Rosabella Black |Daughter of Sirius Black| (Book 6)

Crossing Enemy Lines

Rosabella's Point of View:
The Weasleys stayed at Black Manor that night and we would rebuild the Burrow the next morning. It was not difficult to fix but more the fact that it had been burned down in the first place. Momentarily, I had forgotten we were in the middle of a war and now I had been harshly reminded of it.

Late in the afternoon, a few days after New Year, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Michael and I lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. Winter stood next to me. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school. Only Mrs. Weasley was there to say good-bye, as Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Remus, Jason and Jacob were all at work. Mrs. Weasley dissolved into tears at the moment of parting. Admittedly, it took very little to set her off lately. She had been crying on and off ever since Percy had stormed from the house on Christmas Day with his glasses splattered with mashed parsnip (for which Fred, George, Ginny and I all claimed credit).
    "Don't cry, Mum. It's okay . . ." Ginny said, patting her on the back as Mrs. Weasley sobbed into her shoulder.
    "Yeah, don't worry about us or about Percy. He's such a prat, it's not really a loss, is it?" Ron said, permitting his mother to plant a very wet kiss on his cheek.
Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever as she enfolded Harry and I in her arms.
   "Promise me you'll both look after yourselves . . . stay out of trouble . . ." Mrs Weasley sobbed tearfully.
   "I always do, Mrs. Weasley. I like a quiet life, you know me." Harry said.
   "I'm the calmest person in the world. Nothing interesting ever happens to me." I joked, grinning.
Mrs Weasley gave a watery chuckle and moved to hug Michael. She then stood back.
   "Be good, then, all of you . . ." Mrs Weasley said, looking at me in particular.

Harry stepped into the emerald fire first and shouted "Hogwarts!". He vanished into the green flames. We waited a few minutes before I went next, Winter coming with me. I gripped her tightly with one hand and grabbed floo powder with the other.
   "Hogwarts." I said clearly.
I had one last fleeting view of the Weasleys' kitchen and Mrs. Weasley's tearful face before the flames engulfed me. Spinning very fast as I clutched onto Winter, I caught blurred glimpses of other Wizarding rooms, which were whipped out of sight before I could get a proper look. Then I was slowing down, finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor McGonagall's office. She barely glanced up from her work as I clambered out over the grate. Winter jumped out and shook all the Ash off her.
    "Evening, Black. Try not to get too much ash on the carpet." Professor McGonagall said.
    "Whatever you say, Professor." I said, grinning broadly as I went to stand next to Harry.
Harry slung an arm around my shoulders.
I brushed some ash out of my hair as Michael came spinning into view. When Ginny and Ron had arrived, all five of us trooped out of McGonagall's office and off toward Gryffindor Tower. I glanced out of the corridor windows as we passed. The sun was already sinking over grounds carpeted in deeper snow than had lain over the Burrow garden. In the distance, I could see Hagrid feeding Buckbeak in front of his cabin.
   "Baubles." Ron said confidently, when we reached the Fat Lady, who was looking rather paler than usual and winced at his loud voice.
   "No." The Fat Lady said.
   "What d'you mean, 'no' ?" I said.
   "There is a new password. And please don't shout." The Fat Lady said.
    "But we've been away, how're we supposed to -?" Ron started to say and I looked at Michael.
    "It was the Head Girls turn to pick the password." Michael mumbled to me.
Of course it was.
    "Harry! Ginny! Ro! Mike!" Called a familiar voice.
Hermione was hurrying toward them, very pink-faced and wearing a cloak, hat, and gloves.
   "I got back a couple of hours ago, I've just been down to visit Hagrid and Buck - I mean Witherwings. Did you have a good Christmas?" Hermione said, breathlessly.
   "Yeah, pretty eventful, Rufus Scrim -" Ron said at once.
   "I've got something for you, Harry. Oh, hang on - password. Abstinence." Hermione said, neither looking at Ron nor giving any sign that she had heard him.
    "Precisely." The Fat Lady said in a feeble voice, and swung forward to reveal the portrait hole.
    "What's up with her?" Harry asked.
    "If I didn't know better, I'd say it's a hangover." I said and Ginny and I grinned at each other.
   "How would you know?" Michael asked, eying me suspiciously.
   "You saw Jay and Jake the morning after the wedding." I said, coolly.
Truth was that Ginny and I drank all two fire whiskey bottles in the locked cupboard at Black Manor. The night was fun, the morning was hell. Michael still eyed me suspiciously but Hermione spoke before he could.
    "Well, you're right anyway, Ro. Overindulged over Christmas, apparently. She and her friend Violet drank their way through all the wine in that picture of drunk monks down by the Charms corridor. Anyway. . ." Hermione, rolling her eyes as she led the way into the packed common room.
She rummaged in her pocket for a moment, then pulled out a scroll of parchment with Dumbledore's writing on it.
    "Great." said Harry, unrolling it at once to discover that his next lesson with Dumbledore was scheduled for the following night.
   "I've got loads to tell him - and you. Let's sit down -" Harry said but at that moment there was a loud squeal of "Won-Won!" and Lavender Brown came hurtling out of nowhere and flung herself into Ron's arms.
Several onlookers sniggered. Hermione gave a tinkling laugh.
    "There's a table over here. . . coming. Ginny?" I said.
    "No, thanks, I said I'd meet Dean." Ginny said, though she did not sound very enthusiastic.
Leaving Ron and Lavender locked in a kind of vertical wrestling, match, Harry led Hermione and I over to the spare table.
Winter lay by my feet and yawned. I scratched behind her ears.
    "So how was your Christmas?" Harry asked.
    "Oh, fine. Nothing special. How was it at Won-Won's?" Hermione said with a shrug.
    "I'll tell you in a minute. Look, Hermione, can't you -" Harry said.
    "No, I can't. So don't even ask." Hermione said flatly.
    "I thought maybe, you know, over Christmas -"
    "More like hoped." I muttered.
    "It was the Fat Lady who drank a vat of five-hundred-year-old wine, Harry, not me. So what was this important news you wanted to tell me?" Hermione insisted.
She looked too fierce for even me to argue with at that moment, so Harry dropped the subject of Ron and recounted all that we had overheard between Malfoy and Snape.
When he had finished, Hermione sat in thought for a moment.
    "Don't you think -?" Hermione started to say.
    "- he was pretending to offer help so that he could trick Malfoy into telling him what he's doing?" I finished for her.
    "Well, yes." Hermione said.
    "Ron's dad and Lupin think so." Harry said grudgingly.
    "But this definitely proves Malfoy's planning something, you can't deny that." I said.
    "No, I can't." Hermione answered slowly.
   "And he's acting on Voldemort's orders, just like I said!" Harry said.
   "Hmm . . . did either of them actually mention Voldemort's name?" Hermione asked.
Harry frowned, trying to remember.
    "I'm not sure . . . Snape definitely said 'your master,' and who else would that be?" I said, thoughtfully.
    "I don't know. Maybe his father?" Hermione said, biting her lip
She stared across the room, apparently lost in thought, not even noticing Lavender tickling Ron.
    "How's Remus?" Hermione eventually asked.
   "Not great." I said and I told her all about Remus's mission among the werewolves and the difficulties he was facing.
   "Have you heard of this Fenrir Greyback?" Harry asked.
   "Yes, I have! And so have you, Harry!" Hermione said, sounding startled.
   "When, History of Magic? You know full well I never listened . . ."
   "No, no, not History of Magic - Malfoy threatened Borgin with him!" Hermione said.
   "Back in Knockturn Alley, don't you remember? He told Borgin that Greyback was an old family friend and that he'd be checking up on Borgin's progress!" I said.
Harry gaped at us.
   "I forgot! But this proves Malfoy is a Death Eater, how else could he be in contact with Greyback and telling him what to do?" Harry said
   "It is pretty suspicious. Unless. . ." Hermione breathed.
   "Oh, come on, you can't get round this one!" Harry said in exasperation.
   "I'm curious to see what's she's come up with." I said, smirking.
   "Well . . . there is the possibility it was an empty threat." Hermione said.
   "You're unbelievable, you are." Harry said, shaking his head.
   "Well it wouldn't be the first time." I said.
   "We'll see who's right . . . You'll be eating your words, Hermione, just like the Ministry. Oh yeah, I had a row with Rufus Scrimgeour as well . . ." Harry said.
The rest of the evening passed amicably with all three of us abusing the Minister of Magic, for Hermione, like Ron and I, thought that after all the Ministry had put Harry through the previous year, they had a great deal of nerve asking him for help now.