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Category: Alternate Universe, Asylum Challenge (2013-3), Asylum Challenge (2013-3) Characters:Albus Dumbledore, All, Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Lily Potter, Luna Lovegood, Minerva McGonagall, Other, Ron Weasley Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Romance Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Violence Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 105 Summary: *** Winner of Best Overall, Best Drama and the People’s Choice Award in the Asylum Challenge *** *Nominated for 2014 April/May and November/December DSTA for Best Romance and Best Drama* *Nominated for 2016 January/February DSTA for Best Drama and Best Completed* Ginny's plans for the weekend were just perfect: a day out in Hogsmeade with her girlfriends. Spend the morning window shopping and wishing, then lunch at the Three Broomsticks, and then to the local theater for a production of the Scottish Play (Macbeth). Unfortunately, the bad luck of the Scottish Play strikes before it even starts. The village is invaded by Death Eaters, Dementors, and a man she had hoped to never see again in her life. And in the middle of the battle, Ginny sees something she'd never thought she'd see. Voldemort and one of her greatest friends dueling; Harry Potter and Voldemort fighting so fiercely, she lost focus on her own battle. Harry Potter, crying out, falling, and hitting the ground. Dead. And then, someone she never expected to help her saves her from Voldemort’s wrath. Hitcount: Story Total: 169246; Chapter Total: 4285 Author's Notes: So, SIYE lost a week and this chapter took a little longer to be posted! Ah, well, no use crying over spilled potion. At any rate, please enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to review! |
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I Pledge My Allegiance A gentle jostling of his shoulder roused him from sleep. Harry opened his eyes blearily and looked around. Ginny was sitting up next to him, shaking his shoulder. “Oh, you’re all right!” she whispered. “I thought — I thought —” Harry straightened and slipped an arm around her. “I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Just tired.” Ginny buried her face in his shirt. “The ceiling collapsed,” she said softly. “Something was breaking it apart and making it fall — they crushed Ron!” “Ron’s fine,” Harry said quickly. “That wasn’t real.” Ginny inhaled heavily. “You’re sure?” “Yes, I’m positive. I was in the Hospital Wing not long ago, and Ron is fine.” Ginny looked up. “Why were you in the hospital?” “Madam Pomfrey needed to check me over,” Harry replied. “She gave me a clean bill of health, said all I needed was sleep.” “Why? What happened?” Harry’s shoulders tensed. He glanced down at his lap, thinking how to explain. Ginny touched a finger to his chin and brought his face up to meet hers. She kissed his lips gently. Warmth spread through him; his muscles relaxed. “Dumbledore and I got attacked after the mission,” Harry said softly. Ginny stiffened. “Just a bunch of teenagers trying to show off,” Harry added hastily. She relaxed some. “We got them all, but Dumbledore… he got caught by some curse, it cut him open.” Harry inhaled deeply, trying to relieve the tightness in his chest. “He bled out.” “Dumbledore’s dead?” Ginny whispered. Harry nodded. Ginny hugged him, her arms circling his neck tightly. He rested his head on her shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut. “We can still fight,” said Ginny. “We can still win.” Harry nodded. Ginny kissed his cheek, then rested against the pillows. Harry lay back, wrapping his arm around her again. “Dumbledore gave me his wand.” “Really?” “Yeah,” Harry said softly. “He said that his wand would owe its allegiance to me only or something like that.” “I’ll have to ask Bill about bequeathing wands,” Ginny mumbled. “I kind of did something weird after Dumbledore died.” “What?” “More Death Eaters were coming, so I took Dumbledore’s wand and mine and blasted these wide, deep trenches around the perimeter of the grounds, and I filled them with acid.” “Why?” “I don’t know,” Harry said, “it just felt right. After that, I grew thorns and they got so thick and tall, that they were wider around than my uncle Vernon.” Ginny smiled. “Well, now we’re doubly safe from those pesky Death Eaters.” Harry chuckled. “Never quite thought of them as pesky.” Ginny pressed a finger to his lips. “I am suddenly feeling sleepy again.” “I should probably give you more of that dreamless sleep stuff then,” Harry said, trying to get up. Ginny pulled him back down and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m fine,” she said. “What if you have a nightmare?” Ginny set her jaw. “Then I will kick it in the arse and send it running with its tail between its legs.” Harry laughed, for the first time in a while, and kissed the top of her head. “You do that, love.” Ginny inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. “I’m fine,” she mumbled under her breath. Harry brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled vaguely, her breathing already slowing. Harry let his head fall back onto the pillow and looked up at the ceiling of the room. His body felt awake, but his mind wanted to simply shut down. So much had happened, so quickly, he felt like he needed a reboot. He wished there was button he could press to to just shut off his thoughts, because they kept bouncing around inside his brain. His eyes drifted from the ceiling to the table with the wands and the rusty locket. There were still four Horcruxes left to find, and the locket needed destroying. Harry tried to remember exactly what Dumbledore had told him about them, and his mind dragged from the depths of his memory the afternoon they spent in Amor’s Realm. Harry frowned, wondering what that had to do with Horcruxes, until he remembered that Dumbledore had asked about them. “Oh, shit,” Harry hissed. Ginny mumbled a scolding word absently. Dumbledore had asked about Horcruxes, and Amor had told them where to find them, but they had forgotten! How could they have forgotten about that? Amor had told them, and that locket was not in the right place. “It’s all right,” Ginny muttered. “We’ll fix it.” Harry looked down at her. Had she sensed what he was frustrated with? “The locket we found,” he said, “I don’t think it’s a real Horcrux.” “Why?” she asked. “Remember Amor told us where to find them?” Harry said. “He would have said if the locket had been moved, and where we found it wasn’t where he said it was.” Ginny frowned. “What do you think happened?” Harry thought back, remembering exactly what Amor had said. “The locket was moved by Regulus Black.” He groaned and cursed again. “Dumbledore died because we forgot!” “It’s not your fault,” Ginny said. “He didn’t die because of the locket.” “He died because the barriers weakened him,” Harry said. “The locket was in a potion, and you had to drink it. I let Dumbledore drink it, and it messed with his mind. He was almost unconscious when we Apparated back!” “It was his time,” Ginny said. Harry opened his mouth, but she pressed a finger over his lips. “He died an honorable man,” she said. “He died a hero.” Harry nodded meekly. Ginny dropped her hand and let it fall on his chest. She kissed his cheek gently. He closed his arms around her, holding her tight to his chest. “We still don’t have the right Horcrux,” he said. “We’ll go over to Grimmald Place later,” Ginny said. “We’ll find it. Amor said Kreacher had it, right?” Harry nodded, but that didn’t help. He felt useless now; they’d gone after the wrong Horcrux, and Dumbledore had died. If only he had remembered! Ginny touched her palm to his cheek, and kissed his lips with a soft movement. “We’ll fix it,” she whispered. He leaned his forehead against hers, nodding again. He still felt awful. Someone rapped at the door. Ginny looked around, her face surprised. Harry pulled his arms from her and stood up. Ginny got up too, taking his hand and lacing her fingers with his. Harry walked over and opened the door. Bill was standing outside. He smiled tightly at them. “You feeling better, Ginny?” he asked. “Fine,” Ginny said. “Good, good. So, McGonagall wants to see you. She’s — she’s trying to figure out where to go from here.” Harry nodded, his jaw clenching. “Right.” “She’s in the staff room,” Bill said. “We’re all in there.” “Okay,” Ginny said. “Lead the way.” Bill nodded, stepping aside so they could pass. Harry grabbed his wand and Dumbledore’s along with the pile of wands he’d taken from the teenage Death Eaters before following Ginny from the room. Bill walked them to the staff room; he didn’t say anything, but he kept glancing between Harry and Ginny. Harry held his gaze on the floor, his cheeks a bit warm. He didn’t know what Bill was thinking, but he was fairly certain Bill was restraining himself from asking awkward questions. The staff room door was open, and most of the Order members were grouped inside. McGonagall waved them in, and ordered them into a seat at the front of the room. “We must strategize,” Professor McGonagall said. Her voice was tight and her face seemed tired. “Professor Dumbledore — Albus… has passed on. We — we must decide how to move on from here.” The members sat in hushed silence for a moment; whether out of respect to Dumbledore’s memory or from unsureness of how to answer McGonagall, Harry could not tell. “Are you taking his place as Headmistress?” asked Kingsley Shacklebolt. McGonagall nodded. “I will protect Hogwarts to the best of my abilities, but I am not one to direct a war.” “Is that what we’re calling it?” asked someone else. “Yes,” said McGonagall, setting her jaw and raising her chin. “We are at war.” “We need a new leader for the Order,” Flitwick said. “Minerva, could you try?” McGonagall shook her head. “I am not a leader, Filius.” “Then who?” Professor Sprout asked. Then, everyone seemed to speak at once. “Kingsley,” someone called. “The best dueler,” another voice said. “We should make an Auror leader!” “Professor Flitwick could try.” “The strongest strategist!” “Quiet!” McGonagall shouted. The clamor died down. Professor McGonagall looked around, her stern gaze sweeping each face. She looked strained, as though this was exhausting her. She turned towards Harry. “Did Albus say anything to you?” she asked softly. Harry glanced at his feet. Every eye in the room was on him now. “He — he didn’t say anything about the Order…” “Did he say anything at all?” McGonagall pressed. “He gave me memories,” Harry said. “I haven’t looked at them yet, though, but I don’t think they concern the Order. And — and he gave me his wand.” There was a collective sound of astonishment throughout the room. McGonagall looked stunned. “His wand? What did he say?” “When he gave me his wand?” “Yes; did he give any instructions for you for his wand?” “He just said that it owed its allegiance to me now.” Now there was silence. Harry took the wand from his pocket and held it out to McGonagall. “I don’t know what to do with it, Professor.” McGonagall shook her head. “I cannot take it, Harry. It is yours now.” “But I have a wand already!” “Albus bequeathed it to you,” Professor McGonagall said. “It is yours.” “But —” Harry looked down at it. It had obeyed him yesterday when he created the trenches and conjured the vines. Could it really be his wand now? “If Albus bequeathed his wand,” Flitwick started, looking at Harry with a curious expression, “does that make Harry his heir?” “It does,” Bill said softly after a moment’s silence. “It makes Harry his sole beneficiary.” Harry looked up, startled. “Beneficiary?” “You will receive all his possessions,” McGonagall said. “And his responsibilities.” The air in the room suddenly seemed thin to Harry. He looked away from McGonagall, down at the wand in his hand. Responsibilities? What did she mean? Ginny slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. He clenched his jaw, trying to order his thoughts into something readable. “Does that make him leader of the Order?” asked a quiet voice. Harry looked up to see Mrs. Weasley watching him with a worried expression. Harry looked to McGonagall. Slowly, she nodded. “All rise to pledge your allegiance to Harry Potter, new leader of the Order of the Phoenix,” Professor Flitwick said in a quiet voice. McGonagall pushed herself from her chair, fixing her steely gaze on Harry’s. “I pledge my allegiance to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” she said. Her voice was grave, but there was something like pride in her eyes. “I will serve you until I am no longer needed.” She held out her hand to him. Harry took it, unsure of what else to do. “I, uh, accept your pledge,” he said, a bit awkwardly. “Touch your wand to my hand,” McGonagall instructed quietly. Harry glanced at Dumbledore’s wand in his free hand, then touched the tip to the back of McGonagall’s hand. Small white lines of light shot from the end, binding their hands together. They tingled over his skin. McGonagall squeezed his hand, and released him. The white lines faded, but his hand still tingled. Professor Flitwick stepped forward, and repeated the same pledge. Harry shook his hand and used Dumbledore’s wand to create more of the binding white light. Slowly, each person in the room came forward and pledged themselves to the Order and to Harry. Some of them he didn’t even know their names. Some of them had tears in their eyes. Mrs. Weasley hugged him after shaking his hand, almost squeezing the breath out of him. The last of those to pledge was Kingsley. “I accept your pledge,” Harry said, touching his wand to Kingsley’s hand. The black man nodded, his earring shaking as he did. “Good luck,” he rumbled, stepping back. The Order members returned to their seats, until finally only Harry was left standing. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see that Ginny was standing as well. She held out her hand. “No,” Harry said; his voice cracked. “No, you can’t.” “I pledge myself —” she began. “You’re too young, Ginny!” Mrs. Weasley said, coming from her seat again. Ginny glanced over at her mother. “I’m too young for a lot of things, Mum. This isn’t one of them.” She met his eyes; Harry saw determination in them despite the festering seed of insanity in her mind. “I pledge myself to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” Ginny finished. “I will serve until I am either dead or no longer able to.” “No,” Harry whispered. “You can’t —” “It doesn’t matter,” Ginny said. Harry saw the tension in her shoulders, and then there was fear behind her eyes. “If you’re putting yourself on the front line, I’m going to be right there with you.” “I can’t lose you,” he murmured. “You won’t,” Ginny told him. “I trust you.” Harry looked down at her outstretched hand. He could hear the people in the room all holding their breath, waiting for him to either accept or reject her pledge. Behind him, Mrs. Weasley was shaking her head. Harry looked back to Ginny. He wished he could hear her thoughts right then. Harry took her hand. He didn’t bother to touch Dumbledore’s wand to her hand, because the second their skin met, red lines shot from their palms, linking together to tie their hands in place. “I accept your pledge,” Harry said quietly. |
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