Of Butterflies in a Hurricane

*


Harry padded down the stairs slowly, listening closely for any sounds of people talking. At the bottom of the stairs, he met Ginny. There was an awkward silence that passed between the two as they stood; Harry on the stairs and Ginny in the doorway.

Harry was just thinking up something to say when Hermione came rushing over, perhaps having seen what was occurring.

"Harry, there you are. There’s breakfast on the table, and Mrs. Weasley says she needs everyone's help in the back to set up," she said quickly.

"Sure, Hermione," he said and allowed her to steer him away from where Ginny still stood, staring after them. Harry felt another twinge of guilt as he left her. He had dated her as a cover up for his and Draco's relationship.

He had used Dumbledore's death as an excuse to break up with her at the end of last term. Since then, she had seemed overly suspicious of his actions. He hoped that she was just counting it as grief for Dumbledore and anger at Snape.

He felt bad for using her but no one could have known what was happening between him and Draco. He told Ron and Hermione nearly everything, but even they didn't know of him. He felt they would want to AK Draco as soon as they laid eyes on him.

Harry's account of Dumbledore's death had left a few gaps about Draco's part in it. He wasn't sure if Hermione had believed it all to be the truth. Ron had accepted it right away and had no trouble in abusing Snape, though he did it quietly, so as not to upset Harry.

Harry had been dwelling on his thoughts of Snape as much as those of Draco. He felt a burning anger welling up in his chest every time Snape's sallow face swam before his mind's eye. He had a burning desire to wipe the sneer off his face once and for all.

When he wasn't having dreams of Draco being carted away by the former-Potion's professor, Dumbledore's death replayed over and over again. He saw in his mind's eye Dumbledore pleading, completely broken, and Snape's face full of fury as he cast the dreaded spell on him.

A feeling of ice spread through Harry's body at the memory, hardly noticing that he was now in the kitchen and Hermione was pushing him into a chair, shoving a plate under his nose.

"Eat," she ordered, and he obeyed.

He ate slowly, unnervingly aware of Hermione's gaze on him the entire time. He avoided her gaze, instead looking out the back door where Mrs. Weasley was shouting orders. Ron was struggling to follow them, but instead, just managed to cause a table to rise straight up into the air and crash down, breaking off one of the legs.

Mrs. Weasley's reprimands drifted in through the open door as Harry sat eating his toast. Hermione frowned as she finally looked away from Harry and outside. She glanced down at her watch and her eyes widened.

"You better hurry up, Harry," she said quickly. "It's ten-thirty already. I wonder if Fleur is okay... I think I'll go check on her."

She shoved a glass of juice into Harry's hands before hurrying up the stairs. Harry heard a door open and Hermione's inquiry.

"Eet is ugly!" came the explosion from above. "My 'air ees not supposed to look like zat!"

He heard Hermione hurrying to console the girl, obviously trying to fix what was wrong. Apparently, Ginny had not tried very hard to help her new sister-in-law.

"Feex it, someone!" Fleur cried hysterically. "I cannot get married like zis!"

Harry heard the beginnings of sobbing and quickly downed the rest of his juice then went outside to help the rest of the family.

Outside, the rest of the Weasley's were scurrying around, trying to set up the last-minute details. Guests were beginning to arrive, trickling in through the side gate.

Mrs. Weasley, looking flustered but pleased, welcomed them and ushered them into seats that had, just minutes before, been placed in rows facing the archway that now stood at the end of the aisle.

Harry recognized several members of the Order; Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and some people who were obviously Fleur's relatives.

Ron turned to gape as several people with stunning blond hair filtered into the back yard. A woman with beautiful blue eyes and aristocratically pale skin entered, holding the hand of her youngest daughter Harry knew was Gabrielle. Behind her was another young woman, perhaps only a few years older than Fleur. She had the same beautiful blond hair that fell nearly to her waist just as Fleur’s did. Last was a man Harry took to be her father. He was tall and thin; his face held the remnants of royalty but his eyes were friendly as he took in the setting.

Ron continued to gape at the older girl that had come with the family. Hermione had come outside and walked up behind Ron, accidentally knocking him forward with her elbow. He stumbled a few feet but managed to catch himself before falling completely.

He turned around and glared at Hermione, who didn't look abashed at all. "Sorry, didn't see you," she said simply and walked away.

Harry just rolled his eyes as Ron continued to scowl after her. He walked closer to the family, listening as they began to converse with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Well, eet is difficult to travel so much in zees times," Fleur's mother was saying. "But we would not mees our daughter's wedding for anysing."

"We're so happy you could come. Fleur will be ecstatic," Mrs. Weasley said graciously. "And, may I ask..." she said tentatively, indicating the other members of the family.

"Oh, of course," Fleur's mother said graciously, her French accent weighing heavily upon the words. "Zis is my 'usband, Henri, and my two girls, Gabrielle I zink you know, and my uzzer daughter, Rosetier."

"Rose, s'il vous plait--em, please," the older girl corrected her mother.

"Ah, oui," Mme Delacour agreed. "I am always forgetting she does not like 'er full name."

Harry moved forward a little bit more, hoping to get a better look at Rose. She had the same stunning blue eyes as Fleur and the same haughty demeanor. She was no longer listening as her parents and the Weasley's talked, her eyes, instead, roving over the yard where people were talking together and taking their seats.

Soon, her eyes made the full circle and came to rest on Harry. She looked at him directly, her eyes taking in his face but, for once, not doing the familiar flick up to his scar. She stared deep into his green eyes as though she could see something the others couldn't.

It didn't last long, though, as the rest of the family caught sight of him. Gabrielle gave him a shy smile as he smiled at her. He was soon dragged over to make introductions, but he couldn't help feeling, as they asked him question after question, that Rose's eyes were still on him.

Soon, though, it was time for the ceremony to start. The families broke apart and Fleur's father went to find her and Mr. Weasley went to get Bill. Harry took his seat near the front with the rest of the family. Charlie was Bill's best-man and stood with him at the front of the aisle.

Bill looked nervously excited as he waited. Music struck up around them, a soft tune, not the traditional wedding march, but a soft, classical piece. Everyone rose from their seats and turned to watch as Fleur emerged from behind the crowd.

There was an audible gasp from everyone as they caught sight of her. She looked breathtaking in a gorgeous gown of white silk. The train trailed behind her as she walked slowly, her father on one side.

Harry noted that Hermione must have been able to fix her hair. The tiara Mrs. Weasley had gifted to her sparkled in the morning sun. Half of her hair had been braided back and twisted elegantly up; tiny, light pink flowers placed strategically held it in place. Harry was sure there was some magic there as well.

Once she was to the front, everyone sat down as the ceremony continued. Harry didn't pay much attention as it went on. His mind drifted, once again, back upstairs to where the Pensieve was, safely locked in his trunk.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow would be his seventeenth birthday. He was going to take his Apparition test along with Ron and then it would begin. He had whiled away most of the summer, desperate to start but unable to. He knew it would be no use if he couldn't Apparate. He had forced himself to wait, not-so-patiently, for the summer to pass before he began his true mission.

Every day that passed was another day closer to when he might be able to get Draco back and kill that son of a bitch Snape. Of course, he hadn't forgotten about Voldemort either. What little thought that was not consumed with Draco or Snape was focused on the four remaining Horcruxes.

His little mantra of cup, locket, snake... something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's was never absent from his mind. He knew he had to destroy them all to even have a chance at killing Voldemort. The problem was that he had no means of finding them. Dumbledore had never quite explained how he found them, or even what to do once you got them. How did you destroy a Horcrux? Harry had no idea. He told himself he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

The wedding was over sooner than Harry realized. Bill and Fleur were kissing and there were the soft sounds of sniffles rising in the group. Harry looked around and saw Hermione wiping at her eyes, as was Mrs. Weasley. Ginny's face appeared stony as she watched the ceremony come to a close.

Harry looked away as she turned. He didn't want her to know he'd been watching. His eyes, instead, were caught as he looked at Rose. She was watching him, almost intently. Her face betrayed no emotions as she looked at him, her bright blue eyes holding his own.

Harry broke the gaze quickly, a feeling of unease washing over him. He turned back to the front, but the feeling of being watched never left him and he was sure Rose was still watching him. Everyone rose as Fleur and Bill walked back down the aisle. They looked beyond happy as they went back to the house for a moment of rest before the reception.

Everyone filtered out of their chairs and, with a wave, Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley cleared all the chairs, replacing them with small round tables and chairs. Long tables, covered in the same white linen, were conjured and soon filled with a delicious spread of food.

Harry lingered away from the group, content to stand on his own, half-hidden from everyone. He just didn't feel up to talking to anyone. Ron and Hermione glanced over at him quite frequently but neither made any attempt to make him join the group.

He stayed just long enough to give his wishes to Bill and Fleur and make it seem as if he had stayed. He then quietly slipped away when everyone else was engaged. As he slipped in the door, he thought, for a fleeting second, that he had felt someone watching him, but when he glanced back, no one appeared to be.

He went up to Ron's room, sitting down on his bed. He could hear all the merriment coming in through his window but had no desire to be a part of it. He only wished he was as happy as the rest of them, but he couldn't stop the despair welling up inside him.

He looked down at his wrist, his eyes falling on the silver bracelet once more. He stroked the tiny snake in an affectionate manner and it let out a tiny hiss, as it continued to slither around the bracelet.

He looked over at his trunk again; the undeniable urge to pull out the Pensieve coming over him. He contemplated for a moment then could no longer stop himself. Carefully removing it, he placed it back on the bed once more, its silvery contents glittering innocently.

He looked around carefully once more. He didn't know why, but he somehow felt incredibly unprotected with the Pensieve out in the open. He hardly ever took it out when he wasn't alone.

Ron and Hermione knew he had it but never pressed him to see it. They seemed to understand that it was under his control. He didn't know why he refrained from showing them, but he just felt like it was something he had to do alone.

Harry took out his wand and prodded the top of the memories carefully, just as he had that morning. They swirled for a moment then focused in on the same classroom as before. A dark-haired boy sat alone in the middle of an empty classroom as a teacher looked on.

Harry sighed and sat back, shaking the basin and erasing the memory once more. So far, he hadn't found a memory worthy enough of recollection. He was beginning to wonder if there were any more useful memories in the Pensieve.

Disappointed, Harry picked up the Pensieve and placed it back in the trunk, locking it securely before collapsing on his bed. Staring up at the ceiling, he wondered if this would ever end.

He needed to find the Horcruxes. He needed to find Snape. He needed to get Draco back. Harry took a shaky breath as he turned over onto his side. He wished Draco was there.

***

The next morning, Harry was awoken by a pillow being tossed at his face. He sat up groggily, looking for the source. He saw at once that it had been Ron who'd thrown it. He was about to ask why he needed to be up so early when he realized that there was a pile of presents at the end of his bed.

He had nearly forgotten his birthday, as it had hardly ever been celebrated previously. He crawled to the end of the bed and began unwrapping things.

From Ron, he received a box of Chocolate Frogs. From Hermione, a book of complex spells she must have thought useful. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had given him a beautiful chess set. Hagrid gave him the usual gift of Rock Cakes which Harry set aside. Fleur had gifted Harry a small, silver box. Inside was pressed flower whose essence gave the person a very relaxed feeling.

Harry reached for a tiny package and unwrapped it. Inside was a key. Harry frowned as he turned it over, confused. He reached into the box and pulled out a letter.

Harry,

Though we have never gotten along quite as we should, you are still my sister’s son. Though the times seem dark for you, you will know that, should you choose, my door is not locked.

-Petunia Dursley

Harry stared down at the letter and then at the key. For the first time in his life, he felt no rush of dislike towards the Dursleys. For the first time, his aunt was actually admitting that he was not the dirt under her fingernails.

He took the key, placed it back in its box, and set it down at the very bottom of his trunk. He knew he would never use it.

He had gone back at the beginning of the summer, as he knew was needed. He had told them that he would be leaving and never coming back. Vernon had not seemed too shaken up about it and Dudley had let out a relieved sigh. Petunia hadn't said a word as he had grabbed his trunk and wheeled it to the door. He had left, knowing he would never see them again.

Harry closed the trunk and opened the rest of his presents. The twins had given him a new product of theirs. It was a white glove that, when put on, allowed the wearer to pass his hand through solid objects to grab things on the other side and pull them back. Harry tried it on his trunk, reaching in through the top and grabbing a pair of socks that came through the solid wood with no trouble at all.

"I hope they're not selling this to the public," Harry muttered to Ron. Ron nodded his head fervidly. Harry noticed that he looked rather green. "What's wrong?"

"Well, today... we have to Apparate," Ron said nervously.

"Oh," Harry sighed. "Yeah." He was kind of nervous, despite the fact that he could Apparate perfectly well. He just knew today was his last day before it would all begin.

He and Ron went down to breakfast where everyone greeted Harry joyously. They offered him birthday greetings and Mrs. Weasley made his favorite breakfast. They were joined by the Delacour family, who was staying for a few weeks before going back to France.

He avoided Rose's eyes as he sat down, knowing she was watching him once more. He tried to encourage Ron to eat something but he refused. After a while, he gave up, leaving Hermione to do the cheering.

"Just remember," she told them. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!"

"Easy for you to say," Ron muttered. "You've already passed!"

Hermione didn't know what to say to that so she opted, for once, to remain silent. Harry ate quietly, hoping he would pass but also worrying about what would happen afterwards. This was it. He was officially an adult in the wizarding world. There was no one left to protect him.

His mind flew back to Draco, as it so often did. He had no one to protect him either, aside from the murderer Snape, and what good was he? Draco was somewhere, probably being tortured by the Dark Lord. Harry's stomach gave a violent twist and his heart stopped momentarily at that thought.

He quickly composed himself before anyone noticed and went back to picking at his food. He couldn't stand the thought that he was sitting in the comfort of The Burrow while Draco was out there somewhere, probably in grave danger. Harry wouldn't suppose Voldemort would be too happy that he had failed. Then again, Snape had done it anyway, so maybe he wasn't in too much trouble.

Harry hoped, more than believed, that was the truth. He knew Voldemort would not be pleased, though, and the sooner Harry could get out of there, the sooner he could find and destroy the Horcruxes and rescue Draco.

Before Harry realized it, breakfast was over and Mr. Weasley, Charlie, and a few Aurors were there to escort him and Ron to the Ministry to do their tests. The rest wished them good luck, save Ginny, who remained stubbornly silent.

When they arrived, they met their tester, the same wizard who had taught them; Wilkie Twycross. He was as indifferent as ever as he instructed them to Apparate from one end of the Atrium to the other. Usually, they would do it outside, but, given the new, stricter, security measures, they were forced to remain in the Ministry.

Harry passed his test with no problems at all. Everyone around him beamed and he tried his best to act as happy as they were. Ron was next. He looked increasingly green as Twycross told him to Apparate next to the grilles.

Ron stepped up beside Twycross, swallowing hard as everyone looked on. He stepped up, his eyes closed tight in concentration, and rotated on the spot. There was a crack and he reappeared next to the lifts. He opened his eyes carefully, at once reaching up to feel his face to make sure no eyebrows had been left behind this time.

"Passed," Twycross said blandly, making a note on his paper. He pulled out his wand and gave it a tap. Harry and Ron both signed and were granted their licenses that would be stored away in the archives of the Ministry.

On the way home, Ron chattered away about how he knew he would pass all along. Harry was only half listening, his thoughts once more absorbed with plans.

When they reached The Burrow, everyone gave them their congratulations. Harry, who didn't feel much like celebrating, excused himself after a decent amount of time and retreated to Ron's room.

Once there, he sat down on his bed, gazing out the window at the clear blue sky. He sighed, almost feeling as if he should leave now and not drag Ron and Hermione into it with him.

He started as there was a knock on the door. He told his heart to calm down as he rearranged himself on the bed.

"Come in," he called. The door creaked slowly open and Harry strained to see who it was.

A sheet of blond hair fell through the door, followed by the tall, willowy form of Fleur's sister, Rose. "Excuse me," she said, her French accent laced through every word. "May I speak wis you?"

"Uh..." Harry hesitated. There was something about this girl that made him uneasy, though he didn't quite know what. "Sure."

She gave him a mysterious smile, stepping all the way through the door and closing it with a snap.


~~**~~

A/N: Not many reviews but whatever. I've come to the realization that aff just isn't the site it used to be *sigh*.