This Koran 's been giving me fuss, mass and lots of trouble. I 've had more pain from this one than from the other four put together and it 's not even finished yet ! murmur ... gnarl ...

Anyway as a solvent I may be slower to brand than usual as I try to vanquish this twisty, beastly yarn I choose to call a floor into meekness.

Sorry, hopefully the story will be punter for it.

In former news : OVER 200,000 Word ! HORAY !



"hi ?"The shopkeeper peered, bleary eyed, at the public figure standing on the other position of the glass door."Sorry we ‘ re closed now."

"Good."The hooded man pushed the door open roughly."Then there will be no one to hear us."

"What do you want."The shopkeeper edged his hand towards the scepter in his sac."If it ‘ s money you ‘ re after-"

"I require a serve of you."The man said, clearly and arrogantly."Or rather my original does."

"If your overlord wants any of my service."The tradesman grunted a laugh."He ‘ d better add up himself. I don ‘ t do mansion calls and even if I did some of my equipment ‘ s too great to move."

"You mistake me."The man sounded like he was smiling."My master want ‘ s you to collapse me something. A Shén de shÇ'u."

"A Sh-"The shopkeeper held his hand up, backing away."No no no no ! Why would I-"

"I heard you were the man to go to for one."

"Yeah, days ago. When they were legal."The shopkeeper took his verge from his pocket and held it firmly towards the intruder."I think you ‘ d undecomposed leave."

"My master…"The man began, rolling up his arm."Is not a man you want to displease."

The shopkeeper jumped back as he saw the darkness marking emerge from under the dark robes. Even this far from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland everyone in the business concern knew what it meant.

"Are you a… a stagnant eater ?"

"Death eater."The man corrected pleasantly."Now about the Shen ?"

"I… I ‘ ll have to make some calls."The market keeper shuddered, he just wanted this man gone."I don ‘ t have all the stuff here."

"I ‘ ll wait."The man pulled up an old wooden electric chair."While we wait we can talk over some former matter you may be able-bodied to help oneself me with. I ‘ m sure they will not be beyond your… skill."

The shopkeeper gulped as the man began listing what he wanted. His hired hand shook so a lot his wand fell on the flooring and rolled away unnoticed.

"I ‘ ll…"He cleared his pharynx, his mouth raw."I ‘ ll see what I can do."
*


Harry's boots hit fireplace and he drew his wand out and scanned the room before lowering it and depositing the mandatory galleons in a jar by the barman.

"Thank you young master."The man simpered.

"He's probably telling someone I was there right now."Harry thought as he left the grubby pub."And that person will tell a death eater."

Harry broke into a run as old buildings flashed past him. He hadn't made for London, too obvious. The sheer silhouette of Edinburgh palace was outlined against the stars for a moment between two buildings as Harry dashed along and he darted down an alleyway towards it. He slowed as he passed a group of guys obviously out for the night, singing in the street, then sped up as the route began to wax towards the heights castle.

He came up a side route and turned away from the historic construction. Fitting himself into the crowds of Fri dark reveller like a phantom. He flitted across the royal mile as fast as he thought safe, clutching his retentive coat tight about him. At XV years old mass wouldn't think it weird for him to be out this belated but they might remember that he was alone. Any memory of his passing play was a liability and Harry flicked his taking into custody up and kept into the shadow of a house.

There were a few superstar taphouse in Edinburgh, Harry had mapped them out. But thanks to his stupidity of not disguising himself as he flued into the live one he could not now risk any of them. Harry cursed, he was still an half-wit. Still making stupid mistake, Harry shook his drumhead and pinched himself hard. He had to be better.

The rail station appeared beneath him and Harry swiftly crossed the bridge and slinked in a side entranceway. He bought a tag from an automated machine ( no store ) to the first location on the release board. Then tore it up, cursing himself again, and bought one for the second one down.

It was only three minutes till it left. Harry stood in a corner, hopefully just looking like any other traveler. They wouldn't crack the place would they ? They thought like wizards, not like muggles. Maybe he was being paranoid… the bartender didn't have to severalize anyone…

No ! Careless ! Better safe. We want to campaign them, but on our terms.

Harry nodded, it was the safe thing to do. He gritted his teeth as the second base ticked by. He just needed to be gone. Wherever the caravan went he could chance wizards and flue to… to somewhere. Somewhere better, Hogwarts possibly ? It was still weeks till he had to go back to school and Harry wasn't eager to drop off back under Dumbledore's restrictive annexe. He'd go somewhere anyway.

shit it ! Harry went stock still as two oddly habilitate soul walked into the railroad train station. One looked like his outfit was a Allhallows Eve costume of a sea robber, the early was wearing lederhosen. They were the stupidest pile Harry had ever seen.

They were also here to drink down him.

Harry could palpate the effect of barely contained fury coming off both of them and the buccaneer had a sceptre concealed up his sleeve. Harry stepped sideways, making his move seem inconsequential, uninteresting, and pushed open a staff door. He stepped in calmly and confidently, not giving any trace that he didn't belong.

“'Ere ? Who are y-"

The cleansing agent in overalls got no further as Harry whipped his sceptre out and Confunded him.

"You ‘ re done for the night."Harry whispered and jerked a pollex back the way he ‘ d seminal fluid."You need to put away that door."

"R… right."The man mumbled and Harry left swiftly, passing out a side door and feeling the coldness night air. Harry crossed the road and passed to the next street over and breathed a sigh of rest period. It was busy, full of merrymaker. He could be inconspicuous here.

The good sort of invisible, the kind that didn't need cloaks.

Harry kept to the side as he ducked down the long stretch and ducked into a pub. A few minutes later he emerged, unrecognizable. Wrinkled cutis and grey hair, Shakey Jack walked again. Harry walked like an old man up the route, watching both ways.

tinker's dam it ! There was one, walking down the street towards him. He was surreptitiously pointing his baton at every soul he passed, like he was dowsing. He was detecting magic trick. Harry winced, there was his friend coming from the former direction, doing the Saami. Harry was cornered.

Harry began walking slowly towards the plagiarist death eater, making his footmark slow and measured like the old man he was supposed to be. He hid his verge in his sleeve, he needed to add up up with a plan. There was no way he could fight them here, too many bystanders, so that left taking them out instantly ( which would be almost impossible ) and running away.

Of course if one of them had been Crouch it would be different. But they weren't, they were just incidental.

"Silencio."Harry murmured it so quietly he could almost have been silenced himself, aiming at the death eater's wand. No way to know whether he had hit… The wand came up, aimed at Harry…

Nothing.

The wand passed on over to the next bystander and Harry breathed a mental suspiration of substitute. He began walking away, they didn't follow. He kept walking, passing out of areas he could recognize from maps and found an alley.

Harry pushed a wheelie bin aside and slouched down against the wall. He'd hold for morning here and try to leave the city then. Harry drew into his bag and pulled out the wrapped up cadaver of a sandwich.

Full band, eventually we all come back home.

Harry sneered as his eyelids began to droop, back street used be household, now they weren't. That didn't mean value that anywhere else in particular was home, but it was an melioration. Harry dropped off to sleep, too tired to dream.

"He ‘ s here somewhere."

Harry's eyes flicked open, the wan brightness level of sunup filtering into the back street. pace came slowly up the alleyway. Harry slid behind the bin that hid him and crawled to the other side of meat. The two material body came cl… knack on !

"Are you sealed ?"A cryptical familiar vox said as the two men passed the bin Harry was behind."It might not even be him."

"Underage magic and marauding decease eaters, it ‘ s him."Helen Wills grumbled as he stumped along."He ‘ s back."

Harry waited until they had passed then grinned. He stepped out from behind the bin and slowly walked up behind the two aurors. You know what would be funny ? Harry took a deep breath…
*


"Envenerate !"

Harry lifted his oral sex off the eatage ( dope ? ) and looked around him. Moody was gone, but the magniloquent Black person auror was still there, his arms crossed, calmly looking down at Harry. Harry glanced at the somebody who had brought him back.

"Hey Tonks."

"Wotcher Harry."Tonks held out an arm to help him up."Want to explain why my bosses brought you here comatose ?"

"They didn ‘ t tell you ?"

"Well Moody was too angry to tattle and Kingsley kept laughing."

On cue a deep chuckle escaped from the tall aurors mouth, swiftly covered with a hand.

"I ‘ ll let Dwight Lyman Moody tell the story when he calms down."Harry dusted himself off and surveyed the empty field. It seemed vaguely familiar."Where are we ?"

"Oh ! Right."Tonks dipped into her pocket and drew out a small art object of report."Just read it, don't say it out loud."

Harry took the paper and unfolded it. On it was written, in loopy, hard to read handwriting…
The headquarters of the order of the phoenix is the manor house on the grim moors.


"So what does it- WHOA !"Harry tripped backwards as the hall exploded out of the dry land around him. Even the grass curled into the floor and became gravel and a spring appeared like it had been pushed up from some tunnel underground. After everything settled Harry looked around,

"Hey, isn ‘ t this-"

"Home."Came a voice out of the air."My home."Harry spun, wand out. Then relaxed.

"Knew I recognized this place."Harry smiled."dependable to see you Draco."

"Good to see you too."The blonde boy detached himself from the shadow of a doorway."Good too see you ‘ re still awake since we didn ‘ t have a clue."

"I owled."

"Once. From cairo."Dragon said sarcastically."Then you drop totally off the map."

"I was vacationing."Harry shrugged."Like I always do."

"Yeah right."Dragon pushed the door undefendable for Harry to ill-treat inside."Well in the entail sentence your booster and fan night club have invaded my home."

"The rescript of the phoenix ?"Harry looked around the cavernous entrance hall."Never heard of them."

"It is Dumbledore ‘ s organization."Kingsley said from behind Harry."To counter the demise eaters."

"Why are you here ? Don ‘ t you have your own headquarters ?"

"This is better apparently."Dragon rolled his eyes.

"Didn ‘ t Voldemort live here ?"

"The wards respond to the current heir."genus Draco looked over at the sprawling tapestry of the Malfoy family tree."Voldemort was forced to leave the moment…"

"The moment ownership transferred ?"

"Yes. That."

"wellspring at least we 're all dependable here. Constant vigilance. '' At Harry 's discussion Shacklebolt clapped a hand to his back talk but could n't break off a snigger. Harry grinned and took another look at the tapestry."Aren ‘ t you supposed to be on here ?"

"I ‘ m there."Draco pointed at a reprimand burnt billet at the tush."It seems my mother reverted to her own kinsperson traditions."

"Why don ‘ t you fix it ?"

"Because I don ‘ t smell like it Potter."Dragon snapped acidly."Besides ? Who would I fix it for ? I ‘ m the last Malfoy."

"Unless you have children."Harry pointed out. Dragon just shook his head.

"No… no I ‘ m the utmost Malfoy."Draco seemed to nod to himself, his interpreter full moon of some dusty resolve."Anyway, as I was saying. With the sept fascination and the excess wards Dumbledore put up this blank space is totally impregnable."

"No such thing."Harry looked back at the aurors."Or as Moody would say, constant vigilance."

"diaphragm saying that."Kingsley had to report his mouthpiece again.

"What is this ?"Tonks looked between them, confused."It ‘ d have to be something dependable to make you laugh."

"He snuck up behind Alastor Moody and yelled ‘ constant quantity Vigilance ‘ in his ear."At Tonks'shocked saying he added."I ‘ m not joking."

"Harry you ‘ re insane !"Tonks doubled over, holding her tummy."He could throw killed you !"

"You ‘ re certifiable thrower you really are."genus Draco shook his head, then stopped suddenly."How did you sneak up on Helen Wills ?"

"Yes."Kingsley stepped finisher."I ‘ ve been wondering that."

In answer Harry just smiled and rolled up his left sleeve. Around his wrist was a brass armguard engraved with tracing vines. Right in the centerfield, on the inside arm, was a hieroglyph of a great contraband eye.

"Picked this up in Egypt."Harry said, running a linger along the edge.

"That's the vicious eye."Tonks stepped near to look at it."It ward off magical monitoring."

"Yep."

"It ‘ s also all sort of illegal."

"Yep."Harry shrugged."Somehow I doubt the ministry would give care considering what ‘ s being kept at bay under the eye."

"Under… oh…"Tonks nodded faintly and stepped back."Right."

"Does it stop him calling you ?"Draco asked quietly.

"It makes it manageable."Harry pulled his sleeve down and put on a cheery smile."Too bad it only hides me, not my magic. Else I could do spells whenever I wanted without the ministry seeing."

"And you ‘ d be even more of a menace."Tonks smiled and winked at Harry."Come on, the others are waiting."

Harry grinned and turned to follow the auror.

"We ‘ re mostly living in the east wing."Tonks called back over her shoulder."This place is massive. It took us a week to ascertain where you ‘ d left Macnair. He smelled awful."

"Sorry,"Harry shrugged theatrically."Next prison term I ‘ ll try to drink down in a aseptic environment."

They walked down a farseeing dark hallway, made more skittish by the fact that every painting was empty. genus Draco said nothing but Harry imagined they had left about the same time his father had. The doorway at the end had a steady glow coming from under it. Harry hurried forward and flung the door open theatrically.

"I ‘ m back !"

"Harry !"Harry was knocked back as predator piled towards him, and on him. Harry laughed and extricated himself from under the pile.

"Hi guys."Harry walked past the scrum into the cavernous room, which turned out to be a kitchen."Miss me ?"

"Where the nether region were you ?"Padma hadn't joined the charge and was sitting with her arms crossed and an raging expression."Why did you leave ?"

"I never left."Harry held his hired hand to his heart."I was always with you, in here."

"Bullshit."

"Cynic."Harry shrugged and slid onto the recollective bench across from her and Hermione."Have you no-"

"Voldemort is back."Hermione interrupted him.

"Really ?"Harry opened his eyes wide in jolt."Is he really ? No… no, I had no idea… How could that bump ? I would remember a thing like that ? Oh… oh wait ? Tall guy with red eyes ? You know I think I do remember a guy like that… TORTURING ME !"

"Alright Harry. Alright."Hermione held her hands up."I didn ‘ t mean it like that. I just meant that Voldemort ‘ s after you, he want ‘ s to kill you."

"Is this a merging of the obvious society ?"Harry said as the residuum of the predator crowded around.

"What she means is that this isn ‘ t a metre to go sunbathing in Majorca."Padma said in aggravation."Or skiing or hang-gliding or whatever it is you did."

"wellspring I didn ‘ t bloody hang-glide."Harry grimaced."At least brooms have some means of propulsion. And I didn ‘ t ski or sunbathe. I ‘ ve been working."

"Working on what ?"

"Working on not getting tortured again, working on being… better."

"You ‘ ve been training ?"Fred asked."You found some Tibetan temple or something ?"

"No, no temple."Harry shrugged."But I have been training. I ‘ m not ending up half stagnant again. following metre he comes after me I ‘ ll not be helpless."

"well the breaker point is that it shouldn ‘ t happen again."Tonks came up behind him and clapped him on the shoulders."You ‘ re staying safe here till you can go to Hogwarts."

"Safe here ?"Harry froze."Safe here ?"He pushed himself off the judiciary."I have to go out there !"

"Wh… what ?"

"I have to go out there and fight them. You know that right ?"Harry looked Tonks in the eye, the marauders looked on confused."You know that."

Tonks glanced back at Draco, who just frowned and looked at the floor.

"Dumbledore…"Tonks licked her lips."Dumbledore, who also knows that, says you ‘ re to be kept safe."

"For how yearn ?"

"I don ‘ t know. However long it takes."

"You are cognizant that without me it will lead precisely forever."Harry said through gritted teeth.

"I ‘ m sure Dumbledore has considered that."

"Dumbledore. Is. Senile."Harry looked over at Kingsley, who had thus far keep open silent."How bout you ? You got a issue on this ?"

"I trust Dumbledore."Kingsley said confidently.

"Everyone always does."Harry snorted."And as yet I ‘ ve seen no reason why."

"You haven ‘ t seen him angry."Kingsley turned towards the room access."ejaculate on Tonks, we need to get back on duty before we ‘ re missed."

Harry didn't speak as the two aurors left. When the door slammed shut he threw his script up and shook his head.

"I have seen him angry. I ‘ ve seen him tempestuous at me, it ‘ s not so bad."

"What was that Harry ?"Ginny asked.

"What ?"

"All that ‘ you know that'and ‘ he knows this'stuff and nonsense. What ‘ s the underground ?"

"You didn ‘ t assure them ?"Harry turned to Neville.

"I thought it was a secret."Neville shrugged.

Harry turned to genus Draco, who rolled his eyes.

"Don ‘ t look at me I don ‘ t even like them."

"right,"Harry turned towards the room access."It ‘ s not a cloak-and-dagger, at least not amongst us. Could you recount them for me Nev ? I ‘ m going to get some fresh air."

"You can't."Ron called after him."We have to stay inside the building."

"Wh…"

"The Aaron Montgomery Ward extend to the place melodic line but it ‘ s stronger in here."Hermione explained apologetically."They told us to stay-"

"By they you mean Dumbledore."

"Yes."

"Then I ‘ m finding an capable window."Harry looked over his shoulder back at the marauder."I can do that can ‘ t I ?"

"Your way ‘ s down the corridor, the door with the scorpion lock."genus Draco said.

"Is there a window in my cadre ?"

"Yes, it ‘ s not barred either. Not un-metaphorically anyway."

Harry, didn't respond. He just pushed the threshold open and left.
*


Draco woke the next break of the day as a retching sound came through the wall. He shook the cover version off and pushed the curtains around his bed open before hurrying to the neighboring room.

"Harry is that you ?"genus Draco was about to try the door before he thought undecomposed of it and ran a detection charm. A couple of nasty execration lifted out of the woodwork. genus Draco backed a few stone's throw away."Harry spread up !"Dragon heard footstep then the door scraped open.

"What ?"Harry growled sleepily.

"Were you just chuck ?"

"No… no."Harry shook his head."Why would you think that ?"

"Because I just get word you Harry."Dragon folded his blazonry."You also smell of vomit."

"I… I do."Harry sniffed."Fine. You caught me."

"You ‘ re grim ?"

"I ‘ m pregnant."Harry shrugged."There was this dancer. I was a little wino and, well… I was weak."

"right field,"Draco snorted.

"You ‘ re the first off one I ‘ ve told."

"I ‘ m touched."

"It ‘ ll be really rugged raising it on my own."

"I imagine working class won ‘ t be a picnic either."genus Draco shook his drumhead, if Harry didn ‘ t want to tell him then he didn ‘ t want to live."feeling, it smells like breakfast ‘ s ready."

"Great,"Harry shrugged, then frowned."Who ‘ s cooking ?"
*


"Sit down Harry."Molly Weasley pulled out a chairperson for him."Have some eggs. There ‘ s pledge too, and some sausages."

Harry looked around in disarray at the various multitude that had appeared in the kitchen of Malfoy manor. There were more Weasley's than there had been, the two parents and older brothers. An odd man in a green hat was there as well, smiling at Harry and waving, along with an Old lady in an ratty robe. There was one very recognizable look though, one that went had gone from smiling to stone cold the moment he entered the room. Remus lupin had stood the moment he came in and walked away, leaving by the back up door.

"A couple of people live here now."Ginny said to cover the secrecy."A couple of the order members."

"Why ?"

"Because I haven ‘ t started charging rent yet."Malfoy muttered darkly, leaning over a chessboard.

"It ‘ s because we ‘ re too visible."Molly Weasley explained."the great unwashed know we support Dumbledore, they know we were in the order concluding clip. We ‘ re targets for attack. It ‘ s safer here."

"right hand, safer."Harry tucked into his breakfast in secretiveness, the marauders chatting around him. Apart from him only Malfoy and Ron were understood, both intently staring at the chessboard. Occasionally, very occasionally, one of them would gain a move.

'' It would be nice if they 'd find their own nucleotide though. '' Malfoy murmured, still staring at the add-in. `` Or their own prison house. ``

'' prison house ? '' Harry dropped a piece of toast. `` They 're using this billet as a prison ? ``

'' Obviously. '' Malfoy said grimly. `` Did you think Malfoy manor had no cells ? And they ca n't use Azkaban anymore. ``

'' Is n't that dangerous ? ``

'' The whole manor is under the Fidelius magical spell. '' Hermione explained. Harry smiled in understanding, so that was what the piffling slip of newspaper publisher had been about. `` It means that a secret is- ''

'' I know what it is. '' Harry interrupted her calmly. `` But is n't it dangerous to severalize the prisoner the enigma ? ``

'' Yes. That 's why they do n't. '' Padma shrugged.

'' The captive are inside the secret but they have n't been told it ? '' Harry 's hilltop furrowed. `` I wonder what that feels like for them. ``

'' They tend to scream a lot. ``

Harry shrugged, unworried. At least there was a rubber place for to family the death feeder. Of course Harry would favour if they were all kept in nice good coffin but this was the next practiced affair. While they had been talking Draco had turned back to the mute Bromus secalinus game.

"How long have they been at that ?"Harry asked Hermione.

"Hours for this game."Hermione answered dejectedly."calendar week if you ‘ re entail playacting in general."

"Who ‘ s winning ?"

"I think Ron ‘ s ahead by two games."

"well that ‘ s-"

"Out of two hundred and twenty six."Padma chimed in irritably."Neither of them's been up by more than four at any point. Next clip they equalize I ‘ m stealing the bloody board."

"I have over eight hundred cheat control board in this house."Malfoy said idly as he nudged a cat's-paw forward."You ‘ re welcome to try and find all of them. Maybe you ‘ ll get lost along the way."

"But not today. Got you."Ron said triumphantly as he slid his knight forward. Harry frowned, even he, with his loose undemanding of the game, could see that it wasn't a checkmate. But apparently Malfoy could see something he couldn't, the blond boy hunched over the board for a few moments then,

"Screw you Weasley."Draco angrily slapped his king down and stood up."It doesn ‘ t count. I was distracted, I was talking to Harry."

"It counts."Ron replied angrily. He began to reset the man but genus Draco grabbed a cat's-paw out of his handwriting and slammed it back into it's box.

"I don ‘ t want another game. I ‘ m bored of Bromus secalinus for today."Draco sat back down at the breakfast table, pouting.

Harry grinned at the spectacle then pushed his void dental plate away and stood to leave.

"Where are you going dear ?"molly Weasley called after him.

"Just back to my room."Harry answered cheerily."I didn ‘ t unpack final night."
*


"There ‘ s no chance he ‘ s going to unpack."Padma whispered across the predator table.

Ginny shook her head. No one could tell when Harry was lying, not even the predator. But since Harry hadn't unpacked anything ever since he'd got that bottomless bag it was unbelievable he was doing so now.

"Should one of us go check on him ?"Neville suggested.

"Let him be."Fred shrugged."He ‘ s got a lot to think about."His twin nodded.

"It ‘ d give us something to do."Parvarti murmured quietly, voicing what they all felt. Boredom was constant here. The lonesome matter to prison term were order coming together when the predator would try to feel room to mind in. slipway that were continually blocked.

All their homework had been done. All the path books had been read and so many games of exploding gingersnap had been played that they all had little tiny burns on the goal of their fingers. There was naught else to do, literally nothing. They had looked, tried to hail up with early affair to do. They had failed.

"We could try gobstones again."Fred suggested as their female parent bustled around the room.

"Definitely not."Hermione shook her headway."We could study ?"

"We ‘ ve done all our homework."Ron said irritably.

"We could switch and do each others."Anapurna pointed out. At the general cushion she just shrugged."I ‘ m that bored."

"We could play quidditch !"Ron perked up instantly."Why didn't we think of this before ! Yeah ! We can deliver a-"

"How ?"Ginny cut in."We can ‘ t go outside."

"Well… oh."

The vulture lapsed into secretiveness. Defeated again.

"Mrs Weasley."Malfoy suddenly said."Harry was feeling ill earlier. Do you suffer anything that could help him ?"

"Why didn ‘ t you tell me ?"The Weasley Matriarch hurried off down the corridor towards Harry's room. As soon as she disappeared Malfoy pushed himself away from the table.

"Let ‘ s go. Quickly."

"Why ?"Ginny crossed her arms."Why should we go with you ?"

"Because I know where we can play quidditch."genus Draco glanced at the doorway. `` Believe it or not I am as bored as you are Weasley. Now can we go ? You 're mother wo n't be distracted for long. ``
*


'' Whoa ! '' Ginny gasped as they were led into a massive hall. On the base there were plinths and cases holding strange sparkling items.

'' What is this place ? '' Hemione asked.

'' My fathers. '' Draco lugged the ball lawsuit over. `` It 's just junk. '' True to his Christian Bible he shoved three vases off a showing stand to put the case in their place. `` Now ... team. ``

'' I call captain ! '' Ginny yelled.

'' Me too. '' Ron nodded.

'' Right, '' Malfoy was still looking the other way. `` maitre d' are Ginerva and myself. ``

'' But- ''

'' It 's my house. '' Malfoy cut him off snidely. `` I 'll make the Gemini. ``

'' Which ones ? ``

'' The quidditch playing ones. '' Malfoy rolled his heart. Fred and Saint George reluctantly went over to remain firm by Malfoy.

'' You ca n't pick both. '' Ginny argued.

'' Would you split them up ? '' Malfoy said sarcastically. `` Have a heart. ``

'' mulct. You can induce them. '' Ginny grinned. `` I get everyone else. ``

'' Well well Weasley. '' Malfoy said appraisingly. `` Betting on amount over quality ? ``

'' Shut up and release the bludgers. ``
*


Ginny shot past a cabinet laughing, the crash from behind her told her George VI had n't been so prosperous. The quaffle flew up and bounced inside the chicken feed R-2 on the wall.

'' Goal ! '' Ginny spun on the spot, pumping her fist in the air.

'' You 're still behind Weasley ! '' Malfoy yelled as he shot past.

hoot it he was right, Ginny shot forward after him. If only the fink would look ! It should n't be so voiceless to catch it in this enclosed area. Unfortunately the charms on the snitch were never designed to consider with an maverick maze of cabinets and as a result it kept moving erratically. They had found and lost it three prison term already. Ginny saw Malfoy trying to nock and being blocked by Ron. She took the opportunity to choose another tone for it.

'' Over there ! '' Someone yelled, Ginny did n't waver. The flash of amber disappeared behind a urn and Ginny spun around it. Where was it ? Another flashing, there by the rack of blade. Ginny heard a clangoring from the incline her, Malfoy was closing in. There, by the methamphetamine again ? No ! By the urns again ! Damn it, there were reflections everywhere. It was like there were six snitches !

Ginny narrowly avoided colliding with the wall. A thump behind her told her Malfoy wasn't so prosperous. There it was ! Right near the corner of the room. Ginny sped up, it was so skinny ! Her fingers closed around it. And it felt ... wrong.

Ginny drew to a halt, holding the thing in her mitt. It was gold, but it wasn't a snitch. It was a cup, a slight gold plated teacup, still struggling to break away from her finger. Draco hovered in side by side to her, looking perplexed.

"That didn ‘ t used to fly."He grabbed it out her hired man, holding it by it's flyspeck handle and letting it try to pull in away."This isn ‘ t even stored in this room."

"What is it ?"

"It ‘ s a teacupful Weasley how dense are you ?"Draco insulted idily, still staring at the tiny thing."Or did you always just drink out of a trough at your theatre ?"

"No."Ginny just gritted her teeth and swallowed the affront. They had to exist in this firm for workweek yet."Where did it derive from ?"

The early marauders came in closer, staring at it.

"I saw it by the door."Parvati said curiously."I thought it was hovering there but maybe it came through."

"We should look."Malfoy began floating in that direction.

"What about the real snitch ?"Fred asked, wrestling a bludger back into its case.

"It ‘ s just a training stool pigeon. It comes when it ‘ s called."Malfoy held out his hand."Ollyollyoxen !"In a wink of Au the snitch darted down from the ceiling and settled in his hand.

"Lets go."He said curtly, jerked his headland and floated off towards the door.

"guess we ‘ re not walking."Hermione murmured as the marauders flew after him. The corridor was fairly narrow and the marauders had to fly in single Indian file. The vacuous portraits were here as well, even the creature in the landscape had left.

"Do you take heed that ?"Neville whispered and clumsily stopped.

"What Longbottom ?"Malfoy turned in the air, impatience elucidate on his cheek."I don ‘ t hear anything."

"That would be because you ‘ re talking."Padma snapped at him."Shut up a minute."

Silence filled the hall for a moment, then ... a distant noise. It sounded like an burst underwater, muffled by the paries. The marauder looked at each other, they had all heard it.

"There it is again."Ron said quietly as the sound echoed down the hall.

"Sounds ..."Malfoy screwed up his aspect."It ‘ s beneath us."

"Are you sure ?"Ginny floated forwards to where he was hovering."It ‘ s echoing a lot, maybe-"

"My household Weasley."Malfoy cut her off."It ‘ s coming from beneath us. This way."Malfoy dig forward and turned sharply into a side corridor. Ginny rushed to keep up with him and she could hear the marauders behind her doing the Saami. A doorway was flung open in front of them and Ginny spun into it, following the blonde flash in figurehead of her. Down some gradation, along a long wickedness mansion house, succeeding - STOP !

Ginny had to break up harshly to avoid hitting Malfoy who was hopping off his Calluna vulgaris in front of a expectant wooden door.

"You ! You ... !"

"What ‘ s the matter Weasley ?"Malfoy shouldered his broom."Had trouble keeping up ?"

"I almost hit you !"Ginny dropped to the story."Why did you blockade ?"

"We ‘ re here."As Malfoy said it a loud bang issued from the other position of the door. Ginny looked behind her to see the marauders just coming around the corner. Hermione looked terrified, Neville looked ill.

"Well lets see then."Malfoy drew his wand and pushed at the enceinte room access. It slowly crept unresolved. Inside was an empty-bellied hall, looked like it was usually used for memory board or something. The only things left were a few odd mesa and a few boxes. In the eye of the room stood Harry, bare chested with his scars pure Theodore Harold White against his bronze and sweat pelt. On a box next to him was a odd pile of dust. As they watched he took a crustal plate and held his scepter to it. At a whisper Scripture there were two home base, then three, then four. Harry dropped the original back into the heap and tapped the fakes with his scepter. They instantly flew off in all counsel. Harry jabbed his verge and in a fraction of a second-

BANG ! One shattered near the ceiling. Harry whirled. smasher ! Shattering into shards. thrill ! Smashing the side of meat and sending the last home base spinning into the wall.

Harry caught sight of the predator and grinned before waving them over.

"Thanks."Harry said, plucking the cup out of Malfoy's mitt."mustiness have missed that one."He released it and it instantly whizzed into the air.

"You don ‘ t need to keep back duplicating things you know."Malfoy said dryly."I ‘ ve got tons of this junk."

"Right."Harry shrugged."Just didn ‘ t want to bother you."

"Harry what are you doing with these ?"Hermione asked, sounding almost scared.

Ginny looked where Hermione was pointing and swallowed fearfully. Arranged in a clean row along the table was a sharp and wickedly curved brand, a short circuit spear with a lighting deadbolt carved into the haft, a round of golf ball that had trap for fingers and seemed to be glowing from within and no to a lesser extent than three muggle firearms.

"Souvenirs."Harry shrugged lightly."From my travels."

"Harry please tell us what you're doing down here ?"Hermione pleaded.

"Training."Harry flicked his wand over his shoulder without looking and the cup, zipping past too dissipated to see, exploded in mid air."I told you that didn ‘ t I ?"

Ginny just stared, this was too much. All the piranha expected insanity from Harry but this ...

Malfoy was the first to speak.

"You bought an impact sphere ?"He was looking at the bowling ball like matter."You shouldn ‘ t have, my forefather had two in his vault."

"I may require spares."Harry shrugged.

"Harry is this stuff dark magic trick ?"Hermione was shying away from the table.

"Depends on your perception."Harry replied airily."It ‘ s certainly illegal thaumaturgy. Whether it ‘ s shadow is more about the use it ‘ s put to than the thing itself. These thing are just tools."

"And the grease-gun ?"Hermione pointed."Did you buy those illegally too ?"

"Strangely no, I bought them legally in Vegas."Harry picked up the expectant one. The marauders took a collective stair back."Bringing them back to the UK was the illegal bit."

"Wh ... wh ..."

"No wait, I used fake i.d. to buy them ... never mind."Harry shrugged."Yes I bought them illegally."

'' Harry, your scepter ... '' Malfoy was staring at the bramble-wood baton in Harry 's hand. `` Are you still using the one you stole from Macnair ? ``

'' Yes, '' Harry clanced down at the nighttime wand. `` Why do you ask ? ``

'' Harry, do you not think that using a scepter you stole from a dead death eater is a bit ... '' Malfoy swallowed. `` A bit ... creepy ? ``

'' Why ? I was the one that killed him. ``

'' You could buy a new one from Ollivander. '' Neville suggested.

'' And run a risk it not working as well as this one does ? '' Harry balanced the thick, twisted wand on the edge of his hand before flicking it up into the air and catching it, all the piece with the gun held nonchalantly in his former hand. `` This one works for me, maybe as well as my old one did. Besides ... it kind of burst does n't it ? This verge 's done a lot of wildness in it 's life. draw of hurting, scrap, and that 's exactly what I intend to use it for. ``

Hurting ? Fighting ? ... Killing ... Ginny swallowed. Harry had n't said that stopping point one but she could feel him thinking it.

"Harry why are you doing this ?"Ron asked.

"What do you intend why ?"Harry looked at Neville, then at Malfoy."Didn ‘ t you tell them ?"

"Yeah. I told them."Neville said softly.

"Then what ?"Harry dropped the gun back down to the table. It sounded heavy."I need to fight Voldemort. I have to crusade Voldemort."

"Yeah but Harry-"Ginny started, but was cut off.

"I have to fight Voldemort and you know what ? I ‘ ll lose !"Harry slashed the air angrily."I ‘ ll lose, I mean what else would happen ? I spotty, ignorant fifteen year old against the most unsafe mavin on the planet ? I ‘ ll lose, he ‘ ll win, we ‘ ll all be screwed. Don ‘ t you see ? I can ‘ t afford to be an ignorant teenager any more. I have to be better. I need to be better. Because I can ‘ t lose, can ‘ t afford to lose. None of us can afford for me to lose. Do you know what it feels like to know that the whole creation is royally screwed if you fail ? No ? Then shut up ! Don't try to quit me and don ‘ t ask me why ! I know why, and if you took a microsecond to think you ‘ d know why too !"

Harry's angry tirade shocked the marauders into silence. Harry turned back to his pile of dust and began duplicating a heavy chicken feed bowl.

"Harry ... you don ‘ t know when the prophecy will happen."Neville surprisingly spoke up."Maybe you won ‘ t be 15. Maybe you ‘ ll be twenty, or thirty. Maybe you have time ..."

"Do you want to take a chance everything on maybe ?"Harry answered without looking up."Well I ‘ m not. It could be any time so I have to be make any clip. It could be tomorrow too."

"Do you want someone to duel against ?"Malfoy said quietly.

"You ... !"Hermione whirled on him."You can ‘ t assistant him !"

"Why not ? He ‘ s right."Malfoy shrugged, apparently unimpressed by Hermione's furious face.

"Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore has been wrong before."Malfoy cut her off."It hurts null to be cook in case he ‘ s wrong this time."

"But Harry could be killed !"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded curtly."He could. Did you not realize that ? Did you perhaps think what happened in conclusion yr was some sort of peculiar secret plan ?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Well then."Malfoy sidestepped Hermione."We duel. Besides ... not like there ‘ s anything else to do around here."

"commodity point."Ginny was surprised to learn her own voice. Oh no now everyone was looking at her, honorable say something."And since we ‘ re all prey maybe we should try learning some stuff too."

"At least we ‘ ll all get O ‘ s in defense."Padma smiled wryly.

"So we ‘ re not going to talk about the divination ?"Hermione turned to face up Harry.

"What ‘ s there to say ?"Harry shrugged."It ‘ s fairly self explanatory. No one but me can wipe out Voldemort. Not practically to discuss."

"I ... conjecture so ..."Hermione bit her lip."There ‘ s an purchase order meeting tonight. Maybe we can ask Dumbledore ..."

"Good."Harry hoisted a glass bowl onto his berm and toss out it out into the room. He aimed his scepter and muttered under his breath. The bowlful melted and splattered into a steaming heap on the floor."There are some things I want to ask him too."
*


"Where have you lot been !"molly Weasley drew herself up."You disappeared 60 minutes ago ! All of you, gone all day ! Now you ‘ re back and you look like you ‘ ve been fighting ! Now you ... Where do you think you ‘ re going !"

"Hu ?"genus Draco turned from his progress towards the door."What do you stand for ‘ Where am I going'? I ‘ m going to the kitchen."

"You come back here Young man !"

"Why ? I ‘ m not your family. Nor am I one of these other waif you seem to give adopted. I don ‘ t care for your ruling, nor for your misplaced and overworked maternal instinct. I ‘ m certainly not going to let you yell at me while you live under my roof."Draco turned back to the door ...

"Get back here !"

... .and walked happily through it, with furious quiet left behind him.

"You do hump that means you ‘ ll have to make you ‘ re own breakfast from now on."

"Tonks."Draco smiled and walked through the now crowded kitchen to where his cousin was sitting. adjacent to the werewolf. Draco shuddered inwardly and sat on her other side."I couldn ‘ t eat another fried breakfast anyway. Any more and my heather won ‘ t be able to hold me."

"I doubt that short cousin."Tonks prodded him playfully before growing severe."How ‘ s Harry doing ?"

"He ‘ s ..."Draco licked his lips and gestured for her to slant closer."He ‘ s accepted the prophecy. He ‘ s accepted that he will fight Voldemort. He ‘ s preparing for it."

"That sounds ominous."Tonks shook her head."Dumbledore ‘ s not going to like it."

"Don ‘ t William Tell him."

"I won ‘ t, but he ‘ ll find out anyway."

"Will he ?"A new voice came in. Draco looked up to see Harry slide in across from them. The werewolf grunted and got up, not looking at Harry. Tonks glanced after him, confused. Harry ignored it.

"How ‘ d you get away ?"genus Draco asked.

"Disillusion."Harry shrugged."That cryptic into a philippic I doubt she ‘ ll reckoning how many mass she ‘ s yelling at. So ... when ‘ s Dumbledore getting here ?"

"Now."Tonks stood as the ancient man walked into the kitchen. Harry was instantly on the former side of meat of the terrace and stepping up beside the Headmaster and tugging on his robe.

"prof, can I talk to you ab-"

"After the meeting Harry."Dumbledore brushed him off."You have my word. But right now some of the order members have of import missions they must get back to quickly."

"Of course."Harry stepped back, nodding amicably."I understand."

What ? Draco crossed his arms and frowned. Why was Harry being so calm ? What was going on ? As the order appendage filed out he sidled up to Harry's side ?

"What was that ?"

"What ?"

"You being tranquillise and courteous towards Dumbledore. What are you up to ?"

"I ‘ m always nice."

"You ‘ re always up to something."

"Are you suggesting ?"Harry drew himself up haughtily."That I am only nice when I have an docket ? That I am manipulative and self serving that way ? That I would only be calm if I, oh say ... wanted to slip a heed device into the pocket of individual ‘ s robes before they went into an order merging ... or something like that ?"
*


Snape stepped into the manor house and strode towards the main dining way. He wasn't late precisely, just ... no longer appropriately prompt. He pushed the door open and walked to the unfold fundament next to Natalie.

"Have I missed anything crucial ?"

"Attacks."The dreadful was idly scraping her finger along the edge of a copy of the daily prophet."wickedness marks. virtuoso and crone we suspect have been turned, or put under the imperious curse.

'' Nothing important then. ``

'' Nothing new at least. '' Natalie tuned to him. `` Did you hear they found Harry ? ``

'' I heard Harry found them. '' Snape cracked a smiling. `` Or Helen Wills Moody at least. ``

'' Severus, '' A lenient voice called. Snape looked over to Dumbledore, who was looking at him expectantly. `` Is there any news ? ``

'' Yes. '' Snape brought himself back to the task at hand. `` The dark Creator is moving. ``

'' Well duh. '' The vocalism near the end of the table was swiftly silenced by a matted stare.

'' The dark Maker is moving more specifically. Now that Greyback is dead all but a few of the loup-garou have deserted him. He seeks new troops to sew affright, he has chosen to acquire by solid wealth this prison term rather than empty promises. He is arranging leverage of gravid numbers of various exotic species, lethifolds primarily. Chimaeras if it can find a willing trafficker. ``

'' Why ? '' lupine asked from down the table. `` Why mindless beasts ? ``

'' Precisely because they are inane. '' Snape explained. `` His crook US Army from Azkaban has not been as effective as he hoped. ``

'' They 've torn the res publica apart ! '' person yelled.

'' But only in their own capacity. They have not followed orders well, they are distracted. The dark Maker has killed a lot of them, he seems tired of homo failing. In a way he does n't want an ground forces, he wants a weapon. Something he can unleash at will. Doubtless he will be employing the imperious condemnation to see that his will is done. ``

'' It does n't operate on lethifolds. '' Lupin said with sure thing. A piddling sniff of relievo slid through Snape 's idea, swiftly swallowed up with darkness.

'' But it does work on chimeras. And on manticores. ``

'' manticore ? '' The sometime defense instructor eyes grew wide.

'' fountainhead, manticore at gift. But he is looking for others. ``

'' Why not simply use it on the criminals ? '' Someone asked.

'' Both because that would draw them less effective fighter aircraft and because long exposure to the Dementors seems to consume made them surprisingly resistant to mental attacks. '' Snape leant finisher over the mesa to address to the monastic order as a whole. `` I have the day of the month he plans to meet with creature traders. If we arrange a trap we can get ahead of him and- ''

'' No. '' Dumbledore spoke with pipe down authority.

'' We can not allow this to happen. ``

'' If we act he will assuredly guess the source of our information. '' Dumbledore shook his bearded head. `` You are too valuable at award to put on the line. You are our only source of information. ``

'' entropy we never act on. '' Snape clenched his fists on the cold mahogany table. `` What use is my spying ... what use is this ordering if we are too scared to ever act. ``

'' We can not act rashly. ``

I do not act rashly. You simply do not act. Snape bit back the words we wanted to fling at the old man. It would be pointless.

'' We could instead intercede with the alien auror departments. '' Snape tried to trick himself into thinking this was anything other than a terms limiting attempt. `` They could contain some of the traders before the wickedness Godhead can meet with them. ``

'' Perhaps, '' Dumbledore nodded. `` There are very few people we can entrust. I will try to get in striking with some old Friend that may be able to help. ``

Old friends ? Of yours ? Wo n't they be dust or lingeringly senile ghosts by now ?

Natalie gave no outward-bound sign that she had heard Snape 's projected though, but she reached over and laid her hand on his arm.

"Is there anything else ?"

"Barty Crouch still has not returned."Snape shook his heading, Barty Crouch had become Voldemort's preferred, surpassing even Belatrix. Snape had hoped at one metre that Barty's failure to get ahead the ministry would look against him, and it had, but apparently throwing it into turmoil had been enough. That and successfully bringing Harry ceramist directly to the dark Jehovah. All that made it even more funny that Barty was absent from decease feeder gatherings. The dark God Almighty kept his servants close, if he was letting one off their tether then it had to be for something important.

"Do you intend he has left the land ?"Someone down the table asked.

"It is possible."Snape nodded."But whatever he is doing it has it ‘ s radical here. The dark noble has always intended to remove this country before moving on to the rest of the mankind. That has not changed. It may also ask espionage."

"Why do you say that ?"

"It is Barty Crouch ‘ s specialty is it not ?"Snape shrugged."But the darkness lord has ordered me to begin researching polyjuice potion in an effort to wee-wee it go for any mechanical man species."

"You think it is connected ?"

"I do not know."Snape answered honestly."It could just as easily be involved in his endeavour to gain the support of the giants."

"The nighttime Creator architectural plan are like spiderwebs."Natalie said softly."We can arrogate everything is connected."If anyone other than Snape heard her they said nothing.

"Is that all ?"

"Other than hours of listening to the dark Godhead glum pontificating on the subject of the death or conquest of all muggles ?"snake crooked an eyebrow."No."

'' Good. What news program from the ministry ? '' Dumbledore had turned to Shacklebolt, who sighed and shook his head.

'' It has become official. Fudge is still minister for conjuring trick. ``

A world-wide groan went up from around the elbow room. Snape just closed his eyes and took a tranquillise breathing place. After the consequence of final stage year the ministry had been fractured to its very core. The near-election of a death eater had made them terrible as rabbits. Fudge had, the second Dumbledore left the construction, ran back to his office and virtually barricaded himself inside. All summer he had been wrangling the ministry around to the idea that his expulsion was not valid because of the deceptions of Barty Crouch Jr.

That was, Snape had to take on, technically unfeigned. Although the vote to take out Fudge had been won by a well-fixed margin the archetype motility to bump off a minister for trick could only be tabled by a appendage of the Wizengamot. Crouch Jr was not a penis, only impersonating one, therefore the apparent motion and, by propagation, the balloting was void. A piece of bureaucratic craziness that meant they were stuck with that silly man until someone else drummed up decent support to oust him.

'' We could supervene upon him. '' Natalie said, seeming to read his thought process like she often did ( even when not actually doing so ). `` Everyone in my department thinks he 's a trick. ``

'' Ours too. '' Shacklebolt rumbled.

'' The whole ministry does. '' Arthur Weasley added. `` The whole wizarding universe. The problem is that no one wants to put in a nomination for fear of looking like they 're following Crouch 's example. ``

'' So we put somebody forward. '' Snape said definitely. `` We field a candidate no one can argue is a decease eater. ``

'' And they will be shot down by those who resent Dumbledore interfering in the ministry. Fudge was not the only one. '' Shacklebolt shook his foreland. `` I realize this view may not be the most well-heeled to hear, but perhaps we should allow him to stay for now. ``

'' What ? '' Snape asked acidically. His anger was echoed down the tabular array as others voiced their complaint.

'' I realize the office is not saint. '' Shacklebolt held his workforce up. `` But Fudge is scared to touch any known order member or anyone else who waves Dumbledore 's monetary standard. As a termination he is leaving the aurors office and the quietus of the department relatively unmoved. We can conduct out our piece of work without any overbearing supervision for now. And besides, with all the ex-Azkaban resident running around causing bother we do not make metre for a political battle on top of that. If we can not have a sympathetic diplomatic minister of magic, one that stays out of our way is a good second choice. ``

'' So it is agreed. '' Dumbledore looked up solemnly. `` We allow him to remain while he remains un-troublesome. ``

Snape grimaced but did n't input. Once more nothing would be done.

'' Is guard duty for the next workweek set up ? '' Dumbledore asked the foregather order. There was a general nodding. It had not been hard to unionise, not with a appendage inside the section of mysteries.

'' Then we should all get back to employment. '' Dumbledore stood. `` And we should all prepare for flack by magical organism. lupine can, I 'm sure, prompt you of the best method acting to fight off them. ``

Snape stood quickly, he could n't be missed for long. The dark nobleman was as watchful of his servants as he was of his of his enemy. Snape turned to Natalie,

'' My sentry go duty is scheduled for Tuesday, at eleven. ``

'' I 'll be sure to be in the bureau then. '' Natalie nodded. Snape knew that he would be living for Tuesday at eleven. He reluctantly turned and made for the door. Unfortunately there was a blockage, the unit rules of order was bunched up at the broad double doorway. Snape quickly pushed to the front and was almost forced to laugh.

Harry had built a barricade.

The fifth part year was sitting casually on an rescind desk, resting his fundament on a draftsman. The rest of the arching bulwark was mostly chairs and tables, and one suit of armor.

'' Harry this was not essential. '' Dumbledore stepped forward, his hands stretched peacefully. `` I promised we would talk. ``

'' I wanted your good attending. '' Harry replied wryly. `` I want to oppose. ``

'' Harry you are not old enough to join the guild. ``

'' You think Voldemort will handle ? ``

'' We will hold you good from Voldemort. ``

'' Right. '' Harry dropped off his perch and landed, cat like, on the floor. `` 'Cos that manoeuvre 's act upon wizard so far. You know I have to press. I have to fight him. ``

'' Harry I have made my decision. ``

'' I contest the sanity of your decision. '' Harry grated. `` You just going to let Voldemort walk all over this commonwealth ? ``

'' Harry Potter I have had enough of this. '' Dumbledore waved his wand angrily. The barricade disappeared with a deafening crack. `` You will detain where I put you until it is safe for you to do otherwise. If you will give up no opinion for your own safety others must do it for you. You will stay here. You will be safe here. ``

'' Unless a lethifold creeps in through the windowpane. '' Harry said flatly. Dumbledore went cold, then glanced at Snape. Harry chuckled and continued. `` Do n't depend at him. This is you 're fault. You let me get a line everything. ``

'' How Harry ? '' Dumbledore crooked an supercilium, but his usual good humor was gone.

'' I 'll let you stew over it. '' Harry folded his sleeve. `` I want to fight. I want to sit in orderliness meetings. I want a tutor to learn me to duel. ``

'' You may have none of those things. '' Dumbledore was n't moving, just standing like a statue. Radiating menace. `` As for defending team training you will rule it at Hogarts, in your regular defense course of study. ``

'' fountainhead I hope at least you 've got someone goodness. '' Harry sneered, then, glancing at McGonagall, let out a lilliputian suffocate gag. `` You have n't found anyone have you ? ``

'' I will not discus this with you Harry. '' Dumbledore drew his wand. `` I have more authoritative things to do. '' And with that he turned and apparated away with an furious crack.

The order members began to scuffle out, giving Harry a widely berth. Lupin in particular was staring at him with what could only be described as execration. Snape walked up to the recluse student.

'' Perhaps you should not counteract him. ``

'' He antagonizes me. '' Harry answered, sounding a little defeated. `` I do n't read him. ``

'' Few people do. ``

'' You ? ``

'' No. ``

'' Great. '' Harry shrugged, then looked up to fill Snape 's oculus. `` Would ... you teach me to fight ? ``

I should bear expected that interrogation. Snape took a breath to pass himself metre to consider his response.

'' No. ``

'' Why ? '' Harry asked, sounding somewhere between anger and helplessness. `` You know what 's at wager ! ``

'' If I teach you then you will fall into the trap of cerebration you are ready. '' Snape shook his heading. `` I could make it on everything I know to you and you would still lose to the dark lord because I would fall behind to the nighttime lord. ``

'' I 'm not just gon na step on it in half cocked. ``

'' You will, inevitably. '' Snape said, hoping bluntness could get through to him. You will inevitably attempt him out because, despite everything you have gone through, you are still a teenaged boy. ``

'' I 'm not an half-wit. ``

'' Yes you are. '' Snape corrected. `` You are young, by definition you are an cretin. ``

'' Have n't been untried for weeks. '' Harry drew up his sleeve and unclipped an unexpected bracer. `` Not since I got this. ``

Snape momentarily thought of asking where he had got the evil eye bracer but thought better of it. The solvent was of no particular use. He almost wanted to ask if Harry had a spare.

'' Harry ... '' Snape glanced around to see if anyone was listening. Natalie was but that was beyond the point. `` If you want my advice you will continue as you have no question been doing. geartrain, learn everything you can. When the clip comes, I promise I will learn you. ``

'' mulct. '' Harry seemed defeated, distant. `` Will you at least learn me occlumency ? I ca n't use that to fight. ``

'' I will remember on it. Now I must go. '' Snape turned and walked away. It was surprisingly difficult.
*


'' amercement. '' Harry muttered to himself. `` I 'll try Helen Wills. ``
*


The marauders had to hunt Harry again that evening. He had disappeared before dinner and was nowhere to be seen. The border wards had n't been tripped but with Harry that meant next to zip. They found him in a obsolete stairway, sitting in the rainbow blur of a stained trash window. With the wanton mottling his skin like some hobo camp cat the predator hesitated to draw close him.

'' You missed dinner. '' Ron eventually began.

'' Not hungry. ``

'' What were you doing ? ``

'' mendicancy. Again. '' Harry let out a rough, grim, laugh. `` Full circle. ``

'' What do you mean begging ? '' Fred frowned. `` You 've got money do n't you ? ``

'' Not money. '' Harry was still looking up into the visible light. `` I 've spent the evening begging order phallus, aurors ... everyone really, to teach me to press. Waste of my prison term ... '' Harry trailed off shaking his head.

'' They said no ? '' Malfoy was leaning against a balusters. `` Who did you ask ? ``

'' Snape, Moody, Tonks, Shacklebolt, McGonagall ... '' Harry sighed. `` Flitwick, he was a dueling mavin. I even asked Lupin, or tried to before he slammed the door on me. Why would he do that ? Why would any of them ... they know what I have to do. They have to know ... ''

'' We 'll serve you Harry. '' Ginny stepped forward. `` We said we would. ``

'' It 's not the Saame. I need a instructor. '' Harry shook his head. `` There 's only so much I can get from book and ... equal learning. ``

'' Well ... maybe you could ask whoever they get to instruct defense this class. '' Hermione suggested. `` Or maybe they 'll be really good any you wo n't have to. ``

'' You do n't get it ! '' Harry covered his face with his hands. `` It 's not just chucking around a match of stunners. None of you have seen a genuine wizards duel, not proper dueling. Not like what Voldermort 's capable of. Not like what I 'll have to be capable of if I want to stand a probability at winning. None of you have seen it. ``

'' Really, have you seen it ? '' Padma asked, eyebrows raised.

'' Of course, I saw ... him ... duel with ... '' Harry paused for a moment, then a fraction of a sparkle lit the corner of his eye. `` With him. Maybe ... ''

'' Harry ? '' Hermione reached out but Harry had shot to his ft like a jack in a box.

'' Has excavator found your owlery ? '' He was looking at Malfoy.

'' Yes your piteous over-traveled and long-sufferance bird has found my owlery. '' Malfoy rolled his middle. `` If you 're going to globetrot you should really order your owl to outride home. ``

'' I would. '' Harry disappeared up the stairs. `` But I do n't make a abode. ``
*


The adjacent day, at breakfast, Harry seemed strangely chipper.

'' We should go back to the cellar, maybe duel some, hang out. land the chess set if you want. '' Harry was idly juggling three orange in his properly hand while gesturing with the other. `` After goner obviously. ``

'' sure enough ... sure Harry. '' Hermione was nodding a little carefully, like someone talking to a man with a handwriting grenade. Which, given Harry 's flow track record, might have been the case. `` We 'll do that. ``

'' Should practice shield too. '' Harry switched the oranges to both deal then quickly back to his right.

'' Great ... good ... wonderful. ``

'' Let 's go then. '' Harry pocketed the fruit and led the disoriented vulture, and Malfoy, from the room. As Harry pushed the door open he pulled up unretentive. lupin was frozen in social movement of him, his script raised to reach for the door. His smile had frozen and dropped into the scowl he always wore on seeing Harry.

'' Yes prof ? '' Harry asked pointedly. `` Something the matter ? ``

lupin seemed to almost growl but cut himself off and pushed past Harry into the kitchen.

'' What is his problem ? '' Harry muttered.

'' He was sort of alright before. '' Ron scratched his head.

'' Before what ? ``

'' Before well ... you. Before you got here. '' Ron shrugged. `` He was even kind of funny. ``

'' Whatever. '' Harry shook his oral sex. `` I ca n't be bothered worrying about it. Lets go. ``
*


This was n't the last Harry heard about it though. Lupin lived in the house, they bumped into each other all the time. Each time Harry was met by the same ichor hatred. It was form of disconcerting. Eventually Harry learned Lupin 's turn and managed to mostly quell out of his way. Of course it helped that he spent at least ten hours a day in the empty cellar, sometimes with the marauders, sometimes with genus Draco, sometimes alone. Each day when Harry finally dropped himself into an icy bathing tub to soothe his contuse framing he felt a form of fiery satisfaction.

He was getting better !

He could beat any of the marauders one on one, even the twins. genus Draco was better, at the jump he had beaten Harry a lot. Well, no ... at the very bug out Harry had won. Then Harry had raged at the blonde and forced him to really cut on the loose and use some of the tight dark magic his beginner had taught him. With those spells in his arsenal genus Draco had been winning, but Harry was clawing back. He was getting better, there was no denying that. Every throbbing contusion, every dawning waking up aching was a triumph because he was getting better. And that was n't even considering his other toys.

Harry shifted his pes to catch one's breath on the top of a mahogany desk in the mansion library ( there was some good stuff here, more than spells to play with ) when the door creaked open.

'' howdy Tonks. '' Harry said, without looking up.
*


'' Wotcher Harry. '' He was doing that more and more. He was like Dumbledore crossed with Helen Wills crossed with Snape. Tonks winced inwardly, it was n't the kids fault. He had been forced to become like this, canny and brutal as a feral fox. `` What'ya recitation ? ``

'' The gentleman 's guide to effective and effective application of infliction. '' Harry read calmly off the cover of the book.

'' Oh ... '' There was no existent response to that. `` Any good ? ``

'' Never knew there were so many uses for a riding crop. '' Harry folded the page down and looked up at her. `` How are you doing ? Order keeping you busy ? ``

'' Oh definitely. '' Tonks ran a script through her ( currently blue ) hair. `` Between them and the aurors I 'm run pretty thin. ``

'' So I could n't win over you to learn me to duel ? '' Harry asked cheekily.

'' Sorry Harry, answer 's still no. '' Tonks smiled, at least he was n't holding it against her. `` You seem to be doing ok on your own though. ``

'' I try. '' Harry brightened up. `` Want to duel sometime ? You do n't have to teach or babble or anything just a friendly duel ? ``

'' I do n't think Dumbledore would like that. ``

'' Dumbledore does n't have to live. '' Harry urged weedlingly.

'' Sorry Harry. ``

'' Damn. '' Harry sighed and looked like he was going to say something else but just shook his header. `` Never nous. Was there something you wanted or did you just come to chitchat ? ``

'' I was going to ask about Remus. ``

'' Eh ? '' Harry 's brow furrowed. `` Who ? ``

'' Remus lupin. ``

'' Oh him. '' Harry rolled his eyes. `` What about him ? ``

'' Do you know what 's wrong with him ? '' Tonks pulled a fecal matter and sat on the other side of the desk. From this Angle Harry resembled a very appraising interviewer. His beaten and fret steel-capped bang up on one English of the desk and a huge pile of suspicious books on the other. In between he was regarding her piercingly over his wire glasses.

'' What 's wrong with him. '' Harry repeated levelly. `` Apart from the solid fur and fangs thing ? ``

'' Yes apart from that. '' Tonks nodded. `` I meant- ''

'' Big affair to dismiss. '' Harry interrupted her. `` The fact that he 's a werewolf. ``

'' They 're not as bad as everyone says. ``

'' They are in my experience. ``

'' You clearly have n't met many. ``

'' Met loads. Killed some. '' Harry said coldly.

'' How can you just say that ! '' Maybe he had changed more than I thought. `` They 're mass inside ! They have souls ! They 're human ! ``

'' I 'm sorry Tonks, '' Harry held up his manus. `` I know what you 're trying to say. But I 've only ever met one werewolf who has n't tried to kill me and even he sometimes acts like he wants to. pardon me for not having a great view of the species. When I meet a werewolf who does n't act like the freak they are inside maybe I 'll intend differently. Until then I think my hate is justified. '' Harry vox was flinty and sharp, and more than than a little scary.

'' I 'm blue Harry. '' Tonks repeated. `` They 're not all bad, I wish I could pass water you see that. You just ... I guess I ca n't. You seem to have been forced to see the tough of everything. ``

'' Occupational hazard. '' Harry smiled sadly, then shook it off and grinned. `` Sorry, we seem to have gotten sidetracked into a role moment. What was the original doubt ? ``

'' Remus ... or Professor Lupin. Before you came here he was ... unlike. ``

'' I 've heard. ``

'' He was really funny. ``

'' I 'll believe it when I see it. ``

'' He had batch of these report about what he did when he was young. ``

'' following milkmen ? ``

'' No Harry. '' Tonks tried not to react. `` Did you know he jazz your father ? ``

'' I was aware. '' Harry sighed heavily. `` Sorry Tonks, I do n't call back I can help you much. He 's always been like this around me. The others tell me he was different around me. Ginny 's in a different year and according to her he was a swell teacher to them. It 's just around me Tonks. It 's just me. ``

'' But why ? ``

'' I dunno ! '' Harry threw up his hands. `` Ask him ! ``

'' He ... he wo n't tell me. '' Tonks looked at the floor. When she had asked him he had just turned and left the room in the heart of her question. He had n't spoken to her for twenty-four hour period. `` I thought you might be intimate, or at least have a guess. ``

'' advantageously I can issue forth up with is I remind him too much of what he lost. '' Harry shrugged. Tonks considered this. Harry 's guess was probably worth an essay from anyone else, the kid could show multitude scarily well. Harry continued, `` I mean I get the belief he did n't speak to much of anyone after my parents died. He may fault me get to recall of it. You know ... for their destruction. ``

'' That does n't sound like lupin. ``

'' Not the Lupin you know. '' Harry shrugged. `` If zilch else I 'll be gone in another week. He should be back to formula after that. You should deliver your big fluffy, funny lupine back. ``

'' I guess so. '' Tonks stood. `` Thanks Harry. ``

'' stay prophylactic Tonks. '' Harry flicked his book back open.

'' You too Harry. ``
*


The predator did n't consider the train to Hogwarts that year. They were flued into Hogsmeade under an decree precaution. As they walked up the farseeing route to the castle Ginny fell back to where Harry was walking.

'' Why are n't you angry ? ``

'' Why would I be furious Ginsters ? '' Harry smiled a piffling smugly.

'' We 're going back to Hogwarts, under Dumbledore 's thumb. '' Ginny shrugged. `` I dunno I just sorting of expected you to try and escape or something. ``

'' Do n't encourage him. '' Malfoy murmured dryly from behind her.

'' I 'm not running off. '' Harry said with a twinkle in his eye. `` I 'm right where I want to be. ``

When they walked in the fete had already started. The marauder were forced to rule a clear discussion section of mesa with the whole mansion house grumble and pointing.

'' Is it me or are the tables a bit emptier than common ? '' George said, scanning over the hall.

'' peck of parents decided to preserve their child home this year. '' Parvati said sadly. `` Our parents almost did but well ... ''

'' We convinced them Hogwarts was safer than home. '' Her sister ended for her.

'' Wonder who the new defense teacher is ? '' Ron gestured with a volaille leg at the empty space on the teacher 's table. Ron looked down the mesa. `` Oy ! Dean ! Did they announce anything about the new instructor ? ``

'' Nothing ! '' Came the blackguard answer. The marauders collectively shrugged, except for Harry who just smiled faintly.

He knows. Ginny realized but stopped herself from asking. Harry would n't severalize and they 'd know soon enough.

'' scholar ! '' Dumbledore stood. The Hall quieted down. `` I have a few announcements to make water. Firstly, as you may have realized, some of your schoolfellow have decided not to fall in us. This is of form their choice, or that of their parents, and I hope that you treat then no differently if they decide to rejoin us. Secondly as you know, if you do not live on the Sun Myung Moon, the night Godhead has returned. I wish to make both that and this side by side fact perfectly clear. He can not hurt you here. Behind the paries of Hogwarts you are prophylactic. Thirdly, and most happily, we have a new defensive structure teacher. One that, I am sure you will all enjoy learning from. So I would invite you to join me in saying welcome, or more correctly welcome back, to professor M- ''

'' Yes ! Your appeal have been answered ! '' The huge room access to the great mansion boomed clear. `` I am, thanks to monolithic public demand, backbone ! ``

'' It 's him ! ``

'' Ca n't be ... ''

'' Yes ! ``

'' Yes ! ``

'' Horray ! ``

'' Yes, yes thank you ! '' The muscled shape lapped up the praise, grinning from one side of his face to the former. He was the same as ever, maybe his tomentum was a piddling shorter, his tan a little deeper, his arms more mark, his ramification clad in jean instead of leather and his fedora replaced with a fold up hankie. But it was him, apparent and in the flesh.

'' I 'm back in the rural area ! Back in action ! back in print ! The one, the only MARKUS TRIPPLE M Albert Abraham Michelson ! '' The blond colossus punched the air and the foyer jumped to their feet in sunshine. `` But please ... anticipate me Maximus. No no wait ... call me professor Maximus. ``
*


Harry dropped out of his window that night after everyone had eventually gone to sleep and made his way down to the rooftops. Finding Michelson 's office was soft, the light was still guttering from the pass under the doorway. Harry knocked calmly, a moment later the room access opened.

'' Was wondering if I 'd see you tonight Pipsqueak. ``

'' Well I had to recognize the new professor. '' Harry stepped into the office, it was already all set out. It looked almost exactly the Lapp as it had three days ago, with one or two summation. Harry leant to face at a shifting wizard motion-picture show. It showed a huge crowd of people, all but one of them looking African, standing in rows like a school pic. Sticking out like a sore thumb was Markus A. A. Michelson in the third row, grinning and jerking his ovolo at the affair behind them. Even lying on it 's side it towered over even Markus, spotted and studded with fishgig and burn cicatrix it looked like a ...

'' You did it ! '' Harry turned grinning to his instructor. `` Nundu hunt ! ``

'' Took it down with alone eighty six masses. '' Michelson nodded smugly. `` New world record. I got the tail. ``

'' Nice. '' Harry grinned. `` Have you been in Africa the unscathed time ? ``

'' Nah, '' Markus snorted. `` I was in Norge when your owl reached me. Relatively come together. ``

'' And you came back. '' Harry grew serious. `` Thank you. I know I asked a lot. ``

'' You saved my life once. '' Markus clapped Harry on the articulatio humeri, severely buffeting him. `` Brothers at arms remember. And besides, I like Hogwarts. ``

'' Did you tell Dumbledore why you were asking for your job back ? ``

'' Did n't come up. '' Markus grinned slyly. `` I get the imprint he 'd rather I did n't teach you ? ``

'' No. '' Harry rolled his heart. `` He wants to report me up in ripple wrap. Want 's to save me safe and out of peril. ``

'' Big men like us attract peril. '' Markus said definitely. `` just way to be safe is to know how to search after yourself, and you 're hardly a tyke. Not after what you 've been through. ``

'' My persuasion exactly. ``

'' Well in that string of thought process. '' Markus drew his long baton. `` When do you want to start ? How 's now ? ``

'' Now ? '' Harry flicked his wand out of his sleeve. `` Now 's good. ``



If you do n't leave a critical review YOU WILL DIE ! Really .... you will ... eventually ...


I do n't own Harry Potter. No one owns Harry Potter ! He does not give birth a act ! He is a free man !



"Mr Potter."

"professor Dumbledore."Harry looked up from the breakfast table."Hi, how are you ? Would you like a pop sporting lady ?"

"No Mr Potter, I would not."

"Are you sure ? There ‘ s hemangioma simplex, hot chocolate, cherry-"

"Mr thrower where were you last night ?"

"I assume in bed."Harry replied calmly.

"Have you forgotten Harry ?"Dumbledore's voice was mat and a touch threatening."I have ways of telling where you are in Hogwarts. You were not in Hogwarts for much of last night, you were only in your bed from around one in the morning."

tinker's damn it. Harry tried not to call off the armguard on his wrist. He had been so hoping the evil eye could protect him from Dumbledore's map.

"Your map must be faulty."Harry grinned.

"My map is not defective !"Dumbledore snapped."Tell me how you left Hogwarts !"

"I didn ‘ t leave."

"Do not lie to me Harry thrower !"The entirely schooling was watching now in rapt attention.

"Getting a piddling raging Professor ?"Harry asked."Maybe your map ... no, maybe your knowledge isn ‘ t as complete as you think."

"I dislike being kept in the dark."

"Then prepare to suffer."Harry said darkly."I ‘ ve been kept dark for years by you. It ‘ s time you reaped what you arrogantly and unthinkingly sowed. prepare to live in the dark prof. I hope you brought lanterns."With that Harry stood and walked from the manse, with every eye following.
*


"Harry ? Harry ! Ha ... oh he is here."Parvati pointed into the disused attic the predator had used the premature class. Ginny looked in and saw him calmly chalking something on the floor. The marauders wandered in slowly, with Malfoy conclude behind.

"Hi guys."Harry got to his feet and threw a piece of chalk he had been using away."Just getting this shoes prepare, we can use it to educate after lessons."

"Harry where were you hold up nighttime ?"Hermione asked the head none of them wanted to voice.

"What you guys too ?"Harry laughed and summoned a mug of coffee off a pile of Book."Relax, I didn ‘ t leave Hogwarts. I was just training in a topographic point the map can ‘ t see, that ‘ s all."

"Where ?"Ginny asked at the Saame time as Malfoy said,

"The room of requirements ?"

"The what of what ?"Harry shook his foreland."Nah, just ... somewhere. Anyway look at this."Harry pointed down at the floor. On it there were a number of rectangles, some tenacious, some suddenly, some thin. It looked form of familiar.

"It ‘ s the bookcases."Harry said proudly."In the room beneath us."

"Wh ... why ?"Ron asked.

"Don ‘ t ya see ?"Harry grinned."It ‘ s Dumbledore ‘ s map. It ‘ s 2D you see, birds eye sight, he can ‘ t tell what floor we ‘ re on. So long as we don ‘ t cross the bookcases he ‘ ll think we ‘ re just in the subroutine library. So long as we ‘ re in curfew we can train in here without him knowing. Anyway, lets go to potions. Don ‘ t want Snape angry at us."

"Harry,"Padma stopped him with an outstretched manus."Did you have to be so ... adversarial ... with Dumbledore ?"

Harry paused for a moment before answering ...

"Yes."

... and walking on out of the noodle. The vulture shared a hanker smell and followed him.
*


Potions passed uneventfully. Harry split his prison term between the record on his knees and the caldron in front of him meaning that his potion wasn't even near finished. but at least it didn't explode. Charms was next and Harry didn't bother paying attention there either, though in this caseful it was because he already knew how to leave physical object wings. He could give them aver wings if he wanted, or giant fatal leathery ace. When the lesson was over Harry didn't even bother to speak, he just gathered his stuff and rushed back to the attic. Ginny met them on the way.

"We ‘ re not going to lunch ?"Ron asked as they reached the musty room.

"No."

"But I ‘ m hungry !"

"Call Dobby."Harry shed his robe and stepped into the nerve center of the largest empty space."Malfoy, you first."

"If you ‘ re sure."Malfoy drew his wand."You injured your hand last time."

"Did I ?"Harry froze.

"wellspring you ‘ re not using it."

"It ‘ s o.k., It ‘ s my leftover anyway."Harry shrugged and wiggled his finger's breadth as proof.."Must have fallen on it or something."

"If you ‘ re sure."Malfoy said dubiously."Well then ... Expelliarmus !"

"Ferio ! Stupefy !"Harry guess Malfoy's enchantment out of the air and threw his own a moment after. The blond boy shielded and Harry was forced to douse under his own ravisher."Fulgar Fletch !"Harry flicked his wand and sent a swarm of sparkling brand flickering through the air towards the momentarily shocked Malfoy.

"Protego !"Dragon shielded desperately but was forced backwards as the flencers hit it.

"Mobilisolum !"Harry jerked the storey towards him and saw Malfoy topple onto his dorsum."Stupefy !"

"Volucers !"Malfoy's wand jabbed into the air and Harry the beauty was absorbed by a Shirley Temple cloud. The cloud expanded and rushed towards the shocked Harry.

"Bloody perdition !"Harry heard Fred yell at the Lapp time as his twin yelled,"Hornets !"

"Arg ! Ouch !"Harry felt stings on every piece of exposed physique. Burning all across his skin like a chemical fire. Another wizard would let been overpowered by the nuisance, but Harry had felt far far forged."Take this ! Tempesto !"

Wind sprung from the numb air and rushed over Harry, carrying the Hornets away in a furiously buzzing tornado.

"Eat it Blondie."Harry grinned and flicked his wand towards his opponent. The Slytherin's triumphant grin suddenly turned to revere and pain as the swarm engulfed him.

"Fin-ow ! Fi- bloody affair ! Finite Crabro !"The hornets disappeared and Draco was left disheveled and snarling in the centre of the whirlwind. Harry let it rage for another second before canceling it too. The two scrapper stared each other down for a few instant, both pockmarked with stings and sweating.

"Maybe you two should stop."Hermione suggested hesitantly from the by-line."Before you hurt yourselves. more than I mean."

"Maybe we should."Malfoy said, lowering his wand.

"I guess."Harry smiled, knowing this plot. He kept a close adhesive friction on his wand. delay for it ...

"Confringo !"

"Protego !"Harry's shield was up in plenty of fourth dimension to block off the curse."Ha ! Nice-"Harry's shield tattered and he was lifted off his feet as his chest exploded in painful sensation. He was thrown backwards and rolled across the pitted and scarred floor. He jerked before he hit the slanted wall and managed to push himself to his feet. His scepter was gone, rolled across the floor away from him.

"hoot it ! Damn it ! Stupid bloody shell !"

"Are you injured Harry ?"Malfoy called out.

"I ‘ m fine."Harry pushed himself off the floor."Bloody shield broke like a pastry carapace ! Keeps doing that ..."

"It ‘ s the wand movement Harry."Hermione called out."If you look at the theory-"

"I ‘ ve read the theory. I ‘ ve read the original paper. I ‘ ve read the whole book."Harry grabbed his sceptre off the base."I don ‘ t get it. It ‘ s a charm, it ‘ s a BASIC bloody magic spell and I can ‘ t do it right."

"You can."Neville said encouragingly."It can stop staple spells."

"fountainhead Voldemort won ‘ t use staple piece !"Harry punched the storey violently."He ‘ ll use cruddy, vicious, powerful spells."

"You ‘ re right."Malfoy said flatly."He ‘ ll be using the killing curse word and it won ‘ t matter if you have the scoop cuticle in the world. If you don ‘ t scheme you ‘ re dead."

"Simplification."Harry waved the scuttlebutt away."Come on, we ‘ ve got time for another duel before creatures. Unless we skip it ..."

"We can ‘ t."Hermione said automatically.

"Especially since we know Voldemort ‘ s boosting his army with dark creatures."Padma agreed.

"Fine fine."Harry shook his straits."Ron and Hermione, duel me."

"Both of us ?"

"Like, at the Saame time ?"

"Yes."Harry shucked off his sweat soaked jersey."Get on with it."

"But that ‘ s not fair."Ron pointed out.

"Neither ‘ s this."Harry blasted the floor board by Ron's invertebrate foot causing him to yap like a puppy."Draw your bloody wands."

In the end they were gladiolus for the outdoor setting of creatures, although they were the only ones not wearing coats. Harry eased his aching left deal in a slow circle, it was worth it. It would be worth it. Harry listened with half an ear to the lesson, it was about unicorns. The chances of Voldemort sending an US Army on unicorns was low to laughable so Harry lidded his eyes and dozed.
*


As the moral ended Parvati turned towards Harry to rouse him and found that somebody had beaten her to it. person unexpected.

"Oh no."She whispered under her breath.

"What is ... oh."Her sis stood beside her."This isn ‘ t going to end well."

"It could."Annapurna said shakily."He could apologize."

"wealthy person you met Harry ?"

Parvati's ticker dropped and they watched mute as the figure tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"hello Susan."Harry said calmly, then opened his eyes."Is the example over ?"

"Yes Harry, it is."Susan Bones folded her arms and seemed to be waiting.

"Great,"Harry stood and stretched."Thanks for waking me."Harry turned to leave.

“'Thanks for waking me ‘ ?"Susan said incredulously."That ‘ s it ? !"

"What do you want Susan ?"Harry asked flatly.

"You didn ‘ t write. The unscathed summer ! You didn ‘ t say adios before you left. You just ... disappeared."

"I was busy."Harry said sharply."I still am. Anything else ?"

"Wh ... what is this Harry ?"Susan swallowed."Am I still your girl ? Are we arguing ? Are we breaking up or did you break up with me at the end of finis twelvemonth and just blank out to distinguish me ?"

"Susan ..."Harry glanced down, for the first clock time in the conversation his stony mask slipped a beat. But when he looked back up it was harder than ever."I don ‘ t have prison term for a girlfriend now, and I won ‘ t for a long clock time. So yes, we ‘ re discover up."Harry turned and began to walk back up towards the castle.

Susan just stood there, her hands lightly clenching the textile of her robes. Staring into blank space. As the twins watched she sobbed wetly and drew a paw across her eyes before running off towards the greenhouses, one arm shielding her face from any passer-by by.

"That was ... I mean that was ..."Annapurna began bet trailed off."What he did, it was just ..."

"Cruel. Harsh. frigidness. Evil."Padma finished for her.

"Yeah, that."Annapurna nodded."I ‘ m going after her."

"Good. You do that. I ‘ m going after Harry."
*


"I know what you ‘ re going to say."Harry said when Padma finally caught up to him in the hall.

"Well you ‘ re going to bloody hear anyway-"

"No I ‘ m not."Harry interrupted, and disappeared. Padma saw the tincture of a disillusionment motion off down a passage but lost it a present moment later.

Harry wasn't in history of magic. No one expected him to be.
*


"Is this it now ?"Padma asked her sister as they got quick for bed."fighting all day ? Let Harry injure us up, push aside his new attitude and get ready for tomorrow so he can do it all over again ?"

"He ‘ s going through some stuff."Parvati sighed."He needs our assist. He needs us."

"He has a funny way of showing it."

"He thinks this is what he has to do."Hermione voluntered."He thinks he has to be like this to beat Voldemort. This hard, this cold."

"He ‘ s wrong !"Annapurna insisted emotionally.

"That ‘ s the sad matter sister."Padma shook her head sadly."He may not be."
*


Snape was awakened in the middle of the Night by glowing silver gray light source. One of the benefits of being an occlumens was total genial control and Snape was awake in an instant. As his eyes flickered open he groaned inwardly, then thought better of it and groaned outwardly.

"What is it you old fool ?"Snape said angrily. The phoenix patronus couldn't hear him and wouldn't report back so it was a pure target to air out at.

"semen to my office immediately Severus. It is about Harry."

Snape was already out the doorway before the ash grey bird disappeared. He shucked his robe on as he hurried down the corridor. Wait, why was he walking ? Was Harry's safety less important than not looking stupefied. Snape broke into a run. The sound of his flapping infantry filled the corridor as he hammered towards the master's office.

"Slug ice-cream."The gargoyle slid aside and Snape threw himself into the stairwell. The stairs began to rise, painfully slowly. Snape gasped his breath back as he silently urged them to go faster. Eventually the headmaster's room access came into view and Snape pushed it assailable quickly and said,"Albus ! I ‘ m here."

"Severus welcome."The schoolmaster was sitting calmly at his desk."Read this if you would."

Snape blinked in confusion for a import, then noticed the paper on Dumbledore's desk. He stepped nearer and saw that it was an other copy of the Prophet. This was the emergency ? Perhaps he was missing something ?
execution AFOOT

Dannion LeSang was found utter in his dwelling house this morning. A windowpane of his penthouse flat had been shattered, possibly so that the killer could make headway entrance. Once inside poor Mr LeSang was beaten horribly, with a blunt instrument, possibly a tabular array leg. The aurors have cordoned off the area and refused to let go of any detals but this newsperson has discovered that his injuries were not what killed him. Oh no he was poisoned ! Poisoned by a toxin that the ministry

HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE !

Is there a psychotic person killer at loose ? The aurors gave no comment, perhaps because they as yet, know zippo ! Why anyone would desire to defeat Mr LeSang is strange, perhaps an old challenger from his long and mark quidditch career ...


Snape dropped the newspaper in disgust.

"Is this your hand brake ? Is this what you dragged me from my bed for ?"

"Dannion LeSang was a known death eater."

"I am cognizant that Dannion LeSang was a end eater. Do you perhaps call up who informed you that Dannion LeSang was a death eater ? Who gave you the shocking news that the daring, smiling, star chaser for the Wigtown Wanderers loved to rack muggles ? Do you ?"

"It was you."

"It was me."

"You do not cerebrate his death is important ?"

"I do not recollect his death involved Harry."

"No order extremity was involved."

"Albus there are people early than the order who despise death eaters."Snape felt like laughing, and did."People other than Harry as well. Perhaps-"Snape was cut off as the door to the authority was flung undefended again.

"Why did you know the password you arrogant little toerag !"Filch dragged Harry in by the ear and pushed him onto the floor.

"Fairly obvious choice."Harry chuckled and pushed himself up from the floor. He was fully clothed, at two o clock in the dawning."I mean surely by now you ‘ ve used all the non-disgusting sweets."

"Hello Harry. Thank you Mr Filch, you may go."Dumbledore gestured and the antediluvian stinking squib of a caretaker bowed out. As soon as he was gone Dumbledore handed the newspaper to Harry."What do you hump of this ?"

Harry reached out slowly and took the theme, his eyes scanning from one face to the other. After a moment he looked up.

"I know nothing about this."Harry held out the newspaper."May I go now ?"

"You were not in history of magic trick yesterday."Dumbledore said pointedly."Did you leave the castle ?"

"I ‘ m never in history of magic."Harry barked a joke."But no, I didn ‘ t leave the castle."

"You understand I have trouble trusting you Harry."Dumbledore said levelly."It is very tardily to see you turning vigilante. That would be a mistake."

"We ‘ ve had this conversation before."Harry said abruptly."Didn ‘ t end well for you I recall. But come on, toxicant ? A toxin the ministry can ‘ t identify ? Honestly, do you think that ‘ s me ? You ‘ ve seen my potions marks."

"I did not remember you had the skills to brew it Harry. But I know you have the imagination to buy it."

"Well I didn ‘ t."Harry threw the paper on the floor. `` Can I go ? ``

Dumbledore leant back, meeting Harry 's optic with his own flinty stare. For a foresighted moment the old adept and the vernal stared each early down across the silent office. Snape could almost feel the sparking conjuring trick as the headmaster tried to force Harry 's mind undecided. After a moment Harry snorted and said,

'' Whatever. '' Harry turned and pushed the door spread. `` Wake me if you have any other unsolved murder you want to pin on a scapegoat. ``

The two teachers stood without speaking as they heard Harry 's pace echoing away from the stairwell. Even after they had faded to naught it was a long fourth dimension before either of them spoke.

'' Do you believe him Severus ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why pray William Tell ? ``

'' Because I trust him. '' That was a lie, it was because Harry would n't have broken a window.
*


'' Mr potter. ``

Hmmm ...

'' Harry potter ! ``

Hmmm ... sleepy.

'' Harry Potter why is it always my class you choose to kip in ? ``

Dumbledore 's faulting. incrimination Dumbledore. Wanted to log Z's ...

'' Alright fine Mr thrower. You have driven me to this. '' There was silence for a few moments, then ... `` Sonorus. HARRY POTTER GET UP ! ``

Harry was buffeted by strait and slowly, blearily, rubbed his eyes. In front of him was a broken glassy dais. Harry reached forward and picked it up.

'' You broke my glass. '' Harry reached up to his face to seduce sure his own shabu were n't broken then drew his sceptre and repaired the field glass. He did n't even know what he was supposed to be turning it into, possibly some sorting of squid.

Why a squid ?

We were dreaming about a squid.

That makes no sense.

Shut up.

I ca n't shut up I 'm character of your brain.

I 'll lobotomize you.

No you wo n't, go back to thinking about squid. Or postponement, maybe we should pay attention to McGonagall.

She is looking form of angry.

'' I can turn it into a calamary. I swear, just sentinel. '' Harry held the glass up sleepily and tapped it with his scepter. `` Kalamaraki Krasi. ``

The shabu rip along its top, flipped upside down and scuttled along the desk blowing flatulent bubbles out of a fleshy protrusion. Harry smiled,

'' See ! I did Ok. ''

'' Harry ... '' McGonagall was staring at the glass calamari, which was currently hiding behind a chairperson leg. `` We were turning them into tulips. ``

'' Wha ... ? We were ? ``

'' How in the h ... How did you do that ? ``

'' I ... do n't know. ``

'' Would you hazard a guess ? ``

'' Well ... '' Harry tried to gum together an account from his shaky knowledge of Hellene. `` Well Kalamaraki means calamary ... and I think Krasi is some sorting of vegetable ... ''

'' Harry ... ''

'' Yes ? ``

'' Go back to sleep. ``

Harry gave a rough double thumbs up as he sank back down to the table.
*


Harry slipped into bed that Night confident in the noesis that he had got at least two hours sleep over the course of the day. He dozed with an warning device clock under pillow until it sounded and prompted him to shuck his blankets off and incline out of the windowpane. He looked over towards the master 's tugboat, the light was still on. Harry flicked a twain of binoculars out of his bag and focused in on the faraway windowpane. Dumbledore was staring into a brooding, the silver get down playing on his seamed human face. He looked tired, very tired.

But at least he was n't looking at the map.

Harry slid out onto the wall and confidently let himself settle. The flatus whistled thrillingly in his ear as the tiles rose up to meet him. A mo before he hit Harry felt a jolty tugging around his chest and his pole drop cloth slowed to a creeping. His animal foot touched land and he flitted off across the tiles. Harry reached the window that was his terminus and flicked it open with his wand. He dropped through again, trusting his bought illusion, and landed lightly in front of a sink.

'' Sissasc. '' Harry hissed. The sink stayed exactly where it was. `` bugger, er ... Zissasc ? Sizzak ? Sizzasc ? Ci ... '' Harry broke off as the sink began moving.

'' Damn ! Silencio. '' Harry caught it before it made too very much dissonance and watched as the entranceway to the bedroom of secrets was slowly revealed. Harry lowered himself into the tube and said, `` Cissycis. '' This time he got it offset clip and the entrance began closing up as Harry slid off down the chute.

Harry landed foot first, expecting to hit mucky water, and instead felt dry stone. This place had been cleaned up a bit since last time he was here. Harry continued through the cave, passing the colossus snake-door. The bedchamber was black, maybe Markus was n't here yet ... Damn it !

Harry dove to the side as the lulu flashed through the air. He threw a bludgeoning hex towards where it had come from but heard nix. A moment later A. A. Michelson appeared, totally quiet, out of the shadows.

'' Nicely done Pipsqueak. '' The Professor clapped his huge hands. `` But you should have aimed more, that hex did n't give a chance of hitting me. ``

'' I could n't see you. '' Harry pointed out.

'' You saw my spell. '' Markus folded his blazon. `` You saw where it was coming from. You also know the layout of this way and could use that cunning brain of yours to guess where I was hiding. ``

'' There was n't much time. ``

'' shuffling time by moving faster. '' Michelson drew his wand and squared up in the heart of the room. `` semen on lad, clip to duel. ``

'' duel ? Seriously ? '' Harry shed his robe. `` I thought you were gon na teach me some more useful spells first. Right now I wo n't last ten secondment in a affaire d'honneur with you. ``

'' Well who would ? '' Albert Abraham Michelson laughed, then grew serious again. `` You know enough piece to get started, we 'll fill in the blanks on the way. Anyhow I 've seen that you know turn. I want to see whether you know how to use them. ``

'' Any prescript ? '' Harry asked, knowing the answer.

'' Yes, win. ``

'' That could be troublesome to apply to both of us. ``

'' Not for me. Ewwyiky ! ``

Harry had no theme what the infernal region that was so plunk for cover charge, rolling and coming up with his wand trained on his teacher. Somewhere behind Harry there was a tacky squelching sound but Harry was already fighting back.

'' Ferio ! '' Harry threw, not expecting it to go through. Instead it was just a beguilement for, `` Cronos spear ! ``

"Protego."Markus wasn't fooled. Harry watched, awed, as Albert Michelson angled his shield to reflect the bludgeoning hex right into the path of the freeze out deadbolt following it, reducing them both to a shower of noisy light."You ‘ ll have to do right than that !"The massive man called out calmly. Harry answered with violence.

"Incendio ! Reducto !"Harry aimed the first at Markus and the second base at the roof far above him."Stupefy !"Harry blasted the charm into Makrus'face and didn't postponement to see if it hit. Instead he aimed at a chunk of falling ceiling."Confringo !"And flung himself away as it detonated like a bombshell. He rolled on the story and came to his animal foot in metre to fling the beginning three spells he could think off at the figure in the center of the expanding cloud of debris and fire.

The only warning Harry got was a flash of red before the enchantment flashed from the cloud and hit him in the abdomen, throwing him to the floor.

"wagerer even than that."Albert Michelson stepped out of the dust, not a pilus out of piazza."That was honest though, imaginative. secure trick with the rock, might have got caught a lesser magician. Again."

Harry forced himself to his ft and raised his baton. This clip he lasted just a few second gear before a mantrap blasted through his hastily raised shield and knocked his lightness out. Familiar unconscious inkiness held him in it's comforting embrace for a few moments before Markus brought him back.

"That was not as good."

"I know, I know."Harry shook his head."Bloody shield. I can ‘ t do it, it ‘ s useless."

"Don ‘ t use it then."Markus shrugged, as if they were discussing the weather.

"Don ‘ t shield ?"Harry laughed humorlessly."Just let stuff hit me ?"

"Look kid, you first learnt this trance three years ago."Markus explained."You ‘ ve had to use it spate of times since then. You ‘ ve practiced. You ‘ ve practiced a lot and it hasn ‘ t got any break. It ‘ s carnival to take you and the harbor good luck charm just don ‘ t go well together. It happens."

"To you ?"

"No. But to other people."

"So that ‘ s it ?"Harry sighed."No way around it ?"

"Yes. Use other things."Markus turned and walked back to his starting gull."You know plenty of other fashion to stuff magical spell. Play to your enduringness and use your prodigious imagination."

"Use your imagination."Harry rolled his heart and wearily stood."Right ... Incendio !"

Harry lasted almost a minute of enraged dodging and franticly blowing spells out of the air before he was disarmed and slapped himself concentrated. He had to be better.

"Again."

... Harry was clipped by a jinx and went down ...

"Again."

... Mown down by a bar of iron that came from nowhere ...

"Again."

... Floored with a clout ...

"Again !"

... paralysed ...

"Again !"

... stunned ...

"AGAIN !"

... shocked ...

"AGAIN !"

"This is hopeless."Harry didn't infliction to get up from the base."I ‘ m not getting any salutary. We should just look it, I can ‘ t duel."

"Not with that attitude."

"I ‘ m sorry I brought you here."

"I ‘ m not."Markus folded his arms."At to the lowest degree I wasn ‘ t until now."

"I thought I could get better."

"I think you can get better."

"unit world should just give up."Harry held his head in his work force."I can ‘ t beat him."

"Who ? Voldemort ?"Markus Michelson threw up his hands."Well no ! I don ‘ t think I could beat him. I don ‘ t think Dumbledore could flap him. He ‘ s one of the most powerful living maven and has access code to powers adequate people don ‘ t touch. But if what you ‘ ve told me is true then you ‘ ve got ... what was it ?"

“'A power he knows not ‘"Harry quoted sarcastically.

"right wing. But it doesn ‘ t matter."Markus walked around so he was standing in presence of Harry."I ‘ d bet money on you even if there wasn ‘ t a prophecy."

"Why ?"

"I ‘ d get good odds."Markus smiled and winked. Harry didn't gag."But seriously, you can learn to duel. You already know enough to tucker any regular wizard paw down."

"Voldemort isn ‘ t a regular wi-"

"I know !"Markus interrupted him angrily."Which is why you need to watch to duel like a overlord. Which is why you called me. Which is why you should hear to me ! Now ... you need to play to your forte. differentiate me what you ‘ re good at."

"Oh come on."Harry snorted."Don ‘ t apply me this psyco-crap."

"What. Are. You. Good. At ?"Michelson punctuated each Scripture by poking Harry's sitting form.

"I ... I don ‘ t know."

"Yes you do !"

"I don ‘ t."Harry shook his head."I guess I ‘ m not really soundly at anything useful."

"Oh for pigeon hawk ‘ s saki ! Who are you ?"Markus leant down, his angrily pointing finger barely an inch from Harry's face."Where ‘ s the Harry I met three years ago ? I don ‘ t see him. Where the Inferno has he gone ? Where ‘ s the kid who walked this school like he owned the plaza and obeyed teachers on toleration ? Where is that arrogant prick because he ‘ s the one who can scramble Voldemort ! Not the whiney brat he apparently became ! Well I need him here now ! WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT !"

"I ... Charms ?"Harry said, staring up at Michelson.

"Right."Albert Michelson nodded."You ‘ re good at charm. You ‘ re excellent at charms. You ‘ re a bloody savant at charms. If I heard the hearsay in the faculty room right field you built a professional tone broom at baker's dozen years old. Out flew a Firebolt."

"That was mostly Ginny doing the flying."Harry shook his head again."And anyway I don't see how that'll help me in a duel."

"Harry you ..."Markus Michelson held his hand to his forefront and breathed out a tenacious, tired breath."Let me try this a different way. You ‘ ve seen a lot of affaire d'honneur right ?"

"Yeah."

"You ‘ ve seen a lot of people duel."

"Yeah."

"Seen differences ?"

"What do you ... ?"Harry bit his lip. He didn ‘ t want to get yelled at again."Yeah, there are differences."

"What differences ? Specifically ?"

"well ... It's like ... you form of have .... This is hard. Can I excuse it how I see in in my own foreland ?"

"Of course."

"You have kind of three types."Harry gestured vaguely."There are the banner dueller, they throw dish and hexes, rafts of shield charms too, and they seem to mostly come out of the Hogwarts defense socio-economic class. Not that that makes them bad. Some are really expert, but they all seem to use this one style. This one set of spells."

"Hmm ... and the side by side eccentric ?"

"end eaters. They aren ‘ t all even very unspoiled at fighting. But they use curses. Unforgivables and stuff. And that makes up for the want of skill."

"And the finis type ?"

"The masters."Harry shook his heading."I watched some duel on television while I was traveling. mentation I could foot up some steer. near of the dueller were group-ones, but some of them ... the Best 1 ... they ‘ re not even in the Sami league. They move like they ‘ re weapon. They don ‘ t chuck looker around, virtually of the time I couldn ‘ t even recognize the charm they were using. It wasn ‘ t dueling like I ‘ d ever seen. Except maybe when I saw you fight Tom riddle, right here. That ‘ s the difference I guess. That ‘ s the difference between duelists."

"Harry, you are absolutely right."Michelson was smiling broadly."What you just said is exactly right."

"Um ... so ? I ‘ m still not seeing how that ‘ s connected to anything."

"You ‘ ve grasped one of the central concepts of dueling. One of the things that make people group threes. The eruditeness curve is huge, there ‘ s a point when you just become beyond everyone else. When you stop dueling with dueling magic spell and start dueling with everything. Do you know what the other difference is ?"

"No."

"It's that we all have tricks."Michelson winked."All the group threes. Some deception that makes us better, something that separates us from each former and from the unity and twos."

"A ... trick ?"

"tone at Dumbledore, he uses transfiguration. By the end of a combat with Dumbledore you ‘ re not just fighting him, you ‘ re fighting the bulwark, room access, ceiling and base. Plus anything else he can sophisticate into a moving, thinking weapon against you. Voldemort ? Well he uses dark legerdemain, plain and simple. You ‘ ve already realized that that gives a person business leader beyond your skill. And he already has plentitude of skill. Me ? I use foreign charm, tour my enemies have never heard of. The go wrangle of a surprising number of my opposer was ‘ What the hell is that ?'”

Harry chuckled, but Markus wasn't finished.

"Dee Finsbury, the flow populace whiz dueller is also a champion conjuror. Your own Professor Flitwick dueled for England, you think he threw around stunners ? And you ? Well you can do appeal. Right ?"

"Yeah."Harry nodded."Yes."

"Say it."

"Yes I can do charms."

"goodness. Then use them."Markus turned to go back to his bell ringer."And get up off the floor."

I'm on the floor ? Harry looked around. Oh yeah, he was. Harry pushed himself to his human foot with renewed vigor. He gripped his scepter and turned towards his teacher. Use charm ? Well he would give it a shot. What should he use ? Michelson appeared to be just waiting to see what he would do. fountainhead, he'd have to do something ...

"Engorgio !"Harry aimed, not at Markus, but at the flagstone and saw his teacher lurch as the rock 'n' roll puffed up like a muffin."Reducto !"Harry blew the Edward Durell Stone to smithereens.

Markus righted himself easily and flicked his wand. Harry blanched as a gigantic fireball was sent rocketing towards him. Harry swallowed, meter for risks.

"Ardor-Algidus !"Harry yelled and stood his ground as the hell passed over him. He caught a glance of Markus'shocked cheek as he emerged unharmed on the other side before he aimed and fired."Confringo ! Ferio ! Stubefy !"The surprise attack forced the teacher onto the defensive attitude, shielding desperately. A minute later he brought up a polishing silver sphere. Harry's charm bounded off like flag off a frying pan, sending reverberation all over the immense chamber. Albert Abraham Michelson looked out appreciatively from the condom of the sphere.

"What was that Pipsqueak ?"

"Flame freezing charm."Harry smiled proudly."Nullified your fireball."

"Nicely done."Albert Michelson nodded."Try ... this !"

"Bugger !"Harry dived for cover as the phantom erupted with movement. colossus leathery front. Harry dashed behind a mainstay as the squash racket flung themselves through the air towards him. They were huge, wings at least a metre wide, with huge fangs."Incendio !"Harry waved a fiery swath through the squash racquet but more just materialized to supplant them.

"Jupitall !"

Harry dived out of the way as a spinning orb of plasma burnt through the air where he'd been. Michelson wasn't going easy on him just because he was busybodied with the bats. He couldn't dodge forever, if he didn't clear the air he was dead.

"Depulso !"Harry yelled desperately, but the bat 's were too strong and Harry had to throw himself against the paries to avoid another thrown piece from his opposite. He needed a charm ... what charm ? Wait ! cricket bat were like, sort of monster hornets ... really."Tempesto !"

Harry called a bulwark of wind and threw it against the leathery fauna, swatting them out of the sky and crashing them into the far wall of the chamber. Michelson didn't give him any rest though and responded with a punishing falls that appeared out of nowhere above Harry. Harry felt a knife thrust of old terror, but the care only made him think faster.

"Arefacio !"The drought magical spell banished the waterfall before it even touched him."Accio !"Michelson was forced to impart his silver shield back up as a c bat corpses funneled past him.

"Depulso !"Harry flicked his wand, spinning the ball of eubstance back away from him and bowled it back to soften against the professor shield sphere. Harry wasn't going to let up now."Diffindo !"The spell scratched against the shield to no consequence, screeching like a violin."Reducto !"Michelson wasn't even knocked backwards as cuticle once again absorbed the trance with a brazen-faced notation. Harry gripped his wand angrily, nothing he had could intermit this sodding Ag shield.

time lag ... maybe he didn't have to !

"Motus !"Harry aimed squarely at the nerve centre of the atomic number 47 ball and twisted. It vibrated like a bell and filled the sleeping room with ringing. Harry twisted further and the phone intensified. Inside his bubble Michelson clutched his spike. Harry found the plangency and twisted harder, the sound outside the shield was deafening, inside it must have been excruciating. Markus threw his arm out violently and Harry had to fling himself sideways as the screaming shield cannonballed past him."Ferio !"Harry threw a hex at the staggering Albert Abraham Michelson that he just caught with a comeback. Harry kept up the onslaught in a upsurge of gleefulness ! He was winning !

"KhaNDana !"

The bolt came from nowhere. Slicing out of the darkness too fast for him to react. Harry was thrown to the basis, electric sparkle raging down every artery and turning him into a shrieking assault and battery of hurting. Harry felt his wand torn from his supine hired hand and at last managed to blank is mind to the pain. He waited in the dark for it to recede. When he at last opened his eyes Albert Abraham Michelson was staring down at him. The immense wizard put his sceptre to first one ear then the other, muttering something, then whipped away the pedigree that had ran from both of them with a sleeve.

"Good."He said, unusually loudly."Again."



critique now or you will struck subterfuge and be let loose into a flying field full of titan purpurate bear traps. Also full phase of the moon of bears. The bears will be able-bodied to debar the bear cakehole, you will not.


I do n't own Harry ceramist. Neither have I seen him recently. If you have any info as to his whereabouts please headphone. He is out in the coldness without any food and we think his collar may deliver come off. He 's black and white with black paws and he 's missing a piffling bit of his ear. He also answers to the name of Scraps. He likes tuna.






Severus Snape landed lightly on the scrubland and looked about him. This would have been a monumentally scourge shoes if not for the aloof lights of a muggle route in the valley far below. Snape walked over to the gathering of black mantled figures standing near the bound of the cliff. Snape counted faces, Barty Crouch was still absent. What was the undertaking that man had been set ? It disturbed Snape greatly that he did not get it on. It made him question if perhaps others of the dark figures did, if perhaps he was missing something.

One number was apart from the others, right at the sharpness. The figure stood with his back to them, his longsighted robes streaming out to the side in the abrasive night tip. He seemed to be looking down at the road, and at the far luminance of a town.

Like a falcon, Snape realized, or a waiting hawk. Sitting and surveying it 's prey before swooping down and clutching one up in its talons. The wand in the watcher 's hand twitched as if thinking of raining blast and pain down on those beneath him. The twitch subsided. Thank god.

'' Severus. '' The shadow lord turned at last from the cliff. `` You have come at last. I was forced to await. I dislike waiting. ``

'' My apology Lord. '' Snape bowed deeply. `` I could not arouse suspicion about why I was going. I was forced to sacrifice swiftness for safety. I am sorry. ``

'' And where were you. '' Voldemort continued, his voice terrifyingly light. `` Were you at Hogwarts ? ``

'' No my Creator. '' The very fact that he asked the question meant he knew that Snape had left. Which was very, very bad. What lie could snuff it ? `` There was an order meeting. ``

'' Was anything discussed ? Anything I should be made aware of ? ``

'' No my God Almighty. They continue to ward the department of enigma, Dumbledore still fears to actuate. Nothing has changed. ``

'' Well, '' The nighttime Divine smiled thinly. `` That at to the lowest degree is honorable news show. ``

He does not know where I was. Snape kept his case perfectly restrained. He suspects ... he strongly suspects but he does not have intercourse. He values me, he values me as a spy in the order. That is why I am still alive, because on the of-chance that I have not betrayed him I am valuable. He will kill me. He will obliterate me soon but until then I must continue a spy. I am valuable.

"I notice Mr Crouch is still absent."Snape tried to sound uninterested."Perhaps he has been captured. We may have to deliver him. Again."

He expected a chortle from the dying eater. None of them liked Crouch. Instead there was silence.

"Dear Barty is none of your concern."The dark lord replied, in the colloquial spirit that was so often regretful than anger."His job is going well. Is yours Severus ?"

"Alas no headmaster. I apologize."Snape hung his caput."I am afraid there is simply no way to adapt polyjuice potion to leave a human to become non-human."

"I dislike loser Severus."

"original if you asked me to stick out off this drop-off and try to fly I would do so."Snape tried to sound contrite."But I doubt I would be successful. Some things are not possible."

"For you perhaps."The dark lord was smiling slyly."But no affair. You may cease your experimentation. The potion is not requirement any more."

"Yes master."Is it not necessary or do you just not desire me to brew it any more ?

'' On to the meeting, we began without you Severus. I hope you don ‘ t creative thinker. '' The night lord turned back towards the cliff and Snape had to separate out to get a line him over the jazz. `` We were discussing an assassination. ``

'' Who is the fair game ? Perhaps I could brew a poison or some form of- ''

'' No. '' The darkness Jehovah cut him off. `` Not poison. I intend her death to be more graphic than that. An exercise. ``

'' She ? '' Swirling revulsion rose in Snape 's stomach.

'' A prominent design in the department of secret. '' Voldemort half turned back towards Snape. `` A Miss Natalie Zhao. Do you experience her ? ``

'' Yes. '' No god no. `` She is an order member. ``

'' I know. You informed me of that yourself. ``

'' I did my lord. '' I begged her not to realize me secern him. She said it would n't count. Nothing connected them. `` If I may ask, why have you decided she must die. ``

'' She is the daughter of a squib, in a prominent position in the ministry. A farce. ``

'' I agree my lord. But, why her ? '' Snape momentarily considered just attacking Voldemort, but it would do no good. He 'd die and Natalie would die anyway. `` There are many former hoi polloi equally worthy of death. ``

'' Your Lord has decided she should die is that not enough for you Severus ? '' The dark nobleman smiled from the deepness of his soulless, piercing optic. `` Does her Death ... bother you ? ``

'' Of course not my Almighty. She is the child of bad blood, of course she must be killed. '' Snape bowed and stepped backward. `` I will pass water certain that Dumbledore and the former order members at Hogwarts are distracted. ``

'' That will not be requirement Severus. We have already cut all communication to Mrs Zhao 's mansion house. I have also deployed dementors to intercept any messages sent by patronus. No messages can arrive at her. From anyone. ``

'' most prudent my lord. '' Snape nodded, furiously trying to moil his brain and find some resolution to the problem. He could not think, it was as if gruesome tendrils and fibrous black vines were choking his usually perfect mental machinery. There must be some way to get a subject matter to her, there had to be !

'' Severus ? '' Voldemort questioned lightly. `` Will you be at Hogwarts this evening ? ``

'' Yes my lord. ``

'' All Night ? No errands to run ? '' The dark lord 's sass quirked. `` No midnight strolls ? ``

'' No my lord. ``

'' commodity. '' Voldemort 's eyes narrowed. `` Because I shall know Severus. I shall know. ``
*


Snape walked calmly along the long path to the great doors of Hogwarts using all the force of will he had not to break into a run. The looker were no doubt already in shoes, at the sharpness of the forest beyond the cellblock. As were the attackers probably, in his psyche he could already see them apparating into the colored streets around Natalie 's flat. He ached to run but could n't. It was agony, caught in chains that did n't even survive. An ground tackle in his mind.

He reached the doorway and stepped through it. He pushed it closed calmly, then turned and ran.

He reached Dumbledore 's staircase and yelled the password. He sure as blaze was n't waiting for the staircase this time.

'' Acellelero ! '' Snape clung to the primal pillar as the stairway rocketed upwards and came to a screeching halt at the top. Snape threw the doorway open, startling the Headmaster.

'' Severus ? What is the meaning of this- ''

'' I need the order ! '' Snape snapped. `` We need to mobilize now ! ``

'' Severus calm down. You will postulate to excuse. ``

Snape growled and choked out a curt explanation of what had happened. At the end Dumbledore dropped down into his seat and shake up his head.

'' We can not, help her. He has outmaneuvered us again I fear. ``

'' Not if we move now ! ``

'' To move confirms his suspiciousness of you. And it would do no good. The people watching you no incertitude have Order to kill you if you try to bequeath. No content can reach her. Yes, yes he had truly outsmart us. ``

'' I can take Fawkes. '' Snape argued. `` I can give without a trace. Warn her, then- ''

'' You can not demand Fawkes. The method acting phoenix 's use to move around can be detected by those who know how. Voldemort knows how. ``

'' I can not just sit idly by while she is killed ! ``

'' Which is exactly what Voldemort expects. '' Dumbledore said angrily. `` Surely you see that this was directed at you ! lure to force you to uncover your true allegiance. It is a tryout, if you fail we lose our spy. If you pass however you will be his most trusted servant. ``

'' Passing means the last of Natalie ! ``

'' Not necessarily. '' Dumbledore was obviously trying to be soothing. `` She is an accomplished fighter. She could bunk or- ''

'' She will be outnumbered ten to one. ``

'' Think of how many the great unwashed your information saved in the shoemaker's last war. Countless lives. ``

'' Some lives are worth Thomas More to me than others. ``

'' Well not to me. '' Dumbledore stood and stared down the potions master. `` The full you can do for her is to shit sure you are seen here. Go and pick herbs from one of the outside plots, go and get some unicorn hair from Hagrid. Anything that lets them see you here. That is all you can do. If you try to leave they will shoot down you. Then they will kill her. You can do zilch. ``

Snape scrunched up his eyes. The old man was right.
*


Natalie Zhao turned the page idly on the report she was reading and yawned. There was too much to do. She flicked it closed and clicked the lights out before rolling over and dropping the folder onto her bedside table. Perhaps all the job would just magically have gone away when she got up tomorrow. It was improbable though.

Natalie burrowed deeper into her pillow and closed her optic. The world was falling apart, not even dreams could leave respite for long.

A floorboard creaking.

Natalie 's eyes flickered open in a here and now. Was it just her neighbor downstairs ? She reached for her verge and silently checked her hospital ward. She hissed as she realized they were in tatters and rolled off the bed. Her script moved towards the light switch then thought improve of it, it might let them get laid they had seen her. She slid towards her sleeping accommodation door and looked out through the keyhole just as the doorway at the other end of the corridor was pushed open slowly. Revealing a robed figure.

Natalie slid back silently. She tried to apparate away, not really expecting it to work. No, they had a Barbara Ward up. They would let blocked the labial pipe as well. The only way she was getting out was through the front door, which meant through them.

They would correspond the rooms along the hall first, she perhaps had a minute.
*


Drum lemon yellow had never pretended to be an intelligent man, just a useful one. He was useful say, when someone had n't paid their debts in time and legal action needed to be taken. He had been locked up for being useful in the incorrectly place at the wrong time, set loose eventually, get useful again and caught again. This time for being so utile towards a ministry hit-wizard that the man was no use to anyone anymore.

He had been locked up for upright. Until the shadow master had given him a second chance. A chance to rejoin society again, to be useful again. He was only one-half roue but he had just enough brains to never refer that to anyone. When the shadow lord had explained what needed to be done to this bint he had stepped forward instantly. It was right up his alley, he might even earn the mark if he succeeded. Then he 'd really be set.

He touched the room access lock with his thumb. Warded, what else ? He turned and pointed into the ragtag behind him at a hunch forward figure, then pointed back at the room access. The man shuffled forward, he had been a damn good torment breaker until he was caught skimming a cut off the top. He was just lucky the ministry caught him before the goblin did.

Drum waited in silence as the tiny man clicked and hummed in front man of the door. A few minutes later the curse ledgeman pushed the doorway exposed. drumfish stepped into the flat and looked around professionally. It was set out fairly regular. Kitchen that way ... abandon. Drum waved two cat towards the back elbow room and ignored it. This place was like a catalogue, everything was in its place except for the books and paper strewn across the deep brown mesa. Well, that and the three marine museum near the back. Not full of body of water. Some sort of reptile. Some form of incense in the air, some new age garbage.

brake drum shrugged, not an issue. The bedroom would either be at the end of the endorse door down on the left. That was how these edifice were built. Drum stepped down the corridor and pushed the door on the left give. loge. Down the hall then. He looked behind him, the other outlaw were hanging back. Pathetic. The dark lord had grabbed everyone who would stand up straight with no compliments for experience. Not that he was criticizing, at least he would get full credit rating for the kill.

tympan breathed in deeply. Smelled like vanilla, it was very warm. somebody had once told him that smell was the strongest trigger for memory. He certainly remembered that muggle girl every time he smelled cut grass. Perhaps from now on vanilla would echo in his head, reminding him of Natalie Zhao. The woman who made him the favored assassin of the dark lord.

He made his way towards the utmost door. He raised his sceptre, fumbled it and caught it again. He shook his head. Had to stay put focused. He reached the room access and pushed it opened. Darkness, he stepped up to the bed. He had n't used the killing curse before, but he had no doubt he could make it put to work. He raised his wand, aiming at the lump in the covers. His verge was shaking, he grabbed it with both hands. What was wrong with him ? drumfish shook his caput, the verge was still shaking.

Oh ... no, no, no ...

Drum stepped backwards and tripped over his own robes. He looked back towards the threshold. It was closed. Did he close down it ?

'' You did n't close it. '' barrel looked up, his optic already drooping. The girl was standing there, weapons system crossed.

'' Doped us. '' Drum mumbled through numb rim. `` Incense ... Vanilla ... ``

'' How many more of you are there ? '' The girl demanded.

Wo n't tell you you bitch.

'' Twenty ? ``

What !

'' Where are there ? ``

Ice cold bitch queen.

'' Five in the flat, five in the stairwell. The rest exterior. '' She almost seemed to be talking to herself. `` And dememtors flying everywhere. ``

'' You wo n't get out ? '' Drum managed to get out. `` We 've surrounded you. Your exhaust fumes may bear got me ... the former five in here. Wo n't get the rest. You 'll never get out. '' The girl raised her wand.

'' I can try. ``
*


Natalie stunned the swart maven and pushed his body in front of the threshold. How long before the others checked on him ?

The door handle rattled. That long.

Natalie put herself right in front of the door. If she was lucky ...

Confringo ! She said the go silently and angled her verge sharply down. The threshold exploded outwards, the effect of the explosion channeled down the hall. She saw three bodies flying away from her and dashed out after them.

"Cruci-"

Natalie whirled on the caster. No meter for spell, she found his eye, pushed in like a dagger and found the off switch in his brain. He folded like a puppet with the twine cut. She heard a shout behind her and protegoed so harshly that the unit of ammunition edges of her cuticle forced the paries out like crumpling paper. She turned and saw the hooded man dodging his own piece and threw her own, striking him in the chest.

That was the single in the flat done.

She rushed to the doorway but it had been torn off its hinges. A shadow anatomy reared from the stairwell. Natalie had her wand up in a moment but before she could shake off the man grabbed his chest and fell to the floor. Natalie crept close, rip on his chest. Someone had hit him with a puncture curse.

She threw herself to the incline. They must have been shooting from the other edifice outside. Aiming blind through the curtains. Aiming at her. Well that put climbing out the window out of the picture. She crouched and made her way towards the stairwell. She glanced between the slats and pulled her head back as a green flash obliterated the wooden handrail where she had been.

clip to start storm them.

Natalie aimed at out into the middle of the stairway. A glint of her wand and a glob of glowing Inner Light appeared. Another flick and a spiraling gig of sparks shot down the stairs like a rogue pyrotechnic. She twisted and the orb dropped slowly, like a balloon, spitting exploding fishgig in every direction and shrinking as it fell.

That should observe them busy.

She dashed down the stairs and took out another hoodlum as he desperately tried to put off the multi-fire. Natalie had to jump over a man lying prone on the second floor, a victim of the fireworks. A spell shattered the roofing tile near her articulatio humeri and she threw up a shield against the adjacent one. Where were they coming from ?

Damnit ! Two above her, one below. They must have hid in the side corridors. She aimed her wand up at the two firers and vanished the level under them. One of them dropped like a stone, the other was fast enough to grab the edge of the pickle. But that just made him an easy target to get picked off. Natalie spun to take out the guy below her but he was already down. line on him, and pooling on the storey. Another dupe of the cackshots outside.

There were still ten men outside. Natalie reached the ground floor and took a rich breathing time. They would be spread out all around her building to stop her escaping. What was her best bet to survive ? The back entrance ? It led onto an alley, sluttish for them to block or catch. The front was no doubtfulness a deathtrap, she'd be hit from every side before she got two footprint. There was a background trading floor window out into the car park ... wiz tended to ignore cars. She didn't have one but surely some compounding of spells could convince one to start. It was her salutary shot.

Natalie can down a side corridor and found the window, she peered out. No one visible, but they could be hidden among the cars. She slid the window opened and climbed out uncomfortably, breathing hard. Strangely her paper pushing desk job didn't preserve her in very skilful anatomy. She fell down between two railroad car and turned towards one of them. She was about to tempt the ignition lock when she felt a phantasma fall on her.

"Got you missy."Natalie froze. The interpreter was twisted and slick, like oil."tour round so I can see your passably face."

Bad musical theme. Natalie turned and looked up into the pockmarked face above her. Into his eyes ... He fell with a heavy, rag-doll clump and Natalie grabbed his wand.

"Ere what was that ?"

footstep ! Natalie crept back to the wall and got between it and the car just before the footsteps stopped.

"She ‘ s ‘ ere ! She got Poxx !"

Natalie heard more course feet and tried to slink away along the bound of the bulwark. She reached the corner, no where to go. If she tried to wee-wee for the expiration they'd see her for sure. She pushed at the apparation ward again but it was no in force. They had extended it beyond the building itself. How far would they have pulled it ? To embrace the all block would have been insufferable. Could she just run for the edge ?

They were searching the lot. They were getting closer. Natalie looked up under the nighest car. At least five pairs of invertebrate foot within well-off visual sense. The entry was closelipped, she might make it. With a distraction.

She looked carefully out over the binding of the car and aimed her verge at a blue car at the other end of the lot. It didn't have to be a great deal, just enough to get their attention. She said the spell silently. The car's alarm sounded like a claxon in the Night air.

"What the blinking ‘ ell is that !"

Natalie stood and ran. They were looking the other way, she could make it. She blazed out of the car park and made for the end of the street, all the patch pushing against the apparation barrier. A spell pin-wheeled over her head and she sprinted harder. It had to end soon. She heard shouting and running behind her. Please let it end soon. A chunk of the route was blown away, throwing her to the level. No ... She desperately threw herself against the ward as footfall surrounded her. It wouldn't Budge, she knew it wouldn't.

"Now missy turn rung skillful and slow."She rolled over and tried to meet the man standing in presence of her's eyes."Nah, don ‘ t try any of that."He broke eye middleman and started openly staring at her chest.

"You ‘ ve led us lads a merry chase."He continued, and there was a rising chuckle from the bunch of wizards surrounding her."Me and the lads worked hard. I recon we deserve a reward."

"I assume your Almighty will ply that."Natalie said, her eye desperately flicking around for a way out.

"I was thinking you might."The front man sneered and the others drew in finisher. Natalie could see the avarice of years in prison house flickering bright in their eyes."Actually I was thinking you ‘ re gon na. Seeing as you don ‘ t have a ch ... ch ... aa ... oh."The man raised his deal to his mouth, there was a trickle of stemma coming out of the corner. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he fell to the story. His mate stared at him. After a tacit moment one of them stepped forward and knelt down succeeding to him. The man reached out and touched the fallen crook back.

"It ‘ s blood. He ‘ s bushed. He- Aaa !"The cervix of the kneeling man exploded, showering them with blood. The malefactor jumped back in seismic disturbance. Natalie grabbed her scepter and threw herself backwards, rolling as she hit the soil. She had stunned one of the whiz while they were still in shock and had turned her wand on another when her mystery story savior revealed himself. She had to devote it to him, he knew how to make an entrance.

He dropped from the top of another construction, his robe billowing behind him as he fell straight into the midsection of the genius. He landed on one of them and rolled, a benighted shape in his bridge player coming up. Another outlaw was thrown back and landed wetly on the floor. The warrior looked up at her but she couldn't trance his font in the shadow. He nodded to her. She nodded back, and they turned on the rest of the bastards.

It was the strangest scrap Natalie had ever been involved in. Strange for it's silence. Whatever weapon the strange man was using it made no sound as it fired and she tended to tramp non verbally. The criminals yelled their magic spell but they were in such disarray they were mostly throwing desperate dish at each other. former than those there was only the sound of footsteps, rapid-fire like a dance, and the occasional spray of pedigree. A silent fight at midnight, underneath stuttering streetlamps. Natalie's intimation was hot in her spike by the sentence it was over. She turned to her rescuer, he was dumping what was now obviously a silenciod pistol in his bag.

"Who are you ?"Natalie demanded."Did Dumbledore send you ?"

"Most assuredly not."The image said cheerily and turned towards her."fille Zhao, I do believe we ‘ ve already been introduced."

"Ha ... Harry ?"

"Yep."The young boy's eyes wandered south and he glanced away."Um you ‘ re going to have to have a change of wardrobe if you want to have any kind of well-informed conversation."

"Why ?"

"fountainhead, long report short-change you ‘ re still wearing a nightie and the earth you were just rolling around on is quite damp."

"Oh."Natalie felt the blush rising in her cheeks as she conjured a robe."Better ?"

"Worse."Harry hung his head."Now I can ‘ t see anything."
*


Carting bodies up to her level had been a surreal experience. She had healed the 1 that could be healed before stunning them into a coma. In the end they had two piles, sixteen alive and four dead. She did n't doubt that without wizard medicament the count would feature been a lot higher.

And here she was, sitting by her java board staring at lined up, stunned, criminals who ten minutes ago had been trying to obliterate her, drinking tea with the boy-who-lived.

"Do you have any biscuits ?"

"What ?"

"I missed dinner."

"Oh ... yes. In that cupboard."Natalie pointed and the fateful robed boy grabbed them before coming back and sitting beside her on the lounge. She looked over at him. He looked honest-to-god than when she had concluding seen him. Much older."You saved my life."

"Don ‘ t worry about it."Harry shrugged."The cooky more than pass water up for it."

"You shot them."Natalie's thought's were still a little disjointed and she was trying to replete in the spell."With a gun."

"go would have warned Voldemort I was there."Harry shrugged."By now I bet they have individual watching the underage magic sensing element. I tried to sprout their arms mostly."He added almost to himself.

Natalie decided not to comment, instead she asked.

"How did you even know to make out here ?"

"Oh, that."Harry turned to her."I happened to overhear something while I was eavesdropping."

Natalie listened in shock as Harry briefly explained a conversation that had apparently taken place between Severus and Dumbledore in the beginning that evening. Poor Severus, she could just see him now. Pacing his bureau, ineffectual to do anything. Hating himself even though it wasn't his fault. He always did.

"How did you even get out of the castle ?"She asked.

"Easy, snuck into the forest."Harry shrugged."The mass that got sent to watch Snape were all, big surprisal, watching Snape. signification I could slip by undetected. After that I dashed for the wall, climbed it well-fixed, the ward doesn ‘ t keep in humans. Legged it to Hogsmeade and broke into a cottage to use the labial pipe. I didn ‘ t want anyone to hump I ‘ d gone through there, that was why I didn ‘ t use one of the pubs."

Natalie didn't speak as Harry finished his floor. She looked over at the pile of criminals, then back at Harry. Her brain, unencumbered by worry, was making the calculations that Snape hadn't been able to.

"Dumbledore was right."

"What ?"

"This was a test."Natalie nodded slowly."And Snape can still pass."

"Are you thinking ..."Harry glanced at the plenty."Are you thinking of taking a page out of my book ?"

"Yes Harry. I ‘ m going to die."Natalie smiled."The assassination will be a success. Too bad the aurors came and arrested everyone afterwards, but Snape still passes the test."

"Snape toss and you can hole out up at chez Malfoy. One job, They ‘ ll remember the truth."Harry pointed out, jabbing a quarter round towards the criminals."Voldemort ‘ ll find a way to get it out of them. Even in custody."

"I ‘ ll call an old friend."Natalie stepped into her kitchen and picked the phone off the buffet."Goldie will be able-bodied to help with that."

"Voldemort ‘ s beneficial at Legillimancy."

"I know that Harry."Natalie pulled out her address account book and started flicking through."But my friend ‘ s serious too. He ‘ s a ministry obliviator, the best."

"Wait a minute ..."Harry's brow furrowed."You ‘ re speech sound is working ?"

"Of course."

"So why did I just break out of school and travel the length of the body politic to relieve you ?"Harry threw his paw up."Couldn ‘ t Snape have just called you ?"

"Harry Snape may be using a pen now, but he ‘ s still a superstar to his toes."Natalie smiled fondly."I checked."

"Eew !"Harry cringed back."genial figure of speech ! All wrong !"

"Revenge."Natalie grinned, then found the file cabinet carte du jour she was looking for and grew serious."Listen Harry you should go back. I can handle things from here, and it ‘ ll be easier to explain to Goldie without you here."

"You sure ?"

"Yes,"Natalie nodded and Harry turned to leave."Harry !"She stopped him as he reached the door.

"Yeah ?"

"Thank you."

"Just doing my job."Harry shrugged."Apparently."

"And Happy Halloween."

"Halloween ?"Harry glanced over at the clock, seeing that it was after twelve."Oh yeah, Happy Halloween."
*


Harry didn't try to reenter Hogwarts that night. Too much risk of exposure of being seen by one of the watcher. Instead he dozed on a Bench and slipped back in around sunrise. He attended breakfast purely to procure coffee in large amount and managed to get through his first few lessons somehow. During dejeuner break he dragged his sleepy form down to the dungeons and found the right office. He pushed the threshold open without knocking.

"What is the meaning of thi ... Potter."Snape deflated, his face going indulgent."Natalie told me. I can not begin to thank you-"

"You ‘ re going to teach me occlumency."Harry interrupted."And Legillimancy."There was a interruption. Then,

"I suppose I am."

"And you ‘ re going to tell me everything you know about Barty Crouch."
*


As soon as Harry's feet touched the floor he knew it was a pipe dream. Before him the bungalow at Godrics holler rose above his head. Looking so ... normal. Nothing to utter to it's momentous importance. It could have been any one of thousands of houses, there were others that could be its twin dotted down the street. Nothing special, and yet it repelled him.

Harry felt his skin Australian crawl. The theatre was ... legal injury ... somehow. Harry turned and dashed down the street, passing Tree and hedgerow. He dashed with no care and caught his invertebrate foot on a paving stone, sending him sprawling to the floor. As he got to his feet he felt grass under his feet. He was back on the front lawn. The cottage was right in front end of him.

He could discover the river in his ears, raging in the distance. Harry scratched at his cutis, it was all haywire. Harry felt sickness grow in the pit of his tummy. Oh hold ... that wasn't part of the dream.

Harry slammed his oculus capable and dropped out of bed, rushing for the bathroom.
*


'' Harry ? '' Ron knocked on the sewer doorway. `` Harry are you ok ? ``

'' I 'm hunky-dory. '' Came the strangle reply.

'' You do n't vocalize very well. You sound- ''

'' I said I 'm fine. '' Harry jerked the threshold receptive, the black dish under his eyes even more visible than usual against his K and sickly skin.

'' You do n't expect fine. ``

'' Probably something I ate. '' Harry shook his drumhead and pushed past Ron.

'' Harry everyone in Gryffindor eats the Saami clobber and no one else is- ''

"I SAID I ‘ M amercement !"Harry whirled on his Ron."I was ill. For some reasonableness. Some unknown region and insignificant reason. I threw up. I feel better. We should go to breakfast."

"Breakfast is over."Ron shrugged."We let you sleep through it. The missy should be bringing some leftovers when we go to creatures."

"Well then let ‘ s go to creatures. I ‘ m hungry."Harry threw his bag over his shoulder and made for the door, his head drooping.

Ron followed slowly. Harry was slowly getting worse, queasy. Was it just want of eternal sleep doing this to Harry ? He hadn't looked this bad even when he'd been time jumping. This time he seemed physically ill. Ron shucked his bag up further on his back. They all needed a little more quietus, Harry had been pushing them hard.

More sleep, and more bruise-remover.
*


Ginny looked up as Harry pushed the threshold to the bean open.

"magic spell finished early ?"Harry asked as the marauders trouped in behind him.

"I already knew the lesson."Ginny flicked her book closed."It was summoning charms."

"You can already summon an elephant."Harry dropped his bag on the table."Skip the next few lessons."

"The rest of us can ‘ t get away with skipping deterrent example Harry."Hermione said from behind Harry."Some of us aren ‘ t the boy-who-lived. Some of us-"

"Some of us realize the pointlessness of being taught what we already know."Harry stepped into the middle of the attic."Alright, this time everyone except Draco. All of the marauders."

"Harry are you sure ?"Fred asked."You weren ‘ t feeling so hot this morning."

"I'm indisputable, I ‘ m fine. Nothing a footling exercise won ‘ t cure."Harry shed his robe as the marauders drew into a circle around him. Ginny could see Malfoy settling down to observe, like it was a bloody show.

"Ready."Padma called out.

"Don ‘ t ask me if I ‘ m cook. Never ask me if I ‘ m set up. Never warn me just bloody hit me."

"Stubefy !"Ginny threw out her baton but Harry was already moving, sliding under her shot like a snake in the grass. His wand came up towards her. She shielded, Harry flicked to the face and Neville went down in a flash of red light.

The twins jumped forward like mirrors of each former but a shining ray of light clicked between them and slammed them together like conker. Harry whirled like a professional dancer and a caul of smoke surrounded him. The marauders began firing into the cloud, deliberate not to hit each former as the stunners flew out the other side. The piranha slowed and eventually stopped.

"Do you think we got him ?"Ron asked shakily.

"Should have counted the stunners."Padma muttered."Did anyone see if one didn ‘ t come out ?"

Padma's interrogative was answered as her baton was jerked out of her hand and flew into the black. An raiment of peach followed it. All came back out.

"jailer this."Ginny waved her wand."Depulso smoke."The black cloud flew away and dissipated into the dust-covered air. Revealing zilch. The floor was empty.

"Where the hell is-"Ginny felt a weight unit strike her shoulders and a stabbing pain. As she collapsed she saw boots flash in front of her face and red light flashing all around. Her shoulder joint was like a burning knife.

"HOLD !"Someone yelled."I said hold !"

The flashing lighting stopped and she felt firm hand rolling her over carefully. Malfoy's fount came into sentiment, staring at her shoulder.

"It ‘ s dislocated."He said softly."I mean really dislocated, look at it."

Ginny looked over at her berm and had to await away, her eyes squeezed shut. Her arm was hanging like a piece of meat, hanging off her shoulder. The marauders began crowding around. Ginny found Harry's heart, he was unclear. As always. His eyes didn't emote, didn't give anything away. They just looked like ... eyes.

"Let me."Hermione pushed Draco aside and rolled up Ginny's arm. She shook her pass."I can ‘ t fix this. We need to get you to gentlewoman Pomfrey."Hermione reached forward.

"No."Draco shook his caput."Two predator, one injured, leads back to Harry. I ‘ ll take her. We can top it off as an inter-house thing."Draco put his arm under her in force shoulder and lifted her gently, carrying her away.
*


"What the the pits was that ? !"Padma whirled on Harry."You broke her shoulder."

"Yes."Harry idly woke Neville from his go induced stupor."And if she was a death eater I ‘ d have broken his shoulder."

"Ginny ‘ s not a death eater !"Ron yelled angrily.

"Really ? You sure ? We could tally her wrist."Harry rolled his centre."I don ‘ t know what your mother would be more angry about, the hate crimes or the tattoo !"

"This isn ‘ t risible Harry !"George VI growled.

"No it ‘ s not !"Harry yelled."It ‘ s bloody serious ! Bloody, raging, burning SERIOUS ! I KNOW THAT ! Do you ? Do you sleep together that ?"

"You could stimulate really hurt her."Parvati said softly.

"I have really hurt her."Harry said harshly."I ‘ ve had broken bone. It hurts. It hurts a lot. It also hurts a lot to a lesser extent than what would pass off if a death eater caught her."

"So it was for her own trade good was it ?"Ron raged."You were, what ? Helping her !"

"Yes ! I was !"Harry kicked a chairperson against the wall angrily."I ‘ m helping everyone ! Why doesn ‘ t everyone get that ! Why are the majority of the people I ‘ m trying to save doing their skillful to bang with me !"

The marauder jumped back. The tincture in the noggin made Harry's human face a bizarre mask. He was shaking like a leaf, breathing hard.

"Why are citizenry doing this."He shook his head, his handwriting going to his tabernacle."Even citizenry who know what we have to do are trying to end us. Even the great unwashed who know. Why the perdition would they do that ?"

"Harry ..."Hermione reached forward.

"It ‘ s fine."Harry straightened like a rod."I ‘ m amercement. We can fit another duel in before the end of lunch."

"You, you want to go flop back into a fighting ?"Hermione asked, her vocalism incredulous."No Harry. No, we ‘ re all tired. We can ‘ t."

"I can. You can. Get over here."Harry threw Padma's baton to her. It bounced off her venter. She made no travail to catch it.

"I ‘ m tired."Padma said flatly."I ‘ m going to lessons."

"Come on !"Harry clapped like some insane sports coach."We can do another round."

"I don ‘ t wan na do this with you Harry."Ron said angrily."This isn ‘ t fun anymore."

"THIS WAS NEVER FUN !"

"Harry what do you want !"Hermione yelled."We don ‘ t have to do what you say ! We don ‘ t have to obey orders like you seem to think ! give up your mind Harry, are we your friends or are we your ... your army !"

"You giving me the choice."Harry stepped up right into Hermione's face."You giving me that choice. I have a dark mavin after me that I ‘ m fated to fight. I have the slap-up, no scratch that, the two greatest wizards in the world hating me. One trying to kill me. One trying to continue me a prisoner. I have everything against me. So I choose a bloody army.'Cos I need a flaming army. And if you can ‘ t be that then to hell with you."

Harry turned, and disappeared out the door.
*


The nexus of the marauder was gone. Without that, they were hollow.

They went to lessons, walked, went to repast. But Harry was never with them. He still attended public lecture to retain the teachers off his binding, but every early moment seemed to be spent in that attic. Plus wherever he snuck out to at night.

Dragon was with him sometimes, walking silently behind him along the corridor. Visible bruising made it clean-cut that he hadn't stopped helping Harry. Ginny caught him alone one morning and confronted him.

"Why are you still helping Harry ?"She asked bluntly.

"Because he ‘ s my friend."Was the curt and dry response.

"He ‘ s killing himself with all this."Ginny pleaded, looking into Draco's eyes. At least there was some emotion there, even if it mostly seemed to be regret."You realize that don ‘ t you ? You ‘ re not helping him pull round. You ‘ re helping him self destruct."

"With anyone else I ‘ d agree with you."Draco looked away."But here we know what ‘ s coming. You know. There ‘ s no way we can keep him out of Voldemort ‘ s course. There's no keeping him safe you understand, the divination ensures that. He will look Voldemort. He will struggle him. So a little self end now is worth it if he survives that brush. Wouldn't you say Ginerva ?"

"Don ‘ t twist this on me."Ginny shook her head."And don ‘ t try to make believe what you ‘ re doing any kind of noble. It ‘ s not."

"Of course I ‘ m nobleman. I ‘ m a Malfoy."Dragon hung his head, then looked up to fulfill her eyes. Regret was back, regret was definitely back."face Ginerva I know everything you ‘ re saying is true. But I don ‘ t have sex how else to help him. I don ‘ t how to facilitate him at all. Do you ?"

"I ... no."

"Too bad."Draco shook his head."I guess all we can hope for is that he kills Voldemort before he kills himself."

And outside Hogwarts the wizarding worldly concern slowly fell to pieces. As Christmas crawled closemouthed and the nights grew longer there was no joy among the magical mass. It just stand for there were more dark minute for the death eater to track down in. One night a dark bull's eye was raised right in the middle of Manchester. The sanction passed it off as a hot air balloon. The ace in the country did n't sustain to be explained away, the ministry just had to clean house up after. When they even bothered to do that.

contrary to popular impression the darkest hour is not before break of day. It 's in the middle of the bally night.
*


Harry closed the seer with a intemperate suspiration and dropped it on the ground beside him. matter were only getting worse out there. The order was n't doing anything, big surprise there. Barty Crouch was still missing from death eater meetings, apparently with Voldemort's wide-cut bread and butter. The night creature ? No one knew a thing about them.

No one seemed to screw anything.

Harry stretched his legs out and felt the ripples of the lake against his bare skin, sending back rippling of gooseflesh to match. Not all to do with the cold. It was good though. He should nominate sure he could manage water if he had to. power have to contend in it one day.

'' A dark state of affairs. ``

Harry tensed as the phonation came from behind him and spun, wand outstretched. There was a figure standing there, looking out over the pee. He looked old, seventy maybe. Bald definitely, and not a hair in his piddling dandy mustache was anything former than Edward Douglas White Jr.. He looked like a sack out teacher more than than anything else, one of the old school ones. He even had the patched gabardine jacket.

Oh god was that a pipe in his scoop ?

This guy was a walking cliché ? What was he going to do next ? tender me tea ?

'' Would you like a spot of tea ? ``

'' Oh come on. '' Harry chuckled and shook his head. `` iii things : One, I do n't drink tea. I drink coffee, in boastfully amount. Two : You do n't have any tea. Three : Even if you had a flaskful I would n't be able to drink it. '' Harry reached out and waved his handwriting directly through the old mans leg. It passed through without even a tingle.

'' Very good Mr ceramicist. '' The old man sat down cross legged next to him. `` How could you tell ? ``

'' There are certain planetary house. '' And I 'm certainly not telling him them. `` Who the hell are you ? ``

'' My name is James. '' Harry stiffened at those words. The old man laughed. `` No not that James. Honestly Mr Potter there are more masses called Epistle of James in this world than your Fatherhood. ``

'' Probably not your very name anyway. '' Harry snorted.

'' I 've never seen a need to conceal my inaugural epithet. One of the benefits of having a gracious traditional name like James or John or Harry. '' Saint James smiled and took a little puff on his pipe. `` Of course if you wish to know my hold up name we shall have a problem. ``

'' I do n't give a crap what your last name is. '' Harry shrugged. `` How are you doing this ? Some sort of illusion ? ``

'' Astral Projection. '' James II said professionally. `` It 's really quite utile. ``

'' I 've read about it. '' Harry crossed his limb and stared calculatingly at the man next to him. `` It requires extensive preparation and a R-2 of at least three wizards. What you came to severalise me is worth all that ? ``

'' Very good Mr Pott- ''

'' catch saying that. '' Harry cut him off. `` Just speak your piece. ``

'' Very well. '' James reached into his jacket. Harry instinctively flinched despite the fact that any arm this man pulled would go straight through him. `` Do you sleep with a man named Conterrando Baker ? ``

'' Is he from the ministry of wacky names ? ``

'' How droll. '' James pulled a piece of paper from his crownwork and held it out for Harry to see. Harry grabbed a piece of lambskin out of his bag to jot down the savoir-faire then took a little more time reading the quietus of the profile.

'' Half blood, respected fellow member of the Wizengamot, respecter writer, married to a muggle, outspoken critic of the current minister. Two youngster at Hogwarts. His close Word was a bang story, between a pure blood and a muggle. '' Harry laughed wryly. `` Jesus, did soul just ask a big piece of play-doh and shape it into a objective for the death eaters ? ``

'' It is a small miracle he has not been attacked yet. ``

'' But you think he is being targeted now ? ``

'' I know he is. '' James tapped a date on the report. `` Tomorrow night. ``

'' Oh come on. ``

'' He has been repeated warned but he refused to have a protective detail. He says it would entrench on his privacy. Foolish And he will die for it. A darling family man is going to die if you do n't keep open him. ``

'' Bull. You save him. You obviously have resources. ``

'' I, or more accurately the group I represent. Do have the resource. '' James I smiled. Harry did n't like that smile, it had weird depths. James continued, `` Our organisation also dislikes Voldemort. He is troublesome to our work. But unfortunately for Mr bread maker, Voldemort is only an irritation to us therefore it is not worth enough to us to save him. We do not strike in the Saami lot as Voldemort you see, so he does not give us too a good deal worry. We would prefer if he were gone though. It would make matter easier. ``

'' So help oneself him. ``

'' We can not. '' Jesse James stood. `` But you can. Go help him Harry Potter. If it turns out well, we may meet again. '' With that he disappeared into thin air.

'' Show off. '' Harry murmured.

Of course he realized it could be a trap. In fact it almost certainly was a ambush. Harry considered. Except that Conterrando Baker was a real person. The narrative, after a slight checking of backward prophet issues, checked out. Harry even found the kids in Ginny 's twelvemonth. Hufflepuffs, twins, nice in a kind of boring Hufflepuff kind of way. Both members of the gobstones ball club. Both with significantly less cockeyed name calling than their father.

trade good small fry. estimable father too ...

'' Bugger. '' Harry dropped the seer on the table. `` I 'm going to have to do something heroic verse are n't I. ``

Looks that way.

'' Do I suffer to ? ``

well ... no, you could let him die while you sit back and eat popcorn.

'' Do n't wish popcorn. ``

wellspring I guess that decides it then. Plus it would be rather a waste of all the training you 've been doing.

'' It could still be a trap you know. ``

I know that. Do n't you think I know that ? I 'm your brain you moron.

'' We 're a bit crazy are n't we ? ``

weirdo like a fox.

'' Like a fox. ``
*


So it came to pass that Harry slid down into the bedroom of closed book that Night wearing the most singularly un-heroic piece of clothing in history.

A pair of waders.

'' Bloody wintertime. '' Harry shivered as he crawled through the tiny crack in the rampart through which he had entered the bedroom all those years ago. It was smaller than he remembered.

Harry dropped into the icy sewerage and made his way quickly along the dark passageway. The body of water was bitingly cold on his script whenever they got splashed but the midst waders kept his legs pleasantly warm. Thank merlin for dragon-skin fishing supplies.

Of course this would be comfortable if Dumbledore had n't strengthened the Hogwarts Barbara Ward to the point where not even insect could pass through. This was the exclusively way out.

Harry 's enactment through the catacombs was unerring. lowest fourth dimension he 'd been here he 'd wandered aimlessly, lost. Little mixed-up boy ... But he was n't the Saame person he 'd been then. Harry sighed and walked on through the darkness to his destination.
*


Harry flicked his collar up and walked quickly down the street. This was London, but not a part that he had ever frequented. Big mansion, big expensive house. Places that did n't take kindly to floater. Probably still would n't guide kindly to him if he was found here.

home twenty six. Harry slowed to a stop a occlusion away from the tall albumen construction. In the middle of the terraced-row of equally tall white building. Expensive they might be, individual they were not.

All the light source seemed to be off. Mr Baker was probably asleep. No one exterior, no one obvious anyway.

howdy ...

Up on the roof. Darkness made into flatness made into incubus. Someone was waiting up there, trying to detain inconspicuous against the skyline.

Harry cursed then darted down an alleyway. Movement in the front yard, it might have been a cast-off newsprint. Then again it might not.

Human anatomy ! Second floor, standing near the bed ! Harry 's hands found a waste pipe and he catapulted himself up. There were two more than on the bed, cowering in fear. The standing figure raised his wand. Harry swung with all his enduringness and crashed through the window.

'' What the pit ! ``

Harry tackled the death eater to the trading floor and stunned him. He rushed to the door and bolted it, pushing a chairwoman under the handle. The others would hold heard the window break.

'' Who are you ! '' A voice bellowed from the bed. `` Are you with them ? ``

'' Do you know Dumbledore ? '' Harry asked quickly, looking over at the two in the bed.

'' Ye ... yes. Everyone knows- ''

'' Good go to him. Get out through the back. '' Harry pointed at the broken window. The threshold thumped violently and Harry turned back towards it. Three others. Not good. `` GO ! ``

'' What about you ? '' Mrs Baker asked as her husband hurried her towards the window.

'' Do n't occupy about me. Just go ! '' Harry flicked a ward onto the door, strengthened it. But it would n't hold long. These were n't crook, these were actual death eaters. dueller group two. Bugger. Harry glanced back at the window to see Mr Baker just disappearing out of it. Well at least that was done. Harry turned back to the door and raised his wand.

The first substantial test. Lets see how I do.

I really hope one of them is scrunch up ... Harry grinned in violent glee.
*


The houses windows flashed from where he sat on the rooftops. Whoever that boy was he was fighting them. Fighting them everywhere. There were two people fleeing down the backstreet, visible in the col between house. They did n't matter.

His knarrled fingers clenched. It looked like the boy had beat him to these 1. He would n't be able to shoot down tonight. Would n't be capable to ache them, score them pay. draw the other one, the snake one, the one who took everything pay.

He licked his sassing. Another prison term, there would be other prison term. He was patient. Patient was good, so long as it got there in the end.

The end ... the end ...

Vengeance. That was a good word.

The looker hunkered down on the rooftops. Before him the battle raged on and cries of pain sensation filled the air.

He would await, and if there were any stragglers ? Maybe he would have some fun after all.
*


'' come alive up ! ``

Urg ... Ron turned over on instinct to get away from the noise.

'' Get the hell up Weasley ! ``

'' Ow ! '' Ron grabbed his side and spun, his eyes extensive open. `` Malfoy what the- ''

'' Have you seen Harry ? '' The Slytherin demanded.

'' What ? Of trend not. He 's your best admirer now. '' Ron replied sneering.

'' He did n't turn up for dueling this morning. '' Malfoy sounded like he was actually worried. The snake was obviously acting. `` I thought maybe he would be here. ``

'' wellspring he 's not. '' Ron gestured around. `` Look the bed 's not even catch some Z's in. And how 'd you get the word anyway ? ``

'' Something 's legal injury. ``

'' Get lost Malfoy. '' Ron looked over at the clock. `` It 's six o clock in the first light ! ``

'' Right. Two hours past when Harry said he 'd meet me. '' Malfoy was gritting his teeth, breathing through them clenched.

'' He 's probably in the attic. ``

'' That was where I was waiting you idiot ! ``

'' Then he 's eating breakfast ! ``

'' Checked there. ``

'' Library. ``

'' Checked. ``

'' Down by the lake ? ``

'' Checked. ``

'' The timber ? Around the edge- ''

'' Checked. ``

'' Oh. '' Ron bit his lip. `` He 's probably, I do n't know. Probably training later and just passed out tired. Even you had to point out he was tired. ``

'' Surprised you did. '' Malfoy turned for the threshold. `` Get your friend and aid face. ``

'' We 're not your frie- ''

'' But you were Harry's ! '' Malfoy turned angrily. `` And he could be in trouble, or pain, or dying, right now ! I know you do n't like him any more but unless you hate him enough to like him dead get the hell up and help me look ! ``
*


Ron woke the vulture. The piranha roused the pupil. Myrtle called the spook. Hermione ran to McGonagall. McGonagall went to Dumbledore.

The full palace like an anthill kicked into convulsion by the departure of the boy-who-lived.

It was Dumbledore who confirmed, by 'his own methods', that Harry was not in the castle. The swell hall was filled with tangible tension as breakfast appeared as if it was any former day. Everyone was whispering.

Why bother, thought Ginny. It 's not like you 're trying to hide what you 're talking about. But she found that when she talked it also came out as whispers. It was the tense atmosphere, it leeched sound out of you. Or maybe it was because saying it right out would spend a penny it real.

The piranha mostly picked at their food. No one felt like eating. Not even Ron. Suddenly the door outburst open.

'' It 's him ! '' Hagrid boomed over the barking of his dog. `` He 's out there ! ``

The Granville Stanley Hall emptied like a attack had started. Every student of every house piled through the giant twofold doors. Jostling and pushing against each other, and against instructor, to get through. They spilled out onto the straw man lawn like a wave, breaking and separating. Everyone was running for the principal gate. Ginny saw Hagrid, out in front, yell something and the gate creaked undefendable. Everyone pushed through, trying to get a glimpse of the hermit figure trudging up the path towards them.

The front line runners stopped and were almost bowled over as the people behind them ran into their back. The road down from the logic gate was slanted, so everyone could see. See the figure that was definitely Harry.

His gown hung off one shoulder joint, the rest torn and trailing behind him. The unit left over side of meat of his case was covered in origin, down onto his shoulder joint too, caked on and streaked. One of his kicking was gone, Merlin only knew where. His left field arm had an ugly burn over the elbow, red and raw and black in the middle.

The intact of Hogwarts stared at him. Harry raised his read/write head painfully.

'' fountainhead ... would ... '' Harry swallowed and licked his back talk. `` Would you believe I fell down some steps ? ``
*


'' Mr Potter where were you ? ``

You know where.

'' Tell me ! ``

He knows where. Of course he does. Stupid Dumbledore.

'' Were you at the bread maker residence Harry ? ``

There we are.

'' How did you leave schoolhouse grounds ? ``

You do n't involve to know that.

'' Harry answer me ! ``

'' What do you want from me Dumbledore ? '' Harry pushed a blood-entangled dreadlock of tomentum out of his face. `` What do you want me to say ? ``

'' I want the true statement ! '' Dumbledore was yelling, every portrait on the walls of his office watched in silence. Apart from them the room was empty. `` I want you to tell me where you went ! Where you go every night ! I want solution ! ``

'' I do n't grant a damn what you want. ``

Rather incongruent seeing as we just asked him.

'' Harry if there is a breach in the Mary Augusta Arnold Ward of Hogwarts I need to sleep together about it. ``

damn. He might actually be right. Voldemort sure as hell knew about the chamber.

'' chamber of mystery. '' Harry met the schoolmaster regard but gave nix away. His occlumency was getting better too. `` Remember ? There 's a enactment that lets out on the side of the lake. ``

'' The ... a passing. '' Dumbledore nodded faintly. `` Yes ... yes I knew about it. ``

'' But it slipped your mind when you were shoring up the ward. ``

'' I ... no- ''

'' You 're not a god Dumbledore. '' Harry broke in. `` You ca n't do everything. You are incompetent. You make misapprehension. It does n't have to be this way between us, admit you made a mistake with regards to me. I can assist you fight. assist the order. ``

'' You are not of age. ``

'' Screw that ! '' Harry yelled wildly. `` There 's two people living tonight because of me ! Two kids who are not orphaned because of me ! ``

'' There are also five deadened death feeder. ``

What ... the ... netherworld ...

'' Stunned. '' Harry corrected hopefully. `` Stunned dying feeder. ``

'' Dead. '' Dumbledore 's face grew stony. `` Killed with an cryptic toxin. Seen only once before. ``

No ... no no no no.

'' Dumbledore- ''

'' Stop ! '' The Headmaster cut him off. `` You have already demonstrated a bloodlust that disturbs normal, comely star. ``

'' When I need to ! '' Harry was breathing hard. `` When my acquaintance lives are at stakes ! ``

'' You are out of control Harry. ``

'' I did n't kill them. '' Harry held up his custody. `` I did n't, I swear. I stunned them, then left, then called the aurors to pick them up. ``

'' I can not trust that Harry, I can not. Not with all I know. ``

'' Legilimence me. '' Harry released his defenses. `` You 'll see. You 'll be intimate. ``

'' I will not have it off. I will not know because I can not be certainly that you have not reached a story of proficiency at occlumency where you could show me whatever fabricated memory you wish to. ``

'' THEN WHAT DO YOU need ! ``

'' ire Harry ? You have a lot of anger do n't you. ``

Yes. Harry hung his mind tiredly. There is no answer to your query. Nothing that will satisfy you.

'' You will stay confined to the castle. '' Dumbledore ordered. `` You will attend all lesson. A guardian appointed by me will walk you to and from each object lesson. You will do these thing or I will helping hand you to the aurors. ``

'' I did n't do it. '' Harry whispered, more to himself than anything else.

'' I can not take that risk. ``

time lag ! The Prophecy !

'' The prophecy. '' Harry blurted. `` What are we going to- ''

'' Stop thinking about such things. '' Dumbledore cut him off. `` They are no longer your business. ``

'' But I have to block up Voldemort. I 'm the only if one who can. ``

'' This discourse is over Harry. farewell. ``

Harry stood. There was no breaker point drawing it out. He walked towards the door, but did n't go through it. He felt drained, completely. But some residual fountainhead of stubbornness would n't let him leave without one finale word.

'' You 're making a mistake. '' Harry said over his shoulder. `` You do make them think back. ``

'' I do. But I correct them. '' Dumbledore said sharply, but sadly. `` I am correcting one right now. ``

Damn. He still got the last word.

Harry turned and passed out of the office. There were crucial conclusion to be made.
*


'' Deja vu. '' A voice said over Ron 's shoulder.

'' Malfoy ! '' Ron spun on his bench. `` Do you just creep around everywhere ? ``

'' Hard to sneak in the centre of luncheon. '' Malfoy seemed agitated. `` Harry 's gone again. ``

'' Like this sunup ? '' Hermione asked.

'' He said he was going to go to sleep, but his bag 's gone. '' As Malfoy spoke they heard a noise from the high table.

Dumbledore had just shoved his hot seat back roughly and strode quickly from the hall.

'' He knows about- '' Ron began but stopped as a feathered darkness dropped onto the table.

excavator cocked his head and hopped about a niggling nervously. He kept looking at first one face then another as if he did n't know who to deliver his message too.

Ginny reached forward and took it off her. She spread it out on the table. It was unawares, but it had a lot of subtext. It simply said.

Take care of him






revue, or I will use my gravemetric inversion ray to smash the moon down onto the aerofoil of the earth ! Destroying it utterly ! You have just one hour ! Mru Ha Ha Ha Ha ! Ha. Ha.


Arg ! The site goes down ! Madness everywhere ! Things fall apart, the centers can not hold ! My recapitulation ! ! ! My wanted critique ! ! !

Ah well ... such is life.



'' Is there no newsworthiness ? ``

'' No Albus, there is not. '' Minerva shook her school principal. `` He appears to accept vanished. ``

'' Has a watch been set on the borders ? All style that he could leave the country ? ``

'' Yes Albus. '' As if that had ever stopped Harry. `` But do you really think he will try to leave ? Everything we 've seen suggests he will detain and struggle. ``

'' I do not have it away Minerva. '' Albus shook his head. `` I am not indisputable of anything anymore. ``

'' hitch inviolable Albus. The order needs you. ``

'' Yes ... yes we must go on. ``
*


The marauder, bundled up against the low temperature, sat quietly before a vast bay window in Malfoy manor. They had gone there straight from Hogwarts, with a guard the stallion way. They were in the minority for leaving, a lot of students had elected to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. It was safer. They were not the only ones there though, Terry and Anne Baker ( none of the marauder had really known them ) had been dragged along looking confused.

That was until they reached the sign of the zodiac and had a tearful reunion with their parents. Apparently someone had saved them from the death feeder. Emphasis on someone.

The manor house was filling up, loads of people. Refugees almost, people that had been targeted or were in danger of being. It was scary, seeing the fright in their center, the feeling of being hunted. The marauders were the Lapp, unable to leave, scanning the papers for any lead of Harry. They found cypher but they kept looking. guilty conscience was a hefty thing.

So now they were stuck in the sign, ineffective to leave its walls as coke blanketed everything outside. Even if they could have gone outside would they have had the mettle to play ? Maybe, maybe not. So they sat in front of the huge open windowpane and watched it fall.

The grownup had tried to make it cheery, there was even a tree. It had n't worked though.

'' We should go have tiffin. '' Someone murmured. No one moved. Eventually individual else echoed the view and they began to get up, slowly, silently. They had just about reached the kitchen when Tonks burst in.

'' Have you heard the news ? '' She blurted.

'' We read the prophet- '' Hermione began before Tonks interrupted her.

'' No, no. This just happened. '' She shook her head. `` Two destruction eaters just got dropped into the ministry foyer. Flued in. They were stunned and tied up with medal. They 're processing them now. Where 's everyone else ? ``

'' almost of the adult eat in the tree room. '' Ginny pointed and Tonks hurried out.

'' Do you think it was Harry ? '' Neville asked quietly.

'' Of course of action it was Harry. '' Malfoy said flatly.

'' It could ingest been someone else, someone else trying to stop them. ``

'' Someone who tied them up like presents and dumped them Christmas eve ? It 's Harry. '' Padma grimaced. `` He 's out there fighting. ``

'' On his own. '' Her sister echoed.

They sat in secretiveness for a piece. The only sound was Ron rhythmically munching on bread.

'' Do you think it was us ? '' Ginny found herself whispering. `` Do you think we drove him out ? ``

'' You certainly did n't aid. '' Draco sneered.

'' Shut up Malfoy ! You were the one helping him ! '' Ron reached over and tried to pound the Slytherin. `` If you had n't he would n't have thought he could fight them ! ``

'' He was getting avail from other places than me. person else I 'm sure, he was getting better too tight. '' Malfoy shook his head. `` No, I withdraw what I said before. You did n't tug him towards this. This was inevitable. ``

But we abandoned him. Ginny thought darkly. Maybe if he would have stayed longer if he thought he had something to stay for. Or at the very to the lowest degree he 'd bed he was n't alone. Merlin, how had things gone so damage ?

'' It 's my error. '' Hermione murmured suddenly. `` I said that ... stupid thing about choosing between- ''

'' It was n't you. '' Ron broke in. `` You heard Malfoy, it was inevitable. ``

'' We need to do something. '' Anapurna said. `` Bring him back. William Tell him it 's ok. ''

'' How ? '' Draco shook his principal. `` choose out a personal ad in the Prophet ? ``

'' Well why not ? ``

'' Because it 's ridiculous. And because all it would do is assuage your guilt. It would n't help oneself him. ``

'' Well what would help him ! '' Fred asked angrily.

'' I do n't bang ! '' Draco guesswork to his understructure. `` Why are you asking me anyway ? I do n't even like you. '' He turned and stalked out of the way. Ginny watched him go. She 'd never thought about it before but Harry leaving had probably hit him pretty hard too. He did n't really give any other protagonist. Maybe that had been why he helped Harry for so long.

'' We need to do something. '' Parvati repeated again.

'' What sis ? What ? '' Padma frowned at her baby darkly. `` Do n't just hold on saying 'do something'and ask everyone else to descend up with something. ``

'' I do n't find out you coming up with anything ! ``

'' There 's zip we can do ! ``

They lapsed into an raging silence again. There was too much stress, too small eternal rest. They were all at the end of their leash. Just like Harry had been. Ginny shook her head, they should throw gone easier on him. A little selfish share of her felt glad that she had not been parting of that first argument with him. Another part blamed her for starting it. If she had just dodged he would n't experience hurt her articulatio humeri and then they would n't have ...

It was superfluous to think about it. The literary argument had happened, but a slight part of her still irked. They should n't take in blown up on him, so what if he said he chose an ground forces ... Wait ... Was it potential ? Was she really thinking about this ?

'' I can cerebrate of something we can do. '' She said, her voice spotting in the midsection. It had n't done that in years.

'' What Gin ? '' Fred asked without looking at her.

No one was looking at her. No one was paying attention. marauder rule ...

'' HEY ! '' The tabular array jumped as Ginny slammed down on it heavy. The marauder started like rabbits. Oh great, now everyone was looking at her. She stood, keeping her hands flat to the tabular array. `` I know what we can do. ``

'' Wh ... what ? '' Hermione asked hesitantly.

'' Exactly what he asked. '' Ginny said confidently. `` He wanted an regular army. He needs an USA. He 's fighting out there on his own so he deserves an army ! We can be it. We can help him ! ``

For a few second there was silence, then ...

'' But ... but we 're just kids. '' Neville was biting his lip.

'' We 're as old as Harry. '' Ginny stated defiantly, glossing over the fact that she wasn't.

'' We do n't know how to oppose like him. '' Ron was staring at her wildly.

'' Harry learnt, so we can. '' Ginny folded her arms. `` Harry was n't even that practiced at defense and look how far he 's come up. We can do it. ``

'' We could ... '' Fred murmured, and is twin began nodding thoughtfully.

'' There are only eight of us. '' Hermione pointed out.

'' I think other people in the school would be prepared to help Harry if we told them. The old chosen ... others too. '' Ginny tried to expect confident. `` And besides, Harry 's just one person ! ``

'' But Harry 's Harry ! '' Hermione shook her head. `` He could get away with that form of affair ! He has some ... ability ... some cause he survived. A force ! That 's it ! Like the prophecy said .'A ability the dark God Almighty knows not'we- ''

'' The only power Harry ever displayed was obstinacy. '' Padma interrupted her. `` Stubbornness and bravery. ``

'' And the fact that he never gave up. '' Her sis added.

'' And we should n't either. '' Padma nodded.

'' So you ... '' Ginny turned to them grinning.

'' We 're in. '' Padma said, her heart punishing and watch. Her sis nodded her support.

'' Us too. '' George folded his arms just as his buddy said,

'' We ca n't afford up on Harry. ``

'' And you three ? '' Ginny turned to the last three on the fence vulture. Neville shifted nervously,

'' I ... It could suffer been me. '' He was looking down at the table. `` It could have been me. I would n't consume survived this long. No ... but I ca n't just ignore it. The fact that it could take in been me I mean. I ... I feel like I have to help if I can. ``

'' You 're in ? ``

'' I do n't know how a lot help I 'll be. ``

'' You saved me. '' Ginny smiled desperately. All the marauders had to get together, it was like fate. For some reason she felt like that. If they all did n't join it just would n't crop. `` And Harry would have wanted it. ``

'' He understood you. '' Padma chimed in, smiling. `` More than the sleep of us I think. ``

'' I 'll help, if I can. '' Neville said, in a small representative. Ginny breathed out in relief, one down two to go ...

'' And you two ? ``

Hermione and Ron shared a look. Ginny knew she could tease her brother into it, Ron was a sponge for peer insistence, but she would n't. Not a choice like this.

'' We 'll give birth to neglect some lessons. '' Ron said suddenly and Hermione put a hand over her mouth, chuckling. `` Think you can wield that Hermione ? ``

'' I guess so. '' Hermione turned back to Ginny. `` For Harry. ``

'' You 're in ? '' Yes, yes, yes ! `` Both of you ? ``

'' We 're in. ``

'' Us too. '' A voice came out of nowhere. Ginny spun and fixed on the heavy double doorway. Standing in the open crevice were two brown haired shaver. terry cloth and Anne bread maker. They had been listening in, eavesdropping. And they had managed to do it undetected. Wow, Ginny thought. They 've already got what it takes to be a marauder.

'' What ? '' Ron stood, clearly ineffective to see them properly from where he was. `` You two ? ``

'' We heard what you were saying. '' Anne said, obviously trying to voice honest-to-god. Ginny wondered if she had looked like that a few moments ago. `` We want to avail too. ``

'' Harry saved our parents. '' Terry added in. `` The ministry did n't even know they were a aim. We want to serve. ``

'' You realize what this means do n't you ? '' Ginny said clearly. `` We 're talking about fighting. Fighting expiry feeder. Maybe dying, almost certainly getting hurt. This is n't going to be fun. ``

'' We know that. '' Terry nodded. `` You think we do n't make out ? We saw Harry when he came back that morning just like the rest of you. That 's the variety of stuff you 're talking about right field ? Well that night he was out saving our parents. Saving them was what hurt him so bad, so its ... like I do n't know. Only clean, I guess, that we should do that for him. ``

'' You could die. '' Padma said flatly.

'' If Voldemort wins we die anyway. '' Anne matched her sluggishness. `` With parents like ours we 'll be on the top of his list. ``

'' We know what were getting ourselves into. '' Dame Alice Ellen Terry said defiantly. `` We want to join Harry 's regular army. ``

'' Harry 's army ? '' George snorted. `` Is that what we 're calling ourselves ? ``

'' I do n't wish it. '' His twin agreed.

'' It does audio like something from world-war-two. '' Hermione agreed.

'' How about the chosen ? We 've been that before. '' Ron suggested.

'' We 're the piranha. '' Ginny overrode him. `` We 've always been the marauders we always will be. It 's what Harry would have wanted. ``

A murmur of agreement went up from around the table and Ginny felt a rush of pride. She beckoned the Baker twins over. As she did she suddenly realized something, she had made everybody flavour at her and they were still looking. Her brothers had happily accepted her jumper cable, they all had. And now she was about to enact two new predator, a privilege only previously granted by Harry.

What can of worms had she opened today ?

'' But wait. '' Padma said suddenly. `` How are we going to prepare properly ? Harry had a teacher, he had to. Where are we going to get one ? ``

'' I can mean of someone. ``
*


'' Draco ! ``

Draco turned in shock to look at the gang in the library doorway.

'' Yes ? '' He looked across them. `` Can I help you ? ``

'' We 've decided what we 're going to do. '' Ginerva said from the movement. `` We 're forming an army. We 're going to fight back for Harry. We want your help. ``

The library was dumb for a import. Draco met the center of each of the marauders, were they really serious ? Legillimancy gave him the answer.

'' Well would you look at that. '' Draco murmured, then smiled. `` Lets get to it. ``
*


'' You realize this means the marauders now have fellow member in every Hogwarts house. '' George III commented as they walked down to Harry 's old grooming cellar.

'' We do n't make any Ravenclaws. '' Ron said. Hermione shook her drumhead irritably.

'' You would think you 'd think of Ron, after all the times she 's saved our skins. ``

'' Who ? ``

'' Moaning Myrtle. ``

'' She does n't matter. '' Ron said with sureness before being clipped around the ear by Ginny.

"Watch your rima oris. Harry wouldn't stall for that sort of talk."

"Besides, you ‘ re all unseasonable anyway."Draco said dryly from the front."Harry made myself and Tonks marauders at the end of close year. You ‘ ve been cross-house for month now."

"Why didn ‘ t you tell us ?"Ron asked him.

"Would it possess made a difference ?"

"Well ... maybe."Ron shrugged."Marauders have different rules than ordinary people."

"Yeah, that percentage I got."Malfoy reached the door to the cellar and threw it unfastened. It was exactly how they had left it. Huge muckle of broken furniture and burn marks on the walls."rightfield, well we don ‘ t have affect spheres or a siswai ‘ aman or muggle gonnes-"

"Guns."Hermione corrected.

"Them either."genus Draco stepped into the heart of the room."Actually I do have some shock empyrean but that ‘ s not the point. We don ‘ t have time to go to four continent and cull up the comfortably weaponry like Harry did, so I ‘ m going to focus on this ..."Malfoy drew his scepter and held it out in front of him.

"Terry, Anne."Ginny turned to the two young fellow member."How are you at defensive structure class ?"

"We ‘ re both getting Es."Anne said quickly.

"Marauders should screw how to lie better than that."

"Alright As."

"Same as Harry utmost year."Ginny told them encouragingly."Hermione ? Can you bring them up to speed real quick ?"

"I ... I guess so."

"Good."Ginny turned back to Draco and nodded. He smiled at her as he directed the others into dueling lines. Her stomach did a little floaty lurch.

Just stress. She told herself. Just focus because we're joining a war. natural to be anxious, especially since they seem to feature elected me drawing card. I'm not skittish for any other reasonableness. No rationality at all.
*


Neville collapsed into a hot seat in his room. He ached everywhere. Malfoy had pushed them all day, fighting. They had only quit for the Nox when the bread maker nestling couldn't stand up any more. Neville hadn't been far behind them.

This must have been what it was like for Harry.

Neville shook his head, in the beginning Padma had told him Harry understood him. Neville didn't know whether that was avowedly. He certainly didn't understand Harry. But maybe he watched him more than the others, keeping serenity on the sidelines maybe he saw more. Saw more about people ... about Harry.

Maybe there was one former affair they could do for Harry.

He had thought of it before but hadn't mentioned it. No reason to secernate ` multitude, especially if he was wrong. It'd just make him reckon stupid. It probably wouldn't help anyway. But it was Charles Frederick Worth a shot.

Neville drew a composition of paper towards him and grabbed a calamus. He chewed on the end nervously, how did you start a message like this ?

beloved ... No, to companion. Neville shook his foreland, it didn't matter what words he used. He should just get the thing written. He cracked his tired knuckles and started again.

To The Pythea

My name is Neville Longbottom and I'm a Quaker of Harry's. I don't know if he told you about me.

Neville winced, this was firmly than he thought.

Harry's in bother, or he might be. He's left Hogwarts to contend. We're worried about him. We're worried he might die. I don't know if you know about the Pr ...

Neville stopped writing and thought for a moment. The letter might get intercepted by someone.

If the idiom ‘ as the 7th calendar month dies'means anything to you then you know why he's doing this. I don't know if you can serve him but if you can then please do, and tell us what we can do to help. We're already doing everything we can but it may not be enough.

Neville read the missive over nervously. He was writing to ask the aid of one of the most powerful women in the humans. He signed it, his hand shaking enough to stimulate the signature illegible, then squeaked his electric chair back and made for the owlery.

shovel was awake and waiting, like he knew. The owl didn't even gravel to look at the address, it just glanced at the figure and took off. Neville watched it go, hoping ...
*


He got no answer over Yule. The predator opened nowadays with aching castanets while their parents watched before begging out and going back down to the wine cellar. Neville was surprised that the Baker children didn't complain about being worked on Christmas day. Perhaps they really did see what they were in for.

Charles Percy Snow kept falling intermittently, not enough to enshroud the ground again. It just ended up slush. Neville wondered if Harry was outside, cold, right now, then felt stupid person. If Harry could get uncanny iniquity weaponry out of the blue then he could keep back warm in winter.

'' Neville ! '' He heard Fred yell at him. `` I thought we were dueling not staring out the window. ``

'' I 'm coming. '' Neville turned and raised his wand. `` Just a second. ``

We 're doing what we can Harry, just you wait.
*


Harry crouched on the cap of a house, heedful not to slip on the wet tile. The sign across the way was owned by a prominent extremity of a pure blood family. Not his main menage obviously, pokey little station like this, but one of his properties.

A property with a tumid basement. A property that had been taking in large supplies of meat, bad meat too. Off cold shoulder, the sort you would impart animals.

It was a principal. Harry smiled grimly, he was on to them. He could wait here all Night ...
*


"Severus the children at headquarters keep disappearing during the day. Do you know where they're going ?

"I do not Albus."Technically true though any sensible individual could guess.

"Do you reckon they might be planning to follow Harry ?"

"It is possible."I hope they are.

"This troubles be Severus, they should be kept safe."

"They are children."Technically rightful though not actually revealing his opinion.

"You will severalise me if you hear anything I should know."

"Of course."Anything I think you should know.

"Now, '' Dumbledore looked around the mansion, meeting the eye of the four order member. Snape, McGonagall, Tonks and Helen Wills. They had all been asked here. None of them knew why. `` I believe I have found Harry. ``

'' Are you sure ? '' Minerva rose to her metrical foot, shock evident on her face. `` How ? ``

'' Harry has been too trusting of Gringots. '' Dumbledore drew a slim down folder of parchments towards him. `` He forgets that they have human being employees as well as hobgoblin single. I have managed to receive phonograph record of Harry 's transactions. I believe I have pinpointed his placement. ``

'' So why have n't you brought the poor boy back ? ``

'' Because Harry will have an exit scheme. '' Dumbledore shook his capitulum. `` If he sees me he will run, and I can not guarantee I will be able-bodied to catch him. You are the order members I believe he will trust. You must go about him. You must bring him back. ``

And what if I do n't wish him back. Snape was careful to shield his mentation utterly. What if I merely wish to make sure he 's safe.

'' This is the location. '' Dumbledore floated a sheet of sheepskin to each of them. `` We will go. Now. ``
*


Snape looked up at the flickering bulb above him and scornfully flicked it off before lighting his wand.

'' The top floor ? '' The auror Tonks was looking at the map drawn by Dumbledore. `` Why would he be on the top floor ? It 's a dead end. No way out. ``

'' The boy 's smart than that. '' Alastor agreed as the four of them reached the stairwell of the muggle building. It was not vacant, indeed Snape could pick up muffled voices and clicking from adjacent rooms, but the top storey was closed for renovation.

'' Perhaps Dumbledore was untimely then. '' Was that a hint of hope in the voice of the Pres Young auror ?

'' More likely Harry has a broomstick up there. '' Minerva snapped.

Harry would not have got a broomstick. Snape shook his head but said nothing out loud. He is more likely to have a pet dragon up there than a broomstick.

'' Quiet. '' Moody was up ahead, his magic eye scanning above them. The old auror cursed. `` Damn malefic eye ! There 's bagful up there, and document. But I ca n't separate if there 's a person. ``

'' Let me see. '' Minerva slinked into her cat form and carefully padded up the steps. Then came back down, her center twinkling. She transformed back and said, `` Harry has been here. His smell is everywhere. ``

'' Do you make love if he is there now ? '' Snape asked.

'' He is there. The aroma is too Holocene for him not to be. ``

'' Then we go in. '' Moody stalked forward. `` No wands seeable, do n't spook him. ``

They walked up the raw concrete stair. The threshold was closed and covered by a formative sheet. Snape was reaching out to cut it aside when they all heard,

'' Do n't devil, I 've cut a slit in the one round the slope. '' The four society members stopped drained. The voice continued. `` And if you want a more dramatic statement, you are Moody, Snape, McGonagall and Tonks. ``

'' Harry ? '' Tonks asked loudly. `` Is that you ? ``

'' Did I not make that sack up ? '' The vox said cheerily. `` seminal fluid in if you want. With your hands up if you please, we do n't want any surprises."

"You don ‘ t trust us ?"Tonks asked.

"constant vigilance."Harry replied.

Snape chuckled as he dropped his wand in his pocket and walked around the corner. There indeed was a break in the plastic curtain, it was waving in the moth-eaten hint. Snape stepped up to the gap and pushed it aside. Harry was standing in the open bay window, leaning easily against the edge.

He looked ... tired. Beyond tired, his eyes were sunken and his skin pale. Did he bet worse than when he left Hogwarts ? Yes. He most certainly did, there was no denying. It could not just be tiredness, it could not. He seemed happier though, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Harry."Snape greeted him as the former order extremity filed in behind him."It is good to see you. You are looking well."

"No I ‘ m not."Harry was watching them all closely."But I ‘ m surviving. How did you notice me ?"

"I ‘ m afraid we can ‘ t-"

"Gringots led us here."Snape interrupted McGonagall, who glared at him."Dumbledore found you here with their information. He sent us here to bring you back."

"And are you going to ?"

"We just want to utter to you Harry."McGonagall stepped forward, her hands overspread peacefully."It is not dependable for you out here."

"It ‘ s not safe anywhere."Harry shrugged."And I ‘ m helping out here. I ‘ m fighting the death eaters. What are you doing ? Looking for a lost child ? Let me ask you, which of us is doing the more useful labor ?"

"Potter don ‘ t be an idiot."Helen Wills Moody growled."You may have caught a few demise eater but it ‘ s only a thing of clock time before you ‘ re caught and you better implore it ‘ s by Dumbledore and not the dark Lord. If you die we all lose."

"If I fail we all lose."Harry shifted closer to the window.

"Harry, we ‘ re just trying to help you."Tonks stepped forward."We all know what ‘ s at stake here."

"This scene is recap."Harry scoffed."I ‘ m leaving."He turned to the window and dropped.

"No !"McGonagall yelled, snatching for her wand but Moody was faster. The old auror summoned Harry roughly, drawing him across the floor and disarmed him with a flick of the wrist.

"Son of a bitch."Harry tried to stand but Moody jabbed his wand and Harry was pushed back to the reason."Trusted you ..."

"Sorry Potter."Moody growled."Trusted you too. You pissed on that when you killed five men didn ‘ t need to be killed."

"That's not true."

"The part about killing them or the piece about not needing to ?"

"To be honest, both."Harry made a lunge for the doorway but McGonagall stepped in front of him. Harry cringed, then tried to stand."This is pointless. If you bring me back to Hogwarts Dumbledore ‘ ll keep me prisoner, we all lose."

"I trust Dumbledore more than I trust you right now."Moody raised his verge."You disappointed me. Now Stup-"

"Stop !"Snape struck sideways, sending Moody's scepter sideways. As the auror 's eyes jerked open in daze Snape stunned him and whirled, holding his sceptre on McGonagall."Don ‘ t move Minerva. In fact back away."

"Severus what is this ?"Her middle were wide in disbelief.

"Please don ‘ t talk."Snape glanced at Tonks standing twitchily in the corner, her manus hovering over her baton."And you ? Do I need to stun you too ?"

"I ... no."The Pres Young auror's middle flickered down to Harry."Take care of yourself Harry. Please. Please do."

"I ‘ ll try."Harry nodded, walking over and grabbing his sceptre."And I won ‘ t use Gringots any more."The boy started for the window.

"Harry !"Snape called out."Moody caught you. You let your guard down. You have to be near than that."

"I know. I screwed up. constant quantity Vigilance."Harry nodded towards Helen Newington Wills."You should secern him that too when he wakes up."

"He will probably kill me first."Snape shrugged.

"Not likely."Harry stepped up the bound."He ‘ ll probably trust you now."

Harry grinned and dropped off the edge.

Snape waited a farseeing moment, long enough for Harry to reach the ground, then lowered his wand. McGonagall just looked at him. No student with lately preparation had endured so withering a stare.

"Well Severus, now that you have betrayed the lodge, what do you intend to do now ?"

"I will go back to Dumbledore."Snape stepped over to heat up Moody."And I will try to explain."

The auror blinked to life and grabbed his wand. He levered himself to his pes and looked Snape up and down with his piercing electric blue eye.

"Well well, your dependable colors at last."Moody spat.

"Trelawney once told me my coloration was wan fuchsia."Snape commented as he made for the doorway."If I ‘ m display that color you may require to get your eye checked."

"My eye ‘ s fine."

"commodity, then I ‘ ll meet you at Headquarters."Snape apparated away, the frigidness pressing abysm of evacuate giving him a moment of peace before he dropped to his substructure in front of the doorway. Three pops behind him told him the other parliamentary law members had followed.

"Don ‘ t do that again you slime."Moody growled, wand out."If you try to apparate again I ‘ ll assume you ‘ re trying to escape."

Snape took three dance step, into the grand hall.

"There."Snape raised his bridge player."Now I can ‘ t escape."

"I don ‘ t trust you."Helen Wills shook his head."present me your wand."

"No."Snape turned towards the main Granville Stanley Hall and walked calmly. Surprisingly he felt calm, he was comfortable. He was unhinged of being Dumbledore's lapdog, and now he had finally acted on it.

He pushed the double doors outdoors and found something he didn't expect. The whole order was there, lining the walls. Dumbledore had called a get together, to discuss Harry being back. Snape stopped, his implements of war crossed and the three following him walked past into the elbow room. Tonks was still quiet, fading into the crowd, her hair unconsciously turning mute Robert Brown. Moody and Minerva walked straight up to the mind of the table.

"You failed to catch Harry ?"Dumbledore clearly suspected something. He was using the stare that used to pierce Snape to the soul, now it just made his eye itch."What went wrong Severus ?"

"I decided that expectant good could be served by letting him free."Severus stood calm against the angry muttering that rose at that. He found Natalie's eyes in the gang,

Why ?

I am tired of leashes.

You aren't finished are you. It wasn't a question.

I am not. I mean Dumbledore to know I am no longer ... tame.

wellspring this should be fun.

Snape couldn't help but smile.

"You think this is funny Severus !"Dumbledore had stood, his eyes flinty and hard.

"Yes."

"How daring you !"

How dare I ? Snape snorted, this was the way things should be. He felt more easy with everything against him.

"Snape this clip you have gone too far."

Oh good, if you're going to be this predictable this will go far easier. Snape just smiled.

"Do you have zippo to say !"

"No. I have nil to say."Snape kept his vocalism irritatingly assuredness"The only explanation I have you will not admit. And I can not contrive one you will because you I do not know what you want."

"I want someone I can trust !"

"No you do not. You trust no one. You never have. Not with any secret worth knowing. You are a closed scheme, no one is told anything."Snape glanced around the office at the former order members, practically everyone was there. Everyone there to find his humiliation, that was what Dumbledore wanted anyway. If Snape had his way it wasn't going to happen like that."None of these people know anything do they."

"I am speak-"

"You ‘ d think that would bother them."Snape continued."You ‘ d think one of them would worry about you."

"Be unsounded !"

"Each of them thought another had your ear. Minerva thought Lupin, Lupin thought Moody perhaps. I don ‘ t know who Moody thought. But none of them did, none of them know."

"Silence !"

"No man is an island."Snape smiled, after all these yr he knew how to get to the old man."No man is an island unless he makes himself so."

"Severus I will not heed to-"

"You will hear. You can ‘ t not."Snape shook his head."Something has frozen you. That is what you do isn ‘ t it ? You shrink, like a turtle. vertebral column into your shell."

"And what is my scale ?"Dumbledore growled with uncontained passion and frustration.

"Your past. Your reputation."Snape sniffed."The last war, your resplendence twenty-four hours. Ha ha ... you have retreated into repetition and now ? Now you are paralyzed by it. We are not fighting this war, we are reliving it."

"You have made it clear what you think about-"

"Shut up."Dead silence. Snape folded his arms, grinning faintly. Behaving like Harry was fun."I am talking now and you will listen. You are paralyzed by something. Guilt I would guess. I don ‘ t know of grade, no one knows, but I would ... well ... safely assume that it is guilt. Everyone is motivated by something, we each have something that makes us ... tick. You have guilt, peachy swirling syndicate of it. In every pore of you, in every facet of your mind. It ‘ s been there since the first of all fourth dimension I ever saw you, I didn ‘ t recognize it then of row, but it was there. By the time I came to work for you I was old enough to recognize it. Something in your past, in your acquaint too, fills you with a festering remorse. And it just gets sorry and spoilt, makes you doubt yourself, makes you recall you are never suitable. Makes you turn down the position of minister for illusion. Over and over again. I know what made you like this, you think I would work for you and not investigate your past. You know I am more deliberate than that. You must have known that I knew. You must have known that I had found out about Kendra."

Dumbledore froze, every tendon tensed. Snape breathed a sigh of relief in his thinker. He had not known for for certain, not until that instant. He still didn't know really, not what had happened in that room. That secret would probably be taken to the grave of the men concerned. No matter, Snape could annotate over the details.

"It was there in the initiatory war."Snape continued, his harsh voice the just sound in the packed antechamber."Back then it was ... helpful. It made you deliberate. It made you weak but ... it made you thrifty. I do not understand what has happened since then, perhaps it is as Harry says and you are simply senile, but it is spoiled now Previously guilt made you heedful, sensible. Now it makes you useless. Useless and broken. You are no longer the famous Albus Dumbledore, you are a break version of him."

"No."

"Something destroyed you."

"Stop."

"I don ‘ t know what it was."

"Please."

"It must have been something terrible."Snape smiled slyly, letting his Holy Scripture sink in. Weakening."Whatever could it give been ? You don ‘ t have another babe ..."

"SILENC-"

"Legilimens !"
*


wickedness falling, falling everywhere. My fracture, always my fault. I shouldn't have put him there, no right wing I had no rightfulness. I condemned him, his death. My one charge. failure. No. Must be done. Hope. Death. Failure. Truth shrouded so deeply. So recondite it hurts. The truth would wear us all. But even without we are doomed.

It is all a lie and we are all doomed.

Everything you know I told you.

Everything you know is lies.
*


Snape tore his judgment away, shaking. He fell to his knee on the floor, the horror, the confusedness, filling him. Dumbledore had fallen too, back into his chairperson. The old mans face twisted in pure agony. To continue a truth locked inside for nine years only to give it roughly ripped from you ? It must have felt like his gist had been torn out. Snape shook his oral sex, it could not be true, it couldn't be. But behind the dark grumble of Dumbledore's head, behind the aching remorse the veridical memories hid. He had pushed them deep, as if trying to forget them but they were there. They were impossible to forget. Snape knew he never would. The magnitude of what the old man had done hit him and he doubled over, vomiting onto the cold stone floor.

He felt helping hand on his shoulders. Natalie. He reached up for one and grasped it, holding on to something real as parts of his creation fell apart. He tried to stand and found he needed Natalie's help to rise to his invertebrate foot. His ramification felt like piss, his feet like led. He tried to induce his mouth work, things needed to be said. Something needed to be said.

"How daring you ?"Predictable, but Snape could imagine of aught better."How could you do that ? To a youngster !"

"It ... was necessary."Dumbledore's voice was barely a murmur vowel, a faint whisper in the air."It had to be done. It had to be done. It had to be done."Dumbledore mumbled that musical phrase over and over like a prayer.

"Necessary ?"Snape found his glossa and used it to grumble."No. No it was not. Not even you believe that."

"We needed-"

"BE SILENT !"Snape snapped, the headmaster cringed back as if struck."I am leaving Dumbledore. I am going to serve Harry. To detect him and serve him, and you will let me. You have no right to have anything to do with that boy. You have no right."Snape turned towards the doorway, but stopped as his eye fell on Lupin.

"And you."Snape sneered."You ... for going along with him. For keeping it a secret. For treating Harry the way you do because of something that was none of his doing. Something that was done to him. You ... you are a monster. One that has zilch to do with the moon."Snape turned away and hobbled from the elbow room, leaning heavily on the small cleaning lady beside him.

"Severus !"Dumbledore called after him, suddenly sounding scared."You will tell no one ! Surely even you can see that this must remain a secret !"

Snape kept walking, not trusting himself to speak. They reached the threshold and he stiffened, his mettle felt like it had a thousand tiny claw in it, each one attached to a weight.

"Severus ?"Natalie murmured beside him."You need to go abode, I ‘ ll take you-"

"No. Not place. Hogwarts."Snape shook his head."Hogwarts first."

"Alright."She didn't argue, she knew when his mind was made up. There was a short, sharp chime and the charwoman he was leaning on had blond fuzz and blench blanched skin. Of course, she was supposed to be dead. Trust her to remember details even at a prison term like this. They stepped outside the bound of the Montgomery Ward and apparated, the cold and pressing nullity once more enclosing him.

He stepped out himself onto the Gunter Grass before the logic gate and allowed himself to be led up the long track to the castling. Corridors passed and Snape realized he was being led to his quarters. good. The rampart are warded so no one will hear. As they reached the door Snape pushed it heart-to-heart and went directly to the John Barleycorn cabinet. He poured himself a whisky and drunk it down, wincing at the burn in his throat.

"Ghost Vinca minor Henderson."Snape called out softly. Ghosts could always hear their public figure. A few instant later the vague material body of Moaning Myrtle sunk out of the ceiling.

"Why did you call me ?"She asked impudently."I don ‘ t answer to you."

"I called you because the house elves study to Dumbledore as do the former ghost. I need these words to be private."Snape snapped quickly."I need you to add professor Michelson down here and I need you to severalise no one."

"You can't order me ar-"

"It is about Harry."

"Oh. Oh ..."Vinca minor nodded fervently and shot back up through the pit. Snape turned to Natalie, now back to looking like her old self, waiting patiently.

"You don ‘ t have to tell me."She said understandingly."I understand if it ‘ s something you want to go along to yourself. After all Dumbledore-"

"Was wrong."Snape cut her off."And I will enjoin you. If nothing else I need your help to realize sensation of it."Snape took a deep breath and began explaining. He could possess just given her the memories but he didn't want her to get the shock he had. It didn't actually take that long to explain, in the end it was so wide-eyed. When he was finished she just sat there, staring at him. As if willing him to jump up and yell ‘ fooled you ! ’, but knowing he would not.

"This ... this changes everything."She said breathlessly.

"It changes nothing."Snape gritted his teeth."We still need to help Harry."

"You ‘ re decent, we still do. But it changes everything else Severus. Everything else. You can not deny that it does."

"No. No I can not."

They fell into silence as the door was pushed open up. Markus Michelson strode in, looking around the minor elbow room quickly.

"The ghost said this was about Harry."He said, still glancing around as if Harry would spring from a buffet."Do you know where he is ?"

"No, but I have ... I have left the order to seek for him. To help him with what he is trying to do. If I can."Snape fixed the early man in the eye."I know you ‘ ve been teaching him. I would take account your help."

"fountainhead finally !"Michelson threw up his arms."I was beginning to recall I was the only one in this situation with my question on straight."

"You are not far wrong."Snape shrugged.

"So what does this induce us ?"Natalie smiled."The purchase order of the Kneasle ?"

"The society of the Nundu more like."Michelson cracked his knuckles.

"You know, I think it makes us marauders."Snape smiled faintly."James potter must be spinning in his grave."



one-half of my critique seem to take in disappeared ... very sad ... : (

You all have to critique twice now to make up for it. If you do bequeath a revaluation then a fairy will chew the fat you while you sleep and sprinkle fairy dust on you. The fairy detritus won't do magic or let you fly or anything but it'll be very pretty.


Harry thrower and the idiot kid : Chapter 5 : The nighttime market

Harry travels to obtain information.




This reporter has some shocking news. News that will chance on you, good reader, to your very core. Harry ceramist has been declared a unsafe vigilante by the ministry. Yes, Harry Potter the-boy-who-lived, is a manslayer. According to ministry officials Harry has been responsible for at least six last and possibly more !

curate Fudge was quoted as saying ‘ Yes, well this is shocking but not entirely unexpected. Just look at his actions during the Triwizard tourney, the boy stole a ship for Merlin's sake. He's always been a loose cannon that boy has.'

This annunciation came at the same time as his official exclusion from Hogwarts school of witchery and wizardry.
*


The marauders looked at each other along the farsighted tabular array in the slap-up hall. None of them said 'Is this a joke ?'or 'No way'or anything naively childish like that. They were past that. They had all known, on some grade, that this was possible. Maybe even inevitable.

'' alteration nothing. '' Fred was the for the first time to speak. `` It 's all bollocs so it changes null. ``

'' This is looney ! Do they think we 're stupid ? '' Ron was almost spluttering in ira. `` No one 's gon na consider any of this ! ``

'' I almost regard masses did. '' Hermione was shaking her point as she peered down at the nominal head page article.

'' What ! You want people to trust Harry 's a- '' Ron rounded on her, about to let informal, but Ginny held up a hand to bring him up short. He was still fuming though and said, More reasonably. `` Maybe you should excuse that input. ``

'' Because no one will believe it Ronald. '' Hermione bit her lip worriedly. `` Or at least many people wo n't. And people will blame the ministry. People will hate the ministry for attacking their hero. ``

'' Remember the debauchery terminal year ? '' Padma said darkly. `` Imagine that. Except very much worse. ``

'' Oh ... '' Ron 's face fell. `` I guess that is bad. ``

'' It changes cypher. '' Malfoy said sharply. `` Not really. We all knew this was a possibility. ``

'' Right, '' Ginny nodded, putting on her loss leader human face. `` He 's mighty. All this does is wee what we 're doing even more pressing. ``

They all nodded, they had been training ever since they had got back to hogwarts a month ago.
*


His description has been given to every ministry law enforcement official and hit wizard. His position on the ministry 's desire list is only a few position short of the known dying feeder !

According to the ministry Harry 's M.O. is to use poison to do his dirty work. A poison there is no roll in the hay counterpoison to.

Harry 's description is known to every ace and witch alive but you should be aware that he may be in disguise.
*


'' This is Dumbledore 's doing. '' Natalie shook her head as she slid the composition over to Snape. Michelson had already flicked his copy closed and was staring at it angrily, as if blaming the newspaper itself. Snape sighed, he had already read the offending article.

'' Dumbledore undoubtedly had a hired hand in it. '' Snape tried to stop his ire rising to the control surface. Keep it under wraps, save it for when it was needed. `` Perhaps he thinks he can scare Harry back to him. ``

'' Then he does n't know Harry. '' Michelson stood and began pacing angrily, obviously he felt no need to prevent his ire under wraps. `` This 'll just make Harry even more trusted that everyone 's against him ! ``

'' Undoubtedly. '' Snape flicked through the rest of the newspaper. `` At least there is some respectable intelligence ... ''
*


Harry may be active in Leeds. Yesterday the ministry was handed an anonymous tip that led them to a sign of the zodiac there that had been converted to home dark creatures. No death eater were caught ( perhaps the trunk are hidden elsewhere ! ) but the cellar was a nest of lethifolds, swarming in the darkness in phone number never before seen on British soil. I do not need to evidence you, good reader, that if they had been unleashed they would possess caused untold destruction. The lethifolds have been disposed of by the ministry.

There is no proof that Harry was there but a liaison in the aurors place said that they were investigating the possibility.

Harry is to be considered as dangerous as any last eater. Perhaps more so.
*


Harry dumped the newspaper in a crank can. It did n't topic anymore. He coughed roughly, clutching at his venter. It did n't matter if the ministry caught him so long as he did what he had to do first. What the hellhole did he manage what everybody else thought ? It just signify he had to be more careful.

Harry shoved off the wall and flicked his hood up before walking off down he alleyway. There was still workplace to do.
*


'' Is it true ? ``

Ginny turned at the sound, the angry and forceful audio. The marauder spun with her, almost in synchronizing. Cho Changjiang stepped back fearfully. In her denial the marauders now keep down eleven, filling the hall with uniform anger. They had also all drawn their sceptre at the same metre as she spoke, in response to the possible threat.

They must take in truly looked like an army.

Cho had frozen in piazza, anger turned to out silence. Ginny stepped forward.

'' Of course it 's not avowedly. '' She said simply. `` How can you even ask that ? ``

'' I just ... '' Cho swallowed, fear still flickering across her cheek. `` Is Harry Ok ? ``

'' We do n't know. ``

'' Where is he ? ``

'' We do n't know. ``

'' Does he need help ? ``

'' We do n't lie with. We 're trying to avail him. '' Ginny said curtly. She was beginning to get tired of Cho 's stupid questions. Ginny turned to leave when Cho broke in,

'' Well I want to help oneself too ! '' Ginny felt a little mental groan. That was just what she needed, a complaining pretty-girl in the membership. A constant soreness at best, a liability at defective. Cho went on, `` I 'm older than you, and I 'm a Ravenclaw. I must know lots of spells you do n't get laid yet ! You should let me join. ``

'' No you do n't you self-important snooty ... '' Ginny clamped her mouth shut and took a deep calming breath. `` This is n't the crashing gobstones club. You ca n't just join on a whim. We 're training to defend, really fight. Fight decease eaters. ``

'' I know that. '' Cho looked down her nose arrogantly. `` If you can do it then I can too. ``

'' You do n't sympathise ! You ... '' Ginny gritted her dentition tight together again before turning to the predator. `` balloting. All of us. I vote no. ``

The marauders glanced about between them. Some of them had obviously been thinking of voting yes before she made her feelings so abundantly authorise. After some embarrassed shuffling Draco stepped forward, eyeing Cho up and down silently. Ginny felt another squirt of bile hike in her gut.

'' You accept the fact that you could die ? '' Draco asked flatly. Cho nodded, her middle wide of the mark. genus Draco looked into her eyes for a moment, Ginny thought she heard him mutter something under his breathing space. Draco cocked his head to the side and asked another question. `` Do you swallow the fact that you have to guide monastic order from Ginny ? ``

YES ! take up that you bitch ! Ginny was shocked at the storey of glee her subconscious mind threw up at that interrogative sentence. If her subconscious was happy with the question, her entire mental capacity grinned when Cho grimaced and nodded.

'' Fine. '' Draco shrugged. `` We need More citizenry. I vote yes. If she does n't exercise out we can always make her leave. ``

'' We vote yes. '' Fred said, shrugging. His counterpart added, `` Sorry Ginny. ``

'' I ... yes. '' Parvati nodded, a little hesitantly.

'' No. '' Padma shook her head, earning her a offend glance from her sister. `` We do n't need her. No intellect to select on another labor when we do n't want her. ``

'' Look just put your custody up. '' Ginny said tiredly. `` work force for no ? ``

Three hands rose, herself, Padma and Hermione. Ginny 's tum dropped, this did n't look good.

'' For yes ? ``

basketball team hands were raised. Ron had followed his older sidekick. Ginny turned to silent three remainders.

'' Neville, Anna, Terry ? '' Neville shifted uncomfortably and the Baker twins looked at the storey. `` You need to vote. ``

'' I do n't require to vote. '' Neville said quietly.

'' And we 're new. '' Anna shrugged. `` We 'll let you decide. ``

'' You see ! '' Cho said triumphantly. `` I 'm in ! ``

Ginny turned slowly, it was done. Time to make the best of it.

'' amercement. Meet us here after lessons today. ``

'' Today ? But I 've got quidditch practice. ``

I know. Ginny did n't say it, but she so wanted to. `` This is more important than quidditch. We all understand that. You need to. ``

With that she turned and strode away. She hoped Cho would n't turn up tonight. That would really make her day.

Ginny survived herbology with a book of curses propped up against a plant pot. She did the Lapplander in defense, professor Albert Michelson was being oddly blind to the transgression of the marauder. After the moral were done she slammed her books away and dashed for the door. She ran for the meeting place but slowed down before she got there. She would n't come all covered in sweat and breathing hard. She would n't give Cho the satisfa ...

Cho was n't alone.

Ginny stopped with the marauder a few paces away from the newcomers. Lucy Kingston stood by her Ravenclaw friend with her boyfriend, Joshua Split, standing on her other side. The two ex-Slytherin Gryffindors, Vanessa and Elizabeth stood in front end of him, eyeing Malfoy warily. It irked Ginny that all of them were here. It irked her more that they were probably the people she would sustain chosen to admit to the marauders herself. stupe Cho.

'' You told them. '' She tried to make her articulation come out icily furious, hoping it did n't just sound petulant. `` You told all of them. What the underworld do you think- ''

'' I do n't tell them ! '' Cho interrupted her. `` Everyone in the schooling is talking about the news about Harry, and everybody knows you lot are doing something underground. They just ... ''

'' We eavesdropped. '' Split interrupted. `` We want to serve Harry too. ``

'' This is getting preposterous. '' Padma muttered from the depths of the marauders.

'' We heard what you asked Cho. '' Split went on. `` And we understand the peril. Lets face it, if you trust him, '' split up jerked his chin towards Malfoy. `` You have to trust us. ``

'' I do n't accept to trust any of you. '' full, that sounded like Harry. `` Listen I do n't care what you say. We 're going to train now. If you can celebrate up you can stay, we do n't have time to slow down for you. ``

'' mulct with us ... madam sergeant. '' split added sarcastically.

'' Idiots. '' Ginny muttered as she led the amassed swarm off down the corridor.
*


'' Listen. ``

Malfoy stopped and turned towards Split. The older boy had halted them just outside the entree to the vulture attic, everyone else was already inside.

'' Yes ? '' Malfoy said evenly. `` Can I assist you ? ``

'' I just want you to know we 're here for Harry. '' Split said challengingly. `` We do n't rely you. We do n't forgive you. ``

'' You 're here for the Same reason I am then. ``

'' Whatever. '' split shook his head. `` God knows why she trusts you. Let alone ... well you know. ``

'' I know what ? '' Malfoy looked around in confusion. `` She who ? ``

'' You do n't know ? '' Split almost seemed to smile. `` half-wit. ``

'' She who ? ``

'' I expect she 'll let you know in her own time. ``

'' She who ? ``
*


Harry pushed his way out of the old store he had flued into and a blast of heating hit his look. He dragged a broad brimmed hat out of his bag and pulled it low over his eyes. Ah, that was better. His coating and it 's various fascination would have kept his soundbox sang-froid but it would have looked incredibly blatant here. He winced in the harsh light and shucked his bag up on his shoulders before setting off along the dark tarmac street.

Muggles walked past him without a arcsecond thought, jabbering to each other in Gallic. The emphasis was very different from what he was used to but that was only to be expected. Harry had learnt Daniel Chester French in Switzerland and only talk it to the scholarly person of Beauxbatons. Harry idly wondered if his French had a Swiss accent mark or an English one.

No subject, he was in Marrakech, thousands of miles from France or England. He would remain firm out as a foreigner whatever he did. No power point trying to blend in with the local anesthetic, much safe to just await like another pudding head tourist. There were one or two others around. Harry picked up his footstep as he crossed the street and into the souk.

Why is it that I always find myself in snarl ? Harry thought to himself chuckling as he skirted around a stall of vegetable and slid through the crowd of shoppers. The muggle souk was bad enough, a gigantic rabbit warren of streets and alleyways full of shops and food market booth selling everything from spicery to electronics. Harry kept on an unerring form through it, it was n't his destination.

Hopefully he knew where his goal was, his information was sketchy at best.

Harry came to the cubicle he wanted, a dark hole in the wall selling decrepit and moth eaten clothing. He took a black t-shirt with a adept on it off the wheel and glanced at the aging shopkeeper. There was a barely perceptible nod. Harry stepped behind a projection screen, a rough changing elbow room, and pulled the curtain shut. He held the shirt up and tapped the star twice. With a sharp groaning the floor began to mash slowly downwards.

Harry tried not to tint the sides of the stone passageway as the hatchway at the top got further and further away. Ten cadence ... XX .... thirty .... forty- clunk. Harry snapped to aid as the level stopped descending. The stone in movement of him cleave apart slowly, light spilled in, and air. The smells ... every scent imaginable, burning at the stake, beast, food of every kind, incense made of spun lightning, every olfactory property a thaumaturge with no paying attention for the Pentateuch of chemistry could make hung in the air as Harry stepped out of the drear ingress into the under-souk, the iniquity market.

Knockturn alley had nothing on this place.

Harry looked up at the roof a far above, mosaics kaleidoscoped over the rounded surface, changing every moment. There were no wall for as far as Harry could see, just pillars dotted around. In no rule Harry could see. Every one as wide-cut as an oak, twisted and gouged and splaying up into that howling roof. Disappearing into it. And down at background spirit level ? It was untellable. Every kind of store, every sort of carrel. Some sellers just sitting of a mat, arrays of nursing bottle out in nominal head of them. Others had displays that looked like insane and un-feasible pop up volume, everything spilling out of everything else. The noise was deafening, risky than up above because the noise of sparking spells and fuming potions was added to the general dissonance of multitude, and there was the occasional screech as another shopper was brought down by one of the entrances.

There was no finding your way in this place. Not unless you grew up down here. Harry scanned the surface area while walking sedately forwards. Many stalls had tall flagpoles to identify them from far away, he was looking for ... ah. Harry spotted the flag he was looking for and headed for it, surreptitiously checking his camouflage as he did so. Harry flicked a black robe out of his bag and threw it over his shoulder joint. Like this he looked like about thirty, maybe more, with recollective black pilus and a mysterious scar on his cheek. Threatening, but not obvious.

Harry smelt his name and address before he got there. The smell of animals and animal dung beating out the other aroma more and more the closer he got. He came to an open place in the grocery, a place where the cubicle had been pushed aside to have room for rank upon social status of cages. Harry recognized some of the creature in them, others were a enigma, all he gave a wide-eyed birth. The cage seemed almost stupidly stout, surely they used unbreakable charms. Surely they did ...

Harry felt himself edging away and forced himself to calm down. He looked into one of the cages, a monstrosity made of whole I-beams, and saw the eye of a flying lizard staring back at him. Somehow they must have stopped it flaming, they must experience. Harry stepped calmly up the rough desk at the end of the cages. It was surrounded by bags of what looked like some sort of feed. An average bird cage sat on the corner with a diminished halcyon bird fluffing its feathers. The heavily bearded and mustachioed man sat behind it looked up as he approached.

'' Yes ? '' He asked in easy English. `` Are you look for something ? ``

'' My name is Jack cayman. I have come for you to tell me the progress of an order. '' Harry pulled back his sleeve, revealing the dark mark. The shopkeeper recoiled, glancing about fearfully.

'' Put that away ! '' He gestured wildly. Harry calmly rolled his sleeve back down.

'' You have nothing to fear. '' Harry said airily. `` Not while you do the darkness lord 's work. ``

'' Why you come here ? '' The man 's eyes were still shifting nervously. `` All on schedule. ``

'' There have been some problems at the former end. ``

'' Not my demerit. '' The seller shook his head. `` Got them safe to you. You lose them after it not my fracture. ``

'' Of course not. '' Harry smiled in an uncomforting way. `` You mistake me. I merely meant that we have ground to involve to make surely this legal transfer goes smoothly. There can be no fault. You understand. ``

'' Of course, of course. '' The man nodded rapidly. `` Do not care. You can tell your original not to care. Everything is ok. ``

'' Where are the animate being now ? ``

'' They are on ship. '' The man shuffled back to his desk and sat down. `` Loaded on two days ago. ``

Damnit, Harry cursed inwardly. It would have been so much prosperous if they were still on dry land.

'' Tell me their trend. '' Harry leant down threateningly. `` My superior is thinking of sending some hoi polloi to ensure there are no ... misunderstanding. ``

'' No misunderstanding. '' The man nodded again, dragging a map out of a drawer in his desk. `` No mistake. ``

Harry smiled, people were so dolt when they thought you were going to drink down them.
*


Harry dropped back onto British grease and immediately flued again to stave in off any pursuit. He walked the final stage long walk to the abandoned theatre he was staying in and pushed the door open. It was dark inside, the Windows covered by anti-vandal plate put up by the police. It was vacuous, not even a chairman when he had first arrived. But it was clean and the water was still running. Harry slouched down against the rampart and collapsed. yearn day. He reached over and picked up a bottle of pep up potion. He uncorked it and let some squelch into his mouth. This was his moment back breaker today. It was growing gruelling to keep going ... the sickness ...

Harry shook his head, no use dwelling on it. Back to work. He spread the map out in forepart of him on the floor and roughly arranged them out into a approximative friction match to the coast of Africa and Europe. The maps were seriously old, like everything else wizards had, and some of the area had the wrong names. One of them had a big 'here be firedrake'warning written in the middle of the Atlantic. Knowing that it was a whizz map it might well be true.

Harry sighed as he looked at the prison term that were written on different checkpoints on the map. The ship was old too, or looked it. The man had sketched a rough in draftsmanship of it. It resembled nothing more than a jumbo wooden brick with small sails that surely could never impel it too fast. Of course it would be propelled by magic, if not it would just be stupid, but it would still charter almost a month to get up from Africa. Could be take it in the midsection of the sea ? Harry shuddered at the idea. Besides the coursing fear at the very thought process it was impractical to bring up. How would he even get on board the ship ? How would he even find it on the blank featureless sea ?

Harry trawled over the maps again, was there any seat where it came close to land ? Was there any ... ambush spot ?

Oh of line ! There 's this big tree in the middle of the ocean that you can hide behind. Sharks use it all the time to enamour seals.

Harry sat back tiredly, this was going to be harder than he thought. His eyelids felt so arduous ... sleep ...

Harry glanced around, he was in a business firm. A flak crackled warmly on the hearth, throwing faint fantasm on the clean blue walls. The pictures on the walls, a redheaded woman, a man with a companion face. Harry shook his head, it was a dream. He had had it before. He walked towards the doorway and pushed it open hurrying out of the house and into the neat garden. He glanced back, the cottage was as it always was. The cottage at Godrics holler. Harry shuddered, every prison term his dreaming put him in this place he had an undeniable urge to leave. It was like putting your hand in a bucket of wriggling worms, a crawling sensation over his integral skin. And yet his dreams brought his back here again and again and again.

Harry hugged his coat of arms to his chest. Maybe this would be one of the good Night, the nighttime when he managed to escape. There was a forest out there somewhere, a woods of apple tree diagram, their flush filling the air. When he could recover that in his dream he slept well, he slept comfortably. But for every one of those there would be one of the bad I, when the house kept drawing him back. He didn't even want to call back about what had happened once, when the river had come for him.

Harry pulled himself together with a force out of will. Those apple trees weren't going to find oneself themselves. He was about to set off when a flutter phone reached his ear. Harry spent a second wondering if it was some new unpleasantness the dream was throwing at him before he realized it was coming from outside.

Harry woke with a start and was on his feet in a instant, wand in hand. He relaxed when he saw that the strait was coming from a small whiten bird trying to contract in through the bottom of the windowpane. The bird twittered then flickered back outdoors. It took Harry a moment to understand it had left something behind, a minor fold up piece of paper.

Interesting. Especially considering no one should be able-bodied to reach me here.

Harry stood and hesitantly poked the newspaper with his wand. It did nothing. He prodded it again. Still nothing. He flicked it on the floor and folded it open with the end of a fork. He bent down and read it without touching it.

Harry

I once told you to follow your own path if you thought it was right. You seem to feature taken that advice to heart. I can not and will not say that your choice is wrong, it may be, it may not be, I do not have it away. But you can not demolish yourself for the sake of this battle. Do not. Your friends worry about you. They are as I write this working to aid you. Training as hard as you ever did. You are not alone no matter how much you fight to make it so. There are people that will suffer if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you.

I can not bid you any data about Voldemort 's plans or whereabouts. I am constrained by the formula of my order. I would break them for you but it would do no thoroughly. I would be found out farsighted before I could divine anything for you.

The but helper I can give you I have already given. I wish I could do more Harry, you must consider that.

Remember to have on the pendent.

DO NOT DIE.

Pythea.

Harry picked the small piece of parchment up carefully and slipped it into his breast sac. His hand stayed there a moment longer, pressing it into his chest, before he took a mysterious breath and let it out.

Do not die.

He did not stand for to, but it had always been a possibility. And no subject how often mass would suffer if he died they would suffer more if Voldemort was left alive. Harry had a strong urge to take the letter back out and register it once again, or maybe twice or three multiplication. But no, he had work to do. waitress ... something in the varsity letter tugged at his mind. Maybe there was a way.
*


Malfoy snorted as Cho was sent flying across the room. The new recruits were trying to hold back up, they were just failing. He turned away, they were useless, just a waste of prison term for the rest of them. The vulture themselves ? Draco managed a pocket-size smile for that, they were progressing nicely. They could fight. They could fight as a squad. They could fight down on their own. They could fight back like kneazles in a sack if they needed to. And they would demand to.

He moved over to a pile of faded boxes and ran his fingers over a farseeing, thin, greyness cloak inside. The Weasley twins claimed they could turn them into temp invisibility cloaks with some More practice session. Dragon did n't doubt it. The charms would n't last for more than a day or two but that was all they needed. They could just respell them afterwards. Shield charm graced the night Lady Jane Grey crownwork in the next box, enough to discourage minor hexes. In the beginning it had just been a way to stock the charms, the same as an amulet or a ring. tintinnabulation of invisibility were plebeian enough even though they were hideously hard to make and protective talisman were ten a penny. But the clothes were easier for the Weasleys to crop, and the night Second Earl Grey made them inconspicuous at Night. That had been the beginning, but now it almost seemed more ... Like they were becoming an Army in verity, they had uniforms. Anapurna had wanted to stitch little Ms onto the clothing as a symbol of the vulture but Ginny had n't let her. waste of time, too conspicuous too. genus Draco smiled again, it did n't matter if the clothes were plain grey or pink with lilliputian snitches. Either way by the end they would have an group of inconspicuous, shielded, deadly fighters.

Invincible cutthroat bastards. Marauders to the nub. Harry would suffer been proud. At to the lowest degree, Draco hoped he would be.

'' genus Draco ! '' Ron yelled. `` respite time 's up get back here. ``

'' I 'm coming Weasley period shouting. '' Draco gritted his teeth, all of his brawn hurt. Never judgement. `` binding to ferment. ``

'' stop consonant. I need to talk to you. ``

The phonation came out of nowhere. The predator twisted towards it, wands out. The duel ceased, every eye widened in shock.

'' I heard somebody was raising an United States Army. '' Harry quirked an eyebrow. `` I find myself in need of an army. Is this one for hire ? ``

'' Hire ? '' George let out a laugh. `` Harry this is your army. ``

'' trade good, I should get a discount. ``

The vulture broke and all began talking at once, it was a happy storm of sound with Harry laughing in the center. genus Draco stayed silent, he glanced over at Ginny, also staying back. She nodded to him, her mouth a voiceless line. She had realized too. Harry had n't come back for a happy reunion. He would n't have. He had come because he needed them. This would be the first job of the army.

'' Harry ... '' Draco cleared his throat. The green eye of the boy who lived fell on him. `` What is it you want the army for ? ``

'' Oh ... that. '' Harry reached into his bag. `` Do you give a table ? ``

Draco pointed the way and Harry pulled a huge bed sheet of sheepskin out of his bag. Harry laid them down on the rough surface of the end surviving table in the attic. It looked like a whale copy of a map.

'' There 's a ship. '' Harry traced it 's path along a foresightful line on the map. `` It 's stuffed to the gills with dark brute. Direct to the shadow lord. Hundreds, including a lot that we really do n't want him getting his hands on. It 's not going to make larboard before United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it 's going to be far out to sea. No portkeys, no labial pipe, only way there is to fly. ``

'' That 's why you need us. '' Padma said thoughtfully.

'' Yeah, kind of. '' Harry hung his caput. `` I can just about manage to fly in a unbent argument. Slowly. But out over water system ? With the wind and maybe tempest and ... and over water. And when I might suffer to seduce a quick exit ? No. I need getaway driver. ``

'' I thought you wanted us to fight. '' Ron said, disappointedly. Harry 's eyes narrowed, he opened his sassing but Ginny cut in.

'' We 're here for whatever Harry needs us for Ron. '' She snapped. `` You should lie with that. ``

'' I ... right. ``

'' Right. '' Ginny nodded sharply. Draco half expected Ron to salute. Ginny turned back to Harry. `` What sort of dark puppet are we talking about ? ``

'' Various kinds of smutty. '' Harry was looking between Ginny and Ron curiously. `` muckle of puppet. ``

'' mantiger ? '' Hermione added.

'' Yes ... '' Harry looked at a list jotted at the tooshie of the map. `` Six of them. ``

Draco glanced at the list and let out a startled oath. They could not let this ship reach land. Even if they had to turn a loss half the army to do it. The Cerberus had to be juvenile person at to the lowest degree, no one could englut six replete grown ones into a ship. Unless it had been magically expanded. Which it almost certainly had. They could not let that ship orbit land.

'' We need to get on that ship. '' He heard himself saying, his voice a petty breathless. `` We could fly on, or ... or ... ''

'' Go onto it ? '' Harry let out a harsh laugh. `` That would be pretty dangerous. ``

'' Because of the creature ? ``

'' Because I 'm going to sink it. ``



This is the last chapter of setup, I promise. From now to the end of the Koran is perfect adrenalin-fueled plot.


I do n't own Harry thrower. I do however own some Malva sylvestris. Which is just as good.



'' Sink it ? '' Hermione 's voice was a shrill, disbelieving whine.

Ginny felt like slamming her script up to her forehead. Of course of instruction Harry would want to sink the ship, it was the simplest, easiest, answer if you did n't give care about the consequences.

'' But ... but ... `` Terry Baker raised his hand slowly as if he were in class.

'' Yes unexpected-addition-1. '' Harry nodded pleasantly.

'' Are n't there the great unwashed on the ship ? ``

'' Yes, but they 'll be wizards, they can just apparate to prop. They wo n't be killed. ``

'' How about the creatures ? '' Ron asked, scratching his pass. `` Wo n't they just swim to set ashore ? ``

'' Damnit ! '' Harry clicked his fingers. `` Foiled again ! If only somebody had stuffed them in big metal cages for conveyance. Then they 'd sink straight to the rump. ``

'' How are you planning to go down it anyway ? '' Fred asked, eagerness clearly seeable in his eyes.

'' Well, I plan to blow a big hole in it underneath the water origin. Then I 'm going to put another big hole in it underneath the water blood line. And if that does n't work I 'm going to put a third- ''

'' This is a necromancer sauceboat I assume Harry. '' Draco interrupted. `` Putting a yap in it may not be as easy as you think. It 'll have all sorts of charms and trade protection. ``

'' I can bypass them. ``

'' Without the multitude on the ship realizing ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Really ? ``

'' Yes. '' Harry folded his weaponry. `` I have thought about this Draco. I have planned this. ``

The bean became mute again. Ginny could feel the cogs moving in people 's heads. They were all thinking how far they were unforced to go. The marauders ... well they were probably in. The others ? They had signed up to crusade last eaters not commit turn of act of terrorism. How did she stand on this ? On equaliser ... with Harry. Those fauna could not be allowed to reach shore.

'' We ca n't do this. '' Padma was shaking her head. `` We ca n't pass it. ``

'' You running away ? '' Harry was looking at her in revulsion. `` You want to just let them eject that kind of- ''

'' No of course of study not ! '' Padma interrupted him. `` But you have n't thought of everything. ``

'' Oh yeah ? Well what have I missed ? ``

'' The statute of secrecy. '' Padma looked down at the map, perhaps just to avoid meeting people 's heart. `` If we do this they 'll be this giant wreck with triad headed skeleton in the cupboard and they could float to the aerofoil or get into the gulf stream or divers could notice them. Not to mention that someone 's going to notice a giant exploding ship off the coast. Even if we tell the ministry afterwards they ca n't pull off this form of cleanup, not on this weighing machine. No one can. It 'll be worse than Roswell. Keeping magic secret from muggles, the statute of secrecy, is the one affair both face of this war agree on. If we break it then they 're going to come out breaking it and then we 're going to be really screwed. ``

Harry leant back, rocking back on the testis of his feet. He bit his lip. mentation. The marauders held their breath.

'' Ok. '' Harry spun the map to face Padma. `` devote me another option. ``

'' We control board the ship. Incapacitate the crew. vote down the beast. '' Padma said definitively. `` If I 'm reading this right the ship only a dozen mass on it. No demise eaters. well-nigh of them are just there to keep the animals in check. Should n't be too hard to daze them. ``

'' And the beast ? '' Harry asked quizzically. `` Some of them are n't easy to kill. ``

'' The putting to death nemesis. '' Gasps rose from the army. `` It 'll kill everything on this lean. ``

'' Is n't it an instant life sentence ? '' Cho choked out.

'' Only when used against humans. '' Padma replied calmly at the same time as Harry said,

'' Only if soul finds out. But would n't any underage legerdemain be detected."

"Not in international waters."

'' And the ship ? '' Harry asked. `` If we just leave it drifting wo n't that be against the legislative act of secrecy ? ``

'' We leave the gang on it. They can get it so a safe whizz seaport. ``

'' Hmm ... '' Harry folded his arms and looked at Padma appraisingly. `` That ... could ... work. It would be more difficult, more speculative ... more fun ... but it could work. ``

Ginny felt a grin. This was the almost like the old Harry back again. certain they were planning an act of massive piracy rather than a joke but it was Harry back again.

'' We can split up. '' Harry continued. `` transmit a duad of people down to the weewee to wait. The rest of us go in. If we can take the crowd out and wipe out the animals we do. If not ? We default back to my plan and the people in the water bumble it to smithereens. We worry about the fallout later. ``

Ginny took a deeply breathing spell and halfway through realized that nigh of the piranha were looking at her. Her throat closed up and she almost coughed up her lungs. They were still looking to her, even though Harry was back. Harry was the general they all knew that, but maybe ... maybe she was the serjeant or something.

'' Who can drown ? '' It was literally the outset matter that popped into her head. `` Who can swim really well ? ``

Anapurna 's hand shot up instantly smiling, the two baker children volunteered sluggish maybe still a little hesitant, finally rip shrugged and lacklusterly raised his arm.

'' Four people. '' Ginny looked down at the map, at the piffling sketch of the ship. `` We can put ... two each in the water near the front and back. ``

'' Prow and stern. '' Draco murmured. She glared at him.

'' Near the figurehead and back. '' Ginny continued. `` Everybody else terra firma on the figurehead. ``

'' On the vertebral column. '' Harry disagreed. `` Here, in the steering bit with the wheel. ``

'' bridge. ``

'' Shut up. We land on the steery bit and admit everybody out quickly. '' Harry pointed at Dragon. `` You stay there and prevent the ship on grade. You can do that ? You know the right name calling for the steery roulette wheel and the buttons and poppycock. Yes. Good. You stay there, the rest of us go down to the cabins and stun everybody, shoot down the brute. leave. We keep the brooms handy so that if something goes wrong we miko the swimmers and fly out of there. ``

'' Sounds like a design. '' Ginny nodded.

'' Right. '' Harry reached over and drew a big crossbreeding on the map over a beacon light, right down on the Dixie glide of Cornwall."I will fulfill you here."

"Meet us ?"Ron scratched his head.

"The ship ‘ s not reaching us for another month."Harry shrugged."You don ‘ t expect me to advert around here the all time. Dumbledore ‘ s out for the day but I think he ‘ ll notice if I start appearing on his picayune map."

"I thought-"

"You thought I was back."Harry finished for him."fountainhead I ‘ m not. There ‘ s still death eater ‘ s out there. Still work to be done. take aim up, be quick, and I ‘ ll meet you there. hold open the map, I ‘ ve got copies. But don ‘ t let anyone see it. Goes without saying. And appear up how to fight all these things."Harry turned towards the door. He disillusioned himself with a flick of the wrist joint, and a moment later he was gone.

"Well,"Malfoy said dryly."I guess we have work to do."
*


"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron drew his stifle up to his breast. He and Hermione were in the library, the factual library, not the noggin. They were on research duty and had about eight billion books out in movement of them on every kind of wizardly creature, trawling through them for the utilitarian ones. There weren't many. The Hogwarts library for some ground didn't have books on how to massacre caged animals. Ron thought it was useless, they had already decided to use the killing curse, but apparently Harry wanted to be prepared so ...

"Hmm ?"Hermione hadn't looked up from the Brobdingnagian rule book in front of her.

"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron repeated."Harry."

"Shush !"Hermione put a fingerbreadth to her lips."We ‘ re not supposed to babble about him where people could hear !"

"No one ‘ s listening."Ron rolled his eyes."We're sitting on the floor in the trammel section of the library, at midnight, under a impermanent invisibleness cloak."

"It ‘ s not an inaudibility cloak."Hermione hissed.

"Hermione no one is here."

"Just keep reading."Hermione looked back down at her Holy Scripture."I ‘ m not doing all this myself."

"I'd have thought you ‘ d jumping at the chance."Ron smirked."With all the grooming it must be ages since you studied anything."

"Yes ..."Hermione bit her lip."And the hooter are later this year ..."

"What we ‘ re doing now is more important."

"Yes. Yes I know."Hermione shrugged noncommittally."It ‘ s just ... well there ‘ s the rest of our lives to think about. What about after the war ends ? What then ?"

"looking at at it this way. If Voldemort destroys the ministry he'll probably destroy the Wizarding testing potency too."

"That doesn ‘ t help."Hermione stared at him angrily. Ron felt his hackles rising, another fighting brewing. But they couldn't conflict, not here.

"You ‘ re here because if you weren ‘ t here you ‘ d look guilty for not being here."Ron blurted."And you could be somewhere else but you ‘ d be thinking about being here so it wouldn ‘ t even matter that you were there because you wouldn ‘ t be capable to reduce because you ‘ d be thinking about here and him and Voldemort will kill everyone. Even worse you ‘ d get bad grades because you ‘ d be feeling guilty."Ron ran out of breath.

Hermione's backtalk hung open, mid yell. She opened and shut it a few times before coming out with,

"Shush. the great unwashed will get wind you."

I won. Ron smiled as he flicked a random book of account open.
*


"I am perturb Severus."

Snape stayed silent. He could not recall of a safe response.

"I should be winning this war."

Still no safe response.

"And yet things are not progressing as well as they should be."The shadow Creator was staring out into the darkness through a faded window. They were in another nondescript and abandoned building. Snape felt his skin crawling, he had been summoned alone. That was worrying.

"The ministry grows weaker every day."Snape volunteered.

"It grows more frightful each day."Voldemort tapped his digit on the glass."reverence can be my weapon system, but it can also knead against me. They retreat, they place more guards, they make it more unmanageable for me to give what I seek. Do the order still proceed a guard on the section of mysteries Severus ?"

"Yes my lord."For all I know they could have stopped, not in all likelihood though.

"At this breaker point the easy way to bring in accession to it may simply be to crush the ministry entirely."He was still staring out the windowpane. If Snape didn't know safe he would cogitate the wickedness lord was worried.

"If you wish to crush the ministry perhaps we could use the sniffy curse-"

"No !"The dark lord snapped."No Severus, no more sly maneuvering in the shadow. No Thomas More corruption. I tire of it. I tire of it ‘ s inadequacy. I should not have to influence from the shadows. Do you not imagine so ?"

"I always work in the shadows Lord."

"Yes ... yes you do."The dark lord narrowed his eyes."The Potter boy is a problem."

Snape gritted his dentition. He had to call up fast to keep up with these lightning fast modification of pace.

"The thrower boy has always been a problem."Snape said diffidently."But he is just one person."

"He has caused me a great quite a little of bother for one individual. I would once again order his death but ... I fear it would do no good."

"He wants to bolt down you."Snape said, letting his mouth relocation as his mind worked."We could set some kind of trap."

"With your Jehovah as lure ?"The shadow lord's voice was not angry, he knew that that was not what Snape meant. This was actually what passed for banter.

"Of course not my Lord. I apologize."That had been what the dark Creator expected to hear.

"Is there any advance with the toxin Severus ? The one that has been killing so many of our friends ?"

"Not a peachy deal my lord."Severus bowed his chief. He had no hassle feigning pity at not being able to find out the enigma of the cryptical toxin."It is very strange. I can not separate a individual ingredient out. It is almost as if the poison was not brewed at all."

"Explain."

"As if it came directly from a creature."Though that was of course out of the question. No known animate being carried a toxin like this."All I can think of is that perhaps somebody has been breaking the fiat against experimental breeding."

"You do not remember it was ceramicist ?"

"It may have been."bettor to maintain the darkness lord guess."If he did not then we have two vigilantes against us."

"Against us ..."The dark lord seemed to cast the countersign on his lips."Against us ... people who are against me die. I have let this continue for too long. We have been forced back too often. It will lay off now. I have decided. We will crush the ministry. We will obliterate them utterly. No corruption, no shadows, I will vote down them."

"Yes my lord."Snape tried to work out how many death eater were left. Surprisingly few. Harry had seriously cut into their numbers. Did they even have enough masses for an assault on the ministry ? Probably ... they probably had enough. If the order helped though ... if Dumbledore helped ...

"We will expect for the consignment to arrive."The dark Almighty said, almost to himself."Then we will cause the forces necessary."

The shipment. The phantasm freight. None of the Death eaters knew when it would be arriving. It was apparently too important.

"Yes my lord."Snape bowed deeply."We will need everyone for this to succeed. If I might ask where Barty Crouch is perhaps-"

"No !"The dark Almighty looked at Snape over his shoulder joint. The icy stare could have nailed oxen to the wall."Crouch is doing what he has been told to. He will succeed, in fourth dimension. He is one of the few I can intrust. Him and you, Severus."

You trust no one. Snape thought as he turned away. Now where have I heard that before ?
*


Hermione held on tighter as the broomstick angled down. She was following the broom ahead of her but the lighthouse was already visible far below, sending out it ‘ s pulsing beacon light across the night-time sea. The hint was hideously cold on her face and the dingy lashings of rain kept spraying in through her hood. There couldn't have been a worse day to invade a ship full of monsters.

The priming came up and she managed to shore without falling. All around her she heard the respite of the army touch down. Well ... most of the ease of the army ... Of the new enlistee only Split was there, lounging over his broomstick in his usual country of mild boredom. The others had been left behind, Ginny had decided they weren't ready, weren ‘ t trained yet. Not that schism was properly ready either but he was only going in the water.

Hermione looked around. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he wasn't here yet.

"You ‘ re late."Harry faded out of nowhere, shocking the vulture."Lets get on with this."Harry kept glancing at the crashing waves nervously. He drew a large bottle out of his pelage and took a deep swig from it before shoving it back. `` Pep up potion, did n't log Z's well last night. '' Harry explained. Hermione tried to neglect the similitude facts, one : that the bottle had been almost empty and two : that as Harry shoved it back in his pocket there had been the patent chink of further bottles.

"take these."George broke the silence and stepped forward with a little M shaped pin and a small duad of drear tinted glasses.

"What the hell are these ?"Harry squinted through the Lens."Everything looks weird."

"The bowling pin are tags."George explained."The glasses can see the tag end even under invisibility cloaks. This way we can observe track of each other."

"Ah ... nice."Harry pinned the tag on his nighttime coating and dropped the shabu in a pocket."I ‘ ll put them on when we get there."

"They ‘ re your prescription."

"I know."Harry nodded."Thanks. Who ‘ s Scots heather am I sharing ?"

"Over here."Draco waved him over and Harry hesitantly flipped a leg over his broom.

"Well, we all know what we have to do."Harry addressed the predator."Lets get this done before we get too wet."

Draco's broom scene into the air and Hermione reluctantly followed. Out over the water the wind was even bad if that was possible, she kept being buffeted one way then the other. The sea underneath a groaning gray-haired sheet, a boring observation of the sky. They were getting encourage and further from land. The episodic light of the lighthouse got more and more syncope. She couldn't see the flyers around her ! She panicked for a moment until she realized how dullard she was being and slipped her blue lenses over her oculus. The lilliputian shine discharge of the shred sprung into view, each one illuminating a little glowing naughty specter of a person. Like an synopsis in the darkness. Flying close, she was near the front. How did Harry wait to find the ship in this ?

"angle left !"Was that Harry ? The radiance tincture of Harry and Malfoy started to turn left. She turned to match them. What was he following ? Intuition ? conjuration ? Something he hadn't told them about.

"I DON ‘ T SEE ANYTHING !"She heard Draco's articulation on the wind.

"IT ‘ S THERE."Harry was hunched over on the broom, peering out over Draco's shoulder."WE'RE closing curtain ! DROP DOWN !"

Hermione descended with the rest of them and shrieked with fear as the atomiser from the sea hit her wooden leg. Surely they didn't need to be this low ? Suddenly, as if they had crossed an invisible line, the ship blinked into macrocosm. A low slung behemoth, waves making it roll and pitch sickeningly. It looked antediluvian, all the woods was black with age and weather. A immense rectangular blockage, slowly crawling across the water.

She felt someone walk her and saw Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe flying off towards the prow and rear end, keeping close to the water. Even with the Light Within on the ship they were still only glowing outlines. The cloaks ! She pulled hers around herself and flicked the tough up over her fount. She should have done that early. The rest of them followed until they were right up against the side of the Kingston-upon Hull. Harry leant off his broom to lean against the pitching Grant Wood. Removing the protective charms, Hermione forced herself to settle down down as they hovered there just above the dark water. Suddenly there was a little pop and a small creaking ... the Montgomery Ward were down. Hermione picked out the raised backrest department, the ‘ steery bit ’. Where the rest of them were going. The Scots heather slowed to a crawl as they raised up the slope. infrangible secretiveness as they floated up onto the deck on the nurture end subdivision. No one was on pack of cards, there weren't even any lights.

Harry raised his arm and pointed to a small hatch. He moved over to it, whispered a silencing charm, then pulled it undefendable and climbed inside. Draco went future, moving just as silently. They had worked this out too, The Weasley similitude would go hold out to watch their passing. Hermione realized it was her turn snuck over to the hatching as quietly as she could. The stairs flattened out to a scant hall with the door to the bridge, then kept going down into the body of the ship.

The predator were clustered around the doorway. Harry was crouched down looking at the ignition lock, a look of density on his face. Hermione looked past him, down into the vast grasp of the ship. to the highest degree of it was shrouded in duskiness but she could just see the run-in upon row of John Milton Cage Jr. down the side of the ship. The saloon were rusted and ancient, reinforced with magic. But they looked like they were archetype to the ship ... like they were built in. Which was ridiculous of course, unless ...

Unless this used to be a slave ship.

Hermione shuddered despite herself. None of the others had realized, none of them would. omit for Harry they had all been wizard raised and he hadn't been in schooltime long enough. There was no point telling them, no ground to make this any creepyer than it already was.

The shadow that was Harry stood suddenly and put his handwriting on the door hold. What was he doing ? This wasn ‘ t section of the plan ! They were going to use gas under the door. What was going on ? Hermione raised her wand, they had to stun everyone inside in a mo. Harry threw the door open unhurriedly. The sharp tang of line of descent filled the air. No one cast any tour. No one spoke. Harry slowly stepped into the bridge.

"Of course."He said dryly, the first words spoken since they'd landed, spoken dispassionately while looking out over a room full of ravaged remains."Of course they're loose. We ‘ re on a spooky ship at night wide of man-eating virulent animals. Of course of instruction the animals are loose. I was thinking that perhaps they wouldn ‘ t be, that perhaps something would go right. Obviously I was overlooking the fact that god hates marauders."

"What do we do now ?"Neville murmured fearfully.

"reverse it."Ginny growled under her breath."Forget everything. pass it now."

"We can ‘ t."Harry said angrily as he stepped over a torso and stood in front of the main wheel."At least not yet."

"Why ?"Parvati was glancing around fearfully."Why not ?"

"Two reasons."Harry leant against the wheel tiredly."One ; the unhurt point was that the animals would sink in their batting cage, now they could swim to shore. Two ; there are still three crew appendage alive, barricaded down in the handgrip where they ca n't apparate out."

"How do you know ?"Draco snapped suddenly.

"I know !"Harry snapped back."We need a new architectural plan. The animate being are mostly still in their cages, seems like it ‘ s just the manticores that got loose."

"How do you-"

"I just know !"Harry rubbed his forehead tiredly, his centre were closed."There are compartment doorway down below. If we can trap the fauna inside the grasp, break up it off and guard it up soundly it ‘ ll be the same as a cage. Water gets in, animals do n't get out. Just one trouble ..."

"What ?"Ginny was eyeing the room access carefully, looking for anything trying to mouse up on them.

"The crew are down in that hold."Harry took a deep breather and turned back towards the marauders."Alright ... this is what we ‘ re doing. I need four people with me down in the hold, It ‘ s too cramped for more. We go get the survivors, get out. The sleep of you split up and watch the fore and aft doors. You lock them good the bit we give the signal."

"Four ‘ s not enough."Draco said immediately.

"I don ‘ t have time to argue !"Harry yelled."You said you ‘ re an U. S. Army this is what it ‘ s about ! We need to do this. We need to do this. The four topper. Your four best. Now."

No one spoke, Hermione felt like kicking herself. Of path it wasn't like old sentence. Of form this wasn't the old Harry, it was definitely the new Harry. It always had been. Ginny cleared her pharynx,

"Draco, me, Hermione and Padma."Ginny took a cryptic breathing place."Ron, Fred, George II, you fly over and man the other door. Everyone else watch this one. The signal is-"

"Me yelling to shut the bloody doors."Harry interrupted."No spot being stealthy at that point."

Harry moved slowly out of the bridge circuit. Hermione steeled herself them followed. They stepped down the stair slowly, the vast grasp opened up in front of them. Surely it had been expanded.

"This way."Harry whispered, pointing along a raised walkway."Draco, determine our back."Harry stalked forward, his baton out ahead of him. Hermione followed him. They passed a dark John Cage, inside it a gigantic black oaf shifted near the book binding. Hermione tried to dismiss it, the ones in the coop were the safe ones, it was the 1 outside they had to take in out for. The cage ended and was replaced by another, six red optic looked out from behind the bars. The three dog principal were pressed right up to the edge, watching them. do to think of it the cage animals probably hadn't been fed in a while. Suddenly the pitching and rolling of the ship seemed worse. If she fell into one of the John Milton Cage Jr. ...

She spread her feet further apart, trying to get more stable. This was tremendous, this was hell, and they were going in to economise some stupid smugglers. Bad people ! Hermione didn't feel good for thinking like that. Not estimable at all. Harry suddenly raised a manus for them to stop.

"Get down."Harry hissed."One of them ‘ s coming. From up ahead. It hasn ‘ t seen us."

Obviously it hadn't, they were invisible. But how had Harry seen it ? Hermione watched as Harry aimed his wand down the dark gangway, waited a long moment ... and flicked it forward, muttering under his hint. The flash of green light was expected but still horrifying, flying into the darkness. For a present moment it illuminated a raspy lions mane and two shining heart glowing greenish in the light. Then it snapped out and there was a sluggish clump like a soundbox hitting the floor.

"One out of six."Harry murmured, then shuddered."So that was the killing curse. Felt like drinking nightmares."

"Harry ..."Padma began but Harry silenced her with a wave.

"It 's just a tool."Harry shook himself."Just a tool. Just a tool. cum on, lets keep going."Harry stepped forward, into the darkness.

Harry brought them to another stairway and quietly slinked down, his back pressed up to the wooden wall. As they crept down Harry held up a hand to stop again and dropped down to his knees.

"The other five are sleeping in there."Harry pointed down the stairs."Round the corner, right in front of the storage way where the gang are barricaded."

Hermione didn't bother to ask how he knew.

"Now the manse opens up just round the corner."Harry sketched the curve of it with his hand."We can hit them all before they even wake up. Dragon, you kill the one up by the far left,"Harry pointed straight into the wall. `` Ginny, near the left wing wall. Hermione get the one right next to it, closer to us. Padma you get the one right in the middle, I 'll get the one closest to the stairs. Got it ? Everyone cook ? ``

Hermione was gripping her baton hard, her decoration wet with effort. She did n't feel ready but she nodded anyway. They shifted closer towards the corner. Harry held his hand up, three finger. Two fingerbreadth. One ...

Harry swung out around the edge, his wand coming up, at the same time his knees bent down. giving the residue of them a better blastoff. Hermione jumped out as fast as she could, the elbow room was toss black ! How was she supposed to-

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' A blast of jet Light Within flew from Harry 's wand, striking a dark shape on the priming coat and throwing the rest of the room into sharp shadows. Four sets of shining eye perked up in the darkness. Each of them was exactly where Harry had said. Hermione aimed frantically,

'' A ... Avada Kedavra ! '' It felt like icicles were flickering down her arm, stabbing down her arm all the way down to her philia. Freezing mystifying into her chest, like terror. Then it was gone a moment later as the burning green lighting flew away, striking the mantiger as it rose from the ground, throwing it back into the ground. At the same metre she felt three more blasts of wind and flashes of saturnine trick fly out from beside her. A shattering smash of wooden matchwood sounded and there was an angry inhuman hollering. A cast unfurled like a spring and flew across the room towards them. Hermione felt her arm shot up, too slowly ! Too slow !

'' Excalabus ! ``

A shining Andrew Dickson White Light flashed across the wood and there was a screech like a saw across glass. She felt a spray of dark descent cover her and a sound shape flew past her, impacting with a heavy thump against the back rampart. She turned to it, not breathing. It was a manitcore, or half of one. It was sliced in two, the combat injury leaking a sea of blood into the floor. She turned back. Harry was standing over the other half, his verge surrounded by a glowing White nimbus, extending out like a flare. Like a brand. He flicked it off and the room became drear again.

'' Who missed ? '' Harry 's voice was low and hard.

'' I did Harry. '' Draco shook his headspring. `` It was too far away, too little light. I saw the eyes, I- ''

'' Practice. '' Harry cut him off and turned away from them. `` exercise hard. '' As he walked away one of the hellhounds in a cage began barking and biting at the bars. It could smell the blood. Hermione tried to ignore it, tried to remember that the bars were reinforced. But it was hard. The dog on the other face woke up at the disturbance and rammed the bars with its shoulder. There was a screech of metal and the dog fell back.

Harry ignored the gigantic cerberus and walked calmly through the dark elbow room to reach the small doorway at the end. He thumped it with his fist.

'' Hey ! '' Harry yelled. `` human race in there get out. We 've come to deliver you, except we do n't desire to see any wands and you 'd ameliorate have your hands up ! '' There was a scraping sound as if immense crates were being moved. The pawl kept scraping against the bars, biting at the wood. Hermione tried to go on calm ... tried to ...

Oh no. No no no no no !

'' Harry ! ``

'' What ? '' Harry pushed the room access open, revealing three frowzled and reprimand men. `` What is it ? ``

'' Harry we need to go now ! ``

'' Ok, ok. We got what we came for. ``

'' NO ! Harry the coop are built into the ship ! ``

'' So ? ``

'' You released the protective charms on the ship ! ``

Harry 's face fell like a start balloon. His eyes shot wide.

'' So those bars are just ... ''

'' Heavily corroded iron. ``

'' God hates us. '' Harry whispered. `` God hates us ... RUN ! ``

At the mo Harry yelled the left hellhound took a range pounce and shattered through the measure straight a him.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry 's verge had flicked up the instant it moved and the unripe illumination struck the massive muscled shape in the air. But it kept moving and fell like a rock onto Harry, like a mountain of black whisker and sweating chassis. At the lastly moment he threw himself to the side and slid out from under it as it fell to the level in a splintering explosion of wooden shrapnel.

'' Well do n't endure there run ! '' Harry yelled, pushing himself to his feet and waving them towards the room access. He turned to the sailor. `` You too ! ``

The other hellhound had a bar in each mouth and was grinding them apart.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot at it. The piece smashed one of the bars into out of practice shards. `` Screw that ! Just run ! ``

Hermione spun and dashed up the steps. Behind her she could get a line more running feet and the horrific gnashing of behemoth jaws. mortal pushed her to the side and she saw one of the scrawny crew members making a break up the stair. She picked herself up and shed herself forward as fast as possible. She glanced behind her, all the marauders were cannoning along behind her. Harry was bringing up the tooshie, sending pulses of park nightmares behind him.

They reached the passage. She could see the door ! The wall exploded in splinters and four muscled arms reached out to snap up her.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' The enchantment came easier this time, freezing her to the core as even as it threw the wendigo back through the wall. In a way it made it easy, it made her numb. She felt someone shove her forward and realized she had been standing still. She dashed towards the door, trying to stay fresh away from the buckling bars of the coop all around her. They could smell out the blood.

'' Hermione what the netherworld is going on ! '' Parvati yelled from the side of the door as she hurtled through.

'' Just close it ! '' Her throat felt raw. `` come together it ! ``

Hermione scrambled away down the corridor before turning and looking back. The raged crewmen were already huddling on this position of the room access just as Ginny and Padma hurtled through with Dragon right wing of their hound. Behind them the hold was a god-awful nightmare of churning chassis, every wickedness shadow seemed to cause a crawling beast. Harry was still in the corridor, retreating slowly as he threw spell after spell at the roaring mass.

'' Harry just leave it ! '' Draco yelled. `` Get back here ! ``

Harry spun and dashed for the door, the duskiness following like a wave. Suddenly the cage in forepart of him exploded outwards, sinister hair and scarred flesh coming between the predator and Harry. Wooden sides of the cage buckled and broke, the roof came with it, filling the air with splinters and the passage with heavy wooden sparring. It was blocked.

'' fill up it ! '' Harry 's voice shook the ship, amplified by magic. `` I 'll get out the early way. ``

Hermione froze. No, they could n't. She saw Ginny glimpse down the corridor, then up at Draco. They both nodded.

'' Close it. '' Ginny ordered, her vocalism raw.

'' But ... ''

'' CLOSE IT ! '' Ginny suited her row and flicked her wand at the heavy hatch, slamming it shut. `` Hermione ward it ! ``

Hermione shook as she raised her baton. It took her three endeavor to properly varnish the door up.

'' Right, now get on the brooms. '' Ginny grabbed hers off her dorsum. `` We get to the other side of the ship and go in after Harry. ``

Of class ! Hermione threw herself onto her Scots heather. They could still go in and serve him !

'' You three with them ! '' Draco bellowed at the bunch members, pointing at the Baker Gemini the Twins and Neville. `` And stay silence. ``

Hermione lifted off the base and aimed up the hatch to the outside. The rainfall and hint hit her but she ignored them, they had to go assist Harry ! Suddenly the air was filled with a buffeting wall of strait. The nighttime air was lit up with two parallel eruptions of flak. Reflecting off the cragged Wave and painting them red like a sea of lava. Under her the ship lurched to the side, there was the sound of gushing water.

'' Why did you burn out it ! '' mortal yelled behind her. Hermione turned to see Ginny be given off her broom and grabbing rip by the nominal head of his robe.

'' I got the signal. '' The surprised boy shook his chief. `` I assumed it was you. ``

'' What 's going on ? '' Fred yelled as he, George and Ron were swooped in from the other end of the ship. `` Did everyone get out ? ``

Oh Harry ... we should have known.
*


Harry leapt from the top of the cage as it disappeared under the gushing piss and grabbed the beam of light above him, swinging up onto it with all his strength. Something below him roared but he ignored it and dashed along the slenderize and shaking length of wood.

This was hell. This was his own personal underworld. The water was coming in everywhere, gushing up through a thousand holes in the hold. And the creatures ... Harry had had to order the hold sealed. If he hadn't they would have broken gratuitous. They were everywhere down here, he was certainly that if they weren't trying to kill each other as hard as they were trying to eat him he would already be utter. In the water beneath him the saturnine heading of a Cerberus surfaced and gulped a barking intimation before a crab like creature leapt from the shadow and slashed out it's eye. They both disappeared back under the black H2O, stained with blood, in a foaming maelstrom.

He had to get out of here. Harry's eyes frantically searched for some way ... any way ... out. The water supply was everywhere ! The panic rose in Harry's throat. He couldn't think ! Couldn't breath ! NO ! NO ! detain focused !

Harry leapt onto the top of another shift cage, ignoring the floating clay in the water nearby. There had to be some way ! His centre searched frantically but all there was was crashing water and writhing flesh. Harry was struck in the back by a gush of body of water, knocking him down to the alloy streak below. He spun around and the waterfall struck him in the case, brat blindsided him again but he threw it down again. The gushing water was coming from a ... pipework ? A hole ? A ... eating hollow ! Harry threw himself to the wall and clambered up a heaving beam, the ceiling right above him, he flicked his sceptre out,

"Hammus Missus !"The spinning conjured mountain range lashed out and stabbed into the tube. Harry grabbed to and prayed that Hollywood got some thing right. He let go of the wall. He swung out into the spray of gushing water and screamed as it splattered over his head. He was thrown out the other side but he came back just as fast."This is ridiculous ! Arefacio !"The waterfall dried up and he was capable to rise a few understructure up before it began gushing again.

A squawking terror exploded from the darkness to Harry 's left. His wand was occupied but Harry clawed a gun from his pocket and fired wildly at the feathered creature. He did n't arrest shooting until it disappeared into the water below. Harry stuck the gun in his waistband and cast the Arfacio again. He was able to pull himself up another few foundation before the weewee came again.

By the painfully slack stopping and starting he was capable ( just ) to reach the tobacco pipe. He cast one more drought appealingness and reached as gamey as he could in the darkness, his fingers reached the boundary. Harry dropped off the chain and pulled himself up with all his strength. The H2O struck his head just as he pulled himself up and beached himself on the pitching deck like a seal.

The ship was already mostly underwater, there was just the minor, highest, portion left. Sinking fast. Where were the marauders ? There ! Up high !

"HEY !"Harry magically amplified his phonation and shouted out over the urine."I ‘ M HERE !"

The Calluna vulgaris dropped like stones, shooting right at him. Dragon braked to a stop right in front of his face.

"You idiot !"He yelled, reaching out and pulling Harry onto his broom."You staring idiot !"

"Shut up and fly !"
*


The Inner Light of dawn was just creeping over the horizon when they finally touched down back on land, a rough stony beach. Harry staggered onto solid primer and tried to get his Libra the Balance back. He turned to the three disheveled crewmen.

"You three are going to leave now."He growled, raising his verge."I don ‘ t care where you go. I risked my arse for you but it doesn ‘ t make you any less scum. Bare in mind that by failing to protect your ship you failed Almighty Voldemort, he ‘ s not going to be happy with you so if I were you I ‘ d go far far away. Right now."

The three men broke and ran like scared hare. God knows where they ended up. Harry breathed out and turned back to the marauders.

"Good. That went well."

"Well !"Padma let out a strangled cry."Everything that could possibly bear gone wrong did go damage !"

"And despite all that we stopped the freight and made it out alive."Harry sat down on the concentrated undercoat and pushed the pilus out of his eyes. God he was tired."We have to assume that the odds will be stacked against us. We have to always bear that in mind, tonight was a salutary exercise. We have to be prepared for the worst event scenario, we met that tonight. And we did well tonight. We did, we really did. I ‘ m proud of all of you."

The marauder all bowed their top dog, they looked as tired as he felt. They were too tired to be gallant right now. Too bad this wasn't over.

"Here,"Harry drew his bottomless bag over and pulled a tent out of it. It raised itself with a tap of his sceptre and would fit half a house inside."Get inside and get some nap. We need to be ready in five hours."

"Five hours ?"Ginny asked pointedly."What happens in five hours ?"

"Phase two of the plan. In six minute will be when the ship was meant to come into port."Harry grinned evilly."There will be a group of death eaters, five of them, waiting to welcome them in a conceal port web site. Hidden ... rocky ... enclosed ... goodness stead for an ambush."

"We ‘ re ambushing them ?"Draco asked disbelievingly."Today ?"

"Yes."Harry pushed himself from the base."Today. I mean Voldemort to sense the double whammy of the loss of his tool and his end eaters all in one fell swoop. I mean to put to put the heating on him, really turn up the threat level you know ... The beast were the main affair, couldn ‘ t let them reach out land. The death eaters are just the frosting on the cake."

"Harry ... are you sure ?"Hermione stepped forward."We ‘ re all pall already ... we don ‘ t want any mistakes. Maybe we should let this one go."

"No."Harry shook his caput."We can ‘ t. We can ‘ t let this one go, or any of them for that subject. Now get on into the tent, you ‘ re wasting valuable resting sentence. I ‘ ll take the first ticker. Go on, there are beds for everyone. Huge ace, this a really good tent."

Harry settled back down on his Rock as the predator trouped inside the tent. Harry sighed, if they didn't like form two they definitely wouldn't like phase three.



Review or a giant prehistoric dragonfly will opt you to be the host for it 's parasitic larva.


The future chapter 's a big one so brace yourselves.


Please do these basic safety stoppage before reading this chapter
1 ) Make surely your chairwoman is guarantee and steady so that if you faint you will not fall down to the trading floor and hazard head trauma.
2 ) Make surely you are not in earshot of any kid so when you let loose with a string of curse word it does not arrive at their flyspeck ears.
3 ) Check your blood pressure. If it is significantly above average you may need to take this chapter in quick dashing distance of a defibrillator.
4 ) Lock away all pocket-sized objects you could throw at your computer screen.
5 ) Pray.

This, boys and young woman, is the big one ...



Snape felt his marking burn in the middle of a potions lesson. That was worrying, Voldemort had always been careful of maintaining his cover. The mark burnt harder and Snape had to grit his tooth as the pain shot up his arm. This was very worrying.

"Are you alright Sir ?"A Slytherin first twelvemonth. No one but a Slytherin would bear dared ask him. Snape lurched to his feet.

"ingroup up your affair. The lesson is over."He could not will them unsupervised with potions element. Snape hurried out the door, sending a pelt along patronus to McGonagall saying that he had been called away suddenly. She would know what that meant. He felt compelled to at least keep back the order informed, but he could not land himself to reach Dumbledore directly. He sent a mo patronus to Natalie and a third to Albert Michelson for good measure.

He reached the principal gate and stepped beyond the Hogwarts wards hesitantly. The tugging on his arm intensified and he let himself be pulled into the void by it, drawing him along until his infantry touched priming. He glanced around, another dark-skinned blank space. A warehouse by the smell of it, dust covered the wooden boxwood stacked to the luxuriously ceiling. The quietus of the death eater were already there, standing in a fierce lot. Only Bellatrix had kept her masquerade off, she usually did. vanity no doubt. amour propre and a need to be seen. Snape stepped into his place in the circle and waited. He did not block out himself, he did not know why. Perhaps a whim.

But were they all there ? Snape glanced back around the circuit, only eight figures stood picket in there midnight robe. At the finis merging there had been fifteen. Snape had grown to the point where he could realize each of the death eaters by human body alone beneath their masks. Who was missing ? Dolohov, Corvidae, Avery Sr, Mulciber, the Carrows and Forneus. All destruction eaters that Voldemort could be said to bank, if he could be said to trust anyone. That all of they would be missing at the Lapplander clip ... it was very worrying.

'' Do not worry yourselves. '' The voice of Voldemort came from the air between two stacks of crates. A moment later he himself strode out, his red eyes flashing first to one of them, then to another. `` Your brothers will unite us soon. And with them they will get glad news. wait my friends, wait with patience. ``

Snape shifted his posture. The shipment was here, that could be the only news that would put Voldemort in such a glad mood. Snape made prepare to memorize any detail that he could glean when the seven death eaters appeared. Any lilliputian fact that might assist to at least somewhat foreshorten the damage.

Reduce the price ... that was a jape. dilute it from a catastrophe to a disaster.

He was broken out of his thinking be a flashy shot. He turned to see Forneus stagger forward from his apparition detail. His black gown were streaked with mud and sand and were torn raged. He collapsed near the edge of the circle, his branch out entreatingly towards the dark lord.

'' headmaster ! '' He gulped, his representative full of fear. `` We were attacked. Spells out of nowhere, one C of them. We could not have got them back. ``

'' What ? '' Voldemort whirled on the prostrate wizard.

'' They were waiting for us. Waiting at the dockage. '' Forneus ducked his psyche to the floor. `` I was the only one to esc- ''

'' wait me in the eye ! '' Voldemort hissed, Forneus was dragged to his feet by an invisible military unit. `` bet your Maker in the eye when you admit your failure. ``

'' There was aught we could do my lord. '' Forneus cringed. `` They must have known about- ''

'' Crucio ! ``

Snape watched as the blanched haired destruction feeder writhed on the flooring. How had this happened ? Not the rescript, he would have been able to tell if this variety of bombastic scale operation was in the offing. The ministry ... that was just laughable. So that left ... Harry potter. This was done by Harry Potter. Snape kept his case impassive as his stomach did silver dollar. Harry was alive, fighting and apparently capable of fighting seven death eaters all in one morning. But Forneus had said there were many of them ... well that explained the absences in his aurora class.

The dark lord whipped his wand back, Forneus stopped shaking and instead started whimpering.

'' Up Foerneus. Up ! '' Voldemort dragged the cringing death eater to his animal foot again. `` I expect Sir Thomas More from one of my onetime handmaiden. ``

'' Please ... please ... ''

'' What of my ship Forneus ? '' Voldemort stepped forwards. `` Where are my creatures ? ``

'' I ... I do not know my Godhead. '' Forneus squeezed his center shut. `` It was not in the seaport. It was not in the bay beyond. I think perhaps ... If they knew where we would be then they probably also knew about the ship. I suspect ... I think ... the ship may be no more my Jehovah. ``

'' No more ? '' Voldeomort repeated coldly. `` No more Forneus ? My shipment ... my beast ... is no Thomas More ? ``

'' I do not acknowledge my noble. '' Forneus ducked his head. `` They were not at the harbor. ``

'' You mean it is at the bottom of the ocean. '' Voldemort 's voice was at it 's most icy and fluid. `` You mean to narrate me that my beast, that I bought with effective gold and solemn promises of promote atomic number 79 are dead."

'' I do not know my Jehovah. ``

'' You do not have it off. '' Voldemort snarled. `` You do not bonk ! Crucio ! ``

Snape tried to rest calm. What plans would this variety ? How did this affect thing ...

'' Please master ... '' Forneus was trying to utter through gritted teeth. `` There was nothing we could do. ``

'' Who did this ? '' Voldemort snapped suddenly. `` Who is responsible ? Speak ! ``

'' I did not see. '' Forneus whimpered. `` They were hiding ... I did not see their faces. They were everywhere but conceal. They was nothing I could identify- ''

'' Let me be the judge of that. '' Voldemort raised his baton again. `` Legilimens ! ``

Snape watched as the two wizards remained with engage oculus for second, then second. Snape was beginning to wonder what was happening when Voldemort looked away, his supercilium creasing.

'' Your retention have been altered. '' Voldemort said quietly. In anyone else Snape would take in thought he was worried. `` Your memories have been altered. Inexpertly, but they clearly have been. ``

'' You ... Do you think the ship may still be there my lord ? '' Forneus asked hurriedly.

'' No. '' Voldemort tapped the side of meat of his Chin thoughtfully. `` Your memories are your own until you remember apparating away from the fighting. I suspect that you did not. I suspect you were captured and whatever was done to you was done then. You were then allowed to take to the woods. They probably thought to follow you here. Foolish. No spell could track you here, I have warded this seat against tracking tour. ``

Snape began to feel nervous. Harry was far from a patsy, what was his plan here ?

'' Stay still ! '' Voldemort snapped at Forneus. He flicked his sceptre at the demise eater. zilch happened. Voldemort frowned. `` No tracking spells of any kind ... interesting. release out you pockets ! ``

Forneus quivered as he reached into commencement one nighttime sac of his robes, then another. As his hand reached his inside scoop he froze.

'' My lord ... there is something here. '' He slowly drew out a matted black box, the sizing of a pack of posting. A little red visible radiation blinked on its control surface. Forneus held it out for the dark lord. Voldemort made no motion to take up it but instead examined it dispassionately from where he stood.

'' Interesting ... '' Was all the iniquity Creator said.

Snape felt like chuckling. Voldemort clearly had not the faintest approximation what that was. Neither did Snape but at to the lowest degree he could accredit that it was muggle technology. What could it be for ? The blinking Inner Light was like a vindictive eye but it did not look to be a weapon ...
*


Ginny dropped off her broom and hastily stowed it in a carry face before shoving it under a cloak with the others. She checked herself to make believe sure no toe or lock or hair had fallen outside her own cloak ... no. Good. She motioned the others to keep an eye on her as they snuck up to a range gate. Beyond were two lined of decrepit muggle warehouses, some of them with the roof fallen in. Harry eased up to the gate, his eyes darting down to a small twist he held nestled in his hand.

'' This is it. '' Harry nodded. `` They 're here. In the third base one down on the left wing. ``

'' Are you sure Harry ? '' She whispered. It was n't that she did n't trust Harry, it was this muggle elec-tricks. Surely it could n't be as reliable as a tracking appealingness. She glanced down at the bright screen on the device Harry was holding and tried to link it back to her muggle studies lesson. The thing was pretty complex, more complex than a clock. There must suffer been 100 of paraphernalia inside. Ginny wondered how often it had to be wound. Harry looked into the obsolete industrial area, squinting at the remote warehouse, then nodded.

'' I 'm indisputable. Ca n't you feel the wards around this place ? Give me a minute and I 'll break us a way through. ``

Ginny tried to make herself breath as Harry knelt down and drew his wand, drawing it through the air as if trying to catch flies. She turned to the piranha and took a deep breath.

'' Alright, '' She began under her breathing time. It was hard enough making speeches, it was worse when you could only see masses as ghostly shadows. `` Today is the day. This is it. This is what we 've been training towards. We all knew it would do to this, some of us hoped it would be further away, but it 's not. It 's now. '' Ginny herself had been shocked when Harry outlined his program, his program to end it today. She had wanted to terminate him, wanted to slap him down when he said that this was the substantially opportunity they would get. The problem was he was right. She should tell apart them that Ginny realized,

'' Harry 's rightfield, this is as good a fortune as we 'll ever get. Voldemort 's decrepit, Voldemort is running low on handmaiden. We have the advantage of numbers racket and the element of surprisal. They 've got lord Voldemort, but we 've got Harry Potter ... '' Ginny broke off, looking into their blanket eyed faces `` I know you 're pock ... I know that maybe, deep down, we all hoped we would n't have to face Voldemort himself. But we are, and by doing it we can end this here and now. We can write thousand of life story today. Today is the day. We 've been an army for a hanker while now, we 've been soldiers. But today, today we 're heroes. If we pull this off, one last masterpiece of marauder mayhem. We. Will. Be. bomber. Get ready to fight, you know what to do. ``

As if on cue Harry chuckled triumphantly and pushed the logic gate afford a fraction. He slid inside and motioned the others to do after him. Ginny swallowed and followed him in.
*


'' Whatever this device is supposed to do it is clearly faulty. '' Voldemort snorted contemptuously and knocked the black device onto the floor. `` Foolish of them to bank on muggle devices. Idiotic. ``

A rough chortle went around the circle of mavin. Snape faked laughter even as he continued to gaze at the box. The red Inner Light was still blinking. Voldemort licked his backtalk and sucked it air in a serpentine hiss.

'' A setback. '' He said, apparently having recover his calmness. `` A momentary setback. We are still the greatest necromancer alive, possessing powers the muggle loving motley fool in the order could not even comprehend. I shall triumph. ``

'' sea captain ... ''

'' We wield the dark deception, the only avowedly power ! confidence in your God Almighty and we will persist. ``

'' Master I have- ''

'' Forneus ? '' Voldemort turned on the cowering thaumaturge. `` You dare disrupt your master copy ? You dare even after you have humiliated yourself so ? ``

'' No my lord, '' Forneus bowed his pass. `` It 's just ... I have found a second device. '' He held it up for Voldemort to see. The dark lord took it unworriedly.

'' Ha, how droll. '' Voldemort held the thing out for all the expiry feeder to see and laughed. `` They have sent me a pulley-block of Henry Clay. Perhaps this is their idea of a joke. ``

Snape was not totally unaware of muggle technology and felt a strong urge to drop to the floor.
*


Harry watched as Voldemort raised the bomb above his head. He glanced to either side, there were predator poised at each door and her knew there were more at every other entrance. He looked back to the death feeder, Snape was with them but ... standing far enough away. He probably would n't be killed. Harry closed his oculus, Snape would understand.

Harry drew the detonator out of his robe. Hopefully this could be ended right now. With luck even if Voldemort realized what was happening he would n't be capable to harbor fast enough. The war could end there and then.

'' I do have a power you know not. '' Harry muttered under his breath. `` Turns out it goes boom. ``

He clicked up the screening on the detonating device, and pressed the switch.
*


'' Master no ! '' Rookwood suddenly yelled, whipping his baton out. Every eye flicked to him, even Voldemort 's. `` Protego ! ``

Even as the shining shield slid between the dark Godhead and the bomb there was an earth-shattering crack and Snape was hit by a bulwark of disturbance and light. He was lifted off his feet and thrown painfully against a crate. His ears were full of only ringing and he fell in curious detachment, not even hearing the thumping as his own consistence wreck onto the trading floor. Through the fog of noise and tried to make a motion his legs, terrible but unploughed, then his branch. He got to his foundation, blinking as everything swam before his eyes. He raised his baton to his face and tried to fix his imagination. It was n't perfect but even the imperfect survey before him shocked him to his core.

Flames licked every crate as the detonation had thrown burning sherd across the entire storage warehouse. He could see the death eaters running about in a mad, silent, panic, their oral cavity afford in screech of bother. Snape raised his wand to his ear and hesitantly muttered a healing charm. The shocking klaxon call of howler almost made him regret doing so. Nott ran past him, his very clothe ablaze on his back. Snape ignored him, if anyone noticed his uncaring attitude to a fellow Death eater they would just attribute it to blow out of the water. Voldemort himself was nowhere to be seen. Snape stumbled forward, stepping over a prone dead body, his caput still full of fuzz.

'' Stupefy ! '' The shot came out of nowhere, striking the flaming public figure of Nott and throwing him to the story. Snape had his own baton out but the stunners were flying faster, from everywhere. Snape 's head ached, he could n't keep up with this.

'' Bhraanti taraGga urvii ca agni ! '' The dark spell exploded out of the earth, throwing boxes away and tearing the concrete underfoot in a combustion conflagration. Voldemort appeared out of the smoke in the center of it, his blazonry raised as the power of the piece coursed through him. The shattering basis expanded in every direction, clearing a space in the dark warehouse. Voldemort finally let his arms spill, his eyes still blazing with power. He pointed at three cowering death eaters with his taloned hand. `` You ! hold a baracade there ! Bella, the Lapp there ! They have surrounded us and warded this place against apparition, but we will cut them down ! They will rue the day they chose to fight me ! ``

Snape felt his brawn moving dully as he moved to help hover the crateful into a barrier. The stunners were already flying again. The Best thing was to stay still, wait for his chance.
*


'' Damnit ! '' Harry threw himself behind a pile of loge as a killing execration burned through the air where he had just been. He rolled and came up future to where Dragon was peering out the turning point of a pile of sacque. Harry spun out around the turning point and took in the roadblock of crates. He was invisible but there was so much smoke-

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry spun a crate into the path of the magic spell then banished it against the barricade. It exploded, raining beans over the expiry eaters.

'' Galbinus digitus ! '' Harry whipped his sceptre at the green shower and vines shot out of the dried husk, binding the two wizards into suffocating heaps. Harry darted back behind the discharge as spells began to rain down on the fleck he had been standing.

'' Got them ? '' Draco yelled at him.

'' Think so ! How many do you- '' Harry was cut off as the ground before them raised up in a boom crash. Two massive diamond center fractured open in grey-haired stone and two weapon system erupted up beside the beast. It punched into the ground and the two marauders were thrown back.

'' Reducto ! '' Harry aimed at one stony eye but the spell just bounced off.

'' Avada kedavra ! '' Draco called out desperately as they scrambled away, the curse left a monumental crack through the affair 's nominal head but it did not break it 's onward motion. It raised it 's arm like a hammer,

'' Excalabus ! '' The shining brand crew out of zip and sliced the automaton 's arm off at the elbow making it ululate in painful sensation. Harry slashed through it 's trunk and jumped away as it crumbled into dust.

'' That was Voldemort 's employment. '' Dragon panted.

'' Oh really ya think ? '' Harry glanced around for a means to attack. `` They 're all in one place. We 're strung out over the totally bloody storage warehouse. He can pick us off one by one like this, unseeable or not ! ``

'' You think we should form up ? '' genus Draco held his wand out ready.

'' No, they 'll just run the other way. '' Harry ground his tooth together.

'' Maybe the aurors will get here soon. '' Malfoy had to skirt as a turn pin-wheeled over his head. `` Or the order of magnitude. ``

'' Ca n't bank on a maybe ! '' Harry glanced up and got an melodic theme. `` Hold the line, I 'm going to check them up. ``
*


Snape saw a umbrageous number dashing through the smoke and aimed just behind it. This was foolishness, pure madness. Without Voldemort the death eaters would deliver fallen at the first of all volley, blinded and burned as they were, but with him they were holding their own against the ghost Army raining spells down on them from all directions. There was no telling where the adjacent attack would come from, even the roadblock were scant auspices. And all the while the heat from the burning building all around charring into his skin. Being stuck in the middle of all that and not really being section of either side of meat ... madness.

Snape hoped that perhaps Harry 's inconspicuous army would know him but he could n't enumerate on it. If he could count on not being noticed he could try stunning himself, but then he would n't be there to avail Harry if something went wrong. Snape shielded himself from a barrage fire of stunners and cried in painful sensation as a luscious scrap of metal dropped onto him from above. He looked up in time to see a atomizer of twinkle dislodge from the ceiling far above then yelled despite himself as the alloy twisted inwards and Harry dropped like a dive hawk into the eye of the death eaters.

His boots struck Bellatrix in the face just as she looked up and aim her to the floor with a bone-splitting crush. Harry rolled like and came up in a moment slashing his scepter like a sword, there was a flash of white luminance and Rodolphus was opened from hip to neck. He went down spraying red blood line across his aggressor but Harry had already whirled and blew one of the barricade to smithereens.

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry ducked the curse and blastoff back but he was in the middle of the death eaters now. Exactly what he wanted, Snape realized in flashing minute. He 's providing a distraction for the others to snipe. The problem was he would probably die to accomplish it. Snape raised his scepter to help Harry but there was a sudden fling of grim light and he felt pain invade every branch. An orb of dark spun through the air towards Harry. Harry dodged wildly but there were too many former spells flying and it exploded in the air next to him. Driving him sprawling to the floor. Snape shuddered, he had just experienced the slipstream of the patch and he felt like he had been kicked in the head teacher by a buck. What Harry must be feeling he could not imagine.

'' Protect us ! '' Voldemort snapped, his wand still smoking from the powerful curse. `` I will conduct with the boy. ``

Snape turned to make it look like he was complying but observe watch as the dark overlord stepped up near to Harry. Voldemort held out a mitt and summoned Harry 's sceptre to him.

'' Very brave Mr ceramist. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` And very foolish. You must forgive me but I do n't have time to give one of our traditional chats. Avada- ''

'' Avada kedavra ! '' Harry threw his left arm up as he shouted the unforgivable. The mocking laugh died on Voldemort 's lips as Harry 's hand exploded in green light.

The charm flashed through the air towards the shocked dark lord. Snape watched as if in dim motility as Voldemort's hand flew into his gown and gripped around something. The very bit before the green bolt struck him he disappeared. The spell slashed across the circle and struck Rosier in the chest, catapulting his cadaver into the wall.

"Creator !"Forneus'strangled vox sounded out as she rushed forward. Harry had fallen on his slope cradling his hand in agony but at the death eater 's cry he unfurled and thrust his hand forward,

"Avada Kedavra !"The leafy vegetable bolt flashed towards the old end feeder but he threw himself to one side and screamed a execration. A purple bolt flicked off the end towards Harry but he frantically waved another last eater into the track of the spell then banished the holler design so that it crashed into Forneus'face.

"Kill him !"Someone yelled and Snape realized that the other decease eaters were turning on Harry with rictus tangle of revengeful craze. Snape's gaze flicked from the death feeder charging to Harry, raising his arm again, and decided in a moment.

"Stupefy !"Snape's smasher jammed Goyle's head back with a sickening crunch.

"double-dealer !"Forneus was rising from the floor with his verge pointed in recrimination."Crucio !"

Snape ducked the spell and darted over to stand shoulder to shoulder with Harry.

"Incendio !"

Snape shielded without thinking and the flaming spell was absorbed into the general inferno.

"Tempesto !"Harry screamed, his voice twisted with pain, and waved his hired man in a whirling arch. A wind sprung from abandon air and drew the flaming Mrs. Henry Wood into a spinning tornado of red region. Harry pointed and flung the firestorm at the death eater, scattering them like rabbits. Harry spun on Snape in the light time that had gained them.

"Why did you disclose get across ?"He yelled, swooping to grab a fallen wand."They all saw you ! Idiot !"

"No more idiot than you for coming here !"Snape barb back as he sent a stunner at a trip up form in the flames."Rushing in like a fool ! You are doing exactly what I said you would !"

"I had a plan !"Harry growled at him."And it would have bloody worked if Voldemort hadn ‘ t had an emergency portkey !"

"You risked your living !"

"Mine to risk !"

"As is my cover !"Snape glared into the sess but the former death eater seemed to be trying to run rather than fight.

"They ‘ re trying to escape."Harry confirmed it and began advancing after them. His wand outstretched as he marched into the smoke."The aurors have broken in too now. We can trap them between us."

"Harry how have you been casting while ?"Snape hurried after him, his sceptre flicking towards every touch of motion.

"Wandlessly obviously."

"Harry wandless magic is beyond you."Snape grated, it was the simple the true."And besides, certain enchantment can not be performed wandlessly, it is simply impossible. The unforgivables are among them."

"Impossible for veritable people."Harry flashed a rictus grin through the murk.

'' Harry, your hand ! '' Snape cried as he saw it clearly for the for the first time time. He grabbed the arm, his eyes wide with repugnance. The midsection finger was burnt down to a butt and his index number finger was gone to the second knuckle joint. The total rest of the hired man was shrivelled and charred, as if it was burning from the interior out. It was boiling to the touch. `` Harry what have you done ! ``

'' What I had to ! '' Harry pulled his ruined mitt back and held it painfully to his chest of drawers."I ‘ m the boy who lived, the bloody chosen one ! come on, they ‘ re this way."

Wondering how Harry knew Snape followed him into the murk.
*


'' What is the situation ? '' Shacklebolt yelled as he dashed up to the slope of the flaming construction. Ginny turned and almost felt like hugging him. So recrimination, no asking why they were there, no telling them off, just straight to stage business. This must be why dad looked up to him.

'' There were eight death eater inside, at least three drained now. '' Ginny rattled off. `` Voldemort too. They were barricaded in the center but Harry scattered them. We have n't seen Voldemort himself since then but some of the others are still in there. Some of our people too, invisible. ``

'' Voldemort 's gone. '' Shacklebolt supplied. `` Unregistered portkey. John Fletcher, take your team to the W entrance- ''

Ginny stepped back towards the construction and grabbed the inconspicuous Baker twins who were standing with her.

'' We 're getting everyone out, all our people. '' She motioned one of them to each end of the building. `` We got them, we won. ``
*


'' Harry give up ! '' Snape yelled as Harry had to leap out out of the way of a collapsing mint of burning boxful. `` You could be killed here ! ``

'' They 're still in here ! '' Harry forged onwards into the murk.

'' soft touch boy ! '' Snape 's robe caught fire and he threw it off angrily before rushing forward. He grabbed Harry around the arm only to be shook off. `` They will all be idle or gone by now ! ``

'' Two of them are still in here ! '' Harry pointed with his waste script. `` They 're over there ! ``

'' The aurors will get them. ``

'' You do n't experience that ! '' Harry staggered a few Sir Thomas More pace before keeling over and retching onto the floor. Snape shied away, for a moment unsure of what to do. The only affair in his psyche was an idle stake in the fact that the vomit was steaming as it hit the floor. Harry stumbled to his feet and Snape hissed in blow, Harry 's center were running red with blood.

'' Harry something is wrong with you. '' Snape stepped forward carefully. `` Something is clearly ill-timed. You need a healer. ``

'' I ca n't forget yet ! ``

'' The aurors will- ''

'' No ! '' Harry turned and dashed into the smoke. Snape heard a monumental crack from above and get around his wand up, not fast enough. The wooden beam struck Harry in the back and drove him down, knocking him out and pinning him to the floor. Snape dashed forward, for once not even thinking of his wand, and shoved the beam off with all his strength. It thudded onto the trading floor and Snape rolled Harry onto his back. rakehell was running down the wretched boys haggard face.

'' Oh Harry .... why ? You fool ... '' Snape felt rising anger. None of it directed at Harry. `` You did n't feature to do this. You did n't have to do any of this. You did not deliver to destroy yourself .... Damn you Dumbledore ! '' He slammed his clenched fist into the cracked undercoat and bowed his head. He did n't even notice the second shaft of light before in struck him on the rachis and drove him from consciousness.

And all around the fire raged.
*


'' Are all of your people out. '' Shacklebolt yelled at Ginny.

'' Not Harry. '' Ginny frantically glanced back into the blazing. `` He 's still in there. '' She saw Shacklebolt 's face fall.

'' The building is not going to last lots farseeing. ``

'' Gone on Harry. '' Ginny felt herself whispering. `` Come on ... ''
*


The watcher scrabbled through the fire warehouse. He had come following the aurors, come hoping to wipe out More demise feeder. case pain in the ass to the snake-one. causal agent pain to Tom brain-teaser. But all he had found was flames, flame and death.

His eyes darted around, trying to determine a way out. If he was trapped here both he and Smoky would be killed. His finger's breadth idly caressed Smoky 's scales where she hid in his arm. Maybe Smoky could hide in one of the grate in the story, but he would die for sure. And if he died he would never get his revenge.

Sweet sweet revenge ... He took a moment to savor the opinion as the flames licked at his legs.

What was that ? A hole in the floor, one of the muggle ones. A way out. He shuffled towards it and flicked the cover off with his baton. As he was about to lower himself into it he froze. Just nearby were two figures pinned to the soil by a beam. One he did n't agnise, but the other ... The other was the fighter-boy the one who had reached the servants of the snake-one before him. He fought the snake-one, Tom brain-teaser, the stealer of life history, the trickster, the face-stealer, the- He shook his read/write head as the list of hatred raged through his mind.

He lifted the piece of Sir Henry Joseph Wood off easily with a spell and regarded them through his evanesce eyes. He did not think of caring about anyone, even before the snake-one did things to him. But these also fought the snake-one. And so maybe they should n't die. Maybe not.

He levitated them off the terra firma and scuttled to a faded window and threw them through the meth. There were shouts from out of doors and he could see the robed men clustering around them. The robed men could n't see him though. He scuttled back to the trap in the floor and lowered himself in.

They could n't catch him yet.

He still had killing to do.
*


Harry stood in the apple woodlet again. The leaves turned brown for the season, the ground wet with dew. In every focussing it stretched, impossibly deep.

'' Why am I here ? '' Harry tried to say, but his sass would n't build sound. His throat was closed.

What is this place ?

Harry turned on his cad and there was the edge of the trees, just paces away. And beyond it ... nix. The existence just dropped away as if the Tree were the only real thing.

The sound of the river raged in his ears, filling him with fear. He ran from the sharpness, back into the safety of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, back into the real part. But it was crumbling now, he could see the edge crumbling away and yet somehow never getting closer. Always falling apart but staying where it was.

What is this place ?

Harry hugged his arms to his breast. This was a ambition, this was only a dream.

Then why does it feel like this is the solitary thing that 's real ?
*


'' He 's awake. ``

Draco dropped off his hospital bed at the sound of the therapist voice and hurried up to the side of Harry 's bed. Most of the former marauders clustered around with him. The Weasley Twins and Parvati were all in their own seam, kept mercifully unconscious while their injuries healed. They had all been hurt when they managed to drag themselves out of that hell on earth, it was a small miracle none of them were dead. No ... not a miracle, they had trained, they had prepared. That was the reason they were still alive. Not a miracle.

Draco looked down at his Friend, lying pale and wan on the hospital sheets. His optic had cracked exposed, but he still was n't moving.

'' Welcome back Harry. '' Hermione grasped Harry 's bridge player encouragingly. `` Do n't try to spill yet the doctors said you were really pale. ``

'' ... ah ... '' Harry licked his lips and tried again. `` ... Volde ... mort ... ''

'' He got away. '' Ginny supplied. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, a frustrated moan broke out from somewhere in his chest.

'' Do n't feel bad partner. '' Ron was clearly trying to voice offbeat. Idiot. `` Only three death eater got away. We got all the rest, all of them. ``

'' Who ... ? '' Harry 's enquiry was hissed out through obvious pain.

'' Well, there was Rookwood. '' Padma began, counting off on her finger. `` He managed to slip past the aurors. Forneus too. ``

'' Three ... ''

'' And ... '' Padma 's center flickered towards Neville. `` And Bellatrix. ``

'' Bella ... '' Harry 's aspect contorted into a snarl. `` Got her ... Could affirm I got- ''

'' You did Harry. '' Ginny picked up a Methedrine of water and slowly helped Harry to drink from it. `` The aurors were dragging her out but she came to in their arms, killed one of them with her bare manpower and dissapperated with his baton. ``

'' Killed ? He died ? '' Harry 's voice seemed to be coming a bit easier now but it was still at the sharpness of weakness.

'' Yes. The only auror, order appendage or marauder to die yesterday. '' Draco supplied, he could see Ginny 's head bowing. She could n't possibly feel guilty could she ? The man had let an unconscious prisoner rip out his trachea. It was tragical, but it was no one flaw but his own. Harry certainly would n't experience guilty.

'' We got the rest though did n't we ? '' Harry asked, glancing down at his bandaged hand.

'' nearly of them are idle. '' Dragon supplied. `` Those who did n't die in the conflict died in the fire. ``

'' Gibbons died. '' Neville said quietly. `` I saw the aurors pulling him out. person should say Vanessa. She deserves to have sex her Padre 's dead. Even if he was ... well you know. ``

'' If it was me I 'd be disappointed I was n't the one to kill him. '' Harry said quietly, still staring at his bandaged hand.

'' Harry, your hired hand ... '' Hermione brought it up and there was an instant cooling among the marauders. No one had wanted to be the one to ask Harry about it. `` Your script it ... ''

'' Injured, I know. '' Harry looked over at it dully. `` Can the healers fix it ? ``

'' They ... they can originate the finger back Harry but- ''

'' perfect, that 's fine then. ``

'' But how did it fall out in the first place ? '' Hermione looked like she was trying to stave off actually looking at the hand. `` Snape said you used a wandless violent death curse which is impossible- ''

'' Apparently not. '' Harry cut her off. `` If they can fix me then why have n't they started ? I need my hand back, Voldemort could retaliate at any moment. ``

'' Harry ... '' Hermione looked around, perhaps looking for backup. Dragon shook his head, she had opened Pandora 's box she could take with it on her own. `` Harry the hand is n't the solely matter wrong with you. ``

'' Some sort of curse or something ? ``

'' No, at least ... they do n't suppose so. ``

'' What are you talking about ? ``

'' Well- '' Hermione began but was cut off as a vox said,

'' Let me explicate. '' Draco looked towards the audio to see Snape striding in through the door. The marauders made way for him as he moved to the foot of Harry 's bed. A white bandage encircled his forehead but he did n't seem to comment it. Snape nodded towards Harry 's ruined hand. `` I think I understand now. That was a Shén de shou was n't it ? ``

No. No Harry oh god no ! Draco felt some horrific cocktail of rage, fear and pathos grow in his breast. He didn't, he couldn't have. But Draco knew in his heart that he could.

'' By the fact that you 're asking you already know that the solvent is yes so why infliction. '' Harry replied coldly.

'' Harry you are twice the muggins I ever named you. '' Snape bowed his heading, his optic closed. `` That you would do this ... ''

'' Do what ? '' Ginny broke in. `` Do what ? What 's a ... Shin-de-show ? ``

'' Shén de shou, a god-hand. '' Draco supplied, finding that his vocalisation was almost tinged with tears. `` It 's an performance, originating in china, they insert sceptre cores into the bones of your deal. Surgically. '' There was a gasp from the vulture 's but genus Draco carried on. It felt better if they knew it too, like the horror was more spread out. `` It 's outlawed everywhere in the mankind. It is insanely grievous, even when they are done right they damage the user since the magic trick has to push it 's way out through flesh and skin. And casting a curse as powerful as the killing condemnation ? He 's lucky he still has an arm. ``

'' I was n't planning on using it levitate feathering. '' Harry said acidly. `` It was a artillery of last resort, and it worked. I saved myself and almost killed Voldemort. ``

'' If it were only that simple Harry. '' Snape still was n't looking Harry in the eye. `` Your Shén de shou may have got been installed properly, it may not stimulate been. Either way it would not calculate for all of your symptoms. And yes Harry, you have many symptoms. The healer found infections in your descent, some new and some just remnants. You have been sick all year have n't you ? Keeping yourself going with pep-up potion as you reeled from one illness after another. And now they have all caught up with you. ``

He was tired of. Malfoy felt dread procession in his venter. He was purge right field at the start of the year and I did nothing ... I could have prevented this.

'' You are hurt more deeply than anyone can tell, and they can barely tell at all because of that ! '' Snape pointed at the faded and cut off bracer around Harry 's arm. `` You have it charmed so that none but you can bump off it. Your paranoia is killing you since the immorality eye prevents the healers from telling what is actually wrong with you. A fact I think you know, a fact I think you know very well. You do not need anyone to know what was going on inside you. You got the Shén de shou Harry thrower, but what else did you get ? You came back after a summer 's time and suddenly you stand toe to toe with death eater ? the great unwashed who have spent their lives learning the mordant of arts ? No ... no ... You did not simply check over the summertime calendar month. What else festers under your skin ? What else have you done to yourself ! ``

The secrecy in the elbow room was satisfying as granite, and as harsh. Harry licked his lips before answering slowly, measuredly,

'' If I answered you, you would have the healers remove what I had put in. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why ? ``

'' To save your life. '' Snape was virtually shaking.

'' My sprightliness 's worth nothing if Voldemort 's around. '' Harry shook his head. `` Afterwards. I 'll kill Voldemort then the stuff comes out. Until then I need it. ``

'' Afterwards ? Afterwards ? '' A displume squeezed out of the quoin of Snape 's eye, shocking everyone. It might have been a tear of madness, it might not. `` Harry by then it may be too late ! The therapist say that you have months, half a year at very undecomposed, if we do not do something. ``

'' And look what I 've done with a year ! '' Harry yelled angrily. `` I 've pushed Voldemort back to the brink ! How many death feeder does he have left ? FOUR ! Down from what ? Twenty ? Thirty ? I knew I would n't deliver practically clock time. I accepted that my life would be severally cut, but I have taken my lifespan and amaze that snake in the grass faced wanker around the headland with it ! He is hanging by a wind thanks to me ! I am the only one who can vote out Voldemort ! The ONLY ONE ! You know that ! The freaking chosen one, I had to do this. I had to ! There was NO OTHER WAY ! No way for me to win, not against him. I needed every vantage I could find so, god aid me, I went out and found some advantages. I had to. And if it means I win my big vaticinate competitiveness against the by-blow ? Then I made the properly call. And if I do n't ? Then it wo n't weigh anyway. ``

Harry cut off, his chest rising and falling sharply, showing how a great deal his speech had taken out of his injured underframe. Snape was just standing there, his face an indescribable masquerade party of sorrow. Another bout, and another. professor Snape looked like a man who had had a knife stuck through him, impaling his heart.

'' Back on the ship. '' Padma 's whispering voice cut through the silence like a siren. `` Back on the ship you knew where the crew were. You knew where the creatures were. You even knew where the ship was in the middle of the night on a stormy sea. You knew where we were too. You put the glasses in your pocket, I never saw you put them on. We were invisible, but not to you. Oh god Harry ... secern me you did n't. Tell me ... '' Padma reached a hand forward, up towards Harry 's grimace. Harry did n't flinch back even as her long fingernail reached up close and tapped his eye.

The unmistakable chink of glass was like a death toll.

'' Your eye ... '' Hermione breathed, every reverb of her voice begging it not to be lawful. `` You ... you cut out your eye ? ``

'' No, guy at the workshop did it. '' Harry tried to gravel Padma 's hired hand away but clearly did n't have the durability. `` Do n't you all look at me like that. I saw how utilitarian Moody 's was and got one for myself. This one's better though, it can look anywhere, out the spinal column of my fountainhead and all but it's charmed to look like it's pointing the Lapplander way as the other one. So no one ever knows. It 's been useful, more than useful. You ca n't say me it has n't. '' Harry's voice had grown more sharp as he spoke.

'' But ... your eye. '' Hermione shuddered, her hired man involuntarily flinched up to her face. `` How could you ? ``

Draco felt gall rise like a vent. Just the thought of tearing out his own eye made him sick. What rooted and horrific will would it take to willingly choose that self-mutilation. For the offset time that year, Draco began to fear Harry a little.

'' Do n't seem at me like that. '' Harry was shying away from their stares, pushing back into the bed. `` What ... Do n't ! Do n't calculate at me like you do n't know why I did this ! Do n't look at me like you do n't see. I had to ! ``

The despair in his voice. The need for them to see, to justify what he had done. Draco shuddered. In Harry 's property would he cause done the same ? He honestly could n't guess. No one could. Draco cleared his throat,

'' Harry, I ca n't approximate why you chose to do this. But you need to let the therapist fix you now. ``

'' Draco, I ... you too ? '' Harry seemed very low in that instant. Very lost.

'' Please let them fix you Harry. '' Draco felt a small hand grasp his and glanced to the English to see Ginny. Offering support. A right friend. Thank you. `` You might now even need this hooey anymore. Voldemort is rickety, maybe- ''

"Maybe !"Harry snapped."Maybe, maybe MAYBE ! That ‘ s all I ‘ ve heard all year ! I won ‘ t trust to trust ! It ‘ s too important."

"Harry please ..."genus Draco's throat felt like it was closing up."Please ... you may not realize just how much damage you ‘ re doing to yourself. Waiting a few weeks even could-"

"defeat Voldemort."Harry said coldly."I ‘ ve made my choice. differentiate the healers to fix my paw, just the hand. You don ‘ t think I wish it was different ? I do. But some bastard prophecy had the saddle sore to set my lifetime in question long before I had any say in it. I have to win. I have to win even if I die because nothing else matters. Turns out this fight was what I was born for and I ‘ ll burn myself from the inside out before I lose to that snake-faced love child. I have to win. Even if I die."

Draco stepped back from the bed. The horrible foregone conclusion in Harry's part was shocking. He had accepted his fate down to his off-white. He had sot it in till it was the very CORE of his being. Was Harry even in there any Thomas More ?

Dragon was shocked out of his thinking by a small audio. It took him a moment to recognize it, but when he did it surprised him once more. Snape was gripping the end of the hospital bed so hard the woodwind was splintering. When Draco looked up at the potions master's face he almost cried out in fear. The most terrible dark rage Draco had ever seen was painted across Snape's aspect, etched in every transmission line and crease. The dark phantasm in his eyes were seething syndicate of bottle up fierceness. Suddenly Snape let out an almost inhuman growl and disapperated on the spot, tearing a piece of the bed away with him.
*


No thought entered the red fog of Snape's mind as he strode towards the gates of Hogwarts. His wand whipped out and the huge room access were thrown back with a rumbling crash that shook the castle. He could not give care less if the whole construction fell down. Minerva hurried towards him,

"Severus what is the import of this ?"

"I am going to see the headmaster."Snape didn't slow, forcing Minerva to skip over out of his way. He was too raging to worry. He saw the gargoyle statue ahead of him and forced the password out through gritted teeth. He rode the stairs up listening to his own racing trice in his ears. The stairs ground to a halt and Snape slammed the doorway open. Dumbledore looked up in shock from the papers in front man of him as Snape strode up to him and slammed his clenched fist down of the open of the desk.

"Harry is in St Mungos."He had no idea how to give representative to the thought inside him, they were too many and too powerful.

"I know that Severus."Dumbledore replied coldly."But you are no longer a member of the order so-"

"Do you know why Harry is in St Mungos ?"Snape tried to breath evenly."Because, in an endeavor to action your valued divination, he found some fatal market flesh monger that would fit him with a Shén de shou."

"A Sh ..."Dumbledore's optic widened."My god ... he could receive killed himself ..."

"Yes."Snape could fell his fingernails biting into his palms."But not just that, he had his own eye cut out to fit a magical one. Those and who knows what other mutilations are slowly destroying him. He is going to die because of them. Because of the divination. Because of you !"

Dumbledore was staring off into the aloofness, he looked like his soul was being torn out. Good.

"The boy destroys himself, tears himself apart. He is fix to die, because of the prophecy."Snape drew his face down point with Dumbledore's."I think it ‘ s time he learnt the truth. Don ‘ t you ?"

"Severus ..."

"You tell him."Snape held a shaking finger's breadth up."I will give you one probability to order him, to slake some of your guilt with money plant. But rest assured, if you do not tell him, I will. This lie has poisoned too a lot already."

"You realize ..."Dumbledore spoke as if from within a fog."That the truth may break him ?"

"No more than the lie has."

"Perhaps."Dumbledore stood, leaning heavily on his desk. He seemed ... antediluvian. antediluvian and tired."I will tell him now. Which room is he in ?"
*


Harry glanced up as the hospital door was pushed open and Dumbledore stepped in and braced himself for being yelled at. Dumbledore just walked slowly towards Harry's bed, his handwriting kept flinching out to the position as if expecting to find a cane there.

"youngster,"Dumbledore addressed the marauders."Would you leave behind us ? Please."

"What are you going to do ?"Ginny stepped in front of the bed protectively.

"Just public lecture Miss Weasley."Dumbledore's head hung weakly."Only talk."

"It ‘ s alright Ginsters."Harry nodded towards her."It ‘ s alright."

Ginny looked tentative but waved the piranha to follow her out. As the door banged shut Dumbledore walked to the end of the elbow room, glancing at each bed, then flicked the curtain closed with his wand. Another waving of his wand and Harry heard a niggling muffled audio from the door. Whatever Dumbledore was about to say he didn't want anyone listening. Finally Dumbledore shuffled over to the bed opposite Harry's and sat carefully. There was a longsighted mo of silence that stretched on and on ...

"Yes ?"Harry asked, words still hurting his throat."You got something to say ?"

"I ... I do not have a go at it how to begin."Dumbledore seemed lost, a little bemused boy in the woods."I suppose I should part by telling you how ... how incredibly sorry I am. You must believe I never expected that you would do this. But that is no excuse, no exculpation at all."

"What are you saying ?"

"I ... Let me tell you a story."Dumbledore licked his backtalk."I am sorry but this is the only way I know to tell you. It begins about fifteen twelvemonth ago, I had just born-witness to a prophecy that gave the exclusively hope for the downfall of the dark lord."

"I know this story."

"Harry please."Dumbledore raised his hands."This is hard enough ... Please just let me speak."

"Alright."

"I had heard the prophecy, the one you know well. I had determined that it referred to a child all of us in the purchase order knew well. The child of Lilly and James Potter. I knew that the tiddler was our only hope. Even before the prognostication was recorded in the department of mysteries I had already placed the Potter family unit under the solid protective cover I could. Unfortunately I failed, I was betrayed."

"Canicula Black."

"Yes. Sirius inkiness. But his perfidiousness, though it led to the last of two of the most braw and good the great unwashed I know, also spelled the end of the dark lord. Voldemort was destroyed. Most of the wizarding world considered him utter. The celebrations ... they went on for twenty-four hour period ... workweek truly. The integral wizarding world breathed again thanks to the sacrifice of Lilly and James ceramicist and the selection of their son. The boy-who-lived. The boy who showed that Voldemort was not unbeatable. He was the symbol of victory, the symbolic representation of hope. But I knew the truth, that Voldemort was not truly dead. I knew that the divination was not yet fulfilled and that, when the shadow lord would finally rise again, the people would need the boy-who-lived. So I placed him with his mothers blood, with his aunt. The grounds were complex, the blood link provided him trade protection of a variety but it is insignificant now. I should have known my folly, should have known. It is my fracture in so many path. My fault in every way that affair. I should give watched closer ... Because one day, when that boy was six, his aunt had taken both him and his cousin to the shops. Perhaps she was not paying attention or perhaps it was simply an accident, but the boy ran out into the road. A car struck him, terribly fast. I have watched the computer memory of the crash through others eyes ... he flew so far ... Dr. worked on him, then I had him moved to St Mungos and the healer worked as arduous as the could. But the damage ... the wound to his skull ... his bureau ... he passed from this world. Just six geezerhood old. My defect. All my error. His line of descent on my hands ... But I knew it was not over. I knew that Voldemort would still grow, the wizarding existence would still require their symbol of hope, their boy-who-lived. Their Hero. So I found another boy, of the correct age, in a muggle orphanage. I worked magic to change his appearance, his voice, his retention ... his memories I destroyed entirely and replaced with postiche, I even supplemented them with some of my own memory of King James Potter to make the boy seem like him. Then I placed him back at Privet campaign, I changed the storage of the aunt ... the uncle ... the full cousin. I sought out everyone who had seen the crash and tore the retentiveness from their skulls, the doc, the healer ... I made it so that it never happened. And then a sat back and watched ... I watched my shammer produce up. I felt my guilt trip grow. But it was done, and it could not be undone. My large shame ... the lie that makes everything else a lie as well. The truth is that the chosen one has been drained for nine long time. You are not him."

Dumbledore trailed off, he seemed pocket-sized, even frail, as if letting this great arcanum out of him had drained him of everything. Harry shook his heading. No ... No no no ...

"No, you ‘ re lying. You. Are. Lying."

"I so like that I was."

"But I ‘ m the ... I ‘ m Harry potter !"He shook his head."I ‘ m Harry Potter !"

"No. You are not."

"I have the scratch !"

"I gave you that scar."Dumbledore had his eyes closed. But even so a displume squeezed out from the side, running down his long nose and dropping to the floor."I can withdraw it right now if you wish it."

"No !"His hands jumped up to his brow protectively."You ‘ re just ... you ‘ re saying these things ... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME ?"

"I am no-account. I am so sorry."Dumbledore bowed his foreland."I can not say that to you enough. I ... I destroyed you."

"No ! I ... I cut out my eye !"Harry could feel his blood pumping in his ears."I ‘ ve fought ! I ‘ ve fought him all yr ! I ‘ m the chosen one !"

"You are not. There is no chosen one."Dumbledore sounded like a man burning his last shred of promise."The prophecy died nine years ago. Voldemort won."

"No. No ..."He was shaking, he couldn't stop."Lies it ‘ s just prevarication !"

"It is not."Dumbledore shook his read/write head."If you want proof just look to your friends. You named them the marauder. On your very beginning day. How did you know that name ? You know that James II potter named his group of champion the Saami ?"

"No, he can't have ! It ‘ s a lie !"

"It is not. You knew the name because I put in in your psyche. If you doubt me ask anyone who was at schoolhouse with them."Dumbledore was speaking in dead tones now, he had reached the bottom."I have heard you refer to Professor Snape as Snivellus and to Remus Lupin as Moony. Those were both names Henry James potter invented. You also knew about prof Snape ‘ s night sign. How else would you know ?"

"I ... I ..."The boy could feel himself shaking, his thinker shaking apart.

"It is on-key. It is all true ... I am so regretful. I am so ... I can not start to think what this must be doing to you. What this has done to you."

"So ... who am I ?"The boy looked up."What ‘ s my name ?"

"I do not know."

"You found me !"He could hear his pipe interpreter in his ear."You tangle me to this sprightliness you have to cognise !"

"I do not Harry I ‘ m ..."

"Harry ? Harry ?"The boy threw his head back and screamed, a screeching cacophony of pain."And don ‘ t you dare say you ‘ re sorry ! Don ‘ t you dare !"

"I ... I can not -"

"Get out !"He grabbed his glass of water and threw it with all his strength, bout blurring his eyes. It shattered against the Headmaster ‘ s shoulder."Get out ! Get out ! GET OUT !"

Dumbledore fled the elbow room, holding his arm. As the old ace crashed through the doors the boy threw himself back against the paries and howled in pain and confusion, tearing at his fuzz with hand like claws. Tears ran freely down his nerve from the one real eye he had left.

sobbing and fracture he lay there, until darkness closed in.



inspection. I just know you have something to say about this.