The Sinner and the Traitor

That night all I could dream about was Voldemort waving his wand at me with the blasting green light of the killing curse coming my way, my brother Silas lying dead on the floor because he wouldn’t betray me even to the Dark Lord, and then I always saw flashes of beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair looking my way with a rough large hand reaching for me and screaming at me to run as someone in the darkness cursed him. I ended up sitting upright with a jolt, almost falling off the couch and onto the floor. I wiped at my face and looked around confused for a moment not knowing where I was. I had to blink back the tears and close my eyes. My heart would beat out of my chest at this rate. I rubbed at my face once more before sitting up and grabbing my wand to go outside. It was past midnight as I walked around the front yard trying to clear my thoughts. Draco’s face kept going through my mind and I sighed in defeat knowing exactly what I was about to do. I knew he wasn’t powerful enough to conjure this form of magic and I knew it wouldn’t be traced back to me once performed. I’m sure the Death Eaters knew exactly where we were but they were just regrouping for another attack. I just hoped we were better prepared next time.

I thought really long and hard before I whispered my message to my wand. I gave it a quick little wave and soon a bright white light came exploding through. My Patronus stood there for a moment looking at me, like it was waiting for me add more to my message. The beautiful bright and solid Patronus before me was of a magnificent tiger. “Go. And tell him, thank you.”

The Patronus took off in a burst of speed and I sighed again trying to keep myself together. I ended up falling to my knees and just staying there like that. Did I make the right choice? Should I have been like an inside man and found a way to give them information? I shook my head at the thought. Voldemort would have somehow found out it was me and killed me, if he hadn’t killed me both that already. If I knew he was coming to the house I tended to bolt and not return for a few days. Thankfully that only happened twice since he preferred the Malfoy’s Mansion anyways. I was okay with that.

A snapping twig caught my attention and my head snapped in the direction of the sound. I could see the back of a boy’s head walking towards the opposite direction of me. I saw the dark hair and sighed.

Harry.

His rucksack was slung over his shoulder as he started slipping in and out of shadows.

“Going somewhere?” I called out as I stood up walking towards him wiping away a tear before it left my eye. Harry stiffened and turned to meet my accusatory gaze, then continues on.

“No one else is going to die. Not for me.” He said as he walked on.

“For you? You think Mad-Eye died for you? You think George took that curse for you? You may be the Chosen One, mate, but this is a whole lot bigger than that. The fate of the world depends on defeating him Harry. You think I left my brother behind for you? They’re probably torturing him because I’m the traitor in the group.” I felt my throat close up as I remembered my dream with Silas lying dead on the floor. “I could have had a life by simply running away and leaving ALL of this behind but I chose to stay because it was what was right and just. How can I turn my back on the world knowing there was something I could have done to help it?” Harry stared at me. The air was tense and I was holding my breath.

“Come with me. Now.” He said simply, like it was the answer to everything. I felt myself chuckle darkly.

“And leave Ron and Hermione? Are you mad? We wouldn’t last two days without them.” I stopped and actually smiled at that. “Don’t tell him I said that. I still pick on him for breaking his wand back in our second year. And besides, you’ve still got the Trace on you. And then there’s the wedding...” I trailed off as he interrupted me.

“Wedding?”

“Bill and Fleur.” I gave him a ‘duh’ look before rolling my eyes. “Molly’s been planning it for months. Only thing that’s kept her sane, I reckon. You know she’ll kill us if we miss it. I would rather go face to face with-.” I paused and bit my tongue. Voldemort had put a taboo on his name so anytime someone dared say it a bunch of Death Eaters would appear and do God knows what. “You-Know-Who if I’m honest.”

I tried a smile, but Harry looked foul. “I don’t care about a bloody wedding -- no matter whose it is. I have to start searching for the Horcruxes. It’s the only chance we have to beat him. And the longer we wait the stronger he gets.” I just stared at Harry, calm and poised.

“Tonight’s not the night, mate. You’d only be doing him a favor.” Harry stared at me incensed by my cool demeanor and common sense. Finally, he turned away, tossing the rucksack in frustration. For a moment we stand like this, Harry’s back to me. Silent. Finally I decided to ask a question that’s been burning in my mind.

“Do you think he knows?” Harry turns his head halfway, but doesn’t speak. “I mean, they’re bits of his soul, the Horcruxes. Bits of him. When Dumbledore destroyed the ring and you destroyed Tom Riddle’s diary all those years ago -- he must’ve felt something right?” Harry pondered this, but remained silent. “What I’m saying is, if we do this thing right, if we find the Horcruxes and begin to destroy them one by one...” Harry waits for me to finish. “Won’t he know he’s being hunted?” Still Harry says nothing nut instead walks away back towards the house. I stood there watching him go and huffed in frustration and stress. There was a small tug in my mind that let me know my Patronus reached it’s destination and it was hear by him. I replayed the quick message in my head wish I had added more to it.

“I’m safe. Just laying low for a little while until everything gets right once more. I’ll try to keep in tough. Thank you.” Now I was wishing instead of thank you I had said what I really wanted to say to that little prat that drove me insane.

I love you.

It was too late now and judging from the light pink starting to form in the sky I needed to start getting ready for the wedding today anyways. Who knew I would look forward to a wedding of all things in this time of crisis.

A few hours later after helping Molly clean the house as best we could she asked me to take out drinks to the boys who were working on setting up the tent. Molly still wasn’t really speaking but I didn’t push it. Hopefully after all this was done she would love me like I was her own daughter once more. Arthur had no problem with me which surprised me but I was grateful. At least he remembered who I really was.

As I walked outside to bring the cool glasses of floating lemonade I saw them wave their wands once more and lift the tent. It was apparently a lot harder than it looked. “How’s it looking, boys?”
Ron and Fred both look at me. Fred winks at me in a small form of flirting causing me to roll my eyes. “Brilliant!” Just then, the silk snaps and the trees in the surrounding orchard shiver in a rush of wind. Everyone steps clear of the marquee and I can’t help but laugh at the latest failed attempt. I was about to say something witty when I froze. I watched as a tall wizard with grizzled hair and a scarred cheek materialize just beyond the fallen tent. It suddenly felt cold in my little sundress and the glasses of lemonade fell to the floor.

Rufus Scrimgeour.

“Bloody hell, what’s the Minister of Magic doing here?” George asked out loud for anyone in general to answer. They all looked at me as I felt the blood drain from my face. It wasn’t a secret that Rufus didn’t much care for me. I guess he helped bring down my parents all those years ago and anytime I ever ran into him he always told me that he was just waiting for me to turn out like them so he could take me and my brother down. He once verbally attacked me as I was shopping for school supplies and I thought Silas would have a cow. Lucius actually stopped him from doing anything. Surprisingly enough after that first year it became tradition almost for the Malfoy’s to shop with us for back to school things. I glared at the man before me as Rufus caught sight of me and scowled back.

“Dunno. But something tells me he didn’t come to give away the bride.” Ron said looking my way in sympathy.

Rufus started walking my way and some of the men, including Lupin, shifted in front of my slightly. I gulped and took a step back.

“Stand down. I only wish to speak with Miss Beyer. Unless she tries to pull something.” He gaze dared me to say something but I kept quiet. I had a backbone but Scrimgeour for some reason always frightened me. Maybe it was because his beady black eyes reminded me of my father before he beat me. “And Mr Ronald Weasley.”

Ron could only nod and put his arm around my shoulder to basically drag me along after the bloody devil. I growled under my breath and Ron gave me a quick comforting squeeze.
Harry entered the living room, trailed by Ron and Hermione. I stood back a bit, more comfortable being in the doorway furthest away from that man. Scrimgeour gestured the trio to the sofa, thankfully ignoring my presence as much as he could. Harry eyes Scrimgeour with thinly concealed contempt.

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Minister?” Harry asked barely concealing his disgust of the man.

“I think we both know the answer to that question, Mr. Potter.” Scrimgeour pitches a cloth bag onto the table before them. The trio regard it curiously, exchange glances. I stared hard at the floor like it held all the worlds answers in it.

“And this would be...?”

“Don’t be coy, Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley. Would you say you were close to your former Headmaster?”

“Dumbledore? And me? I dunno. I reckon I was just another Weasley to him. He was always polite-.” The Minister cut him off.

“And you, Miss Granger? How would you characterize your relationship?”

“We were friendly, not close like Harry, but-.”

“What’s this all about?” Harry asked clearly annoyed. I was already grinding my teeth as I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the frame.

“This. Despite the fact that neither of your friends appear to have been particularly close to their recently deceased Headmaster, he saw fit to remember them in his will. Now why do you suppose that would be?” Harry, Ron and Hermione exchange glances again, even looking my way.

Dumbledore and I weren’t as close as Harry and him but he was always the first one to give me a hint at something, or help me in anyway, and even towards the end really taking me under his wing and training me to better myself so I wouldn’t go down the wrong path like my family. I was really struggling before he died. Not died, was murdered. I felt my thoughts grow dark towards that memory. No! I wouldn’t let myself go down that road again.

“No idea.”

“Come now, you don’t expect me to believe that.” Scrimgeour reached into his cloak and removes a scroll of parchment before reading. “‘Herein is set forth the Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. First, to Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, a device of my own making, in the hope that -- when things seem most dark -- it will show him the light.’” Scrimgeour removed a small silver object from the bag.

“Dumbledore left this? For me? Brilliant. Er -- what is it?” Ron held it in his hand before he clicks it and all the light rushes from the lamps into the Deluminator, throwing the room into total darkness. He clicks it again and light flies back to the lamps. “Wicked.”

“‘To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.’” Scrimgeour reached into the bag once again and retrieves a small book, its binding stained and peeling in places.

“Mum used to read me those! The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, Babbitty Rabbity and her Cackling Stump.” Harry and Hermione stare blankly at him. I had to smile at that. We knew the stores of course but Hermione and Ron were raised in the muggle world. “Oh, c’mon! Beedle’s stories are famous! Babbity Rabbitty? No...?”

Scrimgeour eyes Ron with mild annoyance before he continues. “’To Miss Vanessa Grace Beyer, I leave a family heirloom. A small ruby necklace that has been passed down for generations in hopes that when feeling lost she will find her way and remember that she will always find what she is looking for.’” Scrimgeous reached into the bag and produced an old worn wooden box. I walked over slowly eyeing the box and took it out of his hands. I opened it to see the simply yet beautiful necklace inside glistening in the light. I remembered the necklace as soon as I saw it and I had to hold back the tears. The necklace had been in Dumbledore’s office the first time I saw it. It was hanging from the lantern that was placed on his desk and I had been going to touch it when he walked in. He had explained to me that it was real but that it was also made with tears from a Phoenix, which gave it the extra bright and beautiful glow. I blinked back the tears and closed the box holding it too my chest. I missed him so much sometimes. He was like the grandfather I had always wished I had but missed out on.

“‘To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.’” I blinked realizing that Scrimgeour had moved on as he placed the tiny golden orb onto Harry’s palm, where it glimmers dully. Harry studies it, then looks up.

“That’s it then?”

“Not quite. Dumbledore left you a second bequest: The Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Unfortunately, the Sword of Gryffindor was not Dumbledore’s to give away. As an important historical artifact, it belongs-.”

“To Harry! It belongs to Harry! It chose him! It came to him in the Chamber of Secrets when he most needed it! You can’t keep that from him!” I said feeling myself grow hot from rage. How dare Scrimgeour defy Dumbledore’s last wish and testament!

He turned to me in an instant with a look of distain. “The sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor, Miss Beyer. That does not make it that wizard’s property. And in any event the current whereabouts of the sword are unknown.

“Excuse me?” Harry asked confused as I stared at the Minister like he had five heads. They lost the sword?!

“The sword is missing. I won’t pretend to be your friend, Mr. Potter. But I assure you I’m not your enemy.”

“You’ll forgive me, Minister. But it’s a little hard to tell the difference these days.” Harry said coolly.
Scrimgeour eyed me before looking at Harry. Was that supposed to mean that I shouldn’t be trusted? The rage started to seep back in. “Dumbledore said something very similar the last time we spoke.” Scrimgeour gazed out the window, eyes haunted.

It was then Hermione looked around suddenly confused. “Where is your guard, sir?”
He stood up and started heading for the door. I stepped out of his way quickly like he was sick. He barely glanced at me. “I came alone. I don’t really need them anymore.” Yeah because most of them were Death Eaters…

He then turned and exited the Burrow.