Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Rebirth of Hope
Plan B
Seven men sat around the old wooden table in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place in London. The only coherent members of an Order doomed to failure. Remus, Shacklebolt, Arthur, Diggle, Aberforth, Dung, and Moody each understood the gravity of what had happened earlier that day, each knew that the war they fought was now doomed. That part of this travesty had not yet sunk in for those grieving in the other room, but it would eventually. These men hoped to have a course of action planned before then.
"What if we launched an all out attack against the bastard? Harry destroyed the last of those damned Horcruxes before he died. Maybe one of us can get lucky and kill him. We at least stand a chance now while he's mortal. If he finds out we knew about and destroyed his safety nets we lose what hope we still have." Moody reasoned.
"That hope is dead Mad-eye, 'the one who had the power' is gone. GONE, DAMN. How did we let this happen? How could they have gotten to him there? Merlin, we were so close. Too close to let that son of bitch..." Remus stopped as his face fell into his hands, a fresh flow of tears falling unchecked from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, James."
Aberforth reached out and touched Remus on the shoulder, "The dead do not need your apologies, my boy. But the living do need you wisdom and strength. What has happened, has happened. What will be, will be. Focus on the now, and let the dead tend their own."
"Sorry Abe, you're right. What were you saying Mad-eye?"
"If we attack now, we might stand a chance. All of the horcruxes are gone, Harry took two of that bastard's top followers out before he...well he took two of them with him. Voldemort knows that Harry is...dead...if we attack now he won't be expecting it. If it can be done without Harry, it has to be in the next 48 to 72 hours."
"And what about Har... the body? That doesn't leave us much time to make arrangements." Arthur objected.
"Remus was right before, if word gets out that Harry is dead every wizard in Europe with panic. We have to move on Voldemort before that news breaks if we're going to move at all. But you're right, Arthur, we can't leave Harry's body upstairs." Kingsley paused, rubbing his face with his hands. "What if we revert to tradition and burn the body? We can build a pyre within the wards at the burrow. Make plans tonight, hold the service tomorrow, and still attack Voldemort within the given time frame."
Dung spoke up for the first time. "You're just blowing smoke if you think you can burn Harry in the morning and have an army ready to fight by night, Shacklebolt. Have you been in the living room? Have you seen the state they're in? Damn, Kingsley. It'll never happen. I would be the last person to sell those kids short after what they've accomplished, but you can't ask them to burn their friend, then go off to battle. The Weasley girl apparently saw him die, and Ron hasn't spoken since he saw the body. Hell, he hasn't even moved on his own since then. Molly and Minerva are hysterical, Tonks too for that..."
"Is fine," came a voice from the doorway. The men all turned to see Tonks standing there. "I think you're wrong. Those kids...I'm convinced there is nothing they can't do. Those four were the heart and soul of this Order. Yeah, they've taken a hard blow, but watch and see. They may be young, but they're still the strongest among us."
Her words seemed to give the others hope. She walked to the table and sat by Remus taking his hand. The group sat quietly for a moment before getting back to the task at hand.
**
"So how does this work?" Harry asked his father once they had stopped at the edge of a river.
"This is the River Styx. On one side is life, on the other death. We can look on the other side kind of like a Pensieve. All you have to do is think about who you want to see. Most of the time it works, but sometimes it doesn't. The best I can figure, the person we want to see, has to want to be seen. Understand?" Harry nodded. "Alright. Who are looking for?"
"Ginny."
James took a deep breath. "Harry, please. Look at some one else first. Decide if you really want to see your friends mourn you before you ask to see her."
"Fine. Remus."
"Touch the water, and picture him. When you see him, step into the water."
Harry reached out, putting his hand in the cold water. He pictured Remus as he had seen him the day he met him, asleep on the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, he could see his reflection in the water, looking about as worn and haggard as he had on the train. Harry stood up as stepped into the river. The moment both feet were in the water the bottom dropped out from under him, and he felt the same falling sensation one got when entering a Pensieve. Harry landed in the kitchen of Grimmauld place, James landing right behind him. They had fallen into the middle of a conversation.
Remus was speaking,"...son of bitch..." Remus stopped as his face fell into his hands, a fresh flow of tears falling unchecked from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, James."
"I hate it when he apologizes to me for things he couldn't help." James said from behind Harry. "Sirius used to do that all the time, too"
"So I assume, like a Pensieve, we can't interact with them?" Harry asked moving around to stand behind Remus.
"Correct." His father replied. Harry reached out to touch Remus, but his hand simply moved through the man.
"Sorry Abe, you're right." Remus was saying. "What were you saying Mad-eye?"
"If we attack now, we might stand a chance. All of the horcruxes are gone, Harry took two of that bastard's top followers out before he...well he took two of them with him. Voldemort knows that Harry is...dead...if we attack now he won't be expecting it. If it can be done without Harry at all, it has to be in the next 48 to 72 hours."
"And what about Har... the body? That doesn't leave us much time to make arrangements." Arthur objected.
"Remus was right before, if word gets out that Harry is dead every wizard in Europe with panic. We have to move on Voldemort before that news breaks if we're going to move at all. But you're right, Arthur, we can't leave Harry's body upstairs."
"Merlin, they put me upstairs? I hope they at least put me in an empty room." This was more surreal to Harry than seeing Dumbledore at twenty had been.
Harry stopped talking when he realized Kingsley was speaking again, "...burn the body? We can build a pyre within the wards at the burrow. Make plans tonight, hold the service tomorrow, and still attack Voldemort within the given time frame."
Dung spoke up for the first time. Harry was surprised to see that he was sober for once. "You're just blowing smoke if you think you can burn Harry in the morning and have an army ready to fight by night, Shacklebolt. Have you been in the living room? Have you seen the state they're in? Damn, Kingsley. It'll never happen. I would be the last person to sell those kids short after what they've accomplished, but you can't ask them to burn their friend, then go off to battle. The Weasley girl apparently saw him die, and Ron hasn't spoken since he saw the body. Hell, he hasn't even moved on his own since then..."
"Oh, Gin. Baby." Harry looked at his father. James could see the pain in his eyes. "Ron." Harry rubbed his face. Maybe watching now wasn't a good idea after all.
"Is fine" Harry and James looked with the other towards Tonks when she spoke. "Those kids...I'm convinced there is nothing they can't do. Those four were the heart and soul of this Order. Yeah, they've taken a hard blow, but watch and see. They may be young, but they're still the strongest among us."
Remus held out his had to her and she took it. James smiled. "I was glad to see those two get together. She's good for him. He was always so afraid to let people in because he's a werewolf. And you know, to my knowledge, not one of his friends ever turned on him after they found out."
"He's a good man." Harry replied, looking at Remus as he spoke. "That shows through regardless."
James nodded, then both Potters turned their attention back to the conversation that had resumed.
"So you want to launch an all-out attack tomorrow night in the hope of killing Voldemort. Is that what you were saying?" Tonks asked.
"Yes," replied Moody. "if you and Kingsley can get us Auror support then here's what we'll do..."
Harry listened to the adults plan the attack for the following night for awhile. It sounded like a suicide mission. He shook his head and looked at his father. James wore the same grim express he did. This plan was going to bring them a lot of company in the Great Beyond very soon. Harry turned and walked back to his father.
"Ready to go?"
"No, I'm going into the living room." James started to protest, but stopped when he met Harry's eyes.
"Want me to go with you?"
"No"
"Alright"
Harry walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the living room. He slowed as he approached. He could hear many people crying. He steeled himself for the worst and stepped into the room. The scene that met him brought tears to his eyes. Ginny sat staring into the fire, tears pouring down her face quietly. Ron sat in a chair staring straight ahead at nothing. Hermione had her arms around Mrs. Weasley, and both were wailing loudly Professor McGonagall had her face in her hands crying silently, and Hagrid was wiping his nose with a table cloth. It looked as if this was the second or third he had gone through as there were a pile of them on the floor at his feet. There were others in the room crying and trying to comfort one another, but Harry's eyes returned to Ginny. He walked over to her and knelt on the floor in front of her.
"Oh Gin, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I love you." He reached up and stopped his hand so it cupped at her cheek. He was surprised when she tilted head towards his hand and murmured. "I love you, Harry."
Harry tried to get another response out of her but it was no use. Maybe she hadn't really heard him to began with. After what seemed like ages he rose and walked to Hermione. She was still sobbing into Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. He touched her hair and she shuddered. Harry pulled his hand back and simply looked at the crying women. His heart aching to comfort them, but knowing there was nothing he could do. He turned to walk to Ron.
Ron still stared blankly ahead. Harry knelt in front of him as well. Ron's eyes moved and locked with his. Ron's eye widened in shock for a moment then he blinked and shook his head. Bringing his hands to his face he muttered, "I'm going crazy."
Harry had thought he'd imagined that his best friend had seen him until Ron spoke, then he had been sure he had. Harry reached up and touched Ron's leg. This time his hand was stopped, instead of traveling through the person as it had previously. Harry was a little surprised, but seemed to know what to do.
"Ron, listen to me. Go to bed. Get Ginny and Hermione and go get some sleep. You're no use to anyone as tired as you all are, and the Order needs you three to be functional. Get them and go to bed. If you keep this up you'll all make yourselves sick. You have to sleep."
Ron moved his hands away from his face and looked at Harry again. This time was different. He seem to look through him instead of at him. Then, if Dung was to be believed, Ron did something he had not done for many hours. He spoke.
"Right, right." He rose and walked toward Hermione. "We need rest, 'Mione. We're no good to anybody this tired. Let's go to bed."
The whole room had stilled when Ron spoke. His brothers hadn't been sure he would ever recover, and here he was all of a sudden suggesting something as normal as sleep. Ron walked over to Ginny and pulled her up. She looked up at him.
"Harry wouldn't want us making ourselves sick over this. Come on. Lets get some sleep."
Ron walked her over to where Hermione still sat. He held out his hand to her. She took it and the three of them left the room. Harry stood there dumbfounded. Ron had heard him, he was sure of it. Ron had even used his words in getting the girls to go upstairs. Harry turned and followed them.
**
The three teens went up the stairs together, and into the girls room. Ginny was still crying, but Hermione had managed to calm down a bit.
"Er... would you girls mind if I stayed here tonight? I don't think I'm ready to go into mine and Harry's room yet."
"Sure Ron." Hermione answered. "What happened? You haven't moved on your own in over half a day, and now you seem normal. Are you alright?"
"This is gonna sound crazy," he started as he sat down on his sisters bed leaning against the head board. "but I could have sworn I saw Harry. He was right in front of me, then he was gone. I thought I was going mad until I heard him, plain as day, as if he really was right in front of me. He said we'd all make ourselves sick if we didn't sleep and to get you two and get some rest. So I did. Anyway what he said made sense. The Order still needs us, so we need to get it together."
"That doesn't sound crazy, Ron. I thought I heard him. He said he was sorry and that he loved me." Ginny wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "Harry used to say that sometimes he could feel Sirius watching him...if that's really possible it make sense that he would still look out for us."
Hermione nodded. "That does sound like something Harry would do. He always did have a saving-people thing. What I don't get is how Malfoy was able to kill Harry in the first place."
"What are you on about?" Ron asked as Ginny laid her head in lap, and started quietly crying again.
"Well, that prophecy. It said "'either must die at the hand of the other.' I thought that that meant that just like only Harry could kill Voldemort that only Voldemort could kill Harry. I guess I was wrong." She was sobbing again before she finished speaking.
"Yeah. Come here."
She got up and walked across the room to the other bed. Ginny was already asleep with her head in her brother's lap. She lay down, resting her head against Ron's chest and cried herself to sleep.
**
Harry's mind was reeling. Either must die at the hand of the other... as soon as Hermione stopped speaking he turned and ran from the room. Not only had he actually interacted with his friends, but Hermione was right. The prophecy should have meant that only Voldemort could kill him.
Harry ran down the stairs and burst into the kitchen. "Dad! We have go! I have to talk to Dumbledore! You're never going to believe what just happened!"
Seven men sat around the old wooden table in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place in London. The only coherent members of an Order doomed to failure. Remus, Shacklebolt, Arthur, Diggle, Aberforth, Dung, and Moody each understood the gravity of what had happened earlier that day, each knew that the war they fought was now doomed. That part of this travesty had not yet sunk in for those grieving in the other room, but it would eventually. These men hoped to have a course of action planned before then.
"What if we launched an all out attack against the bastard? Harry destroyed the last of those damned Horcruxes before he died. Maybe one of us can get lucky and kill him. We at least stand a chance now while he's mortal. If he finds out we knew about and destroyed his safety nets we lose what hope we still have." Moody reasoned.
"That hope is dead Mad-eye, 'the one who had the power' is gone. GONE, DAMN. How did we let this happen? How could they have gotten to him there? Merlin, we were so close. Too close to let that son of bitch..." Remus stopped as his face fell into his hands, a fresh flow of tears falling unchecked from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, James."
Aberforth reached out and touched Remus on the shoulder, "The dead do not need your apologies, my boy. But the living do need you wisdom and strength. What has happened, has happened. What will be, will be. Focus on the now, and let the dead tend their own."
"Sorry Abe, you're right. What were you saying Mad-eye?"
"If we attack now, we might stand a chance. All of the horcruxes are gone, Harry took two of that bastard's top followers out before he...well he took two of them with him. Voldemort knows that Harry is...dead...if we attack now he won't be expecting it. If it can be done without Harry, it has to be in the next 48 to 72 hours."
"And what about Har... the body? That doesn't leave us much time to make arrangements." Arthur objected.
"Remus was right before, if word gets out that Harry is dead every wizard in Europe with panic. We have to move on Voldemort before that news breaks if we're going to move at all. But you're right, Arthur, we can't leave Harry's body upstairs." Kingsley paused, rubbing his face with his hands. "What if we revert to tradition and burn the body? We can build a pyre within the wards at the burrow. Make plans tonight, hold the service tomorrow, and still attack Voldemort within the given time frame."
Dung spoke up for the first time. "You're just blowing smoke if you think you can burn Harry in the morning and have an army ready to fight by night, Shacklebolt. Have you been in the living room? Have you seen the state they're in? Damn, Kingsley. It'll never happen. I would be the last person to sell those kids short after what they've accomplished, but you can't ask them to burn their friend, then go off to battle. The Weasley girl apparently saw him die, and Ron hasn't spoken since he saw the body. Hell, he hasn't even moved on his own since then. Molly and Minerva are hysterical, Tonks too for that..."
"Is fine," came a voice from the doorway. The men all turned to see Tonks standing there. "I think you're wrong. Those kids...I'm convinced there is nothing they can't do. Those four were the heart and soul of this Order. Yeah, they've taken a hard blow, but watch and see. They may be young, but they're still the strongest among us."
Her words seemed to give the others hope. She walked to the table and sat by Remus taking his hand. The group sat quietly for a moment before getting back to the task at hand.
**
"So how does this work?" Harry asked his father once they had stopped at the edge of a river.
"This is the River Styx. On one side is life, on the other death. We can look on the other side kind of like a Pensieve. All you have to do is think about who you want to see. Most of the time it works, but sometimes it doesn't. The best I can figure, the person we want to see, has to want to be seen. Understand?" Harry nodded. "Alright. Who are looking for?"
"Ginny."
James took a deep breath. "Harry, please. Look at some one else first. Decide if you really want to see your friends mourn you before you ask to see her."
"Fine. Remus."
"Touch the water, and picture him. When you see him, step into the water."
Harry reached out, putting his hand in the cold water. He pictured Remus as he had seen him the day he met him, asleep on the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, he could see his reflection in the water, looking about as worn and haggard as he had on the train. Harry stood up as stepped into the river. The moment both feet were in the water the bottom dropped out from under him, and he felt the same falling sensation one got when entering a Pensieve. Harry landed in the kitchen of Grimmauld place, James landing right behind him. They had fallen into the middle of a conversation.
Remus was speaking,"...son of bitch..." Remus stopped as his face fell into his hands, a fresh flow of tears falling unchecked from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, James."
"I hate it when he apologizes to me for things he couldn't help." James said from behind Harry. "Sirius used to do that all the time, too"
"So I assume, like a Pensieve, we can't interact with them?" Harry asked moving around to stand behind Remus.
"Correct." His father replied. Harry reached out to touch Remus, but his hand simply moved through the man.
"Sorry Abe, you're right." Remus was saying. "What were you saying Mad-eye?"
"If we attack now, we might stand a chance. All of the horcruxes are gone, Harry took two of that bastard's top followers out before he...well he took two of them with him. Voldemort knows that Harry is...dead...if we attack now he won't be expecting it. If it can be done without Harry at all, it has to be in the next 48 to 72 hours."
"And what about Har... the body? That doesn't leave us much time to make arrangements." Arthur objected.
"Remus was right before, if word gets out that Harry is dead every wizard in Europe with panic. We have to move on Voldemort before that news breaks if we're going to move at all. But you're right, Arthur, we can't leave Harry's body upstairs."
"Merlin, they put me upstairs? I hope they at least put me in an empty room." This was more surreal to Harry than seeing Dumbledore at twenty had been.
Harry stopped talking when he realized Kingsley was speaking again, "...burn the body? We can build a pyre within the wards at the burrow. Make plans tonight, hold the service tomorrow, and still attack Voldemort within the given time frame."
Dung spoke up for the first time. Harry was surprised to see that he was sober for once. "You're just blowing smoke if you think you can burn Harry in the morning and have an army ready to fight by night, Shacklebolt. Have you been in the living room? Have you seen the state they're in? Damn, Kingsley. It'll never happen. I would be the last person to sell those kids short after what they've accomplished, but you can't ask them to burn their friend, then go off to battle. The Weasley girl apparently saw him die, and Ron hasn't spoken since he saw the body. Hell, he hasn't even moved on his own since then..."
"Oh, Gin. Baby." Harry looked at his father. James could see the pain in his eyes. "Ron." Harry rubbed his face. Maybe watching now wasn't a good idea after all.
"Is fine" Harry and James looked with the other towards Tonks when she spoke. "Those kids...I'm convinced there is nothing they can't do. Those four were the heart and soul of this Order. Yeah, they've taken a hard blow, but watch and see. They may be young, but they're still the strongest among us."
Remus held out his had to her and she took it. James smiled. "I was glad to see those two get together. She's good for him. He was always so afraid to let people in because he's a werewolf. And you know, to my knowledge, not one of his friends ever turned on him after they found out."
"He's a good man." Harry replied, looking at Remus as he spoke. "That shows through regardless."
James nodded, then both Potters turned their attention back to the conversation that had resumed.
"So you want to launch an all-out attack tomorrow night in the hope of killing Voldemort. Is that what you were saying?" Tonks asked.
"Yes," replied Moody. "if you and Kingsley can get us Auror support then here's what we'll do..."
Harry listened to the adults plan the attack for the following night for awhile. It sounded like a suicide mission. He shook his head and looked at his father. James wore the same grim express he did. This plan was going to bring them a lot of company in the Great Beyond very soon. Harry turned and walked back to his father.
"Ready to go?"
"No, I'm going into the living room." James started to protest, but stopped when he met Harry's eyes.
"Want me to go with you?"
"No"
"Alright"
Harry walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the living room. He slowed as he approached. He could hear many people crying. He steeled himself for the worst and stepped into the room. The scene that met him brought tears to his eyes. Ginny sat staring into the fire, tears pouring down her face quietly. Ron sat in a chair staring straight ahead at nothing. Hermione had her arms around Mrs. Weasley, and both were wailing loudly Professor McGonagall had her face in her hands crying silently, and Hagrid was wiping his nose with a table cloth. It looked as if this was the second or third he had gone through as there were a pile of them on the floor at his feet. There were others in the room crying and trying to comfort one another, but Harry's eyes returned to Ginny. He walked over to her and knelt on the floor in front of her.
"Oh Gin, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I love you." He reached up and stopped his hand so it cupped at her cheek. He was surprised when she tilted head towards his hand and murmured. "I love you, Harry."
Harry tried to get another response out of her but it was no use. Maybe she hadn't really heard him to began with. After what seemed like ages he rose and walked to Hermione. She was still sobbing into Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. He touched her hair and she shuddered. Harry pulled his hand back and simply looked at the crying women. His heart aching to comfort them, but knowing there was nothing he could do. He turned to walk to Ron.
Ron still stared blankly ahead. Harry knelt in front of him as well. Ron's eyes moved and locked with his. Ron's eye widened in shock for a moment then he blinked and shook his head. Bringing his hands to his face he muttered, "I'm going crazy."
Harry had thought he'd imagined that his best friend had seen him until Ron spoke, then he had been sure he had. Harry reached up and touched Ron's leg. This time his hand was stopped, instead of traveling through the person as it had previously. Harry was a little surprised, but seemed to know what to do.
"Ron, listen to me. Go to bed. Get Ginny and Hermione and go get some sleep. You're no use to anyone as tired as you all are, and the Order needs you three to be functional. Get them and go to bed. If you keep this up you'll all make yourselves sick. You have to sleep."
Ron moved his hands away from his face and looked at Harry again. This time was different. He seem to look through him instead of at him. Then, if Dung was to be believed, Ron did something he had not done for many hours. He spoke.
"Right, right." He rose and walked toward Hermione. "We need rest, 'Mione. We're no good to anybody this tired. Let's go to bed."
The whole room had stilled when Ron spoke. His brothers hadn't been sure he would ever recover, and here he was all of a sudden suggesting something as normal as sleep. Ron walked over to Ginny and pulled her up. She looked up at him.
"Harry wouldn't want us making ourselves sick over this. Come on. Lets get some sleep."
Ron walked her over to where Hermione still sat. He held out his hand to her. She took it and the three of them left the room. Harry stood there dumbfounded. Ron had heard him, he was sure of it. Ron had even used his words in getting the girls to go upstairs. Harry turned and followed them.
**
The three teens went up the stairs together, and into the girls room. Ginny was still crying, but Hermione had managed to calm down a bit.
"Er... would you girls mind if I stayed here tonight? I don't think I'm ready to go into mine and Harry's room yet."
"Sure Ron." Hermione answered. "What happened? You haven't moved on your own in over half a day, and now you seem normal. Are you alright?"
"This is gonna sound crazy," he started as he sat down on his sisters bed leaning against the head board. "but I could have sworn I saw Harry. He was right in front of me, then he was gone. I thought I was going mad until I heard him, plain as day, as if he really was right in front of me. He said we'd all make ourselves sick if we didn't sleep and to get you two and get some rest. So I did. Anyway what he said made sense. The Order still needs us, so we need to get it together."
"That doesn't sound crazy, Ron. I thought I heard him. He said he was sorry and that he loved me." Ginny wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "Harry used to say that sometimes he could feel Sirius watching him...if that's really possible it make sense that he would still look out for us."
Hermione nodded. "That does sound like something Harry would do. He always did have a saving-people thing. What I don't get is how Malfoy was able to kill Harry in the first place."
"What are you on about?" Ron asked as Ginny laid her head in lap, and started quietly crying again.
"Well, that prophecy. It said "'either must die at the hand of the other.' I thought that that meant that just like only Harry could kill Voldemort that only Voldemort could kill Harry. I guess I was wrong." She was sobbing again before she finished speaking.
"Yeah. Come here."
She got up and walked across the room to the other bed. Ginny was already asleep with her head in her brother's lap. She lay down, resting her head against Ron's chest and cried herself to sleep.
**
Harry's mind was reeling. Either must die at the hand of the other... as soon as Hermione stopped speaking he turned and ran from the room. Not only had he actually interacted with his friends, but Hermione was right. The prophecy should have meant that only Voldemort could kill him.
Harry ran down the stairs and burst into the kitchen. "Dad! We have go! I have to talk to Dumbledore! You're never going to believe what just happened!"
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