It's All Just Temporary with a Bit of Necromancy

Chapter 9: We Have to Make it Seem Real

We Have to Make it Seem Real

Hermione paced around the front of Ron's bedroom as he and Ginny lounged on his bed, their eyes tracking her anxious movements. Dobby had just appeared and given them each a letter from Harry. Hermione was impressed at the thought of using House Elves instead of owls as much as she hated the increased use of slave labor. She had noted Dobby's attire change with narrowed eyes and would definitely be bringing that up with Harry next she saw him. Which judging by the letters, who knew when that would be.

The letters had been brief but very informative. The highlights consisting of about four things. One, Harry was with Him . Two, Harry had struck a deal with Him . Three, Harry had gone to Gringotts to get information about his abilities and walked out with three Lordships and ownership of former Headquarters. Which had explained why that morning everyone in the house, which had been the majority of the Weasleys, herself, Moody, Kingsley, Remus, Tonks, and Mundungus Fletcher, had been abrupt --for lack of a better word-- blasted out by some unseen force. Four, Harry had agreed not to harm Him and vice versa during this alliance, and that pardon had extended to themselves, the ones Harry still trusted, if they, in turn, didn't take up wands against His forces.

"Hermione, you need to stop," Ginny sighed from the foot of the bed, her fiery hair draped over the edge of the bed, her knees bent and feet dangling over the other edge.

"You're right," Hermione agreed, nodding her head but continuing to pace. Her hands wringing each other tightly in front of her chest, Ron had taken her wand shortly after the letters when her nerves had started causing sparks. "He's safe. That's all that matters."

"We knew that this would happen," Ron chimed in, propped up by his pillows at the head of the bed, his legs stretched out in front of him. "We knew that He would be Harry's best chance, as much as it sucks, that's the way it is now."

Hermione grimaced and glanced at him. The afternoon sun streaming through the window highlighted the scars that stretched across his forearms, a reminder from what had occurred just over a month ago. Hermione still felt pain in her chest most mornings and when she got too worked up, such as now, she thought with a wince as her chest twinged unpleasantly and she rubbed her breast bone to try to ease the ache.

"I still can't believe what Dumbledore was doing," Ginny murmured, her eyes now fixed on the ceiling. "I mean we are supposed to be the Light, the good guys. Torture shouldn't be in our practice. Harry couldn't even control it! It's a magical inheritance, for Merlin's sake! That's already rare enough." The redheads' cheeks were flushed as the anger started to take over.

"We know it's all terrible and the world has seriously flipped in the last week," Ron agreed, surprisingly calm, Hermione noted. That night in the Ministry had really affected him it seemed. "Question is, how do we deal with it? What do we do now?" Ron glanced between the two girls. "Dumbledore will be questioning us soon. He's already gone for the twins. The only thing that has stopped him up until now is that we can't do magic because of the trace. So we aren't prime suspects. But he will come soon. So, what are we going to do?"

There was a seriousness in those blue eyes that was chilling and Hermione found herself missing the way they would lighten as he laughed or brightened when he told a story about a prank the twins did. But it wasn't the time for that, Ron was right. They needed to decide how to proceed.

"Well that's the easy part," Ginny said, pushing herself up onto her elbows. "We lie. I mean this is Harry we are talking about. He's our friend, not Dumbledore. And after what we just found out, even more so. Fuck Dumbledore and his twinkly eyes. I'm with Harry."