Storm Clouds

Stand and Deliver

**~**~**~**~**~**

February came and went in a swirl of snow, homework, class projects, and increasing pressure for the fifth and seventh years. Even the Weasley twins could be found occasionally with their noses buried in their books, although George steadfastly denied that they cared anything about their NEWT's.

"I'd rather eat Zonko's entire supply of Dungbombs than go to work for the Ministry," he said one day when Harry asked him about it. "There's only one git bigger than Percy in the entire world, and that's Fudge."

"But you could at least do something to fight You-Know-Who," Hermione spoke, her voice low.

Ginny snorted, causing the parchment on which she was working to flutter. "What, exactly, Hermione?" she said. "Fudge doesn't even believe in the danger, so its not like he's preparing the Ministry for a showdown with Voldemort."

"And who says we're not doing our part to fight You-Know-Who?" Fred chimed in, given his sister a sidelong glance. It was the first time she had used Voldemort's name in front of them. "All this studying isn't just about NEWT's, you know. We're looking into ways to adapt some of our best inventions as weapons."

On the last Saturday of the month Ravenclaw defeated Slytherin in a Quidditch match for the ages. Lasting just over six hours it was the longest match played at Hogwarts in recent memory. The lead had changed hands so many times that despite the cold and thickening snow all of the spectators had remained in the stands, afraid of missing something. It only ended when Cho, almost blinded by the heavy snow, accidently flew into the Snitch and it got tangled in her robes

"A miss is as good as a mile," she was heard saying the following morning as the Slytherins bemoaned the unfairness of the loss. "Besides, if Plumpton* can do it why can't I?"

March ushered in torrential rains and violent winds. The lake rose steadily each day, and Care of Magical Creatures classes had to be moved indoors for the duration. It made for interesting lessons, especially when some salamanders broke loose during one of Ginny's classes and set fire to all the desks.

By the first week in March Harry was also giving in to Ginny. She had been harassing him every day with reminders about teaching her the Patronus charm, so much so that he could barely get any other work done. He cracked one night in the common room.

"Friday night, OK?" he all but shouted at her.

Ginny looked pleased; a wide grin crossed her face and she jumped from her chair and planted a kiss on Harry's cheek. "About time you caved," she whispered in his ear before heading at top speed toward the girls dormitory.

Ron was casting him a very suspicious glance, and despite the fact that he had no cause Harry felt a blush creep across his cheek. "It's. . . I'm. . ." he stuttered. Ron raised one eyebrow. "It's extra help with DADA, OK? She asked me at Christmas."

Ron relaxed then, seemingly content with the explanation. Harry was too absorbed in his own homework to catch the speculative looks that Ron and Hermione exchanged.

**~**~**~**~**~**

At seven-thirty on Friday evening Harry made his way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. It was an ideal location for practicing large spells, being one of the largest rooms in the castle. When he arrived he found Professor Lupin already there. He had made the room even bigger by transfiguring the desks to half their original size and sweeping them against the walls.

Lupin was sitting in the chair behind his desk when Harry arrived, eyes closed and fingers pressing the bridge of his nose. He looked tired and worn. With a mental jolt Harry remembered that the full moon was less then a week away.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Lupin started and his hand dropped from his eyes. "Actually," he said, "I think I do. At least I can be here in case you run into any trouble." And he patted the lid of the crate sitting on his desk.

Harry knew it contained a boggart. He knew because he had helped Lupin find and capture it. Once he had given his promise to help Ginny it hadn't taken him long to realize that he would need some help. From that thought it was a short jump to asking Lupin, considering he had been the one who taught Harry. He knew that Ginny would never accept Morgan's help; in fact she was determined that Morgan not learn what they were up to.

"Ginny's not going to like this," Lupin said, semingly reading Harry's mind. "My being here, I mean."

"Tough," Harry said. "She wants to try and learn the Patronus Charm, and I can't think of any better person to help. She'll just have to deal with it."

"Deal with what?" Ginny's voice sounded in the room. When she walked past Harry and saw Lupin her mouth closed into a tight line. Before she could say a word, though, Harry beat her to it.

"Look, I know you said you didn't want anyone else involved, but we're going to need help." When Ginny still looked angry Harry played his ace card. "Would you have prefered I told Morgan about this?"

Ginny shook her head and tossed her school bag onto a chair. She glanced at Lupin. "Just don't tell Morgan about any of this, OK?" she asked. Lupin simply grinned and nodded. He walked back to his desk, followed by Harry and Ginny. He put a hand on the crate.

"Inside here is a boggart. I know you know all about them from class last year, but this situation is different. Because this boggart will assume the shape, and all the powers of, a dementor as long as its attention is on Harry." Ginny glanced at Harry, and he gave her a reassuring nod. "Now," Lupin continued, "the key to the Patronus charm is happiness. In a way it's similar to the Riddikulus charm to banish a boggart, but it requires much greater strength of heart. You need to focus on a happy thought or memory. . . ."

"What sort of happy thought or memory?" Ginny interrupted. "I mean, there's friendly happy, family happy, love happy, laughing happy. . . ."

"Whatever makes you the happiest," Lupin answered. "It'll be effective any way you approach it, as long as you approach it with happiness." He set his hand on the lid of the crate and Harry moved to the center of the room. Ginny paused to concentrate on a suitably happy memory. She settled on the moment the Sorting Hat had called out Gryffindor! just for her and indicated her readiness. She held her wand steady in her hand as Lupin raised the lid.

Cold. It was suddenly impossibly cold in the room. The lights flickered and went out. In the sudden darkness Ginny was disoriented, not knowing which way to turn. She could hear Harry's labored breathing nearby, but she couldn't see him. Her mind refused to function; it was filled with static like a badly tuned wireless. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, she heard a voice that brought her to her knees.

He's going to die because of you, Ginny. You do realize that, don't you? I'll have my final revenge against the famous Harry Potter, and I have you to thank for it.

No!, she cried out inside her head, but she couldn't give voice to the word. Her head was spinning and she felt herself sinking into the cold that seemed to surround her heart.

"Expecto Patronum!!!"

A blinding flash of silver light illuminated the room, bringing with it a welcome warmth. Ginny was on her hands and knees, desperately sucking air into her lungs. She vaguely heard Lupin's voice casting the Riddikulus charm through the buzzing that was beginning to fade in her ears.

"Ginny? Ginny? Are you all right?" A warm hand touched her back. She turned her head and met a pair of startling green eyes. For a moment her brain was too numb to recognize her companion, then realization hit.

"Harry. . . ." she breathed. "You're alive. . . ."

"Here," Harry said without preamble, stuffing a Chocolate Frog into her hand. "Eat it."

Ginny took the candy without protest. At the first bite she felt warmth soak all the way into her bones, and strength return to her legs. She got to her feet shakily; Harry kept his hand on her back, ready to jump to her aid should she need it. She staggered across the room and sat on one of the chairs that remained its normal size. She looked up and met Professor Lupin's worried gaze.

"I'm all right," she protested. "I just didn't expect it to be. . . ." She shuddered. "It wasn't this bad in my second year. What's different?"

"Your memories are more intense now because he's back," Harry said. "Just like the nightmares."

"How did you know?" Ginny glanced at him, her face puzzled. "How did you know I was hearing Riddle?"

"Educated guess. Besides, what else in your life can even come close to that?"

"We don't have to continue this, Ginny. If this is too much for you. . . ." Lupin said.

"No. I want to try this for myself." She looked at both Harry and Lupin. "I know you don't understand, but I have to do this. I need to prove something to myself."

"What use is proving it to yourself if you get hurt in the process?" Harry asked, a real note of concern evident in his voice.

"My thoughts exactly."

All three of them started and turned towards the new voice. Morgan stood in the doorway. She looked livid; her eyes blazed and her hair was practically standing on end as her magic flowed around her. Harry dropped his eyes quickly, unwilling to confront his aunt. Lupin flushed a dull red but didn't back down. Only Ginny seemed unaffected by Morgan's sudden arrival. She had glanced in that direction, then simply gone back to staring at the floor. She continued to nibble on the Chocolate Frog.

Morgan looked directly at Lupin. "I'll speak to you later, Remus." Her eyes skimmed past Harry, but not before he caught a good look at her glare. It may have been left unsaid, but he had no doubt that he would also be in for it later. He was already mentally bracing himself for the inevitable loss of points to Gryffindor when Morgan spoke to the final occupant of the room.

"Why did you feel the need to do this, Ginny?"

Ginny couldn't even pretend she didn't understand the question. "Because I want to know for sure, one way or another. The Patronus Charm is one of the most difficult pieces of magic there is. If I can learn this with ease. . . ."

Morgan shook her head. "Ginny, it's not about the difficulty of any individual charm, but about a person's overall magical presence. It took me almost three months to master a Patronus. And my predecessor as Guardian was never able to produce one. So you've put yourself through this for nothing."

Ginny flushed with anger. "Hardly for nothing! Having a Patronus is a valuable tool for defense, isn't it, Professor Lupin?" Without waiting for his acknowledgement Ginny plowed on. "I'll need to try and learn this sooner or later, so why not now?"

"Because you're only fourteen years old! Normally you wouldn't get anywhere near magic at this level until your sixth year! Guardian or not, Ginny, you need your magical education. It'll do more to prepare and protect you then any power on earth."

"Harry learned the Patronus Charm in his third year," Ginny said, her voice small.

"And that was under very unusual conditions, Gin," Harry responded. "You know that."

"And the current state of the world isn't unusual?" Ginny asked. "Look, regardless of my misplaced motives in attempting this I still think it's a good idea to start learning." She looked past Morgan and Harry and met Lupin's eyes. "Please?"

Lupin met Morgan's eyes for a long moment. They seemed to be communicating without words, because when the glance ended Lupin nodded to Ginny and moved to the crate again. "Ready for another try?" he asked.

Ginny stood, drew her wand and faced the crate. Harry moved himself into position so he would be the first thing the boggart saw. Lupin raised the lid. . . .

The buzzing started in Ginny's head again as the fierce cold claimed her body. She felt her knees go week just before the high-pitched voice started in her head. It was different, though, from the previous time. The words she heard now had never been spoken directly to her.

Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now my new target has been you.**

"Expecto. . . ." Ginny tried to give voice to the incantation, but her happy memories were fading under the combined onslaught of mind-numbing cold and Riddle's voice in here head. "Expec. . . ." He knees gave way and she collapsed on the classroom floor. She felt like she was drowning.

Suddenly the room was filled with a blinding silver light and warmth flooded back. Ginny took a deep breath and raised her head to see what was going on. She quickly had to shut her eyes against the silver glare, but not before she saw a sight that she'd remember all the days of her life.

Morgan stood before the boggart/dementor defiantly. The dazzling silver light seemed to be coming from her skin; it expanded to form a shield around everyone else in the room. The shield rippled and shifted in response to any movement made by the four of them. It held steady for a moment, then disapperaed suddenly. "Riddikulus!!!!" Morgan shouted a split second later. The boggart exploded into wisps of foul-smelling smoke.

Morgan turned to where Ginny had collapsed on the floor. "Do you still want to persist in this?" she asked. Ginny could only nod, she didn't trust her voice. "Then I'll be the one to teach you."

**~**~**~**~**~**

Three weeks later Harry made his way through the halls of Hogwarts for a meeting with Morgan. He hoped that he wasn't going to be in for another lecture, as the first one had been quite bad enough. She had been beyond angry with him for keeping Ginny's Patronus lessons secret from her. In fact she had been beyond furious. Harry couldn't think of a word to describe exactly how Morgan had felt about the whole matter.

One hundred points from Gryffindor, extra History of Magic homework and two weeks worth of detention were all a pretty good indicator, however.

When he arrived at their History of Magic classroom he was surprised to find Professor Lupin there as well. With a shrug the older man indicated for Harry to take a seat. "She asked me to be here tonight. Why I don't know."

"I'm sure we'll get our answers when she's good and ready to give them," Harry replied, sitting behind one of the desks and slouching in the chair. "She's very good at that, you know."

Lupin grinned. "She always was. I used to think that Morgan existed on a completely different plane then the rest of us, since her concept of time is vastly different." He paused for thought. "But I suppose if I was carrying centuries of magic around inside of myself I'd have a different outlook as well."

Harry grudgingly agreed, but not out loud. He was still feeling highly put out with his aunt, and unwilling to give an inch in what was fixing to become a battle of wills. He was tired of being kept in the dark about what his role in everything was, tired of being manipulated, tired of other people's expectations, and especially tired of all the secrecy that seemed to attend everything Morgan did. He wanted matters out in the open.

Suddenly, the torches lining the room flared to life. Harry gave a derisive snort just as the door swung open. "Nothing like a dramatic entrance," he drily commented, keeping his back to the door.

"I told you once before that I sometimes like to show off," Morgan replied, a touch of laughter in her voice. "I make no secret of that fact." The door closed with a soft click behind her. Harry didn't turn, but he could feel Morgan's power as she approached him; it made the hair on the back of his neck prickle. He didn't turn around until he heard the rustle of her robes as she sat at her desk.

"So," she said, glancing from Harry to Lupin. "You're both curious as to why you're here tonight."

Harry simply grunted in acknowledgement. Lupin, in contrast, grinned. "Frankly, I was expecting a dressing down for Ginny's Patronus lessons. I'll be pleased with anything as long as I can escape that."

Harry couldn't suppress his grin, but it faded rather quickly when he caught sight of Morgan's face. "I'll be getting to that, have no fears," she said. "I believe Mister Potter and myself are already square in that regard, but you, Remus, are another matter altogether."

"We'd better be square," Harry grumbled under his breath. "I think two weeks of detention was more than enough."

"Well, maybe I think it's only just the beginning." At Harry's look of horror both Morgan and Lupin laughed. "I'm only joking, Harry. Two weeks is just about right, I think." She sobered quickly. "There is, however, one thing that remains for you, and now is the best time." With a wave of her hand a glass appeared on the desk, full of a potion that swirled in shades of red and purple. Harry watched it for a few moments, all but hypnotized by the moving colours. Then something clicked in his head.

"My vision quest," he said, looking up and meeting Morgan's eyes. "Today is the Vernal Equinox."

Morgan gave a small smile. "Well done. Show more intelligence like that and I might give Gyffindor those hundred points back."

"Fat chance," Lupin mumbled, getting a laugh out of Morgan.

"Let me re-phrase, then. I'll think about giving Gryffindor those hundred points back."

Harry was still somewhat mesmerized by the potion. "Morgan?" he asked. "That looks different from the potion the girls drank." When she didn't answer right away he started to get nervous. "Why is it different?"

"Because, Harry, your vision quest is different. A potential Guardian does the quest in a sleeping state because the images generated will be considerably more powerful. Yours shouldn't be quite so intense, so it's done while you're awake." She picked up the glass and swirled the contents, making it appear redder.

Harry suddenly found swallowing difficult. The potion, and by extension the entire vision quest, made him slightly nervous. He kept remembering the abrupt end to Ginny's vision quest, and the two days spent in the hospital wing in its aftermath. Morgan must have seen something of his worry in his face, because she was quick to reassure him.

"Honestly, Harry. You shouldn't experience dreams or visions anywhere near as violent as what Ginny had. Remember, if you are chosen to be a member of the Order your responsibilities are less than those of a Guardian. So the demands that would be placed on you are not as strenuous." She picked up the glass and held it out to him. "If you're ready. . . ."

Harry took the glass. It was oddly cool on the outside, considering steam was rising from the contents. He put his nose in the glass and recoiled from the stench. He had to fight to keep himself from retching.

"I know," Morgan said with a grin. "That stuff would gag a maggot."

"Thanks a lot," Harry mumbled. He met Morgan's eyes for a moment, then pinched his nose shut and downed the potion in three quick gulps.

For a minute he didn't think the potion had any effect; everything seemed exactly the same as it had before he drank it. But then he noticed the floor starting to slope away in front of him, and before he could make a sound the bottom fell out of his world and he plummeted down into the unknown.

**~**~**~**~**~**

The rolling hills seemed to go on forever. On the horizon Harry could just glimpse a darker line; the foothills of some unknown mountain range. The bright green grass rippled in the gentle breeze, and the sky was so blue it made his eyes ache to look at it.

Suddenly a shadow passed over his head, blotting out the sun for a moment. It was accompanied by a sound that Harry always associated with safety and comfort; phoenix song. He shaded his eyes and tracked the path of the bird, watching until it landed a short distance away from him.

"Fawkes?" Harry asked. "What would bring you in to my vision?" The bird simply blinked several times, and before Harry could approach any closer Fawkes suddenly transformed into a man. Harry gasped in shock and stumbled back a step. He found himself looking up a considerable distance into the unknown man's face.

He was at least six and a half feet tall, with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He was dressed in a style that Harry recognized from History of Magic as belonging to the early Middle Ages. His long tunic was a blazing scarlet in colour, and the sword belt that wrapped his waist was gilt-edged. He nodded once in acknowledgement of Harry's presence.

**I recognize my blood in you, young Potter.**

The voice seemed to echo in Harry's head. It had come from the stranger, despite the fact that he hadn't opened his mouth. Harry had to remind himself that he was having some sort of vision, and that the usual rules didn't apply. He was so amazed at the apparent telepathy that at first he didn't register exactly what was said.

**You're blood? Are you. . .?**

**I am Godric Gryffindor, and I've come with a message for you from the Order of the Phoenix.**

Harry swallowed hard in an effort to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat. **You know, don't you? You have the answer.**

Gryffindor chuckled. **If by the answer you mean do I know if you are meant to be a member of the Order, then yes, I do know. Any other answers you'll have to discover on your own.**

**And am I?**

**Do you believe I would be here if you are not? Yes, young Potter, you are to become a member of the Order of the Phoenix. You are the last piece needed.**

**Through me the blood of the last Hogwarts founder will be reunited with the Order.**

Gryffindor nodded and came closer to Harry, stopping when he was less then an arm's length away. He laid a gentle hand on Harry's forehead. **You have already done much to combat evil, yet more will be asked of you. You may refuse, but the Guardian needs you to give her extra strength. The final conflict may come sooner than expected. She will need to be ready.**

Harry felt a cramp begin to develop in his neck from starring up at Gryffindor. **The final conflict?**

**It is coming sooner than many people think. Be ready, she will have great need of you.**

**She? You mean Morgan?**

Gryffindor grinned. **I like her; her hair is the same colour as my feathers.**

Harry felt a sudder jerk on his collar and he started rising in the air. **Wait! There's more I want to know!**

His world went black.

**~**~**~**~**~**

It wasn't until Harry was pulling the hangings on his bed that night that the meaning of Gryffindor's last words struck him. Her hair is the same colour as my feathers.

He'd been talking about Ginny.

*Quidditch Through The Ages, p. 53

**Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, U.S paperback edition, p. 312