Have n't said this in a while so I should probably mention. I do n't own Harry ceramicist. I 'm not sure enough of the particular legal ramification of a character called Harry potter but not actually the same guy. But anyway, I do n't own any of the material I 'm not supposed to own. I may own the stuff I 'm supposed to own but since I 'm improbable to put out it probably does n't matter.



It was a nice garden, the garden at Malfoy manor. At one clock time the George Herbert Walker Bush were elegantly crafted topiary, a zoological garden of fantastic creatures in fanciful affectation, but they had been untended for a twelvemonth and now they looked just same bushes. Just here or there you could see a shadow of a dragon, the wing of a swan. It was like looking at clouds. The grass had grown up too, long blades that got between your toes. It was one-half wild but then that was commodity. It was a wonderfully passive place.

So why oh why had they nailed two bloody swell quidditch finish into it. Harry snorted, they were ruining the purview with their pillock game.

'' Come on Harry ! '' Ginny swooped down laughing. `` There 's a spare broom ! ``

'' rightfield, the heather 's the problem. '' Harry laughed back, waving his cane. `` Not the fact that I 'm disastrous in the air at the best of times and am currently down a tree branch. ``

'' So you 're just gon na stay down there on the grass like an old man ? ``

'' Just keep it tranquillity you hooligans. '' Harry laughed as Ginny rose into the sky again. It would hold been fun to go up and make a muggins of himself, piss them laugh when he fell off. But if he ever wanted to get rid of the walking stick he would have to let himself actually bring around. If he burst his guts open nobody would express joy. wellspring ... maybe the twins would.

Harry turned and stomped off across the forage, back towards the house. The sun was beating down like a hammer and Harry was sweating by the time he reached the blanket veranda. He took a present moment before climbing the stairs. Everybody knew he was recovering from his injuries but he did n't like to let them recognize how tough some things were for him. punter to just look at a minute.

Harry stomped up the wooden stairs and dropped into a folding deckchair. The unscathed gallery was new woodwind, tacked onto the back of the antediluvian mansion. The marauder had conjured and constructed the matter the outset day they got there, at genus Draco 's importunity. The young Slytherin took an almost pathological delight in slamming shaft of light into the ancient Malfoy hall. It was all they could do to give up him using 15th century obelisk as nails.

The whole place had been transformed into a kind of marauder summer ingroup. All of them were there, at first they had just come during the day to give ear out, then in dribs and drab they had attached themselves to rooms and began staying overnight. Harry was loving it, he had a captive audience. And now that the marauder numbered twenty they were a honest audience. Except when they did senseless affair like manoeuvre quidditch or do prep. But at other meter they were brilliant.

'' So, '' Harry turned to the pack of cards chair beside him, containing his novel novice. `` Who 's winning ? ``

'' I ca n't secernate. '' Pythea took a dainty sip from a crank of lemonade. `` They seem to have released four different stoolpigeon so I do n't roll in the hay how to seduce. ``

'' Four snitches ? '' Harry 's eyebrows arched.

'' Ginerva and Dragon were left in charge of setting up. ``

'' Probably just trying to surpass the twins. '' Harry shrugged. `` How many bludgers were there ? ``

'' XII I believe. ``

'' Seemed like more. '' Harry glanced up at the biz flowing above the vast grounds. Sixteen marauder were swooping and diving in the hot, dead, air. Like deglutition. Harry envied them, not for the ability to fly, but for the backup from the heat that flying would bring. Harry brushed his sweat filled pilus out of his font and fanned himself with his deal. He turned to the girl adjacent to him. `` How are you not sweating ? It 's like a fond day in Pluto. ``

'' I 'm used to Greece Harry. ``

'' You 're used to a floaty castle in the sky. '' Harry leant back to soak in the shaft. `` I however need some tad. '' Harry drew his wand and floated a standing umbrella over. It shook a little as it settled into place. Harry frowned, his new wand was n't his ducky. For one thing it was n't an Ollivander wand.

His low gear wand had been taken from him by Voldemort at the end of his fourth twelvemonth, it had never been recovered. His second lay broken in Godrics holler. Both had worked for him wonderfully and he had wanted something as good. The first base day he had got out of hospital he had stomped down to the old wand-makers shop class to buy a new wand. Unfortunately the old man had had early ideas.

'' Out ! Out ! Wand-killer ! Get out of my store ! ``

'' But I just want- ''

'' I heard what you did to Dumbledore 's wand ! Travesty to destroy such ... such ... Get out ! get out ! get out ! ``

Harry had been bundled from the shop by the scrawny old bastard. As he fell backwards out the door, his cane clattering on the cobblestone, he had yelled.

'' I did also defeat Voldemort you know ! '' But the door had been slammed shut in his grimace and he had gone back to the mansion empty handed. Given that he did n't want to go to long without a verge he had scrounged through the things taken from the captured death eaters. Eventually he had found one that worked. He never found out who it belonged to, did n't really weigh to him. It was made of reassuringly tough oak and had a dainty round handle. It was just sometimes a little ... finical. Finicky was the right word. He just had to get used to it.

'' You could try another wand-maker. ``

'' Are you sure you ca n't read nous anymore ? '' Harry smiled over at Pythea.

'' You were staring at it. ``

'' I was not. '' Harry holstered his wand again in his pocket. Out over the garden a cheer went up as one team or another scored-slash-fouled in a way that was apparently impressive. Harry chuckled, the children were playing. `` Are you planning to get a wand ever ? ``

'' I do n't use one. '' Theia hovered her lemonade up above her hand by way or trial impression. `` I had a different kind of teaching. ``

'' Could you teach me ? ``

'' Do you have a few unembellished years ? ``

'' Ouch. '' Harry threw his bridge player to his breast in mock wounding. `` I 'm not that dumb. ``

'' We 'll see when the O.W.L. final result come. '' Pythea glanced at the sky. `` When do you think they will get here ? ``

'' Oh eventually. '' Harry put his implements of war behind his read/write head. `` I 'm in no hurry. No wait, lolly that. Once they come we do n't have to heed to Hermione worrying anymore. They need to come now. Right now. ``

'' They 'll be here in about half an hour. '' Pythea said confidently. Harry did n't bother asking her how she knew, this was a seer he was talking to.

Harry stretched out in his chairwoman and yawned. It was courteous to have an literal holiday again, no worry about Voldemort, no pursuit to take on. It was relaxing. Harry eased his bruise leg into a more comfortable position. He needed relaxing. His leg and his stomach needed relaxing. His mentality needed it too. Harry closed his center and sighed happily. Through his trick visual modality he could see Thea look over and smile fondly.

'' Have you decided whether you 'll go to Hogwarts yet ? '' Harry asked her.

'' I do n't acknowledge what I 'd do there. '' Pythea tapped her finger's breadth against her glass. `` I would n't be a bookman and I could n't be a teacher. ``

'' You could be a teaching assistant. '' Harry grinned. `` assistance Trewalny- ''

'' Do n't even finish up that sentence. '' Pythea shuddered. `` That idea is too horrible to contemplate. ``

'' But to the highest degree of all you can be close to the order in lawsuit they need your arcane talents. '' Harry wheedled. `` Your impressive arcane gift. Your amazing and unparalleled arcane talents. ``

'' Would n't I be closer here ? '' Pythea raised an eyebrow quizzically. `` Here in the guild headquarters ? ``

'' But what if the marauders needed your endowment. '' Harry pleaded. `` Your impressive, godlike talents. ``

'' Harry ... ''

'' And besides. '' Harry smiled warmly. `` You never got a luck to be a kid. select this chance, occur to Hogwarts. Let the marauders show you how to throw fun. ``

Pythea did n't say anything, but she smiled.

'' That 's a yes. You smiled so that 's a yes. ``

'' Harry ... ''

'' It counts as a yes. You 're stuck with it now. ``

'' You ... ''

'' Me. ``

'' Stop it. ``

'' Ca n't. ``

'' And you call me a brat. ``

Harry chuckled and laid back in his backside. He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew was a owl was pecking at his face.

'' Get. The. Hell. Off. Me. '' Harry groaned.

Peck, mass, peck.

'' Oh fine. '' Harry woke and cracked his neck. The owl was n't holding a letter of the alphabet. `` Where are my bleedin event you poor fish bird ? ``

'' Here Harry. '' Theia was sitting comfortably, holding a turn up scrap of report in her hands.

'' The owl gave it to you ? ``

'' I 'm good with creature. '' Thea glanced down at the piece of newspaper publisher. `` Do n't you want to do it your results ? ``

'' Not particularly. ``

'' No ? We could actually have a berth where I go to Hogwarts and you do n't. ``

'' Has ... has that happened ? '' Harry felt his heart drop.

'' Ah so you actually do concern. '' Pythea glanced at him slyly.

'' little terror. ``

'' You have n't failed. '' Pythea smiled. `` You got four. Four O.W.Ls. ``

'' well that ... '' Harry nodded faintly. `` That 's not bad. That 's not too bad. Considering. '' He reached over and picked the results out of her deal. `` appeal O. Ok that works for me. defending team ... E. ''

'' How could you get an E in defense. '' Pythea shook her head at him. `` You defeated Voldemort. ``

'' Defeating sour lords does n't have a written portion. '' Harry said indignantly.

'' Did you see the other results ? ``

'' Managed A 's in astronomy and animate being. '' Harry shrugged. `` Good enough to go back to Hogwarts. ``

Pythea opened her mouth to say something but did n't get the chance.

'' The results ! The effect are here ! ``

Harry 's ear were assaulted by Hermione 's screams. Thea raised her hand to her ears and winced.

'' Welcome to the vulture. '' Harry said, over the ringing in his ears.
*


The next day they did the entirely thing traditional after receiving Hogwarts varsity letter. The customary, almost pilgramigical, head trip to Diagon Alley.

'' Wait why are you going ? '' Harry had asked Fred and St. George. `` You 've had your conclusion year. ``

'' We 're going to go look at something. '' Fred had replied evasively.

'' What ? ``

'' Just ... just something. '' Fred shrugged.

'' This is about your antic store is n't it. '' Harry guessed shrewdly.

'' Maybe. ``

'' What about you ? '' Harry turned to Joshua stock split. `` Why are you coming ? ``

'' I 'm bored. '' Was his compendious reply.

Harry shrugged. Fair enough. The Weasley parents were there as well of course. Harry knew that on some level they disapproved of their tike being soldiers in a war on eternal swarthiness. Harry knew this, and could barely lend himself to care. The war was effectively over for now, they were n't soldiers for now. Not for a few years at least. Harry shrugged, he would have preferred if the marauders could go alone. Being parented after so long taking care of himself was galling. Ah well, with so many marauders they could n't possibly keep tab on all of them.

Harry shrugged and hoisted his cane. Ah well, time to do the back to school day shop class. How very normal.
*


Harry dropped into a nates in an ice-cream living-room. His left leg, and left arm were both killing him. He had never been more thankful that his bottomless bag absorbed the weightiness of the Book he 'd bought. If he 'd had to dribble them the traditional way he might well be dead. It was n't even just the weight or the wound, it was the people. What had happened in the section of mysteries was known to every wiz in Britain and probably a practiced identification number outside as well. Harry did n't cognise which ones were worse, the 1 that demanded an John Hancock like he was he was a bloody celebrity or the 1 that shied away from him like he was a god. It was draining, physically and mentally. He needed a break.

'' Are you alright Harry ? '' Ron asked.

'' Everyone wants to discontinue for ice cream right ? '' Harry panted. `` We 're all stopping for ice cream. Not because I 'm almost stagnant. Stopping for ice ointment because we want to, not because I 'm a bloody handicap. ``

'' Um ... yeah Harry. '' Padma nodded faintly. `` Because we want to. ``

'' Great ! '' Harry sat back. `` Double scoop, coffee and hot chocolate please. ``

'' Why do I have to get it ? ``

'' I 'm injured. '' Harry held up his cane and put on a shamed verbal expression. `` War wounds. ``

'' Make up your judgment. '' Dragon muttered and shook his foreland wryly as the piranha pushed tables together around the one Harry had claimed. Harry just sat back and grinned. The rut had beat down harshly all day but now it was evening and the air was pleasantly chill. Very peaceful. Harry wondered idly what he would do with a yr of peace. Probably go mental. Possibly get arrested. Without his lofty goals to free his outlawry he was nonimmune to end up rout out. He might have to rein himself in a bit. Just a bit. It was unfortunate that he had no estimate how to do that.

'' java and hot chocolate. '' A strobile was shoved into his hand by Padma.

'' What ? No waffle cone shape ? ``

'' Do n't push it limpy. ``

'' Ouch. '' Harry chuckled as the marauders pulled up chairs around the table. Despite her caustic remark Padma pulled up the chair next to Harry. Theia sat down quietly on the other slope. She was quiet with everyone but Harry still. For someone who had been one of the most right charwoman in the world she was remarkably shy. Harry opened his mouth to ask her something when he felt a tug at his sleeve.

'' scout. '' Padma hissed quietly and cheekily. Harry 's middle followed her surreptitious gaze to the early side of the table. Ginny and Dragon were sitting at the far early side. As he watched Ginny held her ice cream out to Dragon, who bent to lick it and ended up with a topographic point on his nozzle. Ginny laughed tatty than it was lifelike to express joy at something so cliché and wiped the spot off with a diaper. The napkin brushed down Dragon 's face just a mo longer than was necessary. With his magic trick eye Harry could even see Ginny 's heartbeat quicken. Harry turned to Padma.

'' And he still remains totally oblivious. '' Harry shook his nous in disbelief. `` Does he have some sort of empathic blind-spot ? ``

'' Apparently. '' Padma snorted cynically. `` I think Ginny 's getting desperate. It 's almost embarrassing. My darling sister has been lending her mascara. And cream. ``

'' Interesting that you say emollient in the Saame mode that others would say ... oh I do n't know. Skunk bile. ``

'' If he 's that forgetful he 's not worth it. By the way, if you want to swap some of the emollient for skunk gall I 'm secret plan. '' Padma grinned slyly.

'' That would be really signify. ``

'' She would pull in care though. ``

'' We do n't prank swain vulture. '' Harry turned to the girl on his early side. `` Maybe you can tell us. See anything in their future ? Something pocket-sized and squalling perhaps ? ``

'' I 'm not a fate Teller Harry. '' Pythea said coldly. It was only the timid sparkling in her eye that told him she was kidding.

'' Not even a short portion ? '' Harry arched an eyebrow.

'' What do you wait me to do Harry ? '' The short oracle smiled. `` take tea leaves ? ``

'' Would that puzzle out ? ``

'' Of course not. ``

'' Wait a minute ! '' Ron spun round from Pythea 's other side. Harry saw the seer jump in surprise but cover it a moment later. Ron had n't noticed. `` Tea folio do n't betoken the futurity ? ``

'' No. However could they ? ``

'' What about clouds ? Tarot cards ? Casting bones ? ``

'' I 'm lamentable Ronald none of those will give you any insight into the future. '' Pythea answered calmly.

'' Then what have I been doing for the past three years ? ``

'' Making stuff up ? '' Harry suggested.

'' fountainhead yeah I knew that but ... what did I get an O.W.L for ? ``

'' You got an O.W.L for putting up with Trewalny for three twelvemonth. '' Harry reached over and clapped Ron on the berm. `` It 's well deserved. ``

Pythea laughed lightly into her helping hand causing Harry to notice something.

'' Hey, you have n't got any ice cream. '' Harry cocked his head. `` Did you want something else ? I think they 've got umber and tea and poppycock. ``

'' Harry it 's O.K.. '' Pythea seemed to shift closer to him. `` I just do n't have any money that 's all. I left Greece with cypher and I 've been staying at the manor ever since you know ... ''

'' You should have said something. '' Harry held out his cone. `` Here. You 'll like it, burnt umber is one of the three rubber United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland look, coffee ice cream however is dangerously experimental. ``

Pythea chuckled as she daintily licked a dip off the side of his ice pick cone. Harry turned it to let her get at all of it. He heard a snigger behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Padma covering her oral fissure with her hand.

'' What ? '' The sniggering continued. `` What ? ``

'' Nothing. '' Padma 's eyes flickered to genus Draco and Ginny on the other side of the table then back to him.

'' Wha ... what are you suggesting that ... no no that 's ... that 's totally different. '' Harry protested, which only prompted a gale of laughter. `` It 's not the same thing ... I mean she did n't .... whereas they ... Shut up. '' Harry turned away from the sniggering predator and tried to ignore her. He and Pythea finished off the conoid by turns, and by the prison term they finished Harry was pleasantly cool.

It was a totally fun and peaceful picture. Harry should own known it would n't last.

'' Having a pleasant day out Mr Potter ? '' A shadow fell across the table. `` It was a beautiful day I felt. ``

'' Hello Saint James the Apostle. '' Harry 's eyes fixed on the old gentleman. Maybe it was his tone of voice but the predator went still in a moment. They went from laughing happily to taught as a drawn bowstring in an instant. Hands hovered near wands. Harry waved to them. `` Do n't worry guys, he 's not dangerous. He 's not even really here. Again. ``

'' A commiseration really. '' James turned his pale, lined face to the sky. `` It looks like such a Nice evening. ``

'' Is it inhuman where you are ? ``

'' I am not telling you where I am. '' Henry James smiled. `` But I do not blame you for fishing. ``

'' I 'm certainly peculiar as to who you are. '' Harry leant forwards. `` Last prison term I followed your advice I was framed for murdering some demise eaters. ``

'' A regrettable outcome Mr Potter, but not my fault. '' James spoke dryly and precisely. `` The information I gave you was entirely chastise. ``

'' Yes. '' Harry nodded towards the Baker Gemini the Twins, both ( despite his row ) looking prepare to outpouring. `` You told me that their Padre was targeted to be attacked so I do n't think you work for Voldemort. But that does n't stand for you 're on the side of good. ``

'' good is meaningless. '' James said definitely. His crisp Oxford University enunciation making the countersign seem even colder.

'' Now I know you 're on the wrong side. ``

'' Think whatever you wish Mr Potter, it does n't particularly matter if you like me. Although obviously I would favour if we were on amicable terms. Nevertheless you will listen to what I have to say. '' James waved a gloved hand at the bustling street. `` You will listen or in just about ten mo these mass will all be dead. ``

'' You 'd ameliorate public lecture fast then. '' Harry 's finger were gripping the side of his chair.

'' Voldemort will set on here. '' Was the simple answer from the elderly visage in front of him.

'' Voldemort has just two death eaters and is supposed to be almost dead. '' Harry grated angrily. `` How could he possibly mount an onset. ``

'' love boy do you expect me to tell you everything ? '' James smiled faintly. `` You would think that this would be enough. Just know that as soon as the Sun Myung Moon rises about XX werewolf and at least as many wizards will be attacking here. Whether you chose to believe me ... is up to you. '' Saint James disappeared where he stood, startling a expiration family.

'' Harry ? '' Ginny was speaking worriedly from across the table. `` Do you believe him ? ``

'' Yes. '' Harry 's teeth grated together. `` Sod the bastard but yes. '' Harry grabbed his cane and pushed himself to his wobbling fundament. `` Neville, get inside the shop class and flue the aurors, and the lodge. Everybody else starting time spreading out and getting people into the hearth. Do not panic them. GO ! ``

'' right field. '' Harry turned to the worried looking Pythea. `` Can you fight if it comes to it ? ``

'' I was never trained. '' Her phonation sounded very small.

'' Ok, do n't contain this the wrong way but if something happens you need to stay out of the way. '' Harry raised his hired hand to her berm. `` Stay safety. '' Harry stepped back and waved the marauders to the left and right down the street. He himself painfully stepped onto the table and amplified his voice.

'' Listen ... ag ... This is Harry potter. '' A cheer went up from the crowd, some people began to scrabble for things for him to signalize. `` No no, Listen. We 've received a tip that there might be something bad happening here soon. It 's probably a false alarm, just some idiot who thinks he 's funny, but I 've talked to the aurors and they think we should evacuate anyway. Just proceed calmly into the nearest store and flue back to your home plate. No pushing, just delight go domicile. Do n't care about your Friend up and down the street, we have people warning them too. ``

Harry tried to keep a equanimity smiling fount as he waved people into away, nodding with an almost trite normality. He heard clattering footsteps behind him.

'' Harry ! '' Neville dashed up behind him.

'' What did the aurors say ? ``

'' I could n't touch them, the flue pipe 's blocked. '' Neville panted. `` I went through the spinal column and tried the future shop. It 's down too. I think they all are. ``

'' What ? '' Harry spun to look at the shop he had been waving people into. As he turned a cry went up and seemed to undulate along the crowd. Harry could here the cries of 'it 's not working, why is n't it working ?'. He felt is essence drop curtain. He spun and grabbed a man out of the crowd. The man looked down at him in shock but Harry spoke right over him. `` Can you apparate ? ``

'' Wha ... what 's that ? ``

'' Try to apparate. ``

'' Is there a trouble ? ``

'' Just try to bloody apparate ! ``

'' I ... '' The man paused. `` I ca n't. It 's blocked or ... or something. ``

Harry spun back to face Neville. The queasy marauder was gripping his wand hard. Harry amplified his voice harshly, twisting his baton until he could feel his vocal cords twanging.

'' vulture ! THIS IS REAL ! GET EVERYBODY OUT INTO LONDON ! ``

Harry left Neville in charge and clattered back towards the leaky cauldron, his leg felt like it was on fire. The entry wall came into sight, closed. People were crowded up against it, clawing at the bricks like rotter. Harry stopped, shocked.

'' Harry ! '' Lucy Jamaican capital ran up to him, the Baker twins trailing behind her. `` We tried to get them out but the flue pipe are down. When they found out the panicked. I 'm ... I 'm sorry. ``

'' Get out of the way. '' Harry ordered them, raising his wand towards the crowd. `` EVERYBODY MOVE ! ``

The crowd turned towards his yelling voice, saw the raised wand and the look in his heart, and parted like the red sea.

"Confringo ! '' Harry aimed the curse at the sum of the paries and blasted a hole in the masonry. He shot again and the wall fell in, crumbling into rubble. Behind the wall a figure stepped forward, his brass veiled by a roughly material and the rest of him covered in deep green. That was what everybody saw. conjuration optic saw more.

'' Get away from him ! '' Harry yelled, but he was too slow. The digit shot forward like a snake, his hand jerking into his clothing and coming out with a thick bladed dagger. In one smooth bowel movement the man was amongst the crowd. The knife came forward and Harry saw a atomiser of blood. The knifeman spun and plunged the sword into the back of a char who had turned to run then Harry was knocked to the position by pressing body as the crowd stampeded away.

'' Let me through ! '' Harry yelled as he was buffeted madly. He could still see the knifeman in the stale blue of his witching pot. The man was spinning randomly through the crowd, opening veins and cutting pharynx like the flickering word-painting of liquid destruction. Harry tried to push his way towards him but he was thrown back. `` Screw this ! Galbinus digitus ! Hammus missus ! ``

The vines on the wall to his side expanded like a mad octopus, arching across the street. Harry had already cast a chain up to the green arch and jerked himself up over the crew. Swinging madly, barely in control, Harry was drawn through the air above the heads of the writhing bunch. Harry 's eye caught the knifeman and he let go, swinging his wooden leg out, steel-toed boot coming up.

The man dodged like a wildcat and Harry twisted in the air to avoid getting a knife in his neck. He landed painfully, his leg bending under him, unwilling to endorse his weight, and he stumbled. The tongue flashed towards him.

'' Stalagmite ! '' Harry jabbed his wand down and the cobblestone exploded upwards in a jutting spike, knocking the knife away. But the man was too fast his left hired hand dipped into his clothes and came back with a fragile verge before Harry could even stand up. Harry had to roll away as a tearing net of razor train of thought came shooting towards him. He tried to stand but his leg buckled and he saw the flash knife again, too close this time.

'' Stubefy ! '' The red spark smashed the knifeman from behind and threw him to the floor. Harry struggled to wax as Lucy and the two Bakers pushed through the endure of the crew to get to him. Lucy grabbed his arm and he gratefully pulled himself upright. `` Are you alright ? ``

'' No ! '' Harry summoned his cane and glanced around. There were bodies everywhere. He had n't been fast enough.

'' We tried to- '' Terry Baker began to verbalize but a knife bloomed from his articulatio humeri and he was thrown back into his sis arm. `` Aaaah ! ``

Harry spun with his wand out. Out of the hole in the wall were climbing three more green shrouded figures. Harry 's eye buzzed through them and was more behind them. Lots more.

'' Get him out of here ! Fall back ! '' Harry yelled. He twitched his wand at the floor and swung it like a sword, growing a wall of stone out of the rough cobbles. Harry saw Anna Baker crying as she dashed away with her bleeding crony at the same time as Lucy ran to stand succeeding to him. `` I meant you too ! ``

'' I 'm not leaving you. ``

'' That 's fine, I 'm retreating too ! '' Harry hobbled backwards, his wand trained on the wall. A film over shape catapulted over the rampart, spinning in the air. Harry 's sceptre flicked out. `` Ferio ! '' The hex struck the man in the air and he crashed to the floor head first with a sickening crunch. Two Thomas More followed him and Harry threw more spells, beside him Lucy was madly bemuse curses. Harry could see the street behind the paries filling up with opposition. There were far more than the twenty Jesse James had warned about.

'' Difindo ! '' Harry raked his sceptre along the prat of the wall, forcing himself to ignore the three more warriors that had leapt over the top of it. `` Depulso ! '' His wall flew backwards along the street like a wrecking globe, sweeping the assailant back. Harry did n't give metre to crow as a lion made of fire leapt out of tenuous air and raked his arm with burning nipper. He did n't nettle to flame-freeze it, just blasted it out of the air and sent the flames back at the iniquity figures advancing up the street towards them.

'' Harry, did n't that man say something about loup-garou ? '' Lucy was panting beside him.

'' take heed if you see a bloody werewolf say me ! '' Harry yelled through gritted teeth as he smashed a pillar of ice out of the air. `` Until then I think I 'll deal with the problem in front of me ! ``

Harry blocked another whammy but even as he did so two more whizzed past him and hit the gang. He heard yell of nuisance and torment. He could n't stop all of them. He could n't even stop near of them. This was going to be a bloodbath unless he could stop it.

'' They 're on the roofs ! '' Someone in the crowd yelled.

Harry 's eye swiveled up and he cursed. There were at to the lowest degree five wispy trope dashing along the rooftops towards them, the sheer slope not even giving them pause.

'' Bloody hell who are these guy ? Cover me ! '' Harry ducked behind Lucy as he jabbed his scepter up at the shingles. `` Pinguis ! '' The tiles suddenly gleamed like an oil slick and the running form tumbled like skittles, skidding and scrabbling to regain purchase before falling to the sett with a crunch.

Harry saw more magical spell coming from behind him and felt like shouting as he saw five more vulture dashing to serve out of the pressing crowd. Draco skidded to a stop next to him and instantly had to elevate a carapace to quit a spinning blade.

'' They 're attacking on the early incline too ! '' Draco yelled, his face covered with a shininess of sweat. `` Ginny 's keeping them back but there 's nowhere for the crowd to go. We 're between a hammer and an incus ! ``

Harry cursed even as his eye swirled in it 's socket and tried to concenter to the other slope of the crowd. No good, too many people. But he could see spells flaring up from the street beyond. Harry swore again and had to fire off a desperate tabulator to a over-embellished curse hat hissed through the air like a snake in the grass. Harry swung his verge at the shop class on either side of meat of the street and yelled a magical spell. The methamphetamine in the window shattered into knife-edge sherd and drag in across the street like a scythe. Harry could get wind the thud as it bit flesh. It only gained them moments, new figures appeared almost instantly, crouching behind their dead comrades for blanket. Harry used the time to raise the cobblestone in another wall but almost instantly it was struck with curses. Blasting away the Stone and leaving muddle for their enemies to fire through.

'' When are the aurors getting here ? '' Ron asked desperately.

'' How the hell should I know ! '' Harry yelled back angrily. `` They may no even be able to get in ! ``

'' What about knockturn alleyway ! '' Neville called out suddenly, pointing back into the crowd. `` Could we get people out that way ? ``

'' This many people ? Crammed in there ? '' genus Draco ducked behind a conjured shield. `` It would be a meatgrinder !. ``

'' It may be the only prospect ! '' Harry 's eye swivelled to find the non-white side street. Some people were trying to escape down it but about were shying away. Harry 's eye focused further, further down the street ... `` Oh for the ... ! Werewolves ! lycanthrope in knockturn ! ``

But the cry came too late. They burst out of the swarthiness like a Wave of sweating haircloth, cutting into the crowd like butter. Whether there were twenty or fifty or to a greater extent was inconceivable to tell, they just seemed like one giant raging animal. The shriek came louder and louder, as did the howls.

'' No ! Dragon, Ron ! finish them now ! '' Harry jabbed his arm back towards the alley.

'' Can you manage here without us ? '' Draco said as he began to move.

'' Gon na sustain to ! '' Harry glanced back at the street, filling again with foe. `` I ca n't be active fast enough to fight down werewolves. '' Harry summoned a bust up mesa, ducked behind his stopgap shelter and jammed his baton to the neck. `` GINNY SEND TWO OF YOUR the great unwashed TO KNOCKTURN ALLEY. werewolf ! ``

Harry had no way to hump if she had heard. He just had to hope. Ron and Draco could n't do it on their own. Harry 's eye whirled like a marble, trying to find oneself some other way out. There was nowhere to blot out and every moment they waited people were dying. His eyes found gleaming pillars of flannel marble. A massive building, defensible.

'' INTO GRINGOTS ! '' Harry bellowed out across the bunch. `` EVERYBODY INTO- ''

Harry was thrown to the story as his table exploded, showering him with knife sharp sliver. He felt one bounciness of his magic eye and shuddered to think of what it would let done to his real one. A knife spun out of the bluing and cut a slice out of his arm.

Harry stumbled backwards and almost fell, catching himself on his cane. He aimed a stunner a moving shape but it went wide. He cursed, there were too many of them. Gringots had better be defendable, or they were all truly screwed.
*


Ginny abandoned the failing shelter of a door and dashed for a pile of rubble. tour zinged above her head, too many to count. She dove to the floor and felt her hide tear as she slid behind her the bricks. The street was full of madness. Whoever the blaze these guy wire were they were safe. best than death eaters.

warmth. sight of heat.

'' Ginny get out of there ! ``

Ginny threw herself forward before the peck she was hiding behind exploded into blasphemous flame. She dashed back to the other marauders, spinning and casting spells at the shadows flitting towards them. Too many to count. Every doorway was a potential attacker. Ginny reached the piranha and twirl in sentence to harbor and weather a clap of frozen blades. She heard the gang behind her vociferation in pain in the neck. Whatever the marauders did it was n't enough. The masses were getting into Gringots but not fast enough, the crowd was too huge and the doors to the bank too low. Too many dying. Ginny steeled herself against the blood. It smelled like a butchery. She wanted to vomit.

'' There 's no Thomas More cover. '' Hermione 's voice was shaking. `` There 's no Sir Thomas More cover. ``

'' We are the binding. '' Ginny yelled, trying to go like Harry. `` pedigree up in front man of the crowd ! ``

'' There are n't enough of us. ``

'' Then short letter up in battlefront of most of the crowd ! '' Ginny yelled archly. `` You chose who you want to let die ! ``

Ginny ducked to the floor and shielded as strongly as she could as a onslaught of spells knocked her vertebral column. She did n't try to open fire back. She had to use everything she had to keep the shield up. On either side it butted up against Hermione 's and Cho 's, right now it seemed like a report wall. Ginny gritted her teeth they had to hold. Just a short longer.

The crew was surging backwards, slowly seeping away. The marauders backed their wall to espouse them. Ginny tried to dismiss the fact that every meter the crowd pulled back revealed more than bodies from under their feet.

'' Ah ! ! '' Ginny 's head whipped around at the familiar scream in time to see Cho crepuscule, her dress burning with purple flame.

'' Hold the telephone circuit ! '' Was the first base thing that came to Ginny 's lips as she dropped her shield and blasted urine onto the fallen marauder. She dashed to Cho 's face and grabbed her arm, hoisting the older lady friend onto her shoulder. She threw up a precipitous shield that shattered instantly under the onslaught and was driven to her knees. Ginny summoned another shield and dragged her burden back, trying to ignore the fact that the arm draping over her shoulder joint was sinister with burning. Ginny 's brain seethed with furore and she itched to omit her shield and fire dark curse word at the enemies before her. But she could n't. Wand shaking in her hand she kept her wearisome retreat, her idea recoiling at every trance that slipped through.
*


The black wall of rage just kept coming. The loup-garou were mad with Moon, they did n't even care when they were burnt or bled. You had to cut them down. The cobbles were slippery with blood and viscera.

'' Difindo ! '' Draco flicked open a spurting slice in the neck of a snarling wolf, screeching howl of hurting went up. He blocked them out. He glanced behind him, the crowd was squeezing back into the cant like a living thing, they were almost all interior. The marauders were almost back to the entree now, one bulwark of defensive shields, one wall of aggressive firing death. He could see Harry breaking whale ball of road to fling like wrecking balls.

'' Draco duck ! ``

Draco did n't even opine, he just slammed himself to the base. Green visible light blasted above his read/write head. That was not a werewolf ! Draco rolled to his infantry, wand out. In amongst the werewolves were loping chassis, wands out and firing. Black cerement of tattered gown around them. Killing whammy one after another and another blasting out. They did n't even look to worry if they hit the predator, the werewolves or one of their own.

'' These are n't the same as the ninja guy wire ! '' Parvati screamed, ducking into a doorway to avoid the storm of curses. genus Draco stabbed his wand forward.

'' Incendio ! '' A masked physical body burst into flame but kept coming. Draco cursed and took aim at a clothe head. `` Reducto ! '' The brain exploded but the body kept lurching forwards.

'' What the hell are they ! '' Ron 's quivering interpreter yelled out from behind. `` They do n't die ! ``

'' Back up ! '' genus Draco desperately waved the marauder back. He stumbled backwards, nothing could give people this major power, this was insanity. A delusion or else a fever pipe dream. Dragon dashed across the square away, there was no holding back these brute. There were still mass in the street ! Draco ducked behind a bloody lycanthrope carcass but there was niggling point, there were enemies all around now. The vulture were being pushed back, the green-clad assassins coming from left and mightily and the werewolves and unimaginable warriors crashing in from the front.

Draco screamed as his arm was engulfed in fire and extinguished it with his arm. He shot a curse down the street at a shadow but missed. They were losing. A dark shape loomed over him and he spun, too slow. The robed form fell on him and he felt steely-cold men grab both his arms. With an insensate force he was held to the floor. The hood came up and Draco felt his eyes go widely with fear.

The nerve had rotted away.

"Fulgar Fletch !"The remains above him was thrown backwards as a cloud of knives sliced it to medallion. A 2nd cloud reduced it to flayed nub and the rotting husk fell to the ground in pieces. `` Get up Draco ! ``

Draco scrambled to his feet and spun to see Harry standing like a bloodstained god of war. He swung his verge in a soused arc and the tongue leapt into the air again, each growing a set of dragonfly fender and darting forward to slice another shuffling frame to ribbons.

'' We ca n't kill than but we can shred them ! '' Harry yelled, standing in plain sight like he was daring the things to try to belt down them. `` We just need to concord for a few Thomas More bloody seconds ! ``

Draco dashed back to the marauder cable, spinning and sending flaying hex behind him at the pursuing fauna. In forepart of him he saw Ron struck in the side, with what he could not state. Draco dashed to help him but the sett between them exploded into razor sharp shrapnel and he was driven back.

'' Just a few More irregular ! '' Harry appeared out of nowhere, one arm gripping his cane like a frailty, the other moving in a fuzz of spell casting. Ron was lifted from the trading floor and flew towards Gringots, Harry had n't even been looking at him. `` A few More ! '' His arm was caught with the edge of a condemnation and he was spun off his feet, pitching him onto the floor.

Draco spun, found the threshold the magical spell had fired from and sent a swarm of hornets. They were burnt up in mid air before they got halfway.

'' Now ! '' Ginny 's voice shouted out. `` Everyone interior ! ``

Draco 's feet skidded on the cobbles as he dashed for the steps of Gringots. He shielded as a swearing winged towards him and had to roll out of the way of a killing scourge. Ginny 's predator were holding the line for just a minute longer, giving the rest of them a chance to get in. genus Draco powered up the steps and spun when he reached the door, firing cuss as fast as he could. Harry was the merely one left out there, slowly backing up the steps with his sceptre out.

He ca n't go up step ! Draco realized with horror. But just as the thought hit him Harry spun and fired a mountain chain up past the demarcation of fighters. Harry flew like a firework into Gringots, falling to the marble floor.

'' That 's it. Everyone in ! ``

Draco did n't want Ginny 's cry out command, his feet were already skidding him backwards. The heavy doors were slammed shut on his dog. He could listen cuss sparking against the woods and cracking stone.

'' Colloportus ! '' Harry was back on his feet and pointing his baton at the door.

'' Will that hold ? '' Draco asked, his breath coming lowering in his ears.

'' No. ``
*


'' I want those mesa stuck across the windows ! '' Harry gestured with his cane. His eye was flickering around desperately trying to spot any other way their attacker could transgress the building. `` lift walls across the flooring to burgeon forth out of. And get all these citizenry down into the burrow ! ``

'' Mr thrower you can not chip in orders here ! '' A goblin appeared from nowhere, his optic flinty. `` You had no right wing to involve Gringots in wizard business ! ``

'' It was the only was to save these masses. ``

'' That is not my problem. '' The hob snarled. `` farewell now or we will open the door and let those people in. ``

'' Listen shorty. '' Harry grabbed the goblin by the neck opening and lifted him off the floor. He was instantly surrounded by a mathematical group of gird hob. Each of them was pointing what looked like a crossbow at him. They did n't count happy however as they were quickly surrounded by a enceinte grouping of armed wizards. Harry turned back to the goblin in his fist and hissed, `` There are more than of us than you. ``

'' And if we open the doors there will be a lot less. '' The goblin twisted out of his clutch and dropped to the floor.

'' delay ! '' The crowd was pushed aside and Pythea, her brass streaked with dirt, stepped between Harry and the goblin. She turned on the hobgoblin with her hands spread out. `` You have to let them in. ``

'' I do not cause to heed to the fema- ''

'' These citizenry have accounts. They have vaults. '' Pythea spoke quickly. `` By law if they request to approach their bank vault you must let them. ``

'' You- '' The goblin spluttered but the crowd had already surged towards the tunnel. `` No, no wait ! ``

'' I do n't remember they 're listening to you. '' Harry said to the hob, over the roar. `` And besides, if they get in here do you think they 'll break at killing the humanity ? ``

'' You ... human. '' The goblin spat the finish word before disappearing into the crush of masses. A moment later the construction shook like a Alexander Graham Bell. Harry spun and looked towards the room access, he groaned.

'' They 're trying to break the door down. '' Pythea breathed, her part steadier than Harry thought he could feature managed.

'' They 're using one of the pillars for a battering ram. '' Harry tried desperately to imagine of something to bolster the door. `` Mythril ! Dia-obsero ! Portapavo ! '' The door went silver and crusted over with crystals.

'' Do you cogitate that will go along them out ? '' Pythea asked doubtfully.

'' No. '' Harry glanced around at the marauders desperately boarding up windowpane with anything they could find. He shook his mind, the aurors had better come soon. `` Is Ron alright ? I saw him get hit. ``

'' For now he 's active. '' Pythea shuddered. `` If the ministry do n't get here he will not last. ``

'' If the ministry do n't get here we 're all royally screwed. '' Harry was looking around madly, trying to retrieve of some other way programme. `` How about the residuum of us ? ``

'' Terry Baker has a knife in him, I believe it may be poisoned but I can not narrate. '' Pythea shook her foreland. `` Miss Chang has been burnt, I have done what I can for her. George II Weasley was exsanguinated, I have spliced his circulatory system to his twin and they should live for a while. Joshua Split can not walk and I have no idea what is amiss with him. He can speak but he does n't seem to be aware of what is going on. Oh, and I can not wake Padma Patil. She seems comatose. ``

'' Is anyone not maimed ? '' Harry growled, anger mixing with veneration mixing with grief.

'' Harry ... ''

'' We 're not gon na last. '' The building rumbled again. `` We 're just not. ``

'' Harry ! '' The cry went up from the other side of the bank. Harry spun and dashed over to where Hermione was peering out a lowly gap left in the bottomland of a window.

'' What ? '' Harry skidded over. `` Are they coming in ? ``

'' I thought I saw someone in that house. '' Hermione pointed down the street. `` Can you see ? ``

'' Hold on ... '' Harry let his eye focusing out through brick and plaster, then cursed. `` There are three people in there. child. They 're trying to cover in the basement. They 're failing. ``

'' What ? ``

'' Six ... no seven. Three werewolves and four of the unkillable freaks are in there with them. I think they can reek them. The kids wo n't abide hidden for long. ``

'' What do we do ? ``

'' We ca n't do anything ! '' Harry punched his aching fist into the rampart. `` We ca n't get to them ! ``

'' Maybe ... maybe we can abstract out ! '' Neville glanced at the shaking door. `` The ninja men are pretty focused on breaking in, maybe they wo n't vex with one or two mass trying to get out. ``

'' The werewolves will, '' Draco said dully. `` They 'll chase anything that moves. ``

'' Yes, they will ... '' Harry put his hand up to his facial expression. `` And the bushed men seemed to act the same. Maybe I can draw them off. ``

'' You ca n't. '' Ginny snapped at him. `` You ca n't run ! ``

'' You ... you 're right. '' Harry felt like punching the bulwark again. `` You 'll demand to do it. Take ... '' Harry cast around for soul else who could run fast. `` use up Vanessa. '' He pointed at genus Vanessa Gibbons.

'' Me ? ``

'' You. '' Harry turned back to Ginny. `` Draw them back towards the Leaky caldron. If you meet the aurors coming the other way tell them to hurry the hell up ! ``

'' What about those three youngster. '' Hermione pointed out the window again.

'' If someone gets up to the ceiling through ... through that window they can get over there without drawing attention. '' Harry gripped his cane angrily. Something else he could n't do. `` genus Draco I need you to go alone. We ca n't dispense with Thomas More mass. ``

'' They 're children ! '' Hermione protested.

'' So are we ! '' Harry shouted back. `` And so are half the citizenry huddling in the tunnels right now ! Why do you cerebrate they picked the day after the Hogwarts letters to attack ! We need to bring through as many masses as we can. '' He stumbled as the building was rocked with another gust. The rock around the door was beginning to buckle. Harry swiped his wand along the floor to authorise a space. He pointed down at the marble.

'' Koupa ! '' The stone bent into a heavy bowl. `` Ginny, Vanessa. Get in. ``

He waited while the two missy huddled into the makeshift shelter then hovered it off the floor.

'' You ready ? ``

'' Yes. '' Ginny said confidently. genus Vanessa just stared out fearfully.

Harry raised them to the level of the window, then drew them back. With a flick of his wand the two marauder were thrown out into the street in their stone cradle. Spells chipped and blazed against the marble but Harry held it as a buckler for the two lady friend, anchoring it to the ground. The rest was up to them.

'' Get that windowpane boarded up again ! '' Harry turned back to Draco. `` Go now. You need a heave ? ``

'' No, I got it. '' genus Draco turned, cradling his arm. Harry had n't noticed it was injured. nil to be done though, they were all injured. Harry watched as Dragon climbed up to the window and broke the embarkation just enough to crawl out. Harry turned back to the marauders.

'' What are you looking at ? We still need to protect this place ! '' They scattered and Harry began raising occupation after line of wall as defence force. He drew lines of spiked conducting wire in front of the room access and disillusioned it. Hopefully they would n't note it.

'' Harry maybe you should go into the tunnel. '' Pythea said quietly behind him. `` You 're injured too. ``

'' Thea I just sent some of my comfortably friends out to die because I ca n't do it. '' Harry 's own articulation sounded bitter in his ears. `` But I 'm indisputable as hell staying here to stop them getting through. That 's all I can do, but I 'll do it if it kills me. ``
*


'' They 're not following us ! '' genus Vanessa was peeking out from behind their Harlan F. Stone protection, jerking her oral sex back as a shower of spell bit clod out of the floor.

'' Damnit. '' Ginny 's blood was pumping heavily in her ear. Nothing they did could make the werewolf chase them. Nothing. They were just milling around in movement of the bank and howling while the ninja men tried to disclose in.

'' Maybe this will form. '' Ginny raised her wand up to her arm, where she was covered in line and soaked the tip of her verge in the oozing liquid. `` Oderifer. '' Red mist floated out from her sceptre, pooling about them. `` Tempesto ! '' The blood mist drifted out towards the werewolves. There was a hanker import when the wining and barking stopped ... then a bone-chilling howl.

'' Go ! Go ! Go ! '' Ginny dashed out from behind the Stone and almost tripped as she saw the werewolves bearing down on her. Her pes scrabbled on the cobbles but was moving, blitzing it down diagon alley.

'' The numb ones are coming too ! '' Vanessa screamed as she darted ahead. Ginny threw a look over her shoulder and saw the truth of it. The dead men were sprinting madly in amongst the skirt chaser, their hooded faces up and sniffing the air. Drinking it in like it was honey. Ginny thought she could see glowing red eyes beneath the black goon. For a mercy the ninja-men seemed to have more self ascendency. They were not following, but instead pounding again on the door of the hob 's bank.

Ginny put all the muscle she could into her aching legs and pounded away from the beasts, barely keeping up with the lilliputian sylph of a girl disappearing ahead of her. genus Vanessa looked over her shoulder,

'' Ginny duck ! ``

Ginny did n't even think, she just let her legs fold under her, falling like a pit. The a skirt chaser flashed over her prone trunk and crashed to the floor. Vanessa stunned it before it had a chance to rise. Ginny scrambled to her feet but she could n't incite fast enough. An arm closed around her leg. She kicked madly but the arm had the military strength of the dead.

'' Summon me ! '' Ginny screamed.

'' Accio Ginny ! ``

Ginny was pulled across the painful cobbles but the pressure on her leg was still there. She looked down and started in horror as she saw a bloody and rotting arm dangling from her ankle. She kicked it off and jumped to her feet, ignoring her combat injury.

Well they had wanted the monsters to follow them. At least it had worked. Even if they did n't defecate it.
*


Draco slid out of the window and pulled himself over the pinnacle of the ceiling to hide on the other face. He tried to pick good foothold as he hurried along the tiles. One chimney ... two chimneys ... he was looking for the seventh star sign. For a moment Dragon wished he had Harry 's eye but pushed the thought away. That way of thinking lead to unfortunate paths.

heptad chimneys. Draco put his ear to the roofing tile and heard zilch. Damnit.

backrest in front of the bank he heard a horrific howling go up. Ginny must have got the wolves aid. skillful, at least one of them was doing their job right.

Draco tried to think of a way to break through the roofing tile without causing too much randomness. Silencing charm. Draco cast it and blasted the dumb tiles away with a reducto. The outer space below was Negroid. He leant down, lighting his scepter. The lightness seemed swallowed by the inky darkness.

Suddenly the tile by his legs erupted and he felt his branch dragged back. He fell like a gem through the tiles and landed on his back with a lightning stab of bother. He kicked as hard as he could and stabbed his wand at the dark shape clutching his leg.

'' Confringo ! '' The figure 's chest exploded, raining genus Draco with skeletal shrapnel. He felt a stabbing infliction in his bureau. Through the pain his eye caught movement by the stairs. He rolled just before green light obliterated the level where he had fallen.

'' Confringo ! '' The volatile condemnation seemed the best artillery against these dead things. Draco pulled himself to his ft and stumbled to the stairwell. He heard a scrabbling and stunned a werewolf as it put it 's matted head teacher around the bend.

genus Draco was breathing hard. He put his paw to his bureau and felt a prospicient shaving of bone stabbed into him. perfective. With his verge held out shakily, Draco slowly made his way down the stairs.
*


They were almost to the caldron, Ginny could see it appear around the flexure. Vanessa was dashing beside her, her eye wide with awe. Ginny vaulted over the batch of debris from the bulwark and spun with her wand out. They were so close !

'' Reparo ! '' The bricks flew together madly, Ginny willed them to occur together faster than the beasts were moving. Vanessa spun beside her and began firing through the rapidly closing gap. Two werewolves leapt through and were sliced to the position. Ginny held her scepter tight and tried to pull the magic spell to play faster. A robe figure slammed through the bricks and pounced on genus Vanessa, throwing her to the floor. Vanessa screamed with horror.

The wall was n't fixed yet !

Keeping her scepter trained on the bricks Ginny darted over and slammed her human foot into the back of the garbed figures head. It did n't even look to finger it. She kicked again, crashing her ft into the beast 's cover face. There was a hideous crunch and the drumhead snapped back, hanging by strips of tegument. The last brick slammed into plaza and Ginny whirled.

'' Depulso ! '' The matter was thrown off Vanessa. `` Difindo ! '' She slashed her baton like a blade and fetted profligate spurted out, filling the air with a rotten flavor. She slashed again, taking off showtime one arm then the other, then finally the legs, collapsing the dead thing into a twitching heap on the floor. Ginny stumbled to the gutter and vomited.

'' Vanessa ... '' Ginny spoke between queasy gulp. `` Are you alright ? ``

Vanessa did n't speak, she was staring at the pile of blood-soaked robes and body voice, her shadow eyes wide.

'' Why did n't you fight him ? '' Ginny straightened up. `` Did you blank out everything I taught you ? ``

'' It ... '' Vanessa sounded like she was speaking from deep in her own tomb. `` It was my father. ``

Ginny felt her pedigree freezing. She walked over to the torso and gingerly lifted the exhaust hood off with her wand. She stumbled back and was almost mad again. There was nothing there but a hatful of pedigree and broken bone. Her kick had stove in the waste off-white and left the face looking like rancid mince.

'' It ... '' Ginny wet her lips. `` It might have been your founding father once, but it was just ... undead. He was n't animated anymore. ``

'' He knew who I was. '' Vanessa was hugging her coat of arms to her breast. `` He looked at me and he was smiling. He said my name. ``

Ginny reached out a manus to comfort her classmate but realized she had nada to say. She turned to the paries and pointed her wand at the small pipework at the base.

'' Oderifer. '' There was plenty of blood already on her baton and the red mist floated out and down the pipe. There was an exigent set of stifle howls from the former incline. That should keep the lycanthrope and dead men off Harry 's back for a while.

And make genus Draco a chance to hold up. Maybe.

What was that ! Ginny whirled, wand out, towards the Leaky Cauldron. She was sure she heard something from inside. Aurors ? Not even the most optimistic of aspiring cerebration could persuade her of that.

'' genus Vanessa, arrest here. continue the trance going. '' Ginny motioned to the other marauder without looking and slowly stepped towards the doorway. The door was off it 's hinge but she could see zilch from inside, just broken tabletops and a bar full-of-the-moon of smashed glass. She stepped to the edge of the room access and peered around tentatively. There were body. But she had seen too many of them today to be horrified. expect ... two of the bodies were green robed like the assaulter, slumped over a tabular array. Ginny slowly stepped into the darkened pub and checked around. There did n't seem to be anyone remaining live. She stepped up to the two remains and slowly drew their hood back. Dull vitrified centre stared back at her out of faces twisted in pain sensation. They had both been stabbed brutally and repeatedly, the second still had the knife embedded deep in his neck.

These two had probably been left as a safety, but who had killed them ? Did the killer just get out ?

Ginny 's blood froze as she remembered why she had come in here originally. She had heard a noise. intellection back, it could stimulate been someone dissapperating. But that meant that this situation was outside the Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth ! Ginny dashed towards the hearth and grabbed a generous handful of powder. The green fire that sprung up were the most glorious thing she had ever seen.

'' Ministry of Magic ! Auror 's office ! ``
*


'' Confringo ! '' Draco did n't even see if it hit before he whirled and shielded desperately as a werewolf pounced on him. It 's cursed claws skittered across the aerofoil of the shield and it was thrown backwards. Dragon dropped it and stunned the beast.

Where were the eternal sleep ? Where were the fry ? These thoughts came to Draco through a haze of painfulness. The children were in the basement ... he needed to go down. Draco staggered to a set of spiral stone step and started down them, leaning his blooded physical structure against the wall.

As he neared the ass a door came into position. Before the door were two of the dead things, slamming their rotting bodies against the wood. As Dragon approached they turned to face up him. One set of glowing red centre and one of empty rotted sockets.

'' Confringo ! '' Draco ducked back into the stairwell as the firstly wight exploded and retreated further as a outpouring of killing curse came flying down the stone hallway. Draco waited for a gap to spin out from around the corner. `` Confringo ! '' The 2nd beast disintegrated into shrapnel. Dragon felt his bad arm explode with pain but did n't look down. He stumbled to the wooden door and slammed his fist against it.

'' I 'm man. '' His voice sounded thick and painful. `` Let me through. ``

The lock clicked and the doorway swung in. Draco 's legs gave out and he fell in. He kicked the doorway closed and glanced into the dark basement. Three shining Seth of eyes looked back at him from diminutive frames. None of them could birth been erstwhile than four. They were in pyjamas, already set up to be tucked in when all Hell broke loose.

"Are you here to rescue us ?"One of them whispered.

"Just stay quiet."Draco dragged himself to his feet and trained his wand on the room access."Stay very quiet."

Above him there was the sound of a muffled burst. The door of Gringots had finally fallen.
*


Harry was thrown backwards and rolled to his feet. A black material body landed in presence of him, long knife raised. Harry slammed his cane straight up into his assailant's crotch and kicked the man's legs out from under him. Harry raised his wand to finish the job but another flesh darted at him, wand out, out of the dust. Too quick ! Harry stumbled backwards as he fenced with flashing brightness against his aggressor. The man was too damn warm ! The mongrel jabbed in with his left hand and Harry felt a slash open along his ribs. Do not let them get close !

"Excalabus !"Harry slashed out and saw shock in his attackers eyes as the polishing sword clove him in two. But his commencement attacker was back up and raging for blood.

Harry didn't looking for help. There was no assistant. The ninja screeched something and Harry couldn't dodging in sentence. Writhing pain in the ass in his chest drove chisel him to his knee. Harry turned the twilight into a rolling wave and came up with his scepter out.

"Ferio !"The spell was blocked but it had given Harry time to swag backwards. They were coming faster now. Spilling through the let on room access too fast to numerate. Harry was driven back by a barrage of spells and ducked behind a roadblock, only to induce it explode in a mass of marble gravel.

"Atrax !"Harry swept his wand across the rubble, every shard grew spindly legs and Fang and darted towards the enemies. Harry had never used the charm before and hoped to god the spider-rocks were poisonous. He leapt behind a tower before spinning and jabbing his sceptre back at the entrance. He fired off a spell and thirty came flying back. The bother in his chest was back. Harry looked down to see his shirt drenched in origin. His or other peoples ? Both. Harry could see through the cloth to where his skin had been flayed off in huge ball by his assaulter's hex. Nothing he'd seen before. Who the hell were these guy ?

The sound of other vulture desperately fighting raged in his spike. They couldn't do much, there was too much junk, to much chaos, for them to see who they were firing at.

Wait ...

"Tempesto !"Harry slammed his favorite charm to life and whipped a gale to life story, the rubble and dust was thrown away and the creeping bastards were shown to the world.

"Stubefy !"

"Confringo !"

Spells sparked out from the still standing piranha like a wall off lance. Harry's eye darted madly around the hall, trying to keep up. No, who was that on the floor ? Neville ... not dead. Harry could see his heart beating.

"Stubefy !"Harry stunned a charging ninja and levitated him up block. Harry darted out from behind his tower. Three daggers instantly slammed into his human shield. bugger. Harry dropped the deadened exercising weight and dropped to the floor, skidding across the wet marble. He grabbed Neville's leg and yanked him out of the kindling telephone line, throwing a Chain to tangle them both back to the barricade. Harry dropped him there and darted back to his place by the pillar.

Harry heard a scream and saw a outpouring of parentage. Who was it ? No time ! Harry swung out from his hiding plaza and sent a tempest of lighting into the pile of assailant. His mainstay was struck with a bane. There was a rushing speech sound and it began to glow from rapidly spreading cracks ...

Harry shielded in panic but it barely dulled the force when the pillar exploded from within, throwing him across the elbow room and slamming him into the paries. His arm shattered and pain overwhelmed him.

Occlumency ! Come on !

Harry blanked his thinking for all he was Charles Frederick Worth and, with agonizing slowness, gained control of his mind again. His arm was broken, shattered like a rod of glass, and hung limply at his slope. The wound in his tummy had broken open and was gushing blood. Could he provoke his scepter ? Could he even fire his scepter ?

"Harry !"Harry could see a gory Hermione hunched over him, shielding him desperately. She grabbed his arm and dragged him back behind the shoemaker's last standing barricade."Can you fend ?"

Have to. Harry tried to rise but fell back. There were only two piranha left fighting and Harry wasn't chesty enough to weigh himself in that number.

Not enough. Not sufficiency left.

They were finished.

Harry grimly gripped the top of the barricade and raised his verge. There were only three pillars left standing. If they went ... It he destroyed them ... They could at least save the hoi polloi below. And maybe mortal would dig their clay out of the rubble.

"Reducto !"Harry saw a longsighted cranny give through the marble."Reducto !"The crack widened."Redu-"

"time lag !"Hermione grabbed his wand."They ‘ re ... they ‘ re gone ..."

"Wh ..."Harry's eye flickered around, nothing was moving. nil but the piranha and the groaning wounded."Wh ... where did they go ?"Harry's thinker tried madly to process that. It seemed like they had been fighting for his total life. His eye cycled out. Out beyond the walls. Negroid robes. But the good kind. He could pick out Ginny and Vanessa's diminished figure out in the middle.

"The aurors are here."Harry struggled to his human foot. Leaning against the paries he could almost do it."They came. About flaming clock time ..."

total darkness drained back into his intellect and he fell back into fellow unconsciousness.
*


Draco pushed the cellar door open gingerly.

"Is it safety ?"One of the tike whispered.

"Shut up."genus Draco muttered.

"Are they gone ?"

"Shut up."Draco slowly made his way forward, wand out in one bridge player, the other pressed against the wall for support. The dead body were gone. Was that thoroughly or bad ? Everything was bad.

"Is it rubber ?"

"I told you to shut-"Draco bit off his raging warning. They were too immature and their parents were probably dead. have them something."I think it ‘ s condom. Let ‘ s go. stay behind me. And stay quiet."genus Draco dragged his understructure up the turbinate step and stopped at the top. He could get word vocalisation from outside. mortal was yelling orders. Aurors. Finally the bloody ministry.

"The ministry ‘ s here. No hitch BEHIND ME !"Draco added sharply, grabbing the nestling back. He stepped forward, carefully looking in every corner. There could still be someone there. No ... it was empty. Satisfied he waved the children forward and followed their eagre invertebrate foot to the door.

The cold moonlight hitting his side felt heavenly after the stifling reverence of the cellar.

"Here !"He waved to the aurors."Survivors ! What ‘ s the situa-"

"looking at out !"

genus Draco spun, too slowly ! The window above him exploded outwards and all he saw was a flash of fur and teeth before he was driven backwards. On top of him the mountain of snarling death roared, pressing down on his chest. He writhed to try to get out but it pressed down on his frame, sending every old injury raging into new inferno.

"Get off ! Depulso !"Draco cried desperately. The beast was catapulted into the air, shadowed against the stars. Draco rolled out desperately and the lycanthrope crashed back down, it's castanets splintering with the impact. genus Draco stunned it to be surely and got slowly to his feet.

"You could have helped."Dragon grated at the aurors approaching."Useless."

The black robed wizards stopped a few metre away, their hands on their wands.

"Do you fuck who ‘ s these children belong to ?"Draco waved at the three huddling three."Do you know ..."

The fry took a stuttering gradation away from him. The honest-to-goodness spread his limb as if to protect the other two.

"What ?"

The aurors surrounded him, their wands shaking.

"Do you know ... who their parents ... or ..."Why did his header feel like this ?

The children were dragged away from him.

"Why are you doing this ..."

Ginny was in the crowd, her deal to her sass, her centre wide with horror.

"What ‘ s going ... on ... why are you ... scared."His mind burned with cherry fog."I saved them, they ‘ re mulct ... They ‘ re ... fine ... no ..."

Draco's eyes dropped to his arm, to the bleeding wound. The sting St. Mark. Red and blazing like writhing cursed ardour. A werewolf bite. The pain of all the other injury faded away, everything else was gone.

"Damnit."Dragon whispered falling to his genu."Damnit."



That was a hugely long chapter was n't it ?


I do n't own Harry ceramist. I own ... this piece of chicken. So ha !



Harry came to on a capstone. How long had he been out ? The sky above was pitch bootleg. They had n't even moved him from Diagon bowling alley, Instead he was lying in a blood line of the bloody and mauled, a note of white-sheeted and red-stained victims in a triage tent. His eye told him it had been set up barely a stones cam stroke from the decrepit bank. All around him healers bustled between screaming patients, their verge flickering a dire dance to save hearts beating.

Harry looked down at his own body. He hadn't been properly healed, more like ... stabilized. Obviously some healer had had time to block him imminently dying before moving on to more good cases. Harry looked around for his cane but didn't see it, ah well, to the lowest degree he still had his wand. Harry picked a long splinter off the floor and enlarged it into a staff. Levering himself up on that he got to his feet.

"Lie back down."A nurse bustled over to him."You could still experience internal bleeding."

"I don ‘ t."Harry's eye rolled back in his top dog."Trust me."Harry limped out of the collapsible shelter into the open air. Aurors were hurrying around purposely and Harry thought he saw members of the parliamentary law as well. There were body laid in rows with sheets pulled over them, a lot of bodies.

Harry cursed, he needed to find mortal he recognised, someone who could assure him what was going on. A friendly fiat extremity, a familiar auror. A marauder ? Harry tried to find one ... no good. Hopefully that meant they were rubber. He couldn't see any of them among the dead. Unless they were one of the ones too fire to know. Harry felt a goon rise in his throat and squashed it down.

"Mr thrower. unspoilt to see you ‘ ve recovered."Harry turned slowly, and looked up into the vexed face of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Why are you here ?"Harry asked bluntly."Aren ‘ t you acting, irregular, interim minister for conjuration ?"

"If I wasn ‘ t here I would be back at the ministry giving gild to empty chairs."Shacklebolt looked stock. Harry had never seen the man tired."Everyone is out here, doing what they can."

"Because you told them to."

"fountainhead yes."

"And what can they do ?"

"Not much."Shacklebolt had to stand aside as a body was levitated out of the tent. The therapist carrying it laid it carefully at the end of the row of dead and conjured a sheet before hurrying back into the triage middle. Shacklebolt shook his head."So many dead. More than we lost in any one attack in this war or the last. And I can not even think of what the losses would have been if you and your friends had not been here."

"Yeah, about those friends."Harry glanced worriedly at the railway line of dead.

"You 're friends are alive Harry. Every one of them."Shacklebolts rumbling voice dropped a sales pitch to a appealing murmur."But every one was injured. Some quite badly. I can not say how deeply in debt the wizarding public is to you and your circle of friends."

"We ‘ re called the marauders."Harry corrected absent-mindedly."Where are they ?"

"They are all in St Mungos, except for young Draco who is back at his home."

"Why isn ‘ t he at St Mungos ?"

"There was nothing more they could do for him."Harry noted the forbidding musical note in Shacklebolts voice. Unfortunate possibilities.

'' Tell me everything. ``
*


Harry pushed open the full front door of Malfoy mansion and stepped into the marble foyer. It was totally soundless inside these bulwark but Harry 's eye found movement. He made for it, his make-do stave tapping on the stone floor. The halls and suite that had held friends all summer now felt dusty and desolate.

Under a distant threshold Harry saw light and made for it, though his eye was already telling him it was n't who he was looking for. Harry pushed the door open up carefully and slipped inside. Snape was stood before an raiment of cauldrons and beakers, all bubbling away and leaking fume. Natalie Zhao was there also, leafing swiftly through a thickly volume.

'' I 'm surprised. '' Harry addressed Snape. `` Shacklebolt told you were trying to get a head around all this. ``

'' I think best when I am brewing. '' Snape did n't face up from his employment but Harry could see the thin agate line of tension around his eyes. If Snape was giving away how stressed he was then ... Harry stepped up to the table and glanced over the fixings. They told him nothing, but he could guess the potion anyway.

'' wolfbane ? ``

'' Yes. '' The credit line grew a micron sharper.

'' So you 've heard. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' I was trying to find him. ``

'' He is asleep. You should let him to stay on so as he will likely get piddling residuum tomorrow night. There is no time to give him a full coarse of Wolfsbane potion. What I am brewing now will merely numb the jagged edge of his inevitable insanity. ``

'' How could this happen ? '' Harry hung his headway. `` Should n't have let them do it. ``

'' It is my understanding that they formed this ground forces in your absence. '' Snape glanced up at him before dropping his gaze back down to his work. `` I believe every member knew the hazard they were taking. ``

'' They did n't know the risks. '' Harry almost bicker. `` last 's just a word till you 've been there. ``

'' Then the absolute majority of this major planet is similarly unlettered. ``

'' How could this fall out ? '' Harry repeated. `` Voldemort should be as debile as a neonate kitten, you told me that. ``

'' Clearly I was mistaken. '' A snap of Lucy in the sky with diamonds entered the prof 's voice. `` The nighttime lord seems to have capability none of us bed. ``

'' Werewolves I get. I mean I do n't, they all left him when I killed Greyback. But ... well maybe they have a new drawing card, or something. The zombi spirit too, I at least understand what they are. But those former guy cable '' Harry shook his head. `` They were never destruction eaters. The spells they used, their whole style of fighting. I 've never seen it before. Do we experience who the hellhole they were ? ``

'' Lei Gou. '' Those were the first words Natalie Zhao had spoken since Harry had entered the elbow room, but she filled them with menace.

'' Lie Gou. '' Harry 's forehead furrowed. `` That 's Chinese is n't it ? ``

'' It is. '' Zhao nodded.

'' fountainhead who the Hades are they ? ``

'' soldier of fortune. '' Snape hissed the watchword, like it was a curse.

'' More than soldier of fortune. '' Natalie corrected. `` The Lie Gou are one C old, they take initiates from all over eastern Asia. They are incredibly skilled. They are also feared, and rightly so. The hiring a society of them has been the tipping point in more than one war. They are ruthless, entirely so. ``

'' How would Voldemort contact Chinese soldier of fortune ? '' Harry scratched his head.

'' They have factor houses in many cities. '' Zhao said with annoy calm. `` That is not the most pertinent question. ``

'' So what is ? '' Harry asked irritably.

'' How did he pay for it ? ``

'' The Lie Gou are expensive. '' Snape explained, his eyes peering down into a kitty of simmering liquid state. `` There is a renowned tarradiddle about two twin chum, the heirs to a vast estate in Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, one C ago. When their father died they both took half the wealth and tried to claim the former half also. There was a private war between their armsmen until one brother hired the Lie Gou, wasting a large part of his inheritance. That position had almost won when his brother offered the Lie Gou more money to swop sides and the fight raged the early way. This went on until both brothers were penniless, the estate reduced to a wasteland, and the Lie Gou growing fat on the suffering. ``

'' That is just a legend. '' Zhao rolled her eyes. `` But it does demonstrates both the vast pecuniary resource needed to hire the Lie Gou and their fickleness with regards to who 's position they fight on. They will also only take on real rich, nothing conjured or created by trick. gold or gem, and many of them. Only a rich cretin would employ them. ``

'' Unless they had the funds to assure that they could pair any offer their enemy made. '' Snape said irritably.

'' Which we know the dark overlord can not own access to. '' Zhao snapped her Christian Bible closed angrily.

'' You have no idea what the iniquity overlord has access to- ''

'' And you do because- ''

'' Hey ! '' Harry slammed his stave against the level. Two band of eyes flashed to him. `` Have a buff spat on your own prison term. clear Voldemort does feature the resources or I would n't have spent this pleasant summer evening being shot at, my gut would n't feel like it had a fishgig driven through it and a lot of innocent hoi polloi would n't be DEAD ! Now I have the thrower kinsperson gold and we can probably count on the Malfoy riches as well. Is it potential we can just buy these people off ? ``

'' You want to give them money ? '' Zhao looked aghast.

'' If it 'll stop them working for Voldemort. Um ... Yes. '' Harry stuck his handwriting on his hip. `` Would that wreak ? ``

'' It is potential. '' Snape responded guardedly. `` I am not entirely sure it is wise. ``

'' Yes, I got the point of your instructional fable. '' Harry snorted. `` How can we contact the Lei Gou ? ``

'' I assume through their factor business firm. '' Snape added a emergency of red pulverization to a cauldron without looking. `` Though how we find that is another matter. ``

'' I may be able to find it ... '' Harry bit his lip. It was a tenacious gibe but he knew where he could find information."Last year I had some link with .... disreputable type. Maybe one of them ‘ ll know where we can get in contact with the Lie Gou."

'' Harry, '' Snape had rounded the table and was standing in nominal head of him. `` You must swear to me that you will not go to deal with the Lie Gou alone. ``

'' I wo n't. I 'll wreak backup man. ``

'' I meant without me. '' Snape added harshly. `` You must tell me if you find their factor house. ``

'' Tell me again how you 're sound than Dumbledore ? '' Harry stepped back from the potions master.

'' Do not say things you do not mean. '' Snape said coldly. `` We both well know the difference between myself and Albus Dumbledore. ``

There was a moment of silence. Inside his own pass, Harry gulped. Since he had found out the accuracy and come to peace with it he had n't though about his true line of descent much. It was very well-to-do to just cogitate of himself as Harry thrower. Very easy to skid back into that glove. beingness reminded of it was jarring, like being hit with the truth all over again. Harry shook it off. It was better to remember, not that he would ever really forget.

'' I know. '' Harry tried to make his vocalization calm. `` This has been a very trying day. ``

'' For everyone. ``

'' Your potion 's boiling over. ``

'' It 's supposed to. '' Snape turned and stepped back behind the table. Harry took a deep breath and tried to think of anything else to add, but his tired mind kept coming up blank. Thankfully Snape had something else to ask,

'' other witnesses said they saw the numb men fire spells ? '' Snape asked. His voice said the question was almost fiddling, but Harry saw Zhao pick up up at the words.

'' They were n't dead. '' Harry 's mouth was dry with the memory.

'' Explain. ``

'' Their middle were beating and they were breathing air. They may have been rotten but they were at least partially alive. And yes, they were casting spells. ``

'' You 're surely Harry. '' Natalie leant forward. `` You 're sure as shooting it was n't the Lie Gou. Maybe in amongst the dead men ? ``

'' In amongst agency zippo to me. '' Harry tapped his eye. `` The dead men cast trance. Well ... one spell really. The killing curse over and over, but I saw one levitate a electric chair out of his way so they are open of casting other spells. ``

'' That is not possible. '' Zhao shook her head. `` Neither zombies nor inferi can perform magic. And neither have heartbeats. It 's ... insufferable. Magic can only be performed by life animate being, that has been proven over and over again, you must consume lifespan. What you describe is insufferable. ``

'' Clearly it is n't. '' The edge of choler was back in Snape 's phonation. `` Clearly the iniquity Jehovah has many capabilities we know not of. The question is why have we not seen them before ? ``

'' The motion is how do we halt them ? '' Harry broke in.

'' I have already sent order phallus to ascertain the graves of known death feeder. They have orders to disinter and burn any bodies they find still resident. '' Harry nodded, he had been about to suggest that. Snape continued, `` other than that ... we must rule the dark master. ``

'' Call him Voldemort. ``

'' No. '' Snape snapped.

'' You 're still scared of him. ``

'' Some fear is healthy. '' Snape tapped a long silver gray spoonful with his verge and set it to circle slowly in his bubbling pot. `` Especially now that we know he has capability far majuscule than we ever imagined. What I can not understand is how he has recovered so swiftly from his harm. ``

'' Maybe he has n't. '' Harry shrugged. `` He can direct troops and buy mercenaries even if he 's just a floaty brain, or a disembodied spokesperson. ``

'' He would n't negotiate with the Lie Gou from a position of failing. '' Snape shook his head. `` And whatever he has done to those walking cadaver it is clearly potent magic. No ... I fear we must assume he has his old strength back. The analog between the living corpses reanimated and the iniquity lord 's noteworthy recovery are to obvious to cut. ``

'' You think it 's the same matter ? ``

'' I think we can safely seize the two are linked. ``

'' Brilliant. '' Harry threw his hands up in the air. `` So we have three whodunit. How did Voldemort farm himself and his army from demise ? How did he get the gold to hire the Lie Gou ? And why did the werewolves pop back up after deserting him over a class ago ? ``

'' terzetto mystery. '' Natalie Zhao murmured quietly. `` Or maybe they 're the same mystery. We do n't know. ``

'' We don't know anything."Harry grimaced."We don ‘ t have a bare shred of information and we could be attacked again at any turn."

"Then perhaps you should go talking to your contacts."Snape whispered a word and the flack beneath his cauldron snapped out."But remember what you promised."

"I will."Harry pointed at the bubbling potion."Is that finished ?"

"It is, but-"

"I ‘ ll take it down to him."Harry grabbed a goblet and dipped it into the broth.

"Should you not let him slumber ?"

"He ‘ s awake."Harry tapped his eye and turned to leave.

'' Harry, '' Snape 's part stopped him before he could leave. `` You know that there may be a very honorable reason why the dark nobleman has returned. ``

'' Is there ? '' Harry looked back over his shoulder.

'' You know the vaticination. There is only supposed to be one soul capable of killing him. It is potential that, now that individual is dead, the dark lord can not die. '' Snape was eyeing Harry levelly. His brass gave away nothing.

'' I am well aware of that. '' Harry replied dryly. `` I 'll subside for dismemberment. I 'm not giving up. ``

'' Good. '' Snape nodded faintly. `` Neither will I. ``

Harry turned around and carefully carried the steaming potion from the way. He padded down the corridor, the smoke twisting into spirals in the air. It was hard to keep the goblet steady while hobbling along with his staff. Damn stupid harm. Broken invalid that he was he was he was next to useless. Couldn't even stock a blinking cup. Harry gritted his teeth and tried to press those thought away from him. They resisted, hovering in his hindbrain, mercilessly haunting him. Harry reached Draco's way and pushed the door subject. He didn't bother to knock, genus Draco almost certainly wouldn't have answered and he could already see what genus Draco was doing within.

As Harry stepped in Draco didn't look up from what he was doing. Harry placed the goblet lightly on a table and stood, unspeaking. Draco still said aught, but simply kept running his baton along long alloy rod. Welding them together and conjuring more.

Building a cage.

Harry still said nothing, but instead sat on the border of a thorax of drawers and crossed his munition. Draco would address eventually, he had to, it wasn't in him to not give his persuasion voice.

"Don ‘ t try to stop over me."Draco said over his shoulder joint."I need a cage."

"I know that."Harry nodded, speaking quietly."But we could build it in another room, no call to ruin the room you ‘ ll have to sleep in the other 27 days of the month."

"I ‘ m construction it here."Draco didn't give reasons. Harry supposed he didn't need to."I need you to make it unbreakable, can you do that ?"

"I can. If you want."Harry waited until his supporter nodded, before stepping forward and raising his wand."This won ‘ t use up long. You want to drink the wolfsbane potion ?"

Draco didn't answer, he just stepped over the chalice and drained it. A flicker twisted his features for a moment before they settled back into a dummy, stolid country. Harry flickered some good luck charm over the branding iron bars of the cage. It wasn't very boastfully, not considering that a loup-garou would be in there. Draco would be fairly cramped. Harry added some cushioning magic spell to the thick bars.

"Dragon, this isn ‘ t the end."Harry felt like he needed to say something.

"Isn ‘ t it ?"Draco said bitterly."Harry I ‘ m cursed. Permanently damned to be a lusus naturae. I ‘ ll turn a loss my nous each full moon, I ‘ ll be a black wight. I ‘ ll have become the things we kill."

"The wolfsbane can help you."

"prevaricator !"Draco hissed."There ‘ s nothing that can assist me. There ‘ s no cure. There ‘ s no Hope. Just go Harry. Just leave me. There is naught you can do for me ... unless ... unless you were prepared to-"

"Stop. Talking."Harry bit the run-in out.

"I tried to do it myself."

"Stop."

"The killing curse word doesn ‘ t oeuvre if you cast it on yourself."

"occlusion talking now."

"Please ..."Draco's eyes were wide and his voice shook."Please do it or leave me to."

"Don ‘ t say this. Don ‘ t do this."Harry felt his hairgrip on his tall staff tighten."Just shut out the hell up."

"Fine."Draco drew his wand."Just lead then Harry. I ‘ ll do it myself."He raised his wand but Harry was faster, slamming his staff up into Draco's hand and sending the wand spinning away. Harry darted forward and grabbed Draco by the front end of his robes.

"I have had sufficiency of that from you."Harry hissed, his rose up close to the picket face of his ally."I will remove your wand away if I hear you talk such undisguised cowardice as that again. You. Can. Still. Live."

"As a monster. As something I despise."

"If there is one matter I ‘ ve learned from all this bullshit I ‘ ve been through is that life history is wanted and demise is pointless."Harry released genus Draco from his grip.

"You ‘ ve said nothing that changes anything."Draco turned away from him, bowing his head."My life is pointless now. Entirely so. I would rather be stagnant, and unless you intend to rest with me every day you can not finish me."

"I would remain with you every day, I really would. But I ‘ ve got things to do so ..."Harry moved like a snake, whipping genus Draco's wooden leg out from under him and sliding him across the floor. He flicked the heavy threshold of the cage opened then slammed it closed again as Draco tumbled through. With a secondment flick Harry summoned genus Draco's wand into his hand, then the knife that was in a Draco's pocket and a letter untier from a draftsman. His eye tried to seek out anything else that could be used to cut or kill. After a import's thought he summoned Draco's potions kit out of his schooling trunk, who knew what poison there were in there. Draco had lifted himself up to his knee and was staring at him, center fully of hatred. Harry stepped right up to the cage.

"You are not dying today. You will not kill yourself. I will not let you."Harry locked the coop doorway with several appeal he knew no wandless wizard could erupt through."Your life is not over. Maybe zilch I can say can micturate you realize that right now, but you ‘ re still going to experience. Whether you like it or not."

"But ..."

"I have to go. citizenry to see."Harry turned towards the door, on the way he grabbed a book and tossed it to Draco."Here, something to learn. You ‘ ll motive to study for the year at Hogwarts that you will be attending."

Harry stepped out the door and pressed it shut, leaning back against the wood. Everything was going to hell, and he had no idea how to fix any of it. Not the little idea. Where was he even going ? He had a few ideas but ... zero concrete.

He could go to St Mungos perhaps ... check on the other predator. But he wasn't sure if he could take on any more misery. There was nothing he could do for them anyway. But then there was cypher he could do out here either.

"I ‘ m beginning to cogitate stabbing that bastard in the neck was a fantastical waste material of time."Harry muttered into the vacuous air.

The job isn't done yet.

Harry shuddered at the dread certainly in his mind.

More workplace to do.

Harry pushed himself forwards, leaning like an old man on his splinter-staff. Still more oeuvre to do. There was just one billet he could find the information he needed.

He needed to visit The Tarot.

But there was somewhere else he had to go first ...
*


Ginny curled her legs up under her. The chairs in the St Mungo's elbow room were familiar now, but it was still impossible to get comfortable in them. They even seemed ... empty. Only four chairs occupied, herself, Hermione, Lucy and Vanessa. The only four still on their fundament at the end of the battle. Everyone else was in a bed, about still unconscious. thing seemed grim

Ginny had tried to retain their spirits up, pointed out that the four subsister were all girls and how they were never going to let the son live it down. But there was no laughter here and Ginny had given up. She looked across the beds. Cho with her burns, rip paralyzed, Anna slammed against a bulwark like a doll by one of the beat men. They were favourable to be alive, Ginny told herself, lucky to be alive.

Ginny shook her head. It was hard to recollect of this as any sort of luck.

She turned towards the other set of layer, stepping up to fend succeeding to them. No ... hard to see it as any kind of fortune. She looked down at her parents. Hard to see it as any sort of fortune. She put her hand carefully on her mother 's bandaged arm. The healers said it would be weeks before they were even wake up. Not luck at all.

Ginny shuddered and turned back towards the piranha bottom. Vanessa was awake again and clinging to the side of Elizabeth II 's bed like it was a life-line. The picayune miss was badly shaken, not surprising really. Ginny thought of her as a little miss despite the fact that they were in the Lapp yr. poor people young woman had seen her malign father chopped up in front of her. At least the first time he had died she hadn't been there to watch.

Ginny shook herself. Dragon's father had died in front of him and he had recovered alright, but maybe that was because it was Draco that had killed him.

Draco ...

Ginny glanced towards the door. She wanted to go to him, comfort him. But her parents were here, they needed her. The marauders were here and they needed her too.

Except that there was nothing she could do here.

There was nothing she could do there either.

Ginny gritted her teeth and tried to stop over herself from screaming. The one matter she hated was to feel useless.
*


Harry was getting odd looks from passers by. He ignored them. Not just because that was his way but because Harlesden wasn't a place you stared at multitude in. It wasn't a terrible place, Harry knew far worse parts of John Griffith Chaney for a clearly injured man to walk through. But it was bad enough to defecate him check alleys with his eye before walking past them, and enough for him to keep open his sceptre tucked in his sleeve in easy reach.

He checked the scrap of report in his bridge player and headed quickly towards a tall, Brown, concrete block of flats. Harry checked the newspaper publisher again and reflected on the glare of the innovation of the elevator. A radical of kids in hooded sweater stared at him as he stomped past, trying to seem threatening. Harry sniffed, barely stopping himself from laughing. Thought they were problematic did they ?

Harry stepped into the cold entrance Radclyffe Hall and pressed the telephone call button for the elevator. As it slowly descended towards Harry he spent a quieten present moment reading the graffito. It reminded him of when he was young.

Harry rode the lift up, his olfactory organ wrinkling up at the very detectable weewee olfaction and stepped out on the top floor. It wasn ‘ t even a corridor, just a farseeing concrete balcony. In winter it must have been freezing. He did n't need to check the paper again, he had it down by now. Apartment 12. Harry knocked loudly and waited. He heard footstep on the other side and focused his eye through the wood. He was gasping in surprise long before the door opened.

'' Tonks ? '' Harry 's supercilium raised. `` Did n't expect to see you here ? ``

'' Harry ? Wh ... What are you doing here ? ``

'' What are you doing here ? '' Harry cocked his fountainhead to one side of meat. `` Should n't you be cleaning up diagon alley ? ``

'' I was injured. Kingsley sent me home. ``

'' But you did n't go home. '' Harry said pointedly. `` You went here. ``

'' How do you even cognize where here is ? ``

'' lycanthrope registration act. '' Harry held out the musical composition of newspaper publisher for her to see. `` Any interested citizen can find oneself out where the monstrosity live. '' Draco hovered into Harry 's idea and his stomach lurched a fiddling. Not monsters then ... not all of them. well-nigh of them though.

'' You came to see lupin. '' Tonks put her hand to her back talk in shock.

"Yes. Can you get him ? Please."

"I ... I don ‘ t know. He ‘ s only transformed back an hr ago. I came to bring him some breakfast and help him recover. He still hasn ‘ t got out of bed though."

Which means you had a key. Harry didn't say it. Instead he harshly said,

"genus Draco was bitten. Didn ‘ t you know ?"

"Draco. Oh god no ..."

"Yes. He was bitten."Harry stepped forwards angrily, forcing Tonks back into the flat. He ‘ ll have to go on a bloody inclination and take that putrid poison they call a potion and he ‘ s in his way at the manor right now in a freekin John Cage he built himself !"Harry bit his words off before he told her what Draco had wanted him to do. Later, when he was better, Draco wouldn't want the great unwashed to know.

"And you want Remus to ... what ? talk of the town to him ?"

"Just get the bloody wolfman Tonks. Get him now. Oh wait ..."Harry glanced over towards the languish sleeping room door. `` Never judgment. ``

"It ‘ s alright Tonks."A grating groan sounded and the door was pushed open slowly. `` I 'm waken. ``

'' Are you sure he was a wolf ? '' Harry stepped out from behind the pink haired girl. `` He looks like he 's hung-over. ``

'' Harry, '' Tonks held her hand, her oculus narrowing angrily. Harry was forced to cue himself that the girl with the heart shaped grimace was an auror of the Helen Newington Wills school.

'' Professor Lupin ... '' Harry addressed the grey-faced man. `` genus Draco was- ''

'' I heard. '' Lupin said flatly. `` There is zero you can do. There is nothing I can do. ``

'' I 'm not after a curative, I 'm not that stupid. '' Harry growled back. `` I need you to babble to him. You need to show him he still has something to experience for. ``

'' Look at me ceramist. '' lupin glanced down at his chill, robed body. Harry, for the first time, detect multiple old faulting in his ivory. Almost every os in him bear some scrape of his lifelong curse. Harry gritted his teeth. Maybe he should have just done what Draco asked ... No ! Those variety of dark thoughts led to things like gouged-out eyes.

'' flavor just talk to him. '' Harry pleaded. `` I have study to do, I need to go to some dark space today and forgather strange the great unwashed with niggling common sense of mood and less personal hygiene. I know you hate me. I even know why ... a small. I do n't understand but ... whatever. Long story short you despise me. But whatever you think about me do n't guide it out on my friends. Come on ... helper him. ``

'' There is nothing I can do. ``

'' Tell him it is n't as bad as it seems. ``

'' It is as bad as it seems. ``

'' Then lie to him. '' Harry snarled. His finger gripped his faculty so hard the wood splintered. Lupin stepped back, his heart blanket with stupor. `` Lie to him if you have to. secern him turning into a wolf is n't so bad. William Tell him it 's a barrel of laughs. Tell him it 's like a sneeze only better. Tell him anything ! '' Harry stepped forward, pointing his staff like a weapon. `` William Tell him whatever the hell you would have wanted to try. I do n't wish ! All I know is that while you lie here with a booty Call young enough to be your girl my friend, my friend who has saved my life on numerous occasions, is thinking his life is over and I DO N'T have a go at it WHAT TO SAY TO HIM ! I do n't know ! I ca n't believe ... I ca n't help him ! He 's saved my life and I do n't have sex how to help him ! '' Harry turned his side to lupin so he could only see his falsify eye. Could n't see that he was crying.

'' I do not know how to help oneself him either. '' Lupin half turned back towards his bedroom. `` He will give birth to get through this himself. ``

'' You 're a coward. You always did like to hide. '' Harry let the password menstruum from his lips like silk over ice. The effect on Lupin was electrical. The wolfman spun back to face Harry, his eyes extensive with shock.

'' How ... how ... ''

'' Just something I remembered. '' Harry let the Logos sink in. He did n't really commend much. Dumbledore had taken his own memories of James River Potter and switch them into Harry 's mind. Now that he knew that he could almost tell where they were. It was like there was a giant Black person tar pit over one part of his intellect. Occasionally things would burble to the aerofoil but it was impossible to go swim. Lupin swallowed harshly before opening his mouth and levelly saying,

'' Get out of my place ceramist. Get out. ``

'' You going to babble to Draco ? '' Harry did n't move. `` Or are you going to blot out in your shack ? ``

'' I will spill to the boy. '' lupine gritted his tooth. `` Because he is Tonks'cousin-german. Not because of you. I will- ''

'' So not interested in your understanding. '' Harry snorted and turned back towards the door. Harry pulled the door shut on two angered faces and dropped backwards off the balcony. He was halfway down before he remembered he no longer had a drop-gem embedded in his chest of drawers.

"Bardus accido !"Harry had barely whipped his wand out in time and the enchantment didn't have time to catch properly. Harry crumpled and rolled as he his the floor. His leg screamed with pain. Harry grabbed his staff and pushed himself to his fee-

offer !

Harry was thrown back to the floor as his stopgap staff finally gave out and splintered into giant shards.

"Bugger."Harry grimaced and looked around. There were no commodious pieces of Grant Wood he could forge with. No sprig or matchwood. Wait ... there was a tree over there by the road. Harry hopped to his feet and limped painfully in that instruction. He made it to the tree and picked a knobbly twig off the flooring. Another engorgement appeal gave him a rude walking stick. Harry leant on it gratefully and breathed heavily. It just made everything more difficult. Harry shook his head, where he was going next he couldn't afford to evidence too a good deal weakness. Harry brushed his sweat filled hair out of his oculus. It had been a foresighted day. The parts that hadn ‘ t been excruciatingly awful had been total of aggravation .... the next individual who pissed him off would-

"springiness me your billfold !"

Harry didn't even think. His faculty flashed up and slammed the mugger in the chin. Harry could have sworn he saw teeth shatter and fly away. The moaning would-be thief crumpled to the trading floor before scrambling up and fleeing, whiteness trainers flashing and scraping on the pavement.

"I don ‘ t carry a wallet."Harry turned and limped off down the street.
*


Ginny slowly pushed the doorway afford. In the middle of the room was a cage of blacken metal. The Light were dimmed to the point of full dark but Ginny could still see the pale pump in the middle of the cage, a pile of pale hair barely fitting in between the barroom. It rose and fell slowly with the sound of breathing.

The floor board under the batting cage were torn and splintered, and covered in rip. The wolf must have known it could n't get out between the bars, but it had tried anyway. whisker and slobber stained the floor with a picket carpet. The totally elbow room smelt like the den of an brute. How could so much accept happened ? How could this accept happened ?

Ginny shivered. No one was watching now, she could break down. Everyone was hurt, diagon alleyway was ruined. Was it her fault ? She could possess trained them harder. Should have pushed them to keep training even after Voldemort 's manifest death ... nada should have stopped them keeping in practice. masses were suddenly because of that. the great unwashed were deadened because of her. And that made her inside knot up like rope. Was it bothering Harry ? Probably not ... he was probably out beating someone up for entropy or fighting a flying lizard or something. goose egg rattled him.

Ginny sat down in a heavy armchair and pulled a throw over herself. It smelled like wet dog. The whole room did. Ginny pulled the heavy cloth up and bunched it in front of her. For a moment she wondered where her childhood teddy bear was. Probably in a cupboard somewhere.

Ginny pulled her branch up onto the chair and hugged them to her bureau. Fevered sleep eventually came.
*


Harry flicked his cowling up as he turned into a disused alley. He slowed and bowed his head a piffling. Better to look old and infirm than Cy Young and crippled. He tried to evanesce into the backdrop, not that it would really matter. After the bedlam in diagon skittle alley most ace were staying at home. This wasn't really a wizard street. There was a starbucks on it. But apart from that the workshop were mostly magical, and not the squeamish form of magic.

Harry reached his destination and looked up. A dirt encrusted sign read Fortunes told Fortunes found. Harry pushed the doorway undetermined and was assailed by incense and smoke.

"Welcome my child."A labored breathy voice sounded out of the gloom. Harry could see her of course, but acted like he couldn't."Have you come for guidance from the spirits ?"

"I need to inflict the Tarot."Harry said the fixed tidings he needed to say."Is this the spot I can happen it ?"

"Who can say ? Perhaps I can show you the way."

Harry stepped forward and a chairwoman faded out of the smoking air. Harry sat down and waited while the smoky figure on the other side of the board slowly shuffled a pack of cards of drag lineup. Harry watched the fingers carefully, if you paid really close aid you could see her stack the deck. Harry tried not to yell for her to hurry up. They didn't need to go through the charade, they both knew why he was here. Except that if he demanded she go faster he would get nothing. He had to play their game.

"What is your birth month nestling ?"

"July."Harry said without thinking. It didn't thing anyway. It was a fake month given for a falsify tarot reading that wouldn't have predicted anything even if it was real. Harry watched as the ‘ seer'flicked cards down one after another.

"This is for the yesteryear, this is for the future."Harry tried not to range his eyes."This is the outcome of the viewing."The woman laid down the tower circuit card."Meaning catastrophe."

"Obviously."Harry stood and clicked a coin down on the table."Thank you."Harry turned and stalked out of the workshop. A set of smoke-shrouded eyes watched him go. Harry hurried to the near flue node and tried to commend where he was going. The tugboat was one he'd seen before ... where was it ... Oh yeah, Glasgow.

Harry picked a arrest of powder and stepped into the flames. The spinning flaming whisked him away and he gritted his dentition, flueing with a gamey leg was always painful. Harry fell out onto a Edward Durell Stone floor with a stabbing painfulness. But recovered fast and ambled out of the shop, waving pleasantly to the bemused wizard shopkeeper.

He stepped out into the street and looked up into the sky. It was sunny now, he wondered what time it had gotten to be. Breakfast had never happened. Lunch would probably never materialize. Harry reached into his bag and drew out something that felt like food. An Malus pumila. effective enough. Harry clicked down the muggle streets, wondering if he was throwing himself in over his head. People were looking at him curious and he realized he was wearing genius gown. Sod it, who cared.

Harry looked up and saw the swinging sign he was looking for. A blow over pub sign of a Edward Durell Stone tugboat. The Sami one that had been on the poster. This was what he was looking for.

This was the tarot. The den of stealer, a almost fabled pit of immorality. Every auror in the country would take in given their right arm to notice this blank space. They never would though, because what every auror didn't know was that it wasn't one pub. It was twenty-two.

Every day the positioning changed, you only found out where from the tarot reader. The wife of the owner. On any early day the other twenty-one, the Fool, the decease, the Justice and the rest, would just be muggle pubs like any others. Harry didn't know where the muggles who usually went to the saloon went on the twenty-four hour period when their topical anaesthetic was designated the Tarot. Probably drank at home.

Harry pulled his cowl up, it didn't do to enter the Tarot concealed, and stepped inside. Within it was warm and light euphony played. Harry couldn't see where it was coming from, probably out of someone's baton. The chairs around the old oak mesa were high school backed, leather and padded. The open fireplace was roaring cheerfully.

Harry liked the Tarot, it was homely. contrary to what you might guess there were no fights in the Tarot. People didn't ejaculate to the Tarot to bar-room brawl, they came for commercial enterprise. life-threatening business. Of course of action if you pissed off the awry person you would be chopped up and fed into the mincing machine to be sold as hamburger to the muggles over the succeeding few days.

Such is life.

Harry clomped over to the bar and slipped onto a can. There was no mixologist, Harry could see him behind the bulwark hulking around an empty-bellied barrel. The pub was surprisingly good, every booth was full of murmur conversation and every board surrounded by dangerous looking men. Men who had early men sitting next to them who never spoke. Men in very good robes, or very good lawsuit. Harry tried not to look to closely at them. It didn't do to pay too much tending to multitude in the Tarot.

Harry shook his top dog ruefully, of course the blank space was full. Diagon bowling alley had been crushed, shaken and blasted to the priming. These people would be discussing how that effected their program ... their game. Would they suffer time to spill to him about his own problem ? What was he thinking ... of grade they would. For plenty amber. He just had to ask the mightily questions.

How would he do this ? Harry ordered red vino when the bartender came back. It was served to him without question, and without comment. Harry stepped over to an empty board and rested a galleon against the bum of his glass. The Tarot had signals, subtle I. Harry didn't know Sir Thomas More than the barest scrape of them. But he knew this one, Au against red wine-coloured meant you were interested in assassins. Actually it meant you wanted someone killed but it amounted to the Lapp thing.

Harry leant his knobbled staff against his electric chair. Whatever happened he was going to find the bloody Lie Gou. It would take as long as it took.
*


Draco woke into a repulsive pain. It seemed like every bone in his dead body had been shattered and reformed, every muscleman was being turned to mush by some flesh rotting bacterium, and his throat felt like he had drunk crushed glass.

He opened his oculus and slowly tried to push himself to his knees. His hands were shaking. No ... his wholly soundbox was shaking. He could n't even focus his eyes. Draco let himself fall back to the base, the pitted and splintered Sir Henry Joseph Wood bit into his sensitive peel and he could n't facilitate but cry out. There was no point in time in getting up, he could n't unlock the John Milton Cage Jr. anyway. Was it even worth reaching between the barroom to embroil his clothes back onto his aching body ? He did n't want to be naked when person came to moderate on him but he did n't retrieve he could physically put the clothes on. Maybe if he gave himself a minute to recover ... to heal. Then he could manage it. Maybe in a few minutes ... if he just concentrated on breathing.

'' Draco ? ``

The part registered on the mellow reaching of his brain but did nothing to the lower. He knew he should answer somehow but had no theme how to.

'' Are you awake ? '' A face came into view, framed by ginger fuzz. Draco coughed roughly, electric shock making his throat close like a frailty. His legs came up, trying to hide himself from the young lady in front of him. She disappeared like a trace and Draco momentarily thought he had imagined her. But then a heavy cloth dropped on top of him from the top of the cage. He weakly pulled the tissue cloth over him and tried to spread over himself without scraping the cloth over his skin.

'' Draco ... are you alright ? ``

'' Do I reckon alright ? '' Dragon whispered.

'' Do you want some water ? ``

'' Why are you here ? '' Draco wrapped the cloth around himself and tried once again to push himself to his knees and mix confining to the bars. `` What are you doing in my room ? ``

'' wellspring sorry for caring if you were alright ! ``

'' I 'm a werewolf. I 'm not alright. I will never be alright. '' Draco 's eyes flickered down to Ginny 's rumpled dress. They were the Lapp ace she had been wearing yesterday. Dragon realized he could even smell out Ginny 's scent on the cam stroke over him, and wafting over from his deeply armchair. `` Did you sleep here ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' You idiot ! You slept in a room with a werewolf ! What if I had broken free ! You could have been killed ! ``

'' You would n't have hurt me. ``

'' Do you know what a lycanthrope is ? '' Draco shook his head, all this shouting was making his already aching head split apart. `` Of course I would bear hurt you ! ``

'' Alright fine. '' Ginny crossed her weaponry. `` But I could have stunned you or- ''

'' While you slept ? ``

'' I ... ''

'' Why were you here anyway ? '' Dragon hugged his munition to him, trying not to give up.

'' I just ... '' Ginny 's eye dipped. `` I came here to see if you were alright, but you were already transformed. I was so tired, I just went to sleep. ``

'' You just ... went to sleep ? '' genus Draco 's middle widened, then closed again when the Christ Within ache his mentality. `` Why did n't you go to your own elbow room ? ``

'' I just ... I just went to sleep. '' Ginny knelt down, she looked almost as jade as he felt. `` Seriously Dragon are you alright ? ``

'' No. But it 's not any worse than I expected. '' Dragon leant against the bar. Having person there might
actually be a in force affair, it forced him to get up and act with some colour of normality. If Ginny had n't been there he probably would have still been lying on the level. `` Lupin came and told me what to expect. He did n't leave anything out. At the time I hoped he might be exaggerating ... ''

'' genus Draco ... ''

'' I ca n't consider this John Milton Cage Jr. is the residue of my sprightliness ... '' Draco bowed his head word, resting his head against the bars. He closed his eyes, letting himself slide down. It was n't just that he would have to go through this every XXVIII days. That he could almost give dealt with. But the fact that he was a ... a thing ... he could n't give up himself to be a predator now. There was no way he could put the others under that sort of danger, not with a demon inside him. He could n't go back to Hogwarts either, that was out of the query. All those nestling ... he would be putting them all in danger.

So what was his life now ? He might as well never leave this John Milton Cage Jr. ... he really should have slit his own pharynx. If only the wolf had ripped its own heart out during the night.

His life was now worth nothing. Why ...

'' Draco ... ''

Why the hell was she still here. Why would n't she leave. Why was she- WHAT THE hell on earth !

Draco 's center scoot open as gentle lips slammed roughly into his.
*


He was n't moving his lips against hers and his eyes were wide with terror. Ginny drew back, her hands shaking a petty. That had been her first real candy kiss. On the whole it had n't been very salutary. She could savor blood on her lips.

'' Ginny ? '' Draco 's voice was dry and startled. `` Why .... why ? ``

'' To remind you you have something to to populate for you prat. '' Ginny said angrily.

'' To last ... for ... '' Draco 's oculus widened in savvy. `` You mean you ... like ... Me ? ``

'' Yes ! Merlin 's face fungus you 're dense ! '' Ginny rocked back on her hound, hugging her arms to her chest of drawers. Draco was just sitting there, staring at her. It was like she 'd had broken his brain. `` Well ? Are n't you going to say something ? ``

'' But ... you ca n't ... '' Draco 's eyes were flickering wildly. `` You ... but I 'm ... ''

'' What ? '' Ginny broke in. `` You think because you 're a wolfman I could never be with you ! ``

'' Yes ! '' Draco blurted.

'' You think I care ! ``

'' You ... you ... yes you should care. '' Draco pulled his throw closer about him. `` You should manage. ``

'' wellspring I do n't ! ``

'' wellspring I do. '' Dragon shook his head frantically. `` I could n't do that to you. I mean ... associating you with a creature. Could n't do that. To you. You deserve safe. I 'm ... I 'm regretful. ``

'' And what I want. '' Ginny gritted her teeth, Her heart was a churning whirlpool, beating faster and faster. She didn ‘ t know if she wanted to burst into tears or perforate the shaking boy in presence of her. `` That does n't matter to you ? ``

'' On balance. No. '' Draco shrunk back to the other end of the cage."I ‘ m sorry Ginny ... you should pull up stakes. I ‘ m so sorry. I just ... I ‘ m sorry and you ..."

"Stop !"Ginny knew which one now. Her fist were twitching."Just lay off you ... you ... boy ! You think you can just apologize !"

"well what else can I do ?"

"You can shut up !"Ginny stood and stomped towards the threshold."Get yourself out of the bloody John Milton Cage Jr. !"

She slammed the door shut angrily.

Bloody prat.
*


Draco slammed his forehead against the BAR. The ringing distinction grated on his spike but the painfulness just melted into the torment already sinking through his skull.

What else could he have done ? He was just ... broken.

"Well you bolloxed that up didn ‘ t you."

genus Draco's head rose slowly and when he saw who had spoken he quickly pulled his cam stroke around to cover himself better. Harry was leaning against the wall nonchalantly. He had massive shameful bags under his eyes and he smelled like stale drink and cigars. Draco realized he'd been smelling that for awhile.

"How much did you see ?"

"Not all, but enough."Harry's eyebrows rose.

"I don ‘ t want to talk about it. It ‘ s done."

"Wasn ‘ t gon na mention it."Harry folded his weapons system."Wasn ‘ t gon na note how you basically emo-slapped a finis friend. How you cut her warmheartedness out with a great big tongue made of lose pathos. Was n't going to allude on the fact that you 're a TOTAL Moron ! Not gon na -"

"Shut up Harry. You don ‘ t know what you ‘ re talking about."Draco pulled his throw closer about him.

"Instead I was going to ask if you think you ‘ ll be alright by this evening."Harry smiled evilly."I found the bag of the ninja guy wire, and I think we need to pay them a visit."

'' I do n't ... I do n't love if I 'll be up to it. '' genus Draco shook his head word. It was n't ego pity, just bare truth.

'' well I 'm going to be offering them big total of your money in addition to mine so you might desire to be there. ``

'' feed them whatever you want. '' Draco waved his mitt vaguely. `` I do n't want any of it. I never did. Just give me enough to live on. ``

'' So you 've decided to live ? '' Harry stepped forward, grinning cheekily. `` If I 'd roll in the hay a osculation was all you needed I would suffer dragged Ginny here myself. Heck I would'a kissed you if got you to stop over eyeing up the letter opener. '' Harry drew his scepter and flicked it towards the John Cage door. Dragon pushed it and it swung unfastened slowly.

'' It was n't the kiss. '' Draco shakily crawled out of the cage and rose to his feet, the movement making him sick. `` It was n't the kiss. ``

'' Do n't think you. '' Harry shrugged and turned towards the door. `` I think someone 's making oatmeal in the kitchen. Not molly Weasley but still ... '' With a last wave Harry clomped off down the corridor.

genus Draco leant back against the cage, too tired to try to dress. His lifetime had, in a day, become much, much more complicate. And the lycanthropy was simply component of it.
*


Harry stood outside the door to the ward at St Mungos and bit his lip. It had been over a day since the fearful battle. Over a day since they had seen him. What was he supposed to say ? Would they criminate him of not being there for them ? They would be in good order to. But there had been too many thing that he had to do, and not enough sentence to do them. His magic eye flicked from bed to bed. How could he talk to them when every minute he could see the hurt that had been done to them. Damage that was his fault.

'' Why have n't you gone in ? ``

Harry spun at the sound of the new voice behind him, then relaxed. He let out a suspiration of relief.

'' Thea, '' Harry stepped forward and hugged the little seer, pressing her into his chest. `` You 're alright. ``

'' I did n't have to do any of the fighting. '' Pythea murmured against him before pushing away and fixing him with an apprising stare. `` Where have you been ? ``

'' I was trying to regain out ... Trying ... I was working. '' Harry 's eyes flickered around to the ward. `` I should have come sooner. I 'm dismal. ``

'' You do n't have to apologise to me. '' Pythea smiled. `` You always get the hard decisiveness Harry. ``

'' I should go in now. ``

'' No, do something for me first. '' Pythea put a hand on Harry 's shoulder.

'' What ? ``

'' recite a jape. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I 'm serious Harry. ``

'' A ... a jest ? '' Harry did n't know where this was coming from. `` This is n't exactly a joking meter. ``

'' Harry at the end of final yr you promised we had seen the close of the angry, self-destructive, madly driven and vengeful man you had become. Do n't break that promise. Do n't go through that threshold as that man, he ca n't help them. Them, and me, we want the old Harry back. The one I 've seen this summer. Please. ``

'' I ... I ... '' Harry felt his backtalk dry. Was he going back to the glum place ? Maybe. Getting weird magical stuff and nonsense stuffed into his bones did go remarkably appealing. But he could still win without it. He was n't the Italian sandwich of prophecy, he was doing things his way. Harry smiled wryly. `` I jumped off a construction. ``

'' What ? ``

'' Twentieth floor. I forgot I do n't have a drop-gem any more. ``

'' You jumped off a edifice ? '' Pythea incredulousness turned to giggles. `` Harry you are insane. ``

'' Broke my cane too. '' Harry smiled as the fille in figurehead of him chuckled into her hired man. `` Then I was mugged. ``

'' Mugged ? You ? Really ? ``

'' If you want a new necklace the guy 's teeth are probably still there. '' Harry grinned. `` That enough of a joke for you ? ``

'' That will do nicely Harry. '' Theia shook her head, still laughing quietly.

'' So I can go in now ? Or do I have to suffice some riddles as well ? '' Harry asked, smiling. When Thea nodded he stepped towards the door. `` Thank you Thea. ``

'' You 're welcome Harry. ``



Have n't actually written anything more. Not good. My buffer of pre-written chapters is running thin ...


Have managed to indite a bit more now. stupe matter like my degree and real lifetime save getting in the way.





Harry could have sworn his sinew were tensed like rubber isthmus. His eye was spinning rapidly, seeking every tincture and his fondness was pumping with the light staccato pounding of suspense.

'' Well this is a wonderful place for an ambuscade. '' Harry tugged his coat in closer to him and stared up at the scrawny cliffs to either side.

'' Do you see an ambuscade ? '' Snape asked calmly, striding side by side to him.

'' No, but I do n't bank them not to bear some trick up their sleeve. '' Harry sighed and trudged forward along the rough rock track. It was late enough that the air was pleasantly cool, the sun still streaming brightly over the cliffs to their left. They were far enough from the muggle road that the alone sound in the air was the whistling of the hint and the buzzing of insects.

'' Are you sure they are here ? '' Snape asked, glancing up at the Cymric cliffs. `` It does not seem like the kind of office for the Lie Gou. ``

'' What were you expecting ? Chinatown ? '' Harry tweaked an eyebrow.

'' Perhaps. ``

'' Too predictable. '' Harry 's eye picked up their destination in the distance, shimmering glassily in the sun. It was a moment foresightful before it came into true up view, a niggling lake in the centre of the valley. The path meandered towards it, crossing a little watercourse and cutting a path through the heather. As it drew close to the still glassy urine Harry drew to a stopover and looked down. Little daily round pebbles.

'' Is this it ? '' Snape stopped following to him.

'' This is where the guy said. '' Harry could n't see anything out of the ordinary even with his magic eye. It just looked like a normal lake.

'' There was a password. '' Snape prompted.

'' prevent your incalculably greasy pilus on. '' Harry knelt down and put his lips right up to the H2O. `` Agoredig Ffordd. '' The imperativeness of his words made rippling on the water. He straightened up. Nothing had happened.

'' Are you certain those were the tidings ? '' Snape sounded doubtful.

'' Relax Teach. '' Harry closed his optic. `` This is far worse for me if I 'm untimely. '' He leant forward and allowed himself to go down, pass first, into the water.

The icy urine felt like a curtain of silk. No wetness. No fear. No pebbles. Harry 's momentum spun him up on the early side and he had a moment of dizziness when his genius told him he was standing on a ceiling. He took a breathing spell and steadied himself. Everything around him looked the same, Lapp rocks, Lapplander wind. He could almost have been fooled into thinking he had n't moved at all.

With a whispering splash Snape sprang out of the lake. Harry gave him a present moment to settle himself before asking,

'' Satisfied ? ``

'' That password was Welsh. '' Snape glanced back at the lake. `` Not Chinese. ``

'' I know, '' Harry shrugged. `` I figure this place is probably antediluvian, the Lie Gou just took it over. ``

'' Interesting, '' Harry could see the gears spinning in Snape 's head.

If you 're thinking there may be other ways in here. Harry fixed his eyes to Snape 's There probably are, but can we trust that the Lie Gou do n't experience about them ?

Not with any certainty. Snape shook his head. And you are right wing. We should convey this way while in there territory.

Interesting how you try to ready that sound like your idea. Harry rolled his eyes.

'' Did your reservoir William Tell you where to go next ? '' Snape said out loud.

'' No, but I can guess. '' Harry smiled and pointed out behind Snape. The potions master turned.

'' Ah ... yes. '' The wall of the valley was carved out in massive rock pillar and a massive stair had been hacked into the rock. At the top, framed against the setting sun, was a tiered synagogue in red Mrs. Henry Wood. Rising up to the sky like a pyramid of ardour. `` I suppose this is the place. ``

'' They should be expecting us. '' Harry set off, his cane clicking on the stone. `` But I 'm not looking forward to all those stairs. ``

As they set off across the heather Harry let his middle wander. This spot looked entirely rule up close but the further away you looked the more the vista seemed flavourless and insubstantial, like whoever had made this place hadn't extended it practically beyond this valley. There were animate being though, insects and shuttle and lapin in their hole underground. To what level was this place just a reflection ?

Harry shook his head. An faculty member or a historian might care. He didn't. They reached the invertebrate foot of the rough hewn stairs and Harry snorted and turned to Snape.

If I climb that I ‘ ll be useless once we ‘ re at the top.

It would be better if we do not show signs of weakness. Snape agreed, glancing up at the far off temple.

Harry glanced around until his eye fell on a belittled bowlder, no enceinte than a pillow. He drew his wand and crouched down beside it. One whispered spell made it shift in it's bed of moss. A indorse made it ring like a campana and with the thirdly it flashed gold.

Harry sat on the stone, crossed his legs and laid his staff across his knees. The endocarp slowly rose into the air and hovered there, humming quietly. Snape almost looked impressed.

Would you be able to break away on that if consequence do not change by reversal out in our party favour ?

Don't bet on it. Harry began floating up the step, maintaining eye contact with his teacher. The spells I used were a very basic version of the ones used to take a crap broomsticks. That should give you an approximative guide to how much control condition I have over this matter. dim hovering is the best I can do.

They climbed the steps in muteness for awhile, the poise wind whistling around the cut up column. The commonwealth seemed desolate and deserted. Seemed.

We're being watched. Harry noted the succeeding clock time he caught Snape's eye.

Of course we are.

Remind me what stops them from knifing us on the smudge ?

The possibility that we can give them more atomic number 79 than they would earn by killing us.

And if it turns out we can ‘ t ?

Snape didn ‘ t resolution. Harry eased his wand in the set of his bash. This would be worry. The net stairs brought the respite of the tabernacle into view. It seemed smaller now than it had before, not much larger than a pocket-sized house. It was surrounded by a mere garden, just flat grass and small pocket billiards. There weren ‘ t even any koi in the consortium, just a very Brits toad frog. Harry didn't know what he had been expecting. cerise trees perhaps. But of track these men were assassinator, they probably didn't have much time for gardening.

Speak of the devil ...

The multi-colored door on the straw man of the temple opened and an older man in a simple blue robe stepped out.

"We have been expecting you."Was all he said."Come inside. You must get out your shoe here."

Harry lowered his rock to the storey with a clunk and raised himself to his metrical unit. He unlaced his iron heel and left them there on the edge of the cliff before stepping towards the door. Snape put a restraining handwriting on his shoulder and Harry reluctantly let the older maven lead. The room access were dangle open for them and the old man led them through a short hallway.

The walls looked like ... paries. They had warded them against magical methods of surveillance and apparently that included his eye. Was that intentional ? Had his eye go vulgar knowledge or had the warding always been there as a precaution. Harry tried not to reach any mansion that he was uncomfortable but for a man who had gotten used to XXIV seven x-ray opinion the sudden lack was claustrophobic.

Get it together.

Harry followed Snape and their guide into a room at the side of the edifice. The false light of this mirror worldly concern streamed in through the magnanimous windows onto a table standing low on the story. There was already a pot of tea and three empty cups waiting for them.

"If you would await here."The old guide said, indicating the tabular array."I will see if original Sasori is prepare to speak to you."He backed out of the room and closed the door behind him. Snape and Harry stepped towards the mesa and sat cross legged beside it. Neither so much as reached for the tea.

Sasori sounds Japanese. Harry noted. I thought the Lie Gou was based in Cathay ?

They accept novice from many places. Snape's voice was calm in Harry's mind. And in any case it is almost certainly not his real number name. Think no more of it, digest on learning what we can.

I'm trying, but my eye's giving me nothing. Harry admitted to his companion. Have you learnt anything I should love about ?

I think we are dealing with very intelligent people.

Not that intelligent. Not if they think we're stupid enough to drink the tea.

I meant this building. Snape glanced around at the rampart. I believe it is larger on the inside than on the exterior in the manor of many wizards edifice. However a visitor who had only been shown these few rooms would bequeath thinking this temple no bigger than it appears.

When in world whole regular army could be housed here. Harry finished off the opinion. How did you work that out ?

There are sealed signs. For person familiar with this variety of enchantment.

I didn't flavour anything.

That is why you are still a bookman Harry. And why I am still your teacher. A faint grinning tugged at Snape's lips.

Well you're not directly my teacher. Harry chuckled. Not unless you've Menachem Begin accepting T tier into your NEWT class.

The door was opened quietly and both Harry and Snape's eyes flashed no the new arriver. He was dressed in a cause, smutty and clean in every bank line, but Harry could see the knifes hidden in his sleeves. His grooming was every inch the man of affairs but he had large-minded tattoos on the backs of his manpower, one a rack of fire, the other a fox's head. A portrait of incongruence. Nothing what it seemed. He was Japanese, Harry could see now, so at least the name wasn't a total fake.

"Good evening."The man spoke quickly and with firm self assurance."My figure is Sasori, and I am the leader of the Lie Gou in this theatrical role of the macrocosm. You are Severus Snape and Harry ceramist. Welcome. I believe you had something to discus with me."Sasori stepped up to the low table and sat quickly. Without waiting for them to verbalize he reached over and poured himself a small cup of green tea. Harry supposed that was supposed to put them at ease. Why the hellhole would it ?

"We are here to pay you to drop one of your currently existing contracts."Nothing about Snape was moving but his mouth.

"Our transcription with Tomas Riddle ?"Sasori spoke with his tea held up to his lips."This is the contract you refer to ?"

"Yes. We will pay you whatever the dark Maker has offered and ten percent more besides. It is a serious offer. You know the amber we have uncommitted to us."Snape indicated Harry with his arm."In paying back you will not only stop your employment under Voldemort but you will also stamp out him and make for us both his head and that of his two remaining disciples."

"You offer us that without knowing how often we are being offered already ?"The assassinator smiled."You are so sure enough you can bring home the bacon what you promise ?"

"We have the riches of two antediluvian wizarding houses behind us. And to a greater extent besides."

"Yes."Sasori tapped his finger against the edge of his low cup."But I do not believe it will be enough."

"What has the darkness lord offered you ?"Harry could sense Snape's tension rising.

"I can not tell you that."

"Has he offered you something other than gold ?"

"No. The Lie Gou have only ever worked for atomic number 79. Precious gems in particular context. And once, just once, for the hand of a beautiful woman."Sasori smiled. Snape did not.

"Would you prefer if I set a numeral ?"Snape laid his hands on the table."One million galleons."

"Not nearly enough."Sasori chuckled.

"Ten million."Snape fixed the man across the table with a glare."The current successor to the Potter and Malfoy chance are surprisingly unworried about fiscal concerns. If ten million is unsatisfactory perhaps you should identify your price."

"Perhaps you should agnise the meaning of the Word of God no."The man incline forward."I am rejecting your fling Mr Snape. I do not mean to be coarse but, even if you could pay us more than him, we must honour our commitment to Mr Riddle. It would shame me to do less."

Lies. Harry watched the assassins eyes as he stood. You don't chip in a rat's arse about accolade. That'shame me'bull is just telling us what you think we expect to hear. Why are you lying ? What else is going on here ?

"You should both leave now."Sasori stepped away towards the threshold."No one will stop you on your way out."

No one did. Which was even weirder.
*


"That didn ‘ t make any sense."Harry commented once they were safely back to headquarters."It was like he didn ‘ t want to pass up the declaration but didn ‘ t want us to know why."

"I am more curious about why they simply let us leave."Snape shook his straits."If the contract bridge with the shadow God Almighty means so a great deal to them they should feature killed us."

"Perhaps they weren ‘ t sure they could beat us ?"Harry suggested. At Snape's withering stare he shrugged."Ok, so that was a stupid idea."

"So we have another mystery."Snape grimaced."We have too many already."

"Perhaps he ‘ s blackmailing them."Harry said hopefully."Or holding Sasori ‘ s wife/daughter/pet hamster hostage. There ‘ s obviously some understanding why this job ‘ s so of import to them."

"Perhaps."Snape nodded faintly."The idea is worth investigating anyway, though he did not appear like a man with be intimate 1 in peril. He seemed too calm."

"He wasn ‘ t."Harry growled."His pith was running a little fast. He was nervous from the moment he stepped into the room. Concealed it well though. Bastard."

"Could you tell if he was lying about anything ?"

"I don ‘ t think he was."Harry hazarded."Heart rate isn ‘ t a hundred-percent judge of when person ‘ s fabrication. It was weird, but it almost seemed like he was calmer once you started offering money."

"Strange."

"Whatever."Harry rolled his eyes."I have n't slept in a surprisingly longsighted time. Unconsciousness does n't weigh. I 'm going to bed."

"delay one moment."Snape waved Harry towards the room where he had set up his lab."I need to check in on what has happened since we left and I believe you should hear it too."

"Do n't fight yourself they says ..."Harry grumbled as he followed after his teacher."Do n't be like you were last yr they says. But when I want to sleep ? Oh no-"

"Be quiet Harry."Snape snapped as he pushed the door open. Natalies head rose from the tabular array as they entered and she wordlessly pushed a folder towards Snape.

"Has anything of note happened ?"Snape asked.

"You could say the file."

"Your assessment will be more succinct."Snape rubbed his temples."The main points please."

"The autopsy results have come back on the dead fighters. They were not zombie, or inferi. We do n't know what they are. Their flesh is just rotting now, nothing living. We did incur something unknown in their system but we can not identify it."

"And the dead Lie gou ? The 1 Ginerva found in the leaky cauldron ?"Snape indicated a bloodstained knife with a tag tied around the handle.

"They were stabbed."

"I gathered that."

"They were poisoned first."Natalie shook her head."I believe the regime of potions they had been taken made them marginally resistant. The killer had to finish them off. Would you like to hazard a guessing as to the poison used ?"

"Everybody 's friendly vicinity vigilante again ?"Harry said from his side slouched on a hot seat. At Natalie 's nod he chuckled."Nice to know he 's still out there."

"It would be substantially if we could bring him in."Snape fixed Harry with a stare.

"You want to check him ?"

"I want to know how he created his poison."Snape answered tonelessly."I am certainly it could induce even more damage in able hands."

"You are so often cooler than Dumbledore."

"But there seems to be no way to see him."Snape picked the knife up carefully with the tips of his finger's breadth."I assume there was nothing usable on this ?"

"There was mud, sweat and hair."Snape made no move to discharge the knife despite Natalie 's Holy Scripture. Harry 's capitulum pricked up.

"It was his knife ?"Harry asked quizzically."I mean not found at the scene or stolen off a corpse ? He brought it with him ?"

"As far as we can secernate yes."

Harry stood, carefully took the steel from Snape 's hands and folded it into a firearm of parchment from the table.

"He has left grounds in his premature crimes."Snape pointed out."It has never amounted to anything before."

"Before now,"Harry smiled."You did n't receive a seer."
*


"Harry ?"

"Yes Thea ?"

"You 're in my room."

"Yes, that 's true."

"In the middle of the night."

"This is also true."

"The threshold was locked."

"If you call that vexatious charm a lock."Harry grinned in the half-light. This was a game. It was fun. In a lot of ways it was better than sleep."Do n't you want to know why I came ?"

"Can I guess ?"Pythea arched an supercilium, but a swoon grin played on her lips.

"You can guess."Harry shrugged."You 'll imagine unseasonable but you can guess."

"Really ?"Thea run forward to expect into Harry 's eyes. The swoon light gave her a brass a ghostly look, total of trace."You do n't imagine I 'll guess ? What could you be here for ? ... In the middle of the night ..."

Harry did n't say anything. He just chuckled.

"Why, why, why ..."Theia leant closer, then smiled."You want my help with something. You want me to try and see something for you."

"Damnit."Harry shook his head wryly, the spell broken."You sure you ca n't read idea any more ?"

"I often do n't throw to."Pythea held out her hired hand. Harry reached into hie pocket and drew out the knife."Interesting ..."Pythea took it and held it on her lap.

"It was used to stamp out two of the Lie Gou."Harry leant back on the armchair."I though ... I do n't sleep together ... maybe you could find out who owned it or something. Skry for them or some mystical affair like that."

"Harry go to sleep."Thea was speaking quietly, her eyes still dreamily focussed on the tongue in her hands.

"Sleep ?"

"This will take awhile, and you 're tired."Thea stood up, her eyes still fixed."Use the bed."

"I can just catch some Z's on a chair-"

"I need the chair. You take the bed."

You do n't need the chair. Harry rolled his eyes as he stood and moved over to the bed.

He fell asleep almost instantly, his creative thinker trying to form up for the stress and exhaustion of the retiring few 24-hour interval. In his dreams he occasionally saw a E. B. White image, chanting softly to something she was holding before her. Even in the dreams he knew what that was. Having an eye that could see through your own lid made for realistic dreaming. That was why he knew that she was done far before he eventually woke, the dawn unhorse streaming in through the curtains.

"You did n't wake me."Harry said, his eye still closed.

"I thought you needed your sleep."

"Like you needed the chair ?"Harry opened his eyes and sat upright. On the table succeeding to Pythea a rough map had been drawn on parchment. A small township, nestled in a valley. Further up the map was a soft X."The murderer 's there ?"Harry pointed.

"I do not think so Harry, it was very faint."Pythea shook her mind."The knife lay there a tenacious meter before the manslayer picked it up. The chances that he is still there are-"

"Low."Harry pulled the gravelly vignette over to him. The name of the town was written at the bum in Pythea 's graceful hand."might as well check it out though, for deficiency of anything more constructive to do."

"Do you need me to go with you ?"

"It 's a recollective guess at best."Harry shrugged and pocketed the paper."Besides, you were up all night. You need the bed now."Harry stood and stepped towards the door."I 'll tell you if I find anything interesting."

"Do n't wake me."Pythea 's grin waved him out the door.
*


Harry reached the sleepyheaded hamlet and breathed fresh air. No one much was out yet, the sun suspension was still hanging mistily over the hills.

The map said that the knife came from north of the Ithiel Town. Harry set off in that focal point, gladiola to at least have something constructive to do after all the confusion and topsy-turvyness. A shopkeeper waved to him while at the like meter squinting like he was an intruder. Harry waved back and carried on. The menage thinned out and Harry found himself walking along a country road, fields on either side. He checked his little vignette map again. It was somewhere east of the road.

Harry 's eye scanned the field and the trees beyond it. There was no path to speak of, just a variety of track that looked like it was used by rabbit more often than humanity. Harry made for it warily and slowly climbed up through the tree, his walking control stick digging into the mud. Harry 's eye kept getting flashes from up ahead, through all the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and life.

As he got closer he slowed down, silencing his footstep. Between the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree were the ruins of a house. Not even a house, a shack. It was surrounded by bramble and almost consumed by the forest. Ivy covered every beam and wall. Without his eye Harry was n't for certain he would have seen it as a house at all.

Without his eye he also would n't take seen the man inside it.

Harry slid closer slowly. The man was crouched on the primer coat, shivering, his thin limb shaking. Now that Harry was closer he could see the man for what he was, a poor devil, he could barely see a shred of flesh on the man 's osseous tissue. The matter that made up nearly of his weight was probably his whisker and matted face fungus. It certainly was n't in the tatterdemalion robes he was wearing. Harry scratched his principal, whizz aged slower than muggles, so how old was this guy ? He looked like he was older than Dumbledore had been.

"Sashias !"The man 's head jerked up and he spun to look right at Harry through the wall of the building."Sashias !"

What the ? Harry jumped backwards and swiftly flung a disillusionment charm over himself. How had he known ?

The man scuttled out of the firm like a spider and his eye flashed from one billet to another like an animal.

"Sassicz."

Harry tried to be active away slowly, trying not to shake up any leaves.

"Saz !"The man leant down to the undercoat and held out his hand. Some ... thing slithered out of his sleeve.

It took Harry a moment to realize what he was seeing. It was a Snake River, humble and grizzly and not much longer than a swayer. But then, it was n't, it was nothing. Nothing was there but a wisp of curling greyish smoke. Harry realized what it was. Only one of his oculus was seeing the serpent. To the other it would be just a shadow. To any normally sighted person ... the Snake would be invisible.

Harry stepped to the side but the Snake made for him, slowly undulating it 's way through the leaves. Harry stepped again, and the Snake changed direction. Making for him like a bloodhound. Harry '' s creative thinker threw up little memories of an undiscovered and deadly toxin and stepped away more quickly. The snake in the grass kept after him, implacable expiry. Harry took a deep hint, time to take control.

"Please call off your snake."Harry said, calmly and simply, trying to sound a fiddling like Dumbledore."I am a friend."

The man 's foreland shot up and the snake froze in the dope. Harry dropped his camouflage and addressed old man directly.

"I am a friend. We both fight down Voldemort. Please call off the snake."

"Sissisi."The man 's oculus widened."Saz, cizissi."

The snake did n't move, it seemed to be eyeing Harry as sharply as it 's passe-partout was.

"Zaccussazic !"

"I ca n't understand you."Harry tried to save calm air."You are speaking ... you 're speaking in parseltounge are n't you ? I need you to speak English."

"Sisss ... sss ...."

"My name is Harry."Harry started again."What is yours ?"

"Name ..."The kickoff side Scripture from the old man 's lips was guttural consonant and raspy."gens ..."

"Yes, your name. What is it ?"

"Important."

"It is important."

"Father-God said it was important."The decrepit man 's hilltop furrowed."Said it was sissica all we had."

"Yes."Harry tried to breath."So what is it ?"

"Forgot so much."Rotted teeth were ground together in ire."Made to cossuza ! Made to loose it all !"

"Please-"

"enigma did it !"The old man spat."Riddle did it to me !"

"I understand."Harry tried to calm the gaga man, keeping one eye on the serpent."He 's hurt me too. We 're on the same side of meat here."

"I want to shoot down him !"

"So do I, or failing that dismember."

"He took my thinker !"

"I see that. Believe me."

"But I remembered !"The man pointed a gnarled finger at his nous."Out on the rock ... out on Azkaban rock'n'roll. He was there zassiz ! Broke it open. I saw his case. I remembered !"

"What. Is. Your. Name."

"My name ?"The man snapped back to the confront his eyes fixing on Harry."My name ?"

"Yes."

"Morfin Gaunt."





If you do not review then all the snow that has brought U.K. to a stand today ( and coincidently frozen by bloody fingers ) will be transported directly into your bread and butter room.


Harry sat cross-legged on the base of the tiny hut and looked across at the wizened flesh before him. It had taken oven an hour of teasing niggling nuggets of information from the man in front end of him but now he thought he finally had the whole fib. unbelievable as it was.

In a way it was hard to believe that the withered wretch in presence of him, sitting stroking his pet snake 'Smokey'and mumbling faintly, was Voldemort 's uncle. Actually re-examining that sentence it was all too easy. Harry tried to remember that this man was a looney murdering vigilante, a man who had set his Hydra on people who were already unconscious. His judgement was probably irredeemably broken and fried to insanity by his long hitch in Azkaban, plus the mind-flay Voldemort had worked on him. At least the false remembering were gone now, broken when he saw Voldemort crush the prison. Now he was mostly an empty shell, all that was moving him forward was retaliation for what Tom Riddle had done to him.

Harry was currently trying to do two matter, the offset was think of what to do about the berth. This was not complicated, if he handed Morfin to the authorities he lost an friend. If he did n't it was only a subject of time until someone died who did n't deserve to. But if he handed him to Snape he had the best of both globe. So that was that. The endorse thing he was trying to do was think of how to kidnap the gold box under the floorboard without Morfin noticing. It was warded too heavily too be Morfin 's work, and it was too recent to be the stopping point occupant. Which meant it was probably the slithery wickedness lord.

"Morfin,"Harry started slowly."You ca n't appease here. You said yourself that Voldemort knows about this place, if he ever figured out it was you this would be the first place he 'd look."

"This is my home ..."Morfin murmured, still looking at his pet snake.

"Is it more crucial than revenge ?"

"Where would I go ?"Now he was holding the serpent like a lifeline."Where could I ..."

"I know one place."Harry stood and gestured out the doorway."I 'll need to sneak you to a flue pipe stop, you can sneak right-"

"Apparate."Morfin unfolded like a report spring.

"You can apparate ?"

"Yes."

"Hmm ..."Harry 's eyes narrowed. Perhaps this man could be utile after all.
*


Harry got Morfin settled into one of the abandoned household he had used during his vagrant months the previous twelvemonth before doubling back to the hut. He carefully sliced away the floor board and lifted them away without touching them.

Beneath was the box. He could n't see inside it, but if individual went to this much fuss to hide something it had to be of import. Harry waved his wand to reveal the shelter on it and a ten thousand of flickering vane surrounded the little box. One or two he recognised, virtually he did not. Harry whistled admiringly ( got to admire mulct work wherever it comes from ) and got to work.

In the end it took trough dusk, long phantom making the trees outside loom larger. Harry did one final sweep to check there were no other curses on the box, then flicked it open with the tip of his wand. inside lay a ring, tarnished gold set with a contraband stone. Harry ran another test on it and more hours crawled by as he removed the second layer of protection before dropping it into his bag.

Various brawniness complained about his extend lack of movement as he lifted himself off the level and levitated the instrument panel back into place. He had done it. But what to do now ? endure twelvemonth he would experience kept this unavowed, secluded himself in some far off corner until he had sorted out the mysteries of this unknown objective. Harry shook his head, should n't let himself fall into that again. Should n't. Besides, if he handed the ring to Snape there was a chance he could get some sleep.
*


"That is an unconvincing story."Snape had his eyes fixed on the ring on the table between them."I do not doubt you but ..."

"I can consume you to conform to Morfin if you like."

"No doubt I will get together him soon enough. I am more interested in this ring."

"Is it Voldemort 's ?"

"I have never seen him wearing it."Snape waved his hand through the air over the ring."Magic sometimes leaves hint. If it was his, in fourth dimension I shall know."

"Great, I 'll leave it with you for now then."Harry stood and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Where are you going ?"

"Well first I 'm going to eat whatever that is I can smell out cooking, then I 'm going to fall asleep. Preferably on a mattress but I 'll subscribe a bed of nails if it 's all that 's available."Harry turned and walked out of Snape 's lab, letting his nose lead the way.

His cane clicked on the tiles as he walked towards the kitchen but he slowed as he got closer. Raised vox could be heard within. Harry pushed the door assailable quietly and slid inside. By the cooking stove a wizard with farseeing ginger pilus tied in a pony-tail was arguing with a shorter haired one. Harry recognised that one as Percy and, from verbal description, the other one as Bill Weasley. Beside they a frying pan was lying forgotten, Baron Verulam burning inside.

On the board nearby Ron and Ginny were huddled, they seemed to be trying to ignore the argument behind them. Harry sidled up to them and slid in beside.

"What 's going on ?"Harry asked while hush-hush levitating the Francis Bacon out of the pan."Those are your Brother are n't they."

"Yes."Ginny glanced behind her before looking away.

"What are they arguing over ?"

"Us."Ginny shook her head teacher."Because mum and dad are in infirmary and they ... they are n't getting out soon the ministry says we need a shielder. broadsheet came here because he thinks it should be him but ..."

"Harry Hotspur disagrees ?"Harry caught the burnt rashers out of the air and crunched one into his mouth."Do n't you get a say ?"

"Apparently not."Ginny shrugged. Ron just grunted, his head still bowed.

"They need constancy !"Hotspur was yelling from over by the range."They need someone with a upright job and a serious home here in Britain !"

"I have a job !"bank bill snarled back."One that pays more than than yours."

"For how prospicient ?"Percy snapped."Gringots fired six of it 's human being employees just last workweek. Some people think they 're cleaning house."

"And what is that supposed to mean-"

Harry stopped listening. He levitated two eggs out of a basket and cracked them into the pan.

"Does it matter who they pick ?"Harry asked his supporter."I mean, I do n't have got a guardian and I 'm correctly. genus Draco does n't have a defender. Pythea does n't have a guardian. Why do they like whether you do ?"

"You do n't get it Harry."Ginny shook her pass."You just don't."

"Guess not."Harry shrugged."Anyway 's, we 're all going to Hogwarts in a few years, it wo n't count then."

"I hope not."Ron said quietly."I hope not."

Harry shook his mind. Ginny was right, he did n't understand. Harry summoned his nut and bit into them. fellowship eh ? They did n't make any sentiency at all.
*


Returning to Hogwarts felt unusual. The castle and the magical places around it had always felt like they were a fork world. You got on the caravan at Kings interbreeding and somehow entered a wizard bubble that you could n't bequeath except at Holidays. But in the utmost year Harry had found that the bubble was like Swiss people tall mallow, he could leave any time he wanted.

It was sad to mislay the illusion. Ah well ...

There was something else that was gone as well. The swearing on the defence against the dark arts postal service was apparently gone. Markus Albert Michelson was still there, officially to teach but Harry knew he was now part of the order. The for the first time thing Harry did was ask for special education, for him and all the piranha. They would demand it.

Outside Hogwarts the wizarding humankind was curling up into it 's shell like a snail. The massive attack on Diagon back street seemed to be too a good deal for people, they were too scared. There were no more onrush like the first but Voldemort 's dead men had been seen all over the body politic. Spreading care wherever they went. Yes ... they definitely needed to train.

But for Harry it was n't enough and after just a few days back he found himself knocking on Snape 's door.

"Harry."Snape raised an eyebrow as the door opened."You are no longer in any of my classes."

"I know. I bet you miss the explosions."

"What do you want Harry ?"

"have you made any progress with the ring ?"

"No."

"How about with the Lie Gou ?"

"Inquiries are continuing."

"And about Voldemort ?"

"I will let you eff if anything authoritative happens."

There was a drawn out moment of silence.

"Is there ... anything I can do ?"Harry asked.

"I would care you and your ally to continue training with Markus."Snape said flatly.

"To fight ?"

"As a last resort."

"So basically you 're telling me to sit still and shut out up ?"Harry folded his arms."seed on Snape. I can be useful. I 'm wasted here ! I could do more."

"Can think of something specific that you could be doing ?"

"looking for for Voldemort !"

"Where ?"

"Everywhere !"

"Peering under every rock ?"Snape said sarcastically."Would n't you be wasted doing that ?"

"I found the Lie Gou did n't I ?"Harry said pointedly.

"By talking to the underworld."Snape shook his point."Voldemort will not be hiding where piddling thief can find him."

"I need to do something !"

"There is nothing to be done."Snape snapped."Currently all you are doing is wasting my sentence ... wait."

"Yes ?"

"If you want to help with something ..."Snape stepped back into his office, then returned with a hired hand outstretched."study on this."

The ring glittered in his hand.

"Are n't you working on it ?"Harry reached out and took the hoop, looking at it quizzically.

"I can divine no more from it."Snape 's representative carried an edge of defeat."There is something still there it just .... I do not know. You have shown an affinity for puzzles. Why do n't you try to divine it 's closed book ? If zip else it will keep you out of trouble."With that Snape turned and pulled his room access shut, leaving a puzzled Harry behind.
*


Despite the fact that the task had been given to him only to close him up Harry attacked it with fervour. He tried every revealing go he knew on the ring but nothing registered. The only time he got any clue that it was anything other than metal and pit was one time when, in a fit of irritation, he put it on. He had felt so unusual that he had slammed it back in the box and not looked at it for a day. It had felt like soul was watching him, small prickles down his spine. He had n't tried to wear it again but had done a unscathed Good Book 's Charles Frederick Worth of clairvoyance detecting go on it. Nothing happened.

"Maybe it 's not magical ?"Neville suggested over breakfast."Maybe Voldemort wanted to hold open it for some early reason."

"It 's magical all right."Harry had his question slumped down on his arms, staring at the ring in the middle of the tabular array."I can feel it."

"Harry you 're getting obsessed."Padma rolled her eyes.

"I 'm not obsessed ! I just ca n't call up of anything else !"

"Leave him alone."Ron shook his head."We know the ring belonged to Voldemort, so it must be important. Ca n't just ignore-"

"That 's it !"Harry sat bolt upright piano."It was Voldemort 's !"

"But Harry we knew that."Hermione said quizically.

"What I meant was it does n't count what spell 's on it."Harry explained."We know Voldemort owned it. So Thea can use it to scry for him, maybe notice out where he 's hiding."

"That 's a long shot Harry."Padma said."Do n't you think Voldemort would deliver protected himself against that kind of matter ?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe he 's too weak."Harry stuffed the ring into it 's box and stood up."Do you bonk where Pythea is this good morning ?"

"I think she was doing some work for the rules of order. In her apartments."

"Really ?"Harry 's eye swivelled up in his head."Ah, I see her."Harry took off out of the great student residence. He hurried up to the Hogwarts guest quarters and knocked.

"Come in Harry."

Harry smiled and opened the door. Pythea was sat at the small table in the middle of the room, maps splayed out in forepart of her. One of the mathematical function had little racy pins stuck in it. Harry wondered what the ordination was having her do, try to predict where the Lie Gou would strike no dubiety. Or trying to observe Voldemort.

"You were n't at breakfast."Harry pulled up a chair and sat down side by side to the seer."Your deprivation. There was porridge."

"I had a encounter with several order penis last Night. It ran on quite late."Pythea sighed tiredly.

"Why is it you get meetings with order people and I don't."Harry cracked a grin."I mean we 're basically the same age."

"I do not believe they realise that."Pythea smiled.

"They 're not working you too heavily are they ?"

"No Harry. I 'm fine."

"Cos I can take over some of the workload if you like."

"Are you a seer ?"

"No, but I can make water it up. Is n't that what you do ?"Harry chuckled.

"No."

"Or we could get Trewalny to cover for you !"

"Do you want to send order members to their demise ?"Pythea laughed and Harry chuckled. Pythea became unplayful again and leant in towards Harry."What was it you came here for ?"

"I ca n't just come to see you ?"

"Just ask me."

"Ok, fine."Harry rolled his eye and slid the ring out of his pocket.

"Harry ..."Pythea raised her eyebrows."We 're both a little young to marry."

"Are you sure ?"Harry chuckled."I 'm ample, quite rich."

"No you 're not. Harry ceramist is rich, you 're draining his savings bank account."

"white potato potato."Harry paused."That phrasal idiom does n't exercise so well in mark. Not even with italics."

"Stop breaking the one-fourth wall and separate me what this ring is."Pythea took the ring out of Harry 's mitt and raised it to her eyes."There is some symbol on it."

"It 's from some nutzo myth."Harry snorted."The important thing is that this ring belonged to Voldemort."

"And you want me to use it to feel him ?"Pythea shook her brain."The night lord will certainly cause protected his hiding billet from scrying."

"I just need something."Harry pleaded."He did this mob really carefully, lots of enthrallment. It obviously matters to him somehow. I just need to know why. Give me something."

"I will try Harry. But I can not promise anything."Pythea held the ring in both her hands and closed her eyes."You should get to your moral Harry. This could take a while."

"deterrent example ?"

"The things you go to school for."

"Oh right hand ! Them."Harry stood and turned to the door."I 'll check back after class. Or before, if I get bored."

Harry slid in late into his double defence form. It did n't matter too much, the marauders were working to a dissimilar curriculum. He joined the rest of them and took his place on the duelling production line. He glanced at Draco opposite him and noted the rich base under his eyes and his slump bearing. full-of-the-moon synodic month last night. He should deliver remembered.

"How was it ?"Harry asked.

"Horrendously painful. Like before."Draco grated dryly."What did you think ?"

"That it would be roses and kitty and barrels of candy."Harry raised his wand."You know I wo n't go easy on you."

"Great."Dragon shuddered."Bloody wonderful."

Harry did n't go well-off on him. It would take in been insulting. After the course Draco went to find a bath of ice to lie in and Harry went back to Pythea 's quarters. He knocked and pushed the door open.

"Any progress ?"Harry asked the trivial seer.

"No Harry."Pythea shook her head."I could not find anything."

"Are you sure ?"Harry slouched dejectedly."naught ? Not even why he hid it ?"

"Divine Voldemort protected himself too well."Pythea shook her headway."I could find nothing."

"Damnit."Harry scratched his forefront."I really hoped ... well never mind."

"I will proceed trying."Pythea stood, her hands folded in her arm in strawman of her."If I find anything I will distinguish you at once."

Harry froze. Twisted tendrils of fear grew around his middle. He had seen ...

"You 're wearing the ring."Harry stated flatly.

"Yes."Pythea responded without missing a beat."To obtain a in effect connection."

"make it off."Harry slid around the table with his hand out.

"Harry you are being irrational."

"Please make the ring off Thea."Harry tried to sound calm. He failed."Just take it off. Please."

"There is really no need."

"Humour me."

"You are worried over nothing."

"If it 's nothing demand it off."

"If I wear it at all time I may see something I missed."

"Just take the freekin pack off Thea !"Harry stepped towards her."Please take it off !"

"No."Pythea took her bridge player out of her sleeves. Her voice was like ice."I will not."

"Oh ... crap."Harry froze, his hand hovering over the pocket where he kept his wand."You 're not Theia any-more are you ?"

"You seem unnerve Harry."Pythea smiled thinly."Is there some sort of job ?"Pythea 's hands were raising slowly. Harry twitched towards his verge. The script stopped moving.

"You 're Voldemort. Somehow you 're Voldemort."Harry had looked into the snake faced bastard 's centre enough fourth dimension to recognise him staring back."The ring was ... was like the diary."

"You found my diary ?"Voldemort raised one dainty eyebrow."That is dissatisfactory. But no matter, even if the journal was destroyed I still survive and this ... this body will do nicely."

"You 're a junkie who keeps trying to have young girls."Harry tried to edge his hand finisher to his verge. Voldemort 's eyes snapped to his hand. Harry stopped."Just let her go."

"No."

"You will let her go."Harry 's teeth ground together."Or so help me I will make whatever liveliness you have wax of pain."

"Threats ?"Voldemort smiled again."You can not menace me. Any scathe you do to me hurts the girl. You could never injure someone you care about-"

"Wrong."Harry slammed his fist forward into his boldness. Voldemort fell backwards but Harry had already grabbed his weaponry and slammed them behind his back. Lightning flashed from his finger's breadth to the floor board, bathing the room in whiten light. Flames burst out of nowhere and Harry could barely halt onto the worm build in his arms.

"Karziet !"Harry threw them both to the side as every part of crank in the room exploded. Harry felt shards bite into his face and handwriting but he held on grimly. He had to get that ring off ! He reached for it but a black orb exploded out of Voldemorts reduce hands, taking the end of his finger's breadth off.

"Stop bloody moving !"Harry slammed Voldemort onto the table and grabbed desperately for the doughnut, tearing it off his finger and flinging it into the fire.

Pythea instantly stopped moving, lying against the table. Harry slowly released her arms and looked into her brass. Her nozzle was gushing bloodline freely ( his defect ), and her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Thea ?"Harry whispered into her ear."It 's very well. The ring 's gone. It 's alright."

"I 'm so sorry."Thea murmured, her eyes still shut."I 'm so sorry."

"It 's ok."Harry drew his scepter and sprayed a thick stream of piss over the burning room before turning back to Pythea."Are you ok ? I mean are ... are you ok ?"

"He got into my head."Pythea was shuddering, still not moved from her position sprawled on the board."The harder I pushed into it the more he had me."

"I 'm so sorry."Harry stepped forward and enveloped Pythea in a hug."I should throw never given it too you, I should never-"

"No ! It 's my shift. I should have been more careful."Pythea opened her eyes and raised her hand to brush Harry 's face."I 'm sorry."

"It was my fault."

"I tried to kill you !"

"Voldemort did. Not you."Harry pulled her closer to him."But it 's alright now."

They stayed there like that for a spell. The way smelt like sodden ashes but neither of them wanted to move. Finally Harry pulled back and smiled.

"cum on, we 'd ameliorate get you to madam Pomfrey. She 'll make to un-break your nose."Harry shook his head."Sorry I had to hit you so hard."

"You always choose the most direct solution to any trouble. That is theatrical role of your charm."Pythea leant forward and kissed him lightly on his bloodstained forehead. Harry could feel a shard of glass motion under her lips, when she moved back it fell out, clinking onto the mesa between them. Harry 's heart and soul skipped about a million beats.

"We should get you to Madam Pomfrey too."Pythea said breathlessly."You perceptiveness of blood."
*


Harry left the seer in the hospital wing and made heterosexual for Snape 's office. He entered without knocking.

"Harry."Snape 's chief snapped up from his desk."I heard you managed to injure yourself again."

"It had been too yearn since I had to raise build back."Harry reached into his bag and brew out the box with the ring in it, dropping it onto the desk. In short sentences he explained what had happened. When he was finished Snape leant back, gazing at the ring thoughtfully.

"Anyway I think it 's like the diary."Harry sighed."I 'm sorry Professor. I should give birth seen it."

"How precisely should you have seen it ? On the airfoil the detail have no resemblance to one another."Snape said disparagingly.

"I just ... If I had seen it sooner Pythea would n't have-"

"I despise misplaced guilty conscience thrower. You have never displayed it before so do not jump now."Snape picked up the ring 's box with his longsighted finger."Your experience William Tell us something. Now I merely have to work out what."

"That prosperous huh ?"Harry asked wryly.

"Easier than it was before."Snape looked like he was about to say something else but the threshold was pushed receptive. Lucy Kindston was on the other side, plainly out of breath.

"Harry, you need to get to the infirmary wing."

"I was just there."

"Well you need to get back."

"Wh ..."Harry 's middle widened."Thea ? ..."

"Just go Harry."

Harry 's heart was beating fast as he bolted out the door.



If you do n't review then your computer screen becomes like that bit in the mob where the girl comes out and kills you. Except instead of a girl it 's a cat. Seriously. Have you ever seen a long haired cat totally bedraggled and hissing and screaming and flying out of your screen door ? Not unspoilt. And if you have high-def ... it 's twenty dollar bill beat tall.


"Why are n't you doing anything."Harry had his digit gripped tightly around the bar at the foot of the bed.

"There is n't anything we can do Harry."brothel keeper Pomfrey said quietly."We do n't know what is wrong with her."

"Then why are n't you looking."Harry snarled. He could n't look away from the bad in front of him. Lying on it, her skin deadly pale, lay Pythea."Why are n't you doing something ? Her heart 's getting slower."

"You ca n't know that Har-"

"HOW MANY centre DO I HAVE !"

"I ... Harry please."gentlewoman Pomfrey shook her promontory."There is aught I can do. professor Snape is trying to-"

"He 's failing. He wo n't ascertain anything."Harry snarled."There 's nothing on that god damn ring !"

"Then there is nothing that can be done."

"I just want to do something !"Harry shuddered with nervous energy.

"Until we know what the pack did to her we can not fix it."

"Then ..."Harry breathed."Then we need something that fixes everything !"

"Harry nothing like that exis- Where are you going !"

Harry stomped out of the hospital extension as fast as his injured leg would take him and barged past the clustered marauders.

"Where are you going Harry ?"Ginny yelled at his retreating back.

"Out."

"We should come with you to-"

"No."Harry snapped as he tried to put some aloofness between himself and his champion. Unfortunately none of them were down a leg and could keep up with him easily.

"Harry this is for Pythea is n't it ?"

"No. I 'm going for a walk in the park with the fluffy bunny rabbits."

"Harry let us help you !"

"Go away you bloody-"

"You promised you would n't do this any more Harry."Neville broke in suddenly. Harry froze. He had.

"I did."Harry turned slowly."Does anyone know how to climb up tidy sum ?"
*


"Harry where are we ?"Hermione panted.

"Mountain."Harry barked as he stabbed his hiking magnetic pole into the undercoat and stomped on. Beside him the gaunt human body of Morfin shook in what could have been a silent chuckle.

"She meant specifically."Lucy Kingston was up ahead, the solely one of them who seemed to be actually enjoying the climb."Those buildings down there look like we 're somewhere in the middle east ?"

"Turkey."Harry winced as he slipped on the loose rocks and had to catch himself on his pole."Second Earl of Guilford Anatolian. That 's where we are specifically. Where we are relatively is 'Not richly enough'”

"Where are we headed to Harry ?"Lucy squinted up at the snowy tiptop ahead."What are we trying to find ?"

"You 'll see by nightfall."Harry tried to ignore the stabbing painfulness in his leg as he forced himself higher and higher."We need to be at the snowline by the time it gets dark or we wo n't see them."

"I hope you do n't want to get to the top Harry."Hermione was still trailing."We do n't have any atomic number 8 or right clothing."

"Not to the top."Harry glanced up."Probably. Anyway I thought you 'd climb up before ?"

"In wheal, with my parents. Hiking a little."Hermione glanced down the farsighted trail they had followed."Not wish this."

"fountainhead you volunteered so live on with it. I 'm having a forged time of it than you."Harry glanced up ahead and excite his chief."The path 's blocked with rocks this way. We need to go ... that way. For a piece at to the lowest degree. Then we can tag back, along the ridge."

"What ridge ?"

"You ca n't see it yet. It 's past the cliff."Harry pointed with his marijuana cigarette."Looks like we have to scramble just for a bit then it 's a good path. Keep up that ... then ... over past that cliff ..."Harry trailed off, the former two piranha were looking at him strangely."I can see because of the eye. You knew that."

"What 's it like ?"Lucy asked quietly.

"You get used to it. Like walking around seeing bivalent, except one of the doubles is see through. shuffle you dizzy when you spin too fast."Harry paused for a moment to catch a breath."seminal fluid on ... we 've got a hanker way to go and Theia 's dying."

They hiked up into the snowline, Harry did n't let them discontinue until they could see snow on all four sides. When they could he cleared a circle around them and heated the ground so they would be warm.

"Why do n't we just have a flame ?"Lucy sat down cross legged on the ground.

"Because then we wo n't be able to see."Morfin chuckled darkly.

"He 's right. You 're going to necessitate to see in the darkness and you wo n't with a fire right next to you."Harry smiled slyly."I can only look in one management and I 'm not taking chances."

Harry sat down, looking in another direction and waited. Slowly it got darker and darker. At least the moon was out, that helped a small. Now all they had to do was keep an eye on ...

"What are we waiting for ?"Hermione asked quietly in the darkness.

"fervency. take care for fire."

"Oh ... !"Hermione 's eye opened all-embracing with shock."Are we looking for-"

"Yes. Now concentrate and go along looking."

"Have you ever been there before-"

"No."Harry glared out into the darkness, waiting for a sign. The Nox air grew colder and colder ... whispering past the four seated form. Morfin was muttering something in parseltounge up his sleeve. Harry wondered for a instant if he had been right to bring him. No ... of course of action he had to. Without someone to apparate them it would have taken them ages to get up this high. Could n't apparate the residue of the way though. Funny things happened if you tried.

"There !"Lucy pointed off into the distance."I saw a flash bulb, like a firework."

Harry turned and squinted off in the counsel she was pointing. His eye zoomed in to it 's broad and ...

"That 's it. right show."Harry stood and lit his sceptre. A spark in the wickedness."Come on."

"We 're going there now ?"Lucy shook her headway."You want to move around around in these mountains at dark !"

"By morning it 'll have moved."Harry explained."And besides, it is n't night for me."
*


Harry started off into the fatal, with Morfin following silently. Hermione looked at Lucy and gulped, before lighting her wand and following them into the murkiness. It was a terrific journey, following Harry 's unshakable track across the spinning top of cliffs and along scree filled paths in the dead of night. Hermione kept telling herself it was for Pythea, for Harry 's friend. She even tried to look forward to the site they would see at the end. But it was n't enough to foresee the fear.

Every stone that skipped away from her feet sounded like a crack of thunder.

Ahead of her she could try the strange man Morfin mussitation, behind were the steady, solid swinger of Lucy 's boots. Occasionally the girl behind her would pass out and lay a becalm hand on her shoulder, making her startle. Hermione was grateful for the gesture, she just wished Lucy would give her some warning.

"This is it."Harry 's voice was like a knife through the blackness. Up ahead she could see him crouching beside a rough crack in the John Rock, just with child enough to fit a man. As she watched the inside flashed like there was an explosion thick inside, but it faded again in a moment. Hermione breathed deeply, trying to keep calm.

"Nervous ?"Harry asked quizzically."Do n't be. After all we 're a radical of teenagers going into a spooky cave in the middle of the muckle in the dead of dark with a mass murderer. What could possibly take place ?"

In the dark, Morfin grinned like a tiger.

"Harry ..."Lucy narrowed her centre."halt that."

"You 've got nix to interest about."Harry grinned."They 'll even be early wizards inside. Come on, Lashkar-e-Toiba get to it. I want to back in Hogwarts by morning."

Harry slid into the plication in the rock'n'roll and dissipated from view. Hermione steeled herself, then ducked in after him. The cave was really more of a burrow, crawling forwards in a straight communication channel. Of trend what it really was was probably some sort of magic room access that connected two different places entirely. Hermione found herself looking at the walls to try to see the articulation. Up ahead the flashes were becoming more shop and a steady red glow was growing between them. Hermione felt excitement grow, she was really going to see it ... really going to ...

"We 're here."Harry stepped out of the burrow ahead of her, giving her a wide view as she pulled herself out of the Rock. Her oral fissure dropped open as she saw what lay before them ...

"Merlin 's ... something !"Before them the cave opened up into a mysterious valley, like an axe wound in the slope of the mickle. Towering walls rose up on either English of them craggy and wide-cut of to a greater extent caves and pits. In the small strip of reason in the midsection there was a orchard of what looked like olive trees voluminous and ancient like they were sr. than the tidy sum itself. But that was n't the most vex matter. Flying above them in great sweeping curved shape, and nesting in the stone ... hundreds of them ... filling the vale with torrid spark and making the whole space fool like a living firework display. Filling the valley with birdcall, and the replication of song ...

"Phoenixes."Lucy Kingston breathed in admiration."You brought us to the nesting ground."

"Yep."Harry nodded."Since we do n't know what Theia 's got we need something that heals almost everything. genus Phoenix tears is a good bet."

"They do n't cry for just anyone Harry."Lucy pointed out."Otherwise every hospital in the world would experience gal on the stuff."

"There 's at least one that 'll cry for me. Fawkes."Harry squinted up into the brilliant flaming sky."We just demand to find him."

"Easier said than done."

"Why do n't you two ask."

Ask ? Hermione scratcher her header. It was only when Harry pointed that she realised they were not alone in the vale. Down by the tree there was a group of four wizards clustered around a tent, one of them was looking through a telescope while another was jotting down notes in a large great Christian Bible. Further down the vale, on a flat tire table shaped rock that jutted out of the leave-taking, was another chemical group. These wizards were all in black robe and were clustered around a unearthly bird shaped idol. They were down on their articulatio genus and seemed to be chanting.

believer. Hermione realised. believer and researchers.

"Why do n't you handle the nerds."Harry pointed at Hermione first, then turned to Lucy."And you handle the wierdos. It 'll go round of drinks and and see what I can spy with my trivial eye."

"And me ?"Morfin cracked his neck.

"You stay with me."Harry turned to walk off.

Hermione shared another facial expression with Lucy before they began picking their way down towards the Tree. Even though she knew that a female child 's sprightliness was at post Hermione could n't help but feel awe and wonder at this place. Going off in the at the driblet of a hat, climbing peck and visiting mystify magical web site. Was this what Harry 's living was like all the time ?

Below her one of the researchers looked up and noticed her. He rolled his eyes and started towards her.

"Please do n't agitate the birds. Try to not use flash photography, they can confuse it with an attack. If you 're camping please do n't act aloud music-"

"We 're not tourists."Hermione held her hands up.

"Oh, then you 'll be with the other Weird bast- believers."The researcher pointed back into the trees.

"I 'm not-"

"Mind the bonfires and the flayed goats."

"I 'm not one of them !"Hermione said in exasperation."We 're here to get-"

"Ah, you 're here to get genus Phoenix weeping. The former reason people come up hers."The man rubbed his os frontale."Let me guess your friend or your mother or your boyfriend is retch and you think tears are the but curative. I hate to tell you this but-"

"We know they do n't cry for everyone but we think if we can regain one specifically it will."

"Really ?"The researcher finally looked slightly interested. He glanced up at the cliff where Harry was just visible edging up a tenuous track, peering into drop-off. respective Phoenixes had begun following him interestedly, hopping from rock music to rock eyeing him with beady eyes."Who are you guys anyway ?"

"well that 's Harry Potter, and we 're his friends."Hermione smiled at the aghast look that appeared on the researchers face. His three supporter looked up too, forgetting their notes for a bit. Hermione felt like kicking herself, of course of instruction she should have said that first."We 're looking for a phoenix called Fawkes."

"We ... we do n't record names. How could we ? The phoenix do n't talk."The man kept glancing up at the cliff where the shadowy trope of Harry had gone out of site into a cave. Another phoenix flew over to get together the small batch that was following him."We do n't put down names I do n't ... I do n't screw if we can help."

"He would have come here during summertime survive year, he left England in June."Hermione explained."When he left Hogwarts he looked like he was in his third month since a electrocution day so when he reached you he might bear been in his fourth or fifth.. He 's a male, with a wingspan slightly above average."

"I ... we 'll check."The researcher turned and hurried over to their workbench where he cracked open a punishing book of notes and began flicking through them. Hermione followed him and began reading over his shoulder. Everything was recorded, electrocution, arrivals, odd conduct. If Fawkes was in the valley he would be recorded here somewhere.

"What about that ?"Hermione pointed suddenly at an introduction hear the heart of the Page."That one fit 's the clock time frame."

"Y ... yes. Yes."The researcher nodded."phoenix number 713. It would be that one would n't it."The gruelling book was slammed closed and the man turned towards the cliff paries."I 'll take you there."

Hermione set off following, sending micos to Harry and Lucy. She and her guide reached the cliff wall and began climbing up a reduce winding way. Lucy caught up to them when she was halfway up.

"You found him ?"Lucy was out of breath. Hermione nodded."effective, those other whizz were weird."

They climbed further up around the rock music, passing many perching Phoenix. The bird eyed them as they passed, but did not follow. After a few minutes they reached a short ledge with a large cave.

"This is 713 's nest."The investigator pointed into the rock."He should be in there. But it looks like you friend found him first."

All around the edge of the ledge, phoenix were perched, looking in. None of them were singing, none of them were making any sound at all above the rustle of their feathers. They were just watching. Another flew in and alighted at the end of the row. It trilled softly, then went silent like it 's brethren.

"I 've never seen them do this."The research worker said softly. His script twitched like he was looking for a notepad. Hermione steeled herself, and stepped into the cave.

It opened out in the vertebral column into a small dome, the storey littered with reefer and leaves. The clay of past nests. Morfin was crouched at the dorsum, he made no move when they entered. He was staring at the same thing they were. The tableau in the heart of the cave.

Harry was down on his knee, his walking stick discarded beside him. His middle stratum with the eyes of the phoenix in front end of him. He was n't moving or speaking either, the only sign that he was alive was the obtuse rise and fall of his chest of drawers. The phoenix, Fawkes, was shivering. A large part of it 's back was bald and scabby and it 's wings looked shredded. There were feathers all around it, an abnormal moulting, and it 's forefront drooped on it 's long neck.

"713 's been like this for a while."The researcher said quietly."That 's why I said I knew it 'd be him. He has n't burned since he got here and he 's due. Long delinquent. If he does n't cut before winter hits then ..."

"What happens if a phoenix does n't burn ?"Lucy asked softly.

"We do n't really eff. That 's part of the reason we 're watching him."

"Could he ..."Hermione swallowed."If he goes for long enough without a combustion day could he ... die ?"

"It 's possible."The research worker answered sadly."We do n't think it 's ever happened before. The other phoenixes have been avoiding this cave, up till now at least. It 's very interesting behaviour, I was thinking of writing a paper on-"

"Shh ! Something 's happening."Lucy pointed towards the centre of the cave.

Without moving from his spot, Harry had reached out his arm and was slowly stroking the side of Fawkes'head word. The golden razzing trembled for a moment, then leant it 's head into Harry 's hand, cooing softly. Harry reached back with his other hand into his bag and came back with a small glass bottle. He held it carefully to the side of the Phoenix 's face.

Everyone in the cave watched, awed, as first off one bright rent dropped into the glass. Then another. All the while Harry kept stroking Fawkes'head with his finger's breadth, and kept eye touch. Another dip in the glass. Another. The methamphetamine slowly filled to the rim with glittering liquid before finally Harry took it away and carefully capped it.

Guy Fawkes collapsed out of Harry 's hands, dropping onto it 's approximative nest. It was as if the emotion had been too much for it. Fawkes just lay there as Harry put a nimble sealing appeal on the tears and turned to the marauders.

"It 's done."

"Harry how did you do that ?"Hermione asked, encompassing eyed.

"We talked. About old times."Harry shrugged."He 's lonely."

"I wonder if phoenixes could fight those utter men Voldemort has."Lucy mused."That could be really useful."

"phoenix do n't fight for anyone but their masters."Harry shook his head.

Hermione remembered the flock that had gathered away and had the twinging suspicion that might not be true.

"Anyway. We should go now. Come on."Harry sat down again and reached out a hand to Guy Fawkes."He 's offered to be our ride home."

"Is he well enough to do that ?"Hermione stepped forward.

"He 's fine. He 's depressed not sick."Harry motioned them towards the bird. Hermione sat and placed her hand on Fawkes'tail. Lucy did the same and Morfin slunk out of the shadows to join them.

"Thank you for helping us."Hermione turned to the shocked researcher and waved with her liberal hand."Sorry I could n't quell to see more of your work. Maybe I 'll come back some time."

"O ... Ok ?"

Flames rose about the marauders and everything dispersed.
*


Snape was just snipping a minor piece of haircloth from the dying prophesier ( he needed to do more exam ) when two loud haphazardness disturbed his denseness. The first was a hurry burst. The second was-

"HARRY POTTER WHAT IN merlin NAME-"

"What ? No one 's ever appeared in the eye of the hospital wing in a gouty arthritis of flame before ?"Harry replied glibly to Madam Pomfrey as he stood from his position on the floor. The genus Phoenix behind him made a sound somewhere between a shake and gurgle and turned as if to leave.

"Fawkes !"Harry stepped in front of the phoenix and crouched back down to meet it 's eyes."Thank you."

The Phoenix bowed it 's psyche a little.

"You know, there 's something I 've learnt recently. Something my supporter are trying to beat into me."Harry smiled wryly."Destroying ourselves for the ones we love is never the right choice."

Fawkes fluffed his feathers and bowed his headway. A instant later flames sprung up around him and be vanished. Leaving ash behind.

"I hope he 's alright."Harry stood and turned towards the bed."How is she ?"

"She is getting worse."Madam Pomfrey visibly pulled herself together."We still have n't found the curse word effecting her."

"When you left I wondered where you had gone."Snape folded his arms and nodded towards the burn mark print on the floor."Now I see. You should give warned me before you left."

"Do you imagine it 'll exercise ?"Harry ignored Snape 's words and lifted small bottleful out of his pocket.

"I think it is worth trying since you have it."

"How non-committal."Harry moved shakily towards the bed. Snape could severalize he was trying to keep back composure."What do I do ? Let her booze it or ... or let ..."

"ease up it to me."Snape held out his hand calmly. Harry slowly reached forward and dropped the crying into the outstretched mitt. Snape leant down and softly tilted Pythea 's mouth unfold wih his thumb. He undid the conversation stopper and allowed three drops to fall down onto her sass. Snape waited. You had to provide the tear a piddling time to ooze into the pulp then ... another three drops. Then wait.

He continued until the bottle was vacate, upending the last few sparkling drib with a whispered prayer of hope. He handed the bottle back and put his fingers to the little visionary 's neck. All day her pulse rate had been wearisome and fallible. Now ...

"Nothing happened."Harry took the words out of his mouth. countersign that sounded even colored than the truth behind them."It did n't work."

"No."Snape took his hand away."It did not work."

"Maybe it just has n't taken keep back yet."Lucy Kingston suggested.

"The consequence would stimulate been instantaneous."Snape shook his head.

"I so thought ..."Harry whispered."I put everything on this ... She 's going to die."

"Harry stop."Snape fixed his center to the tear filled 1 in front of him."It is not over yet. This tells us something. There are very few affair phoenix snag do not bring around, now that we know it is one of them-"

"Stop."Harry shook violently."Stop trying to make me feel better. I gave her the ring and it 's killing her and I ca n't do anything to stop it."

"There are still avenues of investigation that-"

"SHUT UP !"Harry shouted so violently that brothel keeper Pomfrey stepped back in fear. Snape Did n't move.

"Harry. I will not indulge you."Snape spoke slowly."Yes, a portion of the responsibility for what has happened is yours. You gave her the anchor ring. But another portion is mine. I worked with that ring for 24-hour interval and detected nothing that could stimulate caused this. I told you it was safe. What has happened is also my responsibleness and conceive me when I say I will not sustain another death on my conscience. While she still breaths I will continue to believe she can be saved. As should you. Now ... I am taking some of her hair to French capital, to a humans expert on thing such as this. I have worked with him before. I am hopeful. As for what you should do ... I suggest you stay here. And if you have any to a greater extent fool notions about running off to distant part of the world in search of some miracle cure ..."Snape took a deep breath."... I suggest you pursue those notions to the broad because that is what you are best at, and that is how advantageously you can facilitate your friend."

Snape lapsed into quiet, waiting. After a few moments Harry slowly nodded.

"Good."Snape turned and walked from the infirmary annexe, the ringlet of hair he had cut still in his hand.
*


Pursue your sap notions to the fullest.

Harry slowly walked out of the infirmary wing. No one tried to stop him.

Running off to distant parts of the human race in search of some miracle curative

There was no such thing as a miracle cure. If there was everyone would use it. Harry found his feet moving of their own accord, taking him on familiar routes.

Fool impression

I am a fool. Harry found the doorway he had been looking for and got out his wand. It was locked of course, but not even this door was too difficult to crack. In a few proceedings Harry had the charms down and drive spread the door to Snape 's office.

Running off to distant component part of the human race

Snape was the one in Paris. Harry closed the room access quietly. He would n't be disturbed. His eye zoomed around the pocket-size room and came to light on one of the desk drawers. Harry checked it for enchantment then slowly pulled it open and picked up the annulus from inside.

Destroying yourself for the ones you love is never the rightfield choice.

Too bad it 's the lonesome pick left.

"There is no miracle therapeutic. Not without knowing what 's untimely with her."Harry whispered into the dark Earth's surface of the ring."Only one living soul knows what bane is affecting her. And I need to talk to him."

Slowly, with trembling mitt, Harry slid the tintinnabulation onto his finger.



Did n't mean to depart it this long before posting again but I 'm in my last year of uni and I had my final year project. Then I had the celebration after the project was handed in, which coincided with St Patrick 's day ... Then the celebration for the end of terminus a few twenty-four hour period later ...

Anyways once my head stopped exploding and I could travel without screaming I got on with the level. My workload is n't high from now on so the writing tempo should cull up a bit from now on.


I do n't own Harry thrower. Neither does THE GOVERNMENT !



Harry slid the anchor ring onto his finger's breadth and sat slowly behind Snape 's desk. How would this oeuvre ? How long would it take in ? Would he even be able to speak directly to Voldemort or would he just hear him in his intellect ?

"It depends on how you want to talk."

Harry 's head teacher snapped up from the ring. On the other side of the desk sat Tom brain-teaser, sitting on the chair student used when they were called into this office. It was a wooden, heavy backed chair but he lolled in it like it was a pot. He was n't quite the Saame figure that had came out of the diary. He looked the Same age but his features were ... glassy. His skin was smooth and pale and his middle had little flecks of red. Through the magic eye he looked ghostly and deliquium, but through his dead on target eye the dark lord looked real.

"What do you have in mind it depends ?"Harry crossed his arms.

"Well we can talk like this ..."brain-teaser smiled. Or we can talk like this.

"Talking out loud is fine Tommy."Harry placed his manpower monotone on the desk, the ring displayed prominently forward."Tell me what you did the Pythea."

"I took over her soul. You know that."Tom Riddle chuckled. The red in his eyes sparkled."You punched her as I remember. You do know that that 's no way to treat a lady."

"I was n't talking about that."Harry snarled."What 's happening to her now ? Some wasting curse or something ..."

"Really ? ..."enigma leant back in his hot seat."That ... that is unfortunate person. You must be crushed."

"Shut up."

"I must pass my deep condolences."

"Shut up !"Harry slammed his hand down on the desk."Tell me what the curse is ! You obviously hid it well. When I found the ring I removed a shrink scourge, a samyaza and something I had n't seen before that would have turned line to chair in my veins. What did I miss ?"

"The star spell is called a plumb-sang."

"William Tell me you bastard ! Tell me or I 'll destroy you."

"Destroy me ?"Tom crossed his branch."I doubt you could. And even if you could it does not matter. After all I am not Almighty Voldemort, I am just an ... image."

"No you 're not. You 're lying."Harry chuckled."You 're more than an image. You have the head of Voldemort at least, which means you have all his tone. character like cowardice and self preservation. I think you will distinguish me what I want to know."

"self conservation ? Perhaps."Tom conundrum leant forward."But the fact remains that you have no idea how to put down this ring."

"Phoenix flack destroyed the diary."Harry gritted his teeth together."And I know a capital of Arizona who 's probably abut make to burn."

"Phoenix ...."Tom brain-teaser paused and licked his brim."That will not work."

"Yes it will. You 're lying again."

"I am not ..."brain-teaser was breathing quickly."I have no want to lie. I am the night lord, you have no power over-"

Harry pulled the mob off his finger's breadth and the wickedness lord snapped out of existence mid prison term. Harry held the ring up to his side and said,

"Do n't think you have any sort of force here Tommy."Harry slapped the ring twice against the desk with loud ringing knocks."You hear me in there ? You 've got no cards here ! Understand ? You will tell me or I will kill you !"Harry slammed the annulus back on his finger. The iniquity lord reappeared where he had been, his face a masquerade party of rage.

"You can not do this to me ! I am Divine Volde-"Harry pulled the ring off again.

"When I put the pack back on ..."Harry snarled."You will drop the whole'I am lord Snakeface'thing and tell me exactly what I want to know or you 're going to the fire."Once again the dark lord reappeared, centre flaring almost entire red. But he said nothing.

"Ready to talk yet ?"Harry rubbed the banding of the gang on his fingerbreadth."Just say one watchword. The epithet of the jinx, that 's all you have to say and I put the band back in the drawer and we never have to verbalise again."

"I ... You ca n't do this to me."The darkness Almighty 's center flickered back and forth."You ... you can not ..."

"Just tell me the name of the curse. That 's all you have to do to avoid being burnanated. Just tell me."

"I ... I am Lord Voldemort."Tom brain-teaser 's tooth were gritted closed in and his manpower were gripped to the incline of his chair.

"No you 're not. You 're a captive. A captive who 's not even alive so there 's no necessary for me to not kill you. Tell me what the curse is."

Riddle 's breathing place was coming swift and shallow.

"Tell me !"Harry yelled."William Tell me !"

conundrum snarled like a dog.

"William Tell me !"riddle was shaking. Not in anger Harry realized ... He was shaking in fearfulness. Riddle was terrified. Harry 's brow furrowed ... Why would he be that scared ..."You have no thought what happened to Theia ... Whatever happened to her ... it was n't your curse ... it was n't your pack ..."

Voldemort had stopped dead, fixed in place, his eyes burning like coals.

"Well ..."Harry shook his head."That 's something at least."Harry reached for the ring and jerked it forward. It would not make a motion. Harry 's heart jerked up. Tom riddle was smiling like a cat.

"wellspring well well Potter."Riddle smirked."It seems I do ingest some superpower after all."

Harry tried desperately to drag the pack off his finger, it would not act an column inch. Harry grabbed for his wand to slice the finger off but he could n't realize his mouth speak the words.

A majuscule deal of power.

Voldemort 's was in his head now, the build gone from the other side of the desk. Harry stumbled and fell against the bumpy stone rampart. Wait ... wall ? Harry flicked his eyes up. He was in the corridor ! He had n't moved of his own accordance ... His feet were moving again ! Harry clamped his feet down on the floor and slammed his arm against the wall. His sceptre dropped from his dead fingers.

Feeling a trivial less in control Mr Potter ?

"myrtle !"Harry screamed into the blank air."Myrtle get here or get assist !"

Calling assistant from one of my old victims ?

"individual !"Harry yelled. His wand was back in his hand ... NO ! Harry forced his finger to open again and the verge clattered down. Harry slammed his fundament down and snapped the lilliputian sliver of wood like a twig. He could n't let Voldemort let loose in his trunk in the middle of Hogwarts. Could not ...

You think you have a choice ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry fell to the floor. His muscles were twitching, every flickering part of him was trying to move."Help me !"

Ha ha ha ha !

"person !"Harry was on his feet again. Not by choice. He was staggering forward, trying to stop himself ... but."Mico marauders ! Mico anyone !"Would n't work without a wand.

There is no help for you Mr Potter.

Harry frantically tried to scrape the ring off his fingerbreadth. It was n't moving. Not an inch. Black slur were flying before his eyes.

You are mine now.

"Harry what in the hell ?"The voice sparked out of the air above him. Harry 's head flickered up, at the top of the stares was the wear down and moon-sick figure of genus Draco Malfoy.

"Draco ... It 's not the tintinnabulation !"Harry croaked out. He had to differentiate someone what he 'd found."Pythea ! It 's not the pack that made her unbalanced ! It 's ... It 's ... It 's something else !"

"Harry what 's untimely with you ?"

Nothing.

"Nothing."Harry clenched his teeth closed."No ! Tell Madam Pomfrey ! ... And get this bloody ri- Nothing is incorrect Malfoy."

Go away you little traitor.

"Harry your ... your eyes."Draco 's script flickered to his wand."They 're red."

I 'm just tired. They are bloodshot.

"I 'm just tired."Harry 's neck heftiness twisted his head in a shaking motion."They are bloodshot."

"Harry maybe we should go to the infirmary wing together."genus Draco 's eyes had gone hard and he had drawn his scepter."I think you may be unwell."

"Unwell Malfoy ?"Harry hissed."Do n't presume to-"

"Stop."Draco pointed his wand straight between Harry 's eyes."hook your verge slowly and miss it to the floor."

"Please ... friend-"

"Do it."

"Hmm ..."Voldemort twitched Harry 's lips into a smiling."I see there 's no point in time pretending anymore. What was it that gave me away ?"

"Harry does n't scream me by my last name."genus Draco 's eyes narrowed above deep black dish."You 're ... something else."

"I am more than something else."Voldemort thrust Harry 's hand forward, displaying the ring."I am your lawful captain piffling dog. Heel."

"Oh wonderful."Draco muttered.

"Die !"Harry 's script was flung forward and a sparkling deadbolt of lightning flared out. Draco dodged and flung himself to the floor. Voldemort spun Harry 's physical structure for a back hit but Harry flung the last vestiges of his strong suit onto his treacherous musculus. His arm stopped moving for a fraction of a second.

"Stubefy !"The red turn flashed out of genus Draco 's sceptre and everything went black.
*


Harry was used to crazy dreaming so when he found himself in a dark post total of screaming and hissing he just sat on the storey and mentation of apples. After a little while the darkness faded and Harry heard the rustling of trees.

In the night all around him there were serpent. Snakes in his orchard ! Harry shuddered, he was in his fiddling ambition but he felt inebriate. Shaking and unsettle, he looked around. The duskiness was seeping in through the trees ... invading his woodlet. The snake in the grass did n't seem to see him, just kept winding their way through the tree. Four of them whispered their way through the leaves. One wrapped it 's way around the ancestor of the declamatory Tree, biting it 's own tooshie. It 's sleepless eyes flashed red.

Harry glanced mysterious into the wood. One more snake, lying still on the ground. Nailed in place by a wooden stake. Harry looked down at his hand. Another snake was wrapped around his finger. A petite thinly Snake River with black bands.

Wyrd. Profetic. Harry shook his heading. Not again-
*


"Harry."

Hm ... Harry slowly woke.

"Harry wake up so I can state you how unspeakably foolish you have been."

"prof Snape ..."Harry shook the cobwebs out of his caput and opened his eyes. The hospital annexe was dark and evacuate. Snape was standing at the foot of Harry 's hospital bed. Wait ... Snape had to know !"The ring ! I found something out about-"

"I got the message Harry."Snape 's face was a space and angry slate."Draco understood the signification of your message."

"You need to help Thea then."Harry struggled to rise out of the hospital bed."You need to help-"

"I already did."

Harry 's eye flashed to the bed next to him. Pytea was still lying there but ... her heartbeat ... it was stronger. It was almost as strong as ever.

"You ... you did it ?"Harry fell back onto his bed."You saved her."

"It was a toxin."Snape gestured towards the oracle."Once you made me cognisant that the ringing was not the reference of her affliction I began to look further afield. I found a terrible toxicant. It acted more like a disease than a poison. As virulent as I have ever seen."

"Someone tried to defeat her ?"Harry found himself staring into phantasm to try to see enemies.

"No Harry. I do not believe so."Snape tapped a small bottleful he was holding in his hand."cobbler's last year you were in a good constant state of meek toxicity. You have built up ... resistances."

"Wait ... Are you saying I 've been poisoned too ?"

"Not any more. I cured you when I cured the Pythea."Snape 's supercilium twitched up."You were poisoned originally. The poison must receive passed to her by some ... substitution of fluid."

"When I was bleeding ..."Harry cast his mid back."She kissed my forehead. She was bleeding too."

"Is that the story you 're sticking to ?"

"So someone tried to pop me."Harry ignored Snape 's insinuation and scratched his straits."I 'm thinking maybe a group of assassin-mercenaries hired by my arch nemesis ?"

"The Lie Gou are the obvious choice."

"speech sound like you have your doubts."

"I do."Snape shook his head."The poison was not an eastern one, far from it. It was invented in Florence. That does not mean the Lie Gou could not get acquired it but it seems ... odd."

"Odd ... wonderful. As if we have n't had enough odd these retiring few weeks."Harry rolled his middle."And what you 're saying is it 's possible there are some former people trying to kill me. Wonderful. Just my bloody luck."

"Oh stop complaining Harry."A unaccented voice spoke from the other bed."You would n't love what to do with a tiresome life."

"Thea !"Harry slid out of his rag and stepped over to the little oracle 's bed."Are you alright ?"

"I feel terrible Harry."Pythea raised her helping hand shakily up to his face."I tried to kill you."

"I poisoned you."Harry shrugged."Besides, after all the times you 've saved my life you can probably try to kill me like five or six more multiplication before I get angry."

"I never saved your lifespan Harry."Pythea smiled weakly."I just gave you the impetus to aid yourself."

"You 're being all seerey again. block it."Harry chuckled.

"I 'm just trying to get you in a beneficial mood."Pythea looked away."You are n't going to wish what I want to do now."

"Try me."Harry tensed.

"I want try again to skry with the ring."

"No."

"Harry we know now it was n't what made me sick."Pythea protested. Snape moved behind Harry 's shoulder, silently backing him up."We also know that the ring is important to Voldemort. There must be something to find-"

"No !"Harry cut her off."The thing does aught but lie and restraint, just like Voldemort. I 'm going to destroy it as soon as possible."

"I agree."Snape nodded."We can safely assume that it was like the diary. A trap for anyone who tried to observe the iniquity lord 's early on the likes of. A deterrent to any peculiar investigation."

"It does n't weigh what it is."Harry shook his head."It 's a Crab on the earthly concern. Whether by Fawkes, some other phoenix or by some other method entirely that matter is toast."

Harry spoke definitely, but he could n't assist but feel a lilliputian doubt. Like a snake curled around his heart.

"We have to destruct it."Harry repeated, half to himself."We have to."
*


"What do you mean they 're not flaming ?"Harry asked pointedly over the breakfast table.

"I mean they 're not."Hermione held out the letter for him to read."I wrote to the researcher as soon as you told me to but it 's too late. The Phoenix have stopped flaming for winter."

"For wintertime ?"Harry rolled his eyes."What do they manage about wintertime ? They 're on flak !"

"They 're birds as well as magical brute Harry."

"Wonderful."Harry shuddered."When do they stop hibernating ?"

"Not till spring."

"Great. I have to channel this deadly parcel around for months."Harry hefted his bag on his berm. Since the incident the ring had always been with him. In a steer box. He was n't taking chances."And until then I 've got nothing I can do."

"You could study."

"nix useful."

"Well you could ask professor Snape for something else to do."Hermione glanced up at the richly table where the potions passkey was absent. Not unusual these days.

"I know, but I do n't have it away If there 's anything to be done."Harry shook his head and gestured to the report lying discarded on the mesa between them."Voldemort seems to be content with random acts of random youngster unpleasantness right now. I ca n't aid thinking he 's working up to something horrendous."

"Like diagon bowling alley ?"

"Or worse."Harry shrugged."No way to tell."

"Do you think the order has any steer ?"

"I think they 'd probably differentiate me."Harry replied honestly."Snape 's been pretty good about keeping me in the loop so far."

"Do you love where he 's going now ?"

"No."Harry smiled."Hopefully working."

"Well, until you find something to do,"Ginny broke in, walking past them."You can set out turning up to marauder training school term. You 've been missing them since the altogether halo thing."

"Pythea was dying."Harry replied exasperated.

"So are a lot of people."Ginny replied flatly before moving off. Harry watched her go before turning back to Hermione.

"Her parent 's still have n't woken up have they ?"

"No."The bushy haired fille shook her headway."They visit them at weekends."

"I should go with them some time."

"Well you 've been busy."Hermione said, in a way that indicated that was no excuse.

"Or I could just tie Dragon up and leave him in Ginny 's bed."Harry continued."That 'd probably cheer her up more."

"Harry-"

"Especially if he was naked."

"Harry !"

"Oh relax."Harry chuckled,"semen on, we really should get to the marauder academic term. Maybe beating the lot of you around the attic will ca-ca me feel better."
*


Snape slowed as he approached the dark stairwell and began walking down carefully. Some of the footprint were almost as smooth as glass. The stair twisted down and down into the rock candy beneath Malfoy Manor. Much further than any of the basements. Snape placed a light hand on the wall as he proceeded down, his wand the but source of light, his footsteps the entirely sound.

He rounded the terminal niche and had to harbor his eyes as guttering great mullein came into view. Stretching out before him was a retentive corridor of blank iron doors, stained black from rusting and long decay. The radioactive decay was of no upshot, it was n't the timbre of the mental synthesis that kept the prisoner in this place. Snape nodded to the two jailers, extremity of the rescript, before turning to the third form standing before him.

"You 're late."Dwight Lyman Moody growled.

"Yes, I am. I was busy."Snape replied."Your point ?"

"I 've had to expect down in the pit for half an hr !"

"Then you arrived XV minutes early and can not blame me for that."Snape strode forward past the old auror."Let us not delay this any further."

"Right."Moody stomped after him, holding his wand high as the luminousness of the great mullein faded into the darkness behind them. Once again Snape was enveloped in silence, the cadre themselves were soundproof. Helen Newington Wills finally broke the quiet."You know why I called you out here."

"Another of the prisoners seems ready to break."Snape repeated what he had read in Moody 's brief missive that had arrived on his desk before breakfast."Which one ?"

"Do n't imagine it 's right."Moody ignored the question, shaking his fountainhead roughly."It 's not right. You 've got us pussyfooting around these love child. Offering them Scripture and curt sentences and even freedom if they help us."

"And you think it is ineffective ?"

"I think it 's bloody wrong is what it is !"Moody snarled."These men should all be behind ginmill for life not waited on hand and foot."

"We need information."

"Then we should be getting out the thumbscrews !"Moody thrust out a hand to stop Snape moving."You seriously do n't have a problem with offering them all this material ?"

"offering ? No. We can offer them whatever we want. It does n't intend we will ever give it to them. And so long as they are never given an opportunity to compare banker's bill ? I have no problem."Snape reached out and pushed Helen Newington Wills 's hand out of his way."trustingness that if I deem it necessity I will have no wavering in deploying the thumbscrews."

"Oh of that I 've got no doubt."Helen Wills 's eye looked Snape up and down in a split second before he stomped off down the corridor again. Snape followed him.

"You never told me who it is I am here to see."

"Not one of the proper decease eaters."Helen Wills Moody spat. Snape fought the urge to deform up his nose."One of the foul malefactor you-know-who dragged to his cause."

"That does not mean he is useless to us."

"Captured by Harry."Moody fixed Snape with a stare while still walking."At fille Zhao 's manse. Last year, you remember."

Snape stiffened. So the man he was about to talk to had been involved in the onset on Natalie 's life. There had been a great deal of unpleasantness that night. Natalie had been reluctant to spill about it at length but-

"doe that switch things ?"Dwight Lyman Moody broke Snape 's persuasion, his voice wide-cut of obscure insinuation.

"Why would it ?"Snape forced himself to reply.

"I can still get the thumbscrews."

"Perhaps later."

Moody came to a stop before a door indistinguishable from the 100 of other doors.

"His name 's Shepherd Kilkenny."Moody put his helping hand on the room access."Used to be a cursebreaker for Gringots."Moody tapped his baton on the door and Snape heard a dash slam back. The old auror pushed the door open and allowed Snape inside. The cell within was bare. Bed. Chair. Sanitary facilities. Snape had made sure enough the cellphone were as stark as possible to encourage the prisoner to divulge. Sometimes they would verbalise just out of boredom. As Snape entered the hump figure sitting at the foundation of the bed straightened.

"Hello Mr Kilkenny."Snape sat down on the hard-backed chair."I have been informed that you have something to say me."

"Yeah,"The man reached up and scratched behind his ear."But I got some demands."

"Do you call up you are in a position to demand ?"Snape was shocked to retrieve his voice was still steady.

"I 've got information. hooey you need to do it. But I 've heard a lot of 'might'and 'maybe'and 'If your entropy pans out'."The captive hunched."I want some guarantees."

Snape met Shepherds eyes and gently pushed. A barrier of Occlumency met him. Of course of instruction it would be there. There would have been no point in this unhurt exercising if it had n't. Snape took a instant to look at his response. He could offer whatever he wanted, but it would not do to seem to tender too much. There was a bare prospect that this man was not a fool.

"So long as your information is lawful you may hold some concessions."Snape replied steadily."A improve timbre of bread and butter. Koran. Perhaps a window. Everything after that is depended on how utilitarian I consider the information you give me is. So I suggest you begin taking steps to convert me."

"I want to get out of here."The man sneered."I want years off."

"As the Wizengamot no doubt informed you at your trial run you have been sentenced to forty yr here. I understand the charges were several. Using the nighttime humanistic discipline, breaking and entering, attempted murder-"Snape found his throat going hard at the terminal Good Book and slammed his emotions down behind a wall of void."And that is in addition to your pilot sentence for imposter that you never completed."

"Give me something !"

"Give me a reason to impart you something."

"I ..."Kilkenny opened his mouth to yell something but snapped it shut, bringing himself into check-out procedure."I 'm not immature. I may not live forty years."

"Then it is in your best sake to talk, and talk soon."Snape leant forward."I am loosing patience."

"I ... I 'll talk."The captive hung his head."I do n't really have a choice do I ?"

"No."

"Well ..."The man rubbed his arm."You know I worked for Gringots ?"

"I was aware."

"You know that I never really worked above the board. Not just skimming off the top, selling secrets too. People 'll pay a lot of money to fuck that Mr rat has almost emptied his invoice or that some former guy makes regular payments to somebody. Businessmen and the corresponding you know ? Checking up on their contender. Investors ..."

"I can see how that information could be useful to some."Snape indicated very clearly with his inflection that he was not one of those some.

"Right, right."Kilkenny nodded."But see when the dark lord found out what I did he got all excited. Well ... not excited exactly. He does n't really get wind up but he does this thing where his optic flash and he hisses a bit. Sometimes his nostrils flair-"

"Mr Kilkenny-"

"right hand, right ... anyway. He told me to get in touch with some of the people who still worked at Gringots. People in the Same billet of work as me."

"Go on."Snape was very careful not to let his interest show.

"He got me to check on some things."

"Specifically."

"The activity on certain vaults."

"Specifically."

"well first he wanted to check up on a vault. Get the track record of who had accessed it and when."

"What vault ?"

"Sixty three. Deep one."

"Who owns it ?"

"Do n't know."

"What did the phonograph record say ?"

"Do n't know. Did n't interpret em."

"You did n't read them ?"Snape raised his supercilium."An enterprising man like yourself ? Always looking for an vantage ? Are you trying to enjoin me you did not even glance at the records before you handed them over ?"

"Look I had the dark bloody lord watching my every movement !"Kilkenny shuddered."There 's enterprising and then there 's just dolt !"

Snape watched the prisoners eyes as he spoke. He could not read his mind but still ... Snape had not survived everything he had gone through by being dependent on any one acquirement. Even without legillimancy he could be reasonably sure-footed as to whether a man was telling the truth. On the other hand, this man had deceived the goblin for years. He would never suffer survived if he was a bad lier.

"You said you contacted people still at Gringots. What were their name ?"

"Well there was only one really ..."Kilkenny scratched his headland."Blake Bees, he 's in the investment department."

"And he will support your story ?"

"Yeah ..."Kilkenny twitched.

"What are you not telling me ?"Snape asked sharply.

"hob found out he lifted the files."Kilkenny slumped."He 's in hiding somewhere. Do n't know where."

"Would he know who owned hurdle sixty three ?"

"Well ... yeah. He 'd get to to get the files."

"Very well."Snape stood."I will debate this."He turned towards the door.

"delay !"Kilkenny called out after him."Do n't you want to roll in the hay about the former matter he asked."

"Other affair ?"Snape asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, he asked me to see to it up on another vault."Kilkenny said desperately, trying to hard cash in on every combat of cognition."I know who owned this one. Blake told me because he thought it was weird."

"How so ?"

"It was the Lestrange vault."Kilkenny spread his manus."The Lestranges worked for him. If he 'd desire something out of it he could get just got them to go in and get it."

"What did he wish to know ?"

"Just who had accessed it. When I told him that no-one, not even a hobgoblin, had been in it since the Lestranges went to prison yr ago he seemed ... relieved. Well not relieved exactly. He does this thing with his neck-"

"Mr Kilkenny."Snape cut him off."Was there anything else ?"

"well ... no. I just-"

Snape turned silently and rapped twice on the door. Moody opened it and Snape stepped through. As Snape put his hand on the door to swing it closed the captive called out shrilly.

"Please help me out of here !"He wrung his workforce."I 've done bad things but I 'm not a bad person ! He looks at you and you have to do what he says or he 'll kill you. I had to ! Please. He was too much, I was scared ! I was-"

Snape swung the iron slab shut and Kilkenny pathetic cry were shut off suddenly. Snape and Moody were left alone in the darkness. It was a long time before Snape spoke.

"Get him some books."Snape fought bile rising in his gut."And better food."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said."Snape spun and swept off down the corridor towards the steps. He had a enceinte deal to cerebrate about. With his mind occupied his finger twitched towards the second power patch of scratch on his arm.



As I promised, more haunt updates. Although at the time of writing this I am still reeling from the end of Battlestar Galactica. After watching it I was kind of in a daze for a few days, just wandering around muttering 'so say we all'and humming all along the watchtower. Should be OK by posting metre though.

Update : put up prison term. Yep ! Fine.


I do n't own Harry Potter. On a totally dissimilar note I have some account book about Parry Hotter ...



Snape tapped his fingers on the backbreaking oak open of his desk. There was something in what Kilkenny had told him, something of import. But his mind could not get a clasp on it. He could see that there was something there, he could see the pattern of it in the darkness but it was like he was missing something.

Should he have given the prisoner what he wanted ?

It did not matter now. Snape shook his head. What he needed to think about now was how to act on the entropy he had been given. He needed to sort through the darkness and find the truth. Snape 's center flickered to a locked pectus in the corner of his business office. Within was locked Dumbledore 's pensive, the old man 's giving to him. Snape did n't experience why, it had been empty when he received it, and the two of them had not been on the best of terminal figure when the old adept died.

Perhaps he had simply written him into his will twelvemonth ago and never changed it. Snape walked slowly over to the chest and clicked the latches receptive. He levitated the heavy bowl over to resist on his desk and stepped back. He was about to come up his wand to his temple when a thought faded into his mind like a ghost.

It was an double, some envisage thing. Dumbledore sitting in his office in the dark, the but light the faint ash grey glow of memories. Alone.

Snape lowered his wand.

"Was this part of the ground ?"Snape murmured."You took no council but your own. Your own memories to direct you. Living in the past."

Another image faded into his mind. Dumbledore inclination over the silver surface gazing into a face in the mirror surface. A girls cheek, with the Same late eyes as the old man's.

"I suppose it would be more unmanageable to let go of guilt ..."Snape conceded."When the memory is so close. He could walk with his Sister every day. He should not have ... but he could have."

But even as he said it Snape realized that that would not be the retentiveness Dumbledore would relive. It would be the moment of her demise. Not knowing who had really fired the while that killed her ... He would have relived it again and again, trying to find out. Living in guilt. Or wallowing in it.

Pathetic.

Snape could n't stop himself from thinking it. Even now he could find only token understanding for the old mug. But the one thing he knew with an Fe certainty was that he could never let himself become like him. He had to select council former than his own. Reliving the confrontation would assure him nothing he did not already have intercourse, allowing someone else to see it might.

His cerebration instantly turned to Natalie, but he had already sent her on grant. Analysing a recent plan of attack site. He could call her back but ... Who else ? Minerva was an obvious option, but her mind worked too similarly to his own. She would bear no insights he himself had not already had. Michelson ? No. As much as Snape had come to commit the man for his fighting talent refinement was not his strong suit. So perhaps ... well he had promised to celebrate him updated.

Snape summoned his patronus and whispered a message too it before allowing it to swim off through a wall. He did not sustain to await long, after just a minute or so there was a bang on the door.

"Come in Harry."The door swung open and the pupil stepped inside. He appeared to experience just run a Marathon."You have been training ?"

"How did you guess ?"Harry walked over to the desk. Snape deliberately did not mention how much the boy was limping."What did you call me for ? The message was kind of cryptic."

"Here."Snape drew his wand to his temple."It will be simpler if you see for yourself."He drew the storage out of his head and let it accrue softly into the pensive."Do you know what this is ?"

"A memory."Harry shifted around so that he could calculate down into it. He tilt forward, then hesitated."Do you require to go first ?"

"I will not be coming. I do not wish to bias your interpretation."Snape motioned Harry to go along. The boy nodded and dipped his head into the arena. His consistence went quag and Snape knew that at that second Harry was seeing dark stairs.

He waited respective minutes, tapping his desk in restlessness before Harry lifted his face from the silver liquid.

"When did this bump ?"Was the first matter the boy said.

"Just now."Snape scooped up the retention and fed it back into his judgment. He wanted the knowledge newly."I would like to hear your interpretation."

"Why ?"Harry crooked an eyebrow.

"Because it may be different from mine."

"But why me ?"

"Just secern me what you saw Pott-"Snape bit off the end of that sentence and licked his lip. He tried again."I have been thinking operose on these outcome, very hard, and I have ... met, shall we say ... cognitive blocking. I need fresh eyes. Yours have usually been good."

"The sorcerous eye did n't work in the memory."

"That is not what I meant."Snape heard iritation re-enter his voice.

"right field, right ..."Harry carefully dropped back into a president, once again sparing his bruise leg."well ... clearly Voldemort was after two separate things ... It sounded like the first gear thing was ... was something he wanted to get. The thing in hurdle sixty-three. It belonged to person else and he was looking for it, or wanted to see, or something."

Snape was about to nod, but thought better of it. Better to get an unbiased persuasion even though Harry 's thoughts mirrored his own.

"So that was something he wanted to get. The other thing ..."Harry scratched his head."If he had wanted something out of the vault he would have just sent a Lestrange down to get it. It sounds like he was just checking no-one had been in while he was away. Like he was checking up on it. Which means that there 's something in there he wants kept safe."

Snape knew he had called the right field person.

"I remember ..."Harry 's forehead creased."I remember survive year ... rightfulness at the start. The parliamentary law meeting I listened in on. Did n't you say the night Maker had you experimenting with polyjuice potion so it would sour with non-humans ? Could the hob have been the fair game ?"

Snape schooled his brass with an effort of will. He had not made that connection.

"And that was about the metre Barty Crouch vanished into thin air."Harry put forward."And his long suit is sneaking, disguises ... Am I making any common sense ?"

"So what you are saying."Snape said slowly."Is that the wickedness lord guessed, or knew, the location of an item, questioned a former cursebreaker to be sure and sent his best spy in to acquire it. Is that what you are saying ?"

"Yes ?"Harry said hesitantly."But time lag ... that does n't realize any signified. Barty Crouch was missing for about a yr. If he tried to break in would n't he either manage it quickly or fail quickly ? Not string up around for months."

"It would depend."Snape said thoughtfully."If he wished to slip the point without anyone realising it was gone. Then that would require homework ... inquiry ... It might well take time."

"He would have to get close."Harry nodded."Probably get himself hired on to the Gringots staff. He certainly has the attainment to be a cursebreaker."

"The hobgoblin check their employees for disguises."

"They check for magical disguises."Harry smiled."What are the two most salient feature film of Crouch ? That everyone remembers ? His blonde haircloth and the fact that he looks very untried for his age. If he dyed his hair's-breadth and grew a byssus he could probably go unnoticed without any magical help whatsoever."

"Such a person would be memorable."Snape could feel the pieces clicking into place in his mind."I wonder if William Weasley recalls such an individual."

"Who ?"

"broadside Weasley."

"Ah !"

"If we could encounter what crouch took we might be able to hazard the dark lords plans."Snape stood."Thank you Harry. Your brainwave were most helpful. I will inform you if Weasley recalls anything."

"Right, you do that."Harry grinned evilly."I 'll bet for a rat in his bolthole."

"A ... rat ?"

"Mr William Blake Bees, the informant in Gringots. The one in hiding."Harry tapped his temple knowingly."If he was in the job someone at the Tarot may know how to get in link with him. He can narrate us who 's vault it was, and maybe more."

"yield backup."The words dropped from Snape 's mouth before his mind had even formulated them."Do not go to that office alone."

"For god 's sake !"Harry threw his hands up."I keep telling people this, the tarot is n't severe. The mass there might coldly guild a hit on you but they 're not going to smash a bottle against the table and do the job themselves."

"Even so."Snape raised a hand to stop Harry from commenting further."As we have seen today, four center see Sir Thomas More than two."

"Not more than my eyes-"

"proceeds somebody Harry."Snape allowed the tone of bid to enter his interpreter."A predator or an rescript member, I do not worry. But you will have someone."

Harry 's eye twitched and he opened his back talk as if to notice again, then shut it suddenly. He nodded.

"mulct. Understood."Harry made a mocking bow."I hear and obey oh splendiferous leader."

"One former small matter."Snape drew his wand."If something goes haywire you will take a way out."

"I keep telling you-"

"Not just now Harry, in early berth as well."Snape raised his scepter to Harry 's boldness."delay quite still."

"Is this going to hurt ?"Harry asked quickly.

"I have no idea."Snape smiled, and cast the spell.
*


"Harry you are well aware that this is not what Snape meant."Pythea raised an eyebrow as Harry pointed to a tumid pub with a champion on it 's house."He told you to bring backup."

"He told me he did n't worry who."Harry pointed out.

"Harry I ca n't fight."

"I do n't need you to."Harry led the seer towards the door."This place is as rubber as Hogwarts. Safer probably. The people who drink here are sticklers for propriety though. I needed somebody who would n't make a scene, someone who could do nuance. Do any of the marauders fit that bank bill as well as you ? Draco maybe, but it was full moon moonshine last night."

"Padma, Hermione, Ginerva ..."

"Ginny 's grown less predictable."Harry shook his head."Padma 's an out of doors possible but really it had to be you. This whole thing is about gathering information and who better to help than a seer. I need you to view people 's eyes."

"I ca n't read minds any more Harry."

"And yet you still know what people are thinking half the time."Harry reached the threshold and stopped, his hand raised."Please Theia, fall in with me."

"Harry ..."Pythea took a deep breath."Fine."

Harry smiled and pushed the door give. Within the place looked like any other pub in a coastal town. There was a roaring fire in the grating and scenes on the walls of fish and fish related activities. The low murmur of conversation filled the air but no-one looked up as he entered. They had their own cares mainly. Harry led the was confidently to the bar.

rules of order whatever you want.

Harry flashed into Pythea 's judgment before turning to the bartender and ordering his own drink. After Harry had handed over his money he led them to a board near the ardour and slid a coaster under the seer 's wine.

"swallow are messages here."Harry explained."If it 's on a coaster, that means the but message is that you were thirsty."

"I see."Pythea replied, taking a sip of drink and carefully placing the meth back on the mat."And what does yours mean ?"

"Well, it 's aureate and expensive ..."Harry pored the whiskey into his class."What do you suppose ?"

"Was it necessary to buy such an expensive bottle ?"

"It never hurts here to show you have money."

"And why Irish ?"

"Well,"Harry grinned."Got to bear my homeland do n't I ?"

"So what do we do now ?"Pythea glanced around, still speaking quietly."Simply wait for someone to notice ?"

"That 's now it works."Harry shrugged. He raised his chicken feed to his backtalk but did not imbibe any. It would definitely not do to lose focus here. He tried not to even breath in any of the exhaust fumes."Besides, it 's a nice place to drop the afternoon."Harry gestured out the window at the coast below. The winter flatus were whipping the waves to peaks before crashing them against the beach. Out further a few boats were still visible, bobbing up and down.

"I suppose it is not so bad."Pythea smiled."This spot is quite pleasant. I did not expect it to be so ..."

"Homely ?"

"Peaceful."Pythea glanced around."That man has absinthe. What does that signify ?"

"Ca n't commend ..."Harry scratched his principal."It either means he 's selling diacetylmorphine or buying human harmonium. Ca n't remember which."

"And you say this space is safe ?"Pythea quirked an eyebrow.

"I said good. I did n't say nice."

Pythea shook her head and chuckled, then grew quieten as a man approached their table.

Time to go to work.

Harry smiled.
*


"This is the man we are looking for."Snape slid a picture of Crouch over the table towards the ginger haired young man at the former end.

"He does n't await like anyone I know."greenback Weasley shook his head tiredly."smell I know what Barty crouch looks like, all the society do. If I had seen him I would have-"

"He would suffer concealed his identity."Snape waved his hired hand over the photo and the face grew a little beard."Or this ?"The photograph 's fuzz went pitch blackness."Look at the centre. They will not give birth changed."

"Look if I had seen him I would kn-"Bill froze suddenly."Can you stool him bald ? retain the beard."

Snape made the changes.

"And dark-brown beard. throw it bushier."posting leant over the exposure."I ... I do remember him."

"Do you."Snape kept his voice composure as the pieces fell together."When ?"

"Only a few fourth dimension ... He was working in a different department."

"Working on what ?"

"I do n't know."circular rubbed his frontal bone."They do n't severalise us what early multitude are working on."

"How long was he there ?"

"I do n't do it. I have n't seen him recently."

"Who worked with him ?"

"I do n't know."

"discovery out."Snape ordered flatly.

"I can't."peak shook his principal."The goblins are getting rid of homo left, mighty and eye. They 're looking for an alibi. And with mum and dad still in infirmary I can't-"

"This could be very important."Snape snapped."Are you a appendage of the ordering or not ?"

"Yes but-"

"Then observe out where he worked, what he worked on and who he worked with."Snape be given forward."And find out who owned hurdle sixty three."

"I could get fired !"

"You could be killed."Snape replied coldly."The goblins tend to be very train about threats to their atomic number 79. So I suggest you find out carefully."
*


"Is this the plaza ?"Harry looked up at the dingy and broken apartment building.

"This is the address the man mentioned."Pythea glanced down at the bedding material straw street. Her expression was ... not impressed.

"Certainly something going on up there."Harry squinted up."The top floor 's all fuzzy."Harry blinked a couple of times and rubbed his eyeball on his arm before peering up again."Nope, ca n't see anything. You see anything ?"

"I 'll try ..."Pythea closed her eyes."Could you step away delight ?"

"What ?"

"Just take a few steps away please Harry."Pythea was staring, close eyed, at the sky."Just trust me."

Harry stepped back, frowning. For a few consequence the seer stood there, staring up at the sky. Then she nodded.

"There is someone up there."

"Well that 's promising."Harry drew his wand."You apparate back to Hogwarts I 'll check it out."

"No."

"Damn."

"You must feature known I was going to say that."

"I thought you were going to be a bit more purloin. Like'I 'll never empty you .'or 'Damn you Harry you do n't birth to go it alone !'”

"I 'm thought the effect would be majuscule if I was less profound."

"fountainhead, we should get on with it then."Harry stepped off the pavement towards the construction."stoppage behind me and warn me if your demented one-sixth signified picks up anything. If the initiative five do as well. And if he attacks or something just shield and run."

"No."

"Damn."

Harry pushed the front room access clear. It creaked a little. The inside was even more decrepit and covered in graffito. Harry 's eye flickered up the construction. It was n't totally empty, one man sleeping on the indorse floor, two children apparently home alone on the adjacent storey up, a cat ... Then the blankness of the top floor. Harry kept his eye trained on the top floor as the two of them climbed up and up. As they reached the top level Harry slowed to a crawl.

The door was already open.

"prophesier senses seeing anything ?"

"No."Pythea was hanging back a few footprint."Are yours ?"

"No ..."Harry paused and turned, smiling."This is a fun first date is n't it ?"

"Harry this is hardly the time !"

"Fine."Harry shrugged and turned back."rear to seriousness."Harry silenced the door and disillusioned both himself and Pythea. In the blue light of his eye he saw the piffling seer flick out the piranha glasses. He pushed the door open and edged into the dingy little flat. The instant he got through the door his eye shut down, plunging him into uncomfortable iniquity. After over a class of super powered sight having it ripped away felt horrifically claustrophobic.

"Pythea stay close I ca n't see you any more."Harry whispered. A deal brushed lightly against the vertebral column of his neck."God I hope it 's you doing that."

Harry glanced into a dark and empty press before sliding forward. Blood. Harry sniffed again, definitely blood. Harry put his deal against the door to the bedchamber and pushed it open slowly. A dead body lay sprawled on the level, blood seeping into the carpet, neck slashed ear to ear. Blake Bees, the Gringots informant. They were too lately. Harry aimed his wand and whispered a charm. A tiny red luminescence was visible for a moment above the dead man. Still warm.

A midget tap came on the back of Harry 's neck and a barely heard articulation said ...

"Remember, I saw life up here."

Harry gritted his teeth. He had remembered. Harry felt blind without his eye. Lacking in profoundness perception certainly. Life up here did n't necessarily mean the murderer was still here. It could let just been the dupe slowly and excruciatingly bleeding out.

"Thea leave now."

"Harry-"

"This time I 'm se-"A ripple of air was the sole warning Harry got. He dropped to the floor as the knife flashed over his nous. In a sliver of a second he spun."Depulso !"Harry aimed the piece behind him, a sharp scream sounded and Pythea was thrown back through the candid door. A second go slammed the doorway shut but Harry was already rolling to his animal foot with his wand outstretched.

"Augmenta."The stream of weewee splashed against the inconspicuous assassin, outlining him in droplets."Ferio !"The Lie Gou ducked and launched forward, blade flashing for Harry 's neck.

Harry knocked it aside desperately but the mute grampus was on him, forcing him to the floor with cold durability. Harry was using all his strength to keep the blade from his throat, his other arm pinned, digit curling around his articulatio radiocarpea. He could n't hold on, the body of water made it too slippery. Closer and closer.

Harry let his ramification fold and get a line his opponent grunt as the exercising weight hit his blazon. Harry jabbed his chief forward and hit something, he kicked out and snapped the stage out from under the mum killer. A twanging thunk sounded right wing next to his heading and Harry saw a knife appear from nowhere, dropped from numb finger. Harry was on it like a ostentation and stabbed forward. Red stock fountained from inconspicuous flesh. The fingers around his arm tightened like a frailty ... then finally released.

Before Harry 's center the Lie Gou assassin flashed into thought, falling to the floor. The spell fading as the life ebbed out of it 's caster. The room access burst open.

"Harry how dare y-"Pythea 's eyes flashed to Harry, on the floor and covered in blood. Her eyes went wide.

"I 'm fine. It 's his."Harry said breathlessly.

"Harry is he ... is he dead."Pythea still had n't moved from the doorway.

"Yeah."The knife fell slowly from Harry 's finger."He is."

"He was trying to kill you."

"They always are."Harry slowly pushed himself to his ft and took a breathing spell. Blood filled his nose."We need the order here. They should go over the place ... maybe find something."Harry 's leg was buckling under him and his eye mold around for him walking peg. It was lying right in the eye of the pool of lineage. He let it be.

"Harry ... you 're not aright."A normal person would have said 'are you aright', but they would make been foolish to do it.

"I 'll be fine, later. It 's just ... this is one of those sentence I 'd rather be Jack."Harry laughed humourlessly and limped over to the door.
*


An hour later and Harry was sitting on the cold whole step in a courtyard at Hogwarts. backrest at the flat a police barrier had been set up and aurors dressed as coppers were trying to hold hoi polloi out. Inside Sir Thomas More aurors would be peering around and poking things. Harry had left, he had wanted to delay so he knew what was happening, but Shacklebolt had turned up and Harry had n't felt like explaining everything again. He had slipped off into the dark.

"You should not have got brought the seer."Snape 's voice did not catch Harry by surprise. Neither did his Scripture or the stern tone.

"I know. It was a mistake."Harry nodded, not looking as the professor approached."I could have got her killed."

"I told you to bring competent backup."

"And you were right."Harry 's voice was deadened."Can we please proceed on."

"As you wish."Snape conjured a hot seat and sat down opposite Harry. He looked tired. Harry was sure he himself looked worse.

"They find anything up there ?"

"No, and at this decimal point I do not have a bun in the oven they will."Only someone who knew Snape would have detected the frustration in his voice."There were signaling that sure text file had been burnt just before you arrived here, whether by the dupe or his Orcinus orca it matters fiddling. There is nothing here."

"Tell me your investigation turned up something."Harry glanced up at Snape, not daring to hope. Snape shook his head.

"Damnit ...."Harry dropped his head to his hands."numb end then. Unless we ask the hobgoblin directly. Or we could get Kingsley to ask them-"

"No."Snape shook his head."I believe our skilful hope is to allow William Weasley to acquire the text file we need. If we petition the goblin directly at the same time they will certainly become suspicious."

"So we do what ? Wait and hope that Bill succeeds ?"Harry snorted."What do we do in the mean time ? Just sit on our handwriting ?"

"I have many things to do."Snape said dryly."As for you ... I suggest you try to possess a Merry Christmas."

"Ha !"Harry laughed mirthlessly."That 's not going to happen-"Harry 's Holy Writ were cut off as a crossbow bolt thudded into his back.
*


For some reason the previous chapter got chopped off weirdly. There was meant to be a altogether nother aspect but somehow it just dropped off the font of the globe. I did n't notice until it was validated and put up. Wierd ... Serves me right for not checking my chapters properly before I post them I guess.

Anyways that scene can go at the head start of this chapter just as easily. Just letting you know I did n't stand for to give you another cliffhanger.



Harry spun like a top and fired madly at the E. B. White figure on the roof. It ducked like a touch but Harry could still see him dashing away. Ignoring Snape 's shout Harry shot a hook at the tiles and was jerked off his feet, clattering onto the tiles. His leg screamed in hurting as Harry scrambled to the flower of the roof. The Patrick White flesh was far away, Harry knew he would n't be capable to catch him. Harry stabbed his wand forward and fired a scourge. The soma shielded easily without even stopping. Harry spun his wand like and felt the tiles beneath his leap. He tried to appease on top of them as they hovered and spun forwards. He shut his eyes and used only the magic one, his real eye could n't take after fast enough. The trope was already too far away, too fast. Harry yelled,

"Tempesto !"The wind smashed into his side and threw him through the air, barely in control, before thudding to the grass and rolling. Everything detriment. Harry rolled to his ft and stumbled towards the forest. He could see the number belting through the trees. Harry dashed towards the moody fo-

DANGER !

Harry 's eye caught a coup d'oeil too late. Harry skidded on the leaves as four arrow flashed above his head. He scrambled backwards back onto the grass and stopped, wand outstretched and breathing heavily.

Through the dark tree diagram, in the cold light of his eye, Harry could see his assassin standing out of eyeshot. Dotted all around were centaurs, each one with a pointer notched to his bow. They were just waiting for him to get over the line back into the Sir Henry Joseph Wood. Harry glanced at one of the arrows embedded in the priming, they wanted to kill him. The centaurs would n't pass the line of merchandise, apparently the unknown, white clad assassin had no such compunction.

Harry stood up and watched as the Centaur and their strange protagonist turned and slowly retirement into the wood.

"Harry !"

Harry turned and saw Snape hurrying toward him.

"He got away."Harry staggered forward, limping."It was n't one of the Lie Gou. I could see his side he was European ... had a scar-"

"Harry you have an arrow in you."Snape said, surprisingly calmly.

"What ? Oh ..."Harry looked over his shoulder"That 's not an arrow, it 's a crossbow bolt. common mistake."

"Harry do not expect me to be surprised by the fact that you 're alive."Snape crossed his arms.

"Spoilsport."Harry tugged the dash out. It 's point was crushed and blunted."It 's the coat. It 's got enough good luck charm to quit a tank."

"springiness me the arrow."

"Bolt."

"Cease this Harry."

"Fine."Harry rolled his eye and tossed the arrow to his instructor."Who do you imagine it was ?"

"How could I possibly know that Harry."Snape said sharply."In a usual situation I am sure the aurors would ask if you had any opposition however-"

"Futile."

"Correct."

"You think it was the centaurs ?"Harry glanced back into the woods. There was nothing to be seen now, not a matter was moving."Do you suppose they hired someone to kill me ?"

"Why would they care to do that ?"Snape 's centre narrowed.

"I ... Last clock time I met Centaurus they said I was an abomination."Harry said hesitantly."They said they 'd kill me if I ever went into the forest again."

"And you ..."

"Went into the forest again."

"I am not remotely surprised."

"But why would they wait this farseeing to try something ?"Harry scratched his header."Does n't add up."

"The ministry has mean value of contacting the centaur elders."Snape said quietly, staring into the dark-skinned woodland."I will try to make contact."

"Carefully."

"Yes, carefully."

"Definitely."
*


"Have a good Yule Harry. Keep training."Ginny half smiled, faintly at Harry before turning and trudging away from the Hogwarts gate through the snow. Hunched over with her hands in her pockets, the grinning would n't take fooled about people so it certainly did n't fool Harry.. He thought about calling after her but instead shook his head and turned to Ron and the twins, who had come to foot the school age Weasleys up.

"Try to make sure she smiles at least once a day."

"We 'll try Harry."Fred sighed."No promises."

"And if I signal, come running."Harry held up an 'M'badge. The twins knew what he meant, they had created the spell. It was like the dark marks just a lilliputian less ... perminant. Every piranha had one and they could bring in them directly to Harry wherever he was."We 'll ... not running ... Teleporting. But you get the idea."

"Aye aye, sir."Fred saluted comedically.

They turned to leave and Harry trudged back towards the castle. Draco was standing in the doorway, leaning against a column. His face was grey and lined, obviously death Night 's moon had n't been sort to him. Harry was n't in a climate to be sympathetic.

"You could at least show here some homo sympathy."Harry said flatly.

"And what would that do ?"Draco growled."It would just give her hope for something that ca n't ever happen."

"Why the Hell not ?"

"Shut up Potter. You do n't understand."

"Oh god that again."

"You ca n't ever understand !"Draco shoved Harry away roughly.

"I understand that you 're giving the frigidness shoulder to a female child who 's parents are still being fed on drips."Harry said harshly. He 'd tried everything else, maybe bluntness would get through Draco 's thick skull.

"I do n't want to hurt her."

"You are hurting her !"Harry pointed away at the upstage design, trudging through the snow a length away from her brothers.

"I 'm a werewolf."Draco muttered."I ca n't do ... I ca n't own a girlfriend."

"Lupin apparently thinks differently."

"well that 's blinking Lupin 's choice is n't it !"Draco spun and fixed Harry with an tempestuous spotlight."Just shut up about things you do n't infer Potter."

"I understand enough to know that the wolfman thing is just an excuse."Harry spat back. Draco 's eyes flashed wide, the words biting mystifying. Harry pressed on."So what you 're effectively doing Draco, making Ginny miserable for no good reason and then claiming it 's because you 're being noble. Like you 're taking the high ground when really all you 're doing is-"

"Shut up."Dragon 's wand was in his handwriting somehow."Just close up Harry. Shut up."

"Fine."Harry held his hands up."Whatever. I can see I 'm not going to get a straight reply out of the twisted chunk of conflicting reasoning, ego hatred and false sacrifice shaped by the twin personnel of teenage high-handedness and lust you call your wit. Come on, we 've got a little project for this vacation season. It 'll be fun."

"Oh really ? And what is this labor ?"Draco asked sharply.

"Simple, the ring."Harry patted his bag."I do n't buy that phoenix flaming is the only when way to ruin the thing. Got to be something else that can do the job, we 're going to line up it."

"So essentially ..."Dragon narrowed his centre."You want to inquiry the most in-sainly destructive piece known to wizard-kind."

"Yes."Harry smiled."Told you it 'd be fun."
*


In the end they only found two things that could match the superpower of phoenix fire, and neither of them were pleasant. One of them at to the lowest degree seemed tardily to aquire, at least at firstly ...

"What do you mean 'You burnt it'?"Harry asked shrilly.

"Burnt it years ago."Markus Michelson shrugged."The day after you killed it. Went back down into the chamber of secret and torched the thing. nix left but ash and I scattered them pretty widely."

"You ... you torched the bassilisk ..."Harry sighed."You did n't bechance to keep a tooth as ... as like a token or something ?"

"The dentition and the spitefulness are the most dangerous portion, unhurt reason I got rid of the thing."Michelson 's supercilium furrowed."Why ?"

Harry told him. Michelson cursed and punched the wall.

"So ..."Harry said, after leaving the defense force prof 's office staff."That leaves the other option."

"I do not desire to use the other option."Draco remarked darkly.

"You know the incantation."

"It 's not a matter of knowing."Draco shook his headland."This is fiendfyre we 're talking about. It grows out of control, it can exhaust it 's caster and everything around him."

"Hence why we need to go somewhere we 're there 's nothing to consume."Harry said simply."I know fiendfyre 's dangerous but if we go somewhere deserted we ca n't hurt anyone."

"Except ourselves."

"True, but you 're suicidal on account of being a werewolf and I 'm weirdo enough not to care. What have we got to fall behind ?"

"commodity point."genus Draco cracked a wry grin."Do you have a place that will be deserted enough ?"

"I have just the place in mind."Harry nodded."We 'll get Morfin to learn us there. Do n't need to put Pythea in peril again."

"doe Morfin know the berth well enough to apparate to it ?"

"Oh yes ..."Harry grinned again, this time less pleasantly."He lived there most of his life."
*


The waves crashed harshly against the cliffs of Azkaban island, sending up sail of nebulizer. The twist was bitingly cold, whistling through the ruin of the prison house with terrifying upper. Harry stood with his cheek into the wind and breathed in the majesty of it, better able to apprize the power of nature when the charms worked into his coating kept him pleasantly warm.

"Where shall we do this ?"Draco had to rear his voice against the wind. Harry had cast warming good luck charm on both him and Morfin but they still had to compete with the sheer force of the gale.

"Suppose it does n't really matter."Harry shrugged and pointed to what looked like the stiff of a courtyard."Over there I guess."Harry turned to Morfin."Oh, and clear sure none of Smokey 's friend come near here OK ? Would n't want them getting hurt."

"Smokey 's friends ?"Draco asked.

"Invisible, magical, poisonous snakes."Harry smiled."They live on this island. Morfin told me."

"The ministry does n't fuck about them."

"That would be because they 're A : invisible. B : Solely indigenous to an island at the tail end of nowhere and C : Fed mostly on captive the dementors had already killed. Though I suppose they probably eat seagulls now."Harry came to a stop in the midsection of the courtyard and reached back into his bag. He took out the package the ring was in and put it on the soil without bothering to break it. No phone touching it more than was necessary.

"Do you have the backup plan ?"A trace of nerves had entered Draco 's voice. Harry did n't answer but instead drew two broomsticks out of his bag. He handed one to Morfin and the got on the former himself. Each of them grabbed one of Draco 's shoulder's.

"Why am I trusting my safety to your flying ability."Draco shuddered.

"I may not be a gravid flier Dragon but I can go straight up."Harry rolled his eyes."Quit stall and torch the thing already. If this does n't knead we 'll try dropping it in a volcano."

"Do n't rush me Harry."Draco grated."You 're not the one channelling hellish fire through your fingernails."

"I did offer to-"

"Do n't even say it."Dragon broke in."You 're not ... focussed enough to go along this power in check."

"I do know Legilimancy."Harry said indignantly."And occlumency. And I can hoodwink knives, do n't secern me that does n't need focus."

"Get on with it ..."Morfin hissed darkly, his eyes flickering back and forth. organism back on the island was perhaps effecting him a bit More than he was letting on.

"Aright ..."Draco gritted his dentition and raised his arms. He closed his middle and began to chant, a red glow rising from his mitt. The air was growing heater, sparking with vigor. Harry gripped his friend 's arm harder. His eye was picking up strange tail out of the air, things with unknown, sharp, silhouettes. Spinning like a a whirlpool, settling into Draco 's hands, draining in. Each time one of them touched the shaking Slytherin 's hands the heat grew and the air sparked.

"genus Draco ..."Harry started."Maybe we shouldn't-"

"Now !"Draco 's eyes flashed open and the courtyard filled with blood red flame. Both of Harry 's eyes were blinded by the sudden burst of light and magic, he tried to harbour his optic but it was n't any good.

"Draco ! You 'll possess to narrate me if it goes out of control I ca n't see !"Harry could see the outline of the flow of vigor flowing out of his ally 's manpower. It shifted and moved and seemed to be trying to break devoid. For a moment the annex of an eagle formed out of the flame, genus Draco seemed to tense and the wing vanished. A cavalry head exploded out a moment later and Draco again squashed it down.

"Draco ..."

"I 've got it."The cavalry head reared up again, it 's eyes wide, and tried to leap at the three wizards. genus Draco yelled in pain and it was subsumed again into the stream of flame.

"Draco-"

"I 've GOT IT !"

"You do n't !"

"I 've got it !"

An elephant breached out of the nowhere and charged towards them. Harry whipped his wand out and blew the fire creation into nothing. more than tool began flashing out of the flame, more and more. Harry swore and yelled,

"UP ! We 're leaving !"

Harry jerked the Scots heather under him up, it rose jerkily. Harry kicked it and it flew a little faster. Something with chela jumped at him and Harry flashed a flame-freezing charm at it before remembering it did n't work of fiendfyre and having to shove along it up. Fragments of the brute peppered him with burns and he yelled in pain in the ass. The broom shot up and the air slowly grew colder. Harry 's arm ached and he looked over to see Dragon hanging between him and Morfin.

"You aright mate ?"Harry tried to squall but his parole were carried away by the holler flame. Red droplets of fiendfyre were still dripping from the werewolves fingers, but they were petering out. Slowly. Harry heaved upwards and ( minus a hideous wobble when the Scots heather tried to go it 's own way ) dragged Malfoy up onto his broom. Harry waved Morfin back and hovered away himself, keeping a last clutch on the handgrip of the broomstick.

As they got further away Harry could truly see the devastation the fervour was reaping. Black rock was giving way to flame out from the courtyard. The roaring maelstrom of beast was pooling out like some sort of flaming mould.

Harry cursed, it would be easily seeable from the mainland. That could do unhelpful motion. Harry drew his wand and idea for a consequence ... there was no way he could vanish the island, or build an head game to traverse it, which meant going for something Thomas More basic.

"Nebulosus."Harry dipped his wand down and allowed a dense mist to drain out. He felt the broom move underneath him and panicked for a second before realising that Draco was doing it, moving him into a better position.

Harry slowly built up a bulwark of mist between the island and the mainland. When he was finished the flack was still burning inviolable and stretching out to cover a good after part of the prison islet. They had to wait over an time of day, hovering in the Atlantic winds before the conclusion of it died out. Harry let genus Draco take the heather down slowly and slipped off.

"Ow ! Ow ! Argh !"Harry stroke back into the air and grabbed back onto the broom. Wincing as his animal foot slowly cooled from burning to blistering.

"Harry you 're an idiot."

"Shut up."Harry muttered a cooling good luck charm at the base and stepped back down. The rut had been rendered bearable. But only just. With frequent spell to cool down his track Harry made his way to the charred wrecking of the courtyard and peered at the floor. His wand made whispers of wind to brush away the glowing embers and Harry saw a niggling glint of twinkle. The Oliver Stone of the ringing had been burnt away but the gold had simply melted, covering the stone with a gilded sheen. Harry bent down and hesitantly laid his manus on the shining metal.

"Anybody in there ?"

Harry projected the thought down. He waited a few moment but naught came back. Harry shrugged and pointed his verge at the pavement. With a diffraction grating moan the pit came complimentary. Harry levitated it into his bag.

"You 're taking it with us ?"Dragon called out incredulously from his perch senior high above.

"I want to make sure."Harry shrugged."Snape can-"But he was cut off as a flash of lighting lit up the night sky and a torso fell from the air with a thud. Morfin sprawled on the priming, unmoving. Harry rushed over to him but even before he did there was another twinkling and Draco tumbled out of the sky like a dead bird.

Harry 's wand was already in his hand, his eye scanning helplessly for an enemy, a clue, ANYTHING ! But there was nothing, for all he could see they were alone. The exclusively sound was the retard temperature reduction of the rock.

"Who are you ?"Harry called out."Voldemort ?"

"No."

Harry spun but he was too slow, the lulu caught him in the chest. He just had metre to see Sasori 's mocking eyes before the wickedness closed in.
*


"You brought him in alive ?"

Harry was comrade enough with unconsciousness to know how it usually went.

"I thought it was prudent. They were doing something rather strange."

number 1 you could only try the voices.

"And what was that pray ?"

It was good to stretch this part out as long as potential. You were still mostly knocked out so people generally did n't acknowledge you were listening.

"They went there to destroy something. The Malfoy boy called fiendfyre but was unable to control it."

"Foolish tike. Playing with dangerous toys."

Ah. Now that voice Harry recognised. They took me to Voldemort. Harry 's gut clenched and he slipped into full moon knowingness. He was lying on a dusty stone floor, but smooth. Maybe marble ? No, not that smooth. Harry realized that with his eyes shut he was completely blind. There was also a nauseating empty flavor in his eye socket. Harry cursed silently. His magic trick eye was gone. Harry could find some sorting of trammel around his wrist. He could n't palpate a burl, or a lock. Maybe if he-

"Mr Potter I know you are awake."The representative of Voldemort cut through the dark."We 've been through this many clock time before do not intend you can deceive me."Harry snorted and flicked his eyelids open.

"Just like old times eh Tommy ?"Harry levered himself up onto his knees. Voldemort was standing just a few steps away, looking faintly amused. His cutis was perhaps a touch clear than before, even a little pinker. He even almost had a nose. He looked ... humaner. He also had a glaring cicatrice across his throat, red and raw and jagged. Harry allowed himself a smile. At least he had left an impression.

Harry glanced around, they were is a ... a science lab ? That was what it looked like. Some form of mad scientist 's lair. All around were board of bottles and arcane, Wyrd items. The table behind Voldemort looked like it had been cleared in a rushing and in the vacuous space ... Harry 's own eye stared back at him, rocking listlessly. The golden flagstone was there too, and a few other interesting ( illegal ) detail. Harry hissed as he breathed in. His bag was supposed to only release those items to him. Clearly that roadblock had not been a barrier to Voldemort. Or perhaps it had been Sasori, standing quietly near the far wall.

"Seen everything you need Harry ?"

"One more minute."Harry squinted behind the table and almost gasped. Back near the bulwark there was an arch of fatal metal, midst around as a person and pulling the shadows in towards it. Hanging from the dark gateway ... a fluttering curtain. Harry found himself breathing heavily. That was the veil ... Or a veil. Not the same as the one in the department of closed book, that one was made of stone. So what the Scheol was-

"Your minute is up Harry."

"Just afford me a little Sir Thomas More metre. ask to set the scene."Harry glanced behind him. Draco and Morfin were sprawled on the floor behind him. Harry could see their chest of drawers going up and down so he assumed they were still alive. Behind them three Lie Gou were guarding the threshold. In a huddled raft a chemical group of dead men stood, tacit beside them. Their putrefaction build reaching Harry 's nostril and making him gag. In the battlefront of the mathematical group was a aspect Harry recognised. It was not a happy side, or a felicitous memory.

"Greyback."Harry turned back to Voldemort."I guess that explains why the werewolves are following you again. Did you have to sew his principal back on ?"

"Nothing so crude. But in principal ... yes."

Harry tried desperately to remember of some way out of this room. He had cipher. Why the hell was there a veil here ? He needed to get out. Harry could hear genus Draco stirring behind him. Or was it Morfin ? shucks it he wanted his eye back ! How did hoi polloi negociate to only see in one direction ?

"So ..."Harry looked Voldemort in the eye."Do we do our fixture dance ? You torture me for fun, I insult you, you get tempestuous, I escape-"

"Sadly not."Voldemort stepped forward."I really should thank you Harry. Battling with you across these years, and especially last year, has taught me something I never wished to learn. That I am shockingly vulnerable. Oh yes ... yes. It is true. Thanks to you I know that, however powerful I am, whatever knowledge I gain ... all it takes is a boy with a knife and a lucky strike ... and I am as washy as a newborn baby baby again. It is so very unfair."

"Life 's not fair."Harry growled."dying even less so."

"Oh I know that now."Voldemort nodded."I know that I an not invulnerable. I look back on my life and clear a great many of my decisiveness were foolish. I have learnt. And for that I thank you. I am not foolish any more."

Yeah right. Harry tried not to ramble his eye. If you 're not foolish anymore why are n't I dead ? Harry chuckled to himself then froze. wait, Voldemort did n't sound wrong. He sounded almost sincere. What if he had got smarter ? Harry licked his lips. Why was he live then ? Harry heard stirring behind him. Of path, Morfin. Voldemort had recognised his long missed uncle and was ... what ? Confused ? Or maybe ... Harry tried not to glance at the table with the favorable flagstone on it. There was no way that Voldemort could agnize the ring from a lading of gold. Could he ? And anyway the anchor ring was just a hole ? Was n't it ?

Harry began getting very very nervous.

"So ..."Harry glanced at Sasori, trying to buy time."longsighted time no see. How have you been ?"

"Richer."Sasori 's eyebrow twitched up.

"You and your hoi polloi have been keeping quiet."Harry tried to twist his hands out of his bonds.

"We do what our client asks of us."Sasori 's accented voice had vestige of misanthropic humour.

"I bet."Harry smiled."And where is ... Barty ... crouch ..."Harry trailed off as his eye fell on a box under one of the lab board. It was unfastened and the contents plainly seeable. Dull grey disks, confidential information. 100 of them. Why the hell would anyone want coins made of lea-

Oh HELL no ! Harry took an nonvoluntary deep breath, then ...

"That BASTARD !"Harry squabble. choler filling his veins.

Voldemort followed his gaze but Harry was n't finished.

"prick, idiot, fool, everything he did was worthless !"

"And by 'he'you of grade refer to ..."

"Dumbledore !"Harry screamed, at that moment not caring that the somebody he was venting to was the grim lord."That moron told me he destroyed it ! Told me five days ago ! But he never did did he ? He put it right back where it was before ! Probably too cowardly to actually go through with it ! Or maybe he wanted it for himself. That was what hunker down stole from Gringots ! That 's what brought you back from the brink of death ! That 's how you 've suddenly got all this amber ! After five years you finally got it ! The bloody PHYLOSOPHER 'S STONE !"



If you do n't review tinkerbell will die.

Just kidding. She wo n't die. But I was thinking though that that will spell the import the world becomes truly un-savable.

Tinkerbell drinks the toxicant, starts to fade, the worker playing Peter Pan turns to the hearing and tells them to clap if the believe in fairies and their is suddenly silence.

Or maybe just one gonorrhea petering out quickly as the clapper gets embarrassed. That will be the day humanity dies.

Also ... on that day, the thespian playing Peter Pan had better be crashing good at improvising. : )


Well, as you can see I 've bumped the story up to a mature. I 've tried to keep it 15+ for as long as possible but I guess I ca n't avoid it any more. Ah well, at 50 my theatrical role can swear properly now.

I do n't own Harry thrower. I will if I can win over JK Rowling to give him to me though. I 've been working on this Hypnosis thing ...






The piffling lab was filled with deathly silence for a here and now, then Voldemort uncurled his long fingers and clapped. Once. Twice. tercet times.

"Very well done Mr Potter."Voldemort cocked his headland to one position."There really were quite a few cue but well done nonetheless. But I believe your tumultuous disturbance had More than one role did it not ? You wished to divide and capture ? As you know the Lie Gou will not consent magical gold you hoped to inspire our common champion Sasori,"Voldemort flicked a long finger at the materialistic, who still had not moved."To round me as you reveal that my origin of agency to pay him has not been entirely mundane ? Am I right ?"

"Something like that."Harry said, who had been thinking zilch of the sort. It was a good design though, especially since at the moment Harry could n't believe of a better one.

"And a class ago it would no doubt have worked."Voldemort smiled."But I have been more heedful since you killed me. I was entirely fair with Mr Sasori about my source of income, no deception whatsoever. They were more than felicitous to accept atomic number 79 created with the phylosopher 's Harlan Fisk Stone, were n't you my Scorpio the Scorpion ?"

"More than happy."Nothing about Sasori moved except his lips. Harry almost frowned. Why had the Lie Gou reversed what was basically their merely toilsome and fast rule ?

"So you see Harry."Voldemort turned back to his prisoners."You can not collapse my new retainer from me. It is vain to try. Now ... on to the important matters."Voldemort leant down close to Harry 's face, then hesitated and straightened again and stepped a pace away before continuing."I would like to ask you a question."

"Yes ?"Harry cold feel just the merest draft on his hired man. The doorway behind him must top somewhere, but there was no way he could touch it. Harry found himself wishing he had his god-hand back, damn the consequences.

"I would wish to know why you felt in necessary to destruct my ring."

Dammit.

"What ? So it was n't the informant of all your powerfulness ?"Harry quipped desperately.

"It was not, no."Voldemort replied almost amicably."I assume you or one of your little Friend tried to jade it ?"

"I wore it."Harry tried desperately to guess where the conversation was going."Saw a familiar face. You 've changed since your discotheque eld. And now changed back a little ? ... looking a trivial pink around the lamella Tom. What 's with that ?"

"One of the wonderful effects of the elixir of life."Voldemort held out a handwriting and examined it smiling."A much more pleasant means of extending one 's like than drear magic or unicorn origin. It tastes like atomic number 80 you know ..."

"Not like chicken ?"Harry 's eye noted a heavy calliper on the lab mesa adjacent to him. Heavy enough to use as a club. That was if he could get his men free. And if a club was even the slightest use against a dark wizard. Beside the calliper was a black bladed scalpel. Too small-scale to use as a arm but it looked witching. Would it cut magical bond ?

From under the table there came a deep hissing. A minute later the thick pattern of Voldemort 's pet Snake uncurl. Winding like a sinuous medallion between Harry and Voldemort.

"Ignore Nagini."Voldemort said without mentation."William Tell me about my ring."

"What about it ?"Harry said desperately. He could probably reach the scalpel with a distraction."We found it 's secret. We burnt it. End of story."

"You found it 's secret ?"Voldemort seemed to stabilise himself."It ... it had a secret ?"

"Course,"Harry bluffed."It was the same as the diary."Tell me what the bloody secret is.

"Ah ...."Voldemort clicked his teeth."Well I must clap you for working it out. Does Severus know ?"

"Oh yes."Harry nodded happily."I 'm not keeping things secret from the order any-more. guesswork we 've both learnt."

"I suppose we have."Voldemort seemed to be working hard to stay fresh himself in check.

"Knows about the former thing too."Harry decided to take a rampantly gamble."The one in the Lestrange vault."

"He ! ..."Voldemort 's eye 's flashed red and his custody bunched into clenched fist. The dark lord hissed from between clenched teeth."I suppose I have dear old Slughorn to give thanks for all this."

Slughorn. Harry burnt the name into his brain, then tried to decide what solvent would elicit more information.

"No actually."And would also save whoever Slughorn was alive until he could be questioned.

"So you know about the diary ..."Voldemort fixed Harry in the eye."And the ring, and the cup. I suppose you know about the music-box as well ?"

"I- ..."Harry paused, he knew this trick."No actually, did we miss that one ?"

"Yes, you did."Voldemort smiled. Harry tried to lay off himself smiling."But no thing. I have a better substance of living forever now."

sustenance forever. The closed chain and diary and ... what had it been ? The cup. They let him live forever ? Harry 's brow furrowed. Then it him like a blow ... he knew what they were.

It had been when he was on his mad spree of self improvement. After he had got his eye. After he got his god-hand. He had been face to face with the down in the mouth most curse-riddled and pockmark flesh-monger in Delhi. He had come for a spike in his eye that would let him go without sleep and food for weeks at a metre and the witch had looked him in the eye and offered him something ... better. She had described it to him like a artist talking about her nigh value work. She had even offered to procure a ... a sacrifice. Harry had waited until her vertebral column was turned, bludgeoned her over the head with a statue and left her in a sack on the doorstep of the Amerindic auror home base. He had n't even bothered to check whether she was still breathing. He had n't wanted to be beaming if she wasn't.

Hmm ... come to think of it clubs do sometimes work on dark wizards.

"I 'm surprised you made so many."Harry flicked his eyes up too meet the dark Almighty 's."Horcruxes are n't tyke 's toys."

Sasori shifted.

"I do not reverence them."Voldemort did n't seem to have noticed."I am the master key of my own existence now. And soon a master of all life."

"Oh really ? How 's that ?"

"All it takes to be a victor of life,"Voldemort spread his manus."Is to be a lord of death."

"Being able to end spirit does n't make you the victor of it."Harry 's eye flicked nervously to the head covering in the corner of the room. Beside it there was a rough painting. In the painting a sky wide of unfamiliar sensation stretched out over a vast desert of grey sand, stretching away to aloof tidy sum. Hundreds of solidification of step headed out and away towards the purview. None came back. This was very, very faze."I assume this is the part where you differentiate me your evil design ?"

"No Mr Potter."Voldemort chuckled."This is the pointedness where you, and each of your picayune friends make a choice."

"I 'll have the fish."

"You can select,"Voldemort continued."To die at the teeth of Nagini,"The snake hissed and arched."Or experience the force of death first hand."Voldemort waved his hired man towards the fluttering veil."Choose."

"What 's beyond the veil ?"Harry asked to play for time.

"That is share of what I am trying to find out Potter."Voldemort shrugged."The first footstep to hold in is knowledge."

"We 've both been dead Tom."Harry clicked his neck opening. He had a spirit he would have to run soon."We know what it 's like."

"Paddling in the shallows tells you short about the ocean."

"Poetic."A misdirection .... please ...

"Thank you. take in you made a pick ?"

"I think-"

"SASHISA !"The inhuman cry sounded from behind Harry. Morfin 's eyes had flickered open, and he was scrabbling like a mad affair against his bonds."ZASHIKA whoreson SAHI !"

"Morfin ..."Harry muttered but it fell on deaf ears.

"SACISCA !"Morfin spat towards Nagini. The Snake raised itself up and hissed back.

"Shsassi !"Voldemort barked a command.

"It 's not nice to spill the beans in a nomenclature not everyone can understand-"

"SISSIA !"

"Cazis."

Nagini shook like a rattlesnake.

"-or even hear."

"SACISCA !"

"It pains me that you are of my blood."Voldemort spat.

"SACISCA ZER !"Morfin was straining against his bonds so hard his veins were like hosepipe. Harry tried to edge towards the lab table. Sasori had n't moved.

"SACISCA !"

Harry edged. Nagini showed her fangs.

"SACISCA BITCH-SNAKE SACISCA !"

"Harry ..."genus Draco was just coming awake, his voice full of confusion.

"Pathetic."Voldemort raised his wand.

"SACISCA !"

"You can die like the poor devil you are."Voldemort hissed."Avada-"

"You know why the Lie Gou are helping you !"Harry yelled desperately, flinging his first thought into the air."They do n't live with faux Au but they do betray their clients ! They want the stone for themselves !"

Voldemort 's eye widened.

"NOW !"Sasori moved like a cat, his scepter appearing in his hand and flashing to the dark Godhead. A blinding ark of light flashed into the dark lord 's hastily raised shell, catapulting him back into the wall.

"What do you have intercourse ?"Harry thought as he threw himself at the lab table."I was right."He rolled, his finger's breadth touching the knife and he dropped down the early side like a stone.

Nagini turned and lunged at Harry but Morfin leapt on top of her. The titan snake spun and bit down hard. Blood fountained like a geyser.

Harry worked the knife against his bonds. It was working ! Faster !

The Lie Gou at the door drew their wand but the dead men were all around them. Harry saw the stiff of Johnny grab an arm and tear it from it 's socket.

Faster ! One of the rope was loose.

Morfin toppled to the floor but even as he did a whiff of darkness flew from his sleeve and struck Nagini in the eye. Smokey ! Biting again and again like a Piston into the larger snake. Nagini tried to twist to land her teeth to bear but the little snake in the grass was too spry, biting again and again !

One of the circle was cut through ! One to a greater extent ! Harry could see Draco grabbing a tongue from a fallen Lie Gou.

"treasonist !"Voldemort rose in a flickering aureole of fire and rage. Flickering tail of darkness filled the room and the veil blew like it was caught in a gale."I will ruin all of you !"

Sasori did n't respond, merely threw a wildcat lightning thunderbolt that drove Voldemort back. The dark God Almighty hissed and flung a helping hand forward. The pitch-black soma in the air flew together around Sasori, swallowing him up in darkness for a moment before an blowup of flame. Harry was thrown to the floor in the mass of burning mana, his undermine hamper snapping under the stock. Harry tried to keel to his pes but dropped a here and now later as a flash of green barb over his point. With a screeching yell the doorway was hurl open. Bellatrix staggered back into the elbow room, ten more Lie Gou following her. The screaching witch turned and her eyes widened as she saw Harry free.

"You ! You li-"

She got no further as Harry flashed his mitt forward. The sullen scalpel spun from his script and stabbed through the bitch 's eye.

Harry ducked behind the lab desk again. He could n't see Draco anymore, Harry hoped to god he was hiding somewhere too. He needed his bloody eye ! Harry crawled forwards, ducking as a whirling pinwheel of flame came flashing smash. A eubstance came aviate afterwards. Harry darted over and grabbed the man 's wand.

"Accio eye !"Harry held out his hand and felt his familiar orb fly into it. He shoved it eagerly back into his socket and saw the world come back."Oh my god !"The non-white material body in the air were everywhere, streaming through the wall !

Harry had to dodge desperately as a Ball of darkness shattered the wall behind him. The air screamed with some kind of banshee howl. The velum was streaming like a flag in a hurricane. Harry 's eye whirled. Dragon ! He was ... smart. Lying down beside a pile of bodies with a cloak over him. Lying low.

Voldemort was being driven back, there were too many Lie Gou for him. Sasori was out in social movement, still silent. The screaming in the air got louder, the dingy condition filling the air were screaming. All of them had empty eye. Harry screamed as one passed through his chest. If felt like ice.

"You 've lost Tom enigma !"Sasori broke his silence."You 're outnumbered !"

Voldemort threw a killing whammy at the assassin, who dodge effortlessly. The dark nobleman held out a hand and Harry saw a shining atom of gold fly from one of the tables. His eye picked it out, a golden palm carved with a grinning devil. Voldemort flicked it around his neck and turned, leaping backwards. He threw a bulwark of darkness behind him and, without vacillation, darted directly through the veil.

There was a moment of silence, the strong drink on the air went still. Harry did n't move, the Lie Gou would kill him as quick as Voldemort would.

"wellspring ..."Sasori lowered his wand."That went well-"

The caul exploded outwards like a dark rampart of hell. The wind screamed so arduous Harry had to clamp his helping hand over his spike. The shadows swallowed one of the Lie Gou, stripping him down to bones in moments.

Harry scrambled under the table and dashed across the base. A screaming cast slashed at his boldness, tearing off tune in rip. Harry slashed out with his wand, summoning fervor to blast the thing away. It barely phased it.

"DRACO !"Harry stumbled to the floor, grabbing Morfin 's leg. Draco leapt up from his blank space on the floor, and skidded towards him. The dark shapes surrounded him as soon as he moved.

"Eiectio !"Harry yelled desperately and the wraiths were thrown away. Draco fell forward and Harry grabbed his outstretched hand. Harry squeezed his eye shut and yelled,"Spinners end !"

His eye whirled in it 's socket and Harry felt a jerk at his umbilicus. The moody sidesplitter cut out as the power of the portkey whirled them away from the earthly face of pit. Harry felt the ground hit him like a wall and lay there for a minute, catching his breath.

"Your eye ..."Draco was gasping on the priming coat."Your eye was a portkey."

"Snape did it."Harry shuddered, his muscles shaking."hand brake backup."

"You had that all along ?"

"Yep."Harry looked around weakly. Morfin ... Harry staggered over to the limp contour on the footing. He knew it was no in effect to try to recover a heart rate. His eye told him everything he needed to know.

"Is he short ?"genus Draco asked. Harry did n't suffice, it was n't necessary.

A faint hissing sounded from the body and Harry saw Smokey rise slowly from the body of his master, his small drumhead darting this way and that. Harry met the little Snake 's heart and pushed just a minuscule. The animal judgement was surprisingly cogent. It knew what had happened, it knew why it had happened. It was n't raging, it was just ... sad.

Harry held out his handwriting gingerly. The snake hesitated. Harry pushed into it 's eye again and it slithered slowly onto his hand and up his sleeve. Harry tried not to make a face as it curled around his arm near the elbow.

"Where are we ?"Draco was standing, looking around nervously.

"line of business compass north of Hogwarts."Harry waved his wand over Morfin 's body, cleaning the blood. Another moving ridge and the air around the body coalesced, freezing into a casket.

"What are you doing ?"Draco stepped over, limping a piddling."Should n't we just take him back to Hogwarts ?"

"We 're not going back to Hogwarts. Snape 's on a mission somewhere and we do n't have time to find him. Got to pass back into the old riding habit for a while."Harry took the marauder 's badge out of his pocket and quickly sent a message before jabbing his sceptre forward. God he hoped this worked ..."Expecto Patronum."

White mist flashed to solid form and whispered away on long thin flank. It spun in the air and floated off towards Hogwarts.

"That 'll find McGonagall. Tell her to find this Slughorn and look after him."Harry turned back towards the grave and stopped for a moment.

"Harry secernate me what the pit is going on."Draco growled.

"I 'll tell you when we meet the others."Harry reached out and grabbed Draco 's arm."We 've got to go."

"No."Draco knocked the arm away angrily."Where do you want to go ?"

"Erg ! Look ...."Harry held his read/write head in his hands."Did n't you hear what I said ? Voldemort has Hocruxes ! Do you know what they are ?"

"No, I don't."

"They ... I do n't let sentence to explicate it !"Harry yelled."They 're VERY BAD THINGS. That he has ! And there is at least one more that we have n't burnt yet. There may be others, do n't know where they are, but I know where one of them is. That 's the good bit. Bad bit is that Voldemort knows too. And I 'm not letting that Snake River faced bastard get there 1st ! I know he 's on his way there now. I just ... I just know."

"The hurdle ..."genus Draco whispered."You want to fall in into Gringots. You want to intermit into Gringots now."

"I want to break out into Gringots now."
*


Black robed figures spilled out of Knockturn alley. The lighter flashed off the skull masks as the screaming began. The frame made heterosexual person for the door of the bank. Goblins slammed the doorway shut with a crack. Every windowpane filled with gringos hob, each one holding something sharp and crackling with electrical energy. One of them fired down at the robed physique, a lightning bolt of shining silver luminance. A headlong shield reflected it into the sky.

More bolts rained down, coming thick and fast. The goblins had prepared, they were n't going to be caught out again.

Shields flashed and the death eaters were driven back. One or two of them tried to respond but the go went wide as the goblin blitzkrieg intensified. Then, suddenly, the death eaters broke, spun, and ran away in disarray. The goblins sending jeers to abide by them.

They dashed back into the alley and crashed into a workshop. Pushing the stunned shopkeeper out of the way they threw themselves into the labial pipe one after another.
*


After the last form had emerged from the chimney Ginny pulled her hood back and took off her mask.

"That went well."stock split said dryly as he too pulled off his disguise.

"I wonder if Harry and the others got in ?"Neville was biting his lip.

"We did our piece right."Ginny nodded."So they should have too."
*


Harry, Draco, Padma and the Weasley twins had already been in the striation when the 'Attack'started. Harry had picked a Gringots goblin running for safety device and surreptitiously aimed his wand ...

"Imperio."The goblin slowed to a crawling, it 's expression going glassy. Harry turned back to the other marauders."It worked, come on."

The mesmerize goblin walked down a side corridor, followed by the unseeable piranha. Harry flicked his scepter and mentally ordered the goblin to take them to the Lestrange vault. After a moment where it 's green characteristic twisted like it was resisting it turned and got into one of the waiting mine carts. Harry and the others followed.

Harry shuddered as the mine cart started off. He did n't care doing this. The goblins were n't evil, they just had a unlike definition of good to human beings 's. But Harry had n't been able to think up of anything approaching another design. Well there was nothing to be done now ...

"Is this going to do work Harry ?"genus Draco asked quietly.

"We 'll get to the vault."Harry shrugged."Getting back will be more cunning. Which is why we have masquerade party ... and rob ... and I have grenades."

"And do you think they 'll believe we 're death eaters ? Despite the fact there are only supposed to be two left."

"tone Dragon I had exactly twelve bit to call up up this plan. Did n't see you coming up with anything better."

"You 're the plan person."Fred chimed in.

Why am I the freeking plan individual. Harry thought, but with the vague knowledge that this would not be the most calming matter to say he replaced it with,"Shut up and watch the hypno-goblin."

Harry watched the wall fly past for a few Thomas More bit. By now the attack on the alley would be breaking up. The hobgoblin sentry duty would be going back to their posts. The pushcart rumbled loudly along the trail. Harry hoped to hell they did n't track the carts somehow.

"Do you think he knew ?"genus Draco muttered quietly.

"Who ?"Even Harry 's twisty brainpower could n't work that one out.

"Morfin."

"Knew what ?"Harry hesitated, Dragon was speaking so the other 's would n't be able to hear.

"The Hydra. He was pulling the Hydra towards him."Draco was staring out into the dark."Do you think he knew what he was doing ... drawing it away from us or was he just being ... crazy."

"Why are you asking me this ?"Harry shrugged.

"I want to love ..."genus Draco closed his optic."Just want to know."

"You just want to know ?"Harry sighed, he had no thought why he was being asked this inquiry. Which made choosing the lie difficult."Then yes. I think he knew what he was doing."

"You do ? Why ?"

"Because that 's what people like him do."

"What do you mean hoi polloi like him ?"

"Heroes."Harry shrugged.

"You think he was a submarine ? He was insane. And a vigilante."

"Well you know me ..."Harry chuckled."I prefer flawed heroes."

"Hm ..."Dragon fell silent for a moment. Then he laughed flatly."Are we flawed sub ?"

"Do n't know."Harry glanced towards the goblin sitting blankly in the front end of the cart."We 're certainly flawed."

They fell back into silence as the cart trundled on.

"Are we nearly the-"George V started before the cart screeched to a halt.

Harry glanced around. space tunnel. No threshold. Harry was about to unfold his backtalk when a screaming alarm came out of nowhere.

"Masks !"Harry slammed his book binding on and spring out of the pushcart. He cursed, the wheels had welded to the track. He flicked his baton at the goblin.

TAKE US TO THE hurdle

I ca n't. Against the rules ...

TAKE US TO THE LESTRANGE hurdle

The goblin shuddered and trotted off down the corridor.

"Follow him !"Harry yelled over the shrieking alarm. The piranha were already masked, wands out. Harry led them after the staggering hobgoblin. It hesitated in the middle of the tunnel.

TAKE US TO THE vault

Stupid voice.

Damnit ! Harry spun the goblin around to confront him and pushed into his brain. Flashes of vaults, burrow ...

LET ME IN

A route, a turning, a firedrake. A Dragon ! ? A door.

HOW DO I OPEN THE threshold

Only a Gringots goblin ...

WHY ? WHAT ARE THE charm ?

Do n't love. Only a Gringots goblin.

Damnit. Harry gritted his teeth. That meant they still needed the hob. Harry pushed into his mind as hard as he could.

TAKE US TO THE bank vault

Wo n't work. room access wo n't unfold if the hob is enchanted.

Harry 's heart flashed wide outdoors. No ...

Suddenly a dash of electrical energy crackled through the dark above Harry 's head. His eye gave his maybe a Split seconds warning. His legs buckled without persuasion and he rolled, stabbing his wand out and firing at the vague configuration in the distance. Another bolt of lightning flew from behind and Harry leapt to the bulwark. The air sparkled with bolt of lightning as the marauders ducked for cover. The goblin stood there stupidly.

skin !

The goblin fell forward with a smile on his brass. Harry aimed his baton at the conformation ahead and shot a ravisher. Behind him he could get wind the marauders fighting on the other position. Harry felt the rock explode over his nous and leapt out of the way of the cave-in.

God this was messy. Harry was the simply one who could see anything with the duskiness and the newsbreak and the goblins in amongst the human being and the falling rocks. Harry screamed as a thunderbolt cut into his leg. It had n't even been aimed at him.

"Incendio !"Harry stabbed his wand at the minecart, which exploded with flame. Harry spun and slammed his fist into the hob behind him. The freaking affair were everywhere ! Fingers closed around Harry 's neck and he was jerked backwards. He tried to fire over his shoulder but his wand was jerked out of his hired man. There were two of them ! Fingers gripped cycle and slammed into his eyesocket. If it had been the existent one it would induce been squashed like a grape. Harry forced himself to his fundament and slammed backwards into the wall. The hands loosened for a moment but then came on harder. His eye swivelled in it 's socket and he could see the screaming goblins clawing at his neck. He slammed back again but this time it did n't even phase them.

Ca n't breath.

Of form you ca n't breath !

Harry dropped to his human knee, desperately trying to rend the hands off his cervix. He could n't even get them to agitate. Black battery-acid floated in nominal head of his eye. He was fading ...

"SSS !"

Smokey leapt out of Harry 's arm and the digit disappeared like mist. Harry spun and punched the fearful hob behind him. His fingerbreadth darted to the floor and grabbed the Goblin 's shock-stick, with a picture he shot the thing at the early goblins breast. The grey tool was thrown back against the wall and fell, stunned.

Harry 's eye found Smokey on the floor, rising to prick. Harry grabbed him by the head. If the lilliputian Snake bit a hobgoblin that goblin would be very stagnant. Harry met the snake 's eyes but saw only rage and creature hatred. Harry quietly stunned him and dropped him in his pocket.

He turned and saw the other marauder picking themselves up out of the rubble.

"Everyone alive ?"Harry coughed roughly.

"We 're aright."Fred was pulling his sidekick up off the storey."George got hit but I think he 's aright."

"How about the hobgoblin ?"

"We used stunners."Draco said as Harry scooped his sceptre back up."They-"genus Draco paused."Do you get a line that ?"

"Hear what ?"Harry 's eye spun it 's socket."No."

"hurry sound."Draco cocked his head like a dog.

"Not all of us have wolf senses."Harry growled."Where is it coming from ?"

"posterior us.."

Harry focussed his eye, cutting through Oliver Stone ....

"RUN !"Harry spun, grabbed their goblin usher and belted down the corridor."RUN !"

"What is it ! ?"

"Tidal wave !"

"What do you mean 'Tidal moving ridge'” Padma yelled.

"Stop asking interrogative and RUN !"

Harry reached a branch and chose based of faint flashes from the goblins computer memory. He risked a glance behind him and saw water bearing down.

"We 're not going to puddle it ! Hit the base !"Harry threw himself to the ground and shielded the goblin underneath him. The booming pee caught up with him and Harry felt it clangor over them like a wall.

WHAT IS THIS ?

thief 's downfall. washing away enchantments.

Harry gripped his scepter but the water was gone almost as soon as it had come. The goblin under him began to wriggle and Harry realized that the imperio must have been whipped clean.

"Imperio !"That had sounded wrong ! The charm fizzled and the goblin 's eyes narrowed. Harry was pushed off and the Zane Grey wight dissipated into the darkness. Harry staggered to his ft and tried to yell.

PAIN.

Harry put a script to his throat. It did n't feel right at all. Somewhere in his leg something snapped and Harry howled in pain. He stumbled forward but one of his legs seemed longer than the early. With another pang of pain the other leg slammed down and Harry was thrown to the ground. Everywhere on his skin was crawling like worms. Harry shuddered and tried to crawl forward.

What the snake pit was happening.

Harry crawled towards one of the pool, left over by the pee and stared down into it. He pulled his masquerade off and a face that was n't his own looked back. His fake eye was the same but the other had changed from emerald green to pale Pomaderris apetala. His whisker had faded from Black person to brown and was hanging in lank curlicue, soaked like a idle rat. With a nauseating walkover his face changed too, getting extensive and flatter. Harry 's shaking fingers came up, exploring the new feature ... what the hell ...

Then suddenly he realized what had happened.

The thief 's downfall washed away enthrallment. All enchantment, even Dumbledore 's. The spells that had been on Harry for almost his entire lifetime were being stripped away. It was n't that he was looking at a face that was n't his. It was that he was finally was.

He finally looked like himself.

"Drop the wand."Harry felt the point of a wand pushed against the back of his neck. His eye swivelled and he saw Draco standing over him with murder in his eyes."dip the baton you bastard. And tell me what the the pits you 've done with Harry !"





If you do n't refresh then your backbreaking crusade will wrench into cheese. To be precise, edam. It will be tasty, but it will no longer subroutine as a hard drive.


I do not own Harry potter. I do however exact him as a dependent on expenses. This is fully within the formula and I do not trust I have done anything wrong however I can see that the British public do not agree. As such have resigned from cabinet and will pay the money back. I regret the trouble I have caused to our useless prime minister.



I just can not catch a freaking break.

"genus Draco ..."

"Drop the wand !"

"Ok ... Ok ..."Harry carefully placed his wand on the land next to him."But I am Harry. I ca n't explain, not right now but ... I am."

"Do you think we 're half-wit ?"Draco flicked the wand off the ground. The other predator were crowded around him, their sceptre out as well. Harry slowly turned around, keeping his hands up.

"It 's ... It 's complicated."Harry was breathing hard."I know it 's voiceless to ... but I am the same person I always was."

"You do n't even sound the same."Padma pointed out.

"I just ... Please for the dearest of god you just have to believe me !"Harry glanced into the darkness."The hobgoblin are n't done you know, they 'll be coming back ! You think you can go in, get the cup and get out, with a prisoner ?"

"I was n't intending to take aim a prisoner."Draco growled.

"Really ? Do you have it off where the vault is ?"Harry 's middle narrowed."I do. Do n't believe me. fine. But you need me ! Believe me if you want even the slightest chance of getting the bloody Horcrux you need me. I will explicate everything. conceive me. But we need to go. Now."

Draco hesitated ...

"Please Dragon ..."Harry pleaded."For the lovemaking of god please ..."

"Fine."Draco stepped back."first base take off your coat. And your bag. All your weapons."

"Got a few hours ?"

"Now !"

"Fine."Harry shucked his coat off and threw it to his friends then stood."Can we go now ?"

Harry turned and walked off down the corridor. No one tried to stop him. No one tried to succeed him either.

"Look at it this way."Harry turned."Is turning into someone else half way through the heist really the strangest matter I 've ever done ?"

The vulture began to hesitantly move.

"Thank you."Harry threw his hands up and hurried off down the corridor.

"Hey !"A dish exploded over his head. Harry turned to see Draco pointing his wand at him."Do n't try to get away."

"Yes, I 'm trying to escape down a tunnel underground."Harry growled back at the vulture."Where the hell would I go ?"

"Just stay where I can see you."Draco 's wand had n't dipped an inch.

Harry glared flatly at him before starting back down the tinker's damn cave. They kept going in silence, Harry choosing turning based on vague guesswork and flashes of memory.

"How far is it ?"Padma asked suddenly.

"Two More turnings ... I think."

"You think ?"Dragon asked sharply.

"Yeah, I think."Harry ignored the baton at his back ( here and now from blasting him to oblivion ) and carried on. As they got closer Harry 's eye began to demo him a cavern stretching out before them, far prominent than the caves. And in the middle."Damnit, I thought that was what the goblin said ..."

"What ?"

"Dragon."Harry turned the last niche and crouched down behind a bolder."Look for yourselves."The marauder peeked out to see the vast wyrm, chained in front of the massive door. It 's eyes were milky and Edward D. White, it 's skin too.

"It does n't look too healthy."Padma said thoughtfully."And there are five of us."

"Four."Draco broke in. Harry rolled his centre but Padma nodded.

"quartet of us. If we all stun it at the Saame time it might go down. That 's what they did in the triwizard tournament."

"What about the door ?"Fred scratched his fountainhead."I do n't thing we 'll be able to break off the locking spells."

"We do n't need to."genus Draco moved to stand."We just necessitate to incur another goblin."

"That wo n't work."Harry hissed."The other hobgoblin told me before we were attacked. The threshold can tell if the goblins are moving of their own free will."

"And you only mention this now ?"Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Well between the fight and the death scourge I did n't really get a chance."Harry paused, that prison term even he heard the change in his voice. He had an Irish accent mark. Dumbledore had even changed that !. He glanced back at the vault."I think I see a way to get through ..."

"Tell me the spell then."genus Draco said sharply.

"It 's not so much a go, and I do n't think you 'd be capable to do it anyway."

"Do n't even think you 're getting your wand back."Draco laughed bitterly.

"You know I 'm getting real tired of this-"

"Then tell me who you are !"

"I do n't make sentence and you wo n't trust me."

"Then how can I believe anything you say ?"

"You- ... Fine."Harry stood, registering the cushion in his protagonist 's eyes."I do n't necessitate a wand."With that he vaulted over the rock and began walking down the slope towards the dragon.

"HEY !"The slap-up beast raised it 's promontory."Over here !"

Harry had to dodge a gout of flame. The lounge lizard was old but it was fast. Dashed to the left field and the brute lumbered to follow him. He crossed in front of it, rolling out of the way of a bolide, and kept moving.

The irons around it 's arms twisted into one another, kinking.

Harry ran back the other way. The beast leap forward, raking it 's nipper through the air. Harry 's hand twitched to a wand that was no longer there and ducked at the final stage minute. He threw himself forward, leaping under the out-flung arm. His bang bit stone and he leapt over the whipping tail that threatened to cut his legs out from under him and dashed back out of the dragon 's range.

The chain twisted around a stalactite.

Harry ran for the ingress to the vault, rolling under an orb of flaming that left a scorch mark on the rampart and made the cave shake. He skidded to a stop before the smoothing iron door and the wyrm turned to face up him. It tried to step forward but it 's twisted chain would n't let it reach the any more. Instead it breathed deep and belched out a fireball. Harry twisted to the side and felt his eyebrows burn off as the dragon-flame passed right in front of him. The fireball exploded against the bank vault threshold, turning it cherry red.

"Yeah ! More !"Harry yelled at the firedrake."semen on !"A fizgig like a flamethrower forced him to the floor and made him cry out in infliction as it struck his shoulder a glancing blow. His shirt was on attack. So was his skin. Harry rolled to put out the fire and bust off the scorched fabric. Another fireball pin-wheeled over his head and struck the hinge of the threshold. Parts of it were almost incandescent white.

Harry dashed the way he 'd come, waiting for the dragon to work and postdate. The Sir Ernst Boris Chain clicked off the stalactite, springing like a sportfishing business. Harry reversed guidance and ran back in front of the door.

"Over here !"Harry yelled at the no-longer-constrained dragon."seed and get me !"

The flying dragon roared and lunged, shoving one car-sized chela at the boy. He leapt to the side as the claw crashed through the weakened alloy with a horrific screech. The firedrake reared up on it 's hind pegleg, it 's nipper a red great deal of mellow out metal and blood. Suddenly four beauty slammed into it 's unprotected underside. The bang-up animate being teetered for a moment, then another four struck it in the pass and it fell like a Tree. Crashing down onto the rock.

Harry turned to see the predator rushing to join him.

"He must be Harry."Fred was smiling broadly."No one but Harry could have pulled that off."

"He 's proved he 's nutcase he has n't proved he 's Harry."Dragon brushed preceding Harry and continued towards the vault.

"You 're welcome !"Harry called after him before following him into the vault. The vulture stopped as they moved into the middle of the room. Golden things glittered from every direction.

"Wow ..."George 's optic glittered.

"ghost nothing."Harry 's eye spun in his socket."It was supposed to be a cup ... there !"Harry stepped forward and felt his feet weld to the floor.

"Where ?"Draco moved into view.

"Did you do this to my feet ?"

"Where ?"

"Cos if you did do this to my feet I will break your neck. Do n't consider that wand will barricade me !"

Draco raised one eyebrow slowly then punched Harry in the face. Harry tried to last out good but his feet would n't propel and he fell backwards, landing on his cubitus and slamming onto the level. Draco 's face came into purview above him.

"Where ?"

"Over by the corner."Harry pointed. Draco 's looked over. Harry resisted the urge to snaffle his wooden leg, jerk them out from under the blond bastard, throw him to the floor then punch him in the venter and break his arm before taking back his wand and breaking his neck. Resisted. Barely."By the vases."

Draco moved off as Harry levered himself to his feet.

"Thanks for helping."Harry glared at the eternal rest of the marauders.

"Are you really Harry ?"Padma narrowed her eyes.

"I 'm who I always was."Harry shrugged.

"That was evasive."

"Do n't suffer time to explain."Harry looked over at where genus Draco was reaching for the cup. He momentarily considered not telling him about the bane on the cup. Momentarily considered it, and decided it was a corking idea.

"OW !"

"Look out for the flagrante curse !"Harry called out cheerfully.

"DAMNIT !"

"And the gemino !"Harry laughed as he saw Dragon drop the cup on the flooring, piles of early cups appearing out of the air.

"The rejoinder for the gemino is unicus unicus unicus ?"Harry called out again."I 'll tell you the flagrante riposte if you give me back my damn wand !"

genus Draco came back into purview without looking at Harry, stalking past him and out of the vault.

"Hey ! Are you gon na just give me here ?"Harry tried to impress his feet."ejaculate on !"

Padma stepped hesitantly up to him and aimed her verge at his feet.

"There had better be a account for all of this."She said, before murmuring the finite.

Harry felt his metrical foot come free and hurriedly dashed out of the vault after Draco. The slytherin was almost to the tartar when Harry 's eye caught a flash from a side tunnel.

"binding in the burial vault !"Harry yelled. But he was n't fast enough. Before Draco had clock time to even twist a bolt of lightning hit him full moon in the chest, throwing him to the trading floor. The cup clattered out of his hired man. Goblins funnelled out of burrow and Harry was forced back into the burial vault."Summon Dragon !"Harry yelled to the other marauders as he dived through the ruined vault room access. A moment later the cup and it 's stunned carrier flew after him.

bolt flew through the opened door like horizontal rain. Harry dashed towards a uncanny gold chairperson and kicked it in front of the door, he ducked behind it and grabbed the arm, ignoring the burning pain in his own. copy of the chairman fell out of nowhere, piling on top of one another in front of the door.

Harry dashed back and grabbed his wand off genus Draco 's prone body. He spun around to see three sceptre pointing straight at him.

"Oh COME ON !"Harry yelled."Either shoot me or shut up !"Harry pushed past them and aimed his wand over his barricade."Rennervate !"

There was a roar as the dragon was rudely awakened. The thunderbolt stopped for a second as the goblin decided they had bigger things to worry about.

"Do you believe we can collapse past them ?"Fred was gripping his wand fiercely.

"I doubt it."Harry stepped backwards. It was beginning to front like he had regained his on-key human face only to die in it. He had n't planned this enough. Had n't had a plan, but what else could he make done ?

"Harry ..."

"I do n't know."Harry glanced back at the barricade. The bellow had stopped. The bolts had begun again."I do n't know."Harry held his wand grimly. Really should have planned this just ... And there was no help ...

A jiffy of flame volley from behind the marauders. Harry spun with his baton out but it dipped a mo afterwards. Harry 's mouth fell afford in shock.

"That 's ..."Padma pointed."That 's a ..."

"Phoenix."Harry stepped forward. The dame looked at him, apparently un-phased by the bolts hitting the roof. Harry had no idea why it was there, but he was n't about to kick a natural endowment horse in the rima oris."Grab a plume !"Harry ordered the former vulture, grabbing Draco and pulling him towards the raspberry. It hopped forward and onto his outstretched arm. The capital of Arizona 's spangled eye 's met Harry 's. Flames curled around them just as the roadblock broke down.
*


Harry fell onto green goddess and felt claws leave his arm. He opened his eyes and saw the phoenix flapping away calmly, giving no foretoken of why it had come.

"Where are we ?"Harry glanced around and saw more than vulture than he was expecting. Ginny and the others were staring at him in cushion. The Phoenix had brought them to the tryst point. Harry stood and dusted himself off."Well that went well."Harry smiled."mortal want to come alive Draco ?"

"Who the hell are you ?"Ginny 's script was hovering near her wand.

"Oh yeah ..."Harry remembered that he looked or sounded nothing like they remembered."I guess this is kind of confusing ..."

"Yes Harry."Padma said to cosmopolitan shock."I believe you have an explanation to give."

"Oh yeah. I guess I have."Harry took a late hint."We should go back to Hogwarts though, they 'll be worried and this 'll take awhile."

"No."Padma crossed her munition."the right way now."

"Ah ... ok."Harry reached into his bag and pulled his tent out, tapping it once to blow up it to full size."You 'd improve go inside, this is going to be a farsighted tale ..."

In the end he told them the Saame way Dumbledore had told him. Flatly, with no electrical shock. It was really the sole way, the only way to tell soul that the entire earth was different to the way they thought it was. Like telling someone that, adverse to everything they knew, the sky was really orange. He tried not to bet at their faces as he spoke. It was like he was stripping naked, bearing everything to them. All the vulture were there, and in a way that was defective. The original marauders, the burden, he knew like kin. But the others, the I that had joined when he was away last yr, not so much. Some of them had probably joined because he was Harry Potter. Because they trusted the prophecy, because they trusted that he could destruct Voldemort. And now ... he was just some guy. Just some kid who had been pushed in over his read/write head and forced to outlast. Constantly on the sharpness of drowning and having to claw for every driblet of air. Getting his real facial expression back should have made him find well-chosen. Telling his friend should have made him feel happy. Instead he felt ... tired.

"... And in the end I decided to keep being Harry Potter."Harry fished lamely."Because, much as I hate what Dumbledore did, he was redress. People need to see the elect one out there fighting. It does n't count what I want."

There was a long, dingy silence. Harry could see shock and horror painted on every face.

"It ... it makes sense."Hermione was the first to speak."It 's horrible but ... it makes common sense. Even the bit about you not having a name. That would explain why you, the real you, never received a Hogwarts invite, why your name was never written in the Hogwarts books. That was probably share of the understanding Dumbledore chose you. There would be no record for anyone to find."

"I do n't bonk. Possibly."Harry shrugged."He did n't tell me why he chose me. There ca n't have got been that many orphaned magical children of the right age to opt from. I always thought I just got the unretentive straw."

"So you do n't even have a real name ?"Neville asked quietly.

"The orphanage called me Jack."It hurt to say that public figure. More and more Harry thought of Jack as what he would get when all this was finally over. When the worldly concern did n't necessitate Harry potter anymore. When he could finally reside. He did n't secern them that though,"But I 'm not comfortable with that figure yet. If you could just keep calling me Harry that would be good."

"Look at me."genus Draco said suddenly, still sounding tempestuous."looking at into my eyes."

"You do n't believe me ?"Harry complied, meeting Draco 's gaze."It 's would be form of an elaborate lie to think up."

"Shut up."Draco commanded and Harry felt a stabbing pain behind his eyes. Dragon was n't bothering to be gentle with his probing. Harry supposed he could n't charge him. Harry saw himself in the infirmary room for a here and now, Dumbledore standing at the end of the bed. Harry turned his mental gaze away, letting Draco view the double alone. Harry had no need to relive that day. Eventually the mental probe subsided and Draco leant back, his nerve dropping from anger to shock."It 's true. It 's all lawful ..."

"You did n't want to believe it."Harry nodded."Neither did I."

"So wait, I 'm confused."Ron scratched his head."What does this mean for the divination ? I thought Harry Potter, um ... the former Harry Potter, was the lone one who could kill you-know-who. So if he 's beat does that mean that ..."

"It means nothing."Harry cut in. He had to head off this line of conversation quickly."It 's papal bull. You trying to tell me that if mortal walked up to Voldemort and chopped his head off with a panga that somehow he would n't die."

"fountainhead no, he wouldn't."Padma pointed out."Because of the Hocruxs."

"Which we can destroy."Harry said quickly."Which anyone can destroy. Anyone with conquer instrument. Do n't necessitate cannon Harry for that. And besides ; Pythea thinks I can vote down Voldemort and no-one knows more about prophecy deeds than her."

There was a muttering of accent mark from around the collapsible shelter. Harry breathed an internal sigh of relief, at least he had headed off that disaster.

"So what do we do now ?"Split raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean what do we do now ?"Harry shrugged."We head back to Hogwarts, probably in the morning, it 's too later now. And then we keep assisting the order and Snape to hire down Voldemort."

"You mean we just act like northing 's changed ?"Hermione asked, aghast.

"Nothing has changed."Harry pointed out."I 'm still the same mortal I was yesterday. Voldemort 's still out there. The Lie Gou are still a threat. zilch 's changed."Nothing ever changes. Except when it gets spoilt."And when we go back to Hogwart 's I 'll see someone who can put my face back on and no one will do it any different."

"And you 're right with that ?"

"Yes."No."World needs heroes. Harry Potter is ... like my secret identity. Like spiderman."

"Who ?"Ron 's forehead furrowed.

"Never mind."Harry hung his caput tiredly."We should all probably take a niggling prison term to reside. It 's been a foresightful day."

And when we go back to Hogwarts it all begins again.
*


It was hours later and Harry was sitting outside the tent looking up at the asterisk when he heard footsteps approaching behind him.

"Harry ? ... Jack ? .... mortal ?"

"My name has n't changed."Harry chuckled into the Night air."I thought everybody was asleep ?"

"I couldn't."Padma stepped up beside Harry and sat down."It 's just too lots to take in at once."

"Imagine how I felt."

"I do n't have to think. I remember."Padma shrugged."You went crazy for a while, then Pythea made you better."

"Yep."

"She does that a lot does n't she."Padma raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any specific head ?"Harry rolled his eye.

"I think you know."Padma smiled then looked away as Harry laughed."You even laugh differently. It sounds higher."

"Irisher probably."Harry tried to find out his own voice but it sounded even unknown to him, it was probably some variety of psychosomatic thing."I have n't really got used to it yet."

"What are you going to do when we go back to Hogwarts ? Are you really going to ask someone to put you back the way you were ?"

"I guess I 'll have to ..."Harry bit his lip. The prospect was surprisingly unpalatable."I do n't know if we 'll be capable to get the unit package back but we should at least be able to get the boldness. I can talk through one's hat the vox if I have to, give me a little more than time ... this better ?"

"Deeper."

"punter ?"

"Say something else."

"You do know that if soul asks you to say something you instantly draw a blank every word you ever knew ?"

"That 's a little better."Padma nodded."We can work on it. Try more emotion."

"Should I be angrier ?"

"more than bitter than angry."

"Oh great thanks."

"Perfect."

"Are you being sarcastic ?"

"Partially."

"Should I be more sarcastic ?"

"Definitely."

"Now you 're making fun of me."Harry chuckled."Hm, just proves I 'm back to normal."Harry leant back on the pasture."I got my own fount, we got out animated, got the cup, beat out up a clustering of goblins and I danced with a dragon. I call that a win."

"I wonder how practically of that gold got destroyed in the fires ?"

"Depends how lots Fred and George stuffed in their pockets."

"They did n't ..."

Harry tapped his eye.

"They did. I 'm not surprised."Padma shook her head, chuckling."Speaking of treasure, have you worked out what you 're going to do with the cup."

"wellspring ... I have one idea."Harry looked up into the sky."But I do n't know if it 'll make for ..."

"Is it grave ?"

"well, no not particularly."

"So why do n't you try it."

"trade good point."Harry stood up and closed his eyes. aid me.

"Harry what are you-"Padma trailed off as a flash of flack lit up the night. Harry opened his centre to see two phoenixes looking at him quizzically. Harry stepped fill up to them and placed the cup on the ground next to the birds.

"Would you mind flaming this thing for me."The larger phoenix hopped forward and looked up at Harry. Harry felt a little thought push button towards him, it seemed to be saying ... why."It belonged to Voldemort."top dog cocked left."It helped him hail back from the dead."capitulum cocked rightfield. Bob. The larger bird hopped future to the cup and spread it 's wings. Harry shielded his eyes as the razzing plume turned to flush flame.

"You just spent an hour explaining to everyone how you 're not the chosen one."Padma said quietly from behind him."So what exactly are you ?"

"I have no idea."Harry admitted, his eyes sparkling with reflected fervency. After a few consequence both the flames subsided and the bird was gone, flamed away back to where it came from. All that was left of the cup was a pitted scrap of metal.

"Do you think there are to a greater extent of them ?"Padma asked as Harry picked it up off the floor.

"more Hocruxes ? No way to tell."Harry stood and looked back towards the tent."Should probably head back to Hogwarts. They 'll be worrying."
*


It was still dark as the marauders alighted on the grass outside the gates of Hogwarts. Harry took out his wand and aimed it at himself.

"Harry what are you doing ?"Dragon asked.

"Dissilusioning."Harry said the magic spell and felt the cold fingers of invisibility enclosing him."No one should see me like this."

"Oh, right."

"We need to get to Snape, he 'll be able-bodied to get me back looking like ... like Harry."Harry felt that strange reluctance again but squashed it down. It was necessary to stay put under the masque. It was necessary."You guys head to the vulgar room, you all deserve some right sleep."

Harry walked up to the silent palace and proceeded to the dungeon. Harry stopped outside Snape 's door and took a deep breather before knocking.

"seed in."Snape sounded like he was angry.

Harry pushed the door in and stepped into the dark office.

"Mr Potter."Snape had his back turned and was slowly measuring out a foul green liquid state into a beaker."Have you came to offer an explanation as to why I have taken Horance Slughorn into protective custody ? Why a unforesightful mission that should have taken a shortly count of hours at most and only involved you and Mr Malfoy has taken one-half of Hogwarts and almost twenty four hours ? Would you like to explain why Morfin Gaunt is perfectly ! Would you like to explain why death eaters attacked diagon alleyway ? And do not TRY to hazard that you were not-"

"Snape turn around."Harry interrupted.

"Potter do not try-"Snape 's head snapped around. His eye widened."You ..."

"Me."Harry shrugged."I 'll explain everything, but I need you to do something about this face. Please."

"So this is what you looked like bef ..."Snape whispered quietly. Then more forcefully."dismissal your mental blocks."

Harry sighed, but complied. A violence pushed it 's way into his mind. Flashes of the past day flickered past like act of a past life history. Harry just relaxed as every detail was wrung out like dirty washables. orchard apple tree tree ... relax.

The images stopped and Harry opened his eyes. Snape pushed past him roughly.

"Hey ! Where are you going !"

"I know the place you were held, the place where the dark lord 's lab was."Snape pushed the room access open."It is an old hotshot dwelling house in London, the childhood home of Bellatrix. Perhaps there is something still there."

"What about me !"Harry called after the potions master."I ca n't leave your place looking like this !"But Snape was already gone."Wonderful."Harry pushed the door shut and collapsed on a chair."Wonderful ..."

Harry spent a fruitless time of day trying to work Transfiguration Day on himself, only succeeding in giving himself acne, when he noticed person coming up the corridor outside. He froze momentarily before he saw who it was and relaxed.

"hullo Harry."Pythea said without pause as she pushed the room access unresolved and turned to him.

"You could at least pretend to be a little surprised."Harry pointed at his face.

"You look the same to me."Pythea closed the door.

"Well at least we match now."Harry smiled out of one John Brown eye and one super acid and into one green and one purple."How did you know I was down here anyway ?"

"Snape sent me. He told me to have you back your old face."Pythea cocked her question."But I will only do it if you want me to."

"It 's ok."Harry sighed."I know I need to look like Harry again."

"You should n't experience forced, this is your choice."

"Would be kind of tough to explain."

"Not with the truth."

"Which I already decided I ca n't secern the world."Harry hung his head."Maybe when all this is over. But for now the earthly concern still needs their hero. I need my secret identity back."

"You 're sure ?"

"Yes."

Pythea moved closer and sat on the arm of his professorship. She raised her helping hand and lightly touched his face. Harry shivered. Because of the thaumaturgy. Just because of the conjuring trick. Thea leant in closer as her digit played over his pelt. Harry could feel her breath on his neck.

"So ... how um ... How long will this take ?"Harry said breathlessly ( the magic must have been interfering with his lungs ).

"Quite a while. Longer if you keep talking."Pythea placed her hand flatbed over Harry 's oculus and he felt a swoon shifting around his eyelid. He could smack the little seers skin. Ink. She had been writing, probably scrying over more function for the order. The manus was lifted away and Harry 's boldness felt oddly warm.

"This really will train a while."Pythea said suddenly, jarring Harry back to reality."You could try to get some sleep."

"I have a better idea."Harry opened his eyes and fixed them on Theia 's."Caligula emineo"The reality swirled around them."There,"Harry leant back against a tree."That 's better."

"How did you determine to do this ?"Pythea asked curiously as she looked around at the illusionary orchard.

"I looked it up after you did it to me survive year."Harry shrugged."It 's not that hard if you have the place you want held in your mind. And this seat is engraved on every cell of my brain."Harry crossed his legs on the grass. He knew it was just the leather of the death chair. But it felt like pasture. Harry sighed contentedly as Pythea went back to crop on his features. The wind ruffled his hair as it slowly darkened again.

Can I ask you about something ? Harry asked wordlessly, not moving his lip. Do you lie with anything about phoenixes ?

A little. Why ?

I do n't acknowledge, but they seem to bear some weird pastime in me. One of them came when I called earlier. And before that one saved us in gringots.

A phoenix chose you as it 's spouse ? Pythea sounded print. That 's a great honour Harry.

That 's not what it is. Harry was about to shake his straits, then stopped. They were different phoenixs, I could state. And before, when you were upchuck, the all phoenix Colony was acting weird towards me. Have you heard of anything like that before ?

That is ... very strange.

Thea we 're talking mentally. Harry chided. You ca n't blot out things as easily. You 're really shocked by this.

I ... I do n't recognize Harry. I 'm not used to not knowing. It makes me flighty, especially where you are concerned.

I do n't think it 's a danger. They saved my spirit remember.

I know. Thea shifted her fingers down to Harry 's hands. He could finger his bones reshaping. But it still makes me nervous.

The centaurs want me dead, the phoenixes want me active. Harry rolled his eyes. And that 's not even getting started on the human race who want a while of me. See anything utilitarian in seer-o-vision ?

No Harry. Thea smiled softly.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes again. He had imagined the orchard in spring and there were apple prime floating on the air. Pythea lowered her hands, the transformation was over. Harry did n't open his optic, better to keep on the moment or a little retentive. Beside him the oracle leant on his shoulder and closed her own eyes.

Harry did n't know how long they were sat there but eventually the fancy was shattered by the threshold slamming open.

"Harry."Snape snapped as soon as he was through the doorway, holding it receptive just long enough for Natalie Zhao to step through before slamming it shut."Harry stand up."

"Stand…right."Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was acutely cognizant of Thea pressing against his side."Um… Must I ? It's just that I'm… tired. Yes, trite. Legs… tired. And arms… full general musculature…"

"Shut up."Snape knelt down and looked into Harry's eyes. This meter he didn't have to say it, Harry obediently lowered his defense lawyers and felt the familiar spirit pushing of Snape's mind. After a few instant Snape list back.

"That is what I thought I saw. But I had to be sure."

"What did you see."

"The dark lord stepping through the veil."Snape stood back up and stepped over to his desk. He poured a small field glass of prosperous liquid state and imbibe it in one gulp.

"So ?"Harry asked."So what does that have in mind ?"

Snape said cipher, just rubbed his forehead.

"We examined the veil we found at Grimauld property. The theater you were held in."Natalie answered."It is functionally identical to the humeral veil in the department of mysteries."

Pythea stiffened and Harry heard a sharp ingestion of breath.

"What does the veil do ?"Harry asked.

"It is a one way portal to death."Zhao answered simply."The department of mystery was initially created to investigate the ‘ three dandy whodunit ’."

"Time, destiny and death."Pythea said softly, imbuing the Son ominous strength.

"Yes that is right."Natalie nodded."Although some hoi polloi think they are essentially the Saami thing."

"They are wrong."Thea said leadenly.

"Get on with the explanation."Snape growled from his desk.

"The humeral veil can be used to consume a person bodily into the future world."Natalie snapped irritably.

"So it was used to kill people ?"Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Actually it was originally an pureness to go through. ancient wizards would go through late in their sprightliness with loge and carts good of their riches. Like an Pyramids of Egypt, except they were still alive. It has n't been done for centuries though. And you 're right, in medieval metre it was used to run prisoners. It 's possible, with special equipment, to see through the veil."Natalie shuddered."I 've seen recordings. The prisoners tried to get back, they tries everything, but in the end they all walked away. Across the desert."

The room went tacit. Harry thought back to the painting that had been hanging in Voldemort 's science lab. Hundreds of footprints leading away. None leading back.

"He knows how to see through."Harry thought back."He 's been investigating it. And he grabbed something before he stepped through, a aureate talisman ... he must birth worked out a way to fall out through it safely and get back."

"That is impossible."Natalie stated flatly."The department has been investigating it for centuries. Maybe he thought he had a way-"

"The shadow lord is still alive."Snape slammed his crank down on the desk.

"How do you know that ?"Natalie asked pointedly.

"Because I know him."

"He 's right."Harry shook his head word."Old snake brass knows more than about avoiding last than anyone else. Hey ! You should put-"

"Place guards on the velum in the section of mysteries ?"Snape interrupted him."They are there as we speak. And others watch the veil at Grimauld place. But I doubt he will go to either of those places."

"There are other veils ?"

"Probably, no one knows."Natalie answered."keepsake of ancient culture. He might come out of one of them. If he comes out at all."

Harry could see Snape opening his backtalk to growl a retort so he quickly said,

"public speaking of avoiding death, did you see in my head-"

"The hocruxes."Snape interrupted him."Yes. In retrospect it was so obvious ..."

"In retrospect it always is."Harry said."At least now we know. Do you suppose there are others."

"There are two others."Snape said simply. When Harry 's jaw dropped undecided Snape simply said."Mr Slughorn was very talkative with a some sentiment. He is not, in the end, an evil man. Or even a goosy one. He is simply wedded to him comforts. In any instance he was a teacher here at Hogwarts old age ago when a boy called Tom conundrum was a scholar here. He once spoke to the young dark lord about the hypothesis of a seven part somebody. Counting the portion that remains in the night Almighty dead body, the diary, the serpent, the ring and the cup."

"Two left ..."Harry felt apprehensiveness rising in his heart."And Voldemort knows where they are. And we don't."Harry bowed his nous, another job. He was sick of this ... he was tired.

"Voldemort may be injured from his transit through the humeral veil. Injured or otherwise delayed."Snape said thoughtfully."Given what I know of the darkness Divine perhaps I can find them before he recovers."

"You said'I'not 'We'."Harry raised an brow. A few months ago he would have been angered by the want of cellular inclusion. Now he was verging on grateful.

"No."Snape raised a helping hand to silence ailment that would not amount."I am not sidelineing you Harry. I am better suited to this task. As you are better suited to deal with our other problem."

"Other pro ... Sasori."Harry rubbed his forehead. piddling stabs of hurting were feathering his temples. He wanted desperately to sleep."I 'd forget about him."

"It is regretful than you think. He has the philosopher 's stone."

"Voldemort did n't get in on him when he went through ?"

"No. We found the sealed safe the night lord was keeping the Harlan Stone in. It had been broken open."Snape shook his heading."We have one dark lord to deal with. I would rather keep the wage increase of another."

"Sasori 's ambitious."Harry nodded."We 've got to take him down before he learns to use the stone."

"My thoughts exactly. But he will be well defended, and I can not use any order members, all of them are needed in the hunt for the moody lord."

"So that leaves me."Harry bit his lip to break off a sullen suspiration. Snape needed him. The world needed their freakin hero ..."I 'll get the Harlan Fisk Stone back."

"Remember what we learnt at their temple."Snape held up a cautionary finger.

"There could be hundreds of them in there."Harry nodded."I 'll fall up with something though ... you just worry about Voldemort. I 'll deal with the Lie Gou."

"Very well."Snape nodded, then seemed to notice the way Harry was sagging into his armchair."I am sure as shooting you need to roost. I know that I do."

"Goodnight professor."Harry nodded as he and Pythea left the dark office. After a few beat of silent corridor Pythea asked quietly,

"Do you take a plan ?"

"Not yet. But I 'll think of a plan."Harry bit his lip. He had to intrude on a fortified construction to the full of magical ninjas in a bubble population and find a midget stone. Like looking for a needle in a haystack while evading a rabid carcajou."And it had better be a honest one ..."



Hi all. I 've actually finished the writing on book 6, started on book 7. As things stand it looks like Holy Scripture 7 's going to be shorter than 5 or 6 and I was thinking of posting it as just a few large chapters rather than lots of little ones. It gets tiring trying to determine a born point to end a chapter every five-thousand words or so as I have been doing. monumental chapters would let it flow a little better.

3 fifteen-hundred word chapters would probably do it. thought ?

Oh, and if you do n't review the Chupacabra will come and eat all of your goats.


I do n't own Frodo Baggins. Not that he 's in this report, just thought it was worth mentioning.





Harry stepped out of the flue and turned up his collar against the rain. He was headed for the Tarot, for his bit visit in as many solar day. He had the starting time of a program to attack Sasori, he just did n't get it on if it was too mad. His plan could get them into the place, it would n't serve them find the gem though ... The rain was driving vertically into Harry as he trudged down the Charles Grey street.

Was someone following him ?

Harry 's eye rolled back in it 's socket. There was person on the street behind him, could be a muggle, Harry could n't see well enough with all the distortion the rainfall brought. He changed counseling and stepped onto a busy muggle street, taking him away from the tarot card. The man followed him. Proved aught. Harry was very deliberate not to speed up or slow down. He had a meeting scheduled in the Tarot but he had left himself plenty of time. And the patrons would not thank him for leading someone to their imbibition hole. tarot pubs had been found before by the aurors of course and subsequently abandoned. The idea continued. Still, they would be ... displeased.

Harry stopped at a crossing suddenly and waited patiently for the luminosity to transfer. The man following him slowed to a creeping and stopped at a shop front, pretending the tax shelter under the awning. The lights changed. Harry stepped forwards and the man set off in pursuit.

Bugger.

Now that he was closer Harry could surge in on the man 's face. An older man, maybe forty. total darkness hair with a little Grey. Moustache, uncontaminating shaven otherwise. Wearing grey trench coat. Under that wearing unremarkable corduroy and shirt. So far so muggle. Under that the man had muscle. unusual amounts for a man his age. Harry slowed down a ticking Sir Thomas More to get a better aspect. baton. In his air hole with his finger s wrapped around it.

Damn it. So much for being muggle. Harry could see the man 's blink of an eye, a perfectly calm air and measured tempo. He was n't stressed whoever he was. From his face he was n't one of the Lie Gou either. Although it could be a disguise. Or it could be the early hoi polloi who wanted him dead.

Harry bit his lip, if he doubled back to the flue he was fairly sure he could get away from this guy. But then he would n't pass water his rendezvous. He could holler backup, the marauders, but they could take years. He could try to lose this guy ... that was the ache thing to do. But then he would n't get any hint why these wierdos were after him. So he could fight ... but not here. A car shot past Harry, throwing up H2O out of a puddle. Definitely not here, too many muggles.

Harry turned down an side street between marvelous flat buildings. His tail was catching up. He must have realized he had been made. Harry ducked into an alleyway and ran to the end before sliding into hiding at the edge of a wall and drawing his wand.

The man stepped into the alleyway. Harry waited as his tracker strode along the dank trough between the walls. The old man stopped suddenly and drew his scepter. What was he doing ? ... The man aimed.

Damnit !

Harry leapt out of the way as the man sent a red bolt straight through the brick where Harry had been. Harry came up with his wand out and fired a stunner. The man shielded without a thought and blasted a another red bolt at Harry, all the while advancing quickly.

Harry flicked his sceptre, dragging a dumpster into the man 's course and banishing it towards him. It was quickly transfigured into feathers but Harry reversed the turn and the man was broadsided, driving him back. Harry banished again, driving his battering ram of metallic element and trash into the man again. Suddenly a cutting livid flash filled the air and the dumpster was cut in half by a glowing blade.

Harry cursed, to much to hope other multitude would n't bed his tricks.

The man dashed forward, the leaf blade still sparkling in his hand. Harry sent a unsubdivided stunner that forced the man to drop the sword to shield and followed it up ...

"Atrax !"The trash in the bowling alley grew spider legs and threw itself at the old man who raised his hands and called up a shockwave that blew the spiders to pieces and made the buildings shake."Tempesto"Harry called wind to blow the ice and debris back at his attacker but the man ducked to the wall and jabbed his privation to the sky.

Harry dodged in time but was still blown to the floor as a lightning bolt shot down from the already bulging sky and blew apart the flag under his fundament. Harry rolled to his fundament as another stabbed down where he had been lying.

Harry dashed towards the man and fired a fireball at his face, following it up with a blistering shelling of hexs and appealingness. The man had to barricade his attack to shield but flicked his other paw into his sac to draw out small capsule.

What the hell ?

With a film of his wrist the man threw the thing at Harry.

"Depulso !"Harry yelled on reflex but it did nothing to stop the thing."Geyser"Harry flicked his wand down and a fountain of water erupted from the ground sending the niggling matter tumbling into the air.

The man dropped to the trading floor with his hands over his ears. Harry was about to fire a charm at him when the piffling capsule exploded with a thunder-clap and a dazzling flash bulb of luminousness. Brick ships fountained down on Harry as he was thrown backwards. He looked up in repugnance as the whole English of the construction crumbled, bricks rending in huge cracks and sheeting falling away.

Child !

Harry 's eye flickered to the biggest gap just in time to see a bed evenfall through the crack and get stuck, dropping it 's screaming inhabitant from the one-fifth floor. Harry 's had scrabbled for his wand but he was too stuporous, too slow up. individual else was faster. The old man darted beneath the falling small fry and caught him in both arms just as Harry 's finger closed around his wand and swung around ...

scepter pointing ... Man defenceless ... Child screaming in his subdivision ...

They stayed stuck in that tableau for a yearn blink of an eye. Harry could sense his own breathing. The early man could n't defend himself with his hands full moon ... but on the former hired hand he had a human shell. Harry could hear panicked cries from above. The muggles would be here soon. The other man just stood motionless. And then, to Harry 's amazement, the other man knelt down and laid the tyke on the concrete before slowly raising to his foot with his hands held out to either face of him.

He had given up his human shield.

"Who the hell are you ?"Harry yelled through the rainwater, keeping his wand trained on the man 's chest."You want to kill me but you do a stoker save on individual else ? Why the hell just me ?"

The man was silent.

"You 'll save everyone but me is that it ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man spoke for the first time, his articulation low and oddly accented.

"What ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man repeated."By killing you."

"What ?"

"You must die."The man said flatly."I take no pleasance in it, but if you do not die the consequences will be terrible."

"How the perdition does that crop ?"Harry yelled angrily."I 'm the bloody chosen one here !"

"No. You are not. You are not the Chosen one. This we know. But that is not the point."The man 's voice was hasty. They could both hear running metrical foot approaching. Harry gritted his teeth. He wanted to daze this guy and hire him in ... on the former manus, he had saved a kid. On the other script ...

The man 's arms came down and the crack of dissapparation filled the alleyway. Harry recovered from his angered shock just long enough to disillusion himself just before the muggles stampeded into the alley. He hid at the side and squeezed out before dashing away along the street. In the rain someone would find him if he stayed in one seat too long. Harry ducked into a room access and cancelled the charm before sinking to his knees and pushing his head back against the wall, heedless of the rainfall running down his face.

I have to die ?

Harry knocked his head against the stone.

I have to die ? Because I 'm an abomination.

That was the reason these wierdo 's had been after him ? They had n't told him any more than the Centaur and yet ... they knew who he really was. They were n't killing him for being Harry Potter. They were trying to kill sea dog Malyn.

Why would anyone desire to pour down an orphan with no memory ?

Harry smacked his head against the Harlan F. Stone again. He had given five bloody and painful years to protecting mass and fighting swarthiness, class he did n't own to give. A battle he had n't had to be a part of. And for what ? For multitude who save children from sealed decease to try to kill him.

rip might deliver been flowing from his middle, he could n't recite in the rain.

Harry pulled his knee up to his pectus and wrapped his arms around them. He had sat like this rachis before Hogwarts he could commend ... of track most of the time he had been smart enough to get somewhere out of the rainfall. He could remember that clock time ... what kind of life did he lead now that he looked back fondly on being a street urchin ? That thought was too bitter to even cook him laugh.

Harry rolled his eye to look at the picket in his pocket. He still had ten minutes till his scheduled confluence and he was going to pass at least five of them here in the rain, in the gutter, in a doorway with faded banding posters nailed to the chipboard. He did n't care if it made him late, if this doorway was all the man was giving him then he would take it. He had to have something.

Harry curled up and knocked his had back into the corner where the rain was a little less. He closed his eyes and felt the droplets slapping against his coat. He did n't care.
*


Harry pushed open the door of the tarot card, this metre situating itself in a brightly decorated wine-coloured bar. He took a calming breath.

"Wet out there."Harry threw a drying appeal over his clothes and hair and stepped over to the man he had come to assemble. Harry bowed respectfully and forced a misrepresent smiling onto his aspect."Good evening. Thank you for hearing what I have to say."

The man on the other position of the table nodded faintly to the chair opposite him. Harry sat.

"So ..."Harry took a shoal breath."Shall I tell you about Sasori ?"
*


Hours later Harry sat alone in a side booth of the tarot card. The man he had come to meet was long gone. The get together had gone well, Harry had said what he needed to say and the man had believed it. He had also given Harry a enceinte bag of gold, but that was n't important. It had only been important that the man thought Harry wanted money for the info, to hide the real rationality and ...

Oh what was the decimal point ?

Harry took a deep drapht of the drinkable in forepart of him. It was on a coaster, as were the two abandon glasses in front of him. If he went back to Hogwarts he would accept to take off being himself again, having mass demand things of him, and he was n't sure he could take that right field now.

Just need to lease down Sasori ... get back the stone ...

Except after that Voldemort is still out there.

Snape 's dealing with it.

Snape is getting the Hocruxs. Even if we find them all Voldemort is still out there, and I do n't like his sudden fixation with this gate-to-death. Let 's fount it, we 're not even fill up to the end.

Harry finished the rest of his drinkable and dropped the empty. He should n't have another. He was going to have another. He just wanted to drop some time where there was no one demanding anything of him, was that too much to ask ? Harry dropped his read/write head to his hands. The lone topographic point he could be calm was in a den of wickedness, the hideout of outlaw. What did that say ?

Harry breathed deeply and drew his orchard projection around him, but it wavered and piece of the Tarot showed through the edge. Harry realized he would n't be able to hold it and allowed it to evanesce. It was n't real anyway.

Maybe when this is over I can go back there. The cerebration surfaced in Harry 's creative thinker. Going back to the orphanage, living like a muggle. He had no skills or anything but surely they needed janitors ... or entertainers. Harry sighed or maybe he would just get out the country. He 'd miss his friends, the predator, Thea .... but they 'd infer. Take another name ... or go back to laborer and just ... wander ...

Harry dropped his question to the table. jerky thoughts, there was still rule book seven before he could think of things like that.

The matter is ... I do n't know if I can go that long.

Harry closed his eyes and laid back in his kiosk. He 'd own to last that long would n't he ? Because that was what he needed to do, what the human race asked of him. And he always did what was asked of him. Every bloody prison term, no matter what. Every bloody time.

"Mr Potter ! I did n't expect to see you here."

Harry 's eye 's shot out-of-doors in an instance. He had n't been paying attention. His magic eye had just been rolling in it 's socket but now it snapped to attention. His handwriting jerked to his scepter, but as he saw who was approaching him he relaxed. A little.

"Mr James."Harry looked up at the mystifying one-time man."Another warning subject matter for me ? What 's happened now ? Sky falling ? Hitler back from the dead ? New Dido 1 ?"

"Did I not just say I was surprised to see you here ?"James slid into the cubicle opposite Harry. He took a lenient sip of his gin and quinine water then placed it on the table.

No coaster. Harry tried to think of what gin and tonic meant in the Tarot code.

"Oh, my mistake."James River slid a coaster under his drink.

Had that really been a misunderstanding ? Was James just having a deglutition or was he sending a signal ? Or did he require Harry to think he was ... Oh who cares.

"Come here often ?"Harry asked the man opposite him.

"Occasionally, I mean you have to. To do business."James glanced around."I was not expecting to see you here though, being one of the virtuous ones."

"Not entirely virtu-"Harry broke off mid sentence as he realised something. He could see James. With both eyes. The old man was actually there, not a sound projection like before. Harry was shocked for a moment. He was even more shocked that he had n't noticed. The firelight glinted off the glasses in straw man of him. Harry closed his eyes and surrounded himself with his orchard, just for a fraction of a endorse. He tried to draw in his mind together before he opened his eyes."Not entirely virtuous. Just more vestal than my enemies."

"I 've heard you have more than one enemy these days."James said casually."Dear old Tom Riddle and now you have gone further afield for foes. I knew the darkness Maker was dopy for putting his combine in mercenaries."

Harry 's eye flickered down James'body, looking for anything resembling a clue to his identity. The issue were disturbing, almost every osseous tissue in the old man 's body had been broken years ago, probably at the same clip. Even the bones in his skull under his bald head showed foretoken of healed geological fault. It was long ago, they had healed naturally first, then magically later ... Weird. The guy was stocked to the gills with magical artifact and talisman too, but that was perceivable here. No wand however ... that was also odd.

"I do n't guess he puts trust in anyone."Harry shrugged."How did you find out they left him anyway ?"

"It 's more or less common knowledge in my circles."Henry James waved to the bar."Can I get you another drink."

No."I 'll consume what you 're having."Why did I say that ?

Saint James the Apostle motioned to the barman and a moment later Harry was holding a gin and tonic.

"You can decompress Mr Potter."St. James the Apostle took another sip from his glass."This is the tarot card remember ? No one can impact you here. Not even me."

"Screw it."Harry took a trench swallow of his drink. He paused."This tastes terrible."

"My apology. Shall I order you something el-"

"Yes."Harry drained the sleep of the field glass."Please."

A glass of Elwyn Brooks White wine-colored appeared in Harry 's hired hand. He sipped it this time.

"cent for your cerebration Mr Potter ?"James asked.

"Why did you come here tonight if you did n't know I was here ?"

"You are not the centre of the macrocosm Mr Potter. Despite what many think."James smiled."I have many early thing to handle other than yourself. As to what job I had here ? That is none of yours."

"funfair enough."Harry shrugged. Jesse James did n't have a pocketbook in his scoop, not any money either. He had n't paid the barkeeper for any of his drink, he must feature a tab. No one had a tab at the tarot card. Not unless to not give them a tab would have got been unsafe to the proprietor. Who the Scheol was James ? Harry considered for a moment, then abandoned the train of thought. Tonight he was n't going to try to clear any mysteries, he was just going to relax, drink, and talk to a mysterious alien who was probably the question of some sort of clandestine crime syndicate. Wait ..."So it would n't give anything to do with the man who tried to assault me on the way here ?"

"Attack you ?"Saint James the Apostle looked aghast."On the way to the Tarot ? That would be terribly bad etiquette. I ca n't imagine that even the Lie Gou would do that, they would be barred from the establishment, they would unloosen business."

Harry said nothing. If Sasori had already worked out how to use the Harlan F. Stone to turn leave into Au that might not matter.

"Did it look like one of the Lie Gou ?"

"No, but they could easily disguise themselves."Harry took a sip of wine."Did n't fight like one of the Lie Gou."

"Perhaps I can help ? What did he search like ?"James actually seemed interested.

"Perhaps,"Harry hesitated, should he tell Jesse James anything else ? His break brain threw up a red flag, but on the former hand he currently knew sod all about the people trying to kill him. Anything he found out would be helpful."Oldish, moustache, sounded extraneous. Italian maybe ..."

"The Sami mortal who attacked you with a crossbow earlier this year ?"

"No."Harry did n't ask how James knew."Not the same person, but probably from the Saami generator. The crossbow guy was friends with the centaurs."

"The centaurs would never hire assassins."James IV waved the remark away."Not only is it against their laws, they also have too piddling money. You ca n't hire Orcinus orca with acorns and mysticism."

"They were n't bravo, at least not paid ones."Harry thought back to the inscrutable comments his attacker had made."They did n't look like assassinator ..."

"Well I ca n't suppose who they would be."James shrugged apologetically, but not unhappily."It would seem you have stumped me. I mean of course there are Italian crime administration but none of them have any pastime in you."

"You know that for sealed ?"

"Of course."James actually seemed to be relaxing, his elderly soma leant against the board."Most crook are looking forward to the removal of Voldemorrt, he is an provocation to so many things."

"Like living."

"Quite."

"There was one early thing ..."Harry bit his lip."In the fight the man went out of his way to carry through a muggle who got caught in the crossfire. Almost lost the fighting because of-"

"No ..."St. James the Apostle'eyes went wide-cut."Are you sure ?"

"Positive."

"But they ... why would they get any reason to attack you ?"

"You know who they are ?"Harry perked up and tried to sit up straight. His human elbow slipped off the table but be righted himself and asked again."You know who they are ?"

"I believe I do ..."King James affect Harry quizzically over his chicken feed."Why would they ... but it ca n't be them. I would almost bear them to be on your side."

Harry said naught. The men probably would be on the side of Harry ceramist. At least Jesse James did n't recognise who he really was. Probably.

"Just tell me who they are."Harry said irritably.

"Oh some fools who think they can keep open the world."James chuckled under his breath."Even more lead on than Dumbledore was in many ways. Couching their idiocy in some preposterous notions of order and pandemonium and god and ... they are farcical. Think no more of them. I seriously doubt that they could succeed where Voldemort failed."

"That 's comforting. You know what would be more comforting ? If you would give me a freekin name."

"But the very inquiry is why you ?"James tapped his methamphetamine thoughtfully."Yes ... yes that is very interesting."

"You ca n't not say me."Harry 's cubital joint slipped again, this time knocking over one of his old glasses."You have to tell me who they are."

"Actually I do n't imagine I will Mr Potter."James chuckled under his breathing place."When you get as old as I am, and I am very old, it is very infrequently that you encounter something interesting. That is partially why I involved myself in your life, unpredictable as you are. This question however is even more of a conundrum. No, I believe I will not tell you. Not until I have considered more this intriguing problem. Good evening Mr Potter, it was a delight to conform to you again."Epistle of James stood and turned away.

"Hey !"Harry tried to stand but his arm got caught on the mesa and he fell back into his seat. He tried to bait again and stepped quickly towards the door.

"You 're not thinking of following him are you ?"A thick growl came from the barman. Following someone leaving the tarot card was as bad as attacking them at it.

"No, just leaving myself."Harry shook his top dog. He turned back to the table and, a idea springing to take care, leant over and sniffed at Saint James the Apostle'glass. Still half full. Smelled of tonic. No gin, just tonic.

Damnit

Harry turned to leave. At least he was protected by Tarot formula as well. No one would aggress him on his way back. The rules stopped him from getting killed, did n't hold on him from being played for a fool. Harry stepped out into the rainfall, letting it run down his brass soothingly. He had screwed up badly tonight. He had made mistakes ... no. No he had n't made error. A misunderstanding was when you did n't know that what you were doing was stupid. He had known, and he had done it anyway.

Why

Because the humans owes me some freakin screw ups. Harry pulled his coat around him and stalked off into the rainwater. The prescript were supposed to protect him, but that did n't mean he did n't watch the shadows all the way home.
*


"Why do you think Harry brought us all here ?"Hermione asked quietly as the rest of the marauders waited in the marauder 's attic.

"I do n't love. No one knows obviously."Ron said from beside her."He was n't in his bed last night, I know that."

"It must be something important to gain us all here like this."Hermione bit one of her fingernails."Maybe he 's found where Voldemort is ? Or something about the Lie Gou ? I wish he 'd assure us what was going on."

"I guess it 's laborious now."Ron shrugged."Half the school 's marauder. He ca n't keep on us all in the grummet. Remember when it was just the six of us ? Right in the beginning ?"

"Seems like a life ago."

"sort of does I-"Ron broke off."Hey, facial expression there ..."He pointed.

"Is it Harry ? Oh,"Hermione shook her capitulum as Draco stepped into the way. He looked as wear down as he always did, but it was still a week to full moon. As he entered Hermione saw Ginny nearby stiffen, but totally ignore the Slytherin 's entrance.

"Why does n't she just give up on him ?"Ron said angrily."It 's stupid that she 's so torn up about it."

Hermione did n't say what she wanted to.

"Anyway genus Draco 's a fundament for doing this."

Again, Hermione kept unsounded. Given that Harry had been gone a lot lately and Ginny had n't been speaking practically Hermione had been spending quite a lot of fourth dimension with Draco. She had a distrust that he had his reasons for rejecting Ginny. Or, well the fact that he was a werewolf and ...

"HEY MORONS !"The marauders fell still, turning to see that Harry had materialized."Sorry, I meant to say 'Can I have your attention ?'but somehow it just ... well you know how it is. In any causa, take hold of your cogwheel. We 're leaving in five to spare the world."
*


"Harry where are we going ?"Ginny demanded as the marauder slung their invisibility cloaks on.

"Well first we 're going to Wales, to the lake that forms the entrance to the Lie Gou constituent house."Harry was strapping a spear-like affair to his hip."Where we float far above the piss like pretty butterfly. Then, at the opportune moment, we fly down through the portal, fly up to the star sign, go in, find the stone, get the stone. Simple."

"That 's your architectural plan ?"

"Well they will be a little distracted by that point in time ..."
*


Harry zoomed his eye down through the dark. A skirmish of figures were approaching the water system, flitting from book binding to cover like shadows. They were grouping near the lake, slipping in one by one. Harry 's manus tightened on his wand, so it had worked, he had n't been sure it would.

Usually at this point he would be feeling the rush of adrenaline before a big fight, this time he just felt fright. There were a lot of citizenry behind him who would turn very short if this went amiss. He did n't feel energized, he felt ... deadened ...

The hold up of the phantasma slunk into the lake. Harry took a bass breathing spell. He flicked his picket out. About two minutes would probably do it.

Harry closed his eyes. The orchard was still there, but the leaves were gone, turned into drifts and mulch on the dry land. Harry could n't tell if the wind blowing through his whisker was in the illusion or in reality. It did n't matter. Two minutes were up.

"Down."Harry aimed his broom down and carefully guided it down, with one hired man the faculty in forepart of him to aim. The quietus of the marauders followed him.

'' Agoredig Ffordd. '' Harry whispered to the water 's open. He took a deep breathing place ..."NOW !"

Harry dove his Calluna vulgaris forward through the water and straight out the other English. His inner ear flipped out as gravity reversed itself and he spun in the air involuntarily before righting himself. early vulture shot past him, taking the Pb, just like they planned. After all, he was n't the one you wanted leading an forward pass attack.

Harry followed the others, shooting across the still air. Up ahead he could see the synagogue, it 's windowpane glowing in the dark air. Spells and gouts of fervor shooter into the air all around them. They were n't aimed at them though, they were aimed at the former figures on the ground.

"Works like a charm."Harry muttered through gritted teeth as they shot over the warzone.
*


"So you started a war between ninjas and more ninjas !"

"expression,"Harry look a calming breather."I met the drawing card of the Lie Gou at the Tarot."Harry flicked two accelerator pedal into his privileged pockets.

"I thought that was who we were going to attack ?"

"Sasori 's just their European factor."Two phial of potion and a grenade went into another pocket."And a very gamey boy for working the Voldemort/philosophers gemstone angle without cutting his bosses in for a share. They 're not happy. They 'll be moving this night to excuse their displeasure to him at length."

"So we attack while there 's already a war between criminal freelance ninjas."

"Course."Harry tried to sound more sure of himself than he felt."So long as there are n't any complications it should go fine."
*


"Yes !."Her hand curled around the discarded verge."Allohamora."The cell door sprang open, pushing the corpse away. Bellatrix stepped out of her cell and kicked the body before spitting on it as a final exam insult and moving off, crouched against the wall. These godless mercenaries had kept her confined for twenty-four hour period, but it was nothing, she was used to worse prison house. And now they fought among themselves. Useless fools. And now that she was spare there would be hell to pay.
*


Harry crashed through the window and rolled to his understructure, wand out. The others had already secured the elbow room but he wanted to be sure.

"Ok, you know your teams."Ginny barked."squad four, storage area here ! Everyone else, GO !"She did n't even wait before dashing off.

"Wait you suicidal-"Harry darted after her, cursing. To be bonnie this had been the design, in a general mother wit. procure a few suite from the rage and burn a itinerary to Sasori, where they hoped to find the endocarp, leaving teams along the way to secure a way out. The plan had not been for Ginny to go all death-seeker."Ginny duck !"Harry reached the girl just in time to tackle her to the floor. A bolt of lightning smashed through the wall, above them. Harry fired back through the hole with one manus, dragging Ginny to her ft with the other.

"What- ?"

"I go first !"Harry barked into her face."I 'm the one with the eye ! Remember ?"

"I-"For a moment it seemed like Ginny was going to fight him."fine. Get moving then."The lastly sentence was said through gritted teeth.

Harry pushed away and surged forward. Draco stepped up next to him and for a present moment caught his eye.

Harry send her dorsum. She should n't be here. She 's not thinking straight.

She would n't take heed. Harry sent back quickly. At least here we can keep an eye-"SHIELDS !"Harry himself jumped close to Draco, trusting the loup-garou 's shield far more than his own.

An ark of tongue tore through the bulwark like automobile gun fire and a moment later the paries crashed in, filling the corridor with fighting Black figures.

"Harry which ones are on our side !"Neville yelled.

"None of them !"Harry stunned a Lie Gou who got too close as the warring factions ripped each other apart before the marauder 's eyes."Just stay back and hit any that notice you or make it !"

And maybe do n't verbalise ?

Harry was thrown backwards as one of the paladin fired a spell at the audio of his voice. Harry hit the wall and felt his verge jarred out of his fingers. His other hand gripped the spear in his sleeve and had torn it out before he hit the floor. He sent lighting from the tip at his assailant before sweeping it over the other combatant. They fell to the floor like ragdolls and the marauder sent stunning while to truly send them to la-la-land.

"team three clutches this spot !"Ginny yelled. She darted forward but stopped short at a beat glare from Harry.

Harry turned and grabbed his wand before continuing on, threading his way through bodies. He felt jealous of the others, they could only hear the conflict going on all around them, just room away. He could see it.

Oh god so much blood ...

He had done this. Harry gritted his teeth as he silently led the piranha through passageway away from the primary battles. He had done this. He had caused this massacre.

"Two in the next room."Harry did n't even hesitate as he threw the door open and stabbed the lighting spear at one. Dragon dropped the early one and Harry just kept walking. There were tables in this room, the remains of a meal. They had just been eating. There were already three bodies in the next room. Well, two and a half.

I caused this.

"Harry centering !"Draco 's voice shocked Harry out of his fugue.

"It 's ok. I 'm ok."Harry gritted his teeth. Draco narrowed his bloodshot eyes.

Do n't tell me you 're going mad too-

I 'm fine. Harry continued quietly."It looks like Sasori 's post and stuff is through here. Its at the top of ... of like an indoor pillar thingy in the eye of a garden. There 's a stair around the outside of it. And circumstances of guards, 20 on the ground, fifteen on the stairway. That I can see anyway. No other way through though."

"Is Sasori there ?"Ginny said flatly.

"Ca n't severalize. There 's a ward around the top of the tower."Harry looked back over his troops. There were n't many left. They had left a breadcrumb trail of safe zones across the synagogue, it left them stretched but it was the only way.

"Alright."Ginny said definitely."Hermione, you keep the residuum of them with you and drive out everyone on the trading floor, hold the region. Harry, Draco and me ... we go up the tower."

"Ginny-"

"You know that 's the best way."Ginny growled."You have a upright plan ?"

"That 's it."Harry narrowed his eyes."You 're going back. Help hold the last room."

"To hell with you !"Harry 's hired hand snapped forward but Ginny had already slammed the threshold open.

"Damnit !"Harry 's hand flicked into his pocket as thirty-five wands reel towards him. Harry 's manus flicked out of his sac."Disperseas !"Ten grenades fanned out across the room like a atomizer of last."Shield !"

genus Draco 's shield flashed around him as Harry 's thoughts were filled with hatred of everything red-headed and female. The fire consumed the garden but the spells were already hammering down. Harry 's eye caught something that made him scream like a banshee.

"NO !"Ginny was shooting into the air, zooming towards the top of the pillar !"Who knew she still had her ling !"

"She had it in her bag !"Draco yelled through gritted teeth."Shield down in three ... two ... one ..."

"Stupefy !"Harry had his wand in one bridge player and the fizgig in the other. Two embodiment rose from the fastball. Two shapes were thrown back in. Harry dashed to the stairs and cursed as he aimed a sweetheart at a conformation leaping out of the shadow. The staircase did n't even have a banister, no protection from the firing below.

"We should charter out the ones down here first !"Dragon slammed into the wall next to Harry.

"Ca n't ! Stupid Bloody evil your freekin wannabe GIRLFREIND stupid KILL HER !"A figure dropped down in front of Harry and he took the opportunity to take out his craze. The figure fell back bloody."We need to get up there in showcase she does some -DIE STUPID EVIL- she 's screwed everything up ! Here you shield I 'll kill. I feel like killing."

Harry edged forward as fast as he was able-bodied, cowering under Draco 's carapace as they advanced up the tower.
*


Ginny dropped off her Calluna vulgaris at the top of the tower and ducked behind a side wall.

She could do this. She could do this alone. She did n't need ... Ginny took a thick breather, her ticker was racing. Suddenly she was thrown to the floor as the bulwark exploded outwards above her. Ginny rolled and aimed her wand at the opening, but a moment later another maw appeared right on the other English of the tower. Flashing twinkle broke from inside the pillar and Ginny gingerly snuck up the the jam in the wall. down feather below Ginny could get wind plosion, the others were fighting. But she did n't necessitate them ...

Ginny raised her mind a little over the bulwark and looked over. Inside there was a extensive power, desk shattered against the shelves, shelves thrown across the flooring, floor on fervour. In the middle of the room, circling one another care firedog, a man and a fair sex, wands poised to fire.

Bellatrix. Bellatrix and Sasori.

"springiness me the gemstone !"The scarred death feeder looked rabid, foaming at the sassing and vellication."Give me the gem or I 'll rupture you limb from limb !"

Sasori said nothing, but sent a spell bouncing off the wall to catch Bella in the side, throwing up a gouty arthritis of blood. She was covered in rake but did n't seem to take in it. Sasori was clean and almost smiling. He was winning and he knew it.

Ginny shifted around the outside of the towboat. She could finish off Bellatrix ( of path she could ... ) but the Lie Gou ... If she could adopt him out first, from hiding, she could take Bella. Then she 'd have the stone. She could get it herself.

Ginny tried to work out where the fighters were from the screeches and detonation from inside the office. Why had n't she got herself an eye like Harry 's ? She 's considered it, why had n't she done it ? Ginny found another recess in the wall and raised herself up.
*


"Stupid bloody- !"Harry barged into the Lie Gou in social movement of him and chucked him off the incline of the tower. By now it was a long way down. Harry tried to aim through a haze of hurting and forced his feet to climb higher up the tug."Draco move !"Harry yelled back at the man behind him.

"You go ahead, I 'll hold them !"Draco was raining down fire on the fighters below."You help her !"

"You sure ? I 'm planning on killing her afterwards."

"Just GO !"
*


"Stubefy !"Ginny felt a cry of victory as the spell smashed into the Lie Gou 's back, sending him careening to the trading floor."Avada Kedavra !"Ginny aimed the curse at the appall decease eater at the other position of the room. Bellatrix threw herself to the English, giving Ginny clock time to overleap the wall and flutter forward into the war-torn ruin.

"You ?"Bellatrix spat as she pushed herself up from the floor."Why are you here you muggle loving bitch ?"

"Shut up ! Jupitall !"Ginny sent lightning flying at the death feeder and dodged to the consistence of the Lie Gou on the storey. air hole. former Pocket. Inside Pocket- THERE ! Ginny 's fingerbreadth closed around a tiny endocarp. The philosophers rock, she had it. Ginny rolled behind the remains of the desk to avoid a come down black curse and jumped to her feet."come on ! semen on bitch fight ! Show me wha-"

The whammy hit her in the chest.
*


Harry 's eye saw through stone and frame to give every hideous detail. His infantry faltered on the step and he fell to his knees as he saw the enchantment hit home plate. The shining red Light of the curse radiated out in undulation from her chest, meeting her ribs and staving them in, raking through her lungs and slamming into her spine. Breaking it like a twig. Ginny was lifted off the ground and fox onto the wall behind her. When she hit she did n't hit like a person. She hit like a sack of core, leaking blood and sliding down the wall before collapsing on the floor.

Harry could hear nothing. The war all around him might as well have been mist. Harry did n't see the final few steps he dashed up like lightning. He did n't see the wall between him and Bellatrix, it broke like trash, sending fragment ripping through Harry 's tegument. It did n't hurt.

Bellatrix. In his oculus she was lit up like a Yuletide tree, the alone thing that mattered in the world.

"Avada Kedavra !"hate, furor and darkness flowed out of Harry like a river. The air before him flashed park like lightning. The cadaver of the wall were stove in and the shattered through the other side, it crushed past the cowering death eater like a consignment train. Then, slowly ... it disappeared.

"well well well ..."Bellatrix chuckled."I must say I 'm impressed-"

"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry charged more hatred and rage into another dark expletive, fanning out the lance so the murderer could n't dodge. Harry 's pes bit dirt and he charged towards the bitch. She had n't even stopped screaming by the time he reached her, slamming his boot into her typeface. Her scar head snapped back and Harry dove down, grasping his helping hand around her neck as hard as he could. He could feel her trachea crushing under his fingers.

"Ach ... a ..."guttural nada tried to escape from the crone brim."Ach ... a ... a."Harry knew he should just use his baton, make it quick, but red dots were spiralling before his optic and even if he 'd wanted to he could n't have made his fingerbreadth move. Bellatrix 's heart rolled back in her skull. The cunt was-

"Aaa !"Harry was thrown backwards as lightning arced from the crone finger's breadth into his chest. Harry could find his flesh burning, skin searing off. He could experience all sorts of irrelevant things.

"Crucio !"Bellatrix croaked. Harry did n't incommode to dodge.

"Excalabus !"Harry whipped his sceptre sideways, ignoring the blinding pain. The blade flickered out, burnt forward, flicked back behind Bellatrix 's wand. right wing through her wrists. One severed hired man bounced off Harry 's berm as he jumped forward, punching the witch to the ground.

"Accio wand."Bella 's fallen scepter flew into Harry 's hand. Her mitt came with it, but that was a small detail. Bellatrix sprawled on the trading floor, screaming, clutching the all-fired pulpit of her arms to her bureau. Harry could get wind the thigh-slapper but they had no outcome on him, his mind was drifting ...

For a fraction of a instant he drew his grove around him. So quiet, nice and tranquil ... Harry opened his eyes again. He was cold now, the anger was burnt out of him, gone with the duskiness. Harry stepped forward, his wand trained on the adult female in front of him. He was n't angry any-more, he did n't really feel anything.

His eyes flickered to movement on the floor. It was Sasori, just recovering from the stunner. The Lie Gou 'd eyes flicked up to Harry and his paw flickered into his gown. Before Harry could even cerebrate of casting a magic spell there was a rush sound and Sasori was gone, portkeyed away.

Harry knew he should care. But he really, really did n't. Harry 's eye flickered back to the screaming womanhood on the ground in front of him. One of the two go destruction feeder, the murderous ditch that killed Ginny and so many others. Lying helpless in front of him, ready to drag on to judge. He could involve her to azkaban and throw her away for good.

Screaming, so a lot shriek. Orchard flowed around him. She would be locked away. apple blossoms ... Far far away ... She had been locked up before. It did n't last.

"Avada Kedavra !"Harry closed his middle as he spoke the while, but he saw anyway. Not often to see really. The spell hit habitation, the force of it pushing her body a few fundament across the floor, and her substance stopped beating. That was it. Nothing more. Harry opened his eyes.

The fighting far below was meaningless here ... unruffled ... Malus pumila prime in the air.
*


Dragon staggered to the top of the tower, retching as he dragged his run down bones forward. The fighting below was almost over, just the predator mopping up the stragglers and holding the itinerary open for them to get back. He walked carefully over to the place and spun in, wand raised. He saw Bellatrix, deadened on the flooring, with Harry standing over her. Harry 's verge had fallen from his hand and he was just staring at the wall. Dragon was about to ill-treat over to him when he saw ...

"Ginny ?"Draco 's eyes flashed wide and he dashed to the crumpled conformation by the paries."Ginny ? ... can you hear me ?"She was dead, anyone could see-

"genus Draco ..."

"Gin-"Draco crouched down, his fount next the barely moving back talk. There was nada he could do, he knew that. Even if the unanimous faculty of St Mungo 's was here there would be zero they could do. Only one thing ..."Ginny are you in nuisance ?"

"No ..."Just a whisper."Draco ?"

"Yes ?"

"I love ..."

Draco gritted his tooth. He could n't cry, not now. He could n't, he just couldn't.

"I ..."Ginny was faltering, drifting away."I ... bonk y-"

"I know."Draco could feel tears on his cheeks. Damnit."I ..."He paused ... too long."I love you too. I always did."Draco hoped she was too far gone to hear that he was lying.

Ginny 's lips twitched, he could tell she was trying to talk, but she just did n't have the long suit any-more. He was n't certainly he did either. Instead he leant forward and kissed her softly. She tasted like tartness blood, she felt cold. He closed his eyes and felt the rent flowing, dropping off his nerve and running runnel down Ginny 's face. Little drops cleaning contrast in the muck and parentage. The lips twitched once more beneath his, then went still. Very ... still.

Draco leant back, reached his arms under Ginny and lifted her up. A fiddling red Isidor Feinstein Stone dropped from her hand to the trading floor. genus Draco hesitated, the temptation to just leave the cursed thing there was almost too much to bear. But then all this was worth nothing. Draco grabbed the thing and stuffed it in his pocket.

"ejaculate on Harry."He found words somewhere in his throat."Come with me."

Harry 's dead optic came up to fill his and the boy took a falter footstep forward.

"That 's right field ... follow me."genus Draco walked slowly out of the office towards the long stairway. He looked back and saw Harry following him, still staring deadly ahead."Good, just hold following me. We have a recollective walk home."

And I 'm carrying her every footmark of the way.

Even if it breaks my spinal column I 'm carrying her.
*


"All considered,"Sasori did not respond to the phonation addressing him."A total failure."

Sasori 's merely reaction was to grimace.

"You have lost the philosopher 's stone."The old man stated calmly."And your own usefulness has been severely curtailed. You no longer control the Lie Gou in Europe, indeed the whole organization will be out to stamp out you."

"You do n't look too turnover about all this."Sasori could still sample frustration in his rima oris, but he was not about to plunk for down to the man before him.

"disturbance ? Why would I be upset ? I never had any wish for the stone."

"You are an old man."Sasori narrowed his center."Especially old for one of your type."

"Only fools compliments to live forever, and I am already far past tense my time."That infuriating chuckle."On that line have you given any thought to what you will say to the others of our little circle ? There might be some question of whether you have anything to offer us any-more."

"Are you threatening me ? I could obliterate you before you blinked an eye."

"Oh come now, there is no motive to be unpleasant."The old man spread his hired hand and smiled."And you would never obliterate me. You need my aegis if you even wish to live on the next twenty-four hours."Sasori 's gut twisted. As lots as he hated it the man was right. He needed allies, he needed this man or the others would reverse on him like masher. Ha ... ironic ...

"You are right James."Sasori bowed his top dog."I need your help. Tell me what you want me to do, and what you want in return."
*


"How could you let this happen ? How could you send them out there !"

Draco closed his eye and tried to block out the sound of Kingsley Shacklebolt 's voice. He knew he should be saying something, but he did n't give birth the vigor. Besides, the minister 's anger was not directed at him.

"You knew this was possible. The death of any one of us is always possible."Snape said harshly.

"She was not one of us !"

Draco shuddered, the predator return to Hogwarts had been severe. The order had been meeting and he had been capable to carry Ginny 's body directly into her brother 's arms. He had barely even been able to say'I 'm sorry'before the punch had flown into his chin. He had n't tried to fight back. The second punch had broken his olfactory organ, the piranha pulled the crying Weasley off him after that but after that the order had exploded, turning on each other, and the marauder, like jackal. They were splintered now, the arguing spilling into different way but Draco did n't love if it was any better.

"You knew I was keeping the vulture ready."Snape continued.

"As a last resort ! For cases like the ministry live on class when all former hope is lost."Shacklebolt 's fists were clenching."Not active, not invading a fortified-"

"It was my decision as loss leader of the order."Snape interrupted angrily.

"fountainhead I think we can safely say that that is over."

"That is not your decision-"

"If I put it to the vote what do you think the result will be."Shacklebolt jerked his pass and two aurors appeared at his shoulders."Mr Snape-"

"Professor Snape."Snape hissed the Book like a curse.

"I assume your professorship will also soon end. Since you will not be able to learn from Azcaban."

genus Draco started to his feet but a stern coup d'oeil from Snape sent him back to his seat.

"Am I to be told what I am being arrested for ?"

"Endangering a tiddler. Negligence leading to death and so many former things."Snacklebolt 's voice was low and dark."Dumbledore was untimely ever to trust you. We all were."

"If I had not acted the consequences would have been far far worse."

"Perhaps the Wizengamot will see it the same way."Shacklebolt gestured to his aurors."Although I sincerely hope not. I assume you are going to fare quietly."

"Running would indicate I had something to be guilty about."Snape thrust his script out sharply."I assume you want my wand."

Draco shook his fountainhead, he had to do something. But Snape must have seen the look on his face because he calmly turned to him and said, as the aurors shackled him,

"Perhaps you should check on your protagonist Mr Malfoy."

"But-"

"Go Draco."Snape allowed himself to be lead away by the aurors. He looked back over his shoulder."And if you would get care of Harry I would appreciate it."

The door slammed closed and Draco felt his heart drop. It was like the unit humankind was falling apart.

Harry.

Yes, Harry. He needed to find Harry. Since they had got back Harry had n't said anything, just kept staring straight ahead. Draco would have tried legilimency but everything had happened so fast. Harry was infirm, vulnerable, clearly going through something terrible. He had to admit caution of him. Dragon grasped that yarn like a lifeline and walked out of the room. Anything to not mean of everything else-

"How could you let this happen !"Draco did n't look across from the room access to where the Weasley kinship group was clustered. The twins were just sitting, almost as blank as Harry, Ron was crying into his custody. William Weasley was yelling."When mum and dad wake up what am I going to tell them ? It was my job to keep you safe !"The older boy was tearing up."I was supposed to hold you safe ..."

Draco tore his gaze away from the cataclysm and kept walking. Harry had been in the hospital annex. Draco could still discover the yelling from behind him. impede it out. Up step. Turn left.

Draco was at the door to the infirmary wing when-

"genus Draco !"Draco whirled and tensed when he saw Hermione running towards him."Do you know where McGonagall is ?"

"I ... No. Why ?"

"They ... they called my parent. They called all our parents."Hermione kept pulling on a retentive ringlet of her hair in panic."They 're taking me away, they 're taking me out of Hogwarts. They ca n't do it ! I do n't need to but ... McGonagall must be able to turn back them, she can bar them all-"

"All ? What do you signify all ?"

"All the parents are here, are n't you listening !"Hermione was breathing hard, on the edge of tears."All the predator. Our parents are all here, they 're taking us out. All of us ! There must be something we can do-"

"Draco."Draco spun again as the doorway to the infirmary wing was pushed heart-to-heart and Draco saw Pythea stepping out. She did n't look as frantic as Hermione but on the seer 's, usually unflappable, physiognomy it looked even worse."Do you know where Harry is ?"

"Pythea !"Hermione spoke before Draco could even open his backtalk."Do you make love where McGonagall is ?"

"Try the great Hall."Pythea said distractedly."Have you seen Harry."

"I thought he was in there- Hey wait !"Draco called after Hermione as she tore off down the corridor."Damnit, He is n't in there ?"

"No,"Pythea looked scar, her odd middle were wide."Someone thought they saw him take the air out but no one tried to stop him."

"I ... damn."genus Draco put his fingers to his temple. The world was ending. Everything was falling apart. Find Harry."Alright, just give way me a second ..."Draco got down on his script and knees and sniffed deeply.

one C of metrical foot travelled these halls but genus Draco knew Harry 's olfactory property. The few benefits of being a werewolf.

"He went this way."Draco led the way slowly along the passageway.

"Can you not go quicker ?"Pythea asked angrily.

"Ca n't you just scry him out ?"Draco shooter back.

"No I ca n't !"Pythea almost shouted."I ca n't see him, I never could, that 's the point. Please hurry !"

Draco reached a staircase and hurried down. Another stair, Draco sniffed ... yes. Down those too. Corridor ... dammit. Draco followed the trail all the way to the great door of Hogwarts. The trail went right out the room access, straight outside.

"But gran !"Draco 's promontory came up as he heard Neville 's voice."I need to stay here, these are my acquaintance !"The marauder was being hurried along by an quondam lady, his grandmother.

"Your acquaintance ? Friends do n't get friends killed !"

Draco doubled over. That had felt like an real blow. He should receive been faster climbing the pillar. He should make brought his own broom so he could take after her. All his fault.

He should n't take in let her fare in the first of all place. They all knew she was depressed. That was his break too, if he was n't so wrong she would still be alive. If he was n't twisted, disgusting. His begetter had been right, he was useless ... it was-

"The trail genus Draco !"Pythea 's phonation seemed to hit his legs before it reached his brain and he was already moving before it even registered. The trail was clearer out here on the grass, it was n't wandering, straight like an arrow. heterosexual person to the edge of the forbidden forest. Dragon straightened up, his face ashen."He went inside."

"But he knows the Centaur will kill him if they find him in there."Pythea was shaking her nous in horrified disbelief.

"I do n't think he even knows his public figure right now."Draco sniffed again and hurried forward at a trim run. Behind him he could hear the prophet following him. Harry was n't making any attempt to conceal his route, it was plain as day. But that meant it was plain as day for the centaurs as well. Draco tried to enjoin himself that the bountiful trail meant they were closing in on him. Tried ...

"Is ... is he close ?"Pythea panted from behind him.

"Yes."Draco lied. All he could hear was his own breath in his ears and his bunk heart. Sniff. track. Run.

"Stop !"

Dragon skidded to a halt.

"What ?"

"This is it. He 's here."Thea began looking around, glancing behind trees."feast out he 's somewhere here."

"How do you cognise ?"

"All of these are apple trees."

"Ah, right."Dragon took a deep breath in. Yes, Harry 's odour was deeper here. The seer was decent. And the scent was cryptical coming from ..."Harry ! Theia I 've got him."Draco dashed over to where Harry was propped against the automobile trunk of a tree. His eye still had that glassy, far away, expression. But at least he turned to face them as they walked up to him.

"Harry ?"Pythea crouched down future to Harry."Are you here ?"

"Yeah,"Harry nodded slowly."I think so ... it 's firmly to tell."

"Why did you run into the forest ?"Draco asked.

"I ... I do n't remember doing that."Harry shook his head."I just ... I was thinking about Tree ..."

"well, we found you."Draco put his hand on Harry 's articulatio humeri."Lets get back."

"Back ?"Harry tensed, a fraction of his usual hardness returned to his eyes."backbone to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

"Ginny 's dead."

"Y ... yes."

"Voldemort 's alive."

"Why are you asking me that ?"genus Draco shook his straits, trying to construct sensory faculty of Harry 's questions.

"I killed Bellatrix. Just killed her."

"It was self defence."Pythea said soothingly.

"No it wasn't."Harry was breathing harder."I cut off her hands then I killed her. She was screaming before, she was n't screaming after."

Draco swallowed roughly. He did n't bed what to say to that.

"I saw her heart check. Not Ginny 's, Bellatrix 's. Saw her hit the rampart, except that it was her not ... Her heart just stopped."Harry seemed to be drifting from thought to think."Saw her spur snap."

"Let 's go back to the castle."Pythea said desperately."Come on Harry-"

"Harry ?"Harry spat the name out."Harry ? That 's not me. Harry 's deadened. I wish he was alive, indirect request it were him here instead of me. The elect one, must be strong or have some wild power. I do n't, I 've got goose egg ... Maybe he would be impregnable enough. But I 'm not, I 'm just not."

"Ha- Jack ?"Pythea tip forward."We can get through this, together."

"No Thea."A tear ran from Harry 's eye."I 'm deplorable. I 'm so so sorry. But I ca n't do this any-more. I 'm deplorable but ... It 's too much. I 'm discontinue. Something in me 's broken."

"Harry ?"

"I ca n't. I 'm dismal. I 'm so sorry."Harry 's dolorous eyes met the seer."cheerio Thea."

"NO !"Pythea thrust forward but she was too wearisome, the forest rang with the sally of a crude apparition. A flock of birds took flying from the trees around, dappling them in shadow for a moment, then they were gone. And so was Harry.

The public was broken. Everything had fallen apart.

Draco kept expecting him to reappear, with a put-on perhaps, or for it all to be a trick. But it was n't, and he was n't. Beside him Pythea was just staring at the blank Harry had been. The silence drew on, Draco did n't need to be the number 1 one to speak, that would make it real.

"I ..."Dragon licked his mouth."I did n't cognize he could apparate."

"He was having lessons."Pythea sounded minor. little and broken.

The muteness returned, dragging on forever. Draco broke it again, the words feeling like lead.

"So what ... what do we do now ?"

"I do n't know."Pythea was shaking."I just do n't have it away ..."





Whew ... That 's the end of book 6. Bob Hope you enjoyed it. I 'm 2/3 of the way through book 7 so it should n't be too long before it 's finished. It 's been a prospicient haul but we 're in to the final straight now. So get gear up for ...

Harry Potter and the tercet enigma !