Chapter 391: Chapter 391: A Safe Place for Now
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 391: A Safe Place for Now
Since his house elf was likely still occupied helping the Greengrass family, Harry personally brought the Weasleys into his home. He took them two at a time and, as he reappeared with George's unconscious body, the front door of his manor opened.
"Oh dear, what do we have here... Molly, is that you?!" Lily Potter had come to investigate after Mipsy, the family house-elf, had warned her about people at the door.
"Lily… hi," Molly said with a weary smile, holding her unconscious daughter Ginny in her arms. "Sorry to bother you like this."
Lily took in their appearances and could immediately tell they'd had a terrible night.
Dobby had arrived just minutes earlier, informing her about the attacks, so she wasn't entirely surprised...until she noticed George.
"Harry… were they also… oh no!" Lily gasped as she saw George. "Is he...?"
Harry nodded solemnly. "Their house isn't safe anymore."
"Then come in, all of you. We have more than enough room." Lily opened the door wide, waving them inside without a second thought.
"Is anyone in need of medical attention?" she asked, taking in their condition. "Normally, I'd suggest rushing to St. Mungo's, but…"
"It may not be safe, I know." Molly agreed grimly. At this point, no one knew how far Voldemort's influence spread. The hospital could already have spies among the staff, ready to watch for them...especially after tonight.
"Mipsy," Lily called, and the elf appeared. "Please prepare the east wing for the Weasleys...at least three rooms."
While Mipsy went to work, Lily led them into a cozy, smaller dining hall.
"You can leave your things here for now, and let me take a look at any injuries. I'm no professional healer, but I've fixed my fair share of wounds. My husband James doesn't like hospitals, yet he was always coming home injured when he first became an Auror, so I've had plenty of practice," she assured them.
Molly laid Ginny on one of the sofas, then turned to her other children. "Fred, are you hurt?"
Fred shook his head. "Nothing serious… not like…" His gaze drifted to George, sorrow in his eyes.
Harry stepped aside with Fred, drawing his wand. He conjured a beautifully decorated coffin, sturdy enough to last a month, and placed George carefully inside.
"This will hold for about a month. You'll need a permanent one before that, but…"
"Thank you, Harry." Molly hugged him tightly. "You've done so much for our family."
Lily smiled as she watched. "I'll fetch some potions and clean clothes in case anyone wants to change."
"I'll let you all rest," Harry said, glancing at his mother, and she nodded knowingly. "The main hall," she told him.
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"Harry!" Daphne threw her arms around him the moment he opened the doors to the hall. "You left so suddenly, I was worried…"
"I'm fine, Daphne. Just a few more vampires and Inferi. Nothing too serious," he said, trying to reassure her.
"That sounds very serious," Lord Greengrass commented with a raised eyebrow.
"Where did you go? Daphne said that other families might have been attacked too," Lady Selene Greengrass asked.
"At the very least, the Weasleys were attacked," Harry replied.
"The Weasleys?" Sebastian Greengrass repeated while trying to make sense of the situation.
"That's where you went? Are they okay?" Daphne asked with concern.
"Most of them are, but… George Weasley is dead. I was too late to…" Harry's voice trailed off.
"Oh no…" Selene covered her mouth, horrified. "Poor boy..."
Daphne hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry…"
"That damn Dark Lord! May Merlin curse him to death!" Sebastian Greengrass spat angrily.
"Is Ginny okay?" Astoria ventured to ask.
"She's just sleeping for now," Harry assured her.
"Did you bring them here as well?" Selene asked.
"They're resting in the east wing hall for now," Harry nodded.
"Master Harry Potter!" Dobby appeared beside him, looking elated. "Did Dobby do well?, Dobby brought all the greens here!"
"It's Greengrass..." Sebastian didn't why he felt the need to correct the house elf.
Harry grinned. "Yes, Dobby, you did great. You brought them here just as I asked."
Dobby beamed, but Harry continued. "Could you do one more thing tonight? I need you to prepare a couple of rooms for them."
"Oh, there's no need for that," Selene interjected. "We could sleep on the couches here."
"We have plenty of spare rooms for everyone," Harry assured her. "And, as long as this war continues, it isn't safe for any of you to leave this place. It's best you all get comfortable."
"Does that mean I can live here with Lyra?" Astoria asked, brightening at the thought.
"What? No! We can't stay here forever. I have obligations to fulfill, and we m—" Sebastian began, his words quick and uncertain.
"Father, please," Daphne said softly, placing a calming hand on his arm.
"Sebastian," Selene reasoned gently, "let's wait until things have settled a bit. Then we can think more clearly about what to do. What harm is there in that?"
"And it won't be forever," Harry added confidently. "If things go according to plan, this will be over within a few months."
"A few months?" Sebastian asked, clearly skeptical. "How is that possible? The Dark Lord is still in hiding, sending his followers to pick off his enemies one by one. This could drag on for years. We don't even know how many followers he has amassed while out of the country. He could have an army for all we know."
"It won't drag for years, no matter what he had done or what preparations he has. " Harry said firmly. "Because there's at least one enemy he'll want to kill in person, and that's where we will get him."
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