Hermione considered it. "When?"
"Next Occlumency lesson, I guess. When I have his attention, mostly."
"And how is Occlumency going?"
Harry shrugged non-commitally. "It's actually pretty good. Dumbledore's been praising me a lot, giving me good advice. Not like that git, Snape. He says I'm strong now."
Dumbledore had indeed been telling him that he was growing stronger than he ever was in the subject of mind defense. Harry always listened to his advice, which was worthwhile and carried wisdom in their words.
"Snape's changed a bit," Hermione offered. "He's bland and stern as ever, but he's stopped hating on Gryffindors and the like. He hasn't been awarding points to anyone but the Slytherins, but at least he's stopped being so horrible."
Harry remembered: "So that's why he was so businesslike at the meeting, he didn't act like he hated the whole world or anything. Since when as he been acting this way?"
"Um...I'd say mid-December. Hard to tell."
Harry frowned. "So he's decided to change winds all of a sudden? I don't really get why."
"He, like a lot of the rest of us...." Hermione sighed, and looked at him. "There are dark times ahead. And remember Dumbledore's advice to gain trust from one another. Stand united."
"Yeah, but that was two years ago, Hermione."
"It's just...I know something terrible's going to happen. Maybe he feels it too."
***
The sun had set early, and Harry, Hermione, and Ginny squatted by the window, watching the last rays of dying sunlight vanish over the horizon to the west.
"Ron still upstairs?" Ginny asked.
"Well, what do you think?" Harry replied, wryly.
"No." Ginny shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know which was worse; when Pig died the first time or when we rediscovered him."
Harry was inclined to agree, but he didn't want to admit it. Hermione opened her mouth, and snapped it shut again.
It was warm inside, and Harry felt it inside himself as well, sitting near the fireplace while a light snow started to fall.
"Hot chocolate, anyone?" Bill emerged with a platter and several mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Ginny, Hermione, and Harry all took one gratefully, and Bill moved on to the twins, who were having fits of fun over Ron's tactical wizarding battle set.
"Throw away your wand and kick him in the groin!"
"Anyone seen Ron?" Bill asked worriedly.
"He's still in - "
"The attic?" Bill finished. "Ah, I should've known. Poor Ron."
Dark, how can you write so much? What are you really? I mean are you a student or just some writer pretending to be a student? Because man, I am a student and I had started my story, the other green flame torch in this forum way before you and I have only reached page 16 whereas you have already reached page 41! That is a great accomplish for one student. By the way, how old are you and what grade are you in?
AUTHOR's REPLY--Student, 15, currently living in Calgary, Canada. Studying in Grade 10. Two readers here have playfully accused me of JK in disguise 🤨. The reason why I write so much is because I have a talent of writing from the top of my head(as you can see from past posts). I can just brainstorm plot ideas randomly and never have to worry about details. Damn no one's been reading.
Bill trundled off, perhaps to visit Ron. It was nearly time for dinner, anyway, and already Harry could smell the sweet and savoury sounds of Christmas dinner. Hermione was watching him breathe deeply with a very amused look on her face.
"You know, you're supposed to eat it, not inhale it." she laughed.
"But it smells so good," Harry said dreamily. "Better than Hogwarts, maybe. For once, I feel like I'm in a family."
She leaned against him. "We are family," she said. "Always have been, always will be."
"We've gone so far, Hermione, us and Ron." Harry said, smiling and reminiscencing. "...gone through so much."
"I can't argue with that." Hermione said. "D'you know, I don't even know how many points you've won in total for Gryffindor."
"Hah!" Harry said. "It's pale in comparison to how many I've lost. Courtesy of Snape, McGonagall, and that ferret Malfoy."
**
Thirty minutes later, three loud cracks announced the arrival of the Order; sure enough, Harry heard Dumbledore's cheery voice, followed by Lupin's hoarse yet cordial tones. Tonks peered out from the staircase hall and waved jollily at them.
Mrs. Weasley came. "You three've arrived just in time, Albus. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."
"Very good, very good, Molly," Dumbledore said warmly. "I was wondering whether I could be of assistance, perhaps? I am a firm believer in the terms 'earning your keep'."
"Oh really, Albus, if you must...I would like the dining space to be much bigger. I've been cooking with Dobby all afternoon."
"Consider it done." Dumbledore strode out, wand in hand, and acknowledged Harry and the others with a smile and a nod.
Their headmaster dissappeared in the dining room. Harry heard several loud bangs and saw a flash of red light.
"Done." Dumbledore said happily.
Harry peeked inside, and gaped.
What he saw was the most beautiful and elegant dining room that had, in Harry's opinion, ever been made.
Two gold-graced chandliers offered a low, pleasant illumination. The windows were tall, curved, and decorated with red silken curtains. A fancy brick fireplace was adorned by a huge Gryffindor banner, lion and all. Considering that every person attending had been in Gryffindor house, as far as Harry could tell, it had been a very classy thing to do.
The walls were painted a pure canary yellow, and several fat Christmas wreaths, and Father Christmas hats hung about in acknowledgement of the occasion.
The table was huge, and seemed to be made of light brown oak. Artfully crafted patterns had been engraved in the legs. It was polished to a high finish, shining from the light of the chandlier.
The chairs were dark maple, and a comfortable cushion adorned each seat.
"Wow." Hermione said in a hushed voice.
Dont worry mann!! I am reading yur story everyday.. abt me, i am 24, working in a Huge IT major (India) and we have got a forum in our company called Forum For Witches and Wizards (HP fanclub) where we are updated wth all the latest news on HP... we have even printed a Tee Shirt to wear on July 15 which is a Friday to our office having HBP print on it...whatever.... i am supplying all wth yur story everyday... all my colleagues are like 'Who is this DARK?? ' i didnt want them to spam yur page so didnt mention this Blog Site...
And once more Good work mann!! Hope yu update soon...
Originally posted by seb_lestrange
Dont worry mann!! I am reading yur story everyday.. abt me, i am 24, working in a Huge IT major (India) and we have got a forum in our company called Forum For Witches and Wizards (HP fanclub) where we are updated wth all the latest news on HP... we have even printed a Tee Shirt to wear on July 15 which is a Friday to our office having HBP print on it...whatever.... i am supplying all wth yur story everyday... all my colleagues are like 'Who is this DARK?? ' i didnt want them to spam yur page so didnt mention this Blog Site...And once more Good work mann!! Hope yu update soon...
"After five years of knowing Dumbledore, I still haven't seen the full extent of his power." Harry murmured.
"Which is all the more reason to get him to teach us." Hermione replied.
"Gangway, you two, make way." Fred and George were levitating a huge silver platter each, filled with magnificent looking food. Harry heard a loud rumble.
"What was that?" he asked.
"My appetite telling me that it's time to eat!" Hermione laughed.
Harry smiled.
"Where's Ron?" Lupin said from behind a platter of savoury pasties, looking from Harry to Hermione.
"He's still in the attic." Harry informed her.
"Ah, poor Ron." Tonks said sadly. "I missed those days when he was laughing, joking, carefree. Someone'll have to go get him, Christmas dinner's about to start."
"I'll do it." Harry and Lupin said at the same time, the latter setting his burden onto the table.
The pair of them tramped quickly.
"Harry, as Ron's best friend, you'll probably have to tell him, he'll listen most to you." Lupin said.
"Then why'd you decide to tag along?" Harry asked curiously.
"Because I need to give some information to Minerva." Lupin simply replied.
Harry didn't ask.
When they reached the attic, it was as if Harry and Hermione had never left; Ron was still in the shadows, and Professor McGonagall was tapping something that looked like a miniature version of a Muggle MRI with her wand.
"Ron," Harry said quietly, but the sound broke the silence like a gunshot. "Christmas dinner's ready."
Ron slowly stood up, stretched. Harry could hear his bones crick.
"Honestly, how long've you been sitting in that chair for?" Harry asked, watching Ron walk stiffly as a creaky piece of furniture.
"I dunno, one...two hours?" Ron shrugged.
"Three and a half," Harry corrected gently. "It's a wonder you haven't stuck to the chair."
When they arrived in the conjured room, even Ron was taken aback.
"Well, guess we know who did this." he said quietly, inhaling the tantalizing scents of Christmas cooking.
Everyone had been slightly subdued at first, but they took heart upon Ron's arrival.
"Come on, little bro'." Charlie called, waving a half-empty goblet. "Come n' sit with us, you two."
Ron technically could not be labelled "little" anymore, he exceeded Charlie in height by at least an inch or two. Ron smiled, and jerked his head at Harry to indicate that they should be seated.
"Where's Minerva and Remus?" Kingsley asked. Apparently, he had arrived when Harry was upstairs with Lupin.
"They're - " Harry began.
"Here," Professor McGonagall finished, Lupin close behind her. The former looked grim, while the latter looked exceptionally tired. Lupin always looked tired, but this time he seemed worn out because of something else.
Dumbledore had noticed, and reacted quickly before anyone else saw.
"Ah, so glad you could join us, Minerva, and you too, Remus! Let me pull you up a chair or two..."
He flicked his wand, and two identical chairs appeared.
By now, the two had taken the hint, and accepted graciously, smiling.
Mrs. Weasley said the grace. Everyone intoned a anticipative "Amen," and tucked in heartily.
The food was delicious, but Harry's appetite was pushed aside by a huge curiosity of what important information that Lupin had given to Professor McGonagall.
Hermione, Ron, and Charlie seemed to be the only ones who had noticed as well, and all of them looked questioningly at Harry. He swigged his goblet, and mouthed at them silently, "Later!"
They resumed eating, but not without the odd glance at the teachers, especially Hermione, who was closest.
But Harry had put those troubles aside, and set himself to appreciating Mrs. Weasley and Dobby's wonderful cooking.
***
After the Christmas dinner was done, and belts had been loosened; Dobby dropped by and snapped his fingers. The dishes arose as one, and followed Dobby into the kitchen.
"Well now, I believe that I must be going, Molly," Dumbledore said. "Harry, if you and your friends could leave us alone for now; I think Remus has some valuable information for my old ears."
Harry nodded, looked at the others and inclined his head toward the stairwell, indicating that they should leave.
However, as soon as they were out of sight, Fred started fishing in his pocket.
"Never know when they might come in handy, these." George grinned, as his twin passed extendable ears out.
"We've figured out how to get them to be invisible too," Fred said proudly. "All due in prowess to our wizarding skills."
Hermione rolled her eyes noticeably, but accepted an ear too.
"OK, go." Fred whispered to the string ends. Immediately, the strings rose up, wiggled, turned invisble. Harry couldn't see them fly, but a second later...
"-and everything was destroyed, razed to the very ground." he heard Lupin say. "I was about to try and invsetigate myself, but I felt that it would be better to let you know as soon as possible."
"I have not seen it in the papers, although they may be hiding this." Dumbledore said.
Harry glanced at the others, who were visibly trying to understand.
"Razed to the ground?" Tonks asked angrily. "Nothingleft? How dare he, the filthy - "
"Much records lost," Dumbledore sighed sadly. "Thousands. History has dissappeared, some were tens of thousands of years old."
Harry looked at everyone, who had seemed to comprehend like lightning.
"The library!" they whispered in union.
They dropped back to clandestine eavesdropping, but Dumbledore was about to take his leave.
"Well, I must thank you Molly, and Arthur, for inviting us to the feast. I've never had a home away from home, but the Burrow seems to have taken that role."
Hermione and Harry smiled broadly at Ron, whose ears were turning red.
"Kingsley - " Dumbledore said.
"I'll do what I can to investigate," Kingsley said. "Although surely nothing must be left, if what Remus described is accurate."
Harry heard the door open, then close.
"Quick, get back here." Fred muttered urgently, tugging on the string. Harry and the others did the same; soon the Extendable Ears whizzed back into their hands, and the Weasley siblings, Harry, and Ron hurried up to their bedrooms as fast as they could.