Harry Potter and the Book of Magical Maladies

Harry Potter and the Book of Magical Maladies

CHAPTER 8 - The Mistake

---

Dumbledore stood before the rest of the Order in the parlor of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. "We have found the family Harry saw in his dream. I regret to say that they are all dead." Ron and Hermione looked at each other, and then back to Dumbledore. His eyes were turned to the floor, and he looked much older than he ever had. Several other members of the Order exchanged troubled looks.

Lupin leaned back in his chair. "So, it's started again," he said with a defeated tone. "Harry actually saw it? It wasn't a prediction?"

Dumbledore looked up again, straightened his spectacles and continued, in a businesslike tone, "It was Willard and Agnes Hornby and their daughter Clarice who had indeed recently taken a job as a clerk with a spellbook publisher outside London. I had told him to stay out of the war and the Order eighteen years ago." He paused to let the shuffling of feet and chairs pass before continuing to answer the question many wanted to ask.

"He had a wife and a young child. Arthur and Molly couldn't stay out of it, but he could." Dumbledore paused again, returning to his more controlled manner. "They were attacked during the night almost two days ago. The Killing Curse was used on them all. There is significant damage to a number of rooms in the house, though their bodies were all found in the living room."

Dumbledore looked very tired. He paused to compose himself, then looked up again and continued. "The Ministry will not attempt cover it up. The Prophet will be running a story tomorrow."

"There is a problem," Arthur spoke up. "The Ministry isn't revealing all the details. Well they're revealing everything but one detail."

Ginny felt a twinge of anger as he jaw clenched. Hermione, however, looked to be torn between anger and curiosity. "What? What is it?" she asked.

Arthur looked rather uncomfortable. He turned to Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was again silently looking toward the floor. When he turned back toward Hermione, he looked almost apologetic. After a moment of silence, Arthur finally answered. "There was no Dark Mark, but there was... something else."

Snape was obviously annoyed with Arthur's answer. "There was a mark in the shape of a lightning bolt burnt into the floor under the bodies," he announced sourly. "A most curious choice if the Dark Lord was responsible."

Everyone understood the implication behind Snape's comment. Ginny felt the heat rising in her face. Snape had all but accused Harry of being involved with the murder of three wizards. Ginny glared at him, but he responded with only a sneering smile. He knew what he'd said, but he didn't really believe it. The point, however, was still felt. Even if Snape didn't really believe it, many others would.

"You've got to be joking," Ron almost shouted. "They can't think Harry did it, not after everything he's done. Not after all they did to him."

Ron's father attempted to calm him down. "They don't know what it means. Some probably do think he does have something to do with it. The information he gave us--"

"He's always seen things. He saw you attacked! That doesn't mean he made it happen!"

"--The information he gave us was misleading. I sat in the Leaky Cauldron all day. Augustus Winters and Lawrence Dupre were there, and we're almost certain they're Death Eaters, but they just sat there, staring at me. Willard Hornby never came through. It seems that they didn't leave until after the attack. I remained there until Kingsley came to fetch me the next morning."

Ron looked confused. "But the rest was all true!"

"Perhaps, but to some it looks like Potter was simply trying to trick us," Snape explained. His voice had lost some of its condescension, but Snape's dislike for Harry was still evident.

"Unfortunately," Arthur continued, "and now the Ministry is planning to provide Harry with some... some Aurors to keep an eye on him."

Hermione looked up at Arthur. "Well, that's good right?" Lupin, Arthur, and Molly exchanged uncertain glances. Arthur again glanced to Dumbledore who had now taken to looking at the fireplace, but seemed no more willing to join the conversation.

"They're there to make sure he isn't doing anything," Ron told her, then looked at his father. "Aren't they?"

Arthur nodded. "They are being ordered to keep track of Harry's location at all times as well as tracking any owls he sends or receives." Ginny's head involuntarily jerked toward her father, and she caught Moody's eye swiveling to stare at her.

"They will also be protecting him," Dumbledore said quietly. His voice startled everyone. "And, yes Miss Granger, that is good news."

There was a moment of silence. Ginny could feel her annoyance boiling into anger. They were doing it again. She could feel it. They weren't going to explain any of it to Harry. She could practically hear the lies now, and with the Aurors watching him, they wouldn't be able to exchange owls nearly as often as they had before. Despite all of her effort, Harry was still going to be left in the dark. She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but she simply couldn't ignore it anymore.

"You are going to tell him all of this." Everyone turned to look at Ginny. Anger smoldered behind her eyes, and there was a challenge in her voice. "Aren't you?"

Her parents stared at her. Even Dumbledore turned his eyes to her. She had been sitting in the corner, ignored by everyone. Finally her father answered her. "Tonks has already visited him, and told him about the Aurors."

"And the lightning bolt?" she returned, with a rebellious look.

Arthur looked less certain of himself. "We don't want to upset him with things he doesn't need to know yet." Ginny's eyes darted to her father's face and held his gaze for a moment. She ignored the bewildered look on his face. Her heart was pounding and both Ron and Hermione were staring at her in shock. Ginny opened her mouth to speak.

Dumbledore spoke up again before she could say anything. "He will know, Miss Weasley," he assured her. His voice was both placating and commanding. "But it is for the best that he is not told yet. If the Aurors ask questions, it will be simpler if he did not know about it."

Ginny's anger still flared and boiled inside her, and without thinking, she turned on her headmaster. "And what if they ask questions about how they got in, or what curses were used on them or why all the family photos that were burned?"

"Ah." Dumbledore said, as if Ginny's comment had answered some question he'd been struggling with. He looked at her and smiled, making her feel a little uncomfortable. "There was nothing special about how they got in the house, nor the curses they used. As for the pictures," he paused to stare at her, "I do not think we need to worry about any questions on that subject, Miss Weasley."

Ginny was confused by his cryptic answer, but she disliked being patronized, and her annoyance was apparent. "Oh really? And why not? Wouldn't that be just as incriminating?"

"Indeed," Dumbledore said as he looked at her over his spectacles. "It would be, but--" he paused as he looked to Arthur "--in this case, Harry would not be the one incriminated."

Arthur looked shocked. He turned to his only daughter. "That knowledge would be quite incriminating. Doubly so since you are the only one who seems to know it." He looked back toward Moody and Lupin. "It wasn't in the report, and I don't think any of us noticed anything like that. Everyone said it was a very loving family, yet I don't remember seeing any photos in the house."

It felt as if everyone in the room turned to stare at her. What had she done? Several emotions washed through Ginny's face: first surprise, then fear, then sadness which was slowly turning back to anger.

"Ginny, dear," Molly started with a hint of anger in her voice, "how did you know the photos were burned?"

Ginny's face hardened and fell to the floor, but she said nothing. She'd said quite enough. She'd be punished, but she wouldn't give them any more reasons to do it. Hermione suddenly turned to Ginny, and was about to say something, but Ron silenced her with a look. From across the room, Lupin barked out a laugh at the three of them. Ginny glared at him, but it only caused a smile and another laugh.

"Harry told her," he announced as he shook his head. "I thought Harry must have been talking to someone. I assumed it would have been Ron. I thought the owls for Ginny were just a diversion. It seems they have been talking about more than Quidditch."

"I knew it!" Moody snarled as he jabbed a gnarled finger in Ginny's direction. "How many time did I tell you, Remus?. We can't have people keeping secrets from us. Albus, this is most troubling. I warned you that this could happen if we allowed the four of them to--"

"Actually Alastor, I find this all very reassuring," Lupin interrupted with a smile. "It looks to me as if we have Harry's three best friends sitting with us. One of them has been keeping his secrets from everyone, even her parents. One thinks only of protecting him and making him do the right thing, and the last one trusts and supports him so completely that he'll oppose his own best-friend to protect him, even when he doesn't understand what is going on." Ron smiled at that, and Dumbledore let out a small chuckle.

Moody did not find it as amusing as Dumbledore and Lupin. "Well, is it true, Miss Weasley?" he asked grumpily. Ginny said nothing, but her contemptuous expression answered for her. "Well, what else has he told you?" Ginny became peaceful, calm, and silent. Moody's fist pounded the table in annoyance. "We can't protect him if we don't know all the information. Did he tell you anything else we don't know about?"

Ginny's eyes flashed toward the old Auror. "No," she spat.

Snape immediately perked up, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Albus--",

Dumbledore stopped him with a gesture of his hand. "I know," he said, nodding his head. He looked Ginny in the eyes. "Miss Weasley is lying."

Moody stood up and glared at Ginny' parents. "Arthur, Molly, make her tell us what she knows." Arthur looked dumbfounded and Molly seemed as if she was having trouble deciding who she should be more angry with. Moody became more impatient. "Albus, can't you do something?" he asked before turning to Snape. "I know you can."

At that, Fred and George stood up, ready to defend their sister. Bill pushed his chair back and stood as well, though Ginny didn't know if it was to help or stop the twins. The atmosphere was suddenly tense, and everyone was now focused on Ginny. The room fell silent.

"Miss Weasley," Moody ground out, "you can't keep this from us. You have to tell us what you--"

"Stop," Dumbledore ordered him gently. His eyes met Ginny's. "If Miss Weasley has been clever and determined enough to keep this from us, she's clever and determined enough to know that she should keep quiet now that we know. She won't tell any of us anything --no matter what we threaten her with," he said. "--For tonight, at least."

Ginny's anger was replaced by mild confusion as she tried to figure out just what the headmaster had meant. Her mind raced and replayed the words in her head. She desperately hoped they meant what she thought: a message and an order hidden in the statement that would end the argument she had created.

Dumbledore stood up. "I think we are done here. Hedwig is still here. Alastor, I will send a message to Harry urging more... openness. Perhaps Miss Weasley will be more willing to share information tomorrow morning. If she does not, we will not force her to do so. I will not have us attacking each other and if she won't tell her friends, then I doubt she will tell her enemies."

Moody's leg clunked on the ground. "Albus, I must--"

"You must go to sleep, Alastor. We all must. I have no doubt the next day will be a busy one. Miss Weasley, I'd recommend you retire as well. Do try and get some sleep, and think about what was said tonight. Remus, if I could speak to you alone in... say, five minutes?" The headmaster turned and strode out of the room without another word.

Ginny stood up and simply walked out of the room, saying nothing and looking at no one. After she had left, the others slowly stood up, and left the room. The twins found Ron and they left talking in hushed voices while casting looks at Snape. Bill and Charlie shrugged and walked away. Moody paced the room and muttered to himself for a short while before he too walked out. Finally, only Hermione and Lupin were left.

"The day we got Harry's warning, I sent him a message just like Moody told me to," Hermione said, looking ashamed. "Later, I went to Ginny's room and saw Hedwig flying away. I knew Harry told Ginny about the first vision, I also knew that they were still exchanging letters, and I guessed that he was telling her things he wasn't telling you." She looked at her former professor. "She's probably told him things as well."

Remus only smiled. "Yes, I imagine so. I'm not surprised that Ginny wasn't the only one keeping secrets. I wonder what Ron knows that he isn't telling us." he said as he turned to look to where Ron went. "It doesn't matter."

"Ginny shouldn't be doing that," Hermione said. "None of us should."

"Perhaps not," Remus said, as a smile stretched his face again. It had become a more common sight recently. He had been sad and reserved for a few weeks after the incident in the Department of Mysteries, but the more time he spent with Ron and Hermione the more he seemed to return to his former self. "Perhaps we shouldn't, but it's not the first time it's happened, and Albus is familiar with friends' loyalty to each other. If I have learned anything of Albus' moods in twenty years, I'd recommend you go to your room. If you don't like what you learned during the meeting, you won't want to learn what I'm about to do."

Hermione looked confused, and worried, "What are you about to do? Will it be dangerous? We can find help if you--"

Lupin only chuckled. "Don't worry about it. To answer your questions: I have no idea what I'm about to do, but yes, it probably would be dangerous if Moody or Severus find out." At Hermione's confused look he added, "I don't know what Albus has planned, but I'm sure that if Sirius were still here, he'd approve whole-heartedly." Lupin's eyes dropped to the floor. "That alone would be enough to convince me to do it. I think we owe Harry that."

Hermione's face softened at the mention of Harry's godfather, but she became more suspicious. "I see," she responded. "I think you're right. I should probably go to my room." She walked to the door, but it opened for her, and Minerva McGonagall stepped through.

"Oh. Miss Granger. Albus didn't say anything about you being part of--" She stopped when she saw Lupin shaking his head. "I see. At least someone is acting responsibly." She turned to look at Hermione. "The Headmaster wishes to talk to Remus in private." Hermione nodded, and walked into the kitchen without looking back.

Dumbledore stepped through the door after Hermione left and greeted him with sparkling eyes and a bright smile. "Ah, Remus. So good to see you," Dumbledore said as he shook his hand.

"What will I be agreeing to do, Albus?" Lupin asked.

Dumbledore looked amused, "Ah. Straight to the point, I see. After the events of tonight I have realized that poor Miss Weasley has been through quite a bit and could use some cheering up. Minerva here tells me that young girls often enjoy small mirrors--"

"I most certainly do not," McGonagall said sharply. "Young girls would do better to put their faces in books instead of mirrors."

Dumbledore ignored her. "--so I had her fetch one for me." He looked at Lupin with feigned innocence. "Would you deliver it for me? I think you have the best chances of not upsetting her." He handed the mirror to Lupin.

"I would think you had a better chance--" Lupin froze as he looked at the mirror. "This is... You know what this is, don't you?"

"It is a mirror, Remus. Quite plain of course, but I hear it's quite well made. Very comfortable to hold."

McGonagall gave the Headmaster a disapproving look. "How many more of his old trinkets will you give Harry?"

Dumbledore adopted his innocent look again. "Harry? No, this is to be given to Ginny Weasley."

Remus scowled lightly. "This belonged to James. You know it did. This should go to Harry."

"Ah, Harry already has one," he said soothingly, then held up his hand, "but I think he broke his. Pity." He walked past McGonagall as he paced around the room. "Perhaps it's for the best. If both Harry and Ginny had one, there would be no way for anyone to know what they might talk about." He stopped, and looked Lupin in the eyes. "And that would most definitely not please Alastor."

Lupin smiled and shook his head. "No. No it certainly would not."

Some time later there was a knock on Ginny's door. There was no response, so Lupin knocked again. "Ginny, it's Remus. I have something that might interest you." There was no response, but he could hear a plaintive hoot from an owl that must have been Hedwig.

"Ginny. I have something for Harry, too. Can I at least give it to Hedwig?"

After a short period of time, the door creaked open. Ginny said nothing, and it appeared she had been crying, or at least close to it. She let him enter. He gave Hedwig a small flat box, and noticed that she already had a large letter, without an address.

"Is that to Harry?" he asked lightly.

"The Headmaster said I shouldn't tell anyone anything," Ginny responded, then walked the door and invited him to leave.

"Yes, I thought he did as well. I have something for you," Lupin said. Ginny pretended to be interested. "The Headmaster seemed to think--"

At the mention of Dumbledore, Ginny quickly opened the door and waited for him to leave. Lupin tried to calm her down. "I really think you should close the door for this. You'll also want to write another letter to Harry." It seemed that Harry was the key to getting friendly reactions from her.

"What is it?" she said. She sounded tired and discouraged.

He brought out the mirror and handed it to her. "The headmaster thought that you might like having a mirror. He said it was a gift to cheer you up." Lupin looked her in the eye. "This might be a better way of sharing secrets."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "A mirror? You want me to talk to a mirror? All I've done is given Harry what everyone else should have offered: a person to talk to who won't share his secrets and who won't hide things from him. I let him share some of the burden that he has to live with every day." She took the mirror from him and tried to shove Lupin out the door. "Now, GO!"

Lupin was confused, but he could hear footsteps headed his way. He whispered as quickly as he could, "No. You don't understand. Tell Harry what you've got. Keep it close to you. He'll know what to do. He'll explain everything to you. Tell him that they belonged to James and me and that I have Peter's."

"Fine," Ginny said with a final push, "just GO!"

"Ginny?" Molly said as she rounded corner. "Is everything all right?"

The door slammed and Lupin was left facing a worried Molly Weasley, who was growing angry at the thought of anyone upsetting her daughter even more this night despite her actions. "Albus wanted to see if I could cheer her up." He looked at the door as he heard Ginny cast a locking spell on it. "I think I failed."

"She'll cheer up," Molly said. "She always does. If she is going to talk to Harry behind our backs, perhaps he can cheer her up for us." Molly led Lupin away and back toward the rest of the house. "You know, I think Ginny hasn't given up on Harry, despite what her brothers think."

Lupin went to the study, and looked toward Little Whinging, wondering what secrets Harry had shared with Ginny. It seemed that there were some unpleasant details that he left out. Things that might be important, but were probably best kept secret for now. Albus knows what he's doing, he told himself. As he looked out the window at the waxing gibbous moon, he saw the small white shape of Hedwig, speeding toward a young man in need of a friend.

---

A pair of motionless shadows hunched behind a set of bushes in front of the nearly identical house across the street from the Dursleys. They had been there for quite some time. Harry didn't know when they had appeared, but they didn't concern him. Their appearance had coincided with the conspicuous disappearance of the two businessmen who'd spent most of the day in front of the same house. The two shadows were almost certainly the Aurors Tonks had identified earlier.

Harry was looking out at the most recent additions to the list of people constantly watching him when he saw the small bright shape approaching. He hadn't really expected Hedwig to return this late. It must have been news from Ginny. For a moment his spirits lifted. He wasn't being ignored. She'd learned something. Maybe they had caught some of the Death Eaters or found some proof of his story.

As Hedwig glided towards Number Four Privet Drive, Harry opened his window. On the street, the Aurors had marked Hedwig's arrival as well. Harry's mood soured as he saw one of the shadows across the street stand and simply disappear --or rather, Disapparate. They were keeping track of any messages Harry got. And probably anything he sent.

He would have been surprised to see Hedwig carrying a small package had he not been fuming about the Ministry spying on him. Hedwig dropped the package on his bed and Harry quickly untied the letter from her leg before she flew off to her perch. Harry rummaged around his desk looking for his Obscuring Orb while muttering about his current situation. Ginny's letter (he assumed) had been changed to look like some sort of legal document which seemed to be committing someone to prison.

Harry was right. It was a letter from Ginny. Her handwriting, however, was quite different from earlier letters. It was shaky and smudged in many places. She had been writing quickly. Upon closer inspection, some of the smudges were wet spots which had dried. She'd been crying. Harry felt his stomach clench uncomfortably, and as he read the message anger crept up his spine.

Harry,

I've messed it up, Harry. They were keeping something from you. Something you should have known. I got angry. I couldn't help it and I said something I shouldn't have. I thought they already knew. They knew everything else. I wasn't thinking clearly and I mentioned the photos. They didn't know he burnt them. I'm so sorry, Harry. They caught me on it instantly, and Lupin figured it had to have come from you.

They'll never trust me now. They know you told me about it. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what they'll say to you. I feel horrible. Snape and Moody wanted to interrogate me. They think there's a lot more they don't know. Is there? I really don't know. Moody hasn't trusted me since we joined the Order, and now he'll watch me even closer. I'm useless.

What was Moody playing at? Ginny was doing nothing worse than Moody himself. Harry even felt slightly betrayed by Remus Lupin. Would he have turned in Sirius or his father? How could he, when James and Sirius had kept his secret?

Dumbledore didn't let them ask me anything more, thankfully. I'm not sure what he has planned, but he didn't want anyone to talk to me. I don't know if there's anyone I can trust anymore. Not even Hermione. I feel so alone.

Harry felt terrible. This was his fault. He shouldn't have let Ginny do this.

Anyway, this may be the last bit of information I can give you, if not the last owl I will ever send you. There was a mark under the bodies. A great lightning bolt burnt into the floor. I don't know what that means, Harry. They don't either, but some people think that you put it there. I know better, but what could it mean?

I wish I could say more, but I must send Hedwig now before someone bursts in to stop me. I'm sorry Harry.

Ginny

However, there was a even more hastily written section of text beneath it. There were no wet spots there, instead there were tiny splashes of ink from the violent strokes used to carve the script into the parchment.

P.S.: Lupin visited before I could send this. He knows that I'm writing this to you but he didn't stop me. He gave me a 'gift' from Dumbledore. Told me if I wanted to share secrets I should talk to a mirror instead. I wanted to smash it right there.

He had something for you, too. He told me to tell you that they belonged to him and your father, and that he has Peter's. Did he mean Peter Pettigrew? Is this another one of their old pranks?

At least I can get a good night's sleep while everyone thinks of ways of punishing me. I'll try to write if I can. If not, maybe the twins will help me sneak something out to you.

Harry leapt toward the small package on his bed. Could it be? Why else would Lupin have told her to talk to the mirror? He ripped the parchment wrapping off of the small box and tore it open. With a glint a small square mirror dropped from his hands onto his pillow. It was just like the one Sirius had given him.

Sirius would have sent his own Mirror if he didn't have James', of course. So, if Harry had his father's, and Sirius' was broken, then only Peter's and Lupin's own mirror were left. He read the last part of the letter again. Lupin said he had Peter's Mirror. So that must mean he'd given Ginny his own. He didn't want Ginny to have to know that Peter had owned something she was using. He had been trying to apologize. And Dumbledore must have known what the Mirrors were capable of.

Harry's mind stumbled about, trying to work out what must have happened. Dumbledore must have known what Ginny's been doing. Why else would he give Harry just what he needed at the very moment when he wouldn't be able to send any more owls? And Lupin... Lupin must have known, too. He would have had to fetch his own Mirror to give to Ginny.

They were trying to help him.

It was an odd feeling. He looked out to the stars, and didn't feel so alone. He could still talk to Ginny.

He held the Mirror in front of him and spoke as clearly as he could.

"Ginny Weasley."

The image in the mirror had shimmered and faded a little, but it quickly returned to simply reflecting his own face. He tried again but got the same thing. He was doing exactly as Sirius had told him, yet nothing was happening.