Harry Potter and the Rise of the Slytherin Prince

Burrow

School restarted after the New Year with excitement and increased homework. The teachers quickly got back into the swing of things, piling on the homework for the seventh year to get them ready for their NEWT's. Harry and Draco continued the dueling club and were impressed that so many students were still attending even amidst the hard new term. They had agreed to duel again for the club's pleasure after much nagging from the student body. The first week back was the perfect opportunity to put some new spells to test Harry had found over the Christmas holidays. The duel started out similar to the last one with spells flying faster than most of the student body could keep up with and being blocked and dodged constantly. A headache started to encroach on Harry but he tried to push it aside as he concentrated on his opponent. Suddenly he saw a bright flash inside his head. He threw up his hands in surrender as Hermione jumped in front of him with a shield to block the jinx that had already been let loose.

Harry fell to his knees grasping his head as Draco and Hermione crouched on either side of him. Ron sent his sister to get a teacher before joining them on the stage. After a few seconds Harry shook his head to clear it and looked up at Ron with a terrified expression on his face. "I need Professor Dumbledore, now."

"Dueling club is over for this week, everyone out now." Draco stood taking charge as Harry sat more comfortably breathing hard. The students grumbled but slowly started to file out, disappointed to be left out when the real show began. They waited several moments before Professor Dumbledore, Lupin and Sirius hurried into the Great Hall with Ginny in the lead.

"Harry, are you alright?" Sirius sat next to his godson who looked up at Dumbledore in response. The teenager's face was stretched with worry and pale from the vision.

"The Burrow is under attack. I know it was Voldermort putting it into my head but I was concentrating on the duel and I couldn't push him out right away." Ron and Ginny paled as Dumbledore leapt into action hurrying to a large mirror on the wall and with a password stepped through into his office. Professor Lupin followed, intending to go to the Burrow as an Order of the Phoenix member to fight the evil lord. Sirius stayed on the floor with Harry, irritated that he was still not strong enough to help fight but concerned about the boy in front of him. Finally Harry spoke; "I'm fine now. I just have a headache."

To emphasize the point he stood without help and used a towel to wipe the sweat off his forehead. The group were at a loss what to do next as they waited to find out the extent of the damage and if the older Weasley's were safe. Hermione left to find the twins so they could be updated to return several moments later with the worried siblings. It was a long time before Professor Dumbledore stepped through the mirror to be greeted with a barrage of questions from the younger Weasley's

"Your parents are both safe," the Headmaster raised his hands and answered the most pressing question. "Arthur was working late and Molly was still at the joke shop thankfully. I'm afraid the house was ruined by the time we arrived. Arthur and Molly will stay in one of the empty apartments here at Hogwarts during their evenings until their home is rebuilt."

Fred hugged Ginny who had started with tears of relief for her parents combined with sorrow that their childhood home was destroyed. Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco seeking the comfort she always found there and he kissed her forehead gently. Harry was still holding onto Ron's shoulder for both boys' support, angry the vision had come too late and confused as to why Voldermort would attack an empty house. The group headed to the Room of Requirement, leaving the adults to have the expected meeting. The older Weasleys arrived in time for dinner in the Great Hall and thankfully hugged all their children before taking empty seats at the head table.

The rest of the evening and for several weeks there were no further incidences or signs of Voldermort. The group allowed themselves to be thrown back into their school routine trying to forget for a short time that there was a mad evil wizard eager to kill them.