Harry Potter and the Elements of Valor

Chapter Eleven - Taking Command

The storm had finally broken as Harry climbed the stone steps back into the castle. Large, fat raindrops began to plop on the steps as Harry shut the oak front door behind him. Hogwarts had never felt so cold and empty to him. Harry climbed the marble staircase back to Gryffindor tower, wanting to be doing something that would give him a sense of purpose in his quest. The common room held a number of students, reading and playing games quietly. They looked up at him as he passed through, though no one said anything. His outburst in the Great Hall probably held them back. He walked purposefully to the stairs leading to the dormitory.

The seventh year boy's room was empty. Ron and he were the only two occupants. As he was not there at the moment, Harry guessed Ron was off somewhere with Hermione. They were probably discussing his bad behavior during the after dinner discussion. He guessed he deserved it.

Harry hung his damp cloak on a peg near the door and dropped down on his knees in front of his old school trunk. He opened it and began to rifle through it. Lightening flashed outside the windows. The sky was darkening as rain pelted the glass and steamed down. Harry turned his attention back to the trunk. He knew he needed to clean the thing out one of these days. It contained far too many things he should have pitched out years before. Instead, old bits of useless parchment, broken quills and dried up bottles of ink were pushed aside, for now was not the time.

Right now, he was looking for something he hadn't thought about since last year. It was key to the possibility that his plan could even go forward.

At the very bottom of the trunk, under a particularly mangy old pair of socks, and an old Hogwarts permission form, he found the packet of papers bequeathed to him by Sirius. The will he had heard in Gringotts and the bundle of letters, still tied with the crinkled and faded red ribbon, were still there.

Harry dumped the lot onto his bed and flung the rest of his things back into the trunk before closing it. He dropped down on the bed and began to sort through the thick wad of documents that made up Sirius's will. As he worked, he heard a creaking noise behind him. He looked over his shoulder as Ginny came through the door, "Where did you go after dinner?" she asked, settling herself on the bed next to Harry.

"I just had to think," said Harry. "I probably owe Parvati an apology. I shouldn't have attacked her like that."

"Parvati was being a bit...clueless. I could see why you'd get upset," she replied.

Harry looked up at her, "You know, four more students left today, not counting Neville." He had watched in the afternoon as a Gryffindor second year, a Hufflepuff, and two Ravenclaws boarded a thestral carriage with their trunks which then headed off toward the gates. Professor McGonagall, who was seeing them off, had an anxious look on her face as she had watched the carriage depart. When she turned back toward the castle, Harry could have sworn it was with a tear in her eye.

"Well, I think it's understandable that more students are leaving," she said. "That last attack on Hogsmeade was pretty close to the school." Ginny smiled sadly at him, "Harry, I understand why you blew up. People who aren't in the middle of all of it, as you are, don't really understand."

"You were there too, Ginny," he said. "Letting you get close to Malfoy and Snape...that was my fault. I should never..."

"Just stop!" said Ginny firmly. "It all came out right in the end. Malfoy is dead, my curse is gone, and we were able to warn the Order about Hogsmeade and Bagman. If we hadn't left the school grounds, things would have been worse in Hogsmeade."

Harry looked back down at the papers in his hands, "We'll be the only ones here soon."

Ginny said quietly, "I know."

"What's all this?" she asked, changing the subject. She had begun to look over the pile of papers on the bed.

"Oh," said Harry, not meeting her gaze. "It's just some stuff from Sirius. I thought I'd look through it."

Ginny gave a small non-committal sound but did not comment further. Harry knew he was inclined to become rather funny when the subject of Sirius came up, and at such times, his friends handled him like a bomb about to go off. Therefore, Harry was sure Ginny was avoiding any other comment.

"These look like letters," said Ginny, picking up the ribbon tied bundle.

Grateful to escape talking about the will itself, Harry said, "Ya, I never read them all. They're all letters written to Sirius. I guess I should read them, though." Harry had not read them because the first one he had pulled out the day the will was read to him was from his mother, and described in detail what had happened that last day of her life. Harry tried not to think about what he had read there. Hopefully, none of the rest of the old letters would prove so devastating to read because Ginny was now gingerly untying the bundle.

"Shall we read a few?" asked Ginny tentatively. Harry shrugged, wanting both to hear their contents and wanting them to remain folded, and therefore silent. He didn't know how to explain this to Ginny, so he kept quiet.

The letter on top was the one from his mother to Sirius on the day she was killed. "My mum wrote that one the day she died," said Harry, taking it off the top of the stack Ginny was holding and setting it aside.

Ginny did not question him, but picked up the next one. "This is from Sirius's mother." She paused, Harry thought, to give him time to dissent before she began to read aloud.

Sirius,

I am completely beside myself. I have just been informed that you and your nasty little group of Gryffindor friends have had a go at Philleus Zambini and Terrell Bulstrode. It is bad enough that you are not part of Slytherin house, as every decent Black has been since the school was founded, but dueling with boys whose families we associate with and putting them in the hospital to boot is simply the final straw.

You are a grand disappointment as a son, Sirius. You may have been born a Black, but as you have chosen to side with Albus Dumbledore, you have forsaken your noble heritage. Our last conversation makes that fact crystal clear.

From this day forward, I will no longer consider you as my kin. You will not step so much as a toe inside this house again whilst I am alive and matriarch of this family. Kreacher will pack up all your belongings and they will be delivered to Hogwarts. Never darken my doorstep again.

Mother Black

Harry scowled as Ginny re-folded it and set it down, picking up the next. "It fits her picture at Grimmauld Place, don't you think?" asked Ginny who seemed to be trying to lift Harry's mood. "I can see why Sirius hated her."

He smiled weakly at her and continued to skim through the thick sheaf of parchment in his hands. It was all a lot of legal terms that he didn't really understand. He knew he would recognize the part he was interested in once he saw it.

Ginny shifted on the bed and began to read the next letter.

Dearest Sirius,

I can see that it's over between us. I saw you in the corridor today with Amada Reichorn and you held her hand and kissed her. It was only last week that it was me in that position.

I know I should be crying, but I have realized that you are not ready to love someone. I think you love being popular and being rowdy with James and Remus. You love the attention you get for being good looking but I don't think you like yourself very much.

I think deep down you are sad. You never let me in, never let me understand you, I don't know why that is. I only hope you find out who you are and why you run away from every girl who gets close to you. Oh yes, there are quite a lot of us you've left in your wake. Perhaps we'll form a club.

I do really wish you the best, but more than that, I wish you to open that locked door to your heart and to find happiness.

Sincerely,

Deidre Vance

Ginny frowned as she finished this one. "Funny he hung on to this letter, isn't it? Someone like Sirius must have had a lot of girls trailing after him. I'll bet he broke up with a fair few too," said Ginny. "It's very sad, her letter, don't you think?"

Harry laid down his papers. "Perhaps this one meant something to him. He left me a message after he died telling me to settle down with someone and have a family. I guess he wished he had been able to do that," speculated Harry.

She was looking at him in a strange way that seemed to have nothing to do with the letters. She sighed and then opened the next piece of stained parchment. This one was from Dumbledore. In it, he told Sirius he would help find lodgings for him for the summer. It seemed to be in response to Sirius's mother disowning him. It suggested that Sirius could store his extra things at Hogwarts as long as he liked.

There was a letter from Sirius's Uncle Alphard, which commiserated with him over the state of the Black family and apparently had enclosed a bank note for some eight hundred galleons to help Sirius out until he could finish school and find work. Uncle Alphard had told him to keep his spirits up.

Ginny had reached the last letter. As she opened it, Harry saw it was signed James Potter, and he paid closer attention as Ginny read.

Sirius,

Well mate, I've gone and done it. I asked Lily to marry me, and to my surprise, she agreed. Can you believe it? I couldn't wait for your return from France to tell you the news so I'm sending this to you by owl.

We're to be married on September first, as it's the anniversary of our very first meeting; Hogwarts train platform. Remember that day? It's a miracle she'll have me after the trick we played on her and the others in her compartment. We were really horrible when we were young, weren't we?

So, my friend, I simply can't get married unless you consent to be my best man. I hope you'll agree. Lily sends her love, and asks that you keep your heartbreaking ways to a minimum while you are outside of the country as it might give Britain a bad name.

Soon,

James

PS - I know its very short notice and we've only just graduated, but we can't wait...so there it is.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Looks like they married quite young, doesn't it? I never thought about that before."

Ginny inclined her head. "Perhaps it's young for muggles. My parents were married directly out of school too. Mum always said she and dad were made for each other." Ginny stacked the letters up and carefully re-tied the old ribbon. As she concentrated on making the bow, Harry watched her. He really loved looking at her when she wasn't watching him.

Too soon, Ginny jumped off the bed saying she needed to go to the library and would see him later in the common room. Harry bade her goodbye and went back to his reading of the will.

It took Harry a good hour to find the thing he was looking for. He had to read it over about six times to make sure he understood it. That part of his plan could work, he realized. Harry gathered up all the papers and folded them carefully back together before dropping the documents into his trunk. The plan was starting to coalesce in his head. It seemed rash, yet it was the only way.

With the information from the will in hand, Harry sought out Ron. He didn't have to look far. Ron and Hermione were sitting together at a table in the common room, doing homework, when he found them.

Harry pulled out a chair and sat down. Normally he would have confided in both of them but he knew that in this one case, only Ron could know what he had in mind. Harry sat nervously tapping his foot, knowing he would have to wait to talk to talk to Ron alone.

Hermione looked up at him. "Are you alright Harry?" she asked. "You really upset Parvati."

"Yes, I got a bit out of line," he replied.

"I never got to bring up the news about the were-wolf cure," said Hermione.

"What news?" asked Harry.

"Well, it seems that St. Mungo's has questioned the use of the cure. Some healer named Augustus Pye says it may be worthless. He is asking for volunteer subjects to test it on. He'll take any one who has been bitten." She pulled a folded section of The Daily Prophet from her bag and passed it across to Harry.

"St. Mungo's isn't a very safe place, and that Pye is in with the Death Eaters," said Harry shortly. Harry recollected his and Neville imprisonment in St. Mungos the previous year.

"Maybe he wants to get werewolves to come forward so they can be recruited by Voldemort," said Ron.

"I don't know what they're thinking," said Harry. "I just wish the Order was strong enough to go in and raid St. Mungos. But, I suppose with Bagman a Death Eater, they can't do it through the Ministry."

"Bagman might just be under the Imperius curse," said Hermione.

"I don't think so," said Harry. "If he had been, I don't think he would have told Snape he shouldn't be seen with the rest of them. I think he would have just gone along, don't you? I mean, that curse just makes you sort of contented so you're happy to do what you're asked."

"I agree with Harry," Ron said. "Bagman is putting on too good an act. Dad thought he'd behaved really strangely at the World Cup and hasn't had much good to say about him since."

"Harry, did Dumbledore ever tell you what was done with Malfoy's body? I saw Draco again today and I don't think he knows his father is dead," whispered Hermione.

"No, I didn't ask him and he didn't say anything. I'll bet the Order wants it all kept quiet," said Harry. "Snape must not have told anyone either or I'm sure Draco would have heard."

Ron said, "Snape is the real problem, isn't he. Malfoy is dead, so who cares about him."

"Well, if Voldemort knew the two of them were plotting together, Snape's life wouldn't be worth a sickle," said Harry.

Hermione finally closed her book and bade them goodnight. Harry watched her walk away feeling guilty for what he was about to do. When he and Ron were alone, and Harry was sure no one would hear, he confided his plan. Ron thought at first that Harry was having him on. "You're not serious? Are you?" he asked when Harry had finished.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

Ron was at a loss for what to say, he started to voice his objection several times, but stopped each time. "I...Well...But what about..."

Harry cut across him, "Look, I know what I'm asking. Just think about it and we'll talk about it later. Just don't tell anyone."

Ron agreed that it should stay between the two of them, pointing out that everyone would be completely upset if they knew.

The chill, rainy weather of late November was replaced suddenly by an unusually bitter cold snap. Every surface outdoors was coated in a film of ice. The lake began to form small icy bits that floated on the surface making it appear as though it was a dish of lumpy gravy.

As the lake froze solid over the next few days, Harry thought about how the students would have gone skating in happier times. Now, with the frequent attacks, no one was allowed out on the lake, or even on the lawn, unless going to classes.

Harry, who had been finding lessons increasingly difficult to bear, felt restless and annoyed at the lack of useful information he was receiving. It wasn't that the lessons weren't good; they just were not preparing him for his fight.

At his next Elemental magic lesson, Mac looked questioningly at him when he stalked in and slammed down his books. "What's wrong, young Harry?" he asked.

"None of this is working," said Harry, in an annoyed voice. "Voldemort is out there and Snape is out there, and I'm stuck here learning how to change pumpkins into porcupines, or learning how to dry wet clothes with a charm."

"I don't know what answer you expect, boy, but you are not stuck anywhere. That kind of thinking is a dead end. Everyone has a choice. You have a choice."

Harry got set in the center of the room and conjured the air spell; watching it churn and watching the lightening strengthen. His frustration was feeding it; making it stronger. Then he directed it at a point on the wall visualizing Snape standing there. The electricity slammed into the spot. The blast seemed to rock the room, or at least the power of it made Harry stagger.

"Well done, boy!" said Mac, appreciatively. "I believe that's the best you have done so far. You were quick and accurate...deadly," he said with pride.

Harry looked at the spot in the wall where a hole had been blasted. Mac was right, of course; right about all of it. He knew what he needed to do and it was only his own fear, or apathy that was holding him back. Somehow, at that moment, he knew he must follow the plan he had in his head.

Harry and Ron had several long discussions over then next few days. Ron spent the first several talks trying to dissuade Harry from it, then the next several helping him to perfect it. It was a mark of their friendship that Ron was going to go along with it even though he had grave doubts.

"Harry, do you suppose you should tell someone else about what we're going to do?" asked Ron, as they talked late into the night in their dormitory room.

"Look," said Harry, "Dumbledore said I shouldn't second guess my decisions. If I tell anyone, there's a chance of a leak," said Harry. "I just don't want anything to go wrong."

"There are about a hundred things that can go wrong. I'm not sure that telling Dumbledore would be a bad idea. He won't tell anyone," said Ron.

Harry was undecided about revealing his plan to Dumbledore. The headmaster seemed to be weaker and more sickly each time Harry saw him. His failing strength was disconcerting. Dumbledore had always been the person in control. The night of the Hogsmeade fire seemed to have sapped his remaining vigor. At least, since that night, Dumbledore had missed all of Harry's private lessons, leaving them to Mac. He was seldom seen at dinner in the Great Hall, and when he did appear, he was often leaning on a cane and wheezed slightly when he spoke.

In order for the plan to work, Harry needed some gold. Luckily, his gold was now close by. Under the invisibility cloak, he was able to sneak down to the cells where Snape had been kept until his break out. Although he was nearly caught by Bill due to a creaking door, when he opened the cell holding the gold, he managed to fill a pouch with what he thought would be enough.

"It's your gold, Harry," said Ron as they played a game of wizard chess late that night in the otherwise deserted common room. "You could have just asked Bill, and he could have gotten it for you."

"If I ask for gold, someone might want to know what it's for," explained Harry, nudging his bishop forward.

"Mate, I'm beginning to think you've gone a bit ...well...paranoid," Ron replied. "I guess that makes me barmy too, following you."

Harry grinned for the first time in weeks. Ron's friendship meant everything to him, and Ron's agreement to go along with his plan made it all seem much more possible. The chess game finished with Ron's queen checking Harry's king while several pawns cheered from the side of the board.

"Do you think we'll pull it off?" asked Ron as they climbed the stairs to their dormitory. "Not just the first part, but all of it."

"I reckon we have to," said Harry patting Ron on the shoulder.

Even though the decision had been made, Harry couldn't sleep that night. Images of recent attacks kept replaying in his head until he thought it might drive him crazy. After tossing in his bed for what seemed like several hours, and punching his pillow into all sorts of shapes, none of which seemed to make him any more comfortable, Harry climbed from his bed and dug out his Transfiguration textbook. Perhaps, he thought, he could catch up on his homework reading assignment and knock the visions of violent death out of his head in one stroke.

The common room was very dark. The candles had been put out and the house elves must have cleared up since there were no wads of parchment or candy wrappers littering the room. The fire was burning very low. Harry could see the head of one person sitting in front of the fire. As he drew near, he realized it was Ginny.

"Hi," said Harry softly, so as not to scare her. Ginny turned to look at him.

"Harry," she said, "why are you up?"

Harry could tell she had been crying. "Never mind about me, what's the matter?" he asked, coming around and sitting next to her on the sofa.

"It's nothing," she said quickly, wiping her eyes on her nightdress.

"Come on, tell me," coaxed Harry. Ginny was not a girl to cry easily, not like Hermione for example. When Ginny did it, he thought it better to take notice, than to ignore it.

Instead of answering him, she put her arms around his neck kissed him. Harry could tell a diversion when he saw one, even a pleasant diversion such as this. He put an arm around her. "Tell me," he said.

"I said it's not important," she said sinking back into the couch and hugging her knees to her chest.

"C'mon Ginny," Harry coaxed.

She gave him a look that was unfathomable. "Alright then," she turned away from him staring into the fire. "I know you Harry. I can feel what you're thinking. I'm betting you're planning on facing Voldemort soon, aren't you?"

Harry had not exactly spoken this thought aloud yet, but indeed, it had been burning within him for months now.

"The thing is Harry, I know you have to do what you think is right or best, when you're ready. Somehow, you've managed to escape Voldemort over and over through skill or luck or circumstances and I don't think anyone should interfere with your intuition or your decision. I know that I can't try to stop you, but I'm so worried for you."

"I don't know what to say. I'm...I'm..." Harry said haltingly. "I have to do this first, before my life can go on. The prophecy is right. I can't really live while Voldemort is alive." The silence was very deep. "I love you Ginny. I hope you know that."

"I love you too, Harry," she whispered raggedly and she turned and buried herself in his arms. "I love you too."

Harry held her and stared into the fire thinking to himself how he'd probably not survive to enjoy a quiet life with Ginny... how he had already lived longer than could have been expected.

It was a week until the end of term. The room was black as Harry lit his wand. "Ron," whispered Harry. He kept forgetting that Neville was no longer here. "Ron," he said aloud.

Ron sat up in bed, looking groggily around. "Oh, yeah," he said, seemingly remembering what they were about to do. He climbed quickly from his bed and began to dress.

The night was dark and there was no moonlight. So much the better thought Harry as he studied the blackness beyond the dormitory window. It was the middle of the night. He turned back and looked at the room that had been his home, his favorite place, for the past six and a half years. What was to happen as a result of this, he didn't know. It actually hurt to be leaving like this in the dead of night. He hoped again, for the hundredth time, that he was doing the right thing.

In about ten minutes they were packed and ready to go. They had decided to take everything they would need in their school bags and leave their trunks behind. They moved around the familiar room in silence, collecting a few remaining things and stowing them in their packs. Soon, Ron nodded to Harry. They covered themselves with the invisibility cloak, then made their way through the castle, out the front doors, and into the night.

The instant uproar the next day was to be expected. Ginny and Hermione who were both agitated, appeared in Dumbledore's office. Hermione extended the now well-read note with a shaking hand. Dumbledore scanned it and then turned to look out his window pensively. A moment later Conner MacNessa appeared in the doorway. "Albus," he said genially, "We had a date for some breakfast this morning, I believe."

Spotting the stricken girls, he began to excuse himself. "No, Conner, this concerns you too," said Dumbledore, his voice weak and wheezy. He handed the note to MacNessa across the desk.

MacNessa tipped his head so as to focus through his half spectacles. He read the note aloud.

Dear Ginny, Hermione, Professor Dumbledore and Mac,

I want to thank everyone for helping me prepare to fight Voldemort. I know you have all been doing your best. I feel that what I need now is to be away from school and to really practice the things I have learned so far, without distractions. I don't think you can teach me anything more. I think I just have to get better at what you have already shown me.

Ron has agreed to come with me and help. We will be safe I think. No one is likely to guess where we've gone. Don't try to find us or send us any messages because that would only tip off the Death Eaters that something is wrong. As it's the holidays, I don't think anyone will notice too much if you all act normally. I don't know when we will return, but you can make up a story that we got ill or something if we are not back before term begins.

Tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley if you think it's best.

We are sorry, but this way is safest for everyone concerned.

Yours truly,

Harry

Mac re-folded the parchment taking a shallow breath. "Not...unexpected. Is it?" said Mac flatly to the room in general, his eyes unfocused.

"No," said Dumbledore. "Indeed, I rather hoped he would come to this point, although not so soon...and...I confess I have also dreaded it."

"What are you talking about!" screamed Hermione, looking wildly from one to the other. "You think it's a good thing that they've run off like this! They might be killed! They might be captured!"

Ginny stood quietly next to Hermione and put a hand on her quaking shoulder. "I'm very worried too, Hermione, but I see Harry's point. He needs to focus now, not to be distracted by classes, and Quidditch, and ordinary day-to-day activities. I think he must have come near to telling me this the other night." She too became lost in thought for a moment.

"Aren't any of you going to do something!?!" Hermione stormed. "Ron has a bad leg. He needs ...," but she didn't seem able to finish the thought.

Dumbledore turned to face her. "No, we are not going to do anything, Hermione," he said firmly. "And, neither are you. We are going to give Harry his chance. We are going to allow him his choice."

~

Far away, Harry and Ron were looking at their new surroundings. Hedwig hooted softly as she floated in through a hole in the rafters and settled herself on the back of an old chair. Although she couldn't communicate it, she had checked and there was no one moving for miles around.

"Harry, what do you reckon they're all doing?" asked Ron.

"Probably trying to decide if they should search or not," said Harry. He jabbed his wand at the cold fireplace and flames sprang to life, crackling as dust and cobwebs were burned up. The place was dank and musty. It had not seen inhabitants for a very long time, but some of its wizard protections remained in place. Without the directions it would have been impossible to locate. Harry suspected it had an unplottable charm upon it.

Ron pulled some food from the packs they carried and cleared off the top of an old table. Then he gathered up two overturned chairs and set them upright. "Dinner, mate," he said.

Harry took a seat across from him.

"Are you sure we can't have a house elf?" Ron asked, looking around the room as he ate his cold sandwich.

Harry grinned at him. "Thanks for doing this." He didn't need to say more. Ron simply nodded. They both faced the fire and ate their meager meal, but Harry felt satisfied. He was finally on the path to the finish.

~

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley received a letter, written by Ginny, telling them that Ron would not be coming home over break. Dumbledore told Ginny he would visit them and explain. It would be important, he felt, that the fewest possible people were aware that Harry and Ron were missing. Dumbledore expressed the opinion that they should all keep Ron and Harry's absence quiet as long as possible. There were quite a few things that could go wrong. If, for example, they did not return by end of break, it would be difficult to keep the truth hidden.

Hermione and Ginny had agreed to keep quiet. It had been quite difficult for Hermione to hoist a normal look upon her face, and go about as though everything were completely fine. For one thing, she was horribly stung by the fact that Harry and Ron had not confided in her. For another, she was hurt that her boyfriend would leave her like this, without even a note of farewell. She wanted desperately to send an owl to them. Dumbledore told her that any such attempt to communicate with them would put them in danger.

She ranted along this line for three days to Ginny. On the third day, as they did their homework in the common room Ginny finally shushed her.

"How can you tell me to be quiet?" said Hermione, angrily. "Don't you care about them?"

Ginny gazed at Hermione appraisingly and swallowed the retort that was on her lips, "Harry... has to do this his way. And of course I care, but this is bigger than my personal feelings."

"Ron...Ron would do anything for Harry...and now they're out there....and I can't even help them," Hermione said despairingly.

Ginny stared off across the common room and sighed, "Hermione, I think I know where they are. I'll show you once everyone has turned in."

Hermione looked at her in a startled way. "You know? For heaven's sake, why didn't you say? Why not tell Dumbledore?"

Hermione looked positively livid but Ginny bowed her head over her Transfiguration book and murmured, "Once the common room clears."