Story: Moira
Chapter Forty Three: Breaking Into Hogwarts

The silence that reigned after the explanation was too boring according to Harry. In fact, sleep was threatening to overcome him at that time but thankfully, Charlie spoke up.

"So you both are dangerous?"

Ginny laughed. "No! Our powers are dangerous and yes, this sleepy bloke beside me is dangerous. I am too innocent," she proclaimed. Harry shot her a dirty look before badly trying to veil his yawn by coughing.

"So. . . what should I do to help you?" Charlie asked, looking serious this time. Harry chose that moment to become alert. He sat up straight, almost pushing Ginny away in the process.

"We have to get into Hogwarts. This symbol is hopeless. We just can't find what it means. Its some sort of euphemism which is not there in any book," he explained. Charlie's eyebrows rose.

"Get into Hogwarts when it's break? That's impossible!" he protested.

"Everything is possible with me. All I need you to do is cover us when we do break in," Harry said in a firm tone that took no nonsense. Charlie frowned. "Tonight. We travel by Portkey to Hogsmeade. Ginny, I need that map you were talking about earlier. Is it with you?"

"It's with me. I asked Professor Lupin for it."

"Good. We might have to outpower the protective enchantments surrounding the Burrow. It won't be hard. Just a simple dark spell." The words of order tumbled out of Harry's mouth as if he had already done such tasks thousands of times before. "Charlie will have to erect them back. Bill might feel something as he is the secret keeper and so will your father. You must manage them. Can I expect you to do that, Charlie?" Harry asked. Charlie reluctantly looked at Ginny.

"It's for the greater good, brother. Worry not, I'll be okay. Can you help us this time?" she spoke softly with a pleading tone. Charlie sighed before nodding.

"Okay. J-just come back on time. I don't think I can keep everyone off of your whereabouts."

"Don't you worry about that. We have two more allies," Harry spoke, looking Ginny in the eye. They could see each other's fear and nervousness through their windows to the soul. "And they will help you. Help us. Help the world."

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It was five past midnight when Harry, Ginny, Charlie, Draco and Astoria slowly creeped down to the living room. They managed to avoid all the creaking stairs thanks to Charlie's guidance. Charlie unlocked the door and the pair of adventuring teens stepped out onto the grassy lawn.

The wind hit their faces and sent a shiver down their spines, yet they stood relentlessly. The two of them, under dark and enchanted hoods, nodded to the three others and picked up a wrapper of an empty magical bubblegum.

"Good luck." That was all they heard Astoria say before there was a tug behind the navel. Harry found himself losing balance but managed to stand upright. Ginny, on the other hand, hit the ground with a hard thud. Before she could exclaim out in pain, Harry kept a finger to her lips and shushed her. He helped her up and together the pair made their way to the castle by a secret passage in Honeydukes.

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"How do we get in there?" he hissed in her ear.

"I have something." With a quick shuffle, she took out a transparent cloak and threw it over them.

"What about our feet? Surely people will find disembodied feet strange even in a magical world."

"Seriously, Harry? Can you do a disillusionment charm or not?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah."

"Waiting for the grass to grow?"

"Celare!"

Their disembodied shoes matched the stony, ancient colour of their surroundings and without making a noise, they made their way to the stone gargoyle standing guard to the Headmistress's office.

"The password, dear Ginny?"

"Ahem. Most probably. . . Dumbledore!" The stone gargoyle sprang aside and the clambered up to the staircase which lifted them up like an escalator. They paused for a minute outside the door. "Homenum Revelio." Nothing happened. They looked at each other's perspiring faces then said in unison.

"This is it."

They slowly walked into the huge room. McGonagall was maintaining the room in a much cleaner fashion than Dumbledore. The portraits on the wall were pretending to be sleeping and not notice their break-in. However, their eyes were only on the portrait behind the throne like seat.

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" Harry asked and Dumbledore suddenly woke up from his 'slumber'. He looked at them with excitement. Ginny's lips wavered at the sight of her master and Harry gripped her hand, bringing her back into the reality.

"We are here to ask you a few questions."

"I shall answer according to my knowledge, Mister Harry. Do let me know."

"In the letter you wrote to me, you have drawn a triangle eye. It is familiar to me. I have seen it on the walls of Durmstrang and therefore, believe it to be Gellert Grindelwald's symbol. What does. . . what does Grindelwald have to do with the thing or things which must be destroyed?" Harry asked. Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a while.

"I believe I have read Ginny lots of tales from a particular children's book?" Dumbledore asked, looking over his half-moon spectacles at Ginny, who nodded vigorously. "I am afraid I cannot reveal what they are as I am a mere portrait. You will find the answers in the very same book which lies in the private library. Other than that, you could check that vault of yours."

Harry felt irritated so he decided to voice his irritation.

"You," he started, looking at Dumbledore. "are going to waste my time by sending me after imaginary, children's fairytale objects? They hardly seem real!"

"My dear boy, they may seem like fairytale objects but they are so true. At the wrong hands, they will pose a huge threat to the world. Only you both have the power to create such powerful objects and destroy them. You must destroy them before you die."

"You mean it will take years to find them?" Ginny asked desperately. Dumbledore merely smiled.

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Harry and Ginny returned to Hogsmeade, quite dejected. Harry shook off his jacket to be used as a Portkey but before he could grab a hold of it, Ginny disappeared. He Disapparated and when he appeared on the orchard from where they had disappeared, just a few hours ago, he saw Ginny flailing around in the air with his jacket, a few feet away from him. He nimbly ran to the spot and managed to catch her before she fell down again.

"Experienced much?" he teased. She opened her eyes and glared at him.

"Let - me - down!"

"Keep it down will you?" Charlie's voice hissed before he appeared from behind a tree trunk. "You are going to wake mum up and I'm sure she wouldn't fancy seeing you both in such a compromising position at this time of the morning!" Harry blushed before letting the frowning redhead down. "Found something useful?"

Harry shook his head.

"Oh." Silence reigned for a few minutes before Charlie spoke up again. "Oh, well. We can't help it, can we? That symbol looks like it's keeping an eye on us or something, blimey. We could think about it after breakfast I s'pose. It's already 3 AM so you better catch at least some bit of sleep. I'll let Draco and Astoria know. Pretty damn sure they are asleep together on the couch, those lovebirds," Charlie mumbled and the three of them started their walk back to the welcoming house and much needed sleep.

Might have been a small filler but I did give an hint for the next clue. If you guessed it, might as well comment. »»»

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x