The Mark of Death

Harry woke early the morning of the Hogsmeade trip after having a series of very odd dreams. Snape had been like a massive giant sneering over him, pulling strings and making him move like a marionette and Professor Malfoy had been trying to snip the strings with a scissors but Harry kept yelling at her to bugger off. Kicking and lashing out at her so she had tried to give him the scissors, which was when he had woken up just before the sun had come up. His scar seared painfully, so he couldn't get back to sleep. He sat up in the four-poster bed listening to Ron's rhythmic breaths, and Neville's loud, nasal snores, contemplating if his dream had meant anything.

The distant sound of shouting outside made Harry jump out of bed and look curiously out the window. The sun was now rising over the trees, making the frost glitter and glisten. He could see Hagrid at the foot of the woods with Fang, and it looked as though it had been him yelling at a surly looking sandy-haired wizard in a black cloak. Harry figured this was one of the Hit wizards that were guarding the castle and made a mental note to ask Hagrid what had happened later.

He could hear the sounds of his friends stirring, and began to get dressed, looking forward to the Hogsmeade trip, as it would be a nice distraction; though he would have preferred to play Quidditch if given the choice.

"Mornin' Harry," Ron yawned, stretching his arms so that his wrists popped out of his maroon colored pajamas.

"Morning," Harry replied, debating on telling Ron about his weird dream but deciding against it when Seamus and Dean came around the corner.

"Hogsmeade trip today!" Dean said eagerly, "About bloody time. I hear they've given us less this year because of all the security around the school."

"That and the fact that Dumbledore's barely around anymore," Neville said, coming out from behind them already dressed. "My gran says that McGonnagall lessened the trips because of all the precautions. She seems unable to handle the duties on top of teaching."

Harry had to agree. Professor McGonnagal had looked very tired and haggard lately, taking on the Headmaster's role would be a difficult enough choir, but she was continuing to teach her Transfiguration classes, too which was likely the most difficult subject taught. Not to mention, she wasn't getting any younger.

"Apparently she might be getting a bit of relief after Christmas, if Dumbledore doesn't start spending more time here. Gran' says what he's doing with the Ministry is very important, so they might get someone to fill in for her Transfiguration classes."

Harry hoped it would be Lupin. He liked McGonnagall very much, but having Lupin around would be almost like having Sirius again.

They all went down to breakfast to get a quick meal in before lining up for Filch to check their permission slips. Ron left Harry to join Cho with her parade of giggling friends. Hermione slid into the line behind Harry, her frizzy hair just thrown lazily into a ponytail, Luna and Ginny trailing along with her.

"I hope you don't mind us coming," Ginny said, smiling. "We really need this break. Studying for our O.W.L.s is nerve racking! I think I've studied more this year than all the others combined!"

"I don't mind," Harry said, uncomfortably looking at the floor. He hadn't spoken to Luna since they had made the plans to go to the dance together. Luna, however, didn't seem fazed at all by it. She was looking at Harry and Ginny with her eyes wide open, a faint grin on her face as though she saw a joke no one else knew.

"I haven't really studied that much," she breezed, "I usually don't need to. Whatever grades I get, I take."

"Argh!" Ginny smiled. "You are so lucky you don't need to. I swear. You get the highest grades of our year! Why didn't you get to be a Prefect?"

Hermione looked over at Ron, who had his arm draped over Cho's shoulder and was already walking through the Great Entrance.

"Two words, Cho Chang. The Head Boy and Girl get to approve the fifth year Prefects, and Cho doesn't like Luna," Hermione fumed, still glaring at their retreating heads.

"What about you, Ginny?" Harry asked, "I would have expected you to be..."

"Oh!" Ginny blushed. "They won't have siblings as Prefects unless they're in different houses. It's an old rule, they say it's a conflict of interest or something." She shrugged. "I'm glad, though. I wouldn't want any stress on top of the O.W.L.s and Quidditch, that is if we ever get to play."

Harry nodded in agreement as he watched Draco silently walk out the giant doors into the sunlight.

"I don't see you on my list, Potter." Filch sneered over him.

"That's impossible," Harry exclaimed, trying to get a look at the long bit of parchment Filch was holding, but Filch snatched it back from him.

"You don't have permission from your parents or guardians, you have to stay behind with the first and second years." Filch's eyes gleamed triumphantly, his yellowing teeth showing in a lewd smile, clearly enjoying seeing Harry get turned away from something enjoyable.

"Argus Filch!" McGonnagall snapped from behind them, scowling. Her bun wasn't its usual tight little ball of perfection, little bits of her dark red hair were frizzing from it, a strand curled over her forehead and her square-rimmed spectacles were hanging lopsided on her nose.

"Potter is permitted to go."

"But his name isn't on..."

"It doesn't matter. He can go," she said firmly, making Filch frown and scowl bitterly at Harry as he left with Hermione, Luna, and Ginny.

"What was that all about?" Harry muttered quietly as they made their way into the small village. "Sirius signed my permission slip..."

"That would be why, then, Harry," Hermione said softly. "Magical parchment. Your name would have disappeared from the list when Sirius had died."

"Oh."

Harry was very aware of the sympathetic looks the three girls were giving him, making him feel even worse than he had at the mention of Sirius's death.

"Err..." Ginny said quietly, pausing on the main street, obviously looking for a change of subject, "shall we all go for a Butterbeer?"

They all went into the Three Broomsticks, noticing the place seemed to be swarming with Slytherins. Draco was perched at the bar sitting quietly by himself, staring at everyone around him with a look that seemed mixed with boredom and hatred. His eyes met Harry's briefly, and Harry saw a slow smirk form on Draco's thin lips in what seemed to be a taunt.

"Err, can we go somewhere else?" Harry muttered as he watched Draco lean over to whisper something to Pansy, making her look their way and keel over laughing.

"Um, what about the Hog's Head?" Ginny whispered, scowling as another Slytherin pushed past.

Luna nodded, her eyes didn't have their usual curious, surprised look, and they were narrowed and glaring over towards Pansy.

"Let's go, then," Hermione said quietly, holding the door open and looking around the pub gloomily.

The atmosphere in the dingy, dimly lit pub was almost a warm welcome. It was quieter. No other students were there. Only a fat little wizard drinking from a ball-shaped cup that kept trying to tip itself and a very old looking witch that seemed to be knitting an already moth-eaten sweater. The aging wizard behind the bar glared at them as they took their seats in a corner booth near the very one they had all sat in last year when they had created the DA.

"So," Harry said awkwardly, glancing at the three girls not really knowing what to say.

"Butterbeers!" Ginny exclaimed, jumping up and going over to the bar.

"I'll help," Hermione offered, getting up rather quickly and following Ginny, leaving Harry to sit gaping at Luna, who seemed to be resetting the time on her watch with great interest.

"Err," Harry muttered, staring across the table at her, wondering if he was going to have this kind of difficulty thinking of what to say at the dance. Luna, however, didn't seem at all perplexed. She glanced up at Harry wide-eyed, re-fastening the watch to her wrist.

"My daddy gave it to me," she said, glancing at the watch then back to Harry, holding it up. "It tells me the different phases of the sky instead of the time, which is really useful in foretelling what sort of week it's going to be."

"Err... yeah, I guess so," Harry murmured, looking politely at the black faced watch, which seemed to be speckled with tiny little stars that twinkled brightly in the smoky atmosphere. "I don't really take Divination seriously."

"Nor do I," Luna laughed, "it's for the weather."

"Oh, ok." Harry grinned, feeling a bit more comfortable.

"Oh," Luna said in a disheartened voice, looking past Harry at the door to the pub. He spun around as Ron opened the door, holding it open as Cho came in, sending an icy gust into the room as the door slammed shut behind them. They came to the table just as Hermione and Ginny returned with the Butterbeers, all four were standing at the end of the booth looking confused.

"I thought we'd join you here, since the Three Broomsticks seems to be infested," Ron joked, sliding in the bench next to Luna, and Cho dashed in right next to Harry, causing him to move over as far as he could. Ginny placed the two Butterbeers she was carrying in front of Luna and Harry as she slid in beside Ron.

"You may want to go and order a couple more of those," Cho smiled sweetly at Hermione, who was about to take her own seat next to her. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to think better of it and returned to the bar to get two more drinks.

"Just when things were awkward enough," Harry thought to himself ironically, watching Cho crack open the Butterbeer Hermione had brought for herself and began to drink it.

"So Harry, Ron tells me that you plan to play again this year on the Gryffindor team," Cho said smugly. "I figured you wouldn't be able to after Umbridge banned you from playing."

"Umbridge has no say in what happens at the school anymore," Luna said defensively, glaring at Cho.

"I'm sorry," Cho said, looking over at Luna cooly, "I thought I was speaking to Harry."

"BUTTEBEERS!" Hermione announced loudly, slamming them down onto the table for herself and Ginny, giving Cho a sidelong glance. "Sorry, but we were about to have a friendly conversation here for a change."

Harry heard the door open again and spun in his seat to get a look, hoping there would be some miracle to get him out of this seating arrangement, but things were actually now worse. Professor Malfoy had walked through the door, glancing at them before taking a seat at the bar on the other end and removing her cloak, looking at the door nervously.

"Oh, great," Harry stormed loudly, making the old witch at the bar drop her knitting.

"Harry!" Hermione hissed, scowling. Ron looked as though he was going to say something to side with Harry, but the murderous look from Hermione shut him up completely. He looked sheepishly at Harry, making Harry guess that Ron didn't want to be told off in front of Cho.

"She's not troubling anyone here, Harry. Let her be."

"You know, it's bad enough here right now as it is," Harry said angrily, standing up and grabbing for his jacket. "But I'm not going to be in the same place as her, too! Move it!" he hissed at Cho, who scrambled out of his way; pushing Hermione off the bench in her haste so that Harry could get out of the booth.

He was dimly aware of everyone staring at him but didn't really care. He threw the green jacket over his shoulder and ripped the door open, almost colliding with Percy Weasley, who was walking in as Harry walked out.

"H-Harry!" Percy stammered, giving him a welcoming look.

"Bugger off!" Harry muttered furiously, vaguely confused as to why Percy was there, but still stung by everything that Percy had said about him in a letter to Ron last year. He wandered absently for what seemed like ages, not really knowing where he was going, nor caring until he found himself in the cave that Sirius had lived in for part of Harry's fourth year, where he took a seat on a large rock and sighed heavily, staring abysmally at the surroundings that were a temporary home to his Godfather.

It had started to rain, the pellets were fiercely hitting the rock entrance - Harry knew he should probably head back to the school but didn't really feel much like it. He felt bitter over so many things. Dumbledore's absence. Professor Malfoy's presence. Ron and Cho. And of course, Sirius.

"Harry?" Luna's voice echoed into the cave, and soon her waterlogged head followed, peering in at him.

"I saw you heading this way," she said, walking in and pointing her wand at the center of the cave, starting a small but instantly warming fire. "I figured you wanted to be alone, but usually when someone says they want to be alone it's the very last thing they need."

She sat down on the rock next to him, smiling shyly at him. He suddenly felt grateful for her company, knowing that she had experienced a close loss made her probably the only one he would actually want to be around right now.

"Choline Chang and I do not get along well," she whispered.

Harry watched her as she spoke to him. Her hair was reflecting the light from the flickering flames, reminding Harry of a crystal chandelier. Up close Luna was actually very pretty. He hadn't given it much notice seeing as there was a peculiar aura to her usually but her eyes looked sad, making her seem vulnerable... and likable.

"Luna? Do you mind if I ask you about your mother?" Harry asked delicately. He wanted to know how she managed to cope with a loss but didn't quite know how to ask.

"Well..." Luna's eyes had lost their surprised look. Instead they were narrowed as she thought deeply. "She was impulsive. She did everything on the spur of the moment. Lived for the minute. Died in a split second, too," Luna added, smiling, but her eyes had a haunted look to them. "She loved to take chances. My dad was always worried that she'd accidentally hurt me, but I always felt safe. I trusted her. Now he tries hard to be both a mother and father to me. Every summer he tries to make an adventure out of, but he still keeps it very safe."

Luna was rocking slowly back and forth, shivering slightly. He absentmindedly took off the jacket which Fred and George had given him as a gift and put it over her shoulders.

"Here." Harry beamed. Luna gave him a very confused look, but pulled the coat closely to her. Harry had always thought Luna's father sounded like a of a moron, believing in all these creatures that were so obviously not real, but now Harry was wondering if he had actually been trying to keep Luna entertained and safe at the same time... then built a career of it.

Harry was feeling a nervous, yet thrilling temptation suddenly to kiss Luna. They were both staring at each other in mutual silence, he leaned a little closer. It would be a good time to do it... but Luna suddenly jumped up from the stone and started pacing the cave nervously.

"We should head back, before the weather gets worse," she said quickly, looking at the gaping mouth of the cave intently, refusing to look at Harry.

"Yeah, err, ok." He felt like a total idiot. "I don't want to be late, either, end up in detention with Filch."

*********

Harry had avoided Luna for the next couple weeks before the Christmas break started, and spent an evening with Ron hurriedly packing their trunks. Ron had already said his goodbyes to Cho, who was staying at the school for the holidays. Harry had learned from Ginny that Luna was staying behind, too, and would meet him in front of the Great Hall before the dance. He felt so awkward now about going that he almost wanted to back out but he knew that would be incredibly rude and unfair.

The journey on the train to King's Cross Station was pleasant, though, it was like old times. Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron had found an empty compartment where they could talk quietly together.

"I still can't believe Percy's going to be there," Ron said, frustrated. "He's been such a git!"

"Hey, what was he doing at the Hog's Head that day?" Harry suddenly remembered seeing Percy as he had fled the pub, and had pushed it to the back of his mind not wanting to think about the humiliation of Luna rejecting him.

"He was there to meet with a few Ministry workers. He came up to talk to us, but Ron was rather rude, so he went over to the bar and began talking to Professor Malfoy," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Why would he want to talk to her?" Harry demanded.

"He had looked over at her, and then said to us 'isn't that Lucius Malfoy's wife?' We told him she was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and he went over and started talking to her. She didn't look happy about it and left. Nothing much, I guess. I think Percy's trying to make up for the way he had been acting." Ginny shrugged, looking out the window at the large blanket of snow that was now covering the land.

Hermione cleared her throat and began slowly stroking Crookshanks, who was purring loudly. Her squishy, flat face looking even more grotesque as her eyes closed tightly with enjoyment.

"So, does everyone have a date for the dance?" Ron asked warily, looking at Hermione and Ginny mainly. "We all going to be at the same table, I hope."

"Why wouldn't we be?" Harry asked, biting into a chocolate frog from the lunch cart.

Hermione cleared her throat again, looking straight down at the cat blushing furiously. Ginny looked embarrassed, too, and gazed intently out the window again.

"If you have a date, traditionally you sit at the boy's table," Ron informed Harry, looking from Ginny to Hermione with a confused, suspicious expression. "Where will you two be sitting?"

"I'll be at the Ravenclaw table," Hermione muttered, her face all the more red and her hand were now shaking nervously as she pet Crookshanks.

"Who are you going with?" Harry asked, wondering why Hermione felt so uneasy.

"Zacharias Smith," Hermione whispered, her face now completely hidden by her hair, which had fallen down in front of her as her head was so low over the cat.

"WHO?" Ron demanded, sitting straight up in his seat. Ginny was giving Hermione a sympathetic look, knowing how much they all hated Smith.

"What about you, Ginny?" Harry asked quickly, wanting to break the tension that was building between Ron and Hermione as they shot daggers at each other with their eyes.

"Dean Thomas," Ginny shrugged, patting Hermione on the back sympathetically. "I've been dating him since the end of last year."

"You two are still going out, then?" Harry grinned, noticing Ron was too busy glaring at Hermione to realize what they were saying.

Ginny nodded, a secretive smile playing across her lips. "Don't worry about Luna, Harry. She'll come around, she's just, err..." She seemed to be struggling for a good word to use. "...still in her shell."

*********

"Harry! Ron! Breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed up the stairs Christmas morning, and Harry could smell the wonderful aroma of bacon wafting up into Ron's room.

"I think I hear Percy," Ron muttered as he threw a sweater over his head and walked out of the room barefoot. Harry quickly dressed and followed Ron downstairs. All of the Weasleys were at the table. Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy and Ginny were sitting around at the dining table, every so often Mrs. Weasley would throw her arms around Percy and pull him into a giant bear hug.

After breakfast they ripped into their presents. Harry receive his annual green sweater from Mrs. Weasley along with some chocolates, a book about Dragons from Hagrid (he hoped it wasn't an omen) and Hermione and Ron seemed to have gotten on long enough to go in on a watch together. It had a black onyx face, and its strap was deep green leather, which Harry recognized to be the same type of Dragon's skin as the jacket from Fred and George.

They then decided to get on their broomsticks and get a game of Quidditch going. Harry, Fred, Ginny and Charlie against Ron, Percy, Bill and George, while Hermione went in to help Mrs. Weasley prepare dinner. It felt so good to be back on his broomstick, seeing as he hadn't been on it since his last game of Quidditch before Professor Umbridge had confiscated his broom last year. Percy had taken Harry by surprise almost catching the Snitch before him, but Harry managed to out fly him at the last second and caught it, causing Percy to get a lot of ribbing from Fred and George. Harry got the impression that they had been slightly awed at Percy's flying abilities. He had never shown much interest in Quidditch before, and had been more intent on his studies.

The dinner table was crowded. Lupin and Tonks had both arrived shortly before dinner to join them. Harry suspected that Mrs. Weasley may have used an engorgement charm on the turkey, as it was far too big for the table's weak, wobbly legs to support it and they had to hover it above the table to make room for everything else. Percy was doing as much work for his mother as he could. Every time she stood he'd run over and take whatever she was doing and do it for her so that she could put her feet up.

"Mum, you've done plenty! Let me get that!"

"Oh Percy, I'm just so glad that you are home! Fred! Put that away at the table. Arthur dear? When you have a moment could you please fix my clock? Percy's hand hasn't been working for the last few months and I've been asking you for ages now..."

"I'll get it, mum. Dad, sit and relax." Percy jumped from his chair smiling and went over to the giant Grandfather clock where all the family's golden hands were set at "dinner" except for Percy's, which was just hanging limply at the bottom of the Mother of Pearl face.

"So, Harry. How's everything going now, at school?" Lupin said quietly as Hermione and Ron began a heated argument about House Elves.

"A bit better now," Harry shrugged, looking to Lupin with a sad smile. "I really miss him."

"So do I." Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder just as Tonks' elbow knocked the gravy bowl over into Mrs. Weasley's lap.

"Oh no! Molly, I am so sorry!" Tonks leaped to her feet, grabbing a handful of napkins as she ran over to Mrs. Weasley.

"It's ok, dear." Mrs. Weasley fumbled with her tattered skirt, which now bore a large brown stain in the front. "It'll come off, I'll just go and get changed."

As she walked of the dining room, Percy returned beaming ear to ear. "The arm had just come loose. Nothing major. It was likely overworked while I was traveling back and forth to the Ministry from my flat. Will you all be visiting London this week before going back to school?"

Arthur was about to answer him, but Lupin quickly shot him a dark look, and Arthur smiled meekly.

"No, son, just me when I go to work. Make sure Perkins is up to date before Molly and I go away. The kids will be taking the Knight Bus back to school because they need to be back for the Festive Ball."

"Right, the Ball." Percy looked over at Ron and Hermione, smiling knowingly. "You two going together?"

Harry ducked out of the kitchen just as Ron and Hermione began to argue, stepping outside for some fresh air and to watch Crookshanks chase a couple of ugly little Garden Gnomes.

"Mind if I join you, Harry?" Lupin asked as he stepped out behind him, gently closing the door. Harry nodded, happy to get a moment alone with him.

"Molly's an excellent cook, but I'm not used to getting such large portions of food at a time," he smiled. Harry noticed how paler and thinner Lupin had gotten since Harry had seen him not even two months ago. His young face was getting almost as gaunt as Sirius's had been after he had escaped Azkaban.

"I'm fine, Harry," Lupin said with a weak smile. Harry felt horrible that Lupin could tell what he had been thinking. "Seeing as I'm not working at the school, and Wolfsbane is not exactly the sort of potion you can pick up easily I have to suffer the effects of the moon head on."

"So, err, what's this stuff I have to do at Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked, glancing around to be sure there was no one but the two of them in the garden.

"Just to basically make an appearance, to remind Kreacher who his master is. He seems to be getting even more confused. In fact, I'm hoping he'll succumb to his age and madness, but those house-elves are unnaturally sturdy," Lupin said bitterly, and Harry nodded agreeing, in fact, he'd love nothing more than to put Kreacher out of his misery himself.

"What's he doing now?"

"Wandering around muttering. He started yelling at one picture he had previously squirreled away shouting 'traitor' and 'Vows dishonored' at it before smashing it and tossing it in the fire. He's broken a few things, actually. Oh! And another thing I should warn you. Dumbledore is being very strict on who knows about the Order now, so we are not to tell anyone, friends, family, girlfriends..." He looked pointedly at Harry. "Mrs. Weasley will be telling Ron to be careful what he says even to Cho Chang, and coming from Molly, well, it has to be hard, she can't even tell Percy. Dumbledore's being that protective now. We can't take any risks, and although there's strength in numbers, we cannot afford to take any risks no matter how much we trust people."

"I don't think there's any need to worry about Ron, I doubt he'd tell Cho something that secret."

"Well, he couldn't tell much anyways. Dumbledore's the Secret Keeper, so there isn't much anyone can tell without him allowing it. Still, as we learned the hard way..." Lupin shook his head sadly. Harry knew he was talking about Kreacher giving information to the Malfoy's to help them lure Harry into the Ministry's Mysteries Department.

"Be sure to pay attention to Professor Snape, Harry, and master the Occulmency."

********

Soon Charlie, Bill, and Percy had left the Burrow, and Tonks and Lupin told everyone that they would see them at the Headquarters on the thirty-first, where they were to stop off before boarding the Knight Bus to return to school. Harry was not looking forward to seeing Kreacher, and hoped more than anything that it would be quick to deal with.

On the morning of the thirty-first, Mrs. Weasley was rushing them all to make sure they had everything packed up and ready to go. Her and Arthur would be remaining at Grimmauld Place for the next few weeks, keeping busy with meetings. Mrs. Weasley was to be taking minutes from now on. Apparently they had told Percy they would be going away to Romania to visit with Charlie, and that Percy would drop into the Burrow to check on things from time to time for them, even though Fred and George were still returning there nightly after closing their shop in Diagon Alley for the day. Harry knew it was eating Molly alive having to lie to her son, but Dumbledore's orders were not to be disobeyed.

"Hurry! Harry? You have Hedwig? Good! Fred and George! That better not have been an Extendable Ear... Go ahead, Ginny, you go first..." She tossed some powder into the fire; Ginny went in, yelling "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" before disappearing into the blue flames. Then Ron, Hermione, then Harry went through, arriving into the kitchen in the basement, where they had sat up all night with Sirius last year at this time worrying about Arthur.

The first thing Harry noticed was the smell. Ginny and Hermione were holding their noses and coughing, Ron was turning a greenish color and looking around panicked. It was like meat was rotten somewhere in the walls, only worse. The rancid smell of something unclean was burning through Harry's nostrils.

"My goodness! Mrs. Weasley choked as she brushed the soot off her dress. Arthur was looking around under the table to see if there was anything under there. "What is that smell?!"

"I found it," Hermione squeaked, retreating with Ron from the cellar where Kreacher slept, and Harry could see from her pale face and shaky legs that she had seen something awful. Ron had his arm over her shoulder to comfort her though he didn't look as upset, but slightly shaken.

"It's Kreacher. He's dead."