In Essence Divided

Chapter 13

Harry sat, looking at the fireplace in the corner. He had spent weeks making this place seem like the place he imagined it had looked like before it was nearly destroyed. Ron and Hermione sat at the kitchen table, and he could see them arguing quietly over the table, books scattered around them, drinks abandoned to get cold. There was so much that they argued about lately.

Harry glared at the floor, ignoring Ron’s insistence that they at least talk to his brothers about it. There was nothing to talk about as far as he was concerned. Fred and George could not join them in what they had to do. Already too many people were involved, and time, he could feel was running out. Hermione wouldn’t have anything to say about it. She would give him logical reasons to include the twins in their plans, reasons that he just didn’t want to hear. There was nothing he had to explain to either of them, and as of late, he was starting to resent their presence with him more and more.

As if her ears were buzzing, Hermione walked through the open door. Harry looked up, scowled and looked back at the floor. Ron followed and shrugged at her, and she seated herself in the chair next to Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked back to the fire. He wondered why he hadn’t just gone ahead and let Fred and George in on what had to be done. It was simple really, but the task itself was growing harder and harder to accomplish. Months had grown into years, and yet he and Dumbledore had not been able to crack the last artifact that held the last bit of Voldemort’s soul. And people were paying the price for it. He wished that there was another way to go about it, but he, Hermione and Ron had searched every avenue they knew to.

“I managed to salvage some of the books your father had in his library.” Hermione had said conversationally. Leave it to Hermione to want to fix the library first. Harry said nothing, focusing intently on a scuffed hole in his sneaker instead. Hermione went on. “He seemed to be collecting books, Harry. Dark books. He may have been using them for research, I still have a lot to go. I just don’t see why he has so many.”

“You just said it was for research.” Harry nearly snarled.

“I know. But the markings in them are odd.” She said, looking at the far wall of the room to keep from looking at him.

“What do you mean odd? He had to take notes I’m sure. He defied Voldemort three times.” Harry said, stiffening. Ron ducked his head.

“All I’m saying. I don’t know. Honestly. It just reminds me of something.” Hermione said, also looking now at something other than the faces before her.

“Reminds you of what?” Harry said, trying to gain control of the frustration in his voice.

“The Half Blood Prince.” She said, wincing at the look that Harry gave her, feeling the angry heat of it from across the room. Hermione said no more, but quickly lowered her face back to the book that she was holding.

Harry let his mind wander again, not wanting to process this new piece of information until he had absorbed everything.

He had to admit, the anger than the twins had shown his was slightly startling. He wasn’t used to people giving him such animosity. Usually they bid him good luck, gave him well wishes. And Fred and George had never been the type to be so quick to anger. Had he known that before he spoke with them, he may have chosen his words differently. They also had a lot of valid points. He had been the close call of all of his friends, and the danger that surrounded him had almost killed them quite a few times.

But how could he expect Fred and George to take anything seriously? They were the resident jokers. It was plain to see that something in them had changed. Something important that he had missed. He raised his head and looked to Ron and Hermione.

They were arguing again.

+++++++

As soon as the boys were safely at the burrow, Dumbledore re-charmed the boy’s floo back to the measures he had taken before. Molly was now seated at the kitchen table, bleary eyed and waiting. She was given a brief explanation of what was happening from Dumbledore and Arthur, and her head was spinning. There was just so much going on, she was at a loss as to how to handle the situation. Fred and George filed in, kissing the top of her head as they made their way around the table. She hoped that this would get no worse than it had already, but the solemn looks all around the table seemed to convince her that she was desperate to wish for that.

The floo sprang to life one more time, and Ginny emerged from it. She brushed herself off and sat down at the table as though she were meant to be there all along. Everyone looked at her with confusion.

“Ginevra? Why aren’t you at school?” Molly asked. Dumbledore looked at her with a slightly amused expression on his face. Molly never thought she could hate that look, it was so rare these days, but now she hated it with a passion. It was infuriating.

“I have just as much a right to be here as they do.” She said, pointing to Fred and George.

“How did you get out of the school?” Remus asked, grinning despite himself, giving her a small wink no one else noticed.

“Let’s just say that [i]someone[/i] gave Peeves the brilliant idea to pour the anecdote to U-No-Poo in someone’s nightly tea, leaving her fireplace open for a nice long while.” Ginny said with an innocent look.

Fred and George grinned at their little sister, and imagined the mayhem that probably ensued in their absence. They had to admire good work where it was due. Molly turned a brilliant shade of red, Arthur’s mouth opened and closed, as he was at a loss for words. They struggled to wrap their minds around what Ginny had just said.

“Don’t worry, I left a potion with Dobby for her. She’ll be fine.” Ginny said.

“You drugged a teacher?” Arthur finally spit out.

“No, I simply “helped her along” a little.” Ginny said quickly.

Dumbledore chuckled, everyone else falling silent at the now alien sound. He hadn’t laughed since his return, and it was duly noted by all present.

“I left a note, she’ll know where to find me, I don’t intend to get away with it, but it had to be done.” Ginny said, giving the fireplace a timid look, as though she expected the Headmistress to barge through at any moment. Although, Fred and George could attest to the fact that she would be engaged for quite a while.

“How did you know what was going on?” Molly asked.

“It was me.” Remus said, looking down at his hands in his lap.

Everyone now turned to look at him. “Why!” Sputtered Molly. She was shocked that the man would call her daughter into something like this.

Remus waited a moment, thinking about what it was he could say to reason with the woman. Obviously, Molly was going to resent him for bringing their only daughter, the youngest of the clan into this, but there was nothing he would have done differently. When he gave his word, he did not give it lightly. Something that everyone seemed to take for granted when they noticed at all.

“I made a promise, and I keep my promises.” He started. Molly’s face looked dangerous, so he continued. “When Harry left. After Dumbledore’s false death, Ginny came to me. I was staying at Headquarters, and when Harry left, both of us felt the loss. I had no one who knew what it was like to loose the one link to a past I thought I had lost, and Ginny was suffering her own loss. Tonks didn’t quite understand what I was going through, and Ginny and I both shared an open ear for each other. Tonks thought it was good that Ginny had someone to talk to through this, and that I could empathize with her. Ron left, she never sees Charlie and Bill, and Percy was not able to be contacted. There was no one for her to talk to.”

Molly’s eyes welled up. “Ginny, I was always here for you.”

“Mother, that’s different. Remus doesn’t see me as his last baby, and he doesn’t talk to me like I’m a child. No one seems to see that I’ve grown through this. This is me growing up. I have to be a part of this, Harry knew that, and he still turned away from me, not sharing anything with me. I never asked him to, but he just discarded me. No one seems to remember that I met [i]him[/i]. I was part of his horcrux, I made it stronger. And my theory is, if I could do that for him, imagine what I could do against him. I made Remus promise me that if he heard anything new, he would contact me. And he kept that promise. Don’t be mad at him, this is my choice.” Ginny said, giving Remus a small smile. She had a feeling that despite all of their explanations, her mother was still going to be angry and upset about the whole thing.

Fred and George listened to all of this, understanding that Ginny wasn’t going to back down from this at all. “Ginny, if you want to help, we’re not going to push you away at all.” Fred said, patting her on the shoulder in a brotherly way. George nodded.

“True, we’ve been forced to grow up a lot in the past couple of years as well, and we understand what it’s like to have to take on what you think is right. We’ll include you in any way that we can.” After a look from him mother, he added, “It’s going to be dangerous, but we’re your brothers, we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

Molly stared at them with a scandalized look on her face. How could her own children be doing this? They had to know how she felt about her children being in danger, yet here they were, placing themselves and each other in danger. She could feel the heat rising in her face and she fought herself not to start yelling.

Dumbledore smiled at them. He admitted to himself that had this happened before his reawakening, he would have gently put an end to this and sided with Molly. Looking at the resignation on her face, he could almost read her thoughts. These were no longer children, and she herself had grown to realize it as well.

They were in this together, a ragtag group if he had ever seen on, and alliance that had sprung up without his help. He approved of them, and hoped that they could conjure more answers than they had lately. He was still in his mind for a moment before he realized for himself that he was going to have to take a step back. These people did not need him. He would be there if they did, but other than that, he was not going to direct them, make them do anything for him.

But first, it was imperitive that they did know what they were up against. He knew that Harry would be exceedingly angry for what he was about to do, but there was no other choice. If they were going to embark on this, it would be best that they were prepared.

Molly fixed the table a pot of tea, almost reading the look on the old man’s face, The night was not even close to being over, they still had many things to discuss. Remus settled back in his chair and waited. Ginny patted his hand and smiled at him. They were all in this together.