Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 65: Found Family

It was late. Shaye wasn't sure, exactly, what the time was, but she knew she should definitely be in bed and sleeping, just like everyone else. The only problem was, she couldn't. Shaye had lied in bed for an hour or so, tossing and turning, but her brain just wouldn't shut off; she couldn't stop thinking about the Room of Requirement and Lorelei's map. The recent discovery had rekindled the burning desire to find her sister, but still, things didn't seem to add up. With every new puzzle piece she found, it seemed as though there were five more missing.

Staring at the map in her hands, which had sat at the bottom of her trunk all year until the Room of Requirement had been found, Shaye read the message on the back over and over again. "The hidden hiding place," she whispered to herself. "What does it mean?"

It was then that Shaye heard two pairs of rushed footsteps coming down the stairs. As Shaye turned to look over the back of the couch, she watched as Ron and Harry rushed into the common room. Ron's face was pale and Harry was dripping with sweat, his eyes wide. It looked like he had had another nightmare.

"I'm going to get McGonagall." Ron's eyes met Shaye's. "Watch him for me, would you?"

"O-okay." Shaye agreed, but Ron was already out of the room before she finished.

Looking worse for wear, Harry sat down on the couch beside Shaye and wiped the sweat from his brow. He always looked bad after having a nightmare, but this was the worst she had ever seen before.

"What was it about?" she asked.

Harry swallowed hard. "Ron's dad. He was at the Ministry and he was being attacked."

"And you think it really happened?"

Harry nodded slowly. "It felt real."

Not a minute later, Ron and McGonagall appeared in the common room. Without a word, McGonagall ushered the three students into the corridor and toward Dumbledore's office. With her wand lighting the way through the dark halls, McGonagall had her grey hair in a messy braid that flopped over her left shoulder. She was also wearing her dressing gown. It was weird seeing her in an unprofessional manner.

Harry was breathing heavily the whole way, his feet shuffling along the ground. Once McGonagall had escorted the three Gryffindors to Dumbledore's office and was convinced that Harry wasn't about to pass out, she left to retrieve the rest of the Weasleys.

Before long, Dumbledore's office was fuller than it ever normally was.

"In the dream, were you standing next to the victim?" Dumbledore asked. He wasn't even facing Harry. "Or looking down at the scene?"

"Neither." Harry's voice quivered. His shirt was drenched with sweat. "It was like I . . . Professor, will you please just tell me what's happening?"

"Everhardt, Arthur's on guard duty tonight." Dumbledore turned to one of the paintings on his wall. "Make sure he's found by the right people." With that, the man in the painting got up from his chair and left. Harry tried to get Dumbledore's attention, but the headmaster ignored him. "Phineas, you must go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place," Dumbledore told one of the other paintings. "Tell them that Arthur Weasley is gravely injured and his children will be arriving there soon by port key."

Just then, Everhardt returned to his portrait in the office. "They've got him, Albus," he said. "It was close, but they think he'll make it. What's more, the Dark Lord failed to acquire it."

"Ah, thank goodness." Dumbledore exhaled.

"Look at me!" Harry shouted. He had lost his patience. "What's happening to me?"

Dumbledore turned slowly, the warm glow from the fireplace illuminating his features in the otherwise dark room. He looked indifferent to Harry's outburst, but before he could say a word, Snape entered the office.