HARRY POTTER AND THE STONE OF DUMBLEDORE’S MANOR

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Road is Paved in Danger


Harry had maintained a stony silence with Ron and Hermione since the night he found Dumbledore’s Stone. He wanted to speak to Hermione alone, but never got the chance because Ron was beside her most of the time.

It’s been a week since he found the stone, and he was sitting on the couch in the sitting room. The fire burned hot, and Harry could see shadows moving in the hallway to his right. He caught a glimpse of a bushy-haired person, and saw Hermione sit on the opposite end of the couch. Harry looked into the fire, then spoke, his voice low but audible enough for her to hear.

“You realize I need to go there and find it, don’t you?” He said, looking at Hermione now. She sighed, but nodded her head.

“I know, Harry. I’m concerned about you. I mean, Voldemort is out there you know. He is trying to kill you.” She said, looking upset. He inched over to her and put his arm around her.

“I know you are. But I need to stop this Hermione. More than just me could be in danger if I don’t.” He said, burying his face into her hair. He heard her sniffle; he hugged her tightly. A sudden fist from Harry’s left side sent him flying to his feet. He looked around it shock.

Ron launched another fist at him, but he had the presence to whip his wand out and shout, “Protego!” The spell send Ron back a few steps as his face grew redder.

“What is your problem, Ron?” Harry managed to say, as Ron tried to break the spell barrier with his fist.

“I knew it! You and her! How could you? Your supposed to be my best friend! I see it now, you wanted her for yourself, then?” He said angrily. He looked at Hermione and shook his finger at her.

“And you! I thought you wanted to be with me! You’ve been with him this whole time, haven’t you?” He said, his lips quivering. Hermione had burst into tears and sat on the couch holding her head on her lap. Ron looked at Harry and gave him a parting shot.

“I hope your happy with her, you bastard.” He said, his tears coming down. He ran from the room. Harry dropped the spell and went over to Hermione. She looked up at him, her face covered in tears.

“I knew this would happen. I didn’t want it to end up this way!” She said, sobbing hysterically. Harry looked confused.

“Not end up this way? Hermione, what do you mean? You do realize we slept together? Are you into him?” He asked, swallowing hard. She didn’t reply. Harry understood what she was thinking. He wasn’t the one she wanted. He was in love with her, and she wasn’t in love with him. “Your in love with Ron, aren’t you?” He said, angrily. He flipped over the small table that was in front of the couch, near the fire. He walked out of the room as Hermione cried more fiercely into her lap.

That night at dinner, the table was quiet. Hermione sat near Mrs. Weasley, and Ron sat at the other end. Harry sat on the other side of Mrs. Weasley, picking at his dinner. Mrs. Weasley noticed the tension, so she decided to tell the three of them that Ginny’s funeral was to be held tomorrow morning. Harry felt a lump in his throat. He could have had Ginny, but he was in love with Hermione. Ginny was like a sister to him, he had dated her once, but he felt like he really didn’t belong with her. He looked around at everyone that was seated at the table, and his heart sank. He had made a decision that he was going to leave for Hogwarts when he could gather what he needed. That time, he knew now, would be after Ginny was buried. He would not tell Hermione or Ron. He thought they would be better off if he left them here in safety.

After dinner, Harry sat in silence as Ron came into the room they shared, and laid on his bed, his hands full of Chudley Cannon’s trading cards. He shuffled them for a while, and then he looked at Harry, who had been staring at him for the last half hour.

“What?” Ron said nastily.

“I’m sorry, Ron. I didn’t think you felt that way that way about her.” Harry said lying and he knew it.

“Didn’t…..! I’ve liked her since first year, and you didn’t know?” Ron said, sitting up so fast, he sent his cards flying. “You wanted her and for me to have nothing! Because I liked her, you had to. Mr. Harry Potter, the prince of everything! The best at Quidditch, the best at eluding death….You think your so damn cool don’t you?” He said, standing up now. Harry had his wand in his hand as a precaution. He was ready. At least he thought so. A cry from Ron’s direction caught him by surprise. Ron had raised his own wand.

“REDUCTO!” Ron roared. The blast sent Harry off his feet and crashing into the wall behind him. Harry shook his head, got up and had raised his wand to point at Ron.

“Expelliarmus!” Harry yelled. Ron’s’ wand flew across and landed in Harry’s open hand. Ron came forward and had his fists ready. A sudden burst of light hit them both, and they landed on their butts on the floor. A look at the door told them Hermione had used a separation charm on them.

“What the hell are you two doing? Your acting stupid and I’ve had enough! I can hear you from my room! Knock it off!” She said her face twisted with anger.

They looked at her, then at each other. Why had they turned on each other? For a relationship with Hermione? How could she have an effect on them like that? Ron got up and stormed past Hermione and down the hallway. Harry stood, not looking at Hermione. He went about setting Ron’s wand on his bed before she spoke to him.

“Harry, I’m really sorry. I don’t want you to think it was just about me. We both made a mistake that night. You know that as well as I do.” She said her voice low but even.

“I didn’t make anything. You didn’t seem to concern yourself with telling me any of this, did you?” He said, calmly. He did not want her with someone else. He needed her.

“Harry…..You have to know that I don’t think you should go to Hogwarts alone. I want to go. I think Ron should come too.” She said avoiding the glare he was giving her.

“I don’t think that is such a good idea, Hermione. Ron wouldn’t come along with us even if I said yes. And no, your not going either, it’s too dangerous.” He said, turning from her and sitting on his bed. She sighed, but left him in the silence he claimed so dear to him these past few days.

Ron never returned to the room. Harry didn’t care. Ron had won Hermione for now, but he would see to it that he had her in the end. Ron had always been protective of her, and Harry had secretly hated it. Harry laid in bed that night thinking of when he would set off. He knew, of course, but he wanted to make sure it was a time when he could do it without someone in the house. Then it dawned on him….After sweet Ginny was buried.
The next morning, as Harry was awakened by Mr. Weasley. He was dressed in a black robe. His eyes were wet, but he seemed composed as he spoke to Harry.

“Harry, come on. Put this on and hurry downstairs.” He said, sitting down a matching suit and leaving the room. Harry stood, and dressed as fast as he could. He followed the sound of voices down into the kitchen. There, he saw Fred, George, Bill, Percy and Ron huddled together in the small galley off the kitchens main area. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione were seated at the table and Shacklebolt, Mad-eye, McGonagall, Lupin and Tonks were seated across from them. None of them looked at him as he entered.
For an hour, they all sat motionless and not one person spoke. Each absorbed into their own thoughts, they gathered it was best to remain that way. At ten in the morning, they were all ushered into the back yard of the manor. But when Harry stepped into the yard, it was nothing like he had ever seen before.
Big black banners of ribbons hung from full green treetops; there was a huge black tent with chairs for everyone and a long black table that held the casket of Ginerva Weasley. Everyone looked around in shock. They didn’t do it, but Hermione looked apprehensive.

“I did it last night. I couldn’t see her being…..in that yard…..” Hermione said hesitantly. Everyone looked at her and smiled a little. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears and hugged her tightly.

“Oh, Hermione! Thank you so much! Ginerva would have loved this.” She said, making Hermione burst into tears also. They walked into the tent Hermione created, and sat down, all facing the final resting place for Ginny Weasley. Mr. Weasley walked to the small podium near her casket, tapped his wand and lit the lights on either side of the tent. Before he even spoke, the tears rained from every single pair of eyes that were under the tent.

“Ginerva was a wonderful, wonderful witch and daughter. She taught us all to be more caring and loving. And she was always so full of life. If we can learn anything from this, it’s that she died trying to help those of us who want peace and love in all of our lives. She will be missed. She will be loved. She will be eternally in rest.” He said, sobbing the last sentences out. Mrs. Weasley was too distraught to speak, as was Ron, who had leaned down in his chair, his eyes wet and red. Harry got up, went to the podium, and spoke from his heart. The heart he had held in purgatory for Ginny. Crying his own tears, he spoke:

“Ginny was more than my best friends sister. She was a part of me. She is a part of us. She died knowing that we were all in danger, yet she didn’t know how much. Our lives will never be…be the same without her, but we can keep her memory here,” He said, pointing to his heart. “She is with Dumbledore, and I really can’t think of a better place I would want her. I loved her for being who she was. She was a person I always wanted to be around. We have to fight for her justice, her loving ways to continue. I loved her, and she loved all of you. She won’t really be gone. Not really.” Harry said, his tears clouding his vision, as he laid his head down on the podium and wept. With that, Mad-eye tapped his wand, and her casket disappeared. A white owl fluttered in mid-air where it had stood, they flew out of the tent and into the bright blue sky. Ginny was free, and her soul in a bright place. The others had gathered back into the dank space of the manor as Harry made his way to the room he was going to be leaving shortly. Passing people in the hall, he stopped on his way up the stairs to stare at Ron and Hermione, both talking to someone in the parlor. He didn’t want to cry again, so he hurriedly moved up the stairs and into his room.
Packing his trunk quickly, he grabbed what he could and pushed it into the overflowing trunk and shut it. He no longer had Hedwig, as they had fled the burrow in a hurry; he doubted the beautiful owl was alive. He made sure is wand was in his pocket, and his magical album Hagrid gave him in the other with the use of a shrinking charm. He opened the door and looked around the corner to make sure no one was coming his way. He gently snuck out and snapped the door shut after his trunk cleared the door. He had pulled out his cloak before leaving the room, and he was now draping it over him and the trunk. He had grown, so some of his toe from his shoes peaked out. He slowly made his way down the stairs, making sure his heavy trunk thudded with the creak of the stairs. He got to the front door, when Mad-Eye made his way through and stopped inches from where Harry now stood. Harry inched his way to the left of the door. Mad-Eye looked in his direction, but went into the sitting room to Harry’s left. Harry sighed, retched the door open and gulped as the air outside hit him in the face.

He did not know where he was going exactly, but he felt his confidence grow as the manor got further and further behind him. Walking in the dark, he went along a path that led through some trees. He was sure he was in a forest of some kind. He kept walking for about an hour, before he decided to rest. He sat his trunk on the floor of the leafy forest and pulled his cloak off for the first time since his exit from the manor. A crunch of leaves behind him had him jumping to his feet, his hand on his pocket that held his wand. He looked around in all directions, but no one was to be seen. He sat down again, but this time, he turned his body to look at the clearing from which he came.

“Come on, Harry. Get a grip.” He whispered to himself. He was just on edge because he was alone and scared of what might be around out here. He decided he better not stay longer than he had, so he got up and pulled the cloak back over his head and trunk and began to walk again. He hadn’t got very far ahead, when someone had firmly grasped his shoulder. Turning around in shock, his wand out, he was face-to-face with…..

“Hermione! What are you doing here?” Harry asked, lowering his wand and pulling off his cloak. She too was holding her wand high, but hers was lit on the end so she could see.

“Harry! I’ve been calling you for ages! Where do you think your going?” She said, clearly out of breath from catching up to him.

“You know where I’m headed, and you need to go back to the manor, Hermione. It’s too dangerous for you!” He said, holding her upper arms like a toddler.

“Harry. Have you forgotten what we have been through with you at Hogwarts? You can’t just leave us!” Hermione said her face red with anger.

“Us….” Harry repeated, looking behind Hermione and into the darkness.

“He didn’t come. He doesn’t know I left.” She said, as Harry looked at her again, releasing her arms. “Do you think I should have told him?” She asked a look of confusion etched upon her still-red face.

“I don’t know. Why didn’t you?” He said, turning away from her and looking at the treetops instead.

“Oh, Harry. I don’t want to do this. I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you I love you if I don’t. We made a mistake that night, and I just want to forget about it.” She said. Before Harry could answer however, he had wrestled her to the ground. A red spark flew inches from her face.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Harry roared, taking his wand and pointing it at a dark cowered in the middle of the clearing.

“Incarcerous!” Harry yelled. Green ropes flew from the tip of his wand and in the direction of the cloaked figure. With a swift motion, the figure flicked his wand, and the ropes severed in pieces and it the forest floor.

“Run!” Harry said, pulling Hermione along. Harry grabbed his trunk as he ran past. With trunk cracking along, they ran into the forest deeper and deeper. The cloaked figure could be heard walking through the forest closer and closer to them as they ran. They ran into a dense clearing and stood, trying to catch a breath. Suddenly, the cloak figure appeared in front of them. A darkness swept over them as if they were in a deep sleep. Harry felt his body going down into a deep, black pit. He collapsed to the floor, unable to move. Hermione had fallen beside him. She, too, could not move. Her limp hand rested on Harry’s back as all became dark, and in his mind became peace…….