|
Summer Story | ||||||
|
Category: Post-OotP, Buried Gems Characters:None Genres: Action/Adventure, Fluff, General Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 392 Summary: Summer at the Dursleys’ is typical for Harry Potter who hopes his stay with his relatives will only last two weeks at most. In this sequel to You’re Still You and New Year, New Hope Harry learns that his role as “savior” of the Wizarding world is more complicated than he thought and that he needs his friends and mentors more than he ever imagined. Hitcount: Story Total: 135415; Chapter Total: 4165 |
Previous Next |
|
||||
|
Chapter Nineteen: Action at Last Ginny met Ron and Hermione outside Professor McGonagall’s office. Their Head of House immediately answered Hermione’s knock and quickly ushered the three of them inside, shutting the door firmly behind them. Going to the hearth beside her desk, Professor McGonagall held out her pot of Floo Powder. “Please be careful,” she said quietly, her voice full of concern. “Bring them out alive... if you can.” Ginny bit her lip as first Hermione and then Ron disappeared into the flames. “We’re going to try, Professor,” she promised. “We’re going to try.” She threw in her pinch of Floo powder and entered the green flames, calling out her destination. She spun to a stop and deftly stepped out onto the Burrow’s hearth. “Hi, Mum!” she exclaimed as her mother enfolded her in a bear hug. “Oh, it’s so good to be home.” Her mother released her and bustled over to the cooker. “Are you doing any better?” Mrs Weasley asked over her shoulder, concern showing in her eyes. “I have my good days and my bad. So does Harry,” Ginny answered truthfully, scanning the kitchen. She spotted a group of Order members standing quietly in the far corner. Fred and Percy were amongst them. “What can I do to help?” she asked, changing the subject. “Get out plates and cutlery, please,” she paused, counting heads, “for twenty-five.” Ginny hung up her travelling cloak as Hermione and Ron emerged from the stairwell. “That many?” “Yes, the group over in the corner is the reconnaissance team,” George said, coming over to greet her. “They leave in a half-hour. There’s another, smaller group in the lounge that will leave at midnight.” “When are we leaving?” Ginny asked as she opened the bureau to get out plates and utensils. Mrs Weasley immediately bristled, her wand suspended over a large cauldron of soup. “Ginevra, I don’t think you should participate,” she said tersely. Ginny set her stack of plates on the table with a ceramic clatter. “Mum, you can’t make me stay here,” she pleaded. “Do you have any idea what it’s been like to have Harry screaming in my head for the last six weeks? I have to be part of his rescue.” Mrs Weasley opened her mouth to reply, but Ron interjected, “Let’s talk about that later.” He looked imploringly between Ginny and their mum. “Is dinner ready, Mum?” Sighing, Mrs Weasley answered, “Not quite yet. Hermione, would you help Ginny take the pitchers of butterbeer to the table, please?” She looked pointedly at Ron. “Ronald, call everyone to the kitchen, then help me get the food on the table.” The reconnaissance team left immediately after the meal, which had been silent and tense. Everyone had filled their plates and bowls themselves and milled about, speaking in hushed voices. Finally, as the clock struck eleven o’clock, Ginny approached her parents to bid them good night and try one more time to get their permission to go with Ron, Dudley and Hermione. Their answer was still a negative one and she trudged up to bed with heavy feet. A moment later, she heard Hermione coming after her. As she shrugged into her nightdress, Ginny asked, “Would you wake me up when you get up, please?” Hermione slid under her covers. “I promise, Ginny. If it helps at all, I think you deserve to go.” Ginny smiled tiredly. “Thanks, Hermione. It does. Good night.” Hermione woke Ginny shortly before three in the morning. They dressed hurriedly in jeans, sweatshirts and trainers, and grabbing small bum bags and warm coats, met Ron and Dudley on the landing outside Ginny’s door. “Are you ready for some parental fireworks?” Ron asked Ginny as she closed her door. “Yes, but this is one argument I’m determined to win,” she said resignedly, leading the way down the stairs. She spotted Fred and George sitting at the table as she emerged from the stairwell and walked over to them. “What’s the news?” she asked as the other three joined her. “Fifteen Death Eaters Apparated in,” Fred reported, for once completely serious. “Pettigrew was one of them,” said George, equally grave. “Cave’s in a clearing about half-way up the mountain.” “Wizard-made, if you ask me.” “Why’d you say that?” Hermione asked. “The entrance doesn’t look like a natural opening even though rocks have been placed in front of it. It’s too round,” George commented. “How did the Order find the cave?” Ginny asked. “One of the Death Eaters we captured several weeks ago spilled his guts,” Fred said, grinning unpleasantly. He handed out four pieces of paper upon which was written the location of the cave. “Our Secret Keeper wanted me to give you this,” he said. “You know what to do.” Ginny read hers and threw it into the fire after committing the location to memory. “It was such a pleasure getting that information out of Draco Malfoy!” George chortled. “Draco?” Ginny, Ron and Hermione asked together. “The very one,” George said. “But he’s been at school,” Ron said in disbelief. “He has no idea what he told us or that he was even captured,” Fred said gleefully. He lowered his voice so that only Ginny, Ron, Dudley and Hermione could hear. “We had a small ‘oops’ at the end of the interrogation and he remembers nothing.” “You... you Obliviated him?” Hermione gasped. “Nah, we wouldn’t be that cruel,” Fred said offhandedly. “He just chose the wrong glass, is all. Swallowed a specialized Forgetfulness Potion instead of a drink of water,” George finished. Hermione huffed, “That’s almost as bad!” Fred cleared his throat, looking innocent. “His choice.” “I still don’t get it,” Ron said. “When did you interrogate Draco? It couldn’t have been very long ago.” George and Fred exchanged glances. “Before school started, actually,” George said, looking uncomfortable. “We intercepted him when he left Grimmauld Place for Hogwarts at the beginning of August. He let Nott and Zabini use the Floo first and we just waylaid Malfoy a little while.” “Is he a Death Eater?” Ron growled. “No, he’s not,” Fred said, “even though he took the Dark Mark.” Hermione asked, “How can you not be a Death Eater when you’ve been branded with that awful snake and skull?” George studied the floor rather intensely as he said, “I don’t know. He’s not the same ferret we’ve known all these years. There’s no Slytherin arrogance left in him.” He raised his eyes to Ginny’s as he said, “That battle at Hogwarts last June changed him.” Mrs Weasley walked up at behind Fred and George. “That’s enough, you two,” she said, making the twins jump when she put a hand on each of their shoulders. Spotting Ginny she asked, “Ginny what are you doing up and why are you dressed like that?” Ginny prepared herself for the tirade she was sure was coming. “Mum, I’m going with Hermione, Ron and Dudley to rescue Harry,” she said more calmly than she felt. “I thought I made myself clear earlier,” Mrs Weasley said sharply. “No daughter of mine is going off to fight Death Eaters!” “That’s not fair, Mum, and you know it!” Ginny said heatedly. “I’m the one Harry’s been trying to communicate with, the one he’s been sharing his thoughts and feelings with for so long. If anyone should go it’s me.” “Ginny, you’re under age,” Mrs Weasley said. “You’ll get in trouble with the Ministry if you do any sort of magic while you’re on this rescue because it’s not school related.” Ginny stared at her mother, her mind working furiously. “Mum, remember that talk we had last summer, before Harry was kidnapped?” she asked, deciding to appeal to her mother’s sense of fairness. “Yes, I do.” “Well, you told me that your brothers wouldn’t let you go with them on Order missions and that you’ve always regretted not going. Is it fair to make me wait like they did you and have to cope with the possibility of never getting to say good-bye if something happens to one of my brothers?” she asked. Mrs Weasley pursed her lips. Ginny could see her mother was wavering. “Please, Mrs Weasley,” Dudley said, stepping up beside Ginny, “let her go with us. If anything, I need someone to watch my back because I don’t have a wand. Tonks has told me all along how connected Ginny is to Harry and if he’s transmitting anything she’ll know it. Her information could help us find him sooner and might make a difference.” “Oh, all right! You may go, Ginny,” Mrs Weasley finally said, her bottom lip trembling. She turned to Dudley, a fierce gleam in her eye. “You better bring her and Harry back here alive, you hear?” “Yes, ma’am, I promise,” Dudley said. Mrs Weasley hugged him and Ginny, and then fled up the stairs as Mr Weasley walked up to the group. He addressed Dudley, although his eyes followed his wife as she disappeared up the stairs. “I assume my daughter will be going with you tonight.” “Yes, sir,” Dudley responded. “We’re part of Tonks’ team.” “Very well, then,” said Mr Weasley. “I know you’ll look after her and Harry when you find him. Please be careful.” “We will,” Ginny and Dudley said together. “When do you leave?” Mr Weasley asked. Dudley looked at his watch. “In about ten minutes. We need to let Ron and Hermione get in place before we go.” “Ginny, do you know your security questions?” Mr Weasley asked. Ginny smiled at her father. “I do, Dad, and I’m ready for anything the others ask me.” “That’s good. Better get some breakfast, then,” Mr Weasley said. “Your mother’s left a batch of scones and some hot chocolate and tea out on the counter for anyone who wants it.” Ron stepped in front of their father. “Thanks, Dad,” he said, holding out his hand. “We’ll see you in the clearing.” Mr Weasley shook Ron’s hand and then ascended the stairs, leaving the four to their breakfast. Ginny and Dudley stepped out of a fireplace into an elegantly appointed sitting room and she immediately looked around for Tonks. She spotted her lounging in an overstuffed armchair conversing with another witch and led Dudley over for the exchange of security questions. “Tonks, what was our favourite dinner-time activity the summer we met?” Ginny asked. Tonks grinned and Transfigured her nose into a pig snout. Behind her, Dudley inhaled sharply. Ginny grinned. Now it was Tonks’ turn. “Why didn’t you talk to Harry the first summer he visited your house?” she asked, a sly smile lighting up her now-normal features. Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair. “I was too hero-struck,” she squeaked. Tonks turned to Dudley. “What is your nickname for Mr Diggle?” He turned slightly pink, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Tiny,” was all he could manage and Ginny found it hard to suppress her giggles. Tonks turned to the other witch. “It’s them all right. Thanks for letting me crash here while I waited. Are you sure you can’t go with us, Cecilia?” Cecilia shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I’d love to go, but I’m on duty tonight. If I left my post I’d be in for it with Lady Katherine and as much as I’d like to, helping you catch even a small group of Death Eaters isn’t worth my job,” she said, looking rather disappointed. Tonks nodded. “That’s life, I reckon. Well, we best be on our way,” she said, motioning to Ginny and Dudley to follow her. She led them down a short hallway and out an exterior door. As they exited, Ginny studied the building. She could see that it wasn’t the main, white-painted castle she had expected to travel to, but a smaller, natural stone gatehouse. In front of the building was a diminutive car painted like the union jack. Dudley was grinning as Tonks unlocked the vehicle. “Sweet,” he murmured, “a Mini!” Ginny couldn’t help asking, “Will Dudley fit in here, Tonks?” Tonks snorted with laughter as Dudley commented, “You’re riding in back, Weasley.” “I wouldn’t dream of taking the front seat,” she giggled and climbed quickly into the car. “All right, that’s enough,” Tonks smirked, getting in and starting the engine. When they were buckled in, she continued, “I’ve always wanted to drive one of these, but haven’t had the chance until now. Cecilia’s helping the Order tonight by loaning this car to us.” She released the parking brake and pulled out onto the road. Ginny watched in fascination as the castle gates automatically closed behind the Mini. “It won’t be very long now,” Tonks told them. She was right. Fifteen minutes later, the Mini reached the outskirts of the village of Lockearnhead and Tonks guided it through the village until they reached the other side. She turned right towards the mountain which loomed darkly over the Loch. After another minute or two more she parked in a grove of trees, next to a trailhead. “We’ll walk from here,” Tonks said, getting out and throwing up protective spells around the Mini. Dudley helped Ginny out of the back seat and the three began the hike to the rendezvous point. They walked in silence until the trees started to thin. Dudley, who had taken the lead, held up a hand to stop the two behind him and then pointed into the trees to their right. He’d found the clearing. Tonks whispered, “This is where I leave you. Ron and Hermione are already in place closer to the cave’s mouth over there. Stay low, be careful. The Death Eaters Apparate into this clearing. Ginny, if you run into trouble send your Patronus.” “I will, Tonks. See you inside,” Ginny said. “Cheerio,” Tonks muttered wryly, and as Ginny and Dudley moved towards the clearing, she turned on the spot and was gone. “Do you see Ron and Hermione?” Dudley asked as they crouched down behind some rocks and began scanning the edges of the clearing. “Not yet. But Ron isn’t wearing a cap so we’ll spot him right away even in this light,” Ginny observed nervously. Then, she pointed to a patch of ginger-coloured hair. “There, straight ahead.” “Yeah, that’s them,” Dudley agreed. “He needs to cover that hair of his. And so do you.” Ginny scowled at him, but put up the hood of her coat anyway. No need to advertise our location, she thought. “I’ll send my Patronus to ask a security question just to make sure it’s them,” Ginny said, standing up enough to aim her wand at the pair across the clearing. As her horse cantered away, Dudley whispered, “I’ll never get used to seeing that.” “Neither will I,” Ginny said, sinking back behind the sheltering rocks. A moment later, Ron’s Jack Russell Terrier bounded up and delivered its response to Ginny’s question, “Mischief Managed.” “I recognize that phrase,” Dudley said as he scanned the clearing for signs of trouble. There was no other movement to be seen. “Harry used to mumble that in his sleep. I often wondered what it meant.” “I’ll tell you about it sometime... or maybe you could talk to Harry about it when Mum’s not fussing over him,” Ginny said as a wave of emotion made her breath catch. This close to Harry his thoughts were clearer than ever before. Their intensity shook her to her core. “Let’s get this thing over with and find Harry and Professor Dumbledore.” And not waiting for Dudley to respond, she tugged at his sleeve and they hastened as quietly as they could towards the spot where Ron and Hermione were hidden. “How long before we can go in?” Ginny whispered to Hermione as she crouched next to her several minutes later. “Not long,” Hermione answered. “I think we can safely go in now, actually. Tonks just cancelled several of their concealment spells. Look... only one guard.” She indicated the single pair of duellers throwing spells at each other in front of the cave’s mouth. “Then what are we waiting for?” Dudley asked, a feral grin lighting his face. “This,” Hermione said, tapping her wand on his head to Disillusion him. He grimaced as the spell swept down his body and helped him fade into their surroundings. “I’ll remove the spell once we’re inside,” she added. Dudley only grunted. Together, using trees, bushes and boulders as cover, the four of them hurried towards the cave’s entrance and slipped through the opening, unnoticed by the two duelling a few feet away. Once inside, they immediately took cover behind some boulders and set to work. While Hermione removed her spells and threw a Shield Charm over their hiding place, Ginny scanned the ante-chamber; she was looking for her parents. She found them duelling with two Death Eaters at the very back of the ante-chamber in front of a set of iron gates that had been erected in a narrow opening in the rock. From what she could see, this was the entrance into the rest of the cave and as she tried to peer past the gates, her mother Stunned and bound her opponent and then turned to help her husband dispatch the second Death Eater. Ginny pumped her fist thinking, Go Mum! Meanwhile, Ron and Dudley had been conversing with the help of a pair of Extendable Ears. Dudley gestured towards the side wall of the ante-chamber, as if pointing out their route to the gates. Ron now nodded and came over to where Ginny and Hermione were ready with their own pair of Extendable Ears. “On Dudley’s count, we’re going for it,” Ron said. “Ginny, you and Dudley will lead. Get through those gates as quickly as you can. Hermione and I will be right behind you, covering your backs. Any questions?” Ginny shook her head. “No. I’m going to cast a Shield Charm on us since Dudley doesn’t have a wand,” she said. “Good idea, Ginny,” Hermione said, brandishing her own wand to cover herself and Ron. When she was finished, the two couples dashed from behind the sheltering rocks and wove their way between the combatants to the gates, taking cover as often as they could behind the rocky outcroppings near the cave wall. They stopped just inside the gates and stared in open-mouthed wonder. The room they had just entered was enormous. As long as a Quidditch pitch and just as wide, the room was filled with beautiful rock formations formed by dripping stalactites. The Death Eaters had lit the cavern with hanging torches which threw flickering shadows on the walls and down the middle of the floor they had cleared a wide avenue-like walkway that had several side paths branching off it in different directions. Ginny’s gaze followed the main walkway as it led straight towards the back of the cavern to a dark hole that could only be another exit. Harry’s somewhere back there, she thought as she tried to locate the place he was being held. Suddenly, Dudley dragged Ginny behind a giant stalagmite, hissing, “Get down!” An errant spell from the other room had just whizzed past his head, causing Ginny’s shield to quiver. It hit a nearby stalactite, shattering it in a million pieces that rained down on top of them. “Can you feel Harry?” he asked, eying the debris as it slid off Ginny’s shield. Ginny closed her eyes and concentrated. Although their connection was weaker than it had been earlier, it was still there. “They’re holding him back there,” she said, pointing towards the back of the cavern. “Down that tunnel, I think.” Dudley nodded and signalled to Ron and Hermione, who had taken shelter on the opposite side of the gates, that he and Ginny were going to venture further into the cave. They acknowledged with a signal of their own, and with Dudley leading, they hastened down the middle of the main walkway. They encountered no one, which gave Ginny a very creepy feeling; she would rather have to fight her way in, she supposed, than just blithely stroll along undeterred. About twenty feet from the tunnel entrance, they again took shelter behind a rock formation. Ron and Hermione did the same and Hermione cast a spell on the tunnel’s entrance. “That’s not good,” Dudley muttered as the tunnel lit up with multi-coloured spells like the lights of a fun-fair. “Wait a bit, Dudley,” Ginny reassured him. “That’s just her initial Revealing Spell. If Hermione and Ron are going to disable all of the spells, they have to see them, you know? Look, that bright yellow spell is already fading.” Dudley glanced at her dubiously. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Ginny laid a reassuring hand on his arm. “My oldest brother Bill, the curse breaker on Mad-Eye’s team who works for Gringotts Bank, taught them these spells last summer. We’ll be all right,” she said. “Hermione is the smartest witch in her year. She won’t let us down.” Dudley sighed and Ginny could tell he was nervous. “If you say so.” It took Ron and Hermione a little over five minutes to disable the security spells. Sometimes they cast separately, sometimes together until only a pale blue spell remained. Ron walked over to Ginny and Dudley. “All clear, you two,” he said, grinning. “We left the Caterwauling Charm intact, though. Thought Harry and Professor Dumbledore would want to know someone was coming.” “Good idea, but it might alert the Death Eaters, too, you know,” Dudley said. “We’ll have to take that chance,” Ron said. Dudley appeared to mull this over. He included Hermione as he finally asked, “All ready?” “Yeah, let’s do it,” Ron said, his head swivelling from side to side and Ginny knew he was searching for hidden attackers. She and Dudley hadn’t seen anyone. Since none were about, the four teens crossed the last bit of walkway and entered the tunnel. It was pitch-black inside and Ginny, Ron and Hermione all lit their wands; Dudley switched on a Muggle torch Mr Weasley had charmed for him. The tunnel led straight back into the rock and looked distinctively man-made. The Caterwauling Charm went off suddenly and Ginny heard Ron cast the cancellation spell over the din. “Thanks, Ron,” Hermione called back to him over her shoulder. He grinned and they resumed their walk. They came to an intersection. Another tunnel led both to the right and the left. “Stop here, please,” Ginny requested, kneeling down. “Harry’s here somewhere, I can feel him.” She closed her eyes and concentrated on his thoughts. “They’ve been keeping him both to the right and to the left although at the moment the signal I’m getting from the left is stronger.” “Let’s check the right tunnel first. We might find Professor Dumbledore,” Ron suggested, turning down the side tunnel. Like the main tunnel, this one stretched straight back into the mountain. Ginny, Dudley and Hermione followed him until the tunnel ended in a wooden door that was held together with cast-iron fittings. Hermione cast Alohomora and the door swung into the room beyond. “Is he there?” Ginny asked anxiously as Hermione joined Ron and added her wandlight to his. “No, it’s just Professor Dumbledore,” Ron replied. “He’s not moving, though.” Hermione hastened to the headmaster’s side and began checking his vital signs. “Ron, send your Patronus to Madam Pomfrey. Professor Dumbledore is barely alive,” she said urgently. A moment later, Ron’s Terrier bounded out of the cell and disappeared down the main tunnel. “Ron, Hermione,” Ginny said, “Dudley and I are going to search the other side tunnel. I’ll give a shout if we need you.” “Good luck,” Hermione called as Ginny and Dudley left the cell. The second side tunnel was exactly like the first, man-made and ram-rod straight. As they approached the wooden door at the end, Ginny could feel Harry’s thoughts reaching out to her. They were very strong now and she fought to maintain her composure. Dudley kept glancing at her with an anxious look on his face. “He’s here, Dudley, I know it,” she said as a wave of desolate thoughts washed over her. She forced them away as they reached the door. “Harry knows someone is outside,” she told him. “Let’s get this over with, then,” he said brusquely. She had just lifted her wand to cast the unlocking charm when more of Harry’s thoughts flooded her mind. His thoughts were so filled with terror they caused her to drop her wand. Dudley caught her as her knees buckled and guided her gently to the ground. “Are you all right?” he asked, concern evident in his tone. “Should I call for Ron?” “Give me a second,” Ginny gasped. “I’ll be all right in a moment.” She gazed determinedly at Dudley in the torchlight. “I have to be or we’ll never get in that room.” Dudley looked at her doubtfully. “If you say so.” Harry’s panic attack subsided and Ginny struggled to her feet, breathing deeply. She raised her wand and cast the unlocking spell. They heard the lock click and the door swung inwards. Ginny and Dudley looked at each other as they gathered their courage and walked inside. The room they entered was the size of a Hogwarts classroom and was lit by a solitary candle that was suspended in mid-air. Ginny gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. There, strapped to a long, thin table with his forehead positioned under a dripping stalactite, was Harry Potter. A/N: Many thanks to my pre-betas GhostWriter and Jedi34 for their help with this chapter. I especially want to thank GhostWriter for coming up with the title for this chapter when I had no idea what to call it. |
| Reviews 392 |
Previous Next
|
