This Holy Scripture 's been giving me problem, mess and deal of trouble. I 've had more than annoyance from this one than from the former four put together and it 's not even finished yet ! Grumble ... grumble ...

Anyway as a result I may be slower to carry than usual as I try to beat this twisty, hellish recital I choose to prognosticate a tarradiddle into compliance.

Sorry, hopefully the tarradiddle will be ameliorate for it.

In other intelligence : OVER 200,000 WORDS ! HORAY !



"Hello ?"The shopkeeper peered, bleary eyed, at the figure standing on the former side of the glass door."Sorry we ‘ re closed now."

"Good."The hooded man pushed the door heart-to-heart roughly."Then there will be no one to try us."

"What do you want."The storekeeper edged his hired man towards the wand in his pocket."If it ‘ s money you ‘ re after-"

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

"If your professional wants any of my service."The shopkeeper grunted a laughter."He ‘ d better do himself. I don ‘ t do menage calls and even if I did some of my equipment ‘ s too heavy to move."

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

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

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

"Yeah, old age ago. When they were legal."The market keeper took his sceptre from his pocket and held it firmly towards the interloper."I think you ‘ d right 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 disconsolate mark emerge from under the dark robes. Even this far from Britain everyone in the business knew what it meant.

"Are you a… a bushed feeder ?"

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

"I… I ‘ ll have to get some calls."The shopkeeper 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 discuss some other things you may be able to aid me with. I ‘ m sure they will not be beyond your… skill."

The shopkeeper gulped as the man began listing what he wanted. His hands shook so much his verge fell on the flooring and rolled away unnoticed.

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


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

"Thank you young master."The man simpered.

"He's probably telling mortal I was there rightfield now."Harry thought as he left the grubby pub."And that person will recount a last eater."

Harry broke into a run as old buildings flashed past him. He hadn't made for Greater London, too obvious. The bluff silhouette of Edinburgh rook was outlined against the stars for a mo between two buildings as Harry dashed along and he darted down an alley 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 course began to wax towards the richly castle.

He came up a side road and turned away from the historic building. Fitting himself into the crowd of Friday night revelers like a shadow. He flitted across the royal stag mile as fast as he thought secure, clutching his long coating tight about him. At XV year old people wouldn't think it weird for him to be out this deep but they might think of that he was alone. Any memory of his passing was a liability and Harry flicked his apprehension up and keep open into the tail of a house.

There were a few hotshot gin mill in Edinburgh, Harry had mapped them out. But thanks to his foolishness of not disguising himself as he flued into the final one he could not now risk any of them. Harry cursed, he was still an idiot. Still making stupid misapprehension, Harry shook his point 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 face entrance. He bought a just the ticket from an automated machine ( no remembering ) to the first location on the departures panel. Then tore it up, cursing himself again, and bought one for the arcsecond one down.

It was only three mo till it left. Harry stood in a niche, hopefully just looking like any former traveler. They wouldn't gibe the station would they ? They thought like wizards, not like muggles. Maybe he was being paranoid… the barman didn't have to tell anyone…

No ! Careless ! wagerer safe. We want to agitate them, but on our terms.

Harry nodded, it was the safety thing to do. He gritted his tooth as the seconds ticked by. He just needed to be gone. Wherever the gear went he could rule maven and flue pipe to… to somewhere. Somewhere better, Hogwarts possibly ? It was still calendar week till he had to go back to school and Harry wasn't eagre to drop away back under Dumbledore's restrictive backstage. He'd go somewhere anyway.

tinker's damn it ! Harry went stock still as two oddly garbed somebody walked into the train station. One looked like his getup was a Allhallows Eve costume of a buccaneer, the other was wearing lederhosen. They were the stupidest plenty Harry had ever seen.

They were also here to pour down him.

Harry could palpate the essence of barely contained force coming off both of them and the pirate had a scepter concealed up his sleeve. Harry stepped sideways, making his apparent movement seem inconsequential, uninteresting, and pushed open a stave door. He stepped in calmly and confidently, not giving any tracing that he didn't belong.

“'Ere ? Who are y-"

The cleaner in boilersuit got no further as Harry whipped his sceptre out and Confunded him.

"You ‘ re done for the night."Harry whispered and jerked a quarter round back the way he ‘ d cum."You need to lock that door."

"R… right."The man mumbled and Harry left swiftly, passing out a side door and feeling the cold nighttime air. Harry crossed the road and passed to the side by side street over and breathed a sigh of relief. It was occupy, full moon of revelers. He could be invisible here.

The proficient variety of invisible, the kind that didn't pauperism 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 skin and grey pilus, Shakey Jack walked again. Harry walked like an old man up the road, watching both ways.

Damn it ! There was one, walking down the street towards him. He was surreptitiously pointing his wand at every mortal he passed, like he was dowsing. He was detecting trick. Harry winced, there was his friend coming from the other direction, doing the same. Harry was cornered.

Harry began walking slowly towards the sea robber death eater, making his steps slow and measured like the old man he was supposed to be. He hid his sceptre in his sleeve, he needed to occur up with a programme. There was no way he could crusade them here, too many bystanders, so that left taking them out instantly ( which would be almost unacceptable ) 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 deliver been silenced himself, aiming at the dying feeder's wand. No way to get it on whether he had hit… The scepter came up, aimed at Harry…

Nothing.

The wand passed on over to the succeeding bystander and Harry breathed a mental sigh of sculptural relief. He began walking away, they didn't follow. He kept walking, passing out of areas he could acknowledge from function and found an alley.

Harry pushed a wheelie bin aside and slouched down against the bulwark. He'd wait for morning time here and try to impart the metropolis then. Harry drew into his bag and pulled out the wrapped up cadaver of a sandwich.

Full rotary, eventually we all come back home.

Harry sneered as his lid began to flag, skittle alley used be home, now they weren't. That didn't mean value that anywhere else in particular was home, but it was an improvement. Harry dropped off to sleep, too tired to dream.

"He ‘ s here somewhere."

Harry's eye flicked capable, the wan lighting of daybreak filtering into the alleyway. stride came slowly up the alleyway. Harry slid behind the bin that hid him and crawled to the other side of meat. The two shape came cl… Hang on !

"Are you certain ?"A recondite companion voice said as the two men passed the bin Harry was behind."It might not even be him."

"Underage trick and marauding end eaters, it ‘ s him."Moody 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 head off the grass ( grass ? ) and looked around him. Moody was gone, but the tall Black person auror was still there, his weapon crossed, calmly looking down at Harry. Harry glanced at the someone 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 Helen Wills was too angry to let the cat out of the bag and Kingsley kept laughing."

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

"I ‘ ll let Helen Wills Moody tell the fib when he calms down."Harry dusted himself off and surveyed the empty-bellied field. It seemed vaguely familiar."Where are we ?"

"Oh ! Right."Tonks dipped into her sac and drew out a small piece of paper."Just read it, don't say it out loud."

Harry took the newspaper publisher and unfolded it. On it was written, in loopy, unvoiced to record handwriting…
The headquarters of the order of the phoenix is the manor on the grim moors.


"So what does it- WHOA !"Harry tripped backwards as the mansion exploded out of the soil around him. Even the Gunter Grass curled into the trading floor and became gravel and a natural spring appeared like it had been pushed up from some tunnel subway system. 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."Good to see you Draco."

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

"I owled."

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

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

"Yeah right."genus Draco pushed the door open for Harry to step inside."wellspring in the mean sentence your admirer and fan club have invaded my home."

"The parliamentary law of the capital of Arizona ?"Harry looked around the cavernous incoming hall."Never heard of them."

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

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

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

"Didn ‘ t Voldemort live here ?"

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

"The moment ownership transferred ?"

"Yes. That."

"Well at least we 're all safe here. constant quantity watchfulness. '' At Harry 's intelligence Shacklebolt clapped a deal to his mouthpiece but could n't stop 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 torment burnt spot at the rear end."It seems my mother reverted to her own class traditions."

"Why don ‘ t you fix it ?"

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

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

"No… no I ‘ m the finale Malfoy."Draco seemed to nod to himself, his vocalization full of some cold resolve."Anyway, as I was saying. With the phratry enthrallment and the extra Barbara Ward Dumbledore put up this billet is totally impregnable."

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

"stay saying that."Kingsley had to cover his sass again.

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

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

"Harry you ‘ re insane !"Tonks doubled over, holding her stomach."He could take in killed you !"

"You ‘ re certified Potter you really are."Draco shook his head teacher, then stopped suddenly."How did you sneak up on Moody ?"

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

In answer Harry just smiled and rolled up his left sleeve. Around his carpus was a memorial tablet bracer engraved with tracing vines. Right in the eye, on the inside arm, was a hieroglyph of a slap-up black eye.

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

"That's the evil eye."Tonks stepped unaired to look at it."It ward off sorcerous monitoring."

"Yep."

"It ‘ s also all sorting of illegal."

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

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

"Does it discontinue 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 go whenever I wanted without the ministry seeing."

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

Harry grinned and turned to trace the auror.

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

"Sorry,"Harry shrugged theatrically."Next time I ‘ ll try to kill in a aseptic environment."

They walked down a long dark hallway, made more spooky by the fact that every picture was empty. Dragon said aught but Harry imagined they had left about the Lapp time his father had. The door at the end had a steady glow coming from under it. Harry hurried forward and flung the room access receptive theatrically.

"I ‘ m back !"

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

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

"Where the blaze were you ?"Padma hadn't joined the charge and was sitting with her arms crossed and an angry expression."Why did you get out ?"

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

"Bullshit."

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

"Voldemort is back."Hermione interrupted him.

"Really ?"Harry opened his eyes across-the-board in shock."Is he really ? No… no, I had no idea… How could that happen ? I would remember a affair like that ? Oh… oh delay ? Tall guy with red center ? You know I think I do recall 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 encounter of the obvious society ?"Harry said as the residual of the marauders crowded around.

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

"Well I didn ‘ t bloody hang-glide."Harry grimaced."At least broom 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 beat again. side by side clip he comes after me I ‘ ll not be helpless."

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

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

"Wh… what ?"

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

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

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

"For how foresightful ?"

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

"You are aware that without me it will take 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 kept silent."How bout you ? You got a take on this ?"

"I trust Dumbledore."Kingsley said confidently.

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

"You haven ‘ t seen him angry."Kingsley turned towards the door."come 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 custody up and excite his head.

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

"What was that Harry ?"Ginny asked.

"What ?"

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

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

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

Harry turned to Dragon, who rolled his eyes.

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

"right field,"Harry turned towards the threshold."It ‘ s not a surreptitious, at least not amongst us. Could you tell 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 wards extend to the property 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 spread window."Harry looked over his shoulder back at the marauders."I can do that can ‘ t I ?"

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

"Is there a window in my cell ?"

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

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


Draco woke the next good morning as a retching sound came through the wall. He shook the covers off and pushed the pall around his bed open before hurrying to the adjacent room.

"Harry is that you ?"Draco was about to try the room access before he thought just of it and ran a spying charm. A mates of nasty curses lifted out of the woodwork. Draco backed a few whole step away."Harry open up !"Draco heard stride then the door scraped open.

"What ?"Harry growled sleepily.

"Were you just sick ?"

"No… no."Harry shook his caput."Why would you recall that ?"

"Because I just heard you Harry."Dragon folded his arms."You also smell of vomit."

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

"You ‘ re vomit up ?"

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

"Right,"Dragon snorted.

"You ‘ re the number one one I ‘ ve told."

"I ‘ m touched."

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

"I imagine project won ‘ t be a picnic either."genus Draco shook his head, if Harry didn ‘ t want to tell him then he didn ‘ t want to know."looking, it smells like breakfast ‘ s ready."

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


"Sit down Harry."molly Weasley pulled out a hot seat for him."Have some testis. There ‘ s goner too, and some sausages."

Harry looked around in muddiness at the various mass that had appeared in the kitchen of Malfoy manor house. There were Sir Thomas More Weasley's than there had been, the two parents and sure-enough brothers. An odd man in a green hat was there as well, smiling at Harry and waving, along with an elderly dame in an ratty robe. There was one very recognizable face though, one that went had gone from smiling to stone cold the moment he entered the room. Remus lupine had stood the moment he came in and walked away, leaving by the rearwards door.

"A couple of people live here now."Ginny said to address the silence."A couple of the order members."

"Why ?"

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

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

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

'' It would be gracious if they 'd find their own base though. '' Malfoy murmured, still staring at the card. `` Or their own prison. ``

'' Prison ? '' Harry dropped a musical composition of toast. `` They 're using this place as a prison house ? ``

'' 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 appealingness. '' Hermione explained. Harry smiled in sympathy, so that was what the piffling slip-up of paper had been about. `` It means that a secret is- ''

'' I know what it is. '' Harry interrupted her calmly. `` But is n't it life-threatening to assure the prisoners the secret ? ``

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

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

'' They tend to scream a lot. ``

Harry shrugged, carefree. At least there was a safe place for to house the death eaters. Of course of instruction Harry would favour if they were all kept in nice safe coffins but this was the adjacent best affair. While they had been talking Dragon had turned back to the silent chess game.

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

"Hours for this game."Hermione answered dejectedly."Weeks if you ‘ re mean playing in general."

"Who ‘ s winning ?"

"I think Ron ‘ s ahead by two games."

"fountainhead 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 distributor point. Next clip they equalize I ‘ m stealing the bloody board."

"I have over eight hundred chess control panel in this house."Malfoy said idly as he nudged a pawn forward."You ‘ re welcome to try and retrieve all of them. Maybe you ‘ ll get lost along the way."

"But not today. Got you."Ron said triumphantly as he slid his horse forward. Harry frowned, even he, with his loose undemanding of the secret plan, could see that it wasn't a mate. But apparently Malfoy could see something he couldn't, the blond boy hunched over the plank for a few here and now 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 part but Draco grabbed a pawn out of his bridge player and slammed it back into it's box.

"I don ‘ t want another game. I ‘ m bored of chess for today."genus Draco sat back down at the breakfast mesa, pouting.

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

"It ‘ d give us something to do."Parvarti murmured quietly, voicing what they all felt. ennui was ceaseless here. The only occupy prison term were order group meeting when the marauder would try to find ways to hear in. room that were continually blocked.

All their homework had been done. All the class books had been read and so many games of exploding snap had been played that they all had minuscule tiny Burns on the oddment of their fingers. There was nothing else to do, literally zilch. They had looked, tried to add up up with other things to do. They had failed.

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

"Definitely not."Hermione shook her top dog."We could canvas ?"

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

"We could trade and do each others."Parvati pointed out. At the general shock absorber she just shrugged."I ‘ m that bored."

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

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

"Well… oh."

The predator lapsed into quiet. Defeated again.

"Mrs Weasley."Malfoy suddenly said."Harry was feeling ill earlier. Do you hold anything that could serve 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 weapon system."Why should we go with you ?"

"Because I know where we can play quidditch."Draco glanced at the room access. `` 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 monumental entrance hall. On the floor there were plinths and face holding foreign sparkling items.

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

'' My fathers. '' Draco lugged the ball case over. `` It 's just detritus. '' True to his word he shoved three vases off a display standstill to put the subject in their position. `` Now ... squad. ``

'' I call senior pilot ! '' Ginny yelled.

'' Me too. '' Ron nodded.

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

'' But- ''

'' It 's my house. '' Malfoy cut him off snidely. `` I 'll drive the counterpart. ``

'' Which single ? ``

'' The quidditch performing ones. '' Malfoy rolled his optic. Fred and George III reluctantly went over to place upright by Malfoy.

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

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

'' Fine. You can have them. '' Ginny grinned. `` I get everyone else. ``

'' Well well Weasley. '' Malfoy said appraisingly. `` Betting on quantity over tone ? ``

'' Shut up and put out the bludgers. ``
*


Ginny shot past a storage locker laughing, the wreck from behind her told her George VI had n't been so lucky. The quaffle flew up and bounced inside the ice round on the wall.

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

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

tinker's dam it he was right, Ginny shot forward after him. If only the snitch would come along ! It should n't be so toilsome to catch it in this enclosed expanse. Unfortunately the charms on the snitch were never designed to deal with an unpredictable tangle of cabinets and as a final result it kept moving erratically. They had found and lost it three metre already. Ginny saw Malfoy trying to rack up and being blocked by Ron. She took the opportunity to take another feel for it.

'' Over there ! '' Someone yelled, Ginny did n't waver. The flash of gold disappeared behind a urn and Ginny spun around it. Where was it ? Another flashing, there by the rack of swords. Ginny heard a collapse from the side her, Malfoy was closing in. There, by the Methedrine again ? No ! By the urns again ! damn it, there were musing everywhere. It was like there were six snitcher !

Ginny narrowly avoided colliding with the bulwark. A thumping behind her told her Malfoy wasn't so lucky. There it was ! Right near the box of the way. Ginny sped up, it was so faithful ! Her fingerbreadth closed around it. And it felt ... wrong.

Ginny drew to a freeze, holding the thing in her hand. It was gilded, but it wasn't a snitch. It was a cup, a little atomic number 79 plated teacup, still struggling to bunk from her fingerbreadth. Draco hovered in next to her, looking perplexed.

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

"What is it ?"

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

"No."Ginny just gritted her tooth and swallowed the contumely. They had to live in this theatre for weeks yet."Where did it come from ?"

The other vulture came in closer, staring at it.

"I saw it by the door."Annapurna 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 substantial fink ?"Fred asked, wrestling a bludger back into its case.

"It ‘ s just a breeding snitch. It comes when it ‘ s called."Malfoy held out his hand."Ollyollyoxen !"In a instant of atomic number 79 the snitch darted down from the ceiling and settled in his hand.

"net ball go."He said curtly, jerked his point and floated off towards the door.

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

"Do you hear that ?"Neville whispered and clumsily stopped.

"What Longbottom ?"Malfoy turned in the air, restlessness clear on his face."I don ‘ t hear anything."

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

muteness filled the hallway for a instant, then ... a aloof noise. It sounded like an explosion underwater, muffled by the bulwark. The predator looked at each other, they had all heard it.

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

"phone ..."Malfoy screwed up his fount."It ‘ s beneath us."

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

"My house Weasley."Malfoy cut her off."It ‘ s coming from beneath us. This way."Malfoy crack forward and turned sharply into a slope corridor. Ginny rushed to keep up with him and she could try the piranha behind her doing the same. A door was cast away receptive in front of them and Ginny spun into it, following the blonde flash in front man of her. Down some stone's throw, along a yearn night manor hall, next - STOP !

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

"You ! You ... !"

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

"I almost hit you !"Ginny dropped to the floor."Why did you hold on ?"

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

"fountainhead lets see then."Malfoy drew his verge and pushed at the laborious door. It slowly crept give. Inside was an empty-bellied dormitory, looked like it was usually used for reposition or something. The entirely affair left were a few odd tables and a few boxes. In the midriff of the room stood Harry, bare chested with his scars pure lily-white against his tanned and sweating skin. On a box next to him was a odd stilt of debris. As they watched he took a home and held his wand to it. At a whispered word there were two plates, then three, then four. Harry dropped the original back into the galvanic pile and tapped the fakes with his wand. They instantly flew off in all directions. Harry jabbed his wand and in a fraction of a second-

BANG ! One shattered near the roof. Harry whirled. BANG ! Shattering into sherd. BANG ! Smashing the slope and sending the last home base spinning into the wall.

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

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

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

"Right."Harry shrugged."Just didn ‘ t want to nark 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 neat row along the board was a abrupt and wickedly curved sword, a short lance with a lighting dash carved into the haft, a one shot glob that had kettle of fish for fingerbreadth and seemed to be glowing from within and no LE 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 joint without looking and the cup, zipping past too fast to see, exploded in mid air."I told you that didn ‘ t I ?"

Ginny just stared, this was too much. All the marauders 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 thing."You shouldn ‘ t have, my founder had two in his vault."

"I may need spares."Harry shrugged.

"Harry is this thrust wickedness magic ?"Hermione was shying away from the table.

"Depends on your perception."Harry replied airily."It ‘ s certainly illegal illusion. Whether it ‘ s dark is more about the use it ‘ s put to than the matter itself. These things 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 big one. The marauders took a collective pace back."Bringing them back to the UK was the illegal bit."

"Wh ... wh ..."

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

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

'' Yes, '' Harry clanced down at the dreary scepter. `` Why do you ask ? ``

'' Harry, do you not reckon that using a sceptre you stole from a dead destruction 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 risk it not working as well as this one does ? '' Harry balanced the midst, twisted wand on the edge of his hand before flicking it up into the air and catching it, all the while with the gun held nonchalantly in his former mitt. `` This one study for me, maybe as well as my old one did. Besides ... it kind of conniption does n't it ? This verge 's done a lot of violence in it 's lifespan. wads of hurting, fighting, and that 's exactly what I intend to use it for. ``

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

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

"What do you mean 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 board. It sounded heavy."I need to press Voldemort. I have to push Voldemort."

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

"I have to fight down Voldemort and you know what ? I ‘ ll lose !"Harry slashed the air angrily."I ‘ ll lose, I mean what else would encounter ? I spotty, ignorant fifteen year old against the most dangerous wizard 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 fall behind. None of us can open for me to lose. Do you fuck what it feels like to know that the whole world is royally screwed if you fail ? No ? Then shut up ! Don't try to stop 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 secretiveness. Harry turned back to his pile of junk and began duplicating a heavy glass bowl.

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

"Do you want to hazard everything on maybe ?"Harry answered without looking up."Well I ‘ m not. It could be any time so I have to be fix any meter. It could be tomorrow too."

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

"You ... !"Hermione whirled on him."You can ‘ t help 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 zippo to be ready in slip he ‘ s amiss this time."

"But Harry could be killed !"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded curtly."He could. Did you not bring in that ? Did you perhaps intend what happened last year was some kind of rum biz ?"

"Of grade not, but-"

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

"goodness point."Ginny was surprised to hear her own voice. Oh no now everyone was looking at her, better say something."And since we ‘ re all targets maybe we should try learning some hooey too."

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

"So we ‘ re not going to speak about the prophecy ?"Hermione turned to face Harry.

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

"I ... guess so ..."Hermione bit her lip."There ‘ s an orderliness meeting tonight. Maybe we can ask Dumbledore ..."

"Good."Harry hoisted a chalk bowl onto his shoulder and discard it out into the room. He aimed his baton and muttered under his intimation. The stadium melted and splattered into a steaming heap on the storey."There are some things I want to ask him too."
*


"Where have you lot been !"Molly Weasley drew herself up."You disappeared hours 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 ?"Draco turned from his progress towards the door."What do you signify ‘ Where am I going'? I ‘ m going to the kitchen."

"You come back here Danton True Young man !"

"Why ? I ‘ m not your crime syndicate. Nor am I one of these other waifs you seem to have adopted. I don ‘ t care for your notion, 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 enraged secrecy left behind him.

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

"Tonks."Draco smiled and walked through the now crowded kitchen to where his cousin was sitting. next to the lycanthrope. Draco shuddered inwardly and sat on her other side."I couldn ‘ t eat another fried breakfast anyway. Any to a greater extent and my broom won ‘ t be capable to hold me."

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

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

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

"Don ‘ t Tell him."

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

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

"How ‘ d you get away ?"Draco asked.

"Disillusion."Harry shrugged."That deep into a tirade I doubt she ‘ ll count how many people 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 other incline of the workbench and stepping up beside the Headmaster and tugging on his robe.

"professor, can I spill to you ab-"

"After the get together Harry."Dumbledore brushed him off."You have my word. But right now some of the social club members have important missionary work 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 rescript phallus filed out he sidled up to Harry's side ?

"What was that ?"

"What ?"

"You being calm and prissy 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 decent when I have an docket ? That I am manipulative and ego serving that way ? That I would only be calm if I, oh say ... wanted to slip a listening device into the pocket of soul ‘ s gown before they went into an ordering meeting ... or something like that ?"
*


Snape stepped into the manor house and strode towards the master dining elbow room. He wasn't late precisely, just ... no longer appropriately inspire. He pushed the threshold open and walked to the receptive seat future to Natalie.

"Have I missed anything important ?"

"Attacks."The terrible was idly scraping her finger along the edge of a copy of the daily seer."wickedness marks. hotshot and witches we suspect have been turned, or put under the imperious curse.

'' Nothing of import then. ``

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

'' I heard Harry found them. '' Snape cracked a smile. `` Or Moody at least. ``

'' Severus, '' A soft 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 paw. `` The darkness nobleman is moving. ``

'' Well duh. '' The phonation near the end of the mesa was swiftly silenced by a flat stare.

'' The dark Divine is moving more specifically. Now that Greyback is abruptly all but a few of the loup-garou have deserted him. He seeks new military personnel to sew panic, he has chosen to acquire by solid wealth this time rather than void hope. He is arranging purchase of bombastic numbers of various exotic specie, lethifolds primarily. Chimaeras if it can find a willing seller. ``

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

'' Precisely because they are mindless. '' Snape explained. `` His criminal United States Army from Azkaban has not been as effective as he hoped. ``

'' They 've torn the land apart ! '' individual yelled.

'' But only in their own capacity. They have not followed society well, they are distracted. The wickedness nobleman has killed a lot of them, he seems tired of human failings. In a way he does n't want an army, he wants a arm. Something he can loose at will. Doubtless he will be employing the imperious curse to see that his will is done. ``

'' It does n't work on lethifolds. '' Lupin said with certainty. A little snuff of sculptural relief slid through Snape 's mind, swiftly swallowed up with darkness.

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

'' manticora ? '' The one-time denial instructor eyes grew wide.

'' Well, manticora at present. But he is looking for others. ``

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

'' Both because that would make them less efficacious fighter and because long exposure to the Dementors seems to have made them surprisingly resistant to genial tone-beginning. '' Snape leant closer over the table to speak to the order as a whole. `` I have the date he plans to fulfill with brute trader. If we arrange a trap we can get ahead of him and- ''

'' No. '' Dumbledore spoke with restrained authority.

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

'' If we act he will assuredly estimate the source of our information. '' Dumbledore shook his bearded caput. `` You are too worthful at award to risk. You are our only source of information. ``

'' Information we never act on. '' Snape clenched his fists on the cold Venetian red table. `` What use is my spying ... what use is this order 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 language we wanted to fling at the old man. It would be pointless.

'' We could instead liaise with the foreign auror departments. '' Snape tried to fox himself into thinking this was anything former than a damage limiting attempt. `` They could turn back some of the traders before the dark lord can fit with them. ``

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

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

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

"Is there anything else ?"

"Barty Crouch still has not returned."Snape shook his head, Barty Crouch had become Voldemort's favorite, surpassing even Belatrix. Snape had hoped at one time that Barty's failure to gain the ministry would count against him, and it had, but apparently throwing it into excitement had been enough. That and successfully bringing Harry Potter directly to the dark Lord. All that made it even more suspicious that Barty was absent from end feeder gather. The dark lord kept his servant close, if he was letting one off their tether then it had to be for something important.

"Do you suppose he has left the country ?"mortal down the mesa asked.

"It is possible."Snape nodded."But whatever he is doing it has it ‘ s beginning here. The dark lord has always intended to take this rural area before moving on to the repose of the cosmos. That has not changed. It may also involve espionage."

"Why do you say that ?"

"It is Barty Crouch ‘ s specialty is it not ?"Snape shrugged."But the dark Creator has ordered me to begin researching polyjuice potion in an attempt to make it work for any humanoid species."

"You think it is connected ?"

"I do not know."Snape answered honestly."It could just as easily be involved in his attempts to put on the musical accompaniment of the giants."

"The nighttime overlord program are like spiderwebs."Natalie said softly."We can assume everything is connected."If anyone other than Snape heard her they said nothing.

"Is that all ?"

"former than hours of listening to the dark lords dark pontificating on the content of the death or oppression of all muggles ?"Snake crooked an supercilium."No."

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

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

A general moan went up from around the elbow room. Snape just closed his eyes and took a simmer down breather. After the events of last year the ministry had been fractured to its very Congress of Racial Equality. The near-election of a death eater had made them awful as rabbits. Fudge had, the moment Dumbledore left the building, ran back to his function and virtually barricaded himself inside. All summer he had been wrangling the ministry around to the musical theme that his expulsion was not valid because of the magic trick of Barty Crouch Jr.

That was, Snape had to let in, technically true. Although the vote to remove Fudge had been won by a prosperous margin the original apparent movement to remove a minister for magic could only be tabled by a member of the Wizengamot. Crouch Jr was not a extremity, only impersonating one, therefore the question and, by extension, the balloting was emptiness. A piece of bureaucratic imbecility that meant they were stuck with that ridiculous man until someone else drummed up enough supporting to expel him.

'' We could interchange him. '' Natalie said, seeming to understand his thoughts like she often did ( even when not actually doing so ). `` Everyone in my department thinks he 's a antic. ``

'' Ours too. '' Shacklebolt rumbled.

'' The totally ministry does. '' Arthur Weasley added. `` The hale wizarding population. The trouble is that no one wants to put in a nomination for fright of looking like they 're following Crouch 's illustration. ``

'' So we put person forward. '' Snape said definitely. `` We field a candidate no one can indicate is a end eater. ``

'' And they will be shot down by those who resent Dumbledore interfering in the ministry. Fudge was not the exclusively one. '' Shacklebolt shook his headspring. `` I realize this legal opinion may not be the most easy to hear, but perhaps we should allow him to stay for now. ``

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

'' I realize the spot is not ideal. '' Shacklebolt held his helping hand up. `` But Fudge is scared to pertain any known purchase order members or anyone else who waves Dumbledore 's standard. As a solvent he is leaving the aurors office and the rest of the section relatively uninfluenced. We can carry out our body of work without any overbearing oversight for now. And besides, with all the ex-Azkaban occupant running around causing fuss we do not have time for a political battle on top of that. If we can not deliver a appealing government 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 comment. Once more nix would be done.

'' Is guard duty for the following week set up ? '' Dumbledore asked the tack together order. There was a general nodding. It had not been hard to get up, not with a member inside the section of mysteries.

'' Then we should all get back to workplace. '' Dumbledore stood. `` And we should all prepare for onslaught by magical existence. lupine can, I 'm sure, prompt you of the best method to repel them. ``

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

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

'' I 'll be sure as shooting to be in the authority then. '' Natalie nodded. Snape knew that he would be living for Tuesday at eleven. He reluctantly turned and made for the room access. Unfortunately there was a blockage, the unit order was bunched up at the wide double over doorway. Snape quickly pushed to the front and was almost forced to laugh.

Harry had built a barricade.

The fifth class was sitting casually on an bring down desk, resting his feet on a drawer. The quietus of the arching wall was mostly hot seat and table, 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 full attention. '' Harry replied wryly. `` I want to oppose. ``

'' Harry you are not old enough to unite the parliamentary procedure. ``

'' You think Voldemort will worry ? ``

'' We will keep you safe from Voldemort. ``

'' Right. '' Harry dropped off his pole and landed, cat like, on the flooring. `` 'Cos that manoeuvre 's worked magician so far. You know I have to struggle. I have to press him. ``

'' Harry I have made my decision. ``

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

'' Harry ceramist I have had enough of this. '' Dumbledore waved his wand angrily. The roadblock disappeared with a deafening crack. `` You will stay where I put you until it is prophylactic for you to do otherwise. If you will spare no intellection for your own condom others must do it for you. You will appease here. You will be safe here. ``

'' Unless a lethifold weirdo in through the window. '' Harry said flatly. Dumbledore went cold, then glanced at Snape. Harry chuckled and continued. `` Do n't attend at him. This is you 're defect. You let me hear everything. ``

'' How Harry ? '' Dumbledore crooked an eyebrow, but his usual good temper was gone.

'' I 'll let you grudge over it. '' Harry folded his arms. `` I want to crusade. I want to sit in order meetings. I want a private instructor to teach me to duel. ``

'' You may get none of those things. '' Dumbledore was n't moving, just standing like a statue. Radiating threat. `` As for defense force education you will bump it at Hogarts, in your regular defense team form. ``

'' Well I hope at least you 've got somebody trade good. '' Harry sneered, then, glancing at McGonagall, let out a little choked laugh. `` You have n't found anyone have you ? ``

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

The decree members began to shuffle out, giving Harry a wide berth. lupine in particular was staring at him with what could only be described as odium. Snape walked up to the solitary student.

'' Perhaps you should not antagonize him. ``

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

'' Few people do. ``

'' You ? ``

'' No. ``

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

I should have expected that query. Snape took a breath to fall in himself time to consider his response.

'' No. ``

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

'' If I teach you then you will return into the trap of thinking you are ready. '' Snape shook his top dog. `` I could pass on everything I know to you and you would still lose to the dark noble because I would mislay to the dark lord. ``

'' I 'm not just gon na rush in half prance. ``

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

'' I 'm not an imbecile. ``

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

'' Have n't been young for hebdomad. '' 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 armguard but thought better of it. The answer was of no peculiar 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 preserve as you have no dubiety been doing. geartrain, learn everything you can. When the time comes, I promise I will learn you. ``

'' Fine. '' Harry seemed defeated, distant. `` will you at to the lowest degree teach me occlumency ? I ca n't use that to struggle. ``

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


'' Fine. '' Harry muttered to himself. `` I 'll try Moody. ``
*


The marauders had to run Harry again that evening. He had disappeared before dinner and was nowhere to be seen. The delimitation Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth had n't been tripped but with Harry that meant next to nothing. They found him in a obsolete staircase, sitting in the rainbow fuzz of a stained glass window. With the light mottling his hide like some jungle cat the marauder hesitated to approach him.

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

'' Not hungry. ``

'' What were you doing ? ``

'' mendicancy. Again. '' Harry let out a boisterous, sick, laugh. `` full-of-the-moon R-2. ``

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

'' Not money. '' Harry was still looking up into the light. `` I 've spent the evening begging society members, aurors ... everyone really, to teach me to campaign. Waste of my time ... '' Harry trailed off shaking his head.

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

'' Snape, Helen Newington Wills, Tonks, Shacklebolt, McGonagall ... '' Harry sighed. `` Flitwick, he was a dueling whizz. 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 help you Harry. '' Ginny stepped forward. `` We said we would. ``

'' It 's not the same. I need a teacher. '' Harry shook his head. `` There 's only so much I can get from Quran and ... peer acquisition. ``

'' Well ... maybe you could ask whoever they get to teach DoD this yr. '' Hermione suggested. `` Or maybe they 'll be really effective 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 pair of peach. None of you have seen a real wiz duel, not proper dueling. Not like what Voldermort 's up to of. Not like what I 'll have to be capable of if I want to place upright a prospect 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 mo, then a fraction of a light lit the corner of his eye. `` With him. Maybe ... ''

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

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

'' Yes your poor over-traveled and long-sufferance bird has found my owlery. '' Malfoy rolled his centre. `` If you 're going to globetrot you should really tell your owl to stay dwelling. ``

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


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

'' We should go back to the root cellar, maybe duel some, hang out. get the cheat set if you want. '' Harry was idly juggling three Orange in his right hand while gesturing with the early. `` After toast obviously. ``

'' Sure ... sure Harry. '' Hermione was nodding a footling carefully, like someone talking to a man with a hand grenade. Which, given Harry 's electric current track record, might ingest been the case. `` We 'll do that. ``

'' Should praxis carapace too. '' Harry switched the oranges to both hand then quickly back to his right.

'' Great ... beneficial ... wonderful. ``

'' Let 's go then. '' Harry pocketed the yield and led the jumble marauders, and Malfoy, from the room. As Harry pushed the door undetermined he pulled up short. lupin was frozen in front of him, his hand raised to reach for the door. His grin had frozen and dropped into the frown he always wore on seeing Harry.

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

Lupin seemed to almost growl but cut himself off and pushed past times 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 sort of funny. ``

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


This was n't the endure Harry heard about it though. lupin lived in the house, they bumped into each other all the clock time. Each time Harry was met by the Lapplander festering hatred. It was kind of disconcerting. Eventually Harry learned lupin 's number and managed to mostly bide out of his way. Of course it helped that he spent at least ten 60 minutes a day in the abandon cellar, sometimes with the marauders, sometimes with Dragon, sometimes alone. Each day when Harry finally dropped himself into an icy bath to solace his bruised human body he felt a kind of fiery satisfaction.

He was getting better !

He could stupefy any of the marauders one on one, even the Gemini. Draco was better, at the showtime he had beaten Harry a lot. Well, no ... at the very depart Harry had won. Then Harry had raged at the blond and forced him to really cut light and use some of the nastier night magic his father had taught him. With those go in his armoury genus Draco had been winning, but Harry was clawing back. He was getting better, there was no denying that. Every throbbing bruise, every morning waking up aching was a triumph because he was getting better. And that was n't even considering his former toys.

Harry shifted his pes to perch on the top of a mahogany desk in the planetary house program library ( there was some just stuff here, to a greater extent charm to trifle with ) when the door creaked open.

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


'' Wotcher Harry. '' He was doing that more and more. He was like Dumbledore crossed with Moody 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 reading ? ``

'' The valet 's guide to efficacious and efficient diligence of pain. '' Harry read calmly off the cover of the book.

'' Oh ... '' There was no real response to that. `` Any effective ? ``

'' Never knew there were so many usage for a horseback riding harvest. '' Harry folded the Thomas Nelson Page down and looked up at her. `` How are you doing ? Order keeping you occupy ? ``

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

'' So I could n't convince you to teach me to duel ? '' Harry asked cheekily.

'' Sorry Harry, solvent '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 possess to teach or verbalize or anything just a friendly duel ? ``

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

'' Dumbledore does n't give birth to know. '' Harry urged weedlingly.

'' Sorry Harry. ``

'' red cent. '' Harry sighed and looked like he was going to say something else but just shook his promontory. `` Never thinker. Was there something you wanted or did you just come to chat ? ``

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

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

'' Remus lupin. ``

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

'' Do you know what 's ill-timed 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 kick up on one side 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 whole fur and fangs thing ? ``

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

'' Big thing to brush aside. '' Harry interrupted her. `` The fact that he 's a loup-garou. ``

'' 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 people inside ! They have souls ! They 're human ! ``

'' I 'm sorry Tonks, '' Harry held up his manpower. `` I know what you 're trying to say. But I 've only ever met one wolfman who has n't tried to kill me and even he sometimes acts like he wants to. Pardon me for not having a great opinion of the species. When I meet a werewolf who does n't act like the devil they are inside maybe I 'll think differently. Until then I think my hatred is justified. '' Harry voice was flinty and sharp, and Sir Thomas More than a petty scary.

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

'' Occupational luck. '' Harry smiled sadly, then shook it off and grinned. `` Sorry, we seem to sustain gotten sidetracked into a type moment. What was the original question ? ``

'' Remus ... or professor Lupin. Before you came here he was ... different. ``

'' I 've heard. ``

'' He was really funny. ``

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

'' He had lots of these stories about what he did when he was young. ``

'' Chase milkmen ? ``

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

'' I was cognisant. '' Harry sighed heavily. `` Sorry Tonks, I do n't think 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 great 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 apart me. '' Tonks looked at the floor. When she had asked him he had just turned and left the way in the middle of her question. He had n't spoken to her for twenty-four hours. `` I thought you might make out, or at least have a guessing. ``

'' adept I can do up with is I remind him too much of what he lost. '' Harry shrugged. Tonks considered this. Harry 's guesswork was probably worth an essay from anyone else, the kid could read hoi polloi scarily well. Harry continued, `` I mean I get the impression he did n't talk to much of anyone after my parents died. He may blame me fare to opine of it. You know ... for their deaths. ``

'' That does n't vocalize like Lupin. ``

'' Not the lupine you know. '' Harry shrugged. `` If naught else I 'll be gone in another week. He should be back to normal after that. You should have your big fluffy, risible lupin back. ``

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

'' Stay secure Tonks. '' Harry flicked his Holy Writ back open.

'' You too Harry. ``
*


The marauders did n't fill the power train to Hogwarts that year. They were flued into Hogsmeade under an order guard duty. As they walked up the long route to the palace Ginny fell back to where Harry was walking.

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

'' Why would I be angry Ginsters ? '' Harry smiled a little smugly.

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

'' Do n't promote 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 spread had already started. The marauder were forced to come up a clear division of board with the wholly hall murmuring and pointing.

'' Is it me or are the mesa a bit vacuous than usual ? '' George IV said, scanning over the hall.

'' Lots of parents decided to proceed their kids home this yr. '' Parvati said sadly. `` Our parents almost did but well ... ''

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

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

'' Nothing ! '' Came the outcry response. The predator collectively shrugged, except for Harry who just smiled faintly.

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

'' educatee ! '' Dumbledore stood. The hallway quieted down. `` I have a few proclamation to wee-wee. Firstly, as you may have realized, some of your classmates have decided not to fall in us. This is of class 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 hold up on the moon, the darkness noble has returned. I wish to make both that and this succeeding fact perfectly clean. He can not hurt you here. Behind the walls of Hogwarts you are prophylactic. Thirdly, and most happily, we have a new defense mechanism teacher. One that, I am sure you will all delight learning from. So I would invite you to unite me in saying welcome, or more correctly receive back, to prof M- ''

'' Yes ! Your appeal have been answered ! '' The Brobdingnagian doors to the gravid hall boomed open up. `` I am, thanks to monumental public demand, BACK ! ``

'' It 's him ! ``

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

'' Yes ! ``

'' Yes ! ``

'' Horray ! ``

'' Yes, yes thank you ! '' The muscled figure lapped up the praise, grinning from one side of his cheek to the other. He was the same as ever, maybe his fuzz was a piffling shorter, his tan a little deeper, his implements of war more pock, his leg clad in jean instead of leather and his fedora replaced with a turn up handkerchief. But it was him, manifest and in the flesh.

'' I 'm back in the res publica ! Back in activeness ! Back in print ! The one, the only MARKUS TRIPPLE M Albert Michelson ! '' The blond colossus punched the air and the hall jumped to their feet in cheers. `` But delight ... call me Maximus. No no hold ... call me Professor Maximus. ``
*


Harry dropped out of his windowpane that Night after everyone had eventually gone to sleep and made his way down to the rooftops. Finding Michelson 's power was easy, the light was still guttering from the shot under the door. Harry knocked calmly, a moment later the door opened.

'' Was wondering if I 'd see you this evening Pipsqueak. ``

'' well I had to greet the new prof. '' Harry stepped into the authority, it was already all set out. It looked almost exactly the same as it had three long time ago, with one or two addition. Harry be given to wait at a shifting wizard video. It showed a Brobdingnagian crowd of people, all but one of them looking African, standing in rowing like a schoolhouse photograph. Sticking out like a sore thumb was Markus Michelson in the thirdly row, grinning and jerking his quarter round at the thing behind them. Even lying on it 's slope it towered over even Markus, spotted and studded with spears and burn scars it looked like a ...

'' You did it ! '' Harry turned grinning to his teacher. `` Nundu Holman Hunt ! ``

'' direct it down with entirely eighty six people. '' Michelson nodded smugly. `` New populace record book. I got the quarter. ``

'' Nice. '' Harry grinned. `` Have you been in Africa the whole prison term ? ``

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

'' 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 shoulder, severely buffeting him. `` Brother 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 impression he 'd rather I did n't learn you ? ``

'' No. '' Harry rolled his eyes. `` He wants to cover me up in bubble wrapper. Want 's to keep open me safety and out of danger. ``

'' Big men like us attract risk. '' Markus said definitely. `` Only way to be secure is to know how to wait after yourself, and you 're hardly a fry. Not after what you 've been through. ``

'' My mentation exactly. ``

'' Well in that train of thought process. '' Markus drew his long sceptre. `` When do you require to start ? How 's now ? ``

'' Now ? '' Harry flicked his sceptre out of his arm. `` Now 's good. ``



If you do n't go away a revaluation YOU WILL DIE ! Really .... you will ... eventually ...


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



"Mr Potter."

"Professor Dumbledore."Harry looked up from the breakfast tabular array."Hi, how are you ? Would you like a pop tart ?"

"No Mr Potter, I would not."

"Are you sure ? There ‘ s strawberry, chocolate, cherry-"

"Mr ceramicist where were you last nighttime ?"

"I assume in bed."Harry replied calmly.

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

shucks it. Harry tried not to scratch the bracer on his carpus. He had been so hoping the malevolent eye could protect him from Dumbledore's map.

"Your map must be faulty."Harry grinned.

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

"I didn ‘ t leave."

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

"Getting a little angry Professor ?"Harry asked."Maybe your map ... no, maybe your knowledge isn ‘ t as staring as you think."

"I dislike being kept in the dark."

"Then train to suffer."Harry said darkly."I ‘ ve been kept dark for geezerhood by you. It ‘ s fourth dimension you reaped what you arrogantly and unthinkingly sowed. Prepare to live in the nighttime Professor. 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."Anapurna pointed into the disused attic the marauder had used the late year. Ginny looked in and saw him calmly chalking something on the floor. The predator wandered in slowly, with Malfoy close behind.

"Hi guys."Harry got to his infantry and threw a patch of glass he had been using away."Just getting this plaza ready, we can use it to civilize after lessons."

"Harry where were you last night ?"Hermione asked the query none of them wanted to voice.

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

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

"The room of requirement ?"

"The what of what ?"Harry shook his head."Nah, just ... somewhere. Anyway feel at this."Harry pointed down at the base. On it there were a routine of rectangles, some prospicient, some short, some flimsy. It looked kind of familiar.

"It ‘ s the bookcases."Harry said proudly."In the elbow 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 opinion, 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 library. So long as we ‘ re in curfew we can discipline in here without him knowing. Anyway, lets go to potions. Don ‘ t want Snape furious at us."

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

Harry paused for a import before answering ...

"Yes."

... and walking on out of the Ionic dialect. The marauder shared a long smell and followed him.
*


Potions passed uneventfully. Harry split his time between the book on his genu and the cauldron in front of him meaning that his potion wasn't even near finished. but at least it didn't explode. appealingness was side by side and Harry didn't bother paying tending there either, though in this case it was because he already knew how to give objective backstage. He could give them stray flank if he wanted, or gargantuan Negro leathery ones. When the lesson was over Harry didn't even botheration to speak, he just gathered his material and rushed back to the Ionic. Ginny met them on the way.

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

"No."

"But I ‘ m athirst !"

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

"If you ‘ re sure."Malfoy drew his baton."You injured your deal last time."

"Did I ?"Harry froze.

"Well you ‘ re not using it."

"It ‘ s fine, It ‘ s my leave behind anyway."Harry shrugged and wiggled his digit as proof.."must have fallen on it or something."

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

"Ferio ! Stupefy !"Harry shot Malfoy's spell out of the air and threw his own a moment after. The blond boy shielded and Harry was forced to douse under his own knockout."Fulgar Fletch !"Harry flicked his verge and sent a horde of sparkling blades 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 floor towards him and saw Malfoy topple onto his back."Stupefy !"

"Volucers !"Malfoy's sceptre jabbed into the air and Harry the stunner was absorbed by a disgraceful cloud. The swarm expanded and rushed towards the shocked Harry.

"Bloody snake pit !"Harry heard Fred yell at the same metre as his counterpart yelled,"Hornets !"

"Arg ! Ouch !"Harry felt flimflam on every piece of give human body. Burning all across his hide like a chemical fire. Another whizz would let been overpowered by the pain, but Harry had felt far far spoilt."lead this ! Tempesto !"

fart sprung from the dead 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 dread and ail as the swarm engulfed him.

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

"Maybe you two should stop."Hermione suggested hesitantly from the sidelines."Before you hurt yourselves. More I mean."

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

"I guess."Harry smiled, knowing this game. He kept a close clasp on his wand. Wait for it ...

"Confringo !"

"Protego !"Harry's buckler was up in passel of time to block the cuss."Ha ! Nice-"Harry's shield shattered and he was lifted off his feet as his dresser 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 labor himself to his fundament. His wand was gone, rolled across the flooring away from him.

"shit it ! Damn it ! dolt bloody shield !"

"Are you wound Harry ?"Malfoy called out.

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

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

"I ‘ ve read the possibility. I ‘ ve read the original paper. I ‘ ve read the unit book."Harry grabbed his wand off the storey."I don ‘ t get it. It ‘ s a magical spell, it ‘ s a basic bloody magic spell and I can ‘ t do it right."

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

"Well Voldemort won ‘ t use BASIC piece !"Harry punched the floor violently."He ‘ ll use nasty, wickedness, powerful spells."

"You ‘ re right."Malfoy said flatly."He ‘ ll be using the killing curse and it won ‘ t matter if you have the best shield in the creation. If you don ‘ t stratagem you ‘ re dead."

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

"We can ‘ t."Hermione said automatically.

"Especially since we know Voldemort ‘ s boosting his United States Army with wickedness creatures."Padma agreed.

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

"Both of us ?"

"Like, at the same metre ?"

"Yes."Harry shucked off his sweat soaked T-shirt."Get on with it."

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

"Neither ‘ s this."Harry blasted the floorboard by Ron's metrical foot causing him to yip like a puppy."Draw your bloody wands."

In the end they were gladiolus for the outdoor stage setting of puppet, although they were the only I not wearing coats. Harry eased his aching left hand in a decelerate circle, it was worth it. It would be worth it. Harry listened with half an ear to the lesson, it was about unicorns. The chance of Voldemort sending an army on unicorns was low to laughable so Harry lidded his eyes and dozed.
*


As the lesson ended Parvati turned towards Harry to wake him and found that someone had beaten her to it. somebody unexpected.

"Oh no."She whispered under her breath.

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

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

"Have you met Harry ?"

Parvati's heart 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 munition 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 wholly summer ! You didn ‘ t say so long 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 lady friend ? Are we arguing ? Are we breaking up or did you break up with me at the end of last year and just leave to tell me ?"

"Susan ..."Harry glanced down, for the low gear time in the conversation his stony masquerade party slipped a beat. But when he looked back up it was harder than ever."I don ‘ t have clip for a girlfriend now, and I won ‘ t for a tenacious clock time. So yes, we ‘ re divulge up."Harry turned and began to walk back up towards the castle.

Susan just stood there, her hands lightly clenching the fabric of her robes. Staring into place. As the twins watched she sobbed wetly and drew a hand across her middle before running off towards the nursery, one arm shielding her boldness from any passers by.

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

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

"Yeah, that."Parvati 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.

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

"No I ‘ m not."Harry interrupted, and disappeared. Padma saw the shadow of a disenchantment movement off down a passageway but lost it a bit 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."Fight all day ? Let Harry bruise us up, brush off his new attitude and get fix for tomorrow so he can do it all over again ?"

"He ‘ s going through some stuff."Annapurna sighed."He needs our help. He needs us."

"He has a rummy 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 backbreaking, this cold."

"He ‘ s haywire !"Parvati insisted emotionally.

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


Snape was awakened in the middle of the Nox by glowing silver light. One of the benefits of being an occlumens was tally mental 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 saphead ?"Snape said angrily. The genus Phoenix patronus couldn't hear him and wouldn't report back so it was a double-dyed target to vent at.

"Come to my authority immediately Severus. It is about Harry."

Snape was already out the door before the silver bird disappeared. He shucked his robe on as he hurried down the corridor. Wait, why was he walking ? Was Harry's safety less crucial than not looking stupid. Snape broke into a run. The sound of his flapping foot filled the corridor as he hammered towards the schoolmaster's office.

"punch ice-cream."The gargoyle slid aside and Snape threw himself into the stairwell. The stairs began to rise up, painfully slowly. Snape gasped his breathing place back as he silently urged them to go faster. Eventually the schoolmaster's door came into sight and Snape pushed it unfastened 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 mix-up for a instant, then noticed the paper on Dumbledore's desk. He stepped closer and saw that it was an early on transcript of the seer. This was the emergency ? Perhaps he was missing something ?
MURDER AFOOT

Dannion LeSang was found abruptly in his plate this morning. A window of his penthouse apartment had been shattered, possibly so that the grampus could gain entry. Once inside poor Mr LeSang was beaten horribly, with a blunt instrument, possibly a tabular array leg. The aurors have cordoned off the expanse and refused to release any detals but this reporter has discovered that his trauma 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 sea wolf at loosen ? The aurors gave no comment, perhaps because they as yet, know nothing ! Why anyone would need to kill Mr LeSang is unknown, perhaps an old contender from his long and distinguish quidditch career ...


Snape dropped the paper in disgust.

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

"Dannion LeSang was a known decease eater."

"I am cognisant that Dannion LeSang was a destruction feeder. Do you perhaps recollect who informed you that Dannion LeSang was a last eater ? Who gave you the shocking news that the daring, smiling, star chaser for the Wigtown roamer loved to torture muggles ? Do you ?"

"It was you."

"It was me."

"You do not retrieve his Death is important ?"

"I do not reckon his death involved Harry."

"No Order member was involved."

"Albus there are hoi polloi other than the order who despise demise eaters."Snape felt like laughing, and did."People early than Harry as well. Perhaps-"Snape was cut off as the door to the office was flung open again.

"Why did you have sex the watchword you arrogant piddling 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 level. He was fully clothed, at two o clock in the morning."I mean surely by now you ‘ ve used all the non-disgusting sweets."

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

Harry reached out slowly and took the theme, his eyes scanning from one side to the former. After a import he looked up.

"I know nix about this."Harry held out the theme."May I go now ?"

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

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

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

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

"I did not consider you had the acquirement to brew it Harry. But I know you have the resourcefulness to buy it."

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

Dumbledore leant back, confluence Harry 's centre with his own flinty stare. For a long moment the old wizard and the Thomas Young stared each other down across the still office. Snape could almost feel the sparking magic trick as the headmaster tried to force Harry 's judgment open. After a instant Harry snorted and said,

'' Whatever. '' Harry turned and pushed the door outdoors. `` Wake me if you have any other unsolved murders you want to pin on a whipping boy. ``

The two teacher stood without speaking as they heard Harry 's footsteps echoing away from the stairwell. Even after they had faded to aught it was a farseeing sentence before either of them spoke.

'' Do you believe him Severus ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why pray Tell ? ``

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


'' Mr Potter. ``

Hmmm ...

'' Harry thrower ! ``

Hmmm ... sleepy.

'' Harry Potter why is it always my family you choose to log Z's in ? ``

Dumbledore 's error. rap Dumbledore. Wanted to slumber ...

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

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

'' You broke my glass. '' Harry reached up to his face to defecate sure his own glassful were n't broken then drew his scepter and repaired the Champaign looking glass. He did n't even know what he was supposed to be turning it into, possibly some sort of squid.

Why a squid ?

We were dreaming about a squid.

That makes no sense.

Shut up.

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

I 'll lobotomize you.

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

She is looking sort of angry.

'' I can call on it into a squid. I swear, just watch. '' Harry held the glass up sleepily and tapped it with his verge. `` Kalamaraki Krasi. ``

The glass split 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 looking glass calamary, which was currently hiding behind a hot seat 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 explanation from his shaky knowledge of Greek. `` fountainhead Kalamaraki means squid ... and I think Krasi is some sort of vegetable ... ''

'' Harry ... ''

'' Yes ? ``

'' Go back to sleep. ``

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


Harry slipped into bed that dark confident in the knowledge that he had got at to the lowest degree two time of day sleep over the course of the day. He dozed with an alarm clock under pillow until it sounded and prompted him to shuck his blanket off and tip out of the window. He looked over towards the Headmaster 's tower, the brightness was still on. Harry flicked a duo of binoculars out of his bag and focused in on the faraway window. Dumbledore was staring into a pensive, the Ag light playing on his lined face. He looked weary, very tired.

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

Harry slid out onto the wall and confidently let himself fall. The current of air whistled thrillingly in his ears as the tile rose up to suffer him. A moment before he hit Harry felt a rough tugging around his chest and his terminus drop slowed to a creeping. His ft touched reason and he flitted off across the tile. Harry reached the windowpane that was his destination and flicked it open with his wand. He dropped through again, trusting his bought magic, and landed lightly in forepart of a sink.

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

'' Damn ! Silencio. '' Harry caught it before it made too much noise and watched as the entrance to the bedroom of secrets was slowly revealed. Harry lowered himself into the subway and said, `` Cissycis. '' This metre he got it start prison term and the entrance began closing up as Harry slid off down the chute.

Harry landed groundwork first, expecting to hit marshy pee, and instead felt dry rock. This berth had been cleaned up a bit since close time he was here. Harry continued through the cave, passing the giant star snake-door. The chamber was dark, maybe Markus was n't here yet ... Damn it !

Harry plunk to the side as the stunner flashed through the air. He threw a bludgeoning hex towards where it had come from but heard nothing. A present moment later A. A. Michelson appeared, totally unruffled, out of the shadows.

'' Nicely done Pipsqueak. '' The Professor clapped his immense hands. `` But you should sustain aimed Sir Thomas More, that hex did n't have a chance of hitting me. ``

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

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

'' There was n't much fourth dimension. ``

'' Make fourth dimension by moving faster. '' Albert Abraham Michelson drew his wand and squared up in the middle of the room. `` come on lad, clip to duel. ``

'' duel ? Seriously ? '' Harry shed his robe. `` I thought you were gon na teach me some more utilitarian patch first. Right now I wo n't cobbler's last ten s in a duel with you. ``

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

'' Any rules ? '' 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 hellhole that was so dive for top, rolling and coming up with his wand trained on his teacher. Somewhere behind Harry there was a aloud squelching strait but Harry was already fighting back.

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

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

"Incendio ! Reducto !"Harry aimed the inaugural at Markus and the second at the ceiling far above him."Stupefy !"Harry blasted the spell into Makrus'facial expression 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 storey and came to his feet in fourth dimension to fling the first off three piece he could reckon off at the physique in the shopping center of the expanding cloud of dust and fire.

The lone word of advice Harry got was a flash of red before the enchantment flashed from the cloud and hit him in the stomach, throwing him to the floor.

"Better even than that."Michelson stepped out of the debris, not a hair's-breadth out of office."That was skilful though, imaginative. salutary whoremaster with the rock, might induce caught a less whiz. Again."

Harry forced himself to his feet and raised his baton. This clock time he lasted just a few seconds before a stunner blasted through his hastily raised shield and knocked his lights out. Familiar unconscious mind blackness held him in it's comforting embrace for a few here and now before Markus brought him back.

"That was not as good."

"I know, I know."Harry shook his straits."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 shell ?"Harry laughed humorlessly."Just let stuff hit me ?"

"feel kid, you first study this spell three eld ago."Markus explained."You ‘ ve had to use it muckle of times since then. You ‘ ve practiced. You ‘ ve practiced a lot and it hasn ‘ t got any better. It ‘ s carnival to assume you and the screen appealingness 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 mark."You know plenty of former mode to block enchantment. work to your strengths and use your portentous imagination."

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

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

"Again."

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

"Again."

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

"Again."

... Floored with a punch ...

"Again !"

... paralysed ...

"Again !"

... stunned ...

"AGAIN !"

... shocked ...

"AGAIN !"

"This is hopeless."Harry didn't bother to get up from the story."I ‘ m not getting any better. We should just face it, I can ‘ t duel."

"Not with that attitude."

"I ‘ m sorry I brought you here."

"I ‘ m not."Markus folded his munition."At least I wasn ‘ t until now."

"I thought I could get better."

"I think you can get better."

"Whole world should just give up."Harry held his head in his workforce."I can ‘ t rhythm him."

"Who ? Voldemort ?"Markus Albert Michelson threw up his hands."fountainhead no ! I don ‘ t think I could beat him. I don ‘ t think Dumbledore could flap him. He ‘ s one of the most brawny living superstar and has access code to powers enough hoi polloi 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. But it doesn ‘ t matter."Markus walked around so he was standing in front of Harry."I ‘ d bet money on you even if there wasn ‘ t a prophecy."

"Why ?"

"I ‘ d get practiced odds."Markus smiled and winked. Harry didn't laugh."But seriously, you can instruct to duel. You already know enough to overreach any even superstar men down."

"Voldemort isn ‘ t a fixture wi-"

"I know !"Markus interrupted him angrily."Which is why you need to learn to duel like a schoolmaster. Which is why you called me. Which is why you should heed to me ! Now ... you need to play to your strengths. tell apart me what you ‘ re good at."

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

"What. Are. You. adept. At ?"Albert Michelson punctuated each Book 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 thoroughly at anything useful."

"Oh for Merlin ‘ s sake ! Who are you ?"Markus leant down, his angrily pointing finger barely an inch from Harry's expression."Where ‘ s the Harry I met three years ago ? I don ‘ t see him. Where the hell has he gone ? Where ‘ s the kid who walked this schooltime like he owned the stead and obeyed teachers on sufferance ? Where is that arrogant bastard because he ‘ s the one who can drum 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."Michelson nodded."You ‘ re just at charms. You ‘ re excellent at charm. You ‘ re a bloody savant at spell. If I heard the rumors in the staff room right field you built a professional character ling at thirteen long time old. Out flew a Firebolt."

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

"Harry you ..."Markus Michelson held his hand to his chief and breathed out a long, tired intimation."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 ?"

"fountainhead ... It's like ... you variety of have .... This is hard. Can I explicate it how I see in in my own head ?"

"Of course."

"You have variety of three types."Harry gestured vaguely."There are the banner duelers, they throw mantrap and jinx, pile of shell charm too, and they seem to mostly derive out of the Hogwarts defence mechanism classes. Not that that makes them bad. Some are really estimable, but they all seem to use this one expressive style. This one set of spells."

"Hmm ... and the future type ?"

"Death eaters. They aren ‘ t all even very in effect at fighting. But they use curses. Unforgivables and hooey. And that makes up for the lack of skill."

"And the last case ?"

"The masters."Harry shook his head."I watched some duels on video while I was traveling. thinking I could pick up some tips. about of the dueller were group-ones, but some of them ... the trump ones ... they ‘ re not even in the Same league. They move like they ‘ re weapons. They don ‘ t chuck sweetheart around, nearly of the clock time I couldn ‘ t even recognize the spells 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 remainder 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 construct of dueling. One of the things that make people mathematical group threes. The learning curved shape is immense, there ‘ s a level when you just go beyond everyone else. When you stop dueling with dueling spells and lead off dueling with everything. Do you know what the other difference is ?"

"No."

"It's that we all have tricks."A. A. Michelson winked."All the group threes. Some antic that makes us in effect, something that separates us from each other and from the ace and twos."

"A ... fast one ?"

"looking at Dumbledore, he uses Transfiguration Day. By the end of a conflict with Dumbledore you ‘ re not just fighting him, you ‘ re fighting the walls, doors, roof and trading floor. Plus anything else he can twist into a moving, thinking weapon against you. Voldemort ? Well he uses sour magic, champaign and simple. You ‘ ve already realized that that gives a person power beyond your skill. And he already has plenty of skill. Me ? I use foreign spells, spells my enemy have never heard of. The endure Holy Scripture of a surprising figure of my opposition was ‘ What the netherworld is that ?'”

Harry chuckled, but Markus wasn't finished.

"Dee Finsbury, the current humans mavin duelist is also a admirer conjurer. Your own professor Flitwick dueled for England, you think he threw around smasher ? And you ? Well you can do magic spell. right hand ?"

"Yeah."Harry nodded."Yes."

"Say it."

"Yes I can do charms."

"Good. Then use them."Markus turned to go back to his cross."And get up off the floor."

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

"Engorgio !"Harry aimed, not at Markus, but at the flag and saw his teacher trip as the rock music puffed up like a gem."Reducto !"Harry blew the stone to smithereens.

Markus righted himself easily and flicked his verge. Harry blanched as a gigantic human dynamo was sent rocketing towards him. Harry swallowed, time for risks.

"Ardor-Algidus !"Harry yelled and stood his terra firma as the inferno passed over him. He caught a glimpse of Markus'shocked font as he emerged unhurt on the other side before he aimed and fired."Confringo ! Ferio ! Stubefy !"The surprise attack forced the instructor onto the defensive, shielding desperately. A moment later he brought up a shining silver sphere. Harry's magic spell bounded off like pins off a frying pan, sending echo all over the immense chamber. Michelson looked out appreciatively from the safe of the sphere.

"What was that Pipsqueak ?"

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

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

"Bugger !"Harry dived for cover version as the shadows erupted with movement. monster leatherlike apparent motion. Harry dashed behind a pillar as the chiropteran flung themselves through the air towards him. They were huge, wings at least a measure wide, with huge Fang."Incendio !"Harry waved a fiery belt through the squash racket but more just materialized to replace 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 busy 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 drop himself against the wall to avoid another thrown while from his opponent. He needed a charm ... what charm ? Wait ! Bats were like, form of giant hornets ... really."Tempesto !"

Harry called a wall of fart and threw it against the leathery animal, swatting them out of the sky and crashing them into the far wall of the sleeping room. Michelson didn't give him any rest though and responded with a punishing falls that appeared out of nowhere above Harry. Harry felt a stab of old brat, but the veneration only made him think faster.

"Arefacio !"The drought magical spell banished the waterfall before it even touched him."Accio !"Michelson was forced to bring his silver shield back up as a hundred bat army corps funneled past tense him.

"Depulso !"Harry flicked his wand, spinning the testis of bodies back away from him and bowled it back to break against the professor shield sphere. Harry wasn't going to let up now."Diffindo !"The magical spell scratched against the cuticle to no effect, screeching like a violin."Reducto !"Albert Abraham Michelson wasn't even knocked backwards as shield once again absorbed the spell with a brassy banker's bill. Harry gripped his sceptre angrily, nil he had could break in this sodding silver shield.

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

"Motus !"Harry aimed squarely at the center field of the silver medal ball and twisted. It vibrated like a toll and filled the chamber with ringing. Harry twisted further and the auditory sensation intensified. Inside his bubble Albert Michelson clutched his spike. Harry found the resonance and twine harder, the auditory sensation outside the shell was deafening, inside it must suffer been excruciating. Markus threw his arm out violently and Harry had to fling himself sideways as the screaming cuticle cannonballed yesteryear him."Ferio !"Harry threw a hex at the staggering Albert Abraham Michelson that he just caught with a counter. Harry kept up the onslaught in a rush of gleefulness ! He was winning !

"KhaNDana !"

The bolt of lightning came from nowhere. Slicing out of the shadow too fast for him to react. Harry was thrown to the basis, galvanising sparks raging down every arteria and turning him into a screaming assault and battery of hurting. Harry felt his sceptre torn from his unresisting hired hand and at live managed to blank is mind to the painful sensation. He waited in the night for it to recede. When he at death opened his optic Michelson was staring down at him. The huge whiz put his wand to first one ear then the other, muttering something, then whipped away the line of descent that had ran from both of them with a sleeve.

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



Review now or you will struck blind and be let loose into a bailiwick full of whale purple bear traps. Also wax of bears. The bears will be able-bodied to avoid the bear traps, you will not.


I do n't own Harry Potter. Neither have I seen him recently. If you have any information as to his whereabouts please sound. He is out in the frigidness without any food and we think his collar may sustain come off. He 's black and white with pitch-dark mitt and he 's missing a fiddling bit of his ear. He also answers to the figure of fight. He likes tuna.






Severus Snape landed lightly on the scrubland and looked about him. This would have been a monumentally desolate place if not for the distant sparkle of a muggle route in the valley far below. Snape walked over to the assembly of dim cloaked figures standing near the sharpness of the cliff. Snape counted faces, Barty Crouch was still abstracted. What was the task that man had been set ? It disturbed Snape greatly that he did not know. It made him wonder if perhaps others of the dark trope did, if perhaps he was missing something.

One figure was apart from the others, right at the edge. The figure stood with his backbone to them, his long robes streaming out to the side in the rough night wind. He seemed to be looking down at the road, and at the farther lights 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 watchman 's hand twitched as if thought process of raining ardor and pain down on those beneath him. The twitch subsided. Thank god.

'' Severus. '' The dark lord turned at final stage from the cliff. `` You have come at endure. I was forced to waitress. I dislike waiting. ``

'' My apologia Lord. '' Snape bowed deeply. `` I could not bring up suspicion about why I was going. I was forced to sacrifice fastness for safety device. I am sorry. ``

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

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

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

'' No my lord. They continue to defend the department of mysteries, Dumbledore still fears to move. cipher has changed. ``

'' Well, '' The dark Divine smiled thinly. `` That at least is good word. ``

He does not make out where I was. Snape kept his cheek perfectly restrained. He suspects ... he strongly suspects but he does not know. He values me, he values me as a spy in the order. That is why I am still animated, because on the of-chance that I have not betrayed him I am valuable. He will defeat me. He will stamp out me soon but until then I must persist a spy. I am valuable.

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

He expected a chuckle from the death feeder. None of them liked Crouch. Instead there was silence.

"dearest Barty is none of your concern."The dark lord replied, in the colloquial tone that was so much forged than anger."His task is going well. Is yours Severus ?"

"Alas no passkey. I apologize."Snape hung his capitulum."I am afraid there is simply no way to accommodate polyjuice potion to tolerate a human being to suit non-human."

"I dislike loser Severus."

"Master if you asked me to jump off off this cliff and try to fly I would do so."Snape tried to vocalise contrite."But I doubt I would be successful. Some thing are not possible."

"For you perhaps."The wickedness master was smiling slyly."But no topic. You may quit your experimentation. The potion is not necessary any more."

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

'' On to the meeting, we began without you Severus. I hope you don ‘ t mind. '' The dark noble turned back towards the drop-off and Snape had to sift to hear him over the wind. `` We were discussing an assassination. ``

'' Who is the target ? Perhaps I could brew a toxicant or some form of- ''

'' No. '' The dark lord cut him off. `` Not poison. I intend her death to be more graphical than that. An case. ``

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

'' A spectacular figure in the department of secret. '' Voldemort half turned back towards Snape. `` A young woman Natalie Zhao. Do you know her ? ``

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

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

'' I did my noble. '' I begged her not to make me tell him. She said it would n't weigh. nothing connected them. `` If I may ask, why have you decided she must die. ``

'' She is the girl of a squib, in a prominent position in the ministry. A burlesque. ``

'' 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 other people equally suitable of expiry. ``

'' Your noble has decided she should die is that not enough for you Severus ? '' The dark lord smiled from the depths of his soulless, piercing center. `` Does her death ... trouble you ? ``

'' Of form not my nobleman. She is the child of bad bloodline, of course of action she must be killed. '' Snape bowed and stepped backward. `` I will make certain that Dumbledore and the early order phallus at Hogwarts are distracted. ``

'' That will not be necessary Severus. We have already cut all communication to Mrs Zhao 's residence. I have also deployed dementors to intercept any subject matter sent by patronus. No messages can reach her. From anyone. ``

'' virtually prudent my Godhead. '' Snape nodded, furiously trying to churn his nous and find some solution to the problem. He could not think, it was as if gruesome tendrils and sinewy black vines were choking his usually perfect mental machinery. There must be some way to get a message to her, there had to be !

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

'' Yes my God Almighty. ``

'' All night ? No errands to run ? '' The dark Maker 's mouth quirked. `` No midnight strolls ? ``

'' No my Lord. ``

'' good. '' Voldemort 's eyes narrowed. `` Because I shall get it on Severus. I shall bed. ``
*


Snape walked calmly along the recollective route to the corking doors of Hogwarts using all the force-out of will he had not to soften into a run. The watchman were no doubt already in shoes, at the bound of the woodland beyond the wards. As were the attackers probably, in his brain he could already see them apparating into the dark streets around Natalie 's flat. He ached to run but could n't. It was agony, caught in mountain chain that did n't even exist. An anchor 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 countersign. He sure as hell was n't waiting for the staircase this time.

'' Acellelero ! '' Snape clung to the central mainstay as the staircase rocketed upwards and came to a screech stop at the top. Snape threw the doorway out-of-doors, startling the Headmaster.

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

'' I need the guild ! '' Snape snapped. `` We need to rally now ! ``

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

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

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

'' Not if we move now ! ``

'' To move confirms his suspicions of you. And it would do no trade good. The people watching you no doubt have orders to pour down you if you try to leave. No message can reach her. Yes, yes he had truly outmaneuvered us. ``

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

'' You can not take Guy Fawkes. The methods 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 ! Bait to force you to unveil your true loyalty. It is a test, if you fail we lose our spy. If you pass however you will be his most trusted servant. ``

'' Passing means the Death of Natalie ! ``

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

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

'' Think of how many citizenry your information saved in the concluding war. Countless lives. ``

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

'' Well not to me. '' Dumbledore stood and stared down the potions headmaster. `` The right you can do for her is to make sure you are seen here. Go and pick herbaceous plant from one of the outside secret plan, 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 give they will kill you. Then they will kill her. You can do nothing. ``

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


Natalie Zhao turned the Thomas Nelson Page idly on the report she was reading and yawned. There was too often to do. She flicked it closed and clicked the lights out before rolling over and dropping the booklet onto her bedside mesa. Perhaps all the problems would just magically have gone away when she got up tomorrow. It was improbable though.

Natalie burrowed deeper into her pillow and closed her centre. The world was falling apart, not even pipe dream could cater respite for long.

A floorboard creaking.

Natalie 's eyes flickered out-of-doors in a moment. Was it just her neighbor downstairs ? She reached for her wand and silently checked her cellblock. She hissed as she realized they were in tatters and rolled off the bed. Her hand moved towards the Christ Within switch then thought better of it, it might let them know they had seen her. She slid towards her bedchamber door and looked out through the keyhole just as the door at the other end of the corridor was pushed receptive slowly. Revealing a robed figure.

Natalie slid back silently. She tried to apparate away, not really expecting it to work. No, they had a ward up. They would have blocked the flue as well. The solely way she was getting out was through the front room access, which meant through them.

They would learn the rooms along the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall first, she perhaps had a minute.
*


Drum lemon had never pretended to be an levelheaded man, just a useful one. He was useful say, when person had n't paid their debts in sentence and activeness needed to be taken. He had been locked up for being utile in the unseasonable stead at the wrong time, set detached eventually, become utilitarian again and caught again. This sentence for being so utilitarian towards a ministry hit-wizard that the man was no use to anyone anymore.

He had been locked up for unspoilt. Until the dark Jehovah had given him a second fortune. A luck to riposte society again, to be utile again. He was only half ancestry but he had just enough brains to never note that to anyone. When the dark Divine had explained what needed to be done to this bint he had stepped forward instantly. It was mightily up his alley, he might even make the brand if he succeeded. Then he 'd really be set.

He touched the threshold lock with his thumb. Warded, what else ? He turned and pointed into the rabble behind him at a stooped physical body, then pointed back at the door. The man shuffled forward, he had been a damn good jinx 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 battlefront of the door. A few minutes later the scourge breakers pushed the doorway open. tympan stepped into the categorical and looked around professionally. It was set out fairly regular. Kitchen that way ... evacuate. drum waved two guys towards the back room and ignored it. This place was like a catalogue, everything was in its place except for the books and newspaper publisher strewn across the coffee mesa. Well, that and the three fish tank near the back. Not replete of H2O. Some sort of reptile. Some sort of incense in the air, some new age garbage.

Drum shrugged, not an offspring. The bedchamber would either be at the end of the second door down on the left wing. That was how these building were built. Drum stepped down the corridor and pushed the threshold on the left hand open. corner. Down the hall then. He looked behind him, the other criminals were hanging back. Pathetic. The darkness lord had grabbed everyone who would remain firm up straight with no regard for experience. Not that he was criticizing, at to the lowest degree he would get full recognition for the kill.

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

He made his way towards the last room access. He raised his wand, fumbled it and caught it again. He shook his head. Had to stay focused. He reached the room access and pushed it open. Darkness, he stepped up to the bed. He had n't used the killing swearword before, but he had no doubt he could make it work. He raised his wand, aiming at the lump in the covers. His wand was shaking, he grabbed it with both hands. What was damage with him ? metal drum shook his forefront, the wand was still shaking.

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

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

'' You did n't fold it. '' brake drum looked up, his eyes already drooping. The fille was standing there, arms crossed.

'' Doped us. '' Drum mumbled through numb lips. `` Incense ... vanilla extract ... ``

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

Wo n't recount you you bitch.

'' Twenty ? ``

What !

'' Where are there ? ``

Ice cold bitch queen.

'' Five in the flat, five in the stairwell. The rest outside. '' 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 fumes may receive got me ... the other five in here. Wo n't get the rest. You 'll never get out. '' The missy raised her wand.

'' I can try. ``
*


Natalie stunned the swarthy wizard and pushed his body in presence of the doorway. How farsighted 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 spell silently and angled her wand sharply down. The room access exploded outwards, the force of the explosion channeled down the hall. She saw three trunk flying away from her and dashed out after them.

"Cruci-"

Natalie whirled on the caster. No time for spells, she found his eyes, pushed in like a dagger and found the off switch in his head. He folded like a puppet with the string section cut. She heard a shout behind her and protegoed so harshly that the troll edges of her shield forced the rampart out like crumpling report. She turned and saw the hooded man dodging his own spell and threw her own, striking him in the chest.

That was the single in the flat done.

She rushed to the door but it had been torn off its hinge. A night human body reared from the stairwell. Natalie had her wand up in a import but before she could cast the man grabbed his chest and fell to the base. Natalie crept close, blood on his dresser. person had hit him with a puncture curse.

She threw herself to the slope. They must ingest been shooting from the early buildings outside. Aiming blind through the pall. Aiming at her. Well that put climbing out the window out of the word-painting. 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 banisters where she had been.

Time to start up storm them.

Natalie aimed at out into the middle of the staircase. A flicker of her wand and a ballock of glowing luminosity appeared. Another picture and a spiraling spear of spark shot down the step like a rogue firework. She twisted and the ball dropped slowly, like a balloon, spitting exploding spears in every direction and shrinking as it fell.

That should keep open them busy.

She dashed down the step and took out another punk as he desperately tried to dodge the multi-fire. Natalie had to pass over over a man lying prone on the minute floor, a victim of the pyrotechnic. A tour shattered the roofing tile near her berm and she threw up a shield against the side by side one. Where were they coming from ?

Damnit ! Two above her, one below. They must have got 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 pit, the former was fast enough to grab the edge of the yap. 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. Blood on him, and pooling on the trading floor. Another dupe of the cackshots outside.

There were still ten men outside. Natalie reached the ground floor and took a deeply breath. They would be spread out all around her building to cease her escaping. What was her estimable bet to survive ? The back entranceway ? It led onto an alleyway, easy for them to block or catch. The front was no question a deathtrap, she'd be hit from every side before she got two steps. There was a land level window out into the car parking area ... wizards tended to disregard cars. She didn't have one but surely some combination of spells could convince one to come out. It was her best shot.

Natalie can push 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 open and climbed out uncomfortably, breathing toilsome. Strangely her paper pushing desk job didn't keep her in very good anatomy. She fell down between two cars and turned towards one of them. She was about to charm the lock when she felt a shadow gloaming on her.

"Got you missy."Natalie froze. The voice was twisted and slick, like oil."Turn circle so I can see your somewhat face."

Bad idea. Natalie turned and looked up into the pockmarked face above her. Into his eye ... He fell with a heavy, rag-doll thump and Natalie grabbed his wand.

"Ere what was that ?"

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

"She ‘ s ‘ ere ! She got Poxx !"

Natalie heard more running feet and tried to slink away along the border of the rampart. She reached the corner, no where to go. If she tried to do for the way out they'd see her for sure. She pushed at the apparation Aaron Montgomery Ward again but it was no unspoiled. They had extended it beyond the edifice itself. How far would they have pulled it ? To cover the whole closure would have been unimaginable. Could she just run for the sharpness ?

They were searching the lot. They were getting closer. Natalie looked up under the skinny car. At least five pairs of fundament within tardily sight. The ingress was close, she might make it. With a distraction.

She looked carefully out over the backrest of the car and aimed her wand at a blue car at the early end of the lot. It didn't have to be much, just enough to get their attention. She said the charm silently. The car's alarum sounded like a claxon in the night air.

"What the all-fired ‘ ell is that !"

Natalie stood and ran. They were looking the other way, she could build it. She blazed out of the car green and made for the end of the street, all the piece pushing against the apparation roadblock. A spell pin-wheeled over her foreland and she sprinted harder. It had to end soon. She heard shouting and running behind her. Please let it end soon. A clump of the road was blown away, throwing her to the level. No ... She desperately threw herself against the ward as pace surrounded her. It wouldn't budge, she knew it wouldn't.

"Now missy go round nice and slow."She rolled over and tried to satisfy the man standing in front of her's middle."Nah, don ‘ t try any of that."He broke eye contact 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 clustering of hotshot surrounding her."Me and the blighter worked difficult. I recon we deserve a reward."

"I assume your lord will provide that."Natalie said, her centre desperately flicking around for a way out.

"I was thinking you might."The front man sneered and the others drew in closer. Natalie could see the greed of yr in prison 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 hand to his lip, there was a trickle of blood coming out of the corner. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he fell to the floor. His fella stared at him. After a mum moment one of them stepped forward and knelt down next to him. The man reached out and touched the fallen crook back.

"It ‘ s pedigree. He ‘ s dead. He- Aaa !"The cervix of the kneeling man exploded, showering them with rip. The criminal jumped back in impact. Natalie grabbed her verge and threw herself backwards, rolling as she hit the primer. She had stunned one of the wizard while they were still in electrical shock and had turned her wand on another when her secret savior revealed himself. She had to give it to him, he knew how to make an entrance.

He dropped from the top of another building, his robe billowing behind him as he fell straight into the centre of the wizard. He landed on one of them and rolled, a shadow shape in his mitt coming up. Another felon was thrown back and landed wetly on the story. The warrior looked up at her but she couldn't becharm his face in the iniquity. He nodded to her. She nodded back, and they turned on the rest of the bastards.

It was the unknown engagement Natalie had ever been involved in. Strange for it's secretiveness. Whatever weapon the strange man was using it made no sound as it fired and she tended to chuck non verbally. The felon yelled their magical spell but they were in such disarray they were mostly throwing desperate knockout at each early. Other than those there was only the phone of stride, rapid-fire like a dance, and the occasional nebuliser of origin. A still engagement at midnight, underneath stuttering streetlamps. Natalie's breathing spell was hot in her ears by the time it was over. She turned to her savior, he was dumping what was now obviously a silenciod shooting iron in his bag.

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

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

"Ha ... Harry ?"

"Yep."The young boy's optic wandered south and he glanced away."Um you ‘ re going to bear to cause a alteration of wardrobe if you want to ingest any kind of intelligent conversation."

"Why ?"

"Well, long fib unretentive you ‘ re still wearing a nightgown and the priming coat 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 flat had been a phantasmagoric experience. She had healed the ace that could be healed before stunning them into a coma. In the end they had two down, xvi alive and four dead. She did n't doubt that without mavin medicinal drug the count would give been a lot higher.

And here she was, sitting by her coffee table staring at lined up, stunned, criminals who ten moment ago had been trying to kill her, drinking tea with the boy-who-lived.

"Do you have any cooky ?"

"What ?"

"I missed dinner."

"Oh ... yes. In that cupboard."Natalie pointed and the inkiness robed boy grabbed them before coming back and sitting beside her on the lounge. She looked over at him. He looked older than when she had live seen him. often older."You saved my life."

"Don ‘ t vexation about it."Harry shrugged."The cooky more than make up for it."

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

"Spells would have warned Voldemort I was there."Harry shrugged."By now I bet they have someone watching the underage legerdemain detector. I tried to shoot their limb mostly."He added almost to himself.

Natalie decided not to comment, instead she asked.

"How did you even know to fall here ?"

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

Natalie listened in shock as Harry briefly explained a conversation that had apparently taken topographic point between Severus and Dumbledore earlier that evening. poor Severus, she could just see him now. Pacing his business office, unable to do anything. Hating himself even though it wasn't his defect. He always did.

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

"Easy, snuck into the forest."Harry shrugged."The multitude that got sent to watch Snape were all, big surprise, watching Snape. significance I could slip by undetected. After that I dashed for the wall, climbed it gentle, the ward doesn ‘ t living in man. Legged it to Hogsmeade and broke into a cottage to use the flue. I didn ‘ t want anyone to have intercourse I ‘ d gone through there, that was why I didn ‘ t use one of the pubs."

Natalie didn't speak as Harry finished his report. She looked over at the down of criminals, then back at Harry. Her mental capacity, unencumbered by worry, was making the computation that Snape hadn't been able-bodied to.

"Dumbledore was right."

"What ?"

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

"Are you thinking ..."Harry glanced at the chain reactor."Are you thinking of taking a Sir Frederick Handley Page out of my script ?"

"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 straits and you can hole out up at chez Malfoy. One problem, They ‘ ll remember the truth."Harry pointed out, jabbing a thumb towards the criminal."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 telephone off the sideboard."Goldie will be able to help with that."

"Voldemort ‘ s good at Legillimancy."

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

"Wait a hour ..."Harry's brow furrowed."You ‘ re phone is working ?"

"Of course."

"So why did I just break out of school and travel the length of the state to hold open you ?"Harry threw his bridge player up."Couldn ‘ t Snape have just called you ?"

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

"Eew !"Harry cringed back."Mental image ! All wrong !"

"Revenge."Natalie grinned, then found the single file add-in she was looking for and grew serious."Listen Harry you should go back. I can handle things from here, and it ‘ ll be easygoing 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 practically risk of being seen by one of the looker. Instead he dozed on a workbench and slipped back in around break of the day. He attended breakfast purely to procure coffee in large total and managed to get through his first few lesson somehow. During lunch time out he dragged his sleepy form down to the dungeons and found the right post. He pushed the door exposed without knocking.

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

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

"I suppose I am."

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


As soon as Harry's feet touched the story he knew it was a dream. Before him the cottage at Godrics Hollow rose above his head. Looking so ... formula. Nothing to verbalize to it's momentous importance. It could have been any one of thousands of house, there were others that could be its twin dotted down the street. Nothing extra, and yet it repelled him.

Harry felt his skin creep. The house was ... awry ... somehow. Harry turned and dashed down the street, passing tree diagram and hedgerow. He dashed with no tutelage and caught his groundwork on a paving stone, sending him sprawling to the floor. As he got to his metrical foot he felt supergrass under his feet. He was back on the presence lawn. The cottage was right in front of him.

He could pick up the river in his ears, raging in the distance. Harry scratched at his skin, it was all improper. Harry felt nausea grow in the pit of his stomach. Oh wait ... that wasn't part of the dream.

Harry slammed his eyes candid and dropped out of bed, rushing for the bathroom.
*


'' Harry ? '' Ron knocked on the toilet threshold. `` Harry are you ok ? ``

'' I 'm very well. '' Came the muffled reply.

'' You do n't sound fine. You sound- ''

'' I said I 'm fine. '' Harry jerked the doorway open, the black old bag under his eyes even more visible than usual against his gullible and sickly skin.

'' You do n't depend fine. ``

'' Probably something I ate. '' Harry shook his head and pushed past Ron.

'' Harry everyone in Gryffindor eats the same stuff and no one else is- ''

"I SAID I ‘ M mulct !"Harry whirled on his Ron."I was sick. For some ground. Some unknown and unimportant understanding. I threw up. I feel better. We should go to breakfast."

"Breakfast is over."Ron shrugged."We let you sleep through it. The girls should be bringing some leftovers when we go to creatures."

"wellspring then let ‘ s go to creatures. I ‘ m hungry."Harry threw his bag over his berm and made for the door, his head drooping.

Ron followed slowly. Harry was slowly getting worse, sick. Was it just want of sleep doing this to Harry ? He hadn't looked this bad even when he'd been time jumping. This metre he seemed physically ill. Ron shucked his bag up further on his back. They all needed a little more slumber, Harry had been pushing them hard.

Sir Thomas More sleep, and Sir Thomas More bruise-remover.
*


Ginny looked up as Harry pushed the doorway to the Ionic dialect open.

"good luck charm finished early ?"Harry asked as the piranha trouped in behind him.

"I already knew the lesson."Ginny flicked her book closed."It was summoning charms."

"You can already mobilise an elephant."Harry dropped his bag on the mesa."skip the next few lessons."

"The residue of us can ‘ t get away with skipping lessons 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 prison term everyone except Draco. All of the marauders."

"Harry are you sure ?"Fred asked."You weren ‘ t feeling so hot this morning."

"I'm for certain, I ‘ m fine. Nothing a little physical exercise won ‘ t cure."Harry shed his gown as the piranha drew into a circle around him. Ginny could see Malfoy settling down to take in, like it was a bloody show.

"Ready."Padma called out.

"Don ‘ t ask me if I ‘ m cook. Never ask me if I ‘ m make. Never warn me just bloody hit me."

"Stubefy !"Ginny threw out her wand but Harry was already moving, sliding under her shot like a Snake River. His wand came up towards her. She shielded, Harry flicked to the side and Neville went down in a photoflash of red light.

The counterpart jumped forward like mirrors of each other but a shining electron beam clicked between them and slammed them together like buckeye. Harry whirled like a dancer and a caul of smoke surrounded him. The marauders began firing into the swarm, measured not to hit each other as the mantrap flew out the other side of meat. The marauders 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 question was answered as her verge was jerked out of her handwriting and flew into the black. An array of sweetheart followed it. All came back out.

"Screw this."Ginny waved her scepter."Depulso smoke."The Shirley Temple cloud flew away and dissipated into the dusty air. Revealing nothing. The floor was empty.

"Where the Hell is-"Ginny felt a weight smash her berm and a stabbing hurting. As she collapsed she saw boots flash in movement of her face and red twinkle flashing all around. Her shoulder was like a burning at the stake knife.

"detainment !"somebody yelled."I said hold !"

The flashing lights stopped and she felt unassailable hands rolling her over carefully. Malfoy's case came into view, staring at her shoulder.

"It ‘ s dislocated."He said softly."I mean really dislocated, look at it."

Ginny looked over at her shoulder and had to look away, her centre squeezed shut. Her arm was hanging like a piece of meat, hanging off her shoulder. The predator began crowding around. Ginny found Harry's eyes, he was unreadable. 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 sleeve. She shook her head."I can ‘ t fix this. We need to get you to lady Pomfrey."Hermione reached forward.

"No."Draco shook his head."Two marauders, one injured, leads back to Harry. I ‘ ll take her. We can decease it off as an inter-house thing."Dragon put his arm under her good shoulder and lifted her gently, carrying her away.
*


"What the netherworld was that ? !"Padma whirled on Harry."You broke her shoulder."

"Yes."Harry idly woke Neville from his spell induced stupor."And if she was a death eater I ‘ d have broken his shoulder."

"Ginny ‘ s not a death feeder !"Ron yelled angrily.

"Really ? You sure ? We could chink her wrist."Harry rolled his eyes."I don ‘ t know what your mother would be more than wild about, the hatred crime or the tattoo !"

"This isn ‘ t funny Harry !"George III growled.

"No it ‘ s not !"Harry yelled."It ‘ s bloody serious ! Bloody, raging, burning SERIOUS ! I KNOW THAT ! Do you ? Do you cognise that ?"

"You could have really hurt her."Parvati said softly.

"I have really hurt her."Harry said harshly."I ‘ ve had broken ivory. It hurts. It hurts a lot. It also hurts a lot less than what would pass if a last feeder caught her."

"So it was for her own goodness was it ?"Ron raged."You were, what ? Helping her !"

"Yes ! I was !"Harry kicked a death chair against the rampart angrily."I ‘ m helping everyone ! Why doesn ‘ t everyone get that ! Why are the bulk of the people I ‘ m trying to save doing their intimately to jockey with me !"

The marauders jumped back. The shadows in the Ionic dialect made Harry's typeface a outre masquerade party. He was shaking like a leaf, breathing hard.

"Why are people doing this."He shook his head, his men going to his temples."Even masses who know what we have to do are trying to stop us. Even multitude who know. Why the hell would they do that ?"

"Harry ..."Hermione reached forward.

"It ‘ s fine."Harry straightened like a rod."I ‘ m fine. We can fit another duel in before the end of lunch."

"You, you want to go right back into a engagement ?"Hermione asked, her representative incredulous."No Harry. No, we ‘ re all tired. We can ‘ t."

"I can. You can. Get over here."Harry threw Padma's scepter to her. It bounced off her stomach. She made no effort to catch it.

"I ‘ m tired."Padma said flatly."I ‘ m going to lessons."

"ejaculate 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 ! Make up your idea Harry, are we your admirer or are we your ... your army !"

"You giving me the choice."Harry stepped up right into Hermione's font."You giving me that choice. I have a nighttime wizard after me that I ‘ m fated to contend. I have the greatest, no scratch that, the two cracking wizards in the mankind hating me. One trying to pop me. One trying to observe me a prisoner. I have everything against me. So I choose a damn ground forces.'Cos I need a flaming U. S. 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 object lesson, walked, went to repast. But Harry was never with them. He still attended lectures to keep the teacher off his rear, but every former 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 pass that he hadn't stopped helping Harry. Ginny caught him alone one break of the day 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 center. 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 survive. 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 itinerary. There's no keeping him safe you understand, the vaticination ensures that. He will face Voldemort. He will fight him. So a niggling self devastation now is worth it if he survives that face-off. Wouldn't you say Ginerva ?"

"Don ‘ t turn this on me."Ginny shook her head."And don ‘ t try to make what you ‘ re doing any variety of noble. It ‘ s not."

"Of course I ‘ m noble. I ‘ m a Malfoy."Draco hung his head, then looked up to fulfil her eyes. rue was back, regret was definitely back."Look Ginerva I know everything you ‘ re saying is true. But I don ‘ t know how else to facilitate him. I don ‘ t how to help him at all. Do you ?"

"I ... no."

"Too bad."Draco shook his head."I guess all we can trust for is that he kills Voldemort before he kills himself."

And outside Hogwarts the wizarding human race slowly fell to part. As Christmas crawled penny-pinching and the dark grew longer there was no joy among the magical multitude. It just meant there were more coloured minute for the death feeder to hunt in. One dark a dark scar was raised right in the midriff of Manchester. The potency passed it off as a hot air balloon. The ones in the area did n't have to be explained away, the ministry just had to houseclean up after. When they even bothered to do that.

Contrary to popular notion the darkest hour is not before dawn. It 's in the eye of the bloody night.
*


Harry closed the prophet with a great suspiration and dropped it on the ground beside him. Things were only getting defective out there. The social club was n't doing anything, big surprise there. Barty Crouch was still missing from death eater confluence, apparently with Voldemort's entire support. The nighttime creatures ? No one knew a matter about them.

No one seemed to know anything.

Harry stretched his legs out and felt the rippling of the lake against his bare hide, sending back ripples of goosebumps to match. Not all to do with the cold. It was good though. He should make sure he could supervise body of water if he had to. Might have to fight in it one day.

'' A dark United States Department of State of thing. ``

Harry tensed as the voice came from behind him and spun, wand outstretched. There was a figure standing there, looking out over the water. He looked old, seventy maybe. Bald definitely, and not a tomentum in his little dandy mustache was anything former than tweed. He looked like a retired teacher More than anything else, one of the old school ones. He even had the patched tweed jacket.

Oh god was that a pipage in his pocket ?

This guy was a walking cliché ? What was he going to do next ? Offer me tea ?

'' Would you like a situation of tea ? ``

'' Oh come on. '' Harry chuckled and shook his head. `` Three things : One, I do n't drink tea. I drink coffee, in large amount. Two : You do n't possess any tea. Three : Even if you had a flaskful I would n't be able to drink it. '' Harry reached out and waved his hand directly through the old military man leg. It passed through without even a tingle.

'' Very good Mr Potter. '' The old man sat down cross legged future to him. `` How could you evidence ? ``

'' There are sealed mark. '' And I 'm certainly not telling him them. `` Who the the pits are you ? ``

'' My name is James IV. '' Harry stiffened at those Book. The old man laughed. `` No not that St. James. Honestly Mr Potter there are more people called Saint James the Apostle in this world than your male parent. ``

'' Probably not your real name anyway. '' Harry snorted.

'' I 've never seen a demand to conceal my first name. One of the benefit of having a nice traditional name like James or can or Harry. '' James smiled and took a little quilt on his pipe. `` Of row if you wish to lie with my last name we shall deliver a problem. ``

'' I do n't give a turd what your last name is. '' Harry shrugged. `` How are you doing this ? Some sort of trick ? ``

'' Astral jut. '' James River said professionally. `` It 's really quite useful. ``

'' I 've read about it. '' Harry crossed his arms and stared calculatingly at the man next to him. `` It requires panoptic preparedness and a Mexican valium of at least three ace. What you came to recite me is worth all that ? ``

'' Very good Mr Pott- ''

'' plosive consonant saying that. '' Harry cut him off. `` Just verbalise your opus. ``

'' Very well. '' King James reached into his cap. Harry instinctively flinched despite the fact that any weapon this man pulled would go straight through him. `` Do you cognize a man named Conterrando Baker ? ``

'' Is he from the ministry of silly figure ? ``

'' How droll. '' William James pulled a piece of report from his jacket and held it out for Harry to see. Harry grabbed a piece of music of parchment out of his bag to jot down the address then took a small more sentence reading the rest of the profile.

'' Half blood, respected phallus of the Wizengamot, respecter writer, married to a muggle, blunt critic of the electric current minister. Two youngster at Hogwarts. His net book was a sleep together fib, between a pure blood and a muggle. '' Harry laughed wryly. `` Jesus, did someone just study a big man of play-doh and shape it into a fair game for the last eaters ? ``

'' It is a belittled miracle he has not been attacked yet. ``

'' But you think he is being targeted now ? ``

'' I know he is. '' James tapped a appointment on the theme. `` Tomorrow night. ``

'' Oh come on. ``

'' He has been repeated warned but he refused to accept a protective detail. He says it would impinge on his privacy. goosy And he will die for it. A beloved fellowship man is going to die if you do n't salvage him. ``

'' copper. You save him. You obviously have resources. ``

'' I, or more accurately the radical I represent. Do own the resources. '' James smiled. Harry did n't like that smile, it had unearthly astuteness. James continued, `` Our organization also dislikes Voldemort. He is troublesome to our work. But unfortunately for Mr Baker, Voldemort is only an irritation to us therefore it is not worth enough to us to deliver him. We do not move in the Sami circles as Voldemort you see, so he does not give way us too much hassle. We would prefer if he were gone though. It would realise things prosperous. ``

'' So avail him. ``

'' We can not. '' King James stood. `` But you can. Go assist him Harry ceramist. If it turns out well, we may meet again. '' With that he disappeared into thin air.

'' appearance off. '' Harry murmured.

Of course he realized it could be a trap. In fact it almost certainly was a trap. Harry considered. Except that Conterrando bread maker was a real person. The story, after a lilliputian checking of rearwards prophet issuing, checked out. Harry even found the kids in Ginny 's year. Hufflepuffs, twins, nice in a variety of boring Hufflepuff kind of way. Both members of the gobstones nightclub. Both with significantly less cockeyed figure than their father.

Good child. Good father too ...

'' sodomite. '' Harry dropped the vaticinator on the table. `` I 'm going to ingest to do something heroic are n't I. ``

Looks that way.

'' Do I have to ? ``

fountainhead ... no, you could let him die while you sit back and eat popcorn.

'' Do n't like popcorn. ``

well I guess that decides it then. Plus it would be rather a waste of all the preparation you 've been doing.

'' It could still be a gob you know. ``

I know that. Do n't you think I know that ? I 'm your brain you moron.

'' We 're a bit nutcase are n't we ? ``

Crazy like a fox.

'' Like a fox. ``
*


So it came to give that Harry slid down into the sleeping room of arcanum that night wearing the most singularly un-heroic firearm of wear in history.

A pair of waders.

'' Bloody winter. '' Harry shivered as he crawled through the tiny cranny in the wall through which he had entered the sleeping room all those years ago. It was humble than he remembered.

Harry dropped into the icy cloaca and made his way quickly along the dark passage. The water was bitingly cold on his hands whenever they got splashed but the heavyset waders kept his peg pleasantly warm. Thank merlin for dragon-skin fishing supplies.

Of form this would be easy if Dumbledore had n't strengthened the Hogwarts wards to the point in time where not even dirt ball could pass through. This was the alone way out.

Harry 's handing over through the catacombs was unerring. stopping point time he 'd been here he 'd wandered aimlessly, lost. footling lost boy ... But he was n't the same person he 'd been then. Harry sighed and walked on through the iniquity to his destination.
*


Harry flicked his neckband up and walked quickly down the street. This was London, but not a part that he had ever frequented. Big houses, big expensive houses. Places that did n't subscribe to kindly to vagrants. Probably still would n't take kindly to him if he was found here.

house twenty six. Harry slowed to a arrest a blockage away from the tall whiteness building. In the middle of the terraced-row of equally tall white buildings. Expensive they might be, somebody they were not.

All the Inner Light seemed to be off. Mr baker was probably at rest. No one outside, no one obvious anyway.

hello ...

Up on the roof. swarthiness made into mat made into nightmares. Someone was waiting up there, trying to continue invisible against the skyline.

Harry cursed then darted down an alley. trend in the front K, it might have been a dispose newsprint. Then again it might not.

Human physical body ! secondly floor, standing near the bed ! Harry 's script found a drainpipe and he catapulted himself up. There were two more on the bed, cowering in fright. The standing figure raised his verge. Harry swung with all his strength and crashed through the window.

'' What the hell ! ``

Harry tackled the expiry eater to the trading floor and stunned him. He rushed to the doorway and bolted it, pushing a professorship under the handgrip. The others would birth heard the windowpane break.

'' Who are you ! '' A part bellowed from the bed. `` Are you with them ? ``

'' Do you have a go at it Dumbledore ? '' Harry asked quickly, looking over at the two in the bed.

'' Ye ... yes. Everyone knows- ''

'' trade good go to him. Get out through the dorsum. '' Harry pointed at the broken window. The doorway thumped violently and Harry turned back towards it. Three others. Not unspoiled. `` GO ! ``

'' What about you ? '' Mrs Baker asked as her husband hurried her towards the window.

'' Do n't worry about me. Just go ! '' Harry flicked a ward onto the door, strengthened it. But it would n't hold long. These were n't criminal, these were genuine destruction eater. dueller group twos. 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 real test. Lets see how I do.

I really hope one of them is stoop ... Harry grinned in red 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 masses fleeing down the backstreet, visible in the gaps between planetary house. They did n't matter.

His knarrled fingerbreadth clenched. It looked like the boy had beat him to these ace. He would n't be capable to kill tonight. Would n't be able to hurt them, make them pay. Make the other one, the snake one, the one who took everything pay.

He licked his lip. Another clock time, there would be other times. He was affected role. patient role was good, so long as it got there in the end.

The end ... the end ...

vengeance. That was a just word.

The watcher hunkered down on the rooftops. Before him the battle raged on and cries of pain filled the air.

He would expect, and if there were any stragglers ? Maybe he would possess some fun after all.
*


'' Wake up ! ``

Urg ... Ron turned over on instinct to get away from the noise.

'' Get the snake pit up Weasley ! ``

'' Ow ! '' Ron grabbed his side and spun, his eyes wide open. `` Malfoy what the- ''

'' Have you seen Harry ? '' The Slytherin demanded.

'' What ? Of course not. He 's your best friend 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. ``

'' fountainhead he 's not. '' Ron gestured around. `` calculate the bed 's not even slumber in. And how 'd you get the parole anyway ? ``

'' Something 's awry. ``

'' Get lost Malfoy. '' Ron looked over at the clock. `` It 's six o clock in the good morning ! ``

'' Right. Two hours past when Harry said he 'd meet me. '' Malfoy was gritting his dentition, breathing through them clenched.

'' He 's probably in the noggin. ``

'' That was where I was waiting you idiot ! ``

'' Then he 's eating breakfast ! ``

'' Checked there. ``

'' program 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 lie with. Probably training late and just passed out tired. Even you had to notice he was tired. ``

'' Surprised you did. '' Malfoy turned for the door. `` Get your friends and assist look. ``

'' We 're not your frie- ''

'' But you were Harry's ! '' Malfoy turned angrily. `` And he could be in trouble, or bother, or dying, right now ! I know you do n't care him any more but unless you hate him enough to care him suddenly get the perdition up and serve me expect ! ``
*


Ron woke the marauders. The marauders roused the scholarly person. Myrtle called the ghosts. Hermione ran to McGonagall. McGonagall went to Dumbledore.

The entire castle like an anthill kicked into excitement by the departure of the boy-who-lived.

It was Dumbledore who confirmed, by 'his own methods', that Harry was not in the rook. The great dormitory was filled with tangible tension as breakfast appeared as if it was any other 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 make it real.

The piranha mostly picked at their food. No one felt like eating. Not even Ron. Suddenly the threshold burst open.

'' It 's him ! '' Hagrid boomed over the barking of his dog. `` He 's out there ! ``

The foyer emptied like a blast had started. Every student of every sign of the zodiac piled through the elephantine image room access. Jostling and pushing against each other, and against instructor, to get through. They spilled out onto the front lawn like a undulation, breaking and separating. Everyone was running for the principal logic gate. Ginny saw Hagrid, out in front, yell something and the logic gate creaked out-of-doors. Everyone pushed through, trying to get a glimpse of the nongregarious figure trudging up the way towards them.

The front blue runner stopped and were almost bowled over as the citizenry behind them ran into their backs. The road down from the Gates was slanted, so everyone could see. See the human body that was definitely Harry.

His robe hung off one shoulder, the respite torn and trailing behind him. The unhurt left side of his fount was covered in lineage, down onto his berm too, caked on and streaked. One of his the boot was gone, Merlin only knew where. His impart arm had an ugly burning over the elbow joint, red and raw and black in the middle.

The total of Hogwarts stared at him. Harry raised his top dog painfully.

'' fountainhead ... would ... '' Harry swallowed and licked his lips. `` Would you believe I fell down some stairs ? ``
*


'' Mr Potter where were you ? ``

You know where.

'' Tell me ! ``

He knows where. Of course he does. stupe Dumbledore.

'' Were you at the baker hall Harry ? ``

There we are.

'' How did you pull up stakes school grounds ? ``

You do n't want to make love that.

'' Harry answer me ! ``

'' What do you want from me Dumbledore ? '' Harry pushed a blood-entangled dreadlock of hair out of his case. `` What do you desire me to say ? ``

'' I want the Sojourner Truth ! '' Dumbledore was yelling, every portrayal on the walls of his office watched in secretiveness. Apart from them the room was empty. `` I want you to tell me where you went ! Where you go every night ! I want answers ! ``

'' I do n't apply a damn what you want. ``

Rather incongruent seeing as we just asked him.

'' Harry if there is a breach in the Barbara Ward of Hogwarts I need to have it off about it. ``

Damn. He might actually be right. Voldemort sure as hell knew about the chamber.

'' Chamber of secrets. '' Harry met the Headmasters regard but gave nothing away. His occlumency was getting better too. `` Remember ? There 's a passage that lets out on the position of the lake. ``

'' The ... a enactment. '' Dumbledore nodded faintly. `` Yes ... yes I knew about it. ``

'' But it slipped your creative thinker when you were shoring up the hospital ward. ``

'' I ... no- ''

'' You 're not a god Dumbledore. '' Harry broke in. `` You ca n't do everything. You are incompetent. You make mistake. It does n't let to be this way between us, admit you made a mistake with regards to me. I can assist you push. Help the order. ``

'' You are not of age. ``

'' Screw that ! '' Harry yelled wildly. `` There 's two people living tonight because of me ! Two kidskin who are not orphaned because of me ! ``

'' There are also five abruptly Death feeder. ``

What ... the ... hell ...

'' Stunned. '' Harry corrected hopefully. `` Stunned death eaters. ``

'' Dead. '' Dumbledore 's face grew stony. `` Killed with an secret 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, decent maven. ``

'' When I need to ! '' Harry was breathing hard. `` When my booster living are at stake ! ``

'' You are out of control Harry. ``

'' I did n't kill them. '' Harry held up his men. `` I did n't, I swear. I stunned them, then left, then called the aurors to find fault them up. ``

'' I can not believe that Harry, I can not. Not with all I know. ``

'' Legilimence me. '' Harry released his defenses. `` You 'll see. You 'll recognize. ``

'' I will not know. I will not know because I can not be for certain that you have not reached a level of proficiency at occlumency where you could evidence me whatever fabricated memory you wish to. ``

'' THEN WHAT DO YOU need ! ``

'' Anger Harry ? You have a lot of ire do n't you. ``

Yes. Harry hung his head tiredly. There is no response to your inquiry. naught that will satisfy you.

'' You will stay confined to the castle. '' Dumbledore ordered. `` You will wait on all deterrent example. A shielder appointed by me will take the air you to and from each deterrent example. You will do these things or I will mitt you to the aurors. ``

'' I did n't do it. '' Harry whispered, more to himself than anything else.

'' I can not take in that risk. ``

Wait ! The prognostication !

'' The vaticination. '' Harry blurted. `` What are we going to- ''

'' Stop thinking about such thing. '' Dumbledore cut him off. `` They are no longer your care. ``

'' But I have to cease Voldemort. I 'm the only one who can. ``

'' This discussion is over Harry. leave of absence. ``

Harry stood. There was no point drawing it out. He walked towards the door, but did n't go through it. He felt drained, completely. But some residual well of bullheadedness would n't let him entrust without one close word.

'' You 're making a misunderstanding. '' Harry said over his berm. `` You do make them remember. ``

'' I do. But I correct them. '' Dumbledore said sharply, but sadly. `` I am correcting one right now. ``

shucks. He still got the net word.

Harry turned and passed out of the office. There were important decisions to be made.
*


'' Deja vu. '' A vocalization said over Ron 's shoulder.

'' Malfoy ! '' Ron spun on his bench. `` Do you just sneak around everywhere ? ``

'' Hard to snarf in the middle of lunch. '' Malfoy seemed agitated. `` Harry 's gone again. ``

'' Like this break of the day ? '' 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 chair back roughly and strode quickly from the hall.

'' He knows about- '' Ron began but stopped as a square trace dropped onto the table.

Digger cocked his head and hopped about a short nervously. He kept looking at beginning one face then another as if he did n't get it on who to save his subject matter too.

Ginny reached forward and took it off her. She spread it out on the table. It was short, but it had a lot of subtext. It simply said.

payoff care of him






inspection, or I will use my gravemetric sexual inversion ray to smash the moonshine down onto the surface of the world ! Destroying it utterly ! You have just one hour ! Mru Ha Ha Ha Ha ! Ha. Ha.


Arg ! The land site goes down ! Madness everywhere ! thing fall apart, the centers can not admit ! My reviews ! ! ! My precious reviews ! ! !

Ah well ... such is life.



'' Is there no news ? ``

'' No Albus, there is not. '' Minerva shook her heading. `` He appears to receive vanished. ``

'' Has a picket been set on the perimeter ? All ways that he could entrust the res publica ? ``

'' Yes Albus. '' As if that had ever stopped Harry. `` But do you really think he will try to provide ? Everything we 've seen suggests he will stay and press. ``

'' I do not know Minerva. '' Albus shook his nous. `` I am not sure of anything anymore. ``

'' stay strong Albus. The order needs you. ``

'' Yes ... yes we must go on. ``
*


The marauders, bundled up against the cold, sat quietly before a huge bay window in Malfoy manor. They had gone there straight from Hogwarts, with a guard the entire way. They were in the minority for leaving, a lot of students had elected to remain at Hogwarts for Christmastime. It was safer. They were not the simply 1 there though, Terry and Anne bread maker ( none of the marauders had really known them ) had been dragged along looking confused.

That was until they reached the house and had a tearful reunion with their parents. Apparently someone had saved them from the death eaters. emphasis on someone.

The manor house was filling up, scores of people. Refugees almost, people that had been targeted or were in danger of being. It was scary, seeing the awe in their middle, the feeling of being hunted. The marauders were the same, unable to leave, scanning the papers for any hint of Harry. They found nothing but they kept looking. Guilt was a powerful thing.

So now they were stuck in the star sign, ineffective to entrust its bulwark as snow blanketed everything outside. Even if they could feature gone outside would they receive had the heart to play ? Maybe, maybe not. So they sat in front of the huge open window and watched it fall.

The adults had tried to realise it cheery, there was even a tree. It had n't worked though.

'' We should go take lunch. '' soul murmured. No one moved. Eventually individual else echoed the thought 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 straits. `` Two death eater just got dropped into the ministry foyer. Flued in. They were stunned and tied up with ribbons. They 're processing them now. Where 's everyone else ? ``

'' Most of the grownup eat in the corner room. '' Ginny pointed and Tonks hurried out.

'' Do you think it was Harry ? '' Neville asked quietly.

'' Of course of instruction it was Harry. '' Malfoy said flatly.

'' It could have been somebody else, someone else trying to stop them. ``

'' Someone who tied them up like nowadays and dumped them Christmas eve ? It 's Harry. '' Padma grimaced. `` He 's out there fighting. ``

'' On his own. '' Her sister echoed.

They sat in silence for a while. The simply phone was Ron rhythmically munching on bread.

'' Do you think it was us ? '' Ginny found herself whispering. `` Do you call back we drove him out ? ``

'' You certainly did n't help. '' genus Draco sneered.

'' Shut up Malfoy ! You were the one helping him ! '' Ron reached over and tried to thump the Slytherin. `` If you had n't he would n't sustain thought he could defend them ! ``

'' He was getting help from other places than me. Someone else I 'm sure, he was getting better too firm. '' Malfoy shook his head. `` No, I withdraw what I said before. You did n't push him towards this. This was inevitable. ``

But we abandoned him. Ginny thought darkly. Maybe if he would possess stayed recollective if he thought he had something to stay for. Or at the very least he 'd know he was n't alone. Falco columbarius, how had things gone so wrong ?

'' It 's my fault. '' Hermione murmured suddenly. `` I said that ... dolt thing about choosing between- ''

'' It was n't you. '' Ron broke in. `` You heard Malfoy, it was inevitable. ``

'' We need to do something. '' Annapurna said. `` Bring him back. William Tell him it 's ok. ''

'' How ? '' genus Draco shook his head. `` read out a personal ad in the prophesier ? ``

'' well why not ? ``

'' Because it 's ridiculous. And because all it would do is assuage your guilt feelings. It would n't help him. ``

'' Well what would assist him ! '' Fred asked angrily.

'' I do n't know ! '' Dragon shot to his foot. `` Why are you asking me anyway ? I do n't even like you. '' He turned and stalked out of the elbow room. 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 hold any other friends. Maybe that had been why he helped Harry for so long.

'' We need to do something. '' Annapurna repeated again.

'' What sis ? What ? '' Padma frowned at her sis darkly. `` Do n't just keep saying 'do something'and carry everyone else to come up with something. ``

'' I do n't learn you coming up with anything ! ``

'' There 's nothing we can do ! ``

They lapsed into an angry secrecy again. There was too much stress, too little sleep. They were all at the end of their tethers. Just like Harry had been. Ginny shook her foreland, they should induce gone light on him. A short selfish part of her felt glad that she had not been part of that starting time arguing with him. Another part blamed her for starting it. If she had just dodged he would n't let hurt her shoulder and then they would n't have ...

It was pointless to think about it. The argument had happened, but a slight part of her still irked. They should n't have blown up on him, so what if he said he chose an army ... Wait ... Was it possible ? Was she really thinking about this ?

'' I can think of something we can do. '' She said, her articulation catching in the center. 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. vulture principle ...

'' HEY ! '' The board jumped as Ginny slammed down on it hard. The marauders started like coney. Oh smashing, now everyone was looking at her. She stood, keeping her handwriting flat to the table. `` I know what we can do. ``

'' Wh ... what ? '' Hermione asked hesitantly.

'' Exactly what he asked. '' Ginny said confidently. `` He wanted an army. He needs an army. He 's fighting out there on his own so he deserves an army ! We can be it. We can help him ! ``

For a few moments there was silence, then ...

'' But ... but we 're just nipper. '' 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 fight back like him. '' Ron was staring at her wildly.

'' Harry learnt, so we can. '' Ginny folded her sleeve. `` Harry was n't even that honorable at defense and look how far he 's hail. 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 schooling would be prepared to serve Harry if we told them. The old chosen ... others too. '' Ginny tried to seem surefooted. `` And besides, Harry 's just one soul ! ``

'' But Harry 's Harry ! '' Hermione shook her head. `` He could get away with that variety of thing ! He has some ... ability ... some ground he survived. A powerfulness ! That 's it ! Like the prophecy said .'A tycoon the night Almighty knows not'we- ''

'' The but power Harry ever displayed was stubbornness. '' Padma interrupted her. `` pigheadedness and fearlessness. ``

'' And the fact that he never gave up. '' Her baby added.

'' And we should n't either. '' Padma nodded.

'' So you ... '' Ginny turned to them grinning.

'' We 're in. '' Padma said, her center hard and determined. Her Sister nodded her support.

'' Us too. '' George folded his arms just as his brother said,

'' We ca n't give up on Harry. ``

'' And you three ? '' Ginny turned to the lowest three on the fence vulture. Neville shifted nervously,

'' I ... It could have been me. '' He was looking down at the table. `` It could cause been me. I would n't birth survived this long. No ... but I ca n't just ignore it. The fact that it could have been me I mean. I ... I feel like I have to avail if I can. ``

'' You 're in ? ``

'' I do n't be intimate how much assistance I 'll be. ``

'' You saved me. '' Ginny smiled desperately. All the marauders had to conjoin, it was like fate. For some cause she felt like that. If they all did n't link up it just would n't exercise. `` And Harry would have wanted it. ``

'' He understood you. '' Padma chimed in, smiling. `` more than than the rest of us I think. ``

'' I 'll assist, if I can. '' Neville said, in a modest part. Ginny breathed out in moderation, one down two to go ...

'' And you two ? ``

Hermione and Ron shared a feel. Ginny knew she could loosen her comrade into it, Ron was a sponge for peer pressure, but she would n't. Not a choice like this.

'' We 'll take to lose some lessons. '' Ron said suddenly and Hermione put a hired man over her mouth, chuckling. `` Think you can handle 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 vox came out of nowhere. Ginny spun and fixed on the large threefold room access. Standing in the capable gap were two brown haired children. Terry and Anne Baker. 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 unable to see them properly from where he was. `` You two ? ``

'' We heard what you were saying. '' Anne said, obviously trying to sound former. Ginny wondered if she had looked like that a few here and now ago. `` We want to aid too. ``

'' Harry saved our parents. '' Dame Ellen Terry added in. `` The ministry did n't even know they were a target. We want to help. ``

'' You realize what this means do n't you ? '' Ginny said clearly. `` We 're talking about fighting. Fighting death eater. 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 know ? We saw Harry when he came back that morning just like the rest of you. That 's the kind of hooey you 're talking about right ? Well that Nox he was out saving our parents. Saving them was what hurt him so bad, so its ... like I do n't know. Only carnival, I guess, that we should do that for him. ``

'' You could die. '' Padma said flatly.

'' If Voldemort wins we die anyway. '' Anne matched her flatness. `` With parents like ours we 'll be on the top of his list. ``

'' We know what were getting ourselves into. '' terrycloth said defiantly. `` We want to join Harry 's army. ``

'' Harry 's United States Army ? '' George snorted. `` Is that what we 're calling ourselves ? ``

'' I do n't care it. '' His twin agreed.

'' It does sounds 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 muttering of agreement went up from around the table and Ginny felt a surge 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 Brother had happily accepted her lead, they all had. And now she was about to order two new vulture, 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 cultivate properly ? Harry had a teacher, he had to. Where are we going to get one ? ``

'' I can think of mortal. ``
*


'' Draco ! ``

genus Draco turned in shock to look at the crowd in the program library doorway.

'' Yes ? '' He looked across them. `` Can I assist you ? ``

'' We 've decided what we 're going to do. '' Ginerva said from the front line. `` We 're forming an army. We 're going to fight for Harry. We want your assistant. ``

The depository library was silent for a here and now. Draco met the eye of each of the marauders, were they really unplayful ? Legillimancy gave him the answer.

'' fountainhead would you calculate at that. '' Draco murmured, then smiled. `` Lets get to it. ``
*


'' You realize this means the marauders now have members in every Hogwarts firm. '' George V commented as they walked down to Harry 's old preparation cellar.

'' We do n't consume any Ravenclaws. '' Ron said. Hermione shook her head irritably.

'' You would think you 'd remember Ron, after all the time she 's keep our skins. ``

'' Who ? ``

'' Moaning Vinca minor. ``

'' She does n't count. '' Ron said with authority before being clipped around the ear by Ginny.

"Watch your oral cavity. Harry wouldn't outdoor stage for that sort of talk."

"Besides, you ‘ re all legal injury anyway."Draco said dryly from the front."Harry made myself and Tonks marauder at the end of hold out year. You ‘ ve been cross-house for months now."

"Why didn ‘ t you tell us ?"Ron asked him.

"Would it have made a dispute ?"

"fountainhead ... maybe."Ron shrugged."vulture have different convention than ordinary people."

"Yeah, that percentage I got."Malfoy reached the door to the wine cellar and threw it capable. It was exactly how they had left it. Huge stack of broken furniture and burn mark stigma on the walls."rightfield, well we don ‘ t have impact spheres or a siswai ‘ aman or muggle gonnes-"

"Guns."Hermione corrected.

"Them either."Dragon stepped into the center of the room."Actually I do have some impingement spheres but that ‘ s not the point. We don ‘ t have meter to go to four continents and pick up the estimable munition like Harry did, so I ‘ m going to concentre on this ..."Malfoy drew his wand and held it out in front of him.

"terry, Anne."Ginny turned to the two newest members."How are you at defense class ?"

"We ‘ re both getting Es."Anne said quickly.

"predator should recognize how to lie better than that."

"Alright As."

"Same as Harry last year."Ginny told them encouragingly."Hermione ? Can you wreak them up to quicken 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 parentage. Her tummy did a little floaty lurch.

Just stress. She told herself. Just strain because we're joining a war. cancel to be skittish, especially since they seem to have elected me leader. I'm not flighty for any early reason. No reason at all.
*


Neville collapsed into a chair in his room. He ached everywhere. Malfoy had pushed them all day, fighting. They had only quit for the night when the baker Thomas Kid 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 teacher, earlier Padma had told him Harry understood him. Neville didn't know whether that was true. He certainly didn't understand Harry. But maybe he watched him more than the others, keeping silence on the sidelines maybe he saw more. Saw more about citizenry ... about Harry.

Maybe there was one other thing they could do for Harry.

He had thought of it before but hadn't mentioned it. No reason to enjoin ` multitude, especially if he was wrong. It'd just make him front stupid. It probably wouldn't aid anyway. But it was Worth a shot.

Neville drew a piece of paper towards him and grabbed a quill. He chewed on the end nervously, how did you take off a message like this ?

Dear ... No, to familiar. Neville shook his top dog, it didn't matter what watchword he used. He should just get the thing written. He cracked his wear metacarpophalangeal joint and started again.

To The Pythea

My gens is Neville Longbottom and I'm a friend of Harry's. I don't know if he told you about me.

Neville winced, this was intemperately than he thought.

Harry's in trouble, or he might be. He's left Hogwarts to fight. 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 phrase ‘ as the seventh calendar month dies'means anything to you then you know why he's doing this. I don't know if you can help oneself him but if you can then please do, and distinguish us what we can do to help oneself. We're already doing everything we can but it may not be enough.

Neville read the letter over nervously. He was writing to ask the help of one of the most powerful women in the earthly concern. He signed it, his handwriting shaking enough to reach the signature illegible, then squeaked his chairperson back and made for the owlery.

digger was come alive and waiting, like he knew. The owl didn't even bother to wait at the address, it just glanced at the name and took off. Neville watched it go, hoping ...
*


He got no reply over Noel. The predator opened presents with aching bones while their parents watched before begging out and going back down to the cellar. Neville was surprised that the baker children didn't complain about being worked on Christmastide day. Perhaps they really did understand what they were in for.

Snow kept falling intermittently, not enough to cover the ground again. It just ended up slush. Neville wondered if Harry was outside, cold, right now, then felt dolt. If Harry could get unearthly night weaponry out of the blue then he could sustain warm in winter.

'' Neville ! '' He heard Fred vociferation at him. `` I thought we were dueling not staring out the window. ``

'' I 'm coming. '' Neville turned and raised his verge. `` Just a irregular. ``

We 're doing what we can Harry, just you wait.
*


Harry crouched on the ceiling of a theatre, heedful not to slip on the wet tile. The house across the way was owned by a large extremity of a pure ancestry family. Not his principal sign obviously, pokey little place like this, but one of his properties.

A holding with a heavy root cellar. A place that had been taking in large supplying of meat, bad meat too. Off cuts, the sort you would turn over animals.

It was a jumper lead. Harry smiled grimly, he was on to them. He could wait here all Nox ...
*


"Severus the small fry at central office keep disappearing during the day. Do you know where they're going ?

"I do not Albus."Technically true though any reasonable person could guess.

"Do you think 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 true though not actually revealing his opinion.

"You will tell me if you hear anything I should know."

"Of course."Anything I think you should know.

"Now, '' Dumbledore looked around the Charles Martin Hall, meeting the centre of the four club penis. Snape, McGonagall, Tonks and Moody. They had all been asked here. None of them knew why. `` I believe I have found Harry. ``

'' Are you sure ? '' Minerva rose to her feet, jolt evident on her font. `` How ? ``

'' Harry has been too trusting of Gringots. '' Dumbledore drew a thin folder of parchments towards him. `` He forgets that they have homo employees as well as goblin I. I have managed to incur records of Harry 's transactions. I believe I have pinpointed his fix. ``

'' So why have n't you brought the poor boy back ? ``

'' Because Harry will have an outlet scheme. '' Dumbledore shook his head. `` If he sees me he will run, and I can not guarantee I will be able to arrest him. You are the decree members I believe he will trust. You must go up him. You must wreak him back. ``

And what if I do n't wish him back. Snape was careful to harbour his thought utterly. What if I merely wish to lay down sure he 's safe.

'' This is the location. '' Dumbledore floated a tack of parchment 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 base ? It 's a dead end. No way out. ``

'' The boy 's fresh than that. '' Alastor agreed as the four of them reached the stairwell of the muggle building. It was not vacant, indeed Snape could see tone down vocalisation and clicking from adjacent way, but the top base was closed for renovation.

'' Perhaps Dumbledore was ill-timed then. '' Was that a breath of hope in the voice of the Brigham Young auror ?

'' More likely Harry has a broomstick up there. '' Minerva snapped.

Harry would not have a broomstick. Snape shook his top dog 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 charming eye scanning above them. The old auror cursed. `` Damn evil eye ! There 's travelling bag up there, and papers. But I ca n't tell if there 's a individual. ``

'' Let me see. '' Minerva slinked into her cat form and carefully padded up the steps. Then came back down, her eyes twinkling. She transformed back and said, `` Harry has been here. His smell is everywhere. ``

'' Do you acknowledge if he is there now ? '' Snape asked.

'' He is there. The perfume is too recent for him not to be. ``

'' Then we go in. '' Dwight Lyman Moody stalked forward. `` No wands visible, do n't spook him. ``

They walked up the dim concrete steps. The threshold was closed and covered by a pliant sheet. Snape was reaching out to cut it aside when they all heard,

'' Do n't bother, I 've cut a slit in the one round the side. '' The four order members stopped dead. 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 ? '' The voice said cheerily. `` come in if you want. With your mitt up if you please, we do n't need any surprises."

"You don ‘ t trust us ?"Tonks asked.

"constant vigilance."Harry replied.

Snape chuckled as he dropped his scepter in his pocket and walked around the recession. There indeed was a rupture in the plastic pall, it was waving in the cold current of air. 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 picket. Did he wait 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 glad though, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Harry."Snape greeted him as the other decree extremity filed in behind him."It is unspoilt to see you. You are looking well."

"No I ‘ m not."Harry was watching them all closely."But I ‘ m surviving. How did you find 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 institute you back."

"And are you going to ?"

"We just want to talk to you Harry."McGonagall stepped forward, her hands distribute peacefully."It is not prophylactic for you out here."

"It ‘ s not safety anywhere."Harry shrugged."And I ‘ m helping out here. I ‘ m fighting the death eater. What are you doing ? Looking for a lost shaver ? Let me ask you, which of us is doing the more useful task ?"

"potter don ‘ t be an idiot."Helen Newington Wills growled."You may deliver caught a few death eaters but it ‘ s only a matter of clip before you ‘ re caught and you better pray it ‘ s by Dumbledore and not the wickedness lord. If you die we all lose."

"If I fail we all lose."Harry shifted penny-pinching 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 moving picture of the wrist.

"Son of a bitch."Harry tried to stand but Moody jabbed his wand and Harry was pushed back to the ground."Trusted you ..."

"Sorry Potter."Helen Wills 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 part about not needing to ?"

"To be good, both."Harry made a lunge for the door but McGonagall stepped in front of him. Harry cringed, then tried to suffer."This is unpointed. If you bring me back to Hogwarts Dumbledore ‘ ll hold me prisoner, we all lose."

"I trust Dumbledore More than I trust you right on now."Moody raised his baton."You disappointed me. Now Stup-"

"Stop !"Snape struck sideways, sending Moody's scepter sideways. As the auror 's eye jerked open in shock Snape stunned him and whirled, holding his wand on McGonagall."Don ‘ t motility Minerva. In fact back away."

"Severus what is this ?"Her optic were wide in disbelief.

"Please don ‘ t talk."Snape glanced at Tonks standing twitchily in the corner, her mitt hovering over her wand."And you ? Do I need to bedaze you too ?"

"I ... no."The young auror's eyes flickered down to Harry."Take care of yourself Harry. Please. Please do."

"I ‘ ll try."Harry nodded, walking over and grabbing his verge."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 better than that."

"I know. I screwed up. Constant Vigilance."Harry nodded towards Moody."You should tell him that too when he wakes up."

"He will probably kill me first."Snape shrugged.

"Not likely."Harry stepped up the sharpness."He ‘ ll probably trust you now."

Harry grinned and dropped off the edge.

Snape waited a farseeing moment, long enough for Harry to contact the ground, then lowered his wand. McGonagall just looked at him. No student with late preparation had endured so withering a stare.

"Well Severus, now that you have betrayed the order, what do you specify to do now ?"

"I will go back to Dumbledore."Snape stepped over to wake up Moody."And I will try to explain."

The auror blinked to life and grabbed his wand. He levered himself to his fundament and looked Snape up and down with his piercing electric automobile blue eye.

"Well well, your reliable colouration at last."Helen Wills Moody spat.

"Trelawney once told me my color was wan fuchsia."Snape commented as he made for the room access."If I ‘ m viewing that vividness you may require to get your eye checked."

"My eye ‘ s fine."

"trade good, then I ‘ ll meet you at Headquarters."Snape apparated away, the cold pressing abyss of quash giving him a moment of peace before he dropped to his human foot in front of the doors. Three pops behind him told him the other order appendage had followed.

"Don ‘ t do that again you slime."Dwight Lyman Moody growled, wand out."If you try to apparate again I ‘ ll assume you ‘ re trying to escape."

Snape took three steps, into the luxurious hall.

"There."Snape raised his manus."Now I can ‘ t escape."

"I don ‘ t trust you."Moody shook his head."sacrifice me your wand."

"No."Snape turned towards the independent residence hall and walked calmly. Surprisingly he felt composure, he was comfortable. He was sick of being Dumbledore's lapdog, and now he had finally acted on it.

He pushed the double doors open and found something he didn't expect. The whole order was there, lining the rampart. Dumbledore had called a get together, to discourse Harry being back. Snape stopped, his sleeve crossed and the three following him walk past tense into the room. Tonks was still quiet, fading into the crowd, her hair unconsciously turning mute brownness. Moody and Minerva walked straight up to the straits of the table.

"You failed to catch Harry ?"Dumbledore clearly suspected something. He was using the stare that used to thrust Snape to the soul, now it just made his centre itch."What went wrong Severus ?"

"I decided that greater 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 crowd,

Why ?

I am tired of leashes.

You aren't finished are you. It wasn't a question.

I am not. I mean Dumbledore to sleep together I am no longer ... tame.

wellspring this should be fun.

Snape couldn't help but smile.

"You think this is curious Severus !"Dumbledore had stood, his eyes flinty and hard.

"Yes."

"How dare you !"

How dare I ? Snape snorted, this was the way things should be. He felt more comfortable with everything against him.

"Snape this sentence you have gone too far."

Oh safe, if you're going to be this predictable this will go far easier. Snape just smiled.

"Do you have nothing to say !"

"No. I have cypher to say."Snape kept his voice irritatingly cool"The but explanation I have you will not accept. And I can not formulate one you will because you I do not love what you want."

"I want mortal I can trust !"

"No you do not. You trust no one. You never have. Not with any hush-hush worth knowing. You are a shut organization, no one is told anything."Snape glanced around the office at the other order members, practically everyone was there. Everyone there to see his humiliation, that was what Dumbledore wanted anyway. If Snape had his way it wasn't going to come about like that."None of these multitude know anything do they."

"I am speak-"

"You ‘ d think that would get to them."Snape continued."You ‘ d think one of them would worry about you."

"Be understood !"

"Each of them thought another had your ear. Minerva thought lupine, lupin thought Helen Wills Moody perhaps. I don ‘ t know who Helen Newington Wills thought. But none of them did, none of them know."

"Silence !"

"No man is an island."Snape smiled, after all these long time he knew how to get to the old man."No man is an island unless he makes himself so."

"Severus I will not listen to-"

"You will listen. You can ‘ t not."Snape shook his head."Something has frozen you. That is what you do isn ‘ t it ? You shrink, like a polo-neck. vertebral column into your shell."

"And what is my shell ?"Dumbledore growled with uncontained rage and frustration.

"Your past times. Your reputation."Snape sniffed."The last war, your aureole day. Ha ha ... you have retreated into repeat and now ? Now you are paralyzed by it. We are not fighting this war, we are reliving it."

"You have made it elucidate what you think about-"

"Shut up."Dead silence. Snape folded his coat of arms, grinning faintly. Behaving like Harry was fun."I am talking now and you will listen. You are paralyzed by something. guiltiness I would infer. I don ‘ t know of course, 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 ... check. You have guilt, great swirling pool of it. In every stomate of you, in every aspect of your head. It ‘ s been there since the first time I ever saw you, I didn ‘ t recognize it then of path, but it was there. By the time I came to knead for you I was old enough to realise it. Something in your past tense, in your present too, fill you with a festering remorse. And it just gets worse and spoilt, makes you doubt yourself, makes you think you are never worthy. Makes you turn down the position of minister for magic. 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 thrifty than that. You must let known that I knew. You must hold known that I had found out about Kendra."

Dumbledore froze, every sinew tensed. Snape breathed a suspiration of succor in his brain. He had not known for for sure, not until that moment. He still didn't know really, not what had happened in that way. That arcanum would probably be taken to the tomb of the men concerned. No matter, Snape could gloss over the details.

"It was there in the get-go war."Snape continued, his harsh voice the only speech sound in the packed hall."Back then it was ... helpful. It made you careful. It made you infirm 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 worse now Previously guilt made you careful, sensible. Now it makes you useless. Useless and broken. You are no longer the famed 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 words sink in. Weakening."Whatever could it give been ? You don ‘ t have another sister ..."

"SILENC-"

"Legilimens !"
*


wickedness falling, falling everywhere. My fault, always my error. I shouldn't have put him there, no right field I had no right. I condemned him, his last. My one commission. bankruptcy. No. Must be done. Hope. Death. Failure. Truth shrouded so deeply. So deep it hurts. The truth would break 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 mind away, shaking. He fell to his knees on the floor, the horror, the confusedness, filling him. Dumbledore had fallen too, back into his chair. The old mans face twisted in pure agony. To observe a truth locked inside for nine age only to birth it roughly ripped from you ? It must let felt like his heart had been torn out. Snape shook his head, it could not be avowedly, it couldn't be. But behind the dark murmuration of Dumbledore's mind, behind the aching remorse the real memories hid. He had pushed them deep, as if trying to blank out them but they were there. They were unsufferable 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 moth-eaten stone floor.

He felt helping hand on his shoulder. Natalie. He reached up for one and grasped it, holding on to something real number as parts of his universe fell apart. He tried to stand and found he needed Natalie's assistance to rise to his feet. His legs felt like water, his feet like led. He tried to draw his mouth workplace, things needed to be said. Something needed to be said.

"How dare you ?"Predictable, but Snape could think of nothing better."How could you do that ? To a nipper !"

"It ... was necessary."Dumbledore's voice was barely a murmur, a swoon whisper in the air."It had to be done. It had to be done. It had to be done."Dumbledore mumbled that phrase over and over like a prayer.

"Necessary ?"Snape found his tongue and used it to growl."No. No it was not. Not even you believe that."

"We needed-"

"BE SILENT !"Snape snapped, the schoolmaster cringed back as if struck."I am leaving Dumbledore. I am going to help Harry. To find him and help him, and you will let me. You have no right field to sustain anything to do with that boy. You have no right."Snape turned towards the door, 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 devil. One that has nothing to do with the moon."Snape turned away and hobbled from the room, leaning heavily on the small woman 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 door and he stiffened, his warmheartedness felt like it had a M tiny claw in it, each one attached to a weight.

"Severus ?"Natalie murmured beside him."You need to go home, I ‘ ll study you-"

"No. Not home. Hogwarts."Snape shook his straits."Hogwarts first."

"Alright."She didn't argue, she knew when his nous was made up. There was a short, tart chime and the cleaning woman he was leaning on had blond hairsbreadth and picket whiten skin. Of path, she was supposed to be dead. Trust her to remember details even at a clock time like this. They stepped outside the boundary of the wards and apparated, the cold and pressing nihility once more envelopment him.

He stepped out himself onto the Gunter Wilhelm Grass before the gates and allowed himself to be led up the long path to the castle. Corridors passed and Snape realized he was being led to his stern. good. The walls are warded so no one will see. As they reached the door Snape pushed it opened and went directly to the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a whiskey and drink in it down, wincing at the burn in his throat.

"specter Myrtle Henderson."Snape called out softly. Ghosts could always pick up their names. A few moments later the shadowed shape 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 report to Dumbledore as do the other ghosts. I need these Son to be private."Snape snapped quickly."I need you to bring professor A. A. Michelson down here and I need you to distinguish no one."

"You can't order me ar-"

"It is about Harry."

"Oh. Oh ..."Myrtle nodded fervently and shot back up through the stone. 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 prevent to yourself. After all Dumbledore-"

"Was wrong."Snape cut her off."And I will tell you. If nothing else I need your assist to make sentience of it."Snape took a cryptical breathing time and began explaining. He could have just given her the store but he didn't want her to get the shock he had. It didn't actually convey that long to excuse, in the end it was so mere. When he was finished she just sat there, staring at him. As if volition him to jump-start 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 right, 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 receptive. Markus Albert Abraham Michelson strode in, looking around the small room quickly.

"The touch said this was about Harry."He said, still glancing around as if Harry would spring from a sideboard."Do you know where he is ?"

"No, but I have ... I have left the order to seek for him. To assist him with what he is trying to do. If I can."Snape fixed the other man in the eye."I know you ‘ ve been teaching him. I would apprise your help."

"fountainhead finally !"Michelson threw up his branch."I was beginning to cogitate I was the only one in this place with my head on straight."

"You are not far wrong."Snape shrugged.

"So what does this make us ?"Natalie smiled."The society of the Kneasle ?"

"The order of the Nundu more like."Albert Abraham Michelson cracked his knuckles.

"You know, I think it makes us marauders."Snape smiled faintly."James IV Potter must be spinning in his grave."



half of my reexamination seem to have disappeared ... very sad ... : (

You all have to review twice now to urinate up for it. If you do leave a review then a fairy will claver you while you sleep and sprinkle faery detritus on you. The faerie debris won't do magic or let you fly or anything but it'll be very pretty.


Harry Potter and the moron minor : Chapter 5 : The wickedness market

Harry travels to find information.




This reporter has some shocking news. News that will discover you, goodness reader, to your very core. Harry potter has been declared a grave vigilante by the ministry. Yes, Harry Potter the-boy-who-lived, is a liquidator. According to ministry functionary Harry has been creditworthy for at least six decease and possibly more !

Minister Fudge was quoted as saying ‘ Yes, well this is shocking but not entirely unexpected. just now look at his actions during the Triwizard tourney, the boy stole a ship for pigeon hawk's sake. He's always been a easy cannon that boy has.'

This announcement came at the same prison term as his official expulsion from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
*


The piranha looked at each other along the hanker table in the keen hall. None of them said 'Is this a joke ?'or 'No way'or anything naively infantile like that. They were past that. They had all known, on some level, that this was possible. Maybe even inevitable.

'' modification zilch. '' Fred was the first to speak. `` It 's all bollocs so it changes null. ``

'' This is crazy ! Do they think we 're dullard ? '' Ron was almost spluttering in anger. `` No one 's gon na believe any of this ! ``

'' I almost wish citizenry did. '' Hermione was shaking her head as she peered down at the straw man varlet article.

'' What ! You want people to believe Harry 's a- '' Ron rounded on her, about to let at large, but Ginny held up a paw to contribute him up short. He was still fuming though and said, more reasonably. `` Maybe you should excuse that comment. ``

'' 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. citizenry will hate the ministry for attacking their Hero. ``

'' Remember the drunken revelry last year ? '' Padma said darkly. `` Imagine that. Except very much forged. ``

'' Oh ... '' Ron 's side fell. `` I guess that is bad. ``

'' It changes nothing. '' Malfoy said sharply. `` Not really. We all knew this was a possibleness. ``

'' Right, '' Ginny nodded, putting on her drawing card face. `` He 's right. All this does is make what we 're doing even more urgent. ``

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 thaumaturge. His military position on the ministry 's cherished list is only a few places short of the known death feeder !

According to the ministry Harry 's M.O. is to use poisonous substance to do his dirty work. A poison there is no know antidote to.

Harry 's description is known to every sorcerer and hag 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 paper over to Snape. A. A. Michelson had already flicked his written matter closed and was staring at it angrily, as if blaming the paper itself. Snape sighed, he had already read the offending article.

'' Dumbledore undoubtedly had a hand in it. '' Snape tried to stop his ire rising to the surface. Keep it under wrap, 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 hold back his ire under wrapper. `` This 'll just make Harry even more sure that everyone 's against him ! ``

'' Undoubtedly. '' Snape flicked through the respite of the paper. `` At least there is some soundly news ... ''
*


Harry may be active agent in Leeds. Yesterday the ministry was handed an anon. tip that led them to a star sign there that had been converted to house dark creatures. No death feeder were caught ( perhaps the dead body are hidden elsewhere ! ) but the cellar was a nestle of lethifolds, swarming in the darkness in numeral never before seen on British people soil. I do not need to tell you, good reader, that if they had been unleashed they would accept caused untold destruction. The lethifolds have been disposed of by the ministry.

There is no proof that Harry was there but a contact in the aurors office said that they were investigating the possibility.

Harry is to be considered as dangerous as any death eater. Perhaps more so.
*


Harry dumped the newspaper in a trash can. It did n't topic anymore. He coughed roughly, clutching at his stomach. It did n't matter if the ministry caught him so long as he did what he had to do first. What the hell did he care what everybody else thought ? It just meant he had to be more careful.

Harry shoved off the wall and flicked his punk up before walking off down he alleyway. There was still work to do.
*


'' Is it true ? ``

Ginny turned at the sound, the angry and emphatic audio. The predator spun with her, almost in synchronicity. Cho Chang stepped back fearfully. In her United States Department of Defense the predator now numbered eleven, filling the hallway with uniform anger. They had also all drawn their baton at the same time as she spoke, in response to the potential threat.

They must get truly looked like an army.

Cho had frozen in position, anger turned to stunned silence. Ginny stepped forward.

'' Of course of study it 's not true. '' She said simply. `` How can you even ask that ? ``

'' I just ... '' Cho swallowed, awe still flickering across her boldness. `` Is Harry Ok ? ``

'' We do n't know. ``

'' Where is he ? ``

'' We do n't know. ``

'' Does he involve help ? ``

'' We do n't make out. We 're trying to help him. '' Ginny said curtly. She was beginning to get tired of Cho 's dolt questions. Ginny turned to impart when Cho broke in,

'' Well I want to help too ! '' Ginny felt a fiddling mental moan. That was just what she needed, a complaining pretty-girl in the rank and file. A unvarying excitation at best, a liability at high-risk. Cho went on, `` I 'm honest-to-god than you, and I 'm a Ravenclaw. I must make out dozens of go you do n't know yet ! You should let me unite. ``

'' No you do n't you arrogant snooty ... '' Ginny clamped her mouth shut and took a abstruse calming breath. `` This is n't the bloody gobstones gild. You ca n't just join on a impulse. We 're training to fight, really fight. competitiveness death eaters. ``

'' I know that. '' Cho looked down her intrude arrogantly. `` If you can do it then I can too. ``

'' You do n't realise ! You ... '' Ginny gritted her tooth tight together again before turning to the marauders. `` voter turnout. All of us. I vote no. ``

The marauder glanced about between them. Some of them had obviously been thinking of voting yes before she made her notion so abundantly all the way. After some embarrassed make Dragon stepped forward, eyeing Cho up and down silently. Ginny felt another spurt of bile ascent in her gut.

'' You accept the fact that you could die ? '' Dragon asked flatly. Cho nodded, her heart all-embracing. Dragon looked into her oculus for a import, Ginny thought she heard him mutter something under his breath. Draco cocked his headspring to the side and asked another question. `` Do you bear the fact that you have to take parliamentary procedure from Ginny ? ``

YES ! take aim that you bitch ! Ginny was shocked at the level of glee her subconscious mind threw up at that motion. If her subconscious was felicitous with the motion, her entire nous grinned when Cho grimaced and nodded.

'' mulct. '' genus Draco shrugged. `` We need Thomas More hoi polloi. I vote yes. If she does n't work out we can always create her leave. ``

'' We vote yes. '' Fred said, shrugging. His twin added, `` Sorry Ginny. ``

'' I ... yes. '' Anapurna nodded, a little hesitantly.

'' No. '' Padma shook her head, earning her a ball over glance from her sister. `` We do n't call for her. No reason to take on another projection when we do n't involve her. ``

'' Look just put your hired hand up. '' Ginny said tiredly. `` Hands for no ? ``

Three hands rose, herself, Padma and Hermione. Ginny 's belly dropped, this did n't look good.

'' For yes ? ``

Five deal were raised. Ron had followed his older chum. Ginny turned to silent three remainders.

'' Neville, Anna, Dame Ellen Terry ? '' Neville shifted uncomfortably and the Baker twins looked at the floor. `` You need to vote. ``

'' I do n't desire 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. fourth dimension to make the best of it.

'' amercement. sports meeting 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 wee-wee her day.

Ginny survived herbology with a book of curses propped up against a works pot. She did the same in Defense, prof Michelson was being oddly blind to the transgression of the marauders. After the lessons 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 lather 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 neophyte. Lucy Kingston stood by her Ravenclaw friend with her boyfriend, Joshua tear, standing on her other side. The two ex-Slytherin Gryffindors, Vanessa and Elizabeth stood in battlefront 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 consume chosen to take to the marauders herself. dullard Cho.

'' You told them. '' She tried to hit her vox come out icily wild, hoping it did n't just sound fractious. `` You told all of them. What the hell do you think- ''

'' I do n't enjoin them ! '' Cho interrupted her. `` Everyone in the school is talking about the news about Harry, and everybody knows you lot are doing something enigma. They just ... ''

'' We eavesdropped. '' Split interrupted. `` We want to assist Harry too. ``

'' This is getting ridiculous. '' Padma muttered from the depths of the marauders.

'' We heard what you asked Cho. '' Split went on. `` And we understand the endangerment. Army of the Righteous face it, if you trust him, '' Split jerked his Kuki towards Malfoy. `` You have to trust us. ``

'' I do n't have to entrust any of you. '' thoroughly, that sounded like Harry. `` Listen I do n't wish what you say. We 're going to take aim now. If you can keep up you can stay, we do n't have time to decelerate down for you. ``

'' amercement with us ... gentlewoman sergeant. '' snag added sarcastically.

'' imbecile. '' Ginny muttered as she led the amassed legion off down the corridor.
*


'' Listen. ``

Malfoy stopped and turned towards Split. The older boy had halted them just outside the ingress to the marauders loft, everyone else was already inside.

'' Yes ? '' Malfoy said evenly. `` Can I serve you ? ``

'' I just want you to eff we 're here for Harry. '' Split said challengingly. `` We do n't trust you. We do n't forgive you. ``

'' You 're here for the same reason I am then. ``

'' Whatever. '' schism 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. `` idiot. ``

'' She who ? ``

'' I expect she 'll let you jazz in her own time. ``

'' She who ? ``
*


Harry pushed his way out of the old shop he had flued into and a blast of heat hit his face. He dragged a broad brimmed hat out of his bag and pulled it low over his oculus. Ah, that was better. His coat and it 's various bewitchment would have kept his dead body cool but it would sustain looked incredibly blazing 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 second base thought, jabbering to each other in French. The emphasis was very different from what he was used to but that was only to be expected. Harry had learnt French in Svizzera and only spoken it to the bookman of Beauxbatons. Harry idly wondered if his French had a Swiss people emphasis or an side one.

No matter, he was in Marrakesh, thousand of Swedish mile from Anatole France or England. He would stand out as a foreigner whatever he did. No point trying to coalesce in with the local anesthetic, much better to just search like another stupe tourer. There were one or two others around. Harry picked up his gait as he crossed the street and into the souk.

Why is it that I always find myself in mazes ? Harry thought to himself chuckling as he skirted around a stall of vegetables and slid through the crowd of shoppers. The muggle souk was bad enough, a gigantic warren of streets and alleyways entire of shops and market kiosk selling everything from spices to electronics. Harry kept on an unerring course through it, it was n't his destination.

Hopefully he knew where his destination was, his entropy was sketchy at best.

Harry came to the sales booth he wanted, a moody yap in the wall merchandising decrepit and moth eaten wearable. He took a black t-shirt with a star on it off the rack and glanced at the aging shopkeeper. There was a barely perceptible nod. Harry stepped behind a screen, a rough changing elbow room, and pulled the curtain shut. He held the shirt up and tapped the superstar twice. With a penetrating groaning the floor began to crunch slowly downwards.

Harry tried not to touch the side of meat of the Harlan Stone passageway as the orifice at the top got further and further away. Ten meters ... 20 .... thirty .... forty- clump. Harry snapped to attention as the floor stopped descending. The stone in forepart of him split apart slowly, light spilled in, and air. The scent ... every scent imaginable, burning, animals, intellectual nourishment of every kind, incense made of spun lightning, every smell a wizard with no paying attention for the practice of law of chemistry could create hung in the air as Harry stepped out of the wickedness entrance into the under-souk, the wickedness market.

Knockturn alleyway had nada on this place.

Harry looked up at the ceiling a far above, mosaics kaleidoscoped over the round off surface, changing every moment. There were no paries for as far as Harry could see, just pillars dotted around. In no pattern Harry could see. Every one as blanket as an oak, twisted and gouged and splaying up into that grand roof. Disappearing into it. And down at reason level ? It was indescribable. Every kind of store, every form of stalling. Some sellers just sitting of a mat, arrays of feeding bottle out in forepart of them. Others had exhibit that looked like insane and un-feasible pop up books, everything spilling out of everything else. The stochasticity was deafening, worse than up above because the interference of sparking spells and fuming potions was added to the full general dissonance of people, 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 calmly forwards. Many carrell had tall flagstaff to identify them from far away, he was looking for ... ah. Harry spotted the pin he was looking for and headed for it, surreptitiously checking his disguise as he did so. Harry flicked a black gown out of his bag and threw it over his shoulders. Like this he looked like about thirty, maybe more, with long black hair and a inscrutable scar on his brass. Threatening, but not obvious.

Harry smelt his destination before he got there. The smell of brute and animal dung beating out the other odors more and more the finisher he got. He came to an undecided blank space in the grocery store, a office where the stalls had been pushed aside to ready elbow room for rank upon rank of cages. Harry recognized some of the creatures in them, others were a secret, all he gave a wide birth. The Cage seemed almost stupidly sturdy, surely they used unbreakable charms. Surely they did ...

Harry felt himself edging away and forced himself to tranquilize down. He looked into one of the cages, a monstrosity made of whole I-beams, and saw the eye of a dragon staring back at him. Somehow they must throw stopped it flaming, they must birth. Harry stepped calmly up the roughly desk at the end of the cages. It was surrounded by dish of what looked like some sort of provender. An ordinary dame cage sat on the corner with a small golden skirt fluffing its plumage. The heavily bearded and mustachioed man sat behind it looked up as he approached.

'' Yes ? '' He asked in easy English people. `` Are you look for something ? ``

'' My name is diddly Caiman. I have come for you to recite me the forward motion of an order. '' Harry pulled back his sleeve, revealing the blue Mark. The shopkeeper recoiled, glancing about fearfully.

'' Put that away ! '' He gestured wildly. Harry calmly rolled his arm back down.

'' You have zip to venerate. '' Harry said airily. `` Not while you do the dark nobleman 's body of work. ``

'' Why you come here ? '' The man 's centre were still shifting nervously. `` All on schedule. ``

'' There have been some problems at the former end. ``

'' Not my fault. '' The seller shook his pass. `` Got them safe to you. You lose them after it not my fault. ``

'' Of course of study not. '' Harry smiled in an uncomforting way. `` You mistake me. I merely meant that we have reason to need to wee for sure this delivery goes smoothly. There can be no fault. You understand. ``

'' Of course, of course. '' The man nodded rapidly. `` Do not interest. You can recite your master not to vex. Everything is all right. ``

'' Where are the animate being now ? ``

'' They are on ship. '' The man shuffled back to his desk and sat down. `` Loaded on two solar day ago. ``

Damnit, Harry cursed inwardly. It would throw been so much easier if they were still on dry land.

'' narrate me their form. '' Harry leant down threateningly. `` My master key is thinking of sending some people to ensure there are no ... misunderstanding. ``

'' No mistake. '' The man nodded again, dragging a map out of a drawer in his desk. `` No fault. ``

Harry smiled, people were so dullard when they thought you were going to kill them.
*


Harry dropped back onto British grunge and immediately flued again to stave in off any pursuit. He walked the go foresighted walk to the abandoned house he was staying in and pushed the doorway open. It was dark inside, the windows covered by anti-vandal plates put up by the police force. It was empty-bellied, not even a chair when he had first arrived. But it was clean house and the water was still running. Harry slouched down against the wall and collapsed. Long day. He reached over and picked up a bottle of pep up potion. He uncorked it and let some squish into his mouth. This was his second window pane today. It was growing intemperately to keep going ... the malady ...

Harry shook his drumhead, no use dwelling on it. Back to oeuvre. He spread the single-valued function out in front of him on the flooring and roughly arranged them out into a rough match to the coast of Africa and European Union. The map were seriously old, like everything else wizards had, and some of the countries had the wrong names. One of them had a big 'here be dragons'warning written in the middle of the Atlantic. Knowing that it was a magical map it might well be true.

Harry sighed as he looked at the prison term that were written on unlike checkpoints on the map. The ship was old too, or looked it. The man had sketched a gravelly drawing of it. It resembled nothing more than a titan wooden brick with modest sails that surely could never move it too fast. Of course it would be propelled by legerdemain, if not it would just be pudden-head, but it would still take almost a month to come up from Africa. Could be engage it in the middle of the ocean ? Harry shuddered at the thought. Besides the coursing fright at the very mentation it was Laputan to reboot. 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 piazza where it came close to acres ? Was there any ... ambush point ?

Oh of course ! There 's this big Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in the middle of the sea that you can shroud behind. Sharks use it all the time to take hold of seals.

Harry sat back tiredly, this was going to be intemperate than he thought. His palpebra felt so heavy ... eternal sleep ...

Harry glanced around, he was in a house. A fervour crackled warmly on the fireplace, throwing faint shadows on the clean blue sky rampart. The pictures on the wall, a redheaded woman, a man with a comrade expression. Harry shook his question, it was a dream. He had had it before. He walked towards the threshold and pushed it open hurrying out of the house and into the tasteful garden. He glanced back, the bungalow was as it always was. The cottage at Godrics Hollow. Harry shuddered, every time his dreams 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 sentiency over his entire pelt. And yet his dreaming brought his back here again and again and again.

Harry hugged his arms to his chest of drawers. Maybe this would be one of the good nights, the nights when he managed to escape. There was a forest out there somewhere, a forest of apple trees, their blossoms filling the air. When he could find that in his dreams he slept well, he slept comfortably. But for every one of those there would be one of the bad ones, when the business firm kept drawing him back. He didn't even want to suppose about what had happened once, when the river had come for him.

Harry pulled himself together with a military force of will. Those Malus pumila Tree weren't going to notice themselves. He was about to set off when a fluttering sound reached his ear. Harry spent a mo 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 beginning and was on his infantry in a moment, wand in handwriting. He relaxed when he saw that the auditory sensation was coming from a pocket-size white chick trying to squeeze in through the bottom of the window. The bird twittered then flickered back outside. It took Harry a moment to realize it had left something behind, a pocket-sized close up composition of paper.

Interesting. Especially considering no one should be able to adjoin 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 base and folded it open with the end of a branching. He bent down and read it without touching it.

Harry

I once told you to follow your own track if you thought it was right. You seem to have taken that advice to marrow. I can not and will not say that your choice is legal injury, it may be, it may not be, I do not bed. But you can not demolish yourself for the sake of this struggle. Do not. Your friends worry about you. They are as I write this working to help you. Training as hard as you ever did. You are not alone no topic how much you fight to arrive at it so. There are citizenry that will suffer if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you.

I can not pop the question you any info about Voldemort 's plans or whereabouts. I am constrained by the rules of my order. I would stop them for you but it would do no soundly. I would be found out long before I could divine anything for you.

The solely help I can pay you I have already given. I wish I could do more Harry, you must believe that.

Remember to wear the pendent.

DO NOT DIE.

Pythea.

Harry picked the minor piece of parchment up carefully and slipped it into his breast pocket. His mitt stayed there a moment longer, pressing it into his chest, before he took a cryptic breath and let it out.

Do not die.

He did not intend to, but it had always been a possibility. And no subject how very much people would suffer if he died they would suffer more if Voldemort was left alive. Harry had a impregnable itch to choose the missive back out and scan it once again, or maybe twice or three times. But no, he had work to do. waitress ... something in the letter tugged at his nous. Maybe there was a way.
*


Malfoy snorted as Cho was sent flying across the elbow room. The new military recruit were trying to hold up, they were just failing. He turned away, they were useless, just a waste of time for the ease of them. The marauder themselves ? Dragon managed a pocket-size smiling for that, they were progressing nicely. They could press. They could fight as a team. They could struggle on their own. They could fight like kneazles in a sack if they needed to. And they would take to.

He moved over to a pile of faded boxes and ran his fingers over a retentive, melt off, Charles Grey cloak inside. The Weasley similitude claimed they could sprain them into irregular invisibility cloaks with some more pattern. Draco did n't doubt it. The charm would n't last for Sir Thomas More than a day or two but that was all they needed. They could just respell them afterwards. Shield appealingness graced the dark grey jackets in the following box, enough to deter minor hexes. In the first it had just been a way to stock the charm, the Sami as an amulet or a ring. Rings of invisibility were common enough even though they were hideously hard to make and protective talisman were ten a centime. But the clothes were easier for the Weasleys to work, and the iniquity Second Earl Grey made them inconspicuous at Night. That had been the showtime, but now it almost seemed more ... Like they were becoming an army in verity, they had uniforms. Parvati 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. Draco smiled again, it did n't count if the clothes were plain Lady Jane Grey or knock with little fink. Either way by the end they would have an mathematical group of inconspicuous, shielded, deadly fighters.

Invincible cutthroat bastards. vulture to the essence. Harry would have been proud. At least, Draco hoped he would be.

'' Draco ! '' Ron yelled. `` Break clip 's up get back here. ``

'' I 'm coming Weasley stop yelling. '' Dragon gritted his teeth, all of his muscles hurt. Never mind. `` rear to play. ``

'' blockage. I need to talk to you. ``

The vocalism came out of nowhere. The predator twisted towards it, wands out. The duels ceased, every eye widened in shock.

'' I heard person was raising an 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 U. S. Army. ``

'' Good, I should get a discount. ``

The marauders broke and all began talking at once, it was a happy storm of sound with Harry laughing in the nerve center. Draco stayed silent, he glanced over at Ginny, also staying back. She nodded to him, her mouth a hard line. She had realized too. Harry had n't come back for a glad reunification. He would n't possess. He had come because he needed them. This would be the first job of the army.

'' Harry ... '' Draco cleared his pharynx. The green eyes of the boy who lived fell on him. `` What is it you want the regular army for ? ``

'' Oh ... that. '' Harry reached into his bag. `` Do you have a table ? ``

Draco pointed the way and Harry pulled a immense rag of parchment out of his bag. Harry laid them down on the rough surface of the last surviving table in the bean. It looked like a giant star copy of a map.

'' There 's a ship. '' Harry traced it 's itinerary along a long production line on the map. `` It 's stuffed to the lamella with gloomy creatures. Direct to the wickedness lord. Hundreds, including a lot that we really do n't desire him getting his work force on. It 's not going to make embrasure before U.K., it 's going to be far out to sea. No portkeys, no flues, only way there is to fly. ``

'' That 's why you need us. '' Padma said thoughtfully.

'' Yeah, kind of. '' Harry hung his head. `` I can just about manage to fly in a straight occupation. Slowly. But out over water ? With the nothingness and maybe storms and ... and over piddle. And when I might have to relieve oneself a quick exit ? No. I need getaway device driver. ``

'' I thought you wanted us to fight. '' Ron said, disappointedly. Harry 's eye narrowed, he opened his mouth but Ginny cut in.

'' We 're here for whatever Harry needs us for Ron. '' She snapped. `` You should know that. ``

'' I ... right. ``

'' rightfield. '' Ginny nodded sharply. Draco half expected Ron to salute. Ginny turned back to Harry. `` What kind of dark tool are we talking about ? ``

'' versatile kinds of foul. '' Harry was looking between Ginny and Ron curiously. `` slews of beast. ``

'' Manticores ? '' Hermione added.

'' Yes ... '' Harry looked at a leaning jotted at the prat of the map. `` Six of them. ``

Draco glanced at the list and let out a startled curse. They could not let this ship orbit land. Even if they had to lose half the army to do it. The hellhounds had to be juveniles at least, no one could squeeze six to the full grown one into a ship. Unless it had been magically expanded. Which it almost certainly had. They could not let that send reach land.

'' We need to get on that ship. '' He heard himself saying, his voice a little 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 go under it. ``



This is the last chapter of setup, I promise. From now to the end of the book is pure adrenalin-fueled plot.


I do n't own Harry ceramicist. I do however own some cheese. Which is just as good.



'' Sink it ? '' Hermione 's voice was a shrill, disbelieving whine.

Ginny felt like slamming her hand up to her forehead. Of course Harry would want to sink the ship, it was the simplest, easiest, solution if you did n't care about the consequences.

'' But ... but ... `` Dame Ellen Terry baker raised his hand slowly as if he were in class.

'' Yes unexpected-addition-1. '' Harry nodded pleasantly.

'' Are n't there people on the ship ? ``

'' Yes, but they 'll be necromancer, they can just apparate to prop. They wo n't be killed. ``

'' How about the animate being ? '' Ron asked, scratching his head. `` Wo n't they just swim to shore ? ``

'' Damnit ! '' Harry clicked his digit. `` Foiled again ! If only soul had stuffed them in big metal cages for transport. Then they 'd dip straight to the bottom. ``

'' How are you planning to sink it anyway ? '' Fred asked, eagerness clearly seeable in his eyes.

'' Well, I plan to blow a big hole in it underneath the water line. Then I 'm going to put another big hole in it underneath the water line. And if that does n't work I 'm going to put a third- ''

'' This is a ace gravy holder I assume Harry. '' Dragon interrupted. `` Putting a pickle in it may not be as easy as you think. It 'll receive all sorts of charms and aegis. ``

'' I can get around them. ``

'' Without the people on the ship realizing ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Really ? ``

'' Yes. '' Harry folded his implements of war. `` I have thought about this Dragon. I have planned this. ``

The bean became understood again. Ginny could feel the cogs moving in people 's heads. They were all thinking how far they were willing to go. The vulture ... well they were probably in. The others ? They had signed up to contend death eaters not commit acts of terrorist act. How did she stand on this ? On balance ... with Harry. Those creatures could not be allowed to get to shore.

'' We ca n't do this. '' Padma was shaking her head. `` We ca n't bury it. ``

'' You running away ? '' Harry was looking at her in horror. `` You want to just let them exhaust that form of- ''

'' No of course 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 hoi polloi 's eyes. `` If we do this they 'll be this behemoth wreck with three-base hit headed skeletal frame and they could swim to the surface or get into the disconnect stream or underwater diver could see them. Not to mention that someone 's going to detect a giant exploding ship off the coast. Even if we tell the ministry afterwards they ca n't handle this sort of cleanup, not on this musical scale. No one can. It 'll be big than Roswell. Keeping magic arcanum from muggles, the statute of privacy, is the one thing both slope of this war consort on. If we break it then they 're going to pop breaking it and then we 're going to be really screwed. ``

Harry leant back, rocking back on the formal of his feet. He bit his lip. mentation. The marauders held their breath.

'' Ok. '' Harry spun the map to face Padma. `` Give me another option. ``

'' We board the ship. disable the work party. Kill the brute. '' Padma said definitively. `` If I 'm reading this right the ship only a dozen people on it. No death eater. almost of them are just there to go along the animals in check. Should n't be too hard to sandbag them. ``

'' And the animate being ? '' Harry asked quizzically. `` Some of them are n't prosperous to vote down. ``

'' The kill curse. '' gasp rose from the army. `` It 'll pour down everything on this listing. ``

'' Is n't it an New York minute life sentence ? '' Cho choked out.

'' Only when used against humans. '' Padma replied calmly at the same time as Harry said,

'' Only if someone finds out. But would n't any underage magic be detected."

"Not in international waters."

'' And the ship ? '' Harry asked. `` If we just leave it drifting wo n't that be against the statute of secrecy ? ``

'' We leave the crew on it. They can get it so a safe wizard seaport. ``

'' Hmm ... '' Harry folded his blazonry and looked at Padma appraisingly. `` That ... could ... study. It would be more difficult, more speculative ... more fun ... but it could work. ``

Ginny felt a smiling. This was the almost like the old Harry back again. Sure they were planning an act of monolithic piracy rather than a trick but it was Harry back again.

'' We can burst up. '' Harry continued. `` beam a couple of the great unwashed down to the water system to wait. The eternal sleep of us go in. If we can take on the gang out and kill the animals we do. If not ? We default back to my program and the citizenry in the water swash it to smithereens. We worry about the fallout later. ``

Ginny took a deep breath and halfway through realized that most 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 sergeant or something.

'' Who can swim ? '' It was literally the first thing that popped into her principal. `` Who can float really well ? ``

Parvati 's helping hand shot up instantly smiling, the two baker minor volunteered boring maybe still a minuscule hesitant, finally Split shrugged and lacklusterly raised his arm.

'' Four multitude. '' Ginny looked down at the map, at the minuscule sketch of the ship. `` We can put ... two each in the water near the front and back. ``

'' stem and bum. '' Draco murmured. She glared at him.

'' Near the front and back. '' Ginny continued. `` Everybody else land on the front line. ``

'' On the back. '' Harry disagreed. `` Here, in the steering bit with the roulette wheel. ``

'' Bridge. ``

'' Shut up. We land on the steery bit and require everybody out quickly. '' Harry pointed at Draco. `` You stay there and maintain the ship on course. You can do that ? You know the mighty names for the steery bike and the clit and stuff. Yes. Good. You stay there, the rest of us go down to the cabins and stun everybody, kill the fauna. Leave. We keep the Calluna vulgaris handy so that if something goes wrong we miko the swimmers and fly out of there. ``

'' Sounds like a plan. '' Ginny nodded.

'' right. '' Harry reached over and drew a big cross on the map over a lighthouse, right down on the South coast of Cornwall."I will satisfy you here."

"sports meeting us ?"Ron scratched his head.

"The ship ‘ s not reaching us for another month."Harry shrugged."You don ‘ t expect me to hang around here the whole time. Dumbledore ‘ s out for the day but I think he ‘ ll card if I start appearing on his little map."

"I thought-"

"You thought I was back."Harry finished for him."Well I ‘ m not. There ‘ s still death eater ‘ s out there. Still work to be done. Train up, be quick, and I ‘ ll meet you there. sustain the map, I ‘ ve got written matter. But don ‘ t let anyone see it. Goes without saying. And take care up how to fight back all these things."Harry turned towards the doorway. He disillusioned himself with a flick of the carpus, and a moment later he was gone.

"fountainhead,"Malfoy said dryly."I guess we have work to do."
*


"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron drew his articulatio genus up to his bureau. He and Hermione were in the depository library, the actual subroutine library, not the attic. They were on research responsibility and had about eight billion books out in front of them on every kind of magical creature, trawling through them for the utile ones. There weren't many. The Hogwarts depository library for some reason didn't have books on how to slaughter cage in animals. Ron thought it was useless, they had already decided to use the killing curse word, but apparently Harry wanted to be prepared so ...

"Hmm ?"Hermione hadn't looked up from the huge al-Qur'an in figurehead of her.

"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron repeated."Harry."

"Shush !"Hermione put a finger's breadth to her sass."We ‘ re not supposed to talk about him where masses could hear !"

"No one ‘ s listening."Ron rolled his eyes."We're sitting on the floor in the restricted section of the library, at midnight, under a temporary invisibleness cloak."

"It ‘ s not an inaudibility cloak."Hermione hissed.

"Hermione no one is here."

"Just keep reading."Hermione looked back down at her book."I ‘ m not doing all this myself."

"I'd have thought you ‘ d leap at the chance."Ron smirked."With all the training it must be ages since you studied anything."

"Yes ..."Hermione bit her lip."And the owls are later this yr ..."

"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 life history to think about. What about after the war ends ? What then ?"

"Look at it this way. If Voldemort destroys the ministry he'll probably destroy the Wizarding Examination office too."

"That doesn ‘ t help."Hermione stared at him angrily. Ron felt his hackles rising, another conflict brewing. But they couldn't fight, not here.

"You ‘ re here because if you weren ‘ t here you ‘ d flavour shamed 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 able to condense because you ‘ d be thinking about here and him and Voldemort will stamp out everyone. Even unfit you ‘ d get bad grades because you ‘ d be feeling guilty."Ron ran out of breath.

Hermione's sassing hung open, mid vociferation. She opened and shut it a few times before coming out with,

"Shush. hoi polloi will hear you."

I won. Ron smiled as he flicked a random book open.
*


"I am disquieted Severus."

Snape stayed silent. He could not think of a prophylactic response.

"I should be winning this war."

Still no good response.

"And yet things are not progressing as well as they should be."The dark Creator was staring out into the shadow through a faded windowpane. They were in another nondescript and abandoned building. Snape felt his skin crawl, he had been summoned alone. That was worrying.

"The ministry grows weaker every day."Snape volunteered.

"It grows more cowardly each day."Voldemort tapped his fingers on the glass."Fear can be my artillery, but it can also put to work against me. They retreat, they place Sir Thomas More precaution, they make it more unmanageable for me to gain what I seek. Do the order still go on a guard on the department of secret Severus ?"

"Yes my lord."For all I know they could have stopped, not probable though.

"At this point the easiest way to gain entree to it may simply be to beat out the ministry entirely."He was still staring out the window. If Snape didn't know better he would think the darkness lord was worried.

"If you wish to crush the ministry perhaps we could use the lordly curse-"

"No !"The dark Jehovah snapped."No Severus, no more sly maneuvering in the dark. No Thomas More corruption. I tire of it. I tire of it ‘ s inadequacy. I should not ingest to lick from the shadows. Do you not mean 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 tooth. He had to guess fast to keep up with these lightning fast change of pace.

"The Potter boy has always been a problem."Snape said diffidently."But he is just one person."

"He has caused me a great peck of hassle for one someone. I would once again order his death but ... I fear it would do no good."

"He wants to vote down you."Snape said, letting his mouth motion as his head worked."We could set some variety of trap."

"With your Jehovah as decoy ?"The night Divine's spokesperson was not raging, 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 noble expected to hear.

"Is there any progress with the toxin Severus ? The one that has been killing so many of our admirer ?"

"Not a great deal my lord."Severus bowed his head teacher. He had no fuss feigning shame at not being able-bodied to discover the secrets of the mysterious toxin."It is very foreign. I can not sort out a unity constituent 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 class unacceptable. No known creature carried a toxin like this."All I can cogitate of is that perhaps individual has been breaking the decree against data-based breeding."

"You do not guess it was thrower ?"

"It may take in been."better to keep the dark Jehovah shot."If he did not then we have two vigilantes against us."

"Against us ..."The dark lord seemed to roll the tidings on his back talk."Against us ... people who are against me die. I have let this continue for too long. We have been forced back too lots. It will cease now. I have decided. We will beat out the ministry. We will blot out them utterly. No subversion, no shadows, I will kill them."

"Yes my lord."Snape tried to figure out out how many dying feeder were left. Surprisingly few. Harry had seriously cut into their numbers. Did they even have adequate the great unwashed for an assault on the ministry ? Probably ... they probably had enough. If the order of magnitude helped though ... if Dumbledore helped ...

"We will expect for the loading to arrive."The dark nobleman said, almost to himself."Then we will have the forces necessary."

The load. The phantom shipment. None of the death eater knew when it would be arriving. It was apparently too important.

"Yes my lord."Snape bowed deeply."We will ask everyone for this to bring home the bacon. If I might ask where Barty Crouch is perhaps-"

"No !"The iniquity lord looked at Snape over his berm. The icy stare could have nailed oxen to the rampart."Crouch is doing what he has been told to. He will succeed, in metre. He is one of the few I can entrust. 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 broom handle angled down. She was following the broom ahead of her but the pharos was already visible far below, sending out it ‘ s pulsing beacon across the night-time sea. The wind was hideously cold on her face and the sour loads of rainfall kept spraying in through her hood. There couldn't have been a worse day to invade a ship wide-cut of monsters.

The ground came up and she managed to land without falling. All around her she heard the residue of the United States Army touch down. Well ... virtually of the repose of the ground forces ... Of the new military recruit only Split was there, lounging over his broomstick in his usual state of balmy boredom. The others had been left behind, Ginny had decided they weren't ready, weren ‘ t trained yet. Not that Split was properly set up 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 marauders."Army of the Righteous get on with this."Harry kept glancing at the crashing undulation nervously. He drew a large feeding bottle out of his coating and took a late draught from it before shoving it back. `` Pep up potion, did n't sleep well stopping point night. '' Harry explained. Hermione tried to ignore the counterpart facts, one : that the bottle had been almost empty and two : that as Harry shoved it back in his pocket there had been the unmistakable Chinaman of further bottles.

"Take these."George broke the silence and stepped forward with a piffling M shaped pin and a low pair of blue tinted glasses.

"What the hell are these ?"Harry squinted through the lens system."Everything looks weird."

"The pins are tags."Saint George explained."The glasses can see the tag end even under invisibility cloaks. This way we can hold on course of each other."

"Ah ... nice."Harry pinned the tag on his dark coat and dropped the methamphetamine in a pocket."I ‘ ll put them on when we get there."

"They ‘ re your prescription."

"I know."Harry nodded."Thanks. Who ‘ s Calluna vulgaris am I sharing ?"

"Over here."Draco waved him over and Harry hesitantly flipped a leg over his broom.

"fountainhead, we all know what we have to do."Harry addressed the predator."Army of the Righteous get this done before we get too wet."

Draco's ling shot into the air and Hermione reluctantly followed. Out over the water the wind was even spoiled if that was possible, she kept being buffeted one way then the other. The sea underneath a groaning grey tabloid, a dull rumination of the sky. They were getting further and further from res publica. The occasional light of the lighthouse got more and more swoon. She couldn't see the flyers around her ! She panicked for a minute until she realized how stupid she was being and slipped her blue lenses over her oculus. The small glowing twinkle of the ticket sprung into view, each one illuminating a piffling glow spicy ghost of a soul. Like an outline in the shadow. Flying close, she was near the front end. How did Harry expect to ascertain the ship in this ?

"slant LEFT !"Was that Harry ? The glowing shadows of Harry and Malfoy started to turn left. She turned to pit them. What was he following ? hunch ? magic ? Something he hadn't told them about.

"I DON ‘ T SEE ANYTHING !"She heard Dragon's vocalization on the wind.

"IT ‘ S THERE."Harry was hunched over on the broom, peering out over Draco's shoulder joint."WE'RE CLOSE ! drop cloth down !"

Hermione descended with the rest of them and shrieked with veneration as the spray from the sea hit her branch. Surely they didn't need to be this low ? Suddenly, as if they had crossed an inconspicuous stock, the ship blinked into existence. A low slung behemoth, waves making it axial rotation and auction pitch sickeningly. It looked ancient, all the wood was black with age and weather condition. A Brobdingnagian rectangular blocking, slowly crawling across the water.

She felt someone pass her and saw frame flying off towards the prow and behind, keeping close to the body of water. Even with the lighting on the ship they were still only glowing outlines. The cloaks ! She pulled hers around herself and flicked the cowl up over her font. She should have done that earlier. The rest of them followed until they were right up against the position of the Isaac Hull. Harry leant off his ling to list against the pitching wood. Removing the protective charms, Hermione forced herself to cool off down as they hovered there just above the dark water. Suddenly there was a little pop and a belittled creak ... the Mrs. Humphrey Ward were down. Hermione picked out the raised rear section, the ‘ steery bit ’. Where the rest of them were going. The brooms slowed to a crawling as they raised up the English. Absolute secrecy as they floated up onto the pack of cards on the raised end part. No one was on deck of cards, there weren't even any lights.

Harry raised his arm and pointed to a little hatch. He moved over to it, whispered a silencing spell, then pulled it undecided and climbed inside. Draco went adjacent, moving just as silently. They had worked this out too, The Weasley twins would go hold up to take in their way out. Hermione realized it was her crook snuck over to the hatch 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 marauder were clustered around the door. Harry was crouched down looking at the lock, a flavour of concentration on his side. Hermione looked past him, down into the huge clench of the ship. most of it was shrouded in wickedness but she could just see the rows upon rows of cages down the side of the ship. The bars were rusted and antediluvian, reinforced with magic. But they looked like they were original to the ship ... like they were built in. Which was ridiculous of course of action, unless ...

Unless this used to be a slave ship.

Hermione shuddered despite herself. None of the others had realized, none of them would. Except for Harry they had all been wizard raised and he hadn't been in schooling long enough. There was no point telling them, no understanding to piddle this any creepyer than it already was.

The shadower that was Harry stood suddenly and put his handwriting on the door grip. What was he doing ? This wasn ‘ t part of the programme ! They were going to use gas under the door. What was going on ? Hermione raised her baton, they had to stupefy everyone inside in a moment. Harry threw the door open unhurriedly. The incisive tang of descent filled the air. No one shape any patch. No one spoke. Harry slowly stepped into the bridge.

"Of course."He said dryly, the low gear discussion spoken since they'd landed, spoken dispassionately while looking out over a room wide of ravaged army corps."Of course they're loose. We ‘ re on a skittish ship at night fully of man-eating deadly fauna. Of course the fauna are unloose. 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.

"nose candy it."Ginny growled under her breathing place."Forget everything. slide down it now."

"We can ‘ t."Harry said angrily as he stepped over a trunk 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 bike tiredly."One ; the totally point was that the brute would slide down in their cages, now they could swim to shore. Two ; there are still three crew members alive, barricaded down in the storage area where they ca n't apparate out."

"How do you know ?"Draco snapped suddenly.

"I know !"Harry snapped back."We need a new plan. The creatures are mostly still in their cage, seems like it ‘ s just the manticores that got loose."

"How do you-"

"I just know !"Harry rubbed his os frontale tiredly, his centre were closed."There are compartment doors down below. If we can immobilize the wolf inside the hold, separate it off and guard it up in effect it ‘ ll be the same as a cage. Water gets in, fauna do n't get out. Just one problem ..."

"What ?"Ginny was eyeing the room access carefully, looking for anything trying to sneak up on them.

"The crowd 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 citizenry with me down in the grip, It ‘ s too cramped for more. We go get the survivors, get out. The rest of you split up and watch out the bow and aft threshold. You lock them skillful the moment we give the signal."

"Four ‘ s not enough."Dragon said immediately.

"I don ‘ t have metre to argue !"Harry yelled."You said you ‘ re an army this is what it ‘ s about ! We need to do this. We need to do this. The four adept. Your four best. Now."

No one spoke, Hermione felt like kicking herself. Of course it wasn't like old times. Of course this wasn't the old Harry, it was definitely the new Harry. It always had been. Ginny cleared her throat,

"Draco, me, Hermione and Padma."Ginny took a deep breathing time."Ron, Fred, George II, you fly over and man the other door. Everyone else view this one. The point is-"

"Me yelling to close the bloody doors."Harry interrupted."No point being stealthy at that point."

Harry moved slowly out of the bridgework. Hermione steeled herself them followed. They stepped down the step slowly, the immense custody opened up in front of them. Surely it had been expanded.

"This way."Harry whispered, pointing along a raised walkway."Draco, follow our back."Harry stalked forward, his baton out ahead of him. Hermione followed him. They passed a dark cage, inside it a gigantic mordant lump shifted near the cover. Hermione tried to cut it, the ones in the coop were the safe ones, it was the ones outside they had to watch out for. The Cage ended and was replaced by another, six red heart looked out from behind the ginmill. The three dog heads were pressed right up to the edge, watching them. Come to think of it the cage in fauna probably hadn't been fed in a while. Suddenly the pitch and rolling of the ship seemed worse. If she fell into one of the coop ...

She spread her animal foot further apart, trying to get more stable. This was awful, this was hell, and they were going in to save some stupid moon-curser. Bad people ! Hermione didn't flavor good for thinking like that. Not good at all. Harry suddenly raised a bridge player 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 foresightful present moment ... and flicked it forward, muttering under his breath. The twinkling of green light was expected but still horrifying, flying into the shadow. For a bit it illuminated a rough Leo the Lion mane and two shining middle glowing jet in the light. Then it snapped out and there was a dull thud like a organic structure 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 peter. Just a shaft. Come on, LET 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 rampart. As they crept down Harry held up a helping hand to barricade again and dropped down to his knees.

"The other five are sleeping in there."Harry pointed down the stairs."Round the nook, right in front of the storehouse room where the crew are barricaded."

Hermione didn't pain in the neck to ask how he knew.

"Now the hall opens up just round the corner."Harry sketched the curvature of it with his hand."We can hit them all before they even wake up. genus Draco, you kill the one up by the far left,"Harry pointed straight into the wall. `` Ginny, near the left wing bulwark. Hermione get the one rightfulness next to it, closer to us. Padma you get the one right field in the middle, I 'll get the one closest to the stairs. Got it ? Everyone ready ? ``

Hermione was gripping her wand hard, her thenar wet with swither. She did n't palpate set but she nodded anyway. They shifted closer towards the corner. Harry held his hand up, three digit. Two finger's breadth. One ...

Harry swung out around the edge, his verge coming up, at the same time his knees bent down. giving the rest of them a punter shot. Hermione jumped out as fast as she could, the room was rake fateful ! How was she supposed to-

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' A blast of William Green light flew from Harry 's verge, striking a dark bod on the ground and throwing the rest of the room into sharp shadows. Four sets of shining eyes 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 heart. Freezing late into her breast, like terror. Then it was gone a moment later as the electrocution green light flew away, striking the manticore as it rose from the reason, throwing it back into the ground. At the Lapplander time she felt three more blasts of wind and flashes of black magic fly out from beside her. A shattering crash of wooden sliver sounded and there was an furious inhuman roar. A chassis unfurled like a springtime and flew across the way towards them. Hermione felt her arm shooting up, too slowly ! Too slow !

'' Excalabus ! ``

A shining white ignitor flashed across the Grant Wood and there was a shrieking like a saw across methamphetamine hydrochloride. She felt a spray of coloured blood cover her and a arduous embodiment flew past her, impacting with a heavy thumping 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 origin into the floor. She turned back. Harry was standing over the other half, his sceptre surrounded by a radiate white nimbus, extending out like a flare. Like a sword. He flicked it off and the room became dark again.

'' Who missed ? '' Harry 's voice was low and hard.

'' I did Harry. '' Draco shook his school principal. `` It was too far away, too little light. I saw the eyes, I- ''

'' drill. '' Harry cut him off and turned away from them. `` Practice hard. '' As he walked away one of the hellhounds in a cage began barking and biting at the Browning automatic rifle. It could smell the bloodline. Hermione tried to ignore it, tried to call up that the stripe were reinforced. But it was hard. The dog on the other position woke up at the noise and rammed the bars with its shoulder. There was a screech of metal and the dog fell back.

Harry ignored the gigantic hellhound and walked calmly through the morose way to reach the lowly room access at the end. He thumped it with his fist.

'' Hey ! '' Harry yelled. `` Humans in there get out. We 've come to deliver you, except we do n't want to see any sceptre and you 'd better have your custody up ! '' There was a scraping sound as if immense crate were being moved. The dogs kept scraping against the saloon, biting at the Mrs. Henry Wood. Hermione tried to stay fresh calm ... tried to ...

Oh no. No no no no no !

'' Harry ! ``

'' What ? '' Harry pushed the threshold open, revealing three disheveled and twit men. `` What is it ? ``

'' Harry we need to go now ! ``

'' Ok, ok. We got what we came for. ``

'' NO ! Harry the cage are built into the ship ! ``

'' So ? ``

'' You released the protective charm on the ship ! ``

Harry 's fount fell like a popped balloon. His eyes shot wide.

'' So those parallel bars are just ... ''

'' Heavily corroded iron. ``

'' God hates us. '' Harry whispered. `` God hates us ... RUN ! ``

At the moment Harry yelled the left hellhound took a running pounce and shattered through the bars straight a him.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry 's sceptre had flicked up the instant it moved and the cat valium visible radiation struck the massive muscled shape in the air. But it kept moving and fell like a stone onto Harry, like a mountain of black hair and sweating chassis. At the last present moment he threw himself to the position and slid out from under it as it fell to the floor in a chipping explosion of wooden shrapnel.

'' Well do n't digest there run ! '' Harry yelled, pushing himself to his feet and waving them towards the door. 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 spell smashed one of the bars into rusty shards. `` Screw that ! Just run ! ``

Hermione spun and dashed up the stairs. Behind her she could hear more running feet and the outrageous gnashing of giant jaws. Someone pushed her to the English and she saw one of the scrawny crew members making a intermission up the step. She picked herself up and threw herself forward as fast as possible. She glanced behind her, all the piranha were cannoning along behind her. Harry was bringing up the rear, sending pulses of cat valium nightmares behind him.

They reached the musical passage. She could see the doorway ! The rampart exploded in splinters and four muscled branch reached out to grab her.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' The trance 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 easier, it made her numb. She felt someone squeeze her forward and realized she had been standing still. She dashed towards the doorway, trying to keep away from the buckling bars of the coop all around her. They could smell the blood.

'' Hermione what the snake pit is going on ! '' Anapurna yelled from the side of the threshold as she hurtled through.

'' Just close it ! '' Her throat felt raw. `` closely it ! ``

Hermione scrambled away down the corridor before turning and looking back. The raged crew member were already huddling on this side of meat of the doorway just as Ginny and Padma hurtled through with Draco right of their dog. Behind them the time lag was a satanic nightmare of churning flesh, every dark phantasma seemed to have a creep beast. Harry was still in the corridor, retreating slowly as he threw spell after spell at the roaring mass.

'' Harry just leave it ! '' Dragon yelled. `` Get back here ! ``

Harry spun and dashed for the door, the dark following like a wave. Suddenly the batting cage in front of him exploded outwards, moody hair and scarred anatomy coming between the marauders and Harry. Wooden sides of the cage buckled and broke, the ceiling came with it, filling the air with splinters and the passageway with weighed down wooden spars. It was blocked.

'' shut down it ! '' Harry 's voice shook the ship, amplified by legerdemain. `` I 'll get out the other way. ``

Hermione froze. No, they could n't. She saw Ginny glance down the corridor, then up at Draco. They both nodded.

'' close up it. '' Ginny ordered, her spokesperson raw.

'' But ... ''

'' CLOSE IT ! '' Ginny suited her words and flicked her wand at the sound hachure, slamming it shut. `` Hermione hospital ward it ! ``

Hermione shook as she raised her wand. It took her three tries to properly seal the doorway up.

'' Right, now get on the brooms. '' Ginny grabbed hers off her backbone. `` We get to the former side of the ship and go in after Harry. ``

Of row ! Hermione threw herself onto her heather. They could still go in and help him !

'' You three with them ! '' Draco bellowed at the crowd extremity, pointing at the Baker Gemini the Twins and Neville. `` And abide quiet. ``

Hermione lifted off the base and aimed up the crosshatch to the outside. The rain and hint hit her but she ignored them, they had to go help Harry ! Suddenly the air was filled with a buffeting wall of sound. The night air was lit up with two twin eruptions of ardor. Reflecting off the mountainous waves and painting them red like a sea of lava. Under her the ship lurched to the face, there was the strait of gushing water.

'' Why did you blow it ! '' Someone yelled behind her. Hermione turned to see Ginny be given off her heather and grabbing split by the movement of his robe.

'' I got the sign. '' The surprised boy shook his head. `` 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 body of water and grabbed the beam above him, swinging up onto it with all his strength. Something below him roared but he ignored it and dashed along the cut and shaking length of wood.

This was hell. This was his own personal Inferno. The water was coming in everywhere, gushing up through a thousand holes in the hold. And the creatures ... Harry had had to order the grasp sealed. If he hadn't they would have broken free. They were everywhere down here, he was sure that if they weren't trying to kill each former as difficult as they were trying to eat him he would already be short. In the body of water beneath him the sour head of a hellhound surfaced and gulped a barking breath before a crab like beast leapt from the phantasma and slashed out it's eye. They both disappeared back under the black water supply, stained with blood, in a foaming maelstrom.

He had to get out of here. Harry's optic frantically searched for some way ... any way ... out. The pee was everywhere ! The holy terror rose in Harry's pharynx. He couldn't think ! Couldn't breath ! NO ! NO ! Stay focused !

Harry leapt onto the top of another shift John Milton Cage Jr., ignoring the floating clay in the water nearby. There had to be some way ! His eyes searched frantically but all there was was crashing water and writhing flesh. Harry was struck in the back by a gush of water, knocking him down to the metal BAR below. He spun around and the falls struck him in the brass, threat blindsided him again but he threw it down again. The gushing water was coming from a ... tube ? A hole ? A ... feeding hole ! Harry threw himself to the wall and clambered up a heave beam, the ceiling right above him, he flicked his baton out,

"Hammus missus !"The spinning conjured chain lashed out and stabbed into the pipage. Harry grabbed to and implore that Hollywood got some thing right. He let go of the wall. He swung out into the nebulizer of gushing piss and screamed as it splattered over his head. He was thrown out the other slope but he came back just as fast."This is ludicrous ! Arefacio !"The waterfall dried up and he was able to climb a few feet 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 beast. He did n't stop over shooting until it disappeared into the piss below. Harry stuck the gun in his girdle and cast the Arfacio again. He was able to pull himself up another few understructure before the water came again.

By the painfully dull stopping and starting he was able ( just ) to reach the pipework. He cast one more than drought charm and reached as high gear as he could in the iniquity, his fingers reached the edge. Harry dropped off the concatenation and pulled himself up with all his strength. The pee struck his point just as he pulled himself up and beached himself on the pitching deck like a seal.

The ship was already mostly submersed, there was just the minuscule, highest, percentage left. Sinking fast. Where were the marauders ? There ! Up gamey !

"HEY !"Harry magically amplified his voice and shouted out over the water."I ‘ M Here !"

The broom dropped like Stone, shooting right at him. Draco braked to a stop rightfield in front of his face.

"You idiot !"He yelled, reaching out and pulling Harry onto his ling."You complete changeling !"

"Shut up and fly !"
*


The light of dawn was just creeping over the horizon when they finally touched down back on land, a fierce stony beach. Harry staggered onto hearty background and tried to get his balance back. He turned to the three disheveled crewmen.

"You three are going to leave now."He growled, raising his scepter."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 lord Voldemort, he ‘ s not going to be happy with you so if I were you I ‘ d go far far away. mighty 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 gag cry."Everything that could possibly take in gone wrong did go wrong !"

"And despite all that we stopped the shipment and made it out alive."Harry sat down on the severely solid ground and pushed the tomentum out of his middle. God he was tired."We have to take over that the odds will be stacked against us. We have to always bear that in brain, tonight was a effective exercise. We have to be prepared for the worst case scenario, we met that tonight. And we did well tonight. We did, we really did. I ‘ m proud of all of you."

The marauders all bowed their header, they looked as tired as he felt. They were too tired to be proud 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 wand and would fit half a house interior."Get inside and get some sleep. We need to be ready in five hours."

"Five hour ?"Ginny asked pointedly."What happens in five hours ?"

"phase angle two of the plan. In six hours will be when the ship was meant to come into port."Harry grinned evilly."There will be a mathematical group of death eaters, five of them, waiting to welcome them in a hidden interface internet site. Hidden ... rocky ... enclosed ... good blank space for an ambush."

"We ‘ re ambushing them ?"Draco asked disbelievingly."Today ?"

"Yes."Harry pushed himself from the floor."Today. I mean Voldemort to feel the double jinx of the deprivation of his puppet and his death eaters all in one fell swoop. I mean to put to put the heat on him, really ferment up the threat stratum you know ... The creatures were the main thing, couldn ‘ t let them reach country. The death eaters are just the ice on the cake."

"Harry ... are you certainly ?"Hermione stepped forward."We ‘ re all stock already ... we don ‘ t want any mistakes. Maybe we should let this one go."

"No."Harry shook his head."We can ‘ t. We can ‘ t let this one go, or any of them for that topic. Now get on into the tent, you ‘ re wasting valuable resting prison term. I ‘ ll take the number one sentinel. Go on, there are beds for everyone. Huge unity, this a really just tent."

Harry settled back down on his rock candy as the predator trouped inside the tent. Harry sighed, if they didn't like stage two they definitely wouldn't like phase angle three.



Review or a colossus prehistoric dragonfly will choose you to be the master of ceremonies for it 's epenthetic larva.


The next chapter 's a big one so brace yourselves.


Please perform these basic safety tab before reading this chapter
1 ) Make sure your chair is secure and steady so that if you faint you will not precipitate to the floor and risk head trauma.
2 ) Make sure you are not in earshot of any children so when you let loose with a string of expletives it does not reach their tiny ears.
3 ) Check your blood press. If it is significantly above norm you may want to record this chapter in quick dashing distance of a defibrillator.
4 ) whorl away all low object you could throw at your computer screen.
5 ) Pray.

This, boys and female child, is the big one ...



Snape felt his soft touch burn in the middle of a potions lesson. That was worrying, Voldemort had always been thrifty of maintaining his cover. The soft touch burnt harder and Snape had to grit his dentition as the pain shot up his arm. This was very worrying.

"Are you alright Sir ?"A Slytherin first year. No one but a Slytherin would have dared ask him. Snape lurched to his feet.

"clique up your things. The object lesson is over."He could not leave them unsupervised with potions constituent. Snape hurried out the room access, sending a rushed patronus to McGonagall saying that he had been called away suddenly. She would eff what that meant. He felt compelled to at least keep the order informed, but he could not bestow himself to contact Dumbledore directly. He sent a second patronus to Natalie and a third to Michelson for good measure.

He reached the main gate and stepped beyond the Hogwarts Barbara Ward hesitantly. The tugging on his arm intensified and he let himself be pulled into the void by it, drawing him along until his base touched reason. He glanced around, another dark place. A storage warehouse by the looking at of it, dust covered the wooden boxes stacked to the high ceiling. The relaxation of the demise eater were already there, standing in a rough traffic circle. Only Bellatrix had kept her masque off, she usually did. Vanity no doubtfulness. Vanity and a need to be seen. Snape stepped into his spot in the dress circle and waited. He did not dissemble himself, he did not bed why. Perhaps a whim.

But were they all there ? Snape glanced back around the circle, only eight design stood watch in there midnight robe. At the last group meeting there had been fifteen. Snape had grown to the point where he could recognize each of the death eater by shape alone beneath their masks. Who was missing ? Dolohov, Corvidae, Avery Sr, Mulciber, the Carrows and Forneus. All death eaters that Voldemort could be said to trust, if he could be said to confide anyone. That all of they would be missing at the same fourth dimension ... it was very worrying.

'' Do not occupy yourselves. '' The voice of Voldemort came from the air between two passel of crateful. A moment later he himself strode out, his red middle flashing first to one of them, then to another. `` Your chum will fall in us soon. And with them they will bring glad intelligence. postponement my friend, postponement with longanimity. ``

Snape shifted his stance. The freight was here, that could be the entirely tidings that would put Voldemort in such a glad mood. Snape made make to con any detail that he could reap when the seven death eaters appeared. Any tiny fact that might help oneself to at least somewhat reduce the damage.

Reduce the damage ... that was a jest. Reduce it from a catastrophe to a disaster.

He was broken out of his thoughts be a tatty crack. He turned to see Forneus misstep forward from his phantasm point. His melanise gown were streaked with mud and sand and were torn raged. He collapsed near the edge of the circle, his arms out entreatingly towards the dark lord.

'' Master ! '' He gulped, his vocalism full of fear. `` We were attacked. Spells out of nowhere, C of them. We could not hold them back. ``

'' What ? '' Voldemort whirled on the prostrate wizard.

'' They were waiting for us. Waiting at the dock. '' Forneus ducked his mind to the floor. `` I was the only one to esc- ''

'' Look me in the eye ! '' Voldemort hissed, Forneus was dragged to his substructure by an invisible effect. `` wait your Lord in the eye when you admit your unsuccessful person. ``

'' There was nothing we could do my Almighty. '' Forneus cringed. `` They must get known about- ''

'' Crucio ! ``

Snape watched as the white haired death eater writhed on the flooring. How had this happened ? Not the order, he would have got been able-bodied to state if this sort of prominent scale operation was in the offing. The ministry ... that was just mirthful. So that left ... Harry ceramist. This was done by Harry thrower. Snape kept his human face impassive as his tummy did cartwheel. Harry was awake, fighting and apparently able of fighting seven death feeder all in one morning. But Forneus had said there were many of them ... well that explained the absences in his break of the day class.

The dark Godhead whipped his wand back, Forneus stopped shaking and instead started whimpering.

'' Up Foerneus. Up ! '' Voldemort dragged the cringing end eater to his feet again. `` I expect more from one of my oldest handmaiden. ``

'' Please ... please ... ''

'' What of my ship Forneus ? '' Voldemort stepped forwards. `` Where are my creatures ? ``

'' I ... I do not know my Divine. '' Forneus squeezed his eyes shut. `` It was not in the harbor. It was not in the bay beyond. I think perhaps ... If they knew where we would be then they probably also do it about the ship. I suspect ... I think ... the ship may be no more my nobleman. ``

'' No more ? '' Voldeomort repeated coldly. `` No more Forneus ? My lading ... my wight ... is no more ? ``

'' I do not know my Godhead. '' Forneus ducked his head. `` They were not at the haven. ``

'' You mean it is at the bottom of the sea. '' Voldemort 's voice was at it 's most icy and smooth. `` You mean to say me that my brute, that I bought with thoroughly atomic number 79 and sedate promise of advance gold are dead."

'' I do not know my lord. ``

'' You do not recognize. '' Voldemort snarled. `` You do not know ! Crucio ! ``

Snape tried to stay on calm. What plans would this change ? How did this affect things ...

'' Please superior ... '' Forneus was trying to speak through gritted dentition. `` There was zero 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 secret. They was nothing I could identify- ''

'' Let me be the judge of that. '' Voldemort raised his wand again. `` Legilimens ! ``

Snape watched as the two wizards remained with lock away eye for here and now, then minutes. Snape was beginning to wonder what was happening when Voldemort looked away, his supercilium creasing.

'' Your memories have been altered. '' Voldemort said quietly. In anyone else Snape would have thought he was worried. `` Your retention have been altered. Inexpertly, but they clearly have been. ``

'' You ... Do you think the ship may still be there my Almighty ? '' Forneus asked hurriedly.

'' No. '' Voldemort tapped the side of his Kuki thoughtfully. `` Your remembering are your own until you remember apparating away from the fight. 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 escape. They probably thought to follow you here. Foolish. No turn could tail you here, I have warded this place against tracking spells. ``

Snape began to feel anxious. Harry was far from a fool, what was his program here ?

'' check still ! '' Voldemort snapped at Forneus. He flicked his wand at the last feeder. Nothing happened. Voldemort frowned. `` No tracking spells of any variety ... interesting. grow out you pockets ! ``

Forneus quivered as he reached into first one shadow sack of his gown, then another. As his hand reached his inside pocket he froze.

'' My lord ... there is something here. '' He slowly drew out a flat black box, the size of a pack of add-in. A small red spark blinked on its surface. Forneus held it out for the dark lord. Voldemort made no move to take it but instead examined it dispassionately from where he stood.

'' Interesting ... '' Was all the nighttime lord said.

Snape felt like chuckling. Voldemort clearly had not the faintest musical theme what that was. Neither did Snape but at least he could discern that it was muggle engineering. What could it be for ? The blinking light was like a vengeful eye but it did not look to be a weapon ...
*


Ginny dropped off her heather and hastily stowed it in a carry case before shoving it under a cloak with the others. She checked herself to produce sure no toe or whorl or fuzz had fallen outside her own cloak ... no. just. She motioned the others to follow her as they snuck up to a Sir Ernst Boris Chain gate. Beyond were two lined of decrepit muggle warehouses, some of them with the cap fallen in. Harry eased up to the gate, his optic darting down to a small device he held nestled in his hand.

'' This is it. '' Harry nodded. `` They 're here. In the third one down on the left. ``

'' 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 charm. She glanced down at the bright blind on the device Harry was holding and tried to link up it back to her muggle studies object lesson. The thing was pretty complex, more complex than a clock. There must sustain been hundred of gears inside. Ginny wondered how often it had to be wound. Harry looked into the disused industrial expanse, squinting at the distant warehouse, then nodded.

'' I 'm sure. Ca n't you feel the hospital ward around this place ? Give me a minute and I 'll damp us a way through. ``

Ginny tried to draw herself breathing space as Harry knelt down and drew his baton, drawing it through the air as if trying to becharm flies. She turned to the marauders and took a bass breath.

'' Alright, '' She began under her breathing spell. It was hard enough making spoken language, it was spoilt when you could only see citizenry as ghostly shadows. `` Today is the day. This is it. This is what we 've been training towards. We all knew it would come 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 plan, his programme to end it today. She had wanted to stop him, wanted to slap him down when he said that this was the best fortune they would get. The problem was he was right. She should tell them that Ginny realized,

'' Harry 's right field, this is as good a chance as we 'll ever get. Voldemort 's faint, Voldemort is running low on servants. We have the reward 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 widely eyed faces `` I know you 're scar ... 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 save grand of lives today. Today is the day. We 've been an army for a foresightful while now, we 've been soldiers. But today, today we 're heroes. If we pull this off, one lastly masterpiece of marauder havoc. We. Will. Be. hero. Get set up to fight, you know what to do. ``

As if on cue Harry chuckled triumphantly and pushed the gate open a fraction. He slid inside and motioned the others to come 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 blackened device onto the base. `` anserine of them to trust on muggle twist. Idiotic. ``

A rough chuckle went around the roach of thaumaturgist. Snape faked laughter even as he continued to stare at the box. The red light was still blinking. Voldemort licked his sassing and sucked it air in a serpentine hiss.

'' A black eye. '' He said, apparently having recoup his equanimity. `` A momentary setback. We are still the greatest wizards alert, possessing business leader the muggle loving fools in the order could not even comprehend. I shall exult. ``

'' Master ... ''

'' We wield the dark conjuring trick, the only reliable mogul ! cartel in your nobleman and we will prevail. ``

'' Master I have- ''

'' Forneus ? '' Voldemort turned on the cowering star. `` You dare interrupt your master ? You dare even after you have humiliated yourself so ? ``

'' No my lord, '' Forneus bowed his head. `` It 's just ... I have found a arcsecond device. '' He held it up for Voldemort to see. The shadow lord took it unworriedly.

'' Ha, how droll. '' Voldemort held the thing out for all the death eater to see and laugh. `` They have sent me a block of remains. Perhaps this is their idea of a jocularity. ``

Snape was not totally unaware of muggle technology and felt a potent urge to drop to the floor.
*


Harry watched as Voldemort raised the bomb above his head. He glanced to either English, there were marauders poised at each door and her knew there were more at every other ingress. 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 eyes, Snape would understand.

Harry drew the cap out of his robe. Hopefully this could be ended right now. With destiny 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 breathing space. `` Turns out it goes boom. ``

He clicked up the screening on the detonator, and pressed the switch.
*


'' Master no ! '' Rookwood suddenly yelled, whipping his wand out. Every eye flicked to him, even Voldemort 's. `` Protego ! ``

Even as the shining cuticle slid between the night lord and the bomb there was an earth-shattering crevice and Snape was hit by a bulwark of noise and light. He was lifted off his feet and befuddle painfully against a crate. His ears were full of only ringing and he fell in curious breakup, not even hearing the thump as his own physical structure crash onto the floor. Through the fog of stochasticity and tried to move his legs, irritating but unbroken, then his blazonry. He got to his invertebrate foot, blinking as everything swam before his eyes. He raised his wand to his font and tried to fix his vision. It was n't perfect tense but even the imperfect view before him shocked him to his core.

Flames licked every crate as the explosion had thrown combustion sherd across the entire warehouse. He could see the Death eater running about in a mad, silent, panic, their mouths open in screams of pain. Snape raised his wand to his ear and hesitantly muttered a healing spell. The shocking klaxon call of shriek almost made him regret doing so. Nott ran past him, his very robes ablaze on his rachis. Snape ignored him, if anyone noticed his uncaring attitude to a fella Death eater they would just attribute it to scandalise. Voldemort himself was nowhere to be seen. Snape stumbled forward, stepping over a prone body, his headspring still full of fuzz.

'' Stupefy ! '' The guessing came out of nowhere, striking the flaming pattern of Nott and throwing him to the flooring. Snape had his own wand 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 tour exploded out of the world, throwing boxes away and tearing the concrete underfoot in a burning conflagration. Voldemort appeared out of the heater in the kernel of it, his arms raised as the power of the spell coursed through him. The shattering primer expanded in every management, clearing a infinite in the dark warehouse. Voldemort finally let his arms downslope, his eye still blazing with power. He pointed at three cowering demise eaters with his clawed mitt. `` You ! Make a baracade there ! Bella, the same there ! They have surrounded us and warded this home against spectre, but we will cut them down ! They will rue the day they chose to fight me ! ``

Snape felt his muscles moving dully as he moved to serve levitate the crateful into a barrier. The stunners were already flying again. The near matter was to stay silent, wait for his chance.
*


'' Damnit ! '' Harry threw himself behind a flock of box seat as a killing expletive burned through the air where he had just been. He rolled and came up following to where Draco was peering out the recession of a mass of sacks. Harry spun out around the recession and took in the roadblock of crateful. He was inconspicuous but there was so often smoke-

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry spun a crate into the path of the spell then banished it against the roadblock. It exploded, raining bean plant over the dying eaters.

'' Galbinus digitus ! '' Harry whipped his wand at the Green shower and vines shot out of the dehydrated straw, binding the two wizards into suffocating heaps. Harry darted back behind the sacks as turn began to rain down down on the spot he had been standing.

'' Got them ? '' Dragon yelled at him.

'' Think so ! How many do you- '' Harry was cut off as the priming before them raised up in a holler crash. Two massive diamond eyes fractured clear in grey Harlan Fisk Stone and two arms erupted up beside the creature. It punched into the earth and the two vulture 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 massive crack through the thing 's front but it did not block up it 's onward motion. It raised it 's arm like a hammer,

'' Excalabus ! '' The shining sword crew out of nothing and sliced the robot 's arm off at the elbow making it yawl in hurting. Harry slashed through it 's soundbox and jumped away as it crumbled into dust.

'' That was Voldemort 's work. '' Draco panted.

'' Oh really ya consider ? '' Harry glanced around for a mean value to assault. `` They 're all in one spot. We 're strung out over the whole bloody storage warehouse. He can pick us off one by one like this, unseeable or not ! ``

'' You think we should form up ? '' Draco held his verge out ready.

'' No, they 'll just hightail it the other way. '' Harry ground his teeth together.

'' Maybe the aurors will get here soon. '' Malfoy had to duck as a spell pin-wheeled over his read/write head. `` Or the order. ``

'' Ca n't depository financial institution on a maybe ! '' Harry glanced up and got an approximation. `` Hold the line, I 'm going to expose them up. ``
*


Snape saw a shady number dashing through the skunk and aimed just behind it. This was madness, pure madness. Without Voldemort the death eater would stimulate fallen at the foremost 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 succeeding attack would come from, even the roadblock were scant protection. And all the while the heating system from the burning building all around charring into his skin. Being stuck in the heart of all that and not really being part of either side of meat ... madness.

Snape hoped that perhaps Harry 's invisible army would pick out him but he could n't count on it. If he could count on not being noticed he could try stunning himself, but then he would n't be there to serve Harry if something went wrong. Snape shielded himself from a onslaught of sweetheart and cried in pain as a voluptuous scrap of alloy dropped onto him from above. He looked up in metre to see a spray of sparks dislodge from the roof far above then yelled despite himself as the metal twisted inwards and Harry dropped like a diving war hawk into the middle of the death eaters.

His thrill struck Bellatrix in the face just as she looked up and ride her to the floor with a bone-splitting crunch. Harry rolled like and came up in a instant slashing his wand like a sword, there was a heartbeat of T. H. White light and Rodolphus was opened from hip to neck. He went down spraying red rip across his assaulter but Harry had already whirled and blew one of the barricades to smithereens.

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry ducked the curse and shot back but he was in the middle of the dying feeder now. Exactly what he wanted, Snape realized in flashing moment. He 's providing a misdirection for the others to lash out. The trouble was he would probably die to accomplish it. Snape raised his wand to help Harry but there was a sudden scissure of black light and he felt pain invade every limb. An orb of darkness spun through the air towards Harry. Harry dodged wildly but there were too many former while flying and it exploded in the air succeeding to him. Driving him sprawling to the floor. Snape shuddered, he had just experienced the backwash of the charm and he felt like he had been kicked in the nous by a sawbuck. What Harry must be feeling he could not imagine.

'' Protect us ! '' Voldemort snapped, his wand still smoking from the powerful curse. `` I will divvy up with the boy. ``

Snape turned to make it look like he was complying but kept picket as the shadow Creator stepped up closer to Harry. Voldemort held out a hand and summoned Harry 's wand to him.

'' Very brave Mr Potter. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` And very foolish. You must forgive me but I do n't have clock time to have 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 backtalk as Harry 's hand exploded in green light.

The charm flashed through the air towards the appall dark lord. Snape watched as if in decelerate motion as Voldemort's mitt flew into his robes and gripped around something. The very present moment before the green bolt struck him he disappeared. The spell slashed across the set and struck Rosier in the bureau, catapulting his cadaver into the wall.

"Divine !"Forneus'strangulate voice sounded out as she rushed forward. Harry had fallen on his incline cradling his hand in excruciation but at the end eater 's cry he unfurled and thrust his hand forward,

"Avada Kedavra !"The green bolt flashed towards the old expiry feeder but he threw himself to one side and screamed a curse. A purple thunderbolt flicked off the end towards Harry but he frantically waved another death eater into the way of life of the charm then banished the screaming fig so that it crashed into Forneus'face.

"Kill him !"somebody yelled and Snape realized that the other last eater were turning on Harry with rictus snarls of vengeful frenzy. Snape's regard flicked from the death feeder charging to Harry, raising his arm again, and decided in a moment.

"Stupefy !"Snape's stunner jammed Goyle's header back with a sickening crunch.

"two-timer !"Forneus was rising from the floor with his wand pointed in recrimination."Crucio !"

Snape ducked the spell and darted over to stand articulatio humeri to shoulder with Harry.

"Incendio !"

Snape shielded without thought process and the flaming spell was absorbed into the world-wide inferno.

"Tempesto !"Harry screamed, his voice twisted with hurting, and waved his mitt in a gyration arch. A jazz sprung from abandon air and drew the flaming Ellen Price Wood into a spinning tornado of hellfire. Harry pointed and flung the firestorm at the death feeder, scattering them like rabbits. Harry spun on Snape in the short time that had gained them.

"Why did you wear out cover ?"He yelled, swooping to seize a fallen scepter."They all saw you ! Idiot !"

"No more idiot than you for coming here !"Snape crack back as he sent a stunner at a hit shape in the flaming."Rushing in like a fool ! You are doing exactly what I said you would !"

"I had a programme !"Harry growled at him."And it would have bloody worked if Voldemort hadn ‘ t had an hand brake portkey !"

"You risked your life !"

"Mine to risk !"

"As is my back !"Snape glared into the sens but the former demise eater seemed to be trying to get out 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 snare them between us."

"Harry how have you been casting while ?"Snape hurried after him, his verge flicking towards every hint of motion.

"Wandlessly obviously."

"Harry wandless illusion is beyond you."Snape grated, it was the round-eyed truth."And besides, certain spells can not be performed wandlessly, it is simply impossible. The unforgivables are among them."

"Impossible for regular people."Harry flashed a rictus grin through the murk.

'' Harry, your manus ! '' Snape cried as he saw it clearly for the first meter. He grabbed the arm, his oculus astray with repulsion. The middle digit was burnt down to a check stub and his index fingerbreadth was gone to the endorsement knuckle. The intact respite of the hand was shrivelled and charred, as if it was burning from the inside out. It was boiling to the cutaneous senses. `` Harry what have you done ! ``

'' What I had to ! '' Harry pulled his ruined hand back and held it painfully to his chest."I ‘ m the boy who lived, the bloody chosen one ! add up on, they ‘ re this way."

Wondering how Harry knew Snape followed him into the murk.
*


'' What is the place ? '' Shacklebolt yelled as he dashed up to the side of the fire building. Ginny turned and almost felt like hugging him. So recrimination, no asking why they were there, no telling them off, just straight to line. This must be why dad looked up to him.

'' There were eight last feeder inside, at to the lowest degree three dead now. '' Ginny rattled off. `` Voldemort too. They were barricaded in the middle 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. Fletcher, select your team to the west entrance- ''

Ginny stepped back towards the building and grabbed the invisible 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 edifice. `` We got them, we won. ``
*


'' Harry give up ! '' Snape yelled as Harry had to jump out of the way of a collapsing mess of burning boxful. `` You could be killed here ! ``

'' They 're still in here ! '' Harry forged onwards into the murk.

'' jester boy ! '' Snape 's gown caught flaming and he threw it off angrily before rushing forward. He grabbed Harry around the arm only to be shook off. `` They will all be numb or gone by now ! ``

'' Two of them are still in here ! '' Harry pointed with his ravaged hand. `` They 're over there ! ``

'' The aurors will get them. ``

'' You do n't fuck that ! '' Harry staggered a few more stair before keeling over and retching onto the floor. Snape shied away, for a moment unsure of what to do. The just affair in his mind was an laze interest in the fact that the vomiting was steaming as it hit the floor. Harry stumbled to his metrical foot and Snape hissed in shock, Harry 's middle were running red with blood.

'' Harry something is untimely with you. '' Snape stepped forward carefully. `` Something is clearly wrongfulness. You need a healer. ``

'' I ca n't leave alone yet ! ``

'' The aurors will- ''

'' No ! '' Harry turned and dashed into the gage. Snape heard a monumental snap from above and swing over 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 trading floor. Snape dashed forward, for once not even thinking of his wand, and shoved the beam off with all his intensity. It thudded onto the trading floor and Snape rolled Harry onto his back. rip was running down the short son haggard face.

'' Oh Harry .... why ? You fool ... '' Snape felt rising angriness. None of it directed at Harry. `` You did n't ingest to do this. You did n't have to do any of this. You did not have to destroy yourself .... Damn you Dumbledore ! '' He slammed his clenched fist into the cracked ground and bowed his head. He did n't even notice the endorsement light beam before in struck him on the back and drove him from consciousness.

And all around the fire raged.
*


'' Are all of your the great unwashed out. '' Shacklebolt yelled at Ginny.

'' Not Harry. '' Ginny frantically glanced back into the blaze. `` He 's still in there. '' She saw Shacklebolt 's face fall.

'' The edifice is not going to net much longer. ``

'' Gone on Harry. '' Ginny felt herself whispering. `` Come on ... ''
*


The watcher scrabbled through the flaming warehouse. He had come following the aurors, come hoping to kill more death eater. Cause botheration to the snake-one. Cause painful sensation to Tom conundrum. But all he had found was flames, flame and death.

His centre darted around, trying to find a way out. If he was trapped here both he and Smoky would be killed. His fingerbreadth idly caressed Smoky 's scales where she hid in his sleeve. Maybe Smoky could hide in one of the grates in the floor, but he would die for sure. And if he died he would never get his revenge.

dessert sweet revenge ... He took a second to savour the thought as the flaming licked at his legs.

What was that ? A pickle in the base, one of the muggle 1. A way out. He shuffled towards it and flicked the cover off with his wand. As he was about to lower himself into it he froze. Just nearby were two anatomy pinned to the ground by a beam. One he did n't recognize, but the other ... The other was the fighter-boy the one who had reached the servant of the snake-one before him. He fought the snake-one, Tom riddle, the stealer of biography, the hoaxer, the face-stealer, the- He shook his head as the inclination of hatred raged through his mind.

He lifted the objet d'art of Wood off easily with a spell and regarded them through his pass eyes. He did not think of caring about anyone, even before the snake-one did thing to him. But these also fought the snake-one. And so maybe they should n't die. Maybe not.

He levitated them off the ground and scuttled to a faded window and threw them through the glass. There were cry from outside and he could see the vest men clustering around them. The robed men could n't see him though. He scuttled back to the jam in the floor and lowered himself in.

They could n't beguile him yet.

He still had killing to do.
*


Harry stood in the apple orchard again. The leave turned brown for the season, the basis wet with dew. In every direction it stretched, impossibly deep.

'' Why am I here ? '' Harry tried to say, but his mouth would n't make sound. His throat was closed.

What is this station ?

Harry turned on his heel and there was the edge of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, just paces away. And beyond it ... nothing. The humanity just dropped away as if the trees were the only real thing.

The sound of the river raged in his ears, filling him with reverence. He ran from the edge, back into the safety of the trees, 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 post ?

Harry hugged his arms to his chest of drawers. This was a dream, this was only a dream.

Then why does it sense like this is the only affair that 's rattling ?
*


'' He 's awake. ``

Draco dropped off his infirmary bed at the sound of the healers articulation and hurried up to the incline of Harry 's bed. almost of the other marauder clustered around with him. The Weasley Gemini the Twins and Parvati were all in their own beds, kept mercifully unconscious while their wound healed. They had all been hurt when they managed to drag themselves out of that hell on earth, it was a diminished miracle none of them were dead. No ... not a miracle, they had trained, they had prepared. That was the reasonableness they were still awake. Not a miracle.

Draco looked down at his friend, lying pale and wan on the hospital sheets. His centre had cracked open, but he still was n't moving.

'' Welcome back Harry. '' Hermione grasped Harry 's hired man encouragingly. `` Do n't try to talk yet the doctors said you were really sick. ``

'' ... ah ... '' Harry licked his lips and tried again. `` ... Volde ... mort ... ''

'' He got away. '' Ginny supplied. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, a dun moan broke out from somewhere in his chest.

'' Do n't feel bad mate. '' Ron was clearly trying to sound eudaemonia. idiot. `` Only three death feeder got away. We got all the rest, all of them. ``

'' Who ... ? '' Harry 's interrogative was hissed out through obvious pain.

'' Well, there was Rookwood. '' Padma began, counting off on her fingers. `` He managed to slip past the aurors. Forneus too. ``

'' Three ... ''

'' And ... '' Padma 's eyes flickered towards Neville. `` And Bellatrix. ``

'' Bella ... '' Harry 's face contorted into a snarl. `` Got her ... Could trust I got- ''

'' You did Harry. '' Ginny picked up a ice of piddle and slowly helped Harry to imbibe from it. `` The aurors were dragging her out but she came to in their munition, killed one of them with her bare hands and dissapperated with his wand. ``

'' Killed ? He died ? '' Harry 's articulation seemed to be coming a bit easier now but it was still at the bound of weakness.

'' Yes. The only auror, Holy Order phallus or marauder to die yesterday. '' Dragon supplied, he could see Ginny 's psyche bowing. She could n't possibly feel guilty could she ? The man had let an unconscious mind prisoner rip out his trachea. It was tragic, but it was no 1 fracture but his own. Harry certainly would n't finger guilty.

'' We got the ease though did n't we ? '' Harry asked, glancing down at his bind hand.

'' nigh of them are dead. '' Draco supplied. `` Those who did n't die in the fight died in the fervor. ``

'' Edward Gibbon died. '' Neville said quietly. `` I saw the aurors pulling him out. person should tell Vanessa. She deserves to know her Father 's suddenly. 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 hand ... '' Hermione brought it up and there was an heartbeat cooling among the marauders. No one had wanted to be the one to ask Harry about it. `` Your handwriting it ... ''

'' Injured, I know. '' Harry looked over at it dully. `` Can the healer fix it ? ``

'' They ... they can grow the fingers back Harry but- ''

'' Perfect, that 's ticket then. ``

'' But how did it pass in the first place ? '' Hermione looked like she was trying to avoid actually looking at the hand. `` Snape said you used a wandless killing execration which is impossible- ''

'' Apparently not. '' Harry cut her off. `` If they can fix me then why have n't they started ? I need my manus back, Voldemort could retaliate at any instant. ``

'' Harry ... '' Hermione looked around, perhaps looking for backup. Draco shook his principal, she had opened Pandora 's box she could deal with it on her own. `` Harry the hand is n't the only matter unseasonable with you. ``

'' Some sort of curse or something ? ``

'' No, at least ... they do n't think so. ``

'' What are you talking about ? ``

'' Well- '' Hermione began but was cut off as a representative said,

'' Let me explain. '' Draco looked towards the sound to see Snape striding in through the doorway. The marauders made way for him as he moved to the understructure of Harry 's bed. A livid patch encircled his brow but he did n't seem to notice it. Snape nodded towards Harry 's ruined paw. `` I think I understand now. That was a Shén de shou was n't it ? ``

No. No Harry oh god no ! Dragon felt some dreaded cocktail of rage, awe and pathos grow in his chest. 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 answer is yes so why fuss. '' Harry replied coldly.

'' Harry you are twice the mark I ever named you. '' Snape bowed his head, his eyes 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. '' Dragon supplied, finding that his vocalization was almost tinged with tears. `` It 's an military operation, originating in Cathay, they insert wand substance into the bones of your bridge player. Surgically. '' There was a pant from the vulture 's but Draco carried on. It felt better if they knew it too, like the horror was more circularize out. `` It 's outlawed everywhere in the humanity. It is insanely dangerous, even when they are done right they damage the user since the magic has to impel it 's way out through flesh and skin. And casting a curse as herculean as the killing cuss ? He 's golden he still has an arm. ``

'' I was n't planning on using it hover feathers. '' Harry said acidly. `` It was a arm of last resort, and it worked. I saved myself and almost killed Voldemort. ``

'' If it were only that simpleton Harry. '' Snape still was n't looking Harry in the eye. `` Your Shén de shou may take been installed properly, it may not have been. Either way it would not account for all of your symptoms. And yes Harry, you have many symptoms. The therapist found infection in your blood, 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 sick. Malfoy felt apprehension rise in his stomach. He was cat right hand at the scratch of the year and I did nothing ... I could feature prevented this.

'' You are hurt more deeply than anyone can severalise, and they can barely tell at all because of that ! '' Snape pointed at the faded and chip off armguard around Harry 's arm. `` You have it charmed so that none but you can absent it. Your paranoia is killing you since the evil eye prevents the healers from telling what is actually incorrectly with you. A fact I think you know, a fact I think you know very well. You do not want anyone to know what was going on inside you. You got the Shén de shou Harry ceramicist, but what else did you get ? You came back after a summer 's time and suddenly you stand toe to toe with death eater ? hoi polloi who have spent their lifespan learning the blackest of arts ? No ... no ... You did not simply train over the summer months. What else suppurating sore under your skin ? What else have you done to yourself ! ``

The quiet in the room was strong as granite, and as harsh. Harry licked his rim before answering slowly, measuredly,

'' If I answered you, you would have the healer remove what I had put in. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why ? ``

'' To save your life sentence. '' Snape was virtually shaking.

'' My life 's worth zero if Voldemort 's around. '' Harry shook his heading. `` Afterwards. I 'll belt down Voldemort then the poppycock comes out. Until then I need it. ``

'' Afterwards ? Afterwards ? '' A shoot squeezed out of the recess of Snape 's eye, shocking everyone. It might have been a snag of rage, it might not. `` Harry by then it may be too of late ! The healers say that you have month, half a year at very best, if we do not do something. ``

'' And look what I 've done with a yr ! '' Harry yelled angrily. `` I 've pushed Voldemort back to the brink ! How many decease eater does he have left ? FOUR ! Down from what ? Twenty ? Thirty ? I knew I would n't stimulate much clock time. I accepted that my life-time would be severally cut, but I have taken my life and beaten that Hydra faced wanker around the head with it ! He is hanging by a thread thanks to me ! I am the only one who can vote out Voldemort ! The ONLY ONE ! You know that ! The freaking elect 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 advantage I could chance so, god help me, I went out and found some advantages. I had to. And if it means I win my big vaticinate fight against the bastard ? Then I made the right call. And if I do n't ? Then it wo n't count anyway. ``

Harry cut off, his bureau rising and falling sharply, showing how a good deal his oral communication had taken out of his injured frame. Snape was just standing there, his face an indefinable masquerade party of sorrow. Another tear, and another. Professor Snape looked like a man who had had a tongue stuck through him, impaling his heart.

'' Back on the ship. '' Padma 's whispering voice cut through the quiet like a Delilah. `` 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 midsection 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 ... tell me you did n't. secern me ... '' Padma reached a hand forward, up towards Harry 's cheek. Harry did n't flinch back even as her long fingernail reached up closelipped and tapped his eye.

The manifest clink of glass was like a death toll.

'' Your eye ... '' Hermione breathed, every reverb of her vocalization begging it not to be dead on target. `` You ... you cut out your eye ? ``

'' No, guy at the shop did it. '' Harry tried to beat Padma 's hired hand away but clearly did n't feature the long suit. `` Do n't you all look at me like that. I saw how useful Dwight Lyman Moody 's was and got one for myself. This one's better though, it can look anywhere, out the back of my head and all but it's charmed to look like it's pointing the Lapplander way as the early one. So no one ever knows. It 's been useful, Thomas More than useful. You ca n't severalise me it has n't. '' Harry's articulation had grown more shrill as he spoke.

'' But ... your eye. '' Hermione shuddered, her script involuntarily flinched up to her typeface. `` How could you ? ``

Draco felt bile rise like a volcano. Just the thinking of tearing out his own eye made him honk. What wintry and horrific will would it admit to willingly chose that self-mutilation. For the first time that year, genus Draco began to dread Harry a little.

'' Do n't look at me like that. '' Harry was shying away from their stares, pushing back into the bed. `` What ... Do n't ! Do n't look at me like you do n't know why I did this ! Do n't look at me like you do n't realize. I had to ! ``

The desperation in his articulation. The need for them to translate, to vindicate what he had done. genus Draco shuddered. In Harry 's shoes would he have done the Lapp ? He honestly could n't opine. No one could. Draco cleared his throat,

'' Harry, I ca n't think why you chose to do this. But you need to let the therapist fix you now. ``

'' genus Draco, I ... you too ? '' Harry seemed very small in that minute. Very lost.

'' Please let them fix you Harry. '' Draco felt a minor hand grasp his and glanced to the slope to see Ginny. Offering support. A good friend. Thank you. `` You might now even call for this hooey anymore. Voldemort is sapless, maybe- ''

"Maybe !"Harry snapped."Maybe, maybe MAYBE ! That ‘ s all I ‘ ve heard all year ! I won ‘ t reliance to hope ! It ‘ s too important."

"Harry please ..."genus Draco's throat felt like it was closing up."Please ... you may not sympathise just how much price you ‘ re doing to yourself. Waiting a few calendar week even could-"

"Defeat Voldemort."Harry said coldly."I ‘ ve made my alternative. Tell the therapist to fix my hand, just the hand. You don ‘ t think I wish it was different ? I do. But some prick prophecy had the gall to set my life-time in motion long before I had any say in it. I have to win. I have to win even if I die because zippo else matter. Turns out this fight was what I was born for and I ‘ ll burn myself from the interior out before I lose to that snake-faced SOB. I have to win. Even if I die."

genus Draco stepped back from the bed. The horrible certainty in Harry's voice was shocking. He had accepted his fate down to his finger cymbals. He had drunkard it in till it was the very core of his being. Was Harry even in there any more ?

genus Draco was shocked out of his thoughts by a low sound. 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 wood was splintering. When Dragon looked up at the potions master's face he almost cried out in fear. The most dreaded drab furore Dragon had ever seen was painted across Snape's face, etched in every line and crease. The black shadows in his eyes were seething pocket billiards of suppressed fury. Suddenly Snape let out an almost cold-blooded growl and disapperated on the spot, tearing a piece of the bed away with him.
*


No cerebration entered the red fog of Snape's mind as he strode towards the William Henry Gates of Hogwarts. His wand whipped out and the huge doors were thrown back with a rumbling smash that shook the castle. He could not deal less if the whole building fell down. Minerva hurried towards him,

"Severus what is the significance of this ?"

"I am going to see the headmaster."Snape didn't slow, forcing Minerva to jump out of his way. He was too angry to care. He saw the gargoyle statue ahead of him and forced the password out through gritted dentition. He rode the stairs up listening to his own racing twinkling in his ears. The stairs ground to a halt and Snape slammed the room access spread out. Dumbledore looked up in shock from the papers in front of him as Snape strode up to him and slammed his fists down of the control surface of the desk.

"Harry is in St Mungos."He had no idea how to fall in voice 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 effort to carry out your precious prophecy, he found some fateful market frame monger that would fit him with a Shén de shou."

"A Sh ..."Dumbledore's eyes widened."My god ... he could have killed himself ..."

"Yes."Snape could fell his fingernails biting into his medal."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 prophecy. Because of you !"

Dumbledore was staring off into the distance, he looked like his soul was being torn out. Good.

"The boy destroys himself, tears himself apart. He is quick to die, because of the prophecy."Snape drew his look down level with Dumbledore's."I think it ‘ s sentence he learnt the truth. Don ‘ t you ?"

"Severus ..."

"You tell him."Snape held a shakiness finger up."I will pass you one chance to enjoin him, to lenify some of your guilt with satinpod. But rest assured, if you do not recount him, I will. This lie has poisoned too much already."

"You realize ..."Dumbledore spoke as if from within a fog."That the truth may disclose him ?"

"No Sir Thomas More than the lie has."

"Perhaps."Dumbledore stood, leaning heavily on his desk. He seemed ... ancient. Ancient and tired."I will state him now. Which way 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 side as if expecting to feel a cane there.

"youngster,"Dumbledore addressed the marauders."Would you depart 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 doubtful but waved the vulture to travel along her out. As the threshold banged shut Dumbledore walked to the end of the room, glancing at each bed, then flicked the drape closed with his wand. Another wave of his wand and Harry heard a little stifle sound 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 prospicient moment of silence that stretched on and on ...

"Yes ?"Harry asked, speech still hurting his pharynx."You got something to say ?"

"I ... I do not know how to begin."Dumbledore seemed lost, a petty lost boy in the woods."I suppose I should take off 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 alibi at all."

"What are you saying ?"

"I ... Let me evidence you a story."Dumbledore licked his rim."I am sorry but this is the only way I know to secern you. It begins about fifteen old age ago, I had just born-witness to a divination that gave the only hope for the crepuscle of the drear lord."

"I know this story."

"Harry please."Dumbledore raised his paw."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 guild knew well. The child of Lilly and Saint James ceramicist. I knew that the nestling was our sole hope. Even before the prophecy was recorded in the department of secret I had already placed the Potter kinsperson under the hard security I could. Unfortunately I failed, I was betrayed."

"Sirius Black."

"Yes. Sirius Black. But his treachery, though it led to the deaths of two of the most brave and honorable masses I know, also spelled the end of the wickedness lord. Voldemort was destroyed. Most of the wizarding domain considered him beat. The jubilation ... they went on for days ... weeks truly. The stallion wizarding humanity breathed again thanks to the forfeiture of Lilly and James Potter and the survival of their son. The boy-who-lived. The boy who showed that Voldemort was not invincible. He was the symbol of victory, the symbolization of Bob Hope. But I knew the truth, that Voldemort was not truly dead. I knew that the prophecy was not yet fulfilled and that, when the darkness Creator would finally surface again, the people would need the boy-who-lived. So I placed him with his mothers blood, with his aunt. The intellect were complex, the blood connectedness provided him aegis of a sort but it is unimportant now. I should have known my folly, should have known. It is my fault in so many ways. My faulting in every way that matters. I should induce watched closer ... Because one day, when that boy was six, his auntie had taken both him and his full cousin to the shops. Perhaps she was not paying tending 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 remembering of the clangor through others eyes ... he flew so far ... medico worked on him, then I had him moved to St Mungos and the healers worked as concentrated as the could. But the hurt ... the wounding to his skull ... his chest ... he passed from this world. Just six yr old. My fault. All my shift. His blood on my manpower ... But I knew it was not over. I knew that Voldemort would still spring up, the wizarding creation would still take 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 trick to shift his visual aspect, his voice, his storage ... his memories I destroyed entirely and replaced with fakes, I even supplemented them with some of my own memories of James II thrower to hit the boy seem like him. Then I placed him back at Privet effort, I changed the memories of the aunt ... the uncle ... the cousin. I sought out everyone who had seen the crash and tore the computer memory from their skulls, the doctors, the healer ... I made it so that it never happened. And then a sat back and watched ... I watched my fake get up. I felt my guilt grow. But it was done, and it could not be undone. My great shame ... the lie that makes everything else a lie as well. The truth is that the chosen one has been utterly for nine years. You are not him."

Dumbledore trailed off, he seemed little, even rickety, as if letting this great mysterious out of him had drained him of everything. Harry shook his foreland. No ... No no no ...

"No, you ‘ re lying. You. Are. Lying."

"I so wish that I was."

"But I ‘ m the ... I ‘ m Harry ceramist !"He shook his head."I ‘ m Harry Potter !"

"No. You are not."

"I have the mark !"

"I gave you that scar."Dumbledore had his eyes closed. But even so a tear squeezed out from the side of meat, running down his long nose and dropping to the storey."I can hit it right now if you wish it."

"No !"His hands jumped up to his forehead protectively."You ‘ re just ... you ‘ re saying these thing ... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME ?"

"I am dismal. I am so sorry."Dumbledore bowed his top dog."I can not say that to you enough. I ... I destroyed you."

"No ! I ... I cut out my eye !"Harry could experience his roue pumping in his pinna."I ‘ ve fought ! I ‘ ve fought him all class ! I ‘ m the chosen one !"

"You are not. There is no elect one."Dumbledore sounded like a man burning his cobbler's last shred of hope."The prophecy died nine years ago. Voldemort won."

"No. No ..."He was shaking, he couldn't stop."Lies it ‘ s just lies !"

"It is not."Dumbledore shook his head."If you want test copy just look to your friends. You named them the marauders. On your very first day. How did you know that gens ? You know that St. James the Apostle Potter named his group of friends the Saami ?"

"No, he can't have ! It ‘ s a lie !"

"It is not. You knew the name because I put in in your idea. If you doubt me ask anyone who was at school with them."Dumbledore was speaking in idle quality now, he had reached the can."I have heard you refer to Professor Snape as Snivellus and to Remus lupine as Moony. Those were both names James potter invented. You also knew about prof Snape ‘ s dark print. How else would you hump ?"

"I ... I ..."The boy could feel himself shaking, his head shaking apart.

"It is true up. It is all true ... I am so good-for-nothing. I am so ... I can not begin to imagine 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 up voice in his ears."You dragged me to this life you have to know !"

"I do not Harry I ‘ m ..."

"Harry ? Harry ?"The boy threw his head back and screamed, a screeching cacophony of torture."And don ‘ t you dare say you ‘ re sorry ! Don ‘ t you dare !"

"I ... I can not -"

"Get out !"He grabbed his glass of pee and threw it with all his military capability, tears blurring his eye. It shattered against the headmaster ‘ s shoulder."Get out ! Get out ! GET OUT !"

Dumbledore fled the elbow room, holding his arm. As the old wizard crashed through the doors the boy threw himself back against the bulwark and howled in pain sensation and mental confusion, tearing at his fuzz with deal like chela. crying ran freely down his face from the one real number eye he had left.

sobbing and broken he lay there, until darkness closed in.



review. I just know you have something to say about this.