's hand in his own.

"Thank you," Harry replied.

Ginny quickly hugged her brother and Penelope while Harry shook Percy's hand. Penelope gave him a hug as well, much to his surprise, then the young couple left. Harry and Ginny watched them go then headed into the Great Hall where the feast had just gotten underway. There was a sudden increase in the volume as they made their way over to the Gryffindor table but they determinedly ignored it and sat down opposite Ron and Hermione. They were right at the end of the table and once Harry and Ginny had assured their house mates they were alright, Hermione quickly put up a silencing charm and the Muffliato. Ginny waited until that was done then she gave Harry a sharp look.

"What's going on with Snape?" she demanded.

"They didn't want anyone else to know but I think this will have to be an exception," Harry said to no one in particular then he took a deep breath. "Dumbledore isn't dead. Snape didn't kill him and he's on our side."

Ginny gaped at him then looked over at Ron and Hermione for confirmation. When they both nodded solemnly, she looked back at Harry.

"Explain," she demanded.

Harry once again launched into the story of the night in question and what had happened subsequently as they ate. When he finished he caught her hand and gave it a little shake.

"Do you see why you absolutely cannot tell anyone about this?" he demanded. "Remus and Moody know but no one else. Snape could get killed if you talk about it."

Ginny nodded. "I understand. But why? Why do that?"

"Because it gets Snape in a position to find the Horcruxes," Hermione said quietly. "He's already in the process of slowly killing Nagini and he can get hold of the Hufflepuff Horcrux as well. Those are the last two."

Ginny frowned as she thought about that. "I guess that makes what Snape said to me make some sense."

"Why? What did he say?" Harry asked.

"When he took me up to that room, he took my wand from me and told me to behave myself," Ginny explained. "He said that if I did that I might get out alive and that Voldemort didn't want to kill me because I was a pure blood witch. He seemed...sympathetic when he said that."

"Do you think he knew what was going to happen?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Maybe but who cares," Harry replied.

"What?" Ron yelped. "What do you mean who cares?"

Harry gave him an exasperated look. "What, you didn't think that something like this wasn't going to happen? Moody and I talked about it ages ago after Ginny first made it clear she wasn't going to let me push her away. You're all targets for kidnapping along with anyone else who's been my friend."

"That's why you were able to get yourself under control again so quickly!" Hermione said eagerly.

"What you said then...remember what Moody said...was more accurate than what you thought," Harry replied with a grin. "When we discussed this possibility he told me that the single most important thing I could do was remain calm. That if I didn't then whoever had been kidnapped would be dead."

Ron looked startled then slightly impressed. "Harsh but I guess that's Moody for you."

"Harsh but accurate," Harry corrected.

"So where is the Headmaster?" Ginny asked curiously, pulling the conversation back to its original track.

"In hiding," Harry replied. "And I'm not going to tell you anymore than that. I shouldn't even have told you about him at all but I guess we had no choice."

Ginny didn't look happy about that but she eventually nodded reluctantly.

"I also want you, Neville and Luna to step up the training for the DA," Harry said. "Depending on what Voldemort does in response to what happened today, we'll help out as much as we can."

"You think it's going to come down to something big in the end?" Ginny said soberly.

"I think it's going to come down to me and Voldemort in the end," Harry said bluntly. "But I think the Death Eaters are going to cause all sorts of trouble while that's happening and I want everyone to be ready."

"Oh, okay," Ginny said as she quickly finished the last of her dinner.

She then got up and hurried over to where Neville was sitting and spoke to him quietly. He looked startled and glanced over at Harry. He nodded back once and Ginny spoke to Neville once again. She then hurried over to the Ravenclaw table and spoke to Luna. The blond girl gave her an interested look then stood and joined Ginny and Neville at the Gryffindor table where the three leaders of the DA began talking quietly.

"Are we going down to Hogsmeade tonight?" Ron asked quietly after making sure the spells were still in effect around them

Harry nodded. "Not tonight. I doubt Snape will be there and even if he is, he probably won't be in any fit state to talk to us since I expect Voldemort will be a bit angry. We'll go down tomorrow night."

Ron and Hermione nodded then Hermione took down the spell surrounding them and they joined in the conversations going on at the table.

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The next evening they crept out of the school under Harry's invisibility cloak. For once they did not have to extraordinarily careful as both Remus and Moody were on patrol duty that night. Moody was in the Great Hall as he left and he gave them a subtle nod as they left. When they got to the Hog's Head they quickly ducked down the stairs to the Headmaster's rooms and Harry pulled the cloak off. When they came into the room they found Snape and the Headmaster waiting for them. Snape looked drawn and tired and was sitting slightly hunched in one of the armchairs. Harry gave him a jaundiced look as the trio sat down on the couch.

"I gather Voldemort wasn't too happy with what happened," he said dryly.

"Very good, Potter. Are you expecting points?" Snape snarled.

Ron bridled at that but said nothing when Hermione placed a hand on his arm. Harry ignored his friends and grimaced.

"I won't ask if you're alright since that's obviously a stupid question," Harry said. "So I think I'll just move on. What's Voldemort planning now?"

Snape gave him a look that none of them could decipher. "Nothing for the moment. Greyback and his pack will return to the Forest but they have instructions to do nothing for now, just watch and wait. The Dark Lord has dismissed all of the Death Eaters except for those who have nowhere else to go." He paused. "Wormtail has been given instructions that I was not able to discover. He has since left the Manor."

"Why do I not like the sound of that?" Ron said grimly. "Whatever the little rat's up to, it can't be good."

"The Headmistress and Mrs Norris spend time every night patrolling the castle in case he gets in," Hermione said with a small smile.

"Surely he wouldn't be able to though?" Ron objected. "I thought the wards were strengthened so that someone with the Dark Mark couldn't get in?"

"Do you really want to trust in that?" Harry asked cynically. "Voldemort himself came sailing into the school stuck on the back of Quirrell's head after all. If there's a way of getting past the wards, I'm sure that little rat will find it."

"Do the wards cover the secret passage from Honeydukes? Or the one from the Shrieking Shack?" Hermione asked with a thoughtful frown. "He knows about both of them."

"Yes, the wards would extend to both of those passageways," Dumbledore said calmly. "But I believe your estimation of Mr Pettigrew may be correct. Especially if he is working under a threat from Voldemort."

"Could he come through with someone else?" Harry asked. "Like Voldemort did with Quirrell?"

"You mean sneak into someone's pocket and come through the wards with them?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded. "Hmm, an interesting idea. My initial thought would be to say no but I cannot say what other spells Voldemort may have discovered in his research. He may have found a way. I have a great deal of free time on my hands right now so I shall bend my mind as to how that might be done."

"I'll let the Headmistress know," Harry said resignedly. "She and Mrs Norris can step up their patrols."

"Maybe you'll be able to join them soon," Hermione said with a smile.

"What is this?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.

"Minerva's teaching us how to become animagi," Harry said with a wide grin. "We making progress...slow but it's still progress. She thinks we might be able to manage the transformation after the New Year. My form's looking distinctly feline."

"What I don't understand is how we've come so far so quickly," Ron said. "I mean your Dad and Sirius took a couple of years to figure it out."

"But they were doing it on their own," Hermione pointed out. "We've got someone teaching us properly."

"Miss Granger is correct," the Headmaster said. "The process does not take quite as long with a skilled teacher." He looked at Hermione and Ron. "And what are your forms?"

"Mine's some kind of bird," Hermione said, looking a bit bemused. "Which is odd because I don't really like flying."

"Ah, you'll find that with your own wings flying becomes a different matter," Dumbledore said, his eyes gleaming. "And you, Mr Weasley?"

"I think I'm a dog," Ron said with a grin. "A canine, anyway."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said. "And congratulations."

The trio grinned with delight then Harry sobered and looked back over at Snape.

"So other than sending Wormtail out to do something, does Voldemort have anything else planned?" he asked.

"No," Snape replied. "I believe he intends to lie low for a while and plan for something...large towards the end of school year."

Harry sighed. "What a surprise."

"Well, there's nothing quite like tradition," Ron said with a wry grin.

"Do you think he could wait until after we do our NEWTs?" Hermione asked plaintively.

Harry and Ron snickered as Dumbledore chuckled and Snape sneered.

"Hermione, we've been personally trained by Mad-Eye Moody," Harry said patiently. "Do you really think we'd have trouble doing anything we wanted to do, no matter what our NEWT marks are?"

"Really?" Hermione said with surprise.

"A personal recommendation from a well-respected, if slightly paranoid, former Auror like Moody counts for more than school marks," Ron said with a nod. "Moody told me that and Tonks confirmed it. That's how she got in even though she messed up in some of the entry exams by tripping over. She had a personal recommendation from an Auror."

"The Aurors trust the word of their own more than that of even impartial examiners," Dumbledore said. "It sometimes frustrates the Ministry but those who come in on personal recommendations usually do extremely well."

Hermione looked thoughtful then she scowled. "Well, I'd still like to do well on my NEWTs."

"Hermione, you're the smartest witch in the whole school," Ron said affectionately. "You're going to be fine."

"I only got an Exceeds Expectations in Defence for my OWLs," Hermione said with a frown. "I want to do better than that."

"Hey, how did that happen?" Ron asked curiously. "I mean Harry was always going to get the best mark because he managed to produce his Patronus but what happened?"

Hermione looked frustrated. "I think it was the Boggart we had to face in the practical section. I still couldn't get past that."

Harry and Ron quickly swallowed grins but Hermione saw them and smacked them both on the arm firmly.

"It's not funny," she said fiercely.

"Hermione, your Boggart is Professor McGonagall telling you you've failed everything," Harry said patiently, his grin growing. "That's not only funny, it's highly unlikely. Besides it's way better than mine or Mrs Weasley's."

Hermione paled a little. "Well, yes, I suppose so," she said uncomfortably.

"Ask Remus if he can find a Boggart and practice," Harry said wryly.

"But how do I make that funny?" Hermione said plaintively.

Ron snickered. "Have Minerva trip over her robes. Or have her hair come out of its bun."

Hermione quickly swallowed a smile and gave Ron something that was clearly meant to be a stern look. He grinned back at her unrepentantly.

"Argh, we're just rambling now," Harry said. "We know that nothing's going to happen in the immediate future so that gives us some breathing space. I think we'll get out of your hair, sir."

"Nonsense, my boy," Dumbledore said airily. "I do enjoy your visits."

Harry stood anyway and Ron and Hermione joined him.

"Oh!" he said, suddenly remembering. "Ginny knows you're alive. She doesn't know where you are but I had to explain to her about what happened in the room with Snape."

"Yes, Severus mentioned that that was a likely outcome of that confrontation," Dumbledore replied. "I would have preferred the secret to stay in the circle it was already in but this could not be helped. I'm sure we can rely on the discretion of Miss Weasley."

"Absolutely," Ron said staunchly then the three of them ducked under Harry's cloak and headed back up the stairs for the castle.

"Was it just me or was Snape really quiet?" Ron said as they walked through the gates.

"I think Professor Snape was in a lot of pain and didn't want us to know," Hermione replied dryly.

"I think Snape was in a lot of pain and didn't want us acting like typical Gryffindors and being concerned," Harry said with an amused snort.

Ron laughed. "Ah, that sounds more like it."

"Exactly," Harry said. "I mean I thumped him against the wall with the Stupefy I cast and Merlin only knows what Voldemort did. He had to have been hurting. Stupid git just didn't want us to know."

"He's always been stubborn," Hermione said in an offhand manner. "And if he wants to sit and suffer instead of being sensible and asking for help then that's his own lookout."

"That's remarkably tough for you," Harry said with a grin.

Hermione sniffed primly. "Imagine what Madam Pomfrey would have said."

The boys laughed at that then they all quietened down as they slipped back into the castle and up to the Tower.