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A Thought or Two | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP, Alternate Universe Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Drama Warnings: Mental Abuse Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 87 Summary: Auror Spook Kitty Fawley thought the difficult part of her return to the UK would be getting Sirius out of prison and recovering Harry from his Muggle relatives. Turns out that was the easiest thing she would do. To help them, Kitty will delve into a mystery deeper than any she faced in the field. Hitcount: Story Total: 134215; Chapter Total: 3846 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: This is the longest chapter to date, although as I write, they are getting longer and longer. Thanks to everyone who is taking time to read and to those who review. Special thanks to Arnel, and her wonderful work on my comma issue. MNF |
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Chapter 26: Policy of Truth "I can fire call the others and postpone until you're just a bit stronger," Kitty suggested, helping move Sirius to the library. He'd been lounging in bed since he'd come home from St. Mungo's late this afternoon. “Kitty, there’s a mass in Harry’s head behind his scar,” he said emphatically. “We don’t know what that thing is but given some of his strange behavior over the last two years, I think it’s safe to assume it’s related to the scar Voldemort gave him.” "I know, but we're to be married in a few weeks, and I don't want you to keel over before you can say your vows due to blood loss or infection," she countered. "It's not a few weeks, my Lady Katie, it's two weeks. Two weeks from today, you and I will be married, and nothing is going to keep that from happening," he said as he sat down heavily in a padded rocker which was brought in for his use. "Nothing, my Luv, nothing," Kitty affirmed, which she punctuated with a kiss. Remus came in, looking worse for the events of the day. “You look terrible,” Sirius said to his friend. “As if you should be talking,” Remus playfully bit back. Sirius’ open wounds were now closed, but they remained red and raw looking, and his eye was still black and blue. He’d be plied with more potions before bed tonight. “The strangest thing just happened. Healer Tinker sent me an owl message, asking if I’d like to go to dinner with her sometime next week.” “Excellent,” Kitty said. “She asked if you were single, so I was hoping that was where she was headed. You need to go. She seems genuinely nice." "Isn't it against some patient/healer ethical thing?" Remus countered. "You're not her patient, Harry is. You're not even the parent of her patient, you are Harry's very cool uncle," Kitty countered. "Say yes, it's only dinner. Just don't make it for next Thursday." "My date for full moon nights is right there," he said, pointing at Sirius, who had dozed off in his chair. “He should be in bed.” "I know, but he's determined we have this discussion tonight, and I can only have it with Amelia and King here," Kitty said. “Did you check on Harry before coming in?” “I did, and Rumple was watching over him while he slept.” "Excellent," Kitty said, sounding exhausted. Remus came to her side and hugged her. Whatever Kitty thought she knew was obviously horrible. Cheery brought Amelia and King in moments later, as they had arrived together. She would need to quiz her friend about this, as it wasn't the first time they'd come somewhere together. Personally, Kitty thought they'd make a great couple, but she couldn't share that with Amelia without a few more facts. The thought made her smile, even as dire as the revelation she'd make was, there was still time for romance. The three DMLE made quiet small talk with Remus, letting Sirius nap until Minerva arrived. Cheery brought in tea and then quietly left, promising to be with Rumple and Harry while the others talked. “This came in after you left today,” Amelia said, handing Kitty the printed transcript of a voice message which had been translated. "That thing killed Nott?" Kitty asked horrified. "How did he get this —" “Our spy’s handler met him when an emergency notification was triggered. The phial with the memory will be available at the DMLE tomorrow for you to view, but these are the highlights,” Amelia explained. “I didn’t even know that thing had magic,” Kitty said. “Our theory seems more likely, Kitty. I’m sorry.” Kitty nodded, and Remus stood and put his shoulders on his friend. Minerva came into the room, finding the group rather morose. Kitty dropped privacy and silencing spells onto the room and then nodded to Amelia to pull the file from her bag. Gently, she awoke Sirius, who nodded at everyone and asked for some tea. "Kitty and I have been reviewing these photographs for weeks," Amelia began, and took the pictures out of the file. "These are taken from the memories a spy embedded in the Mulciber holiday home in Orhid, Yugoslavia. As you can see, the four families we discovered had homes there — Mulciber, Avery, Nott, and Malfoy — are all present. This is who or what was presiding over the dinner at the head of the table." She pulled the picture of the creature she and Kitty had taken to calling 'the baby.' The only other one who had seen these imagines was Scrimgeour, so even Kingsley was taken aback by its small body, pasty white skin, and glowing red eyes. “Dear Mab, what is that thing,” Minerva whispered, her hands going to her mouth. “You think that’s what’s controlling those families?” Kingsley asked. “That’s what killed Nott?” “That’s him, isn’t it?” Remus queried. “That’s what’s left of him.” “How could you not tell me?” muttered Sirius, looking at his fiancée hurt. “I couldn’t tell you,” she said quietly. “If it were found out that Amelia and I were sharing this with you, any of you, we could lose our jobs. I wanted to tell you.” “Wait,” Sirius said, sitting up straighter, “you think this thing is connected to Harry? You think that mass in his head is Voldemort?” “I don’t think what’s in Harry’s head is alive; not like that whatever-it-is. I think what’s in Harry’s head is some part of Voldemort that broke off when the Killing Curse rebounded. Healer Tinker said that the magical signature was not the same as the rest of Harry. I did some of our usual spells on it, and it had Dark magic. Harry does not have any Dark magic anywhere except by that scar.” “Shite,” Minerva said, and the rest looked at her surprised. “Please, all of you, I’m not all different than you are, just older.” The moment of laughter allowed the tension to be alleviated. "I also think that when that creature lost its temper this afternoon and murdered Nott, that the bit in Harry also exploded in anger. What time were you hurt?" Kitty asked. “After lunch, about one,” Sirius said. “The time tracks, given what our spy said,” Amelia confirmed. “Then, that really is a part of his soul in Harry,” Remus said, methodically putting the bits together. “How is there a bit of Voldemort in Harry? Do you know what it could be?” “No,” Kitty and Amelia said. “Yes,” Sirius said. All turned their attention to him. “Look, my family wasn’t like a normal family. They worshiped Dark magic like some people worship God. My grandfather and his cousin were obsessed with immortality, and they were both Death Eaters. I don't know what exactly they've done. They are both alive when many of their generations died during the war. Of course, they tended to provide Voldemort with gold, not with bodies to fight. That's what Reggie was." Sirius rarely mentioned his brother. Kitty took his hand, knowing how painful his brother's taking the Dark Mark had been. “They would talk, back when I was a little boy, about ensuring immortality by splitting your soul and putting part of it into something,” Sirius explained, looking like he was going to pass out while he talked. “It’s called a, hor, hora…Horcrux. There are books about them at Grimmauld Place. That's what passed as a dinner conversation in our house." “Accio Horcrux book,” Kitty said with a flourish of her wand. Nothing came to her. “Kitty, Luv, your family was too proper to involve themselves in this sort of Dark magic. Your family is old, not evil,” Sirius said softly. “Splitting your soul? I can’t imagine how you would do that?” Kingsley said softly. "Murder." Sirius's one-word answer hung in the air like a dark cloud ready to break into torrents of rain on the assembled. "He'd just murdered James and Lily," Remus said with tears in his eyes. "But why would he use Harry?" "I don't think he planned to," Amelia said gently. "He might have had something else there to use, or it was completely unplanned on his part. The Killing Curse isn't supposed to backfire or leave a mark. Harry was the only instance when it did.” "Albus had said there was a dire threat made upon James and Lily's lives, something about a prophecy and a child being able to stop something, but it also could have pertained to Alice and Frank Longbottom. I wish I could remember what he said," Minerva said. "We all thought Harry had done it when Voldemort disappeared. Albus never believed that Voldemort was dead, just gone. I suppose he was right." “James told us about the prophecy," Remus said. "He told Sirius and me at the same time. That's why they went into hiding. After that, Dumbledore had me running missions all over Europe, meeting with werewolf packs, trying to turn them to our side." “Is that what you were doing?” Sirius asked. “Why didn’t you tell us, me?” “Dumbledore said I couldn’t. He said no one could know.” “Well, I think we’ve had enough secrets for one lifetime,” Minerva said. “we need to know exactly what that prophecy said. It might be important for the removal of that…thing in little Harry’s head.” "I also want to talk with the curse-breaker who is helping me remove my prison tattoos," Sirius said, leaning back. "He might know how to remove it without causing brain damage to Harry." "Come to my office on Sunday afternoon, say two o'clock," Minerva said. "All of you. I'll have Albus there, and we will get some answers." She was now reminding the former Gryffindor students of their Head of House rather than the friend they've met with for the last few years. The meeting broke up shortly after that, everyone exhausted from what they’d discussed and learned. The entire group felt confident whatever was in Yugoslavia was related to what was happening to Harry. Remus helped Kitty move Sirius into their bed, and she plied him with his potions, so he fell into a deep, restorative sleep. When she knew he was resting comfortably, she went to sit in the living room, unable to quiet her mind. She wished she'd paid more attention to James and Lily in the years before leaving, rather than being wrapped up in work and her own relationships. Sunrise the next day was obscured by thunder clouds, and daybreak was barely noticeable from the previous night's dark. Finally, Kitty crawled into her bed, snuggled next to Sirius, and allowed herself a few hours of sleep, her arms wrapped protectively around their child. Less than forty-eight hours after their illuminating and disturbing meeting in the Fawley Library, the group was reassembled at Hogwarts. Harry had become quite fond of Ron and Ginny Weasley, so when Kitty Floo-called the previous day to ask if Harry could spend a few hours at their home in the afternoon, Molly readily agreed. She was so thankful for the time her youngest spent each morning with Remus and his other little pupils. She especially liked the manners Ron had picked up from Neville and Harry. Remus brought Sirius through the Floo since Sirius was still weak, and Kitty Flooed in from the Weasley house. Apparently, they were called to Minerva's office so frequently for one of the boys and their mishaps and behavior the Floo was permanently open. Apparently, Charlie’s flying adventures were enough to warrant his own bed in the hospital wing and Molly’s frequent arrivals to check on him and then scold him. At exactly two-thirty, there was knocking on Minerva's door. Kitty took Sirius' hand, not wanting to lose her temper at the Headmaster. She was still quite angry at his placement of Harry with the Dursley family. The political price he paid was nothing compared to the pain, injury, and insult Harry had suffered. “If I am interrupting…” Albus Dumbledore said hopefully when he saw the crowd in Minerva’s sitting room. “Nonsense, Albus, we all would like to speak with you, which is why I suggested we speak this afternoon. Please, have a seat,” Minerva said with unfailing manners tinged with the tone which let her students know they needed to obey. “Would you like some tea?” "Please," he said, feeling uneasy at the five sets of eyes looking at him. Gathered here were five of the most impressive students he'd seen in recent decades. Of course, Sirius could have behaved better, but his ingenuity was one way he developed his skills. He was intuitive in his magic; the other four were impeccable in their studies. “Sirius, you look like you have had a terrible tangle with something,” Albus said, taking in the raven-hair man and the copious scars across his face and arms. “I hope you are alright?” “I’m getting better,” Sirius said stoically. “These are all from Harry, well, more appropriately, from a surge of anger that flew out of his scar. Anything you’d like to tell us, Albus?” “Anger, from his scar? It is just a scar left behind by the Killing Curse when he was an infant,” the Headmaster replied. "See, no, it isn't," Kitty said, her bitter, angry, icy princess coming to the fore. "There is a mass behind Harry's scar. It's a mass full of Dark magic, Albus. What do you suppose it could be?" She dared him with her flaming eyes, jaw set solidly, and awaited him to blink. He did long before she would have. “I had always worried, perhaps, that Voldemort had…” he trailed off. “I supposed part of him had been left behind.” "Yes, a part of him was left behind," Remus said in a more measured tone than he thought Sirius or Kitty could. "It's part of his soul. Voldemort made Harry a Horcrux, although we suspect it wasn't his intention." “How do you know about Horcruxes?” Albus asked hastily, the color draining from his already pale cheeks. “I grew up in a Dark family,” Sirius said as an off-handed remark. “Discussion of such things is what passed for polite conversation. We've read the complete manual on them, pretty evil magic." “Yes, it is,” Albus said dumbly. “That is not all they have found,” Minerva said, still in her teacher’s voice. “Amelia, if you would be so kind.” Amelia pulled only one picture of the creature in Yugoslavia out of her satchel. He sighed, took his half-moon glasses off, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Albania?” he softly asked. "No, Ohrid, Yugoslavia," Amelia answered. "It's not far from the border between the two countries, though." Albus nodded. "I had tracked it as far as Albania, but then I lost its trail," he muttered so softly that the only one who heard him was Minerva. “I assume you suspect what this is?” "We think it's what's left of Voldemort," Kingsley stated. "However, the only people who know that are in this room." "Albus, when you put James and Lily into hiding, you said there was a prophecy. None of us knows what it said, and as you know, even the head of the DMLE can't go and hear it," Minerva said, indicating Amelia. No one knew of the impending recommendation to remove Dumbledore and replace him, yet, it was just gossip that King had shared after speaking with Amelia. "Please tell us. All of it, Albus; if you omit anything, I shall know." “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...” Albus uncomfortably began, “born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.” The group was quiet, then discussions between them broke out. Remus and Sirius rehashed what they remembered from James speaking with them six years ago; Kingsley and Amelia considered the legal implications of this; Minerva and Kitty talked about what magic Harry could know Voldemort did not. Dumbledore sat there, defeatedly, waiting for him to be necessary to their conversations again. "You never told them all of it," Sirius snarled as he stood. "You only told them Voldemort was after them, not because of Harry and certainly not that Harry would be the one to do him in! If you had told them everything, they would have gone anywhere else. I bet Frank and Alice would have too. You didn’t tell them because you didn’t want all of us to leave!” “Sirius, calm down,” Kitty said softly in his ear as she came to stand next to him. “Don’t hurt yourself, please.” "We were in a time of war, and the group of you, I had never seen a whole year of students from any house so banded together. Even Frank and Alice, who were a year ahead of you, were part of your group. If I had told them…" Dumbledore mumbled. “Yeah, we get it, Albus,” Kitty said coldly. “You needed your spies and soldiers right where you could manipulate and control them. I have one question for you, do you know how many Horcruxes he made?” “That is your only question? Not how to get rid of them or how they’re made?” “Nope,” Sirius said, “the Black Family Library has that covered.” "Well, what about the bit of him that's alive? Surely, you need help with …" “No, not really. We already have a plan,” Amelia said. “Whatever the Death Eaters are planning to bring him back, they’re not getting the chance.” “I see,” he said dejectedly. “No, Albus, I doubt you do,” Minerva said with a pat on his back. "Goodbye all, I'll speak with you soon." There wasn't going to be comfortable chit-chat about children or how the school year was going. No antidotes about Transfiguration errors students have made, or some of the dumb situations people found themselves in when any branch of the DMLE showed up. No, Harry and his friends' stories today. Their work was done, and the five were tired. They left through the Floo, not saying another word except to thank Minerva for their tea. When the two Hogwarts staff members were left alone, Albus looked at Minerva with tears. “I thought I was doing what was best for the Greater Good.” “I know, old friend, but the Greater Good must be chosen for oneself, not have it forced upon by someone else,” she said, sitting down next to him. “James and Lily would have asked for your council, but they might have chosen to go along their own path too, and you couldn’t see how that would work within the narrow plan you’d decided upon. One thing I’ve learned being involved with them,” she said with a nod toward the fireplace, “especially those two Marauders and Kitty; they see dozens of paths and take the one best for Harry." |
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