Harry Potter and the Secret Horcrux

Chapter Ten: A Pile of Rubble

Harry knew what he needed to do, but at the same time he had no idea how to accomplish it. While Hermione's suggestion to approach Lupin about Horcruxes was the best plan they had, it was nearly impossible. The first problem was that Lupin was rarely around. He was still working missions within the Werewolf colonies and the nights he came to Grimmauld Place he seemed too weary to bother.

Hermione's backup plan of reading every book in the Black library in search of Horcruxes was also proving disastrous. Two of the bookshelves had been infested with Doxies and a book had actually bitten her and left a nasty gash. Ron had taken to refusing to go into the library citing that no useful information could be found in biting books.

A lull had fallen over the entire house and Harry started to understand, as he never had before, just how trapped Sirius must have felt in his final days. Mrs. Weasley had slowly started talking to them again, but her actions made it perfectly clear they were not to leave the house without adult supervision or permission.

Information about the Dursleys came through Tonks and Kingsley, who had Ministry access. Dudley appeared to have suffered no lasting effects and had been placed under a Memory Charm and sent to spend the summer with Aunt Marge. Uncle Vernon's fate was still uncertain. The Healers at St. Mungo's were still trying to sort out the spell damage, but Tonks had told Harry they were hopeful he'd make a full recovery in time.

The news about Aunt Petunia was the grimmest of all the Dursleys'. The Ministry of Magic had listed her as missing, most likely dead. The attack had not been labeled an official Death Eater attack but all the classic signs were apparent. Nowadays the Ministry was cautious about labels since many smaller bands of Dark followers had risen in hopes of proving themselves to the Dark Lord.

Harry had decided to ask Tonks and Kingsley about Petunia being a witch, but both Aurors had assured Harry there was no record of any such thing being true. Petunia Dursley was a Muggle and had been one since the day she was born. Still, Harry couldn't help but wonder why the small elf, Tilly, was so convinced his Aunt was a witch.

It was late and Harry lay awake wondering. It was becoming a habit. He glanced at the clock next to his bed when a loud crash shook the walls and a drunken voice called out.

"ELLO! ANYBODY AWAKE?"

Harry jolted into a sitting position and Ron fell out of the bed. Both boys looked at each other for a moment before scrambling to their feet.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" Ron swore as they pushed their way out the door and into the hallway.

Harry made a quick leap for the curtain covering Mrs. Black's portrait as he noticed it swinging dangerously. Ron joined him and they quickly secured it with a tight knot, a technique that Sirius had invented when it became apparent that he wasn't going to be able to remove the portrait.

"ELLO! Where is everybody?"

Mundungus Fletcher stumbled around the living room. It was apparent he didn't realize the reason that nobody was around was because it was the middle of the night.

"Is Kingsley here?" Mundungus asked quickly as he spotted Ron and Harry. "It's urgent-we're going to need Aurors this time."

"Aurors?" Harry repeated.

"Yeah, there's bin an attack. Loads of people are hurt," Dung said in a slight slur.

Harry could smell the stench of drink on his clothes and it triggered a surge of anger.

"I thought you were still in Azkaban?" Harry spat.

"Ain't you bin hearing me? There's bin an attack," Mundungus said looking slightly shell-shocked. "This is the Order's business it is."

"When have you ever taken the Order's business seriously?" Harry retorted.

Ron took a hesitating step backwards while eyeing Harry. Dung was either not troubled by Harry's tone or too drunk to realize his temper was dangerously close to surfacing.

"Mundungus, what are you doing here so late?"

"Much a'pology, Molly. Mad-Eye sent me to fetch Kingsley," Mundungus greeted.

"Kingsley isn't here right now," Mrs. Weasley replied as she pulled her night robe tighter.

Mundungus glanced at Harry and Ron and motioned for Mrs. Weasley chat with him privately.

"You boys head back to bed," Mrs. Weasley said sternly before following Mundungus into the kitchen and out of earshot.

"Thieving bastard," Harry said bitterly as he turned to head back up the stairs.

Hermione and Ginny were both at the top of the stairs looking as baffled as he and Ron had looked when they first came down stairs.

"Was that Dung?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded with a jerk and pushed past the girls.

"Apparently there's been an attack," Ron explained. "Mad-Eye sent him to fetch Kingsley. That makes like the fifth attack this week."

"I wish they'd just sack him. I don't like the fact he has access to this house," Harry said acidly.

Hermione let out an understanding sigh. "Mundungus has lots of important contacts... as much as I don't like his habit, he's of value to the Order."

"I thought he was still in Azkaban for the whole Inferi thing," Ginny admitted.

Hermione watched Harry for a response. "I think the Order worked for his release."

A frantic rustle from below broke the conversation and Mrs. Weasley raced up the stairs. Her face was flushed and she had a panic-stricken look.

"Everything okay, Mum?" Ginny asked.

Mrs. Weasley looked as if she was going to say something then stopped.

"I've summoned several Order members, including your father--I need you all to keep awake and downstairs in case anybody reports back," Mrs. Weasley said in a shaky voice.

Before anybody had a chance to respond, she rushed off down the hall muttering something under her breath they couldn't quite make out. Harry followed her with his eyes until she disappeared behind her bedroom door.

Hermione let out a faint sound of apprehension as the four of them traveled back downstairs. Images of devastation and death flooded Harry as the worst possible scenarios played out in his mind. They heard a Disapparation crack from upstairs a moment later.

"I can't believe she didn't tell us where the attack was," Ron commented.

"She was probably worried we'd follow her," Harry said flatly before taking a seat near the fireplace.

An hour passed and there was no word from anybody in the Order. They all fought to stay awake and as the sun started to gently rise, Ginny stifled a yawn and let her head fall back onto the sofa.

"Anybody want any coffee?" Hermione asked suddenly.

Ginny raised her hand as she stared up at the ceiling and Harry shrugged. Hermione rose to her feet and started towards the kitchen.

"Hermione, do you want some help?" Ron asked.

Hermione stopped awkwardly and nodded in Ron's direction. Harry didn't even seem to realize they had left until Ginny let out an annoyed groan.

"I wonder what the time is?" Harry asked in a lazy voice.

Ginny pointed towards the clock on the mantel. The big hand on the clock was hovering near the six and Harry let out a sigh that could rival Ginny's groan. Minutes ticked by in silence and suddenly Harry became very aware that Ron and Hermione were still missing.

He turned around to look at the door leading down toward the kitchen when Ginny lifted her head to look at him.

"Do you still plan on not going back to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.

Harry cut his eyes over toward her. "Doesn't look like it's going to open back up, so does it really matter?"

"Are you ever going to let me in on this great quest of yours then?" Ginny pushed.

Harry ginned slightly in spite of himself. "Probably not..."

Ginny frowned. "I didn't think so."

"It's not that I don't trust you," Harry attempted before Ginny sneered and interrupted him.

"It's because you want to protect me."

Harry stared at her for a moment. "You make it sound so trivial."

"No, I make it sound thick, which it is," Ginny snapped.

Harry turned his head away from Ginny and back towards the kitchen door.

"Dean wrote me," Ginny mentioned casually.

Harry felt as if a dagger had pierced through his chest as he tried to think of a witty retort. It was amazing how jealous Ginny could make him feel sometimes.

Ginny paused. "He wanted to know if you plan on restarting the D.A. when they reopen Hogwarts..."

Harry didn't respond.

"I think a lot of people want to do something, to fight," she continued. "You're not the only one who feels they have something worth protecting."

"Plan on patching things up with Dean, do you?" Harry responded against his better judgment.

Ginny looked aghast for a brief second by Harry's comment then raised her eyebrows. "Well, if I do it isn't your concern anymore," she said in a matter of fact voice.

"No, I guess not," Harry said bitterly as he rose to his feet. "I'm going to find Ron and Hermione."

Ginny nodded coolly as she threw her head back against the sofa, signaling she didn't really care if Harry stayed around to chat. He quickly made his way towards the kitchen door and down the stairs. His thoughts were swimming and he made a mental note to have a little chat with Ron about leaving him alone with Ginny again. He was almost at the bottom when he heard a giggle. His feet suddenly stopped moving and his mouth dropped open.

"Ron, don't." Harry wasn't even sure the voice belonged to Hermione because it had sounded so not Hermione-ish. It was playful--almost flirtatious.

Harry almost fell backwards when the request was followed by the sounds of what could only be described as snogging. He didn't have to actually see it he could picture it very clearly and he knew he'd never erase the image out if he actually witnessed it. He could already imagine a smug Ron and a mortified Hermione looking at him if he took another step and made his appearance.

As quietly as he could, he made his way back up the stairs and shut the door behind him.

"Harry, are you all right?" Ginny asked, looking worried.

Harry realized he probably looked like he had seen a ghost as he balanced himself against the frame of the kitchen door.

"Fine," Harry choked out.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Ginny inquired. "I though you were going to fetch them."

Harry blinked. "They're preoccupied at the moment."

Ginny perked up and gave Harry a curious look. He shook his head and made his way over to the chair and flopped back down. It seemed only minutes later the door to the kitchen opened and Hermione appeared with a tray of coffee and biscuits.

"What took you two so long?" Ginny teased as she watched Harry.

"Hermione insisted on making coffee the Muggle way," Ron attempted to explain, though his cheeks flushed.

Harry felt his own cheeks redden with shame as he suddenly had an urge to disappear. He felt as if he had invaded a private moment meant only for his two best friends and now a terrible burden was on his shoulders. He always knew that Ron and Hermione's relationship might grow into something more than friendship and he knew he didn't want to know when or how it happened.

Just when Harry decided on a good excuse to leave, the fireplace exploded into a swirl of green flames. Hermione let out a scream and Ron dropped a coffee cup causing it to shatter. Tonks appeared first with a badly injured wizard tight in her grasp.

"Clear a spot," Tonks said in such a forceful voice that it made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stand on end.

The silvery old man coughed haggardly and sporadically trembled as Tonks laid him on the floor to catch her balance. She waved her wand over him and then let out a swear word before turning towards Hermione.

"Do you have a potions kit handy?"

Hermione started to open her mouth but didn't say anything as she dashed out of the room and up the stairs.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." Tonks didn't even look at Ron when she responded.

"You should take him to St. Mungo's..." Ginny suggested.

"We can't," Tonks said instantly in a slightly frustrated voice. "Back up, he needs some room to breathe."

The fireplace erupted into flames again and the dark skinned witch, Aeval, stepped out. She immediately kneeled next to Tonks.

"It was a Blasting Curse," she stated. "Amycus caught him with his back turned, the filthy bastard."

"I've never seen a Blasting Curse affect a wizard like this," Tonks said as she took the potions kit from Hermione, who had returned.

"Elphias isn't as young as he used to be. He shouldn't have been dueling in his condition," Aeval sighed. "Add some hellebore it might speed up the effects."

Tonks nodded as she rummaged through Hermione's ingredients. She quickly added a few ingredients together and tipped the potion into the old wizard's mouth. He sputtered violently, gave a great jolt, and then lay still.

"Damn it," Tonk swore as the dark skinned witch, Aeval, shook her head.

Aeval took her hand and laid it on the old wizard's face. "I'm sorry old friend."

"Is he?" Ginny asked.

Tonks suddenly seemed to come out of a trance and blinked hard. "We're not certain St. Mungo's is secure. It was too risky to take him there."

"We did all we could do. Even if we had taken him to St. Mungo's it wouldn't have made a difference," Aeval tried to reassure Tonks.

Tonks waved off her comment and disappeared into the kitchen. Harry heard her let out a sob before the door closed but decided now was not the time to try to offer her solace. Aeval took a deep breath for composure before looking at Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

"Tell Tonks that I'll take care of Elphias."

She reached for the fallen wizard and Disapparated. Harry stared in disbelief at the spot where she had been for a moment before he felt the weight of somebody sitting down next to him.

He turned to see Ginny staring at him and he could see the worry in her eyes.

"I'm sure everybody is fine," Harry said in a voice he barely recognized as his own.

He suddenly noticed Hermione crumpled on the floor with her knees drawn up and Ron staring blankly into the fire from a seat on the sofa. Ginny leaned over and rested her head on Harry's shoulder and he placed his arm around her without even realizing he was doing so.

Hours passed and none of them said a word. Every time Harry glanced at the clock on the mantel another hour seemed to have ticked by. Finally the loud pops of several Apparations rose through the floor signaling people had arrived down in the kitchen.

Ginny jumped to her feet. "They're here."

A moment later a tired-looking Mrs. Weasley appeared at the kitchen door and a group of exhausted Order members were not far behind her.

"What happened?" Harry asked instantly.

"Diagon Alley," Fred said heavily. "There isn't much left, mate."

"The Leaky Cauldron is just a heap of rubble and debris," George added. "The attack itself has been over for quite a while now-- it was just sorting through everything and looking for survivors..."

"Then the Ministry had to secure St. Mungo's because they weren't sure if it had been infiltrated," Fred continued.

Mrs. Weasley frowned. "There's no sense in reliving it. We've all had a long night and should probably get some rest."

Remus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "What happened with Elphias? We haven't heard from Tonks or Aeval..."

"He.... He didn't make it," Harry muttered. "Aeval said she was taking care of it."

Remus let out loud breath before shaking his head. "He was one of the first ones on the scene after Mundungus notified us of the situation."

Mrs. Weasley was trembling slightly when Mr. Weasley placed an arm around his wife. "Come on, Molly."

"Harry, could I have a word with you?" Remus said suddenly as Harry watched Mr. and Mrs. Weasley head off to bed.

Harry nodded and he followed Remus out of earshot of the rest of the Order. Remus held open the door to the Library and Harry went in before turning to look at his former professor.

"Harry," Remus began. "Tonks tells me that you don't plan on returning to Hogwarts."

Harry mouth dropped slightly as he searched for the words to explain his decision before finally nodding his head.

Remus frowned. "I take it there is no changing your mind about this and it has to do with this quest Dumbledore has reserved for you."

Harry nodded again.

"May I make you a proposition then?" Remus asked.

Harry raised his eyebrows and Remus continued.

"You come of age this July and in doing so you are old enough to join the Order. However, you also know that you must finish school and be a fully qualified wizard before the Order will accept your membership."

"I didn't expect the Order to allow me to join if I didn't go back to Hogwarts," Harry admitted, though he tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Remus grinned. "You've done more than wizards twice your age. Your parents would be very proud of you. I've talked with several Order members and I think you should be allowed to join...when you come of age."

"Even if I don't go back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Well, Hogwarts isn't what it once was. Professor McGonagall said that some of the governors aren't completely convinced the school should be reopened so a compromise is being worked out."

"A compromise?" Harry repeated.

Remus nodded. "I'm not sure what it will consist of, but I don't think your seventh year will resemble your first six."

"Let's hope not," Harry muttered.

"If you are permitted to join the Order, you have to promise me that you'll go back to Hogwarts and finish your NEWTs," Remus stated.

"Won't that defeat the purpose? If I'm not around how can I be a member of the Order?" Harry retorted.

"As I've told you, Hogwarts isn't what it once was. From what I understand, most of your education will take place at home not at Hogwarts itself."

"I wouldn't join without Ron and Hermione," Harry pointed out.

"I didn't think so, but Molly will have to agree to Ron being allowed to join," Remus pointed out. "I imagine you think Ginny should also be allowed to join?"

"No," Harry said immediately.

Remus seemed taken aback by Harry's response. "Harry, is there something I should know?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I just don't think Ginny's old enough to even consider joining the Order."

"She's not that much younger than you, Ron and Hermione," Remus said calmly, "and she wouldn't be allowed to join till she came of age."

Harry felt the conversation could lead nowhere comfortable and he had more important issues to discuss with Remus. He stared at Remus for a second before swallowing.

"There's something I wanted to talk with you about," Harry started, "but I need your word you won't ask me any questions about it."

Remus didn't say a word but watched Harry intently.

"Do you know anything about Horcruxes?"