Light in the Darkness

Chapter 11: A Revelation

The day Harry went to trial was one of the longest Fred could remember. He spent the morning with George, trying to keep their minds off of Harry.

Besides, they could use this valuable time to work on their products. They had ventured out of their room briefly to look for something to eat when they found Hermione Granger in the sitting room, book open on her lap, her eyes trained on the wall.

Fred didn't need to ask what she was doing, he knew. She was worrying for Harry, that much was obvious. They were all worried for Harry.

Fred sauntered over to where she was and sat down beside her. He did the only thing he could think to do at the time. He told her a story, a story to make her feel better, to distract her. He told her about the time he and George had tried out for the Quidditch team, how they had almost hit McGonagall in the face with a Bludger.

The story didn't exactly evaporate the worry, it just made it diminish for a while.

"What if Harry doesn't come back to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked him quietly.

"He's going to be fine, Granger," he told her. "It wouldn't be Hogwarts without Harry Potter." She didn't say anything more, just fell into quiet contemplation.

Just as Fred was opening his mouth to say something reassuring to her, the door to Number 12 Grimmauld Place opened and Harry Potter entered the house. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, George, Mrs. Weasley, and Fred all rushed forward to speak with him. "Cleared!" he exclaimed. "Of all accounts!"

"I knew it!" Ron yelled, throwing his fists into the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you," Hermione stated. Fred glanced at her with an amused expression on his face. This woman had spent the entire morning worrying for her friend, but she didn't let him see that one bit. "There was no case against you, none at all..."

"Everyone seems quite relieved though, considering they all knew I'd get off," Harry observed, smiling.

While Mrs. Weasley wiped her face on her apron, Fred, George, and Ginny started dancing around chanting, "He got off, he got off, he got off-"

"That's enough, settle down," Mr. Weasley shouted. "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry. We saw him talking to Fudge on level nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know." Fred raised an eyebrow. What would Lucius Malfoy want with Minister Fudge? Could it have anything to do with that secret weapon the Order refused to tell them about?

-----

The Hogwarts letters arrived closely after Harry's trial. Fred and George had their predictions on the new Gryffindor prefects. It would be Harry and Hermione, of course. Hermione was the top of their class and more responsible than just about anyone. Harry was Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake! Surely, he would be a Gryffindor prefect.

Fred and George Apparated beside Harry in his and Ron's room. Harry barely flinched, having been used to their Apparating everywhere now. "We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book," Fred stated conversationally.

"Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," George added.

"And about time, too."

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back," Fred explained, "and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year."