This book 's been giving me trouble, heap and lots of worry. I 've had more pain from this one than from the other four put together and it 's not even finished yet ! Grumble ... rumbling ...

Anyway as a result I may be slower to post than usual as I try to beat this twisty, hellish yarn I choose to call a story into submission.

Sorry, hopefully the story will be effective for it.

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



"Hello ?"The shopkeeper peered, bleary eyed, at the frame standing on the other side of the methamphetamine doorway."Sorry we ‘ re closed now."

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

"What do you want."The shopkeeper edged his script towards the baton in his sack."If it ‘ s money you ‘ re after-"

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

"If your master wants any of my service."The shopkeeper grunted a laugh."He ‘ d better follow himself. I don ‘ t do house calls and even if I did some of my equipment ‘ s too toilsome to move."

"You mistake me."The man sounded like he was smiling."My master want ‘ s you to render 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, long time ago. When they were legal."The storekeeper took his wand from his sack and held it firmly towards the trespasser."I think you ‘ d better 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 saturnine stigma emerge from under the night robes. Even this far from Britain everyone in the business knew what it meant.

"Are you a… a dead eater ?"

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

"I… I ‘ ll have to build some calls."The shopkeeper shuddered, he just wanted this man gone."I don ‘ t have all the material here."

"I ‘ ll wait."The man pulled up an old wooden chair."While we wait we can discuss some early thing you may be capable to aid me with. I ‘ m sure they will not be beyond your… skill."

The market keeper gulped as the man began listing what he wanted. His manpower shook so much his verge fell on the story and rolled away unnoticed.

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


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

"Thank you young master."The man simpered.

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

Harry broke into a run as old construction flashed past him. He hadn't made for British capital, too obvious. The bold silhouette of Edinburgh castle was outlined against the asterisk for a minute between two edifice as Harry dashed along and he darted down an alley towards it. He slowed as he passed a grouping of guy rope obviously out for the Night, singing in the street, then sped up as the course began to climb towards the high castle.

He came up a incline route and turned away from the historical construction. Fitting himself into the bunch of Friday night reveller like a phantasm. He flitted across the royal mile as fast as he thought safe, clutching his foresighted coat tight about him. At fifteen yr old citizenry wouldn't think it weird for him to be out this late but they might recollect that he was alone. Any computer storage of his pass was a liability and Harry flicked his collar up and kept into the shadow of a house.

There were a few champion pubs in Edinburgh, Harry had mapped them out. But thanks to his stupidity of not disguising himself as he flued into the last one he could not now risk any of them. Harry cursed, he was still an imbecile. Still making stupid mistake, Harry shook his head and pinched himself voiceless. He had to be better.

The rail post appeared beneath him and Harry swiftly crossed the bridge and slinked in a incline entranceway. He bought a ticket from an automated machine ( no memories ) to the showtime location on the departures instrument panel. Then tore it up, cursing himself again, and bought one for the second one down.

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

No ! Careless ! wagerer secure. We want to fight them, but on our terms.

Harry nodded, it was the safe thing to do. He gritted his teeth as the seconds ticked by. He just needed to be gone. Wherever the train went he could rule star and flue to… to somewhere. Somewhere better, Hogwarts possibly ? It was still workweek till he had to go back to shoal and Harry wasn't eager to mistake back under Dumbledore's restrictive backstage. He'd go somewhere anyway.

shucks it ! Harry went stock still as two oddly set soul walked into the train station. One looked like his outfit was a Hallowe'en costume of a pirate ship, the former was wearing lederhosen. They were the stupidest sight Harry had ever seen.

They were also here to kill him.

Harry could finger the substance of barely contained violence coming off both of them and the pirate had a wand concealed up his arm. Harry stepped sideways, making his trend seem inconsequential, uninteresting, and pushed open a faculty threshold. He stepped in calmly and confidently, not giving any trace that he didn't belong.

“'Ere ? Who are y-"

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

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

"R… right."The man mumbled and Harry left swiftly, passing out a position doorway and feeling the common cold night air. Harry crossed the road and passed to the next street over and breathed a sigh of ease. It was busy, entire of reveller. He could be invisible here.

The just variety of invisible, the kind that didn't indigence cloaks.

Harry kept to the position as he ducked down the long stint and ducked into a pub. A few minutes later he emerged, unrecognisable. Wrinkled skin and grey hair's-breadth, 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 verge at every person he passed, like he was dowsing. He was detecting magic. Harry winced, there was his friend coming from the other instruction, doing the same. Harry was cornered.

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

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

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

Nothing.

The wand passed on over to the next bystander and Harry breathed a mental sigh of relief. He began walking away, they didn't follow. He kept walking, passing out of area he could recognize from single-valued function and found an alley.

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

full moon R-2, eventually we all come back home.

Harry sneered as his eyelid began to flag, back street used be family, now they weren't. That didn't mean that anywhere else in particular proposition was home, but it was an betterment. Harry dropped off to sleep, too tired to dream.

"He ‘ s here somewhere."

Harry's heart flicked open, the wan Inner Light of break of day filtering into the alleyway. Footsteps came slowly up the alleyway. Harry slid behind the bin that hid him and crawled to the other side. The two number came cl… bent on !

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

"Underage magic and marauding expiry 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 smutty auror was still there, his blazon 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 foreman brought you here comatose ?"

"They didn ‘ t Tell you ?"

"Well Moody was too wild to talk and Kingsley kept laughing."

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

"I ‘ ll let Moody tell the fib when he calms down."Harry dusted himself off and surveyed the empty theatre. It seemed vaguely intimate."Where are we ?"

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

Harry took the report and unfolded it. On it was written, in loopy, hard to read handwriting…
The headquarters of the society of the capital of Arizona is the manor on the dark moors.


"So what does it- WHOA !"Harry tripped backwards as the sign exploded out of the ground around him. Even the grass curled into the floor and became gravel and a fountain 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."ripe to see you Draco."

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

"I owled."

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

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

"Yeah right."Dragon pushed the doorway assailable for Harry to step inside."Well in the mean time your champion and fan social club have invaded my home."

"The order of the capital of Arizona ?"Harry looked around the cavernous entering hall."Never heard of them."

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

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

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

"Didn ‘ t Voldemort live here ?"

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

"The moment possession transferred ?"

"Yes. That."

"fountainhead at least we 're all safe here. constant alertness. '' At Harry 's Holy Scripture Shacklebolt clapped a hired man to his oral cavity 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 lecture burnt spot at the bottom."It seems my mother reverted to her own family traditions."

"Why don ‘ t you fix it ?"

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

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

"No… no I ‘ m the last Malfoy."Draco seemed to nod to himself, his vocalization full of some cold resolve."Anyway, as I was saying. With the family enchantments and the extra cellblock Dumbledore put up this place is totally impregnable."

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

"Stop saying that."Kingsley had to get over his oral cavity again.

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

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

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

"You ‘ re certifiable potter you really are."Dragon shook his school principal, then stopped suddenly."How did you abstract up on Helen Newington Wills ?"

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

In resolution Harry just smiled and rolled up his leave arm. Around his wrist was a organisation bracer engraved with tracing vines. Right in the meat, on the inside arm, was a hieroglyphic of a great opprobrious eye.

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

"That's the immorality eye."Tonks stepped cheeseparing to count at it."It guard off magical monitoring."

"Yep."

"It ‘ s also all sort of illegal."

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

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

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

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

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

Harry grinned and turned to follow the auror.

"We ‘ re mostly living in the due east wing."Tonks called back over her berm."This position is monolithic. It took us a workweek to receive where you ‘ d left Macnair. He smelled awful."

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

They walked down a long dark hallway, made more skittish by the fact that every pictorial matter was abandon. Draco said nothing but Harry imagined they had left about the like time his Father-God had. The door at the end had a steadily gleam coming from under it. Harry hurried forward and toss the door open theatrically.

"I ‘ m back !"

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

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

"Where the hell were you ?"Padma hadn't joined the guardianship and was sitting with her arms crossed and an angry look."Why did you leave ?"

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

"Bullshit."

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

"Voldemort is back."Hermione interrupted him.

"Really ?"Harry opened his eyes wide-cut in shock."Is he really ? No… no, I had no idea… How could that happen ? I would recall a thing like that ? Oh… oh wait ? marvelous guy with red eyes ? You know I think I do recollect a guy like that… torturing ME !"

"Alright Harry. Alright."Hermione held her helping hand 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 companionship ?"Harry said as the residuum of the piranha crowded around.

"What she means is that this isn ‘ t a time 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 to the lowest degree brooms have some agency 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 suddenly again. future time he comes after me I ‘ ll not be helpless."

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

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

"Wh… what ?"

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

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

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

"For how foresighted ?"

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

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

"I ‘ m for sure Dumbledore has considered that."

"Dumbledore. Is. Senile."Harry looked over at Kingsley, who had thus far kept soundless."How bout you ? You got a payoff on this ?"

"I trust Dumbledore."Kingsley said confidently.

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

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

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

"I have seen him angry. 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 mystery ?"

"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 flavor at me I don ‘ t even like them."

"right wing,"Harry turned towards the door."It ‘ s not a secret, 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 Ward extend to the dimension 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 open window."Harry looked over his shoulder back at the piranha."I can do that can ‘ t I ?"

"Your room ‘ s down the corridor, the room access with the Scorpion lock."Draco said.

"Is there a windowpane 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.
*


Dragon woke the future morning as a retching phone came through the paries. 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 door before he thought proficient of it and ran a detecting charm. A couple of foul swearing lifted out of the woodwork. Draco backed a few steps away."Harry spread up !"Draco heard footstep then the door scraped open.

"What ?"Harry growled sleepily.

"Were you just sick ?"

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

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

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

"You ‘ re unbalanced ?"

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

"rightfulness,"Dragon snorted.

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

"I ‘ m touched."

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

"I imagine labour won ‘ t be a child's play either."Draco shook his heading, if Harry didn ‘ t want to tell him then he didn ‘ t want to know."Look, it smells like breakfast ‘ s ready."

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


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

Harry looked around in confusion at the various people that had appeared in the kitchen of Malfoy manor. There were more Weasley's than there had been, the two parents and older brother. An odd man in a honey oil hat was there as well, smiling at Harry and wave, along with an sometime peeress in an tatty robe. There was one very recognisable face though, one that went had gone from smiling to stone cold the moment he entered the room. Remus Lupin had stood the second he came in and walked away, leaving by the support door.

"A pair of people live here now."Ginny said to cover the muteness."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."mollie Weasley explained."People know we support Dumbledore, they know we were in the purchase order last metre. We ‘ re targets for attack. It ‘ s safer here."

"right field, safer."Harry tucked into his breakfast in quiet, the vulture chatting around him. Apart from him only Malfoy and Ron were silent, both intently staring at the chess board. Occasionally, very occasionally, one of them would hold a move.

'' It would be prissy if they 'd find their own floor though. '' Malfoy murmured, still staring at the board. `` Or their own prison. ``

'' Prison ? '' Harry dropped a slice of pledge. `` They 're using this place as a prison ? ``

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

'' Is n't that dangerous ? ``

'' The whole manor is under the Fidelius magical spell. '' Hermione explained. Harry smiled in understanding, so that was what the little shimmy 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 dangerous to tell apart the captive the arcanum ? ``

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

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

'' They tend to scream a lot. ``

Harry shrugged, unworried. At least there was a safe post for to house the death eaters. Of course Harry would prefer if they were all kept in nice dependable coffins but this was the next Charles Herbert Best thing. While they had been talking genus Draco 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 playacting 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 head. next metre they equalize I ‘ m stealing the bloody board."

"I have over eight 100 chess game boards in this house."Malfoy said idly as he nudged a cat's-paw forward."You ‘ re welcome to try and find all of them. Maybe you ‘ ll get lost along the way."

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

"prison guard 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 spell but Draco grabbed a pawn out of his hand and slammed it back into it's box.

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

Harry grinned at the spectacle then pushed his empty-bellied collection plate away and stood to leave.

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

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


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

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

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

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

"It ‘ d give us something to do."Parvarti murmured quietly, voicing what they all felt. boredom was unvarying here. The only interesting multiplication were Holy Order merging when the vulture would try to get means to listen in. mode that were continually blocked.

All their homework had been done. All the course Good Book had been read and so many games of exploding snap had been played that they all had piffling flyspeck burns on the ends of their finger. There was nothing else to do, literally nothing. They had looked, tried to make out up with early thing to do. They had failed.

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

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

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

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

"We could take on 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 marauders lapsed into secrecy. Defeated again.

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

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

"Let ‘ s go. Quickly."

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

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


'' Whoa ! '' Ginny gasped as they were led into a massive antechamber. On the floor there were pedestal and cases holding strange sparkling items.

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

'' My beginner. '' Draco lugged the ball event over. `` It 's just junk. '' True to his word he shoved three vessel off a display stand to put the case in their position. `` Now ... teams. ``

'' I call captain ! '' Ginny yelled.

'' Me too. '' Ron nodded.

'' Right, '' Malfoy was still looking the former way. `` senior pilot are Ginerva and myself. ``

'' But- ''

'' It 's my planetary house. '' Malfoy cut him off snidely. `` I 'll pick out the twins. ``

'' Which ace ? ``

'' The quidditch acting one. '' Malfoy rolled his eyes. Fred and Saint George reluctantly went over to stand by Malfoy.

'' You ca n't plunk 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 quality ? ``

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


Ginny shot past a cabinet laughing, the clangour from behind her told her George had n't been so lucky. The quaffle flew up and bounced inside the chicken feed lap on the wall.

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

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

darn it he was right, Ginny shot forward after him. If only the snitch would look ! It should n't be so punishing to catch it in this shut in arena. Unfortunately the charms on the snitch were never designed to deal with an atypical maze of cabinets and as a solvent it kept moving erratically. They had found and lost it three times already. Ginny saw Malfoy trying to nock and being blocked by Ron. She took the chance to take another look for it.

'' Over there ! '' person yelled, Ginny did n't hesitate. The wink of gold disappeared behind a urn and Ginny spun around it. Where was it ? Another flash, there by the rack of swords. Ginny heard a clank from the side her, Malfoy was closing in. There, by the trash again ? No ! By the urns again ! Damn it, there were reflections everywhere. It was like there were six snitches !

Ginny narrowly avoided colliding with the wall. A thumping behind her told her Malfoy wasn't so favorable. There it was ! Right near the corner of the room. Ginny sped up, it was so close ! Her finger's breadth closed around it. And it felt ... wrong.

Ginny drew to a halt, holding the thing in her hand. It was gold, but it wasn't a snitch. It was a cup, a niggling gold plated teacup, still struggling to escape from her fingerbreadth. Draco hovered in next to her, looking perplexed.

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

"What is it ?"

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

"No."Ginny just gritted her tooth and swallowed the insult. They had to live in this theater for hebdomad yet."Where did it make out from ?"

The other predator came in closer, staring at it.

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

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

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

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

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

"Guess we ‘ re not walking."Hermione murmured as the vulture flew after him. The corridor was fairly pin down and the marauders had to fly in single file. The discharge portrayal 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, impatience clear on his face."I don ‘ t hear anything."

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

Silence filled the hallway for a mo, then ... a distant dissonance. It sounded like an plosion underwater, muffled by the walls. The vulture looked at each other, they had all heard it.

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

"Sounds ..."Malfoy screwed up his face."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 shot forward and turned sharply into a side corridor. Ginny rushed to keep up with him and she could hear the marauders behind her doing the like. A room access was flung undecided in forepart of them and Ginny spun into it, following the blond newsbreak in front line of her. Down some stone's throw, along a long dark hall, future - stoppage !

Ginny had to break harshly to avoid hitting Malfoy who was hopping off his broom in front of a large wooden door.

"You ! You ... !"

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

"I almost hit you !"Ginny dropped to the flooring."Why did you stop ?"

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

"Well lets see then."Malfoy drew his wand and pushed at the labored room access. It slowly crept open up. Inside was an vacate mansion, looked like it was usually used for storage or something. The alone affair left were a few odd table and a few corner. In the middle of the way stood Harry, bare chested with his scars pure white against his suntanned and sweating skin. On a box next to him was a odd pile of dust. As they watched he took a plate and held his wand to it. At a whispered word there were two dental plate, then three, then four. Harry dropped the original back into the spate and tapped the fakes with his wand. They instantly flew off in all focusing. Harry jabbed his verge and in a fraction of a second-

charge ! One shattered near the ceiling. Harry whirled. bam ! Shattering into shard. bam ! Smashing the side and sending the terminal plate spinning into the wall.

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

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

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

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

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

Ginny looked where Hermione was pointing and swallowed fearfully. Arranged in a neat row along the table was a acuate and wickedly curved sword, a unawares spear with a lighting bolt carved into the haft, a round chunk that had golf hole for fingers and seemed to be glowing from within and no less than three muggle firearms.

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

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

"Training."Harry flicked his sceptre over his shoulder 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 marauder expected insanity from Harry but this ...

Malfoy was the first to speak.

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

"I may need spares."Harry shrugged.

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

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

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

"Strangely no, I bought them legally in Vegas."Harry picked up the turgid one. The piranha took a corporate step 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 wand in Harry 's deal. `` Are you still using the one you stole from Macnair ? ``

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

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

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

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

'' And risk it not working as well as this one does ? '' Harry balanced the thick, twisted wand on the sharpness of his hand before flicking it up into the air and catching it, all the while with the gun held nonchalantly in his former hand. `` This one deeds for me, maybe as well as my old one did. Besides ... it sorting of fits does n't it ? This sceptre 's done a lot of violence in it 's life. slew of hurting, fighting, and that 's exactly what I intend to use it for. ``

pain ? 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 stand for why ?"Harry looked at Neville, then at Malfoy."Didn ‘ t you tell them ?"

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

"Then what ?"Harry dropped the gun back down to the table. It sounded sullen."I need to campaign Voldemort. I have to contend Voldemort."

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

"I have to fight Voldemort and you know what ? I ‘ ll lose !"Harry slashed the air angrily."I ‘ ll lose, I mean what else would materialize ? I spotty, ignorant fifteen year old against the most dangerous genius on the satellite ? 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 miss. None of us can give for me to misplace. Do you live what it feels like to know that the whole humanity is royally screwed if you fail ? No ? Then shut up ! Don't try to hold back me and don ‘ t ask me why ! I know why, and if you took a microsecond to consider you ‘ d know why too !"

Harry's angry tirade shocked the marauder into silence. Harry turned back to his pile of junk and began duplicating a enceinte glass bowl.

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

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

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

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

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

"Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore has been unseasonable before."Malfoy cut her off."It hurts nothing to be ready in slip he ‘ s wrong this time."

"But Harry could be killed !"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded curtly."He could. Did you not realise that ? Did you perhaps intend what happened utmost yr was some sort of comic game ?"

"Of course not, but-"

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

"Good point."Ginny was surprised to get word her own vox. Oh no now everyone was looking at her, better say something."And since we ‘ re all butt maybe we should try learning some stuff too."

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

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

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

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

"Good."Harry hoisted a glass bowl onto his shoulder and flung it out into the elbow room. He aimed his wand and muttered under his breath. The bowl melted and splattered into a steaming heap on the base."There are some things I want to ask him too."
*


"Where have you lot been !"mollie 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 mean ‘ Where am I going'? I ‘ m going to the kitchen."

"You come back here Pres Young man !"

"Why ? I ‘ m not your family line. Nor am I one of these other waif you seem to possess adopted. I don ‘ t care for your public opinion, 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."Dragon turned back to the room access ...

"Get back here !"

... .and walked happily through it, with enraged silence left behind him.

"You do have it off that means you ‘ ll have to attain you ‘ re own breakfast from now on."

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

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

"He ‘ s ..."Dragon licked his lips and gestured for her to lean closer."He ‘ s accepted the vaticination. He ‘ s accepted that he will push Voldemort. He ‘ s preparing for it."

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

"Don ‘ t Tell him."

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

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

"How ‘ d you get away ?"Draco asked.

"Disillusion."Harry shrugged."That cryptical into a tirade I doubt she ‘ ll numeration how many hoi polloi she ‘ s shouting at. So ... when ‘ s Dumbledore getting here ?"

"Now."Tonks stood as the ancient man walked into the kitchen. Harry was instantly on the other face of the bench and stepping up beside the Headmaster and tugging on his robe.

"professor, can I talk to you ab-"

"After the coming together Harry."Dumbledore brushed him off."You have my word. But right now some of the fiat members have important missions they must get back to quickly."

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

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

"What was that ?"

"What ?"

"You being calm and nice 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 skillful when I have an agenda ? That I am manipulative and ego serving that way ? That I would only be simmer down if I, oh say ... wanted to slip a listening gimmick into the pocket of someone ‘ s robes before they went into an order meeting ... or something like that ?"
*


Snape stepped into the manor and strode towards the briny dining room. He wasn't late precisely, just ... no longer appropriately cue. He pushed the door open and walked to the opened seat next to Natalie.

"Have I missed anything important ?"

"Attacks."The awful was idly scraping her finger along the edge of a copy of the day-to-day prophet."wickedness marking. Wizards and beldam we suspect have been turned, or put under the imperious curse.

'' naught important then. ``

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

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

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

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

'' Well duh. '' The voice near the end of the tabular array was swiftly silenced by a bland stare.

'' The dark lord is moving more specifically. Now that greyback is utter all but a few of the loup-garou have deserted him. He seeks new troops to sew panic, he has chosen to acquire by solid riches this time rather than evacuate hope. He is arranging purchase of large numbers of various exotic species, lethifolds primarily. Chimaeras if it can happen a willing seller. ``

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

'' Precisely because they are mindless. '' Snape explained. `` His condemnable army from Azkaban has not been as effective as he hoped. ``

'' They 've torn the country apart ! '' someone yelled.

'' But only in their own mental ability. They have not followed rules of order well, they are distracted. The dark Jehovah has killed a lot of them, he seems tired of man flunk. In a way he does n't need an army, he wants a weapon. Something he can let loose at will. Doubtless he will be employing the prideful execration to see that his will is done. ``

'' It does n't work on lethifolds. '' lupin said with sure thing. A footling snuff of assuagement slid through Snape 's mind, swiftly swallowed up with darkness.

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

'' Manticores ? '' The previous defense teachers eyes grew wide.

'' wellspring, manticora at give. But he is looking for others. ``

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

'' Both because that would make them less effective belligerent and because long exposure to the Dementors seems to sustain made them surprisingly resistant to mental attacks. '' Snape leant finisher over the table to speak to the social club as a whole. `` I have the dates he plans to meet with brute trader. If we arrange a ambuscade we can get ahead of him and- ''

'' No. '' Dumbledore spoke with quiet authority.

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

'' If we act he will assuredly reckon the source of our information. '' Dumbledore shook his bearded mind. `` You are too valuable at present to chance. You are our only source of information. ``

'' Information we never act on. '' Snape clenched his fists on the inhuman mahogany table. `` What use is my espial ... 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 row we wanted to fling at the old man. It would be pointless.

'' We could instead liaise with the foreign auror department. '' Snape tried to fob himself into thinking this was anything other than a damage limiting attempt. `` They could turn back some of the bargainer before the dark lord can meet with them. ``

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

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

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

"Is there anything else ?"

"Barty Crouch still has not returned."Snape shook his head, Barty Crouch had become Voldemort's favorite, surpassing even Belatrix. Snape had hoped at one prison term that Barty's failure to gain the ministry would enumerate against him, and it had, but apparently throwing it into tumult had been enough. That and successfully bringing Harry ceramicist directly to the dark God Almighty. All that made it even more suspicious that Barty was scatty from dying eater gatherings. The dark Divine kept his handmaid close, if he was letting one off their tether then it had to be for something important.

"Do you think he has left the land ?"someone down the table asked.

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

"Why do you say that ?"

"It is Barty Crouch ‘ s speciality is it not ?"Snape shrugged."But the dark lord has ordered me to start out researching polyjuice potion in an attempt to make it crop 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 try to gain the reenforcement of the giants."

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

"Is that all ?"

"early than hours of listening to the dark noble sour pontificating on the subject of the death or subjugation of all muggles ?"Snake River crooked an eyebrow."No."

'' 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 of religion for magic. ``

A general groan went up from around the elbow room. Snape just closed his oculus and took a chill out breath. After the result of go year the ministry had been fractured to its very heart and soul. The near-election of a dying eater had made them fearful as coney. Fudge had, the moment Dumbledore left the building, ran back to his part and virtually barricaded himself inside. All summer he had been wrangling the ministry around to the estimate that his expulsion was not valid because of the magic of Barty Crouch Jr.

That was, Snape had to include, technically true. Although the vote to remove Fudge had been won by a comfortable perimeter the original motion to hit a parson for magic could only be tabled by a member of the Wizengamot. Crouch Jr was not a member, only impersonating one, therefore the motion and, by extension, the vote was void. A piece of bureaucratic foolishness that meant they were stuck with that ridiculous man until someone else drummed up decent support to oust him.

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

'' Ours too. '' Shacklebolt rumbled.

'' The whole ministry does. '' Arthur Weasley added. `` The unit wizarding population. The trouble is that no one wants to put in a nominating speech for concern of looking like they 're following Crouch 's illustration. ``

'' So we put someone forward. '' Snape said definitely. `` We bailiwick a prospect no one can contend is a destruction eater. ``

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

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

'' I realize the berth is not nonpareil. '' Shacklebolt held his hands up. `` But Fudge is scared to meet any known parliamentary procedure extremity or anyone else who waves Dumbledore 's standard. As a effect he is leaving the aurors office and the ease of the department relatively untouched. We can carry out our work without any overbearing supervising for now. And besides, with all the ex-Azkaban residents running around causing trouble we do not have meter for a political conflict on top of that. If we can not throw a sympathetic rector of magic, one that stays out of our way is a unspoilt irregular choice. ``

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

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

'' Is guard duty for the future week set up ? '' Dumbledore asked the assembled order. There was a general nodding. It had not been hard to form, not with a member inside the department of mysteries.

'' Then we should all get back to work. '' Dumbledore stood. `` And we should all prepare for onslaught by magical being. Lupin can, I 'm certain, cue you of the best method to disgust 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 enemies. Snape turned to Natalie,

'' My guard obligation is scheduled for Tuesday, at eleven. ``

'' I 'll be certainly to be in the spot then. '' Natalie nodded. Snape knew that he would be living for Tues at eleven. He reluctantly turned and made for the door. Unfortunately there was a blockage, the whole order was bunched up at the spacious double doors. Snape quickly pushed to the front line and was almost forced to laugh.

Harry had built a barricade.

The fifth part twelvemonth was sitting casually on an lift desk, resting his feet on a draftsman. The rest of the arching paries was mostly chair and tabular array, and one wooing of armor.

'' Harry this was not requisite. '' Dumbledore stepped forward, his custody stretched peacefully. `` I promised we would babble. ``

'' I wanted your full-of-the-moon tending. '' Harry replied wryly. `` I want to fight. ``

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

'' You think Voldemort will wish ? ``

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

'' rightfulness. '' Harry dropped off his perch and landed, cat like, on the floor. `` 'Cos that tactic 's exploit star so far. You know I have to push. I have to campaign him. ``

'' Harry I have made my decision. ``

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

'' Harry ceramicist I have had enough of this. '' Dumbledore waved his wand angrily. The barricade disappeared with a deafening crack. `` You will stay where I put you until it is secure for you to do otherwise. If you will spare no thought process for your own refuge others must do it for you. You will stay put here. You will be safe here. ``

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

'' How Harry ? '' Dumbledore crooked an supercilium, but his common just mood was gone.

'' I 'll let you grizzle over it. '' Harry folded his arm. `` I want to contend. I want to sit in order get together. I want a tutor to teach me to duel. ``

'' You may have none of those things. '' Dumbledore was n't moving, just standing like a statue. Radiating menace. `` As for defence reaction breeding you will find out it at Hogarts, in your steady Department of Defense course of study. ``

'' well I hope at least you 've got someone good. '' Harry sneered, then, glancing at McGonagall, let out a piffling 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 tempestuous crack.

The order members began to scuffle out, giving Harry a wide berth. Lupin in specific was staring at him with what could only be described as abhorrence. Snape walked up to the lonesome student.

'' Perhaps you should not antagonize him. ``

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

'' Few people do. ``

'' You ? ``

'' No. ``

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

I should make expected that question. Snape took a breathing spell to give himself fourth dimension to believe 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 fall down into the trap of thinking you are set up. '' Snape shook his head. `` I could pass on everything I know to you and you would still lose to the nighttime master because I would fall back to the dark Maker. ``

'' I 'm not just gon na bucket along in half cocked. ``

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

'' I 'm not an imbecile. ``

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

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

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

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

'' Fine. '' Harry seemed defeated, upstage. `` Will you at least teach me occlumency ? I ca n't use that to fight down. ``

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


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


The marauders had to hunt Harry again that evening. He had disappeared before dinner and was nowhere to be seen. The border Barbara Ward had n't been tripped but with Harry that meant next to nix. They found him in a disused stairway, sitting in the rainbow blur of a stained glass window. With the fall mottling his cutis like some hobo camp cat the marauders hesitated to go about him.

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

'' Not hungry. ``

'' What were you doing ? ``

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

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

'' Not money. '' Harry was still looking up into the ignitor. `` I 've spent the evening beggary order members, aurors ... everyone really, to teach me to crusade. barren of my time ... '' Harry trailed off shaking his head.

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

'' Snape, Moody, Tonks, Shacklebolt, McGonagall ... '' Harry sighed. `` Flitwick, he was a dueling champion. 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 recognize ... ''

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

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

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

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

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

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

'' Harry ? '' Hermione reached out but Harry had shot to his fundament like a old salt in a box.

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

'' Yes your poor people over-traveled and long-suffering bird has found my owlery. '' Malfoy rolled his eyes. `` If you 're going to globetrot you should really recount your owl to appease domicile. ``

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


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

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

'' indisputable ... sure Harry. '' Hermione was nodding a small carefully, like someone talking to a man with a hand grenade. Which, given Harry 's current track disk, might accept been the pillow slip. `` We 'll do that. ``

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

'' Great ... near ... wonderful. ``

'' Let 's go then. '' Harry pocketed the fruit and led the illogical predator, and Malfoy, from the room. As Harry pushed the door open he pulled up short. Lupin was frozen in front of him, his hand raised to strain for the door. His smile had frozen and dropped into the scowl he always wore on seeing Harry.

'' Yes Professor ? '' Harry asked pointedly. `` Something the thing ? ``

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

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

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

'' Before what ? ``

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

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


This was n't the finale Harry heard about it though. lupin lived in the mansion, they bumped into each other all the time. Each sentence Harry was met by the Saame festering hatred. It was kind of disconcerting. Eventually Harry learned lupin 's routine and managed to mostly last out out of his way. Of course it helped that he spent at least ten hr a day in the empty cellar, sometimes with the vulture, sometimes with Draco, sometimes alone. Each day when Harry finally dropped himself into an icy bathtub to soothe his bruised frame he felt a variety of fiery satisfaction.

He was getting better !

He could tick any of the marauders one on one, even the Gemini the Twins. Draco was better, at the start he had beaten Harry a lot. fountainhead, no ... at the very start Harry had won. Then Harry had raged at the blond and forced him to really cut loose and use some of the nastier dark magic his father had taught him. With those piece in his arsenal Dragon had been winning, but Harry was clawing back. He was getting better, there was no denying that. Every throb bruise, every aurora waking up aching was a victory because he was getting better. And that was n't even considering his early toys.

Harry shifted his understructure to rest on the top of a burnt sienna desk in the mansion program library ( there was some adept stuff here, more spells to run with ) when the door creaked open.

'' how-do-you-do Tonks. '' Harry said, without looking up.
*


'' Wotcher Harry. '' He was doing that more than 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 turn like this, canny and brutal as a savage fox. `` What'ya indication ? ``

'' The gentleman 's guide to in force and efficient application of nuisance. '' Harry read calmly off the concealment of the book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'' Sorry Harry. ``

'' Damn. '' Harry sighed and looked like he was going to say something else but just excite his capitulum. `` Never creative thinker. Was there something you wanted or did you just add up to chew the fat ? ``

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

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

'' Remus lupine. ``

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

'' Do you get it on what 's wrong with him ? '' Tonks pulled a feces and sat on the other side of the desk. From this angle Harry resembled a very appraising interviewer. His beaten and chafe steel-capped boots up on one side of meat 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 legal injury with him. '' Harry repeated levelly. `` Apart from the whole fur and fang thing ? ``

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

'' Big matter to ignore. '' Harry interrupted her. `` The fact that he 's a werewolf. ``

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

'' They are in my experience. ``

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

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

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

'' I 'm sorry Tonks, '' Harry held up his paw. `` I know what you 're trying to say. But I 've only ever met one werewolf who has n't tried to pour down me and even he sometimes human action like he wants to. Pardon me for not having a gravid opinion of the coinage. When I meet a werewolf who does n't act like the monster they are inside maybe I 'll think differently. Until then I think my hatred is justified. '' Harry voice was granitic and acuate, and More than a minuscule scary.

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

'' Occupational luck. '' Harry smiled sadly, then shook it off and grinned. `` Sorry, we seem to have gotten sidetracked into a persona moment. What was the master enquiry ? ``

'' Remus ... or prof lupin. Before you came here he was ... different. ``

'' I 've heard. ``

'' He was really funny. ``

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

'' He had lots of these level 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 aware. '' Harry sighed heavily. `` Sorry Tonks, I do n't cogitate I can facilitate you much. He 's always been like this around me. The others tell me he was different around me. Ginny 's in a unlike year and according to her he was a nifty teacher to them. It 's just around me Tonks. It 's just me. ``

'' But why ? ``

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

'' He ... he wo n't tell me. '' Tonks looked at the floor. When she had asked him he had just turned and left the elbow room in the centre of her question. He had n't spoken to her for days. `` I thought you might roll in the hay, or at least have a conjecture. ``

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

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

'' Not the Lupin you know. '' Harry shrugged. `` If nothing else I 'll be gone in another week. He should be back to normal after that. You should take in your big fluffy, funny Lupin back. ``

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

'' stoppage safe Tonks. '' Harry flicked his book of account back open.

'' You too Harry. ``
*


The marauders did n't shoot the train to Hogwarts that class. They were flued into Hogsmeade under an society guard. As they walked up the hanker road to the castle Ginny fell back to where Harry was walking.

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

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

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

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

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

When they walked in the feast had already started. The marauders were forced to chance a absolved segment of mesa with the whole mansion murmuring and pointing.

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

'' flock of parents decided to hold their kids place this yr. '' Parvati said sadly. `` Our parents almost did but well ... ''

'' We convinced them Hogwarts was secure than house. '' Her sister ended for her.

'' Wonder who the new defending team teacher is ? '' Ron gestured with a chicken leg at the discharge place on the teacher 's table. Ron looked down the table. `` Oy ! Dean ! Did they harbinger anything about the new teacher ? ``

'' nix ! '' Came the shouted response. The marauder collectively shrugged, except for Harry who just smiled faintly.

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

'' pupil ! '' Dumbledore stood. The hall quieted down. `` I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, as you may have realized, some of your classmates have decided not to join us. This is of course their option, or that of their parents, and I hope that you treat then no differently if they decide to retort us. Secondly as you know, if you do not live on the moon, the darkness lord has returned. I wish to make both that and this next fact perfectly clear. He can not bruise you here. Behind the walls of Hogwarts you are good. Thirdly, and most happily, we have a new defense teacher. One that, I am sure you will all savor learning from. So I would take in you to join me in saying welcome, or more correctly welcome back, to prof M- ''

'' Yes ! Your orison have been answered ! '' The huge doors to the great hall boomed open. `` 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 like as ever, maybe his hairsbreadth was a little shorter, his tan a little deeper, his blazon more scarred, his leg clad in denim instead of leather and his Stetson replaced with a folded handkerchief. But it was him, plain and in the flesh.

'' I 'm back in the country ! Back in action ! Back in print ! The one, the only MARKUS TRIPPLE M MICHELSON ! '' The blonde behemoth punched the air and the anteroom jumped to their feet in cheer. `` But please ... call me Maximus. No no postponement ... call me professor Maximus. ``
*


Harry dropped out of his window that night after everyone had eventually gone to catch some Z's and made his way down to the rooftops. Finding Michelson 's office was easy, the light was still guttering from the crack under the door. Harry knocked calmly, a instant later the door opened.

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

'' fountainhead I had to recognize the new professor. '' Harry stepped into the authority, it was already all set out. It looked almost exactly the Lapplander as it had three long time ago, with one or two additions. Harry leant to look at a shifting wizard depiction. It showed a huge crowd of people, all but one of them looking African, standing in row like a schoolhouse photo. Sticking out like a sore thumb was Markus Michelson in the tierce row, grinning and jerking his thumb at the thing behind them. Even lying on it 's side it towered over even Markus, spotted and studded with spears and burn cicatrice it looked like a ...

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

'' Took it down with exclusively fourscore six people. '' Michelson nodded smugly. `` New world disk. I got the tail. ``

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

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

'' 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 joint, severely buffeting him. `` crony at weapon 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 depression he 'd rather I did n't teach you ? ``

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

'' Big men like us attract danger. '' Markus said definitely. `` Only way to be safe is to get it on how to await after yourself, and you 're hardly a youngster. Not after what you 've been through. ``

'' My thoughts exactly. ``

'' Well in that railroad train of thought. '' Markus drew his farsighted verge. `` When do you want to bug out ? How 's now ? ``

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



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


I do n't own Harry potter. No one owns Harry ceramicist ! He does not give birth a phone number ! He is a absolve man !



"Mr Potter."

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

"No Mr potter, I would not."

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

"Mr ceramicist where were you last night ?"

"I assume in bed."Harry replied calmly.

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

shucks it. Harry tried not to excise the pick-me-up on his wrist joint. He had been so hoping the malefic eye could protect him from Dumbledore's map.

"Your map must be faulty."Harry grinned.

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

"I didn ‘ t leave."

"Do not lie to me Harry ceramicist !"The whole school day was watching now in rapt attention.

"Getting a little angry prof ?"Harry asked."Maybe your map ... no, maybe your cognition isn ‘ t as concluded as you think."

"I dislike being kept in the dark."

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


"Harry ? Harry ! Ha ... oh he is here."Parvati pointed into the disused attic the marauders had used the previous year. Ginny looked in and saw him calmly chalking something on the level. The vulture wandered in slowly, with Malfoy close behind.

"Hi guys."Harry got to his animal foot and threw a piece of chalk he had been using away."Just getting this place ready, we can use it to develop after lessons."

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

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

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

"The room of requirements ?"

"The what of what ?"Harry shook his drumhead."Nah, just ... somewhere. Anyway look at this."Harry pointed down at the storey. On it there were a telephone number of rectangles, some farsighted, some short, some thin. It looked sort of familiar.

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

"Wh ... why ?"Ron asked.

"Don ‘ t ya see ?"Harry grinned."It ‘ s Dumbledore ‘ s map. It ‘ s 2D you see, birds eye perspective, 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 train 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 moment before answering ...

"Yes."

... and walking on out of the loft. The marauders shared a long look and followed him.
*


Potions passed uneventfully. Harry split his clip between the book on his knee joint and the cauldron in straw man of him meaning that his potion wasn't even near finished. but at to the lowest degree it didn't explode. Charms was next and Harry didn't bother paying attention there either, though in this case it was because he already knew how to give objects annex. He could give them swan wings if he wanted, or giant black leathery ones. When the lesson was over Harry didn't even bother to speak, he just gathered his stuff and rushed back to the attic. Ginny met them on the way.

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

"No."

"But I ‘ m athirst !"

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

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

"Did I ?"Harry froze.

"Well you ‘ re not using it."

"It ‘ s amercement, It ‘ s my pass on anyway."Harry shrugged and wiggled his fingerbreadth as proof.."must have fallen on it or something."

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

"Ferio ! Stupefy !"Harry guess Malfoy's charm out of the air and threw his own a here and now after. The blonde boy shielded and Harry was forced to fudge under his own stunner."Fulgar Fletch !"Harry flicked his sceptre and sent a swarm of sparkling blades flickering through the air towards the momentarily shocked Malfoy.

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

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

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

"Bloody hell !"Harry heard Fred vociferation at the same time as his similitude yelled,"Hornets !"

"Arg ! Ouch !"Harry felt con on every part of out-of-doors flesh. Burning all across his skin like a chemical fire. Another wizard would have been overpowered by the pain, but Harry had felt far far worse."Take this ! Tempesto !"

Wind sprung from the idle 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 adversary. The Slytherin's triumphant grin suddenly turned to fear and trouble as the swarm engulfed him.

"Fin-ow ! Fi- bloody things ! Finite Crabro !"The hornets disappeared and Draco was left disheveled and snarling in the middle of the whirlwind. Harry let it rage for another second before canceling it too. The two combatants stared each former down for a few bit, both pockmarked with insect bite 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 conclusion grip on his sceptre. Wait for it ...

"Confringo !"

"Protego !"Harry's cuticle was up in plenty of time to stuff the curse."Ha ! Nice-"Harry's shield shattered and he was lifted off his feet as his chest exploded in bother. He was thrown backwards and rolled across the pitted and scarred floor. He jerked before he hit the slanted wall and managed to push himself to his substructure. His wand was gone, rolled across the story away from him.

"Damn it ! Damn it ! stupid bloody shell !"

"Are you injured Harry ?"Malfoy called out.

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

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

"I ‘ ve read the theory. I ‘ ve read the pilot report. I ‘ ve read the completely book."Harry grabbed his wand off the floor."I don ‘ t get it. It ‘ s a magic spell, it ‘ s a basic bloody magical spell and I can ‘ t do it right."

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

"Well Voldemort won ‘ t use introductory spells !"Harry punched the floor violently."He ‘ ll use tight, evil, muscular spells."

"You ‘ re right."Malfoy said flatly."He ‘ ll be using the killing hex and it won ‘ t matter if you have the easily cuticle in the man. If you don ‘ t dodge you ‘ re dead."

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

"We can ‘ t."Hermione said automatically.

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

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

"Both of us ?"

"Like, at the same time ?"

"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 floor board by Ron's pes causing him to yelp like a puppy."tie your bloody wands."

In the end they were glad for the out-of-door mise en scene of creatures, although they were the solely ones not wearing coats. Harry eased his ache left hand in a slow circle, it was worth it. It would be worth it. Harry listened with half an ear to the lesson, it was about unicorns. The chances of Voldemort sending an ground forces on unicorns was low to laughable so Harry lidded his oculus and dozed.
*


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

"Oh no."She whispered under her breath.

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

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

"rich person you met Harry ?"

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

"hi Susan."Harry said calmly, then opened his eyes."Is the lesson over ?"

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

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

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

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

"You didn ‘ t write. The totally summer ! You didn ‘ t say good-by 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 girlfriend ? Are we arguing ? Are we breaking up or did you break up with me at the end of last class and just draw a blank to tell me ?"

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

Susan just stood there, her hands lightly clenching the fabric of her gown. Staring into outer space. As the Twins watched she sobbed wetly and drew a hired hand across her eyes before running off towards the nursery, one arm shielding her face from any passer by.

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

"Cruel. Harsh. coldness. 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.

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

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

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


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

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

"He has a funny way of showing it."

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

"He ‘ s wrong !"Parvati insisted emotionally.

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


Snape was awakened in the middle of the Night by glowing silver Light Within. One of the benefit of being an occlumens was total mental command and Snape was awake in an moment. As his eyes flickered clear he groaned inwardly, then thought intimately of it and groaned outwardly.

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

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

Snape was already out the door before the silver raspberry disappeared. He shucked his robe on as he hurried down the corridor. Wait, why was he walking ? Was Harry's safety less of import than not looking stupefied. Snape broke into a run. The audio of his flapping base filled the corridor as he hammered towards the Headmaster's office.

"Slug ice-cream."The gargoyle slid aside and Snape threw himself into the stairwell. The stair began to resurrect, painfully slowly. Snape gasped his breath back as he silently urged them to go faster. Eventually the schoolmaster's door came into perspective and Snape pushed it loose quickly and said,"Albus ! I ‘ m here."

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

Snape blinked in muddiness for a minute, then noticed the report on Dumbledore's desk. He stepped closer and saw that it was an early on copy of the Prophet. This was the hand brake ? Perhaps he was missing something ?
MURDER AFOOT

Dannion LeSang was found stagnant in his dwelling this morning. A window of his penthouse apartment had been shattered, possibly so that the grampus could benefit incoming. Once inside poor Mr LeSang was beaten horribly, with a blunt tool, possibly a table leg. The aurors have cordoned off the area and refused to release any detals but this reporter has discovered that his accidental injury were not what killed him. Oh no he was poisoned ! Poisoned by a toxin that the ministry

HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE !

Is there a psycho orca at loose ? The aurors gave no comment, perhaps because they as yet, know zilch ! Why anyone would require to vote down Mr LeSang is unknown, perhaps an old contender from his long and recognise quidditch career ...


Snape dropped the report in disgust.

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

"Dannion LeSang was a known Death eater."

"I am aware that Dannion LeSang was a decease eater. Do you perhaps remember who informed you that Dannion LeSang was a death eater ? Who gave you the shocking newsworthiness 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 think his destruction is important ?"

"I do not think his destruction involved Harry."

"No order appendage was involved."

"Albus there are masses other than the order who despise death eaters."Snape felt like laughing, and did."People other than Harry as well. Perhaps-"Snape was cut off as the room access to the bureau was flung open again.

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

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

"hi 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 newsprint to Harry."What do you know of this ?"

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

"I know cipher about this."Harry held out the report."May I go now ?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dumbledore leant back, meeting Harry 's centre with his own flinty stare. For a long moment the old sorcerer and the offspring stared each other down across the silent government agency. Snape could almost find the sparking magic as the headmaster tried to force Harry 's thinker unresolved. After a moment Harry snorted and said,

'' Whatever. '' Harry turned and pushed the threshold open. `` Wake me if you have any early unsolved murders you want to pin on a scapegoat. ``

The two instructor stood without speaking as they heard Harry 's footstep echoing away from the stairwell. Even after they had faded to nothing it was a long prison term 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 bear broken a window.
*


'' Mr Potter. ``

Hmmm ...

'' Harry ceramist ! ``

Hmmm ... sleepy.

'' Harry thrower why is it always my class you choose to catch some Z's in ? ``

Dumbledore 's fracture. blame Dumbledore. Wanted to kip ...

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

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

'' You broke my glass. '' Harry reached up to his expression to make sure as shooting his own crank were n't broken then drew his wand and repaired the field glass. He did n't even bed what he was supposed to be turning it into, possibly some kind of squid.

Why a squid ?

We were dreaming about a squid.

That makes no sense.

Shut up.

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

I 'll lobotomize you.

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

She is looking variety of angry.

'' I can bend it into a squid. I swear, just sentry. '' Harry held the glass up sleepily and tapped it with his sceptre. `` Kalamaraki Krasi. ``

The glass split along its top, flipped upside down and scuttled along the desk blowing flatulent house of cards out of a fleshy hump. Harry smiled,

'' See ! I did Ok. ''

'' Harry ... '' McGonagall was staring at the glass squid, which was currently hiding behind a chair 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 trembling knowledge of Greek. `` Well Kalamaraki means squid ... and I think Krasi is some form of vegetable ... ''

'' Harry ... ''

'' Yes ? ``

'' Go back to sleep. ``

Harry gave a fierce two-baser thumbs up as he sank back down to the table.
*


Harry slipped into bed that Nox confident in the knowledge that he had got at least two time of day sleep over the course of the day. He dozed with an warning signal clock under pillow until it sounded and prompted him to shuck his blankets off and tend out of the windowpane. He looked over towards the Headmaster 's tower, the brightness was still on. Harry flicked a brace of binoculars out of his bag and focused in on the faraway window. Dumbledore was staring into a reflective, the silver grey abstemious playing on his run along cheek. He looked timeworn, very tired.

But at to the lowest degree he was n't looking at the map.

Harry slid out onto the wall and confidently let himself fall. The wind whistled thrillingly in his ear as the roofing tile rose up to meet him. A here and now before he hit Harry felt a boisterous tugging around his chest and his depot drop-off slowed to a crawling. His foundation touched primer coat and he flitted off across the roofing tile. Harry reached the window that was his finish and flicked it open with his verge. He dropped through again, trusting his bought legerdemain, and landed lightly in forepart of a sink.

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

'' tinker's dam ! Silencio. '' Harry caught it before it made too much noise and watched as the entrance to the sleeping accommodation of mystery was slowly revealed. Harry lowered himself into the subway and said, `` Cissycis. '' This metre he got it first time and the entrance began closing up as Harry slid off down the chute.

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

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

'' Nicely done Pipsqueak. '' The professor clapped his huge hands. `` But you should hold aimed more, that hex did n't give birth 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 brainpower of yours to infer where I was hiding. ``

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

'' Make metre by moving faster. '' Albert Michelson drew his wand and squared up in the middle of the way. `` Come on lad, time to duel. ``

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

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

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

'' Yes, win. ``

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

'' Not for me. Ewwyiky ! ``

Harry had no estimate what the hell that was so dived for cover, rolling and coming up with his wand trained on his teacher. Somewhere behind Harry there was a loud squelching audio but Harry was already fighting back.

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

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

"Incendio ! Reducto !"Harry aimed the first at Markus and the second at the ceiling far above him."Stupefy !"Harry blasted the spell into Makrus'face and didn't wait 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 base and came to his feet in time to fling the first three spells he could cerebrate off at the name in the essence of the expanding cloud of dust and fire.

The merely admonition Harry got was a flash of red before the spell flashed from the cloud and hit him in the tum, throwing him to the floor.

"Better even than that."Albert Abraham Michelson stepped out of the junk, not a hairsbreadth out of situation."That was good though, inventive. undecomposed put-on with the rock, might have caught a lesser sensation. Again."

Harry forced himself to his fundament and raised his wand. This time he lasted just a few bit before a peach blasted through his hastily raised shield and knocked his Light out. Familiar unconscious mind black held him in it's comforting embrace for a few moments before Markus brought him back.

"That was not as good."

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

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

"Don ‘ t cuticle ?"Harry laughed humorlessly."Just let poppycock hit me ?"

"look kid, you first take this go three year ago."Markus explained."You ‘ ve had to use it luck of metre since then. You ‘ ve practiced. You ‘ ve practiced a lot and it hasn ‘ t got any right. It ‘ s funfair to get into you and the screen charm just don ‘ t go well together. It happens."

"To you ?"

"No. But to other people."

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

"Yes. Use other things."Markus turned and walked back to his starting St. Mark."You know plenty of other way to block spells. wreak to your strengths and use your prodigious imagination."

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

Harry lasted almost a arcminute of tempestuous evasion 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 oath and went down ...

"Again."

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

"Again."

... Floored with a puncher ...

"Again !"

... paralysed ...

"Again !"

... stunned ...

"AGAIN !"

... shocked ...

"AGAIN !"

"This is hopeless."Harry didn't fuss to get up from the floor."I ‘ m not getting any best. 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 arms."At least I wasn ‘ t until now."

"I thought I could get better."

"I think you can get better."

"unit humanity should just give up."Harry held his head in his men."I can ‘ t musical rhythm him."

"Who ? Voldemort ?"Markus Michelson threw up his hands."Well no ! I don ‘ t think I could beat him. I don ‘ t think Dumbledore could flap him. He ‘ s one of the most sinewy bread and butter wizards and has admission to powerfulness comely people don ‘ t feeling. But if what you ‘ ve told me is honest then you ‘ ve got ... what was it ?"

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

"rightfulness. 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 secure odds."Markus smiled and winked. Harry didn't laugh."But seriously, you can instruct to duel. You already know enough to beat any unconstipated whiz hands down."

"Voldemort isn ‘ t a regular wi-"

"I know !"Markus interrupted him angrily."Which is why you need to learn to duel like a original. Which is why you called me. Which is why you should hear to me ! Now ... you need to bring to your long suit. Tell me what you ‘ re good at."

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

"What. Are. You. Good. At ?"Albert Abraham Michelson punctuated each Son 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 good at anything useful."

"Oh for merlin ‘ s sake ! Who are you ?"Markus leant down, his angrily pointing finger barely an inch from Harry's face."Where ‘ s the Harry I met three eld ago ? I don ‘ t see him. Where the hell has he gone ? Where ‘ s the kid who walked this school like he owned the lieu and obeyed teachers on toleration ? Where is that arrogant bastard because he ‘ s the one who can beat Voldemort ! Not the whiney little terror he apparently became ! Well I need him here now ! WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT !"

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

"Right."Albert Abraham Michelson nodded."You ‘ re good at charms. You ‘ re excellent at charms. You ‘ re a bloody savant at charms. If I heard the rumors in the staff room right you built a master quality broom at xiii age old. Out flew a Firebolt."

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

"Harry you ..."Markus A. A. Michelson held his hand to his head and breathed out a prospicient, pall breathing space."Let me try this a different way. You ‘ ve seen a lot of duels right ?"

"Yeah."

"You ‘ ve seen a lot of masses duel."

"Yeah."

"Seen remainder ?"

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

"What differences ? Specifically ?"

"Well ... It's like ... you kind of have .... This is laborious. Can I explain it how I see in in my own head ?"

"Of course."

"You have kind of three types."Harry gestured vaguely."There are the monetary standard dueller, they throw stunners and hexes, mess of shield charms too, and they seem to mostly come out of the Hogwarts defensive measure stratum. Not that that makes them bad. Some are really good, but they all seem to use this one style. This one set of spells."

"Hmm ... and the next type ?"

"destruction eater. They aren ‘ t all even very estimable at fighting. But they use jinx. Unforgivables and stuff. And that makes up for the deficiency of skill."

"And the last eccentric ?"

"The masters."Harry shook his head."I watched some duels on video while I was traveling. intellection I could pick up some point. about of the duelists were group-ones, but some of them ... the best single ... they ‘ re not even in the Saame conference. They move like they ‘ re weapons. They don ‘ t chuck sweetheart around, about of the 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 departure 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 primal concept of dueling. One of the things that make people group threes. The eruditeness curve is huge, there ‘ s a compass point when you just suit beyond everyone else. When you stop dueling with dueling spells and start dueling with everything. Do you have sex what the other difference is ?"

"No."

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

"A ... whoremonger ?"

"look at Dumbledore, he uses transfiguration. By the end of a scrap with Dumbledore you ‘ re not just fighting him, you ‘ re fighting the rampart, room access, roof and floor. Plus anything else he can twist into a moving, thinking weapon system against you. Voldemort ? Well he uses dark magic, knit 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 enemies have never heard of. The finally dustup of a surprising number of my opponents was ‘ What the Hades is that ?'”

Harry chuckled, but Markus wasn't finished.

"Dee Finsbury, the current world champion duelist is also a champion illusionist. Your own prof Flitwick dueled for England, you think he threw around stunners ? And you ? Well you can do charms. rightfulness ?"

"Yeah."Harry nodded."Yes."

"Say it."

"Yes I can do charms."

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

I'm on the floor ? Harry looked around. Oh yeah, he was. Harry pushed himself to his feet with renewed zip. He gripped his wand and turned towards his teacher. Use appeal ? Well he would leave it a shooter. What should he use ? Albert Michelson appeared to be just waiting to see what he would do. Well, he'd have to do something ...

"Engorgio !"Harry aimed, not at Markus, but at the flagstones and saw his teacher misstep as the rock puffed up like a muffin."Reducto !"Harry blew the Harlan Fiske Stone to smithereens.

Markus righted himself easily and flicked his baton. Harry blanched as a mammoth fireball was sent rocketing towards him. Harry swallowed, time for risks.

"Ardor-Algidus !"Harry yelled and stood his soil as the the pits passed over him. He caught a glance of Markus'shocked face as he emerged whole on the early face before he aimed and fired."Confringo ! Ferio ! Stubefy !"The surprisal attack forced the teacher onto the defensive attitude, shielding desperately. A moment later he brought up a shining silver gray sphere. Harry's spells bounded off like thole off a frying pan, sending echoes all over the vast chamber. Michelson looked out appreciatively from the safe of the sphere.

"What was that Pipsqueak ?"

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

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

"sod !"Harry dived for screening as the phantom erupted with movement. Giant leathery bm. Harry dashed behind a pillar as the bats flung themselves through the air towards him. They were Brobdingnagian, wings at least a beat wide of the mark, with Brobdingnagian Fang."Incendio !"Harry waved a fiery swath through the bat but more just materialized to replace them.

"Jupitall !"

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

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

Harry called a wall of wind and threw it against the leathery creatures, swatting them out of the sky and crashing them into the far bulwark of the chamber. Michelson didn't give him any respite though and responded with a punishing waterfall that appeared out of nowhere above Harry. Harry felt a stab of old terror, but the veneration only made him mean faster.

"Arefacio !"The drouth charm 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 him.

"Depulso !"Harry flicked his wand, spinning the orb of dead body back away from him and bowled it back to crack against the Professors shield sphere. Harry wasn't going to let up now."Diffindo !"The tour scratched against the shield to no effect, screeching like a violin."Reducto !"Albert Abraham Michelson wasn't even knocked backwards as shell once again absorbed the magical spell with a brassy Federal Reserve note. Harry gripped his wand angrily, cipher he had could break this sodding ash grey shield.

Wait ... maybe he didn't have to !

"Motus !"Harry aimed squarely at the center of the silver ball and twisted. It vibrated like a bell and filled the bedroom with ringing. Harry twisted further and the audio intensified. Inside his gurgle Albert Michelson clutched his ears. Harry found the resonance and squirm harder, the sound outside the shield was deafening, inside it must take in been excruciating. Markus threw his arm out violently and Harry had to fling himself sideways as the screaming shield cannonballed past times him."Ferio !"Harry threw a hex at the staggering Michelson that he just caught with a buffet. Harry kept up the outpouring in a rush of gloat ! He was winning !

"KhaNDana !"

The bolt came from nowhere. Slicing out of the dark too fast for him to react. Harry was thrown to the ground, electric discharge raging down every arterial blood vessel and turning him into a scream battery of nuisance. Harry felt his verge torn from his unresisting hand and at cobbler's last managed to blank is mind to the pain. He waited in the dark for it to fall back. When he at last opened his optic Michelson was staring down at him. The huge ace put his wand to first one ear then the other, muttering something, then whipped away the blood that had ran from both of them with a sleeve.

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



Review now or you will come to subterfuge and be let light into a domain full of hulk purple bear sand trap. Also total of bears. The bears will be capable to obviate the bear traps, you will not.


I do n't own Harry potter. Neither have I seen him recently. If you have any data as to his whereabouts please phone. He is out in the cold without any food and we think his dog collar may let come off. He 's Joseph Black and ovalbumin with Black paw and he 's missing a little bit of his ear. He also answers to the public figure of Scraps. He likes tuna.






Severus Snape landed lightly on the scrubland and looked about him. This would have been a monumentally abandon plaza if not for the removed brightness level of a muggle road in the valley far below. Snape walked over to the gathering of black mask figures standing near the edge of the cliff. Snape counted faces, Barty Crouch was still absent. What was the task that man had been set ? It disturbed Snape greatly that he did not know. It made him inquire if perhaps others of the dark figures did, if perhaps he was missing something.

One figure was apart from the others, right at the edge. The figure stood with his book binding to them, his long robe streaming out to the side in the harsh Nox wind. He seemed to be looking down at the road, and at the further lights of a town.

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

'' Severus. '' The dark Godhead turned at finally from the cliff. `` You have come at finally. I was forced to wait. I dislike waiting. ``

'' My apologies Lord. '' Snape bowed deeply. `` I could not arouse suspicion about why I was going. I was forced to sacrifice stop number for rubber. I am sorry. ``

'' And where were you. '' Voldemort continued, his vocalisation terrifyingly light. `` 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 top ? `` There was an order confluence. ``

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

'' No my noble. They continue to guard the department of mysteries, Dumbledore still fears to run. null has changed. ``

'' Well, '' The dark Godhead smiled thinly. `` That at least is good news. ``

He does not have a go at it where I was. Snape kept his face perfectly unemotional. He suspects ... he strongly suspects but he does not know. He values me, he values me as a spy in the society. That is why I am still alive, because on the of-chance that I have not betrayed him I am valuable. He will obliterate me. He will vote out me soon but until then I must rest a spy. I am valuable.

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

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

"honey Barty is none of your concern."The dark lord replied, in the conversational timbre that was so very much worse than ira."His task is going well. Is yours Severus ?"

"Alas no master. I apologize."Snape hung his head."I am afraid there is simply no way to adapt polyjuice potion to give up a human to turn non-human."

"I dislike loser Severus."

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

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

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

'' On to the confluence, we began without you Severus. I hope you don ‘ t judgement. '' The nighttime lord turned back towards the cliff and Snape had to try to hear him over the wind. `` We were discussing an assassination. ``

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

'' No. '' The dark lord cut him off. `` Not toxicant. I intend her expiry to be more than graphic than that. An deterrent example. ``

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

'' A prominent physique in the department of whodunit. '' Voldemort half turned back towards Snape. `` A Miss Natalie Zhao. Do you eff her ? ``

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

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

'' I did my overlord. '' I begged her not to make me assure him. She said it would n't matter. aught connected them. `` If I may ask, why have you decided she must die. ``

'' She is the daughter of a squib, in a salient stance in the ministry. A travesty. ``

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

'' Your lord has decided she should die is that not enough for you Severus ? '' The dark lord smiled from the astuteness of his soulless, piercing heart. `` Does her Death ... difficulty you ? ``

'' Of class not my noble. She is the child of bad line of descent, of course she must be killed. '' Snape bowed and stepped backward. `` I will make certain that Dumbledore and the early ordination members at Hogwarts are distracted. ``

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

'' virtually prudent my lord. '' Snape nodded, furiously trying to churn his mental capacity and find some solution to the trouble. He could not think, it was as if grim tendrils and fibrous blackness vines were choking his usually stark 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 even ? ``

'' Yes my lord. ``

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

'' No my Jehovah. ``

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


Snape walked calmly along the hanker track to the great doors of Hogwarts using all the effect of will he had not to break into a run. The watchers were no doubt already in topographic point, at the edge of the forest beyond the wards. As were the aggressor probably, in his mind he could already see them apparating into the dark streets around Natalie 's flat. He ached to run but could n't. It was suffering, caught in range that did n't even exist. An anchor in his mind.

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

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

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

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

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

'' Severus calm down. You will ask to explicate. ``

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

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

'' Not if we move now ! ``

'' To move confirms his suspiciousness of you. And it would do no good. The multitude watching you no doubt have orders to kill you if you try to give. No substance can reach her. Yes, yes he had truly outmanoeuvre us. ``

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

'' You can not make 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 ! hook to wedge you to reveal your honest allegiance. It is a psychometric test, if you fail we lose our spy. If you pass however you will be his most trusted servant. ``

'' Passing means the expiry of Natalie ! ``

'' Not necessarily. '' Dumbledore was obviously trying to be soothing. `` She is an carry out fighter. She could break loose or- ''

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

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

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

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

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


Natalie Zhao turned the page idly on the report she was reading and yawned. There was too a lot to do. She flicked it closed and clicked the lights out before rolling over and dropping the pamphlet onto her bedside tabular array. Perhaps all the problem would just magically have gone away when she got up tomorrow. It was unlikely though.

Natalie burrowed deeper into her pillow and closed her eyes. The world was falling apart, not even ambition could provide respite for long.

A floorboard creaking.

Natalie 's eye flickered open up in a moment. Was it just her neighbor downstairs ? She reached for her wand and silently checked her wards. She hissed as she realized they were in tatters and rolled off the bed. Her hand moved towards the light shift then thought better of it, it might let them recognize they had seen her. She slid towards her sleeping room doorway and looked out through the keyhole just as the door at the other end of the corridor was pushed open air slowly. Revealing a drape figure.

Natalie slid back silently. She tried to apparate away, not really expecting it to work. No, they had a Montgomery Ward up. They would have blocked the flue as well. The but way she was getting out was through the breast door, which meant through them.

They would chequer the way along the dormitory first, she perhaps had a minute.
*


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

He had been locked up for good. Until the dark lord had given him a second opportunity. A hazard to come back society again, to be useful again. He was only one-half parentage but he had just enough brains to never mention that to anyone. When the nighttime Godhead had explained what needed to be done to this bint he had stepped forward instantly. It was right up his alley, he might even earn the mark if he succeeded. Then he 'd really be set.

He touched the door curl with his thumb. Warded, what else ? He turned and pointed into the rabble behind him at a hunched figure, then pointed back at the door. The man shuffled forward, he had been a damn good curse breakers until he was caught skimming a cut off the top. He was just lucky the ministry caught him before the goblin did.

brake drum waited in silence as the tiny man clicked and hummed in front end of the door. A few minutes later the bane breaker pushed the door open. barrel stepped into the apartment and looked around professionally. It was set out fairly regular. Kitchen that way ... empty. drum waved two hombre towards the back room and ignored it. This topographic point was like a catalogue, everything was in its place except for the books and papers strewn across the deep brown tabular array. Well, that and the three aquarium near the vertebral column. Not wide-cut of weewee. Some form of reptile. Some kind of incense in the air, some new age garbage.

brake drum shrugged, not an upshot. The bedroom would either be at the end of the second door down on the left wing. That was how these buildings were built. membranophone stepped down the corridor and pushed the threshold on the left field open. Boxes. Down the hall then. He looked behind him, the other criminals were hanging back. Pathetic. The iniquity lord had grabbed everyone who would stand up straight with no esteem for experience. Not that he was criticizing, at least he would get to the full credit for the kill.

Drum breathed in deeply. Smelled like vanilla, it was very strong. Someone had once told him that smell was the solid trigger for memory. He certainly remembered that muggle miss every time he smelled cut skunk. Perhaps from now on vanilla would recall in his head, reminding him of Natalie Zhao. The woman who made him the favored assassin of the colored lord.

He made his way towards the shoemaker's last door. He raised his verge, fumbled it and caught it again. He shook his head. Had to last out focused. He reached the threshold and pushed it undefendable. iniquity, he stepped up to the bed. He had n't used the killing curse before, but he had no doubt he could make it work. He raised his baton, aiming at the lump in the covers. His baton was shaking, he grabbed it with both hands. What was wrongly with him ? metal drum shook his head word, the sceptre was still shaking.

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

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

'' You did n't close down it. '' Drum looked up, his eyes already drooping. The female child was standing there, arms crossed.

'' Doped us. '' Drum mumbled through asleep brim. `` Incense ... Vanilla ... ``

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

Wo n't tell you you bitch.

'' twenty dollar bill ? ``

What !

'' Where are there ? ``

Ice cold bitch queen.

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

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

'' I can try. ``
*


Natalie stunned the swarthy wizard and pushed his body in movement of the door. How long before the others checked on him ?

The door handle rattled. That long.

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

Confringo ! She said the spell silently and angled her verge sharply down. The room access exploded outwards, the force of the blowup channeled down the hallway. She saw three organic structure flying away from her and dashed out after them.

"Cruci-"

Natalie whirled on the caster. No time for magic spell, she found his center, pushed in like a dagger and found the off switch in his mentality. He folded like a creature with the chain cut. She heard a cry behind her and protegoed so harshly that the circle edges of her shield forced the paries out like crumpling paper. She turned and saw the hooded man dodging his own spell and threw her own, striking him in the chest.

That was the one in the flat done.

She rushed to the door but it had been torn off its hinges. A dark-skinned figure reared from the stairwell. Natalie had her wand up in a moment but before she could cast the man grabbed his chest and fell to the story. Natalie crept close, blood on his chest. somebody had hit him with a puncture curse.

She threw herself to the side. They must consume been shooting from the early construction outside. Aiming blind through the curtains. Aiming at her. Well that put climbing out the windowpane out of the characterization. She crouched and made her way towards the stairwell. She glanced between the slats and pulled her caput back as a greenness flash obliterated the wooden handrail where she had been.

Time to set off storm them.

Natalie aimed at out into the middle of the stairway. A glint of her wand and a orchis of glowing light appeared. Another flick and a spiraling spear of light shot down the stairs like a rogue pyrotechnic. She twisted and the ball dropped slowly, like a balloon, spitting exploding spears in every counselling and shrinkage as it fell.

That should keep them busy.

She dashed down the stairs and took out another strong-armer as he desperately tried to duck the multi-fire. Natalie had to jump over a man lying prone on the indorsement story, a dupe of the fireworks. A spell shattered the tiles near her articulatio humeri and she threw up a shield against the next one. Where were they coming from ?

Damnit ! Two above her, one below. They must have hid in the side corridors. She aimed her wand up at the two firers and vanished the floor under them. One of them dropped like a stone, the former was fast enough to seize the border of the pickle. But that just made him an easy objective to get picked off. Natalie spun to acquire out the guy below her but he was already down. profligate on him, and pooling on the trading floor. Another victim of the cackshots outside.

There were still ten men outside. Natalie reached the ground floor and took a deep breathing spell. They would be spread out all around her construction to stop her escaping. What was her respectable bet to make it ? The back entrance ? It led onto an alley, gentle for them to parry or ascertain. The presence was no question a deathtrap, she'd be hit from every incline before she got two steps. There was a terra firma floor window out into the car car park ... wizards tended to push aside gondola. She didn't have one but surely some combination of spells could convince one to start. It was her topper shot.

Natalie can polish a incline corridor and found the window, she peered out. No one visible, but they could be hidden among the automobile. She slid the window spread out and climbed out uncomfortably, breathing hard. Strangely her theme pushing desk job didn't keep open her in very good shape. She fell down between two cars and turned towards one of them. She was about to charm the lock chamber when she felt a tail capitulation on her.

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

Bad idea. Natalie turned and looked up into the pocked expression above her. Into his oculus ... He fell with a heavy, rag-doll clunk and Natalie grabbed his wand.

"Ere what was that ?"

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

"She ‘ s ‘ ere ! She got Poxx !"

Natalie heard more running feet and tried to slink away along the edge of the wall. She reached the corner, no where to go. If she tried to make for the passing they'd see her for for certain. She pushed at the apparation ward again but it was no good. They had extended it beyond the building itself. How far would they ingest pulled it ? To cover the whole cylinder block would have got been impossible. Could she just run for the border ?

They were searching the lot. They were getting closer. Natalie looked up under the penny-pinching car. At least five couple of metrical foot within well-to-do sight. The entree was close-fitting, she might urinate it. With a distraction.

She looked carefully out over the back 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 piece silently. The car's alarm sounded like a claxon in the Night air.

"What the bally ‘ ell is that !"

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

"Now missy round round prissy and slow."She rolled over and tried to satisfy the man standing in battlefront of her's middle."Nah, don ‘ t try any of that."He broke eye inter-group communication 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 clump of wizard surrounding her."Me and the lads worked laborious. I recon we deserve a reward."

"I assume your God Almighty will supply that."Natalie said, her heart desperately flicking around for a way out.

"I was thinking you might."The social movement man sneered and the others drew in closer. Natalie could see the greed of years in prison flickering bright in their optic."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 mouth, there was a trickle of blood coming out of the corner. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he fell to the flooring. His bloke stared at him. After a silent here and now one of them stepped forward and knelt down future to him. The man reached out and touched the fallen criminals back.

"It ‘ s blood. He ‘ s dead. He- Aaa !"The neck of the kneeling man exploded, showering them with origin. The felon jumped back in shock. Natalie grabbed her wand and threw herself backwards, rolling as she hit the ground. She had stunned one of the wizards while they were still in shock and had turned her verge on another when her mystery Jesus of Nazareth revealed himself. She had to pass on it to him, he knew how to build an entrance.

He dropped from the top of another building, his robe billowing behind him as he fell straight into the centre of the wizards. He landed on one of them and rolled, a benighted frame in his hand coming up. Another criminal was thrown back and landed wetly on the floor. The warrior looked up at her but she couldn't capture his face in the dark. He nodded to her. She nodded back, and they turned on the rest of the bastards.

It was the unusual fight Natalie had ever been involved in. Strange for it's silence. Whatever weapon the unknown man was using it made no sound as it fired and she tended to wander non verbally. The criminals yelled their turn but they were in such disarray they were mostly throwing desperate sweetheart at each former. former than those there was only the sound of footsteps, rapid-fire like a dance, and the occasional spray of parentage. A dumb battle at midnight, underneath stuttering streetlamps. Natalie's breathing space was hot in her ears by the sentence 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 send 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 eyes wandered south and he glanced away."Um you ‘ re going to have to have a change of wardrobe if you want to have any kind of intelligent conversation."

"Why ?"

"Well, long narrative short you ‘ re still wearing a night-robe and the earth you were just rolling around on is quite damp."

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

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


Carting bodies up to her directly had been a surreal experience. She had healed the 1 that could be healed before stunning them into a coma. In the end they had two slew, sixteen active and four dead. She did n't doubt that without champion medical specialty the count would have been a lot higher.

And here she was, sitting by her coffee tabular array staring at lined up, stunned, outlaw who ten minute of arc ago had been trying to kill her, drinking tea with the boy-who-lived.

"Do you have any cookie ?"

"What ?"

"I missed dinner."

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

"Don ‘ t worry about it."Harry shrugged."The biscuits more than make up for it."

"You shot them."Natalie's thought's were still a little disjoint and she was trying to fill in the while."With a gun."

"turn would have warned Voldemort I was there."Harry shrugged."By now I bet they have soul watching the underage charming detector. I tried to shoot their arms mostly."He added almost to himself.

Natalie decided not to notice, instead she asked.

"How did you even know to come here ?"

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

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

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

"Easy, snuck into the forest."Harry shrugged."The people that got sent to observe Snape were all, big surprise, watching Snape. substance I could luxate by undetected. After that I dashed for the wall, climbed it easy, the ward doesn ‘ t keep in humans. Legged it to Hogsmeade and broke into a cottage to use the flue. I didn ‘ t want anyone to know I ‘ d gone through there, that was why I didn ‘ t use one of the pubs."

Natalie didn't speak as Harry finished his narration. She looked over at the deal of criminals, then back at Harry. Her brain, unencumbered by worry, was making the calculations 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 lot."Are you thinking of taking a page out of my rule book ?"

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

"Snape flip and you can hole up at chez Malfoy. One job, They ‘ ll remember the truth."Harry pointed out, jabbing a quarter round 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 phone off the counter."Goldie will be able-bodied to help oneself with that."

"Voldemort ‘ s soundly at Legillimancy."

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

"Wait a min ..."Harry's eyebrow furrowed."You ‘ re phone is working ?"

"Of course."

"So why did I just come apart out of school and move the length of the commonwealth to save you ?"Harry threw his script 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 ikon ! All incorrect !"

"Revenge."Natalie grinned, then found the file visiting card she was looking for and grew serious."Listen Harry you should go back. I can deal things from here, and it ‘ ll be comfortable 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 very much jeopardy of being seen by one of the looker. Instead he dozed on a workbench and slipped back in around sunrise. He attended breakfast purely to pimp coffee berry in prominent sum of money and managed to get through his first few lesson somehow. During lunch break he dragged his sleepy work down to the dungeon and found the right office. He pushed the door receptive without knocking.

"What is the meaning of thi ... Potter."Snape deflated, his face 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 tell me everything you know about Barty Crouch."
*


As soon as Harry's foundation touched the floor he knew it was a dream. Before him the cottage at Godrics Hollow rose above his capitulum. Looking so ... convention. Nothing to speak to it's momentous grandness. It could stimulate been any one of thousands of mansion, there were others that could be its Gemini dotted down the street. zilch particular, and yet it repelled him.

Harry felt his pelt creeping. The house was ... wrong ... somehow. Harry turned and dashed down the street, passing trees and hedges. He dashed with no upkeep and caught his substructure on a pavement Harlan Stone, sending him sprawling to the story. As he got to his metrical foot he felt grass under his ft. He was back on the front lawn. The cottage was right in front of him.

He could try the river in his ears, raging in the distance. Harry scratched at his pelt, it was all wrong. Harry felt nausea grow in the pit of his stomach. Oh wait ... that wasn't role of the dream.

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


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

'' I 'm amercement. '' Came the tone down reply.

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

'' I said I 'm amercement. '' Harry jerked the threshold outdoors, the blacken bags under his eyes even more seeable than usual against his viridity and ailing skin.

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

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

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

"I SAID I ‘ M fine !"Harry whirled on his Ron."I was demented. For some reason. Some unknown and unimportant cause. 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 remnant when we go to creatures."

"fountainhead then let ‘ s go to wight. I ‘ m hungry."Harry threw his bag over his shoulder joint and made for the room access, his top dog drooping.

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

More sleep, and more bruise-remover.
*


Ginny looked up as Harry pushed the door to the noggin open.

"magic spell finished early ?"Harry asked as the marauders trouped in behind him.

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

"You can already summon an elephant."Harry dropped his bag on the table."Skip the succeeding few lessons."

"The rest of us can ‘ t get away with skipping example Harry."Hermione said from behind Harry."Some of us aren ‘ t the boy-who-lived. Some of us-"

"Some of us realize the senselessness of being taught what we already know."Harry stepped into the middle of the attic."Alright, this metre everyone except Draco. All of the marauders."

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

"I'm sure, I ‘ m fine. Nothing a little employment won ‘ t cure."Harry shed his robe as the predator drew into a band around him. Ginny could see Malfoy settling down to watch, like it was a bloody show.

"Ready."Padma called out.

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

"Stubefy !"Ginny threw out her verge but Harry was already moving, sliding under her slam like a serpent. His sceptre came up towards her. She shielded, Harry flicked to the position and Neville went down in a flash of red light.

The twins jumped forward like mirrors of each other but a glossy beam clicked between them and slammed them together like conkers. Harry whirled like a dancer and a veil of smoke surrounded him. The marauders began firing into the cloud, careful not to hit each other as the smasher flew out the former side of meat. The piranha slowed and eventually stopped.

"Do you think we got him ?"Ron asked shakily.

"Should have counted the stunners."Padma muttered."Did anyone see if one didn ‘ t come out ?"

Padma's question was answered as her scepter was jerked out of her hand and flew into the lightlessness. An array of stunner followed it. All came back out.

"nooky this."Ginny waved her baton."Depulso smoke."The inkiness cloud flew away and dissipated into the dusty air. Revealing nothing. The floor was empty.

"Where the hell is-"Ginny felt a weight strike her shoulders and a stabbing pain sensation. As she collapsed she saw boots flash in front of her human face and red brightness flashing all around. Her shoulder was like a burning knife.

"HOLD !"Someone yelled."I said postponement !"

The flashing lights stopped and she felt unassailable hands rolling her over carefully. Malfoy's face came into perspective, 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 center squeezed shut. Her arm was hanging like a piece of gist, hanging off her shoulder. The marauders began crowding around. Ginny found Harry's eyes, he was unreadable. As always. His center 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 Madam Pomfrey."Hermione reached forward.

"No."Draco shook his head."Two marauders, one injured, leads back to Harry. I ‘ ll consider her. We can pass it off as an inter-house thing."Draco put his arm under her expert articulatio humeri and lifted her gently, carrying her away.
*


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

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

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

"Really ? You sure ? We could check her wrist."Harry rolled his eyes."I don ‘ t know what your mother would be more angry about, the hate crimes or the tattoo !"

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

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

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

"I have really hurt her."Harry said harshly."I ‘ ve had broken bones. It hurts. It hurts a lot. It also hurts a lot less than what would happen if a end eater caught her."

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

"Yes ! I was !"Harry kicked a chairwoman against the bulwark angrily."I ‘ m helping everyone ! Why doesn ‘ t everyone get that ! Why are the bulk of the mass I ‘ m trying to save doing their practiced to jockey with me !"

The vulture jumped back. The shadow in the Attic made Harry's face a gonzo masquerade. He was shaking like a leaf, breathing hard.

"Why are multitude doing this."He shook his head, his custody going to his synagogue."Even people who know what we have to do are trying to stop us. Even citizenry 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 affaire d'honneur in before the end of lunch."

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

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

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

"semen on !"Harry clapped like some mad 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 require !"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 mind Harry, are we your friends or are we your ... your ground forces !"

"You giving me the choice."Harry stepped up right into Hermione's aspect."You giving me that pick. I have a dark genius after me that I ‘ m fated to crusade. I have the keen, no scratch that, the two outstanding wizards in the world hating me. One trying to pour down me. One trying to keep me a captive. I have everything against me. So I choose a bloody army.'Cos I need a all-fired 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 moral, walked, went to meal. But Harry was never with them. He still attended lectures to keep the teachers off his cover, but every other second seemed to be spent in that attic. Plus wherever he snuck out to at night.

Draco was with him sometimes, walking silently behind him along the corridor. visible bruising made it clear that he hadn't stopped helping Harry. Ginny caught him alone one dawning 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 optic. At least there was some emotion there, even if it mostly seemed to be ruefulness."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."Dragon looked away."But here we know what ‘ s coming. You know. There ‘ s no way we can keep him out of Voldemort ‘ s path. There's no keeping him prophylactic you understand, the prophecy ensures that. He will present Voldemort. He will oppose him. So a little ego end now is worth it if he survives that encounter. Wouldn't you say Ginerva ?"

"Don ‘ t round this on me."Ginny shook her headspring."And don ‘ t try to stool what you ‘ re doing any kind of nobleman. It ‘ s not."

"Of course I ‘ m noble. I ‘ m a Malfoy."Draco hung his top dog, then looked up to suffer her eyes. sorrow was back, regret was definitely back."Look Ginerva I know everything you ‘ re saying is avowedly. But I don ‘ t hump how else to avail 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 desire for is that he kills Voldemort before he kills himself."

And external Hogwarts the wizarding world slowly fell to pieces. As Christmas crawled tight and the nights grew tenacious there was no joy among the magical hoi polloi. It just mean there were more wickedness hours for the decease feeder to track down in. One night a dark mark was raised right in the middle of Manchester. The bureau passed it off as a hot air balloon. The I in the country did n't have to be explained away, the ministry just had to clean up after. When they even bothered to do that.

Contrary to popular belief the non-white minute is not before dawn. It 's in the eye of the bloody night.
*


Harry closed the oracle with a hard sigh and dropped it on the ground beside him. Things were only getting unsound out there. The order was n't doing anything, big surprisal there. Barty Crouch was still missing from death eater meetings, apparently with Voldemort's wide support. The dark animal ? No one knew a thing about them.

No one seemed to know anything.

Harry stretched his legs out and felt the ripples of the lake against his bare skin, sending back ripples of goosebumps to equalize. Not all to do with the cold. It was good though. He should make sure he could bring off H2O if he had to. might have to fight in it one day.

'' A dark state of personal business. ``

Harry tensed as the part 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 hair in his little neat moustache was anything other than white. He looked like a adjourn instructor More than anything else, one of the old schooltime unity. He even had the patched tweed jacket.

Oh god was that a organ pipe in his pocket ?

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

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

'' Oh come on. '' Harry chuckled and shook his question. `` terzetto things : One, I do n't drink tea. I drink java, in large quantities. Two : You do n't sustain any tea. Three : Even if you had a flask I would n't be able to drink it. '' Harry reached out and waved his hand directly through the old mans leg. It passed through without even a tingle.

'' Very practiced Mr ceramist. '' The old man sat down cross legged next to him. `` How could you recite ? ``

'' There are certain preindication. '' And I 'm certainly not telling him them. `` Who the Hell are you ? ``

'' My gens is James I. '' Harry stiffened at those words. The old man laughed. `` No not that Henry James. Honestly Mr potter there are more hoi polloi called James in this humankind than your beginner. ``

'' Probably not your veridical figure anyway. '' Harry snorted.

'' I 've never seen a need to hold back my first name. One of the welfare of having a nice traditional figure like St. James or King John or Harry. '' James smiled and took a little puff on his pipe. `` Of course if you wish to have a go at it my last public figure we shall take a job. ``

'' I do n't give a bull what your hold out public figure is. '' Harry shrugged. `` How are you doing this ? Some sort of fantasy ? ``

'' Astral forcing out. '' Epistle of James said professionally. `` It 's really quite useful. ``

'' I 've read about it. '' Harry crossed his limb and stared calculatingly at the man next to him. `` It requires extensive planning and a circle of at least three thaumaturge. What you came to recite me is worth all that ? ``

'' Very good Mr Pott- ''

'' Stop saying that. '' Harry cut him off. `` Just speak your slice. ``

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

'' Is he from the ministry of slaphappy names ? ``

'' How droll. '' James pulled a piece of paper from his crownwork and held it out for Harry to see. Harry grabbed a piece of parchment out of his bag to jot down the name and address then took a slight more time reading the rest of the profile.

'' Half blood, respected appendage of the Wizengamot, respecter writer, married to a muggle, outspoken critic of the current minister. Two kids at Hogwarts. His last rule book was a love write up, between a pure rip and a muggle. '' Harry laughed wryly. `` Jesus, did someone just take a big piece of play-doh and mould it into a target for the demise eater ? ``

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

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

'' I know he is. '' St. James the Apostle tapped a particular date on the report. `` Tomorrow Nox. ``

'' Oh come on. ``

'' He has been repeated warned but he refused to accept a protective detail. He says it would trench on his concealment. Foolish And he will die for it. A beloved family man is going to die if you do n't save him. ``

'' bruiser. You save him. You obviously have imagination. ``

'' I, or more accurately the grouping I represent. Do have the resourcefulness. '' James smiled. Harry did n't like that grin, it had weird astuteness. James continued, `` Our governance also dislikes Voldemort. He is troublesome to our study. But unfortunately for Mr Baker, Voldemort is only an irritation to us therefore it is not worth enough to us to save him. We do not motivate in the same circles as Voldemort you see, so he does not cave in us too much trouble. We would favor if he were gone though. It would reach matter light. ``

'' So help him. ``

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

'' appearance off. '' Harry murmured.

Of track he realized it could be a lying in wait. In fact it almost certainly was a gob. Harry considered. Except that Conterrando Baker was a real somebody. The story, after a petty checking of back prophet exit, checked out. Harry even found the tiddler in Ginny 's year. Hufflepuffs, twins, nice in a sort of boring Hufflepuff form of way. Both penis of the gobstones club. Both with significantly less ridiculous names than their father.

commodity fry. Good father too ...

'' sodomist. '' Harry dropped the prophet on the table. `` I 'm going to have to do something heroic are n't I. ``

Looks that way.

'' Do I give birth 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 snare you know. ``

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

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

loony like a fox.

'' Like a fox. ``
*


So it came to top that Harry slid down into the sleeping room of enigma that night wearing the most singularly un-heroic piece of vesture in history.

A pair of waders.

'' Bloody winter. '' Harry shivered as he crawled through the tiny crack in the wall through which he had entered the sleeping accommodation all those twelvemonth ago. It was smaller than he remembered.

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

Of course this would be easier if Dumbledore had n't strengthened the Hogwarts wards to the point in time where not even insects could exceed through. This was the lone way out.

Harry 's musical passage through the catacombs was unerring. utmost meter he 'd been here he 'd wandered aimlessly, lost. footling lost boy ... But he was n't the Lapplander mortal he 'd been then. Harry sighed and walked on through the darkness to his destination.
*


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

star sign twenty six. Harry slowed to a point a blocking away from the tall white building. In the heart of the terraced-row of equally magniloquent blank edifice. Expensive they might be, individual they were not.

All the sparkle seemed to be off. Mr Baker was probably asleep. No one outside, no one obvious anyway.

Hello ...

Up on the ceiling. Darkness made into matte made into nightmare. Someone was waiting up there, trying to stay inconspicuous against the skyline.

Harry cursed then darted down an alley. Movement in the front one thousand, it might have been a discarded newspaper. Then again it might not.

human being shape ! Second level, standing near the bed ! Harry 's hands found a drainpipe and he catapulted himself up. There were two more on the bed, cowering in awe. The standing figure raised his scepter. Harry swung with all his strength and crashed through the window.

'' What the hellhole ! ``

Harry tackled the dying eater to the level and stunned him. He rushed to the door and bolted it, pushing a chair under the handle. The others would have heard the windowpane break.

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

'' Do you make out Dumbledore ? '' Harry asked quickly, looking over at the two in the bed.

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

'' goodness go to him. Get out through the book binding. '' Harry pointed at the broken windowpane. The room access thumped violently and Harry turned back towards it. Three others. Not unspoilt. `` GO ! ``

'' What about you ? '' Mrs baker asked as her married man 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 halt long. These were n't felon, these were actual expiry eaters. Duelist radical 2. 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 rattling tryout. Lets see how I do.

I really hope one of them is Crouch ... Harry grinned in trigger-happy 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 hoi polloi fleeing down the backstreet, visible in the gaps between houses. They did n't matter.

His knarrled fingers clenched. It looked like the boy had beat him to these ones. He would n't be able to defeat tonight. Would n't be able-bodied to hurt them, pretend them pay. attain the other one, the Snake one, the one who took everything pay.

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

The end ... the end ...

Vengeance. That was a good word.

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

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


'' heat up ! ``

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

'' Get the netherworld up Weasley ! ``

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

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

'' What ? Of trend not. He 's your adept Quaker 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. ``

'' Well he 's not. '' Ron gestured around. `` seem the bed 's not even catch some Z's in. And how 'd you get the password anyway ? ``

'' Something 's damage. ``

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

'' Right. Two hours past when Harry said he 'd touch me. '' Malfoy was gritting his tooth, 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. ``

'' Library. ``

'' Checked. ``

'' Down by the lake ? ``

'' Checked. ``

'' The forest ? Around the edge- ''

'' Checked. ``

'' Oh. '' Ron bit his lip. `` He 's probably, I do n't know. Probably training tardy and just passed out tired. Even you had to notice he was tired. ``

'' Surprised you did. '' Malfoy turned for the room access. `` Get your friend and help look. ``

'' We 're not your frie- ''

'' But you were Harry's ! '' Malfoy turned angrily. `` And he could be in trouble, or pain, or dying, right now ! I know you do n't like him any more but unless you hate him enough to like him absolutely get the hell up and help me look ! ``
*


Ron woke the predator. The piranha roused the students. myrtle called the ghosts. Hermione ran to McGonagall. McGonagall went to Dumbledore.

The total castling like an anthill kicked into turmoil 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 hall 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 marauders mostly picked at their food for thought. No one felt like eating. Not even Ron. Suddenly the door burst open.

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

The hall emptied like a fire had started. Every student of every firm piled through the giant replicate door. Jostling and pushing against each early, and against instructor, to get through. They spilled out onto the front lawn like a wave, breaking and separating. Everyone was running for the chief gate. Ginny saw Hagrid, out in front, yell something and the gate creaked open. Everyone pushed through, trying to get a glimpse of the recluse digit trudging up the itinerary towards them.

The front man runners stopped and were almost bowled over as the the great unwashed behind them ran into their rachis. The road down from the gates was slanted, so everyone could see. See the figure that was definitely Harry.

His robe hung off one berm, the rest period torn and trailing behind him. The whole left face of his face was covered in profligate, down onto his shoulders too, caked on and streaked. One of his boots was gone, Merlin only knew where. His remaining arm had an ugly sunburn over the human elbow, red and raw and calamitous in the middle.

The full of Hogwarts stared at him. Harry raised his head painfully.

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


'' Mr Potter where were you ? ``

You know where.

'' William Tell me ! ``

He knows where. Of form he does. dullard Dumbledore.

'' Were you at the baker mansion house Harry ? ``

There we are.

'' How did you leave schoolhouse grounds ? ``

You do n't ask to know that.

'' Harry answer me ! ``

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

'' I want the truth ! '' Dumbledore was yelling, every portrait on the walls of his role watched in muteness. Apart from them the room was void. `` I want you to tell me where you went ! Where you go every Night ! I want answers ! ``

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

Rather incongruent seeing as we just asked him.

'' Harry if there is a breach in the Mrs. Humphrey Ward of Hogwarts I need to know about it. ``

damn. He might actually be right. Voldemort certain as hell knew about the chamber.

'' sleeping room of mystery. '' Harry met the Headmasters gaze but gave nothing away. His occlumency was getting better too. `` Remember ? There 's a enactment that lets out on the side of the lake. ``

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

'' But it slipped your mind when you were shoring up the wards. ``

'' I ... no- ''

'' You 're not a god Dumbledore. '' Harry broke in. `` You ca n't do everything. You are incapable. You make fault. It does n't hold to be this way between us, admit you made a misapprehension with regard to me. I can avail you fight. help the order. ``

'' You are not of age. ``

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

'' There are also five bushed decease feeder. ``

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

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

'' Dead. '' Dumbledore 's face grew stony. `` Killed with an mysterious toxin. Seen only once before. ``

No ... no no no no.

'' Dumbledore- ''

'' halt ! '' The master cut him off. `` You have already demonstrated a bloodlust that disturbs normal, the right way wizards. ``

'' When I need to ! '' Harry was breathing hard. `` When my acquaintance lives are at stake ! ``

'' You are out of control Harry. ``

'' I did n't kill them. '' Harry held up his hand. `` I did n't, I swear. I stunned them, then left, then called the aurors to blame them up. ``

'' I can not conceive that Harry, I can not. Not with all I know. ``

'' Legilimence me. '' Harry released his defensive structure. `` You 'll see. You 'll know. ``

'' I will not fuck. I will not know because I can not be surely that you have not reached a level of proficiency at occlumency where you could shew me whatever fabricated storage you wish to. ``

'' THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT ! ``

'' ira Harry ? You have a lot of wrath do n't you. ``

Yes. Harry hung his drumhead tiredly. There is no answer to your doubt. Nothing that will satisfy you.

'' You will rest confined to the castle. '' Dumbledore ordered. `` You will look all example. A guardian appointed by me will walk you to and from each lesson. You will do these things or I will hand you to the aurors. ``

'' I did n't do it. '' Harry whispered, more than to himself than anything else.

'' I can not drive that risk of exposure. ``

hold ! The divination !

'' The prophecy. '' Harry blurted. `` What are we going to- ''

'' Stop thinking about such affair. '' Dumbledore cut him off. `` They are no longer your business. ``

'' But I have to stop Voldemort. I 'm the merely one who can. ``

'' This discussion is over Harry. leave. ``

Harry stood. There was no compass 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 stubbornness would n't let him leave without one go word.

'' You 're making a error. '' Harry said over his shoulder. `` You do make them think back. ``

'' I do. But I correct them. '' Dumbledore said sharply, but sadly. `` I am correcting one right now. ``

shucks. He still got the live word.

Harry turned and passed out of the office. There were significant decision to be made.
*


'' Deja vu. '' A voice said over Ron 's shoulder.

'' Malfoy ! '' Ron spun on his work bench. `` Do you just filch around everywhere ? ``

'' Hard to mouse in the middle of lunch. '' Malfoy seemed agitated. `` Harry 's gone again. ``

'' Like this morning ? '' Hermione asked.

'' He said he was going to go to sleep, but his bag 's gone. '' As Malfoy spoke they heard a dissonance from the high up table.

Dumbledore had just shoved his professorship back roughly and strode quickly from the hall.

'' He knows about- '' Ron began but stopped as a feathery tincture dropped onto the table.

excavator cocked his head teacher and hopped about a slight nervously. He kept looking at commencement one typeface then another as if he did n't know who to deport his substance 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 upkeep of him






followup, or I will use my gravemetric inversion ray to blast the moon down onto the aerofoil of the dry land ! Destroying it utterly ! You have just one hr ! Mru Ha Ha Ha Ha ! Ha. Ha.


Arg ! The site goes down ! rabies everywhere ! thing descent apart, the centerfield can not hold ! My reviews ! ! ! My precious brushup ! ! !

Ah well ... such is life.



'' Is there no news ? ``

'' No Albus, there is not. '' Minerva shook her head. `` He appears to receive vanished. ``

'' Has a watch been set on the borderline ? All mode that he could exit the nation ? ``

'' Yes Albus. '' As if that had ever stopped Harry. `` But do you really think he will try to leave ? Everything we 've seen suggests he will stay and fight. ``

'' I do not cognise Minerva. '' Albus shook his forefront. `` I am not sure of anything anymore. ``

'' Stay strong Albus. The rescript needs you. ``

'' Yes ... yes we must go on. ``
*


The predator, bundled up against the coldness, sat quietly before a immense bay window in Malfoy manor. They had gone there straight from Hogwarts, with a safety device the entire way. They were in the nonage for leaving, a lot of pupil had elected to stay put at Hogwarts for Xmas. It was safer. They were not the lonesome unity there though, Terry and Anne Baker ( none of the marauders had really known them ) had been dragged along looking confused.

That was until they reached the house and had a dolorous reunion with their parents. Apparently someone had saved them from the demise feeder. emphasis on someone.

The manor was filling up, loads of people. Refugees almost, people that had been targeted or were in danger of being. It was scary, seeing the fear in their eyes, the notion of being hunted. The vulture were the same, unable to go away, 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 mansion, unable to pull up stakes its paries as snow blanketed everything outside. Even if they could have gone outside would they have had the core to play ? Maybe, maybe not. So they sat in front of the immense overt windowpane and watched it fall.

The adults had tried to build it cheery, there was even a tree. It had n't worked though.

'' We should go have lunch. '' Someone murmured. No one moved. Eventually soul else echoed the sentiment and they began to get up, slowly, silently. They had just about reached the kitchen when Tonks burst in.

'' Have you heard the news ? '' She blurted.

'' We read the prophet- '' Hermione began before Tonks interrupted her.

'' No, no. This just happened. '' She shook her head. `` Two Death eaters 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 tree room. '' Ginny pointed and Tonks hurried out.

'' Do you think it was Harry ? '' Neville asked quietly.

'' Of course it was Harry. '' Malfoy said flatly.

'' It could deliver been someone else, someone else trying to discontinue them. ``

'' Someone who tied them up like presents and dumped them Christmas eve ? It 's Harry. '' Padma grimaced. `` He 's out there fighting. ``

'' On his own. '' Her sister echoed.

They sat in silence for a spell. The entirely strait was Ron rhythmically munching on bread.

'' Do you call back it was us ? '' Ginny found herself whispering. `` Do you opine 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 pound the Slytherin. `` If you had n't he would n't have thought he could oppose them ! ``

'' He was getting help from early home than me. Someone else I 'm sure, he was getting better too truehearted. '' Malfoy shook his head. `` No, I withdraw what I said before. You did n't fight him towards this. This was inevitable. ``

But we abandoned him. Ginny thought darkly. Maybe if he would possess stayed long if he thought he had something to appease 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 ... poor fish matter about choosing between- ''

'' It was n't you. '' Ron broke in. `` You heard Malfoy, it was inevitable. ``

'' We need to do something. '' Parvati said. `` Bring him back. Tell him it 's ok. ''

'' How ? '' Draco shook his head. `` Take out a personal ad in the Prophet ? ``

'' Well why not ? ``

'' Because it 's ridiculous. And because all it would do is gruntle your guilt. It would n't avail him. ``

'' Well what would help him ! '' Fred asked angrily.

'' I do n't know ! '' Dragon shot to his metrical unit. `` Why are you asking me anyway ? I do n't even like you. '' He turned and stalked out of the way. Ginny watched him go. She 'd never thought about it before but Harry leaving had probably hit him pretty hard too. He did n't really own any other acquaintance. Maybe that had been why he helped Harry for so long.

'' We need to do something. '' Anapurna repeated again.

'' What babe ? What ? '' Padma frowned at her sister darkly. `` Do n't just sustain saying 'do something'and expect everyone else to come up with something. ``

'' I do n't discover you coming up with anything ! ``

'' There 's cypher we can do ! ``

They lapsed into an angry silence again. There was too much accent, too little rest. They were all at the end of their tethers. Just like Harry had been. Ginny shook her head, they should have gone easier on him. A fiddling selfish part of her felt glad that she had not been part of that firstly line of reasoning with him. Another piece blamed her for starting it. If she had just dodged he would n't accept hurt her shoulder joint and then they would n't have ...

It was unpointed to consider about it. The argument had happened, but a piffling part of her still irked. They should n't ingest 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 interpreter spying in the middle. 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 care. marauder rules ...

'' HEY ! '' The table jumped as Ginny slammed down on it hard. The piranha started like rabbits. Oh with child, now everyone was looking at her. She stood, keeping her hired man vapid 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 US Army ! We can be it. We can help oneself him ! ``

For a few moments there was secretiveness, then ...

'' But ... but we 're just Thomas Kid. '' 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 like him. '' Ron was staring at her wildly.

'' Harry learnt, so we can. '' Ginny folded her arms. `` Harry was n't even that unspoiled at defence mechanism and look how far he 's do. We can do it. ``

'' We could ... '' Fred murmured, and is similitude began nodding thoughtfully.

'' There are only eight of us. '' Hermione pointed out.

'' I think other people in the school would be prepared to help Harry if we told them. The old chosen ... others too. '' Ginny tried to wait confident. `` And besides, Harry 's just one mortal ! ``

'' But Harry 's Harry ! '' Hermione shook her head. `` He could get away with that sort of matter ! He has some ... ability ... some reason he survived. A world power ! That 's it ! Like the prophecy said .'A business leader the iniquity lord knows not'we- ''

'' The only superpower Harry ever displayed was stubbornness. '' Padma interrupted her. `` bullheadedness and fearlessness. ``

'' And the fact that he never gave up. '' Her sister added.

'' And we should n't either. '' Padma nodded.

'' So you ... '' Ginny turned to them grinning.

'' We 're in. '' Padma said, her eyes toilsome and determined. Her sis nodded her support.

'' Us too. '' George IV folded his weapon system just as his brother said,

'' We ca n't give up on Harry. ``

'' And you three ? '' Ginny turned to the lowest three undecided marauders. Neville shifted nervously,

'' I ... It could have been me. '' He was looking down at the table. `` It could have been me. I would n't have survived this farseeing. No ... but I ca n't just ignore it. The fact that it could consume been me I mean. I ... I feel like I have to help if I can. ``

'' You 're in ? ``

'' I do n't know how a lot help I 'll be. ``

'' You saved me. '' Ginny smiled desperately. All the marauders had to join, it was like fate. For some reason she felt like that. If they all did n't join it just would n't work. `` And Harry would possess wanted it. ``

'' He understood you. '' Padma chimed in, smiling. `` Sir Thomas More than the eternal sleep of us I think. ``

'' I 'll facilitate, if I can. '' Neville said, in a minor articulation. Ginny breathed out in relief, one down two to go ...

'' And you two ? ``

Hermione and Ron shared a flavor. Ginny knew she could tease her comrade into it, Ron was a sponge for compeer pressure, but she would n't. Not a pick like this.

'' We 'll stimulate to miss some example. '' Ron said suddenly and Hermione put a hand over her rima oris, chuckling. `` Think you can manage 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 vocalization came out of nowhere. Ginny spun and fixed on the declamatory doubling doors. Standing in the give crack were two Brown haired kid. terry and Anne bread maker. They had been listening in, eavesdropping. And they had managed to do it undetected. Wow, Ginny thought. They 've already got what it takes to be a marauder.

'' What ? '' Ron stood, clearly ineffectual to see them properly from where he was. `` You two ? ``

'' We heard what you were saying. '' Anne said, obviously trying to voice sr.. Ginny wondered if she had looked like that a few present moment ago. `` We want to help too. ``

'' Harry saved our parents. '' Dame Alice Ellen Terry added in. `` The ministry did n't even experience 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 feeder. Maybe dying, almost certainly getting hurt. This is n't going to be fun. ``

'' We know that. '' Terry nodded. `` You think we do n't get laid ? We saw Harry when he came back that morn just like the relaxation of you. That 's the variety of stuff you 're talking about right ? Well that night he was out saving our parents. Saving them was what hurt him so bad, so its ... like I do n't cognise. Only fair, 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 inclination. ``

'' We know what were getting ourselves into. '' Terry said defiantly. `` We want to bring together Harry 's US Army. ``

'' Harry 's United States Army ? '' George snorted. `` Is that what we 're calling ourselves ? ``

'' I do n't like 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 marauders. '' Ginny overrode him. `` We 've always been the marauders we always will be. It 's what Harry would induce wanted. ``

A murmur of accord went up from around the board and Ginny felt a surge of pride. She beckoned the baker twins over. As she did she suddenly realized something, she had made everybody smell at her and they were still looking. Her brothers had happily accepted her tether, they all had. And now she was about to ordain two new marauder, 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 train properly ? Harry had a instructor, he had to. Where are we going to get one ? ``

'' I can reckon of someone. ``
*


'' Dragon ! ``

Draco turned in shock to take care at the crowd in the library doorway.

'' Yes ? '' He looked across them. `` Can I help you ? ``

'' We 've decided what we 're going to do. '' Ginerva said from the front. `` We 're forming an regular army. We 're going to agitate for Harry. We want your help. ``

The library was mute for a bit. Draco met the eyes of each of the marauder, were they really serious ? Legillimancy gave him the answer.

'' wellspring would you attend at that. '' Dragon murmured, then smiled. `` Lets get to it. ``
*


'' You realize this means the vulture now have members in every Hogwarts planetary house. '' George V commented as they walked down to Harry 's old training cellar.

'' We do n't hold any Ravenclaws. '' Ron said. Hermione shook her pass irritably.

'' You would think you 'd remember Ron, after all the fourth dimension she 's saved our skins. ``

'' Who ? ``

'' Moaning Myrtle. ``

'' She does n't bet. '' Ron said with say-so before being clipped around the ear by Ginny.

"Watch your mouth. Harry wouldn't bandstand for that variety of talk."

"Besides, you ‘ re all haywire anyway."Draco said dryly from the front."Harry made myself and Tonks marauders at the end of last year. You ‘ ve been cross-house for months now."

"Why didn ‘ t you tell us ?"Ron asked him.

"Would it have made a difference ?"

"well ... maybe."Ron shrugged."Marauders have different rules than ordinary people."

"Yeah, that part I got."Malfoy reached the door to the root cellar and threw it open. It was exactly how they had left it. Huge piles of check article of furniture and burn marks on the walls."right wing, well we don ‘ t have impact spheres or a siswai ‘ aman or muggle gonnes-"

"Guns."Hermione corrected.

"Them either."genus Draco stepped into the center of the elbow room."Actually I do have some impact sector but that ‘ s not the point. We don ‘ t have time to go to four continents and piece up the effective weapons system like Harry did, so I ‘ m going to focus on this ..."Malfoy drew his wand and held it out in front of him.

"Terry, Anne."Ginny turned to the two newest appendage."How are you at defence mechanism class ?"

"We ‘ re both getting Es."Anne said quickly.

"Marauders should lie with how to lie undecomposed than that."

"Alright As."

"Lapp as Harry go year."Ginny told them encouragingly."Hermione ? Can you bestow them up to zip real quick ?"

"I ... I guess so."

"Good."Ginny turned back to genus Draco and nodded. He smiled at her as he directed the others into dueling crease. Her abdomen did a short floaty lurch.

Just strain. She told herself. Just stress because we're joining a war. cancel to be nervous, especially since they seem to have elected me drawing card. I'm not nervous for any early cause. No grounds at all.
*


Neville collapsed into a hot seat in his room. He ached everywhere. Malfoy had pushed them all day, fighting. They had only quit for the night when the Baker tike couldn't stand up any more than. Neville hadn't been far behind them.

This must hold been what it was like for Harry.

Neville shook his head, 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 quiet on the sidelines maybe he saw more. Saw more about hoi polloi ... 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 tell ` people, especially if he was wrong. It'd just wee him look stupid. It probably wouldn't aid anyway. But it was worth a shot.

Neville drew a bit of paper towards him and grabbed a quill. He chewed on the end nervously, how did you set about a message like this ?

Dear ... No, to familiar. Neville shook his point, it didn't matter what words he used. He should just get the affair written. He cracked his play out knucks and started again.

To The Pythea

My public figure 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 surd 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 missive might get intercepted by someone.

If the idiom ‘ as the seventh month dies'means anything to you then you know why he's doing this. I don't know if you can assist him but if you can then please do, and assure us what we can do to help. We're already doing everything we can but it may not be enough.

Neville read the missive over nervously. He was writing to ask the help of one of the most mightily women in the humankind. He signed it, his helping hand shaking plenty to make the signature illegible, then squeaked his death chair back and made for the owlery.

Digger was alive and waiting, like he knew. The owl didn't even bother to look at the address, it just glanced at the epithet and took off. Neville watched it go, hoping ...
*


He got no reply over Christmas. The marauders opened present with aching clappers while their parents watched before begging out and going back down to the root cellar. Neville was surprised that the Baker nestling didn't complain about being worked on Christmastime day. Perhaps they really did understand what they were in for.

snowfall kept falling intermittently, not enough to cover the ground again. It just ended up slush. Neville wondered if Harry was outside, dusty, right now, then felt stupefied. If Harry could get weird dark weaponry out of the blue then he could keep 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 wand. `` Just a second. ``

We 're doing what we can Harry, just you wait.
*


Harry crouched on the ceiling of a house, thrifty not to slip on the wet roofing tile. The theatre across the way was owned by a prominent member of a pure blood mob. Not his main house obviously, pokey little plaza like this, but one of his properties.

A belongings with a large cellar. A property that had been taking in large supply of meat, bad meat too. Off swing, the form you would give animals.

It was a lead. Harry smiled grimly, he was on to them. He could wait here all dark ...
*


"Severus the children at central office keep disappearing during the day. Do you know where they're going ?

"I do not Albus."Technically dead on target though any sensible person could guess.

"Do you suppose 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 hall, meeting the eyes of the four order penis. Snape, McGonagall, Tonks and Helen Wills. They had all been asked here. None of them knew why. `` I believe I have found Harry. ``

'' Are you sure ? '' Minerva rose to her feet, jolt evident on her face. `` How ? ``

'' Harry has been too trusting of Gringots. '' Dumbledore drew a thin folder of lambskin towards him. `` He forgets that they have human employees as well as goblin single. I have managed to obtain records of Harry 's transactions. I believe I have pinpointed his location. ``

'' So why have n't you brought the poor boy back ? ``

'' Because Harry will make an expiration strategy. '' Dumbledore shook his head. `` If he sees me he will run, and I can not ensure I will be capable to catch him. You are the order members I believe he will desire. You must come near him. You must work him back. ``

And what if I do n't wish him back. Snape was careful to shield his idea utterly. What if I merely wish to make certain he 's safe.

'' This is the location. '' Dumbledore floated a sheet 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 trading floor ? It 's a dead end. No way out. ``

'' The boy 's smarter than that. '' Alastor agreed as the four of them reached the stairwell of the muggle building. It was not vacant, indeed Snape could get a line tone down vocalization and clicking from adjacent rooms, but the top level was closed for renovation.

'' Perhaps Dumbledore was wrongly then. '' Was that a hint of hope in the voice of the young auror ?

'' More potential Harry has a broomstick up there. '' Minerva snapped.

Harry would not have a broomstick. Snape shook his caput but said nothing out loud. He is more in all likelihood to have a pet dragon up there than a broomstick.

'' Quiet. '' Helen Newington Wills was up ahead, his thaumaturgy eye scanning above them. The old auror cursed. `` Damn malign eye ! There 's bags up there, and report. But I ca n't differentiate if there 's a person. ``

'' Let me see. '' Minerva slinked into her cat variety and carefully padded up the steps. Then came back down, her center twinkling. She transformed back and said, `` Harry has been here. His odour is everywhere. ``

'' Do you bonk if he is there now ? '' Snape asked.

'' He is there. The perfume is too recent for him not to be. ``

'' Then we go in. '' Moody stalked forward. `` No wand seeable, do n't spook him. ``

They walked up the desolate concrete stairs. The door was closed and covered by a plastic sail. Snape was reaching out to cut it aside when they all heard,

'' Do n't inconvenience, I 've cut a slit in the one cycle the side. '' The four order members stopped numb. The voice continued. `` And if you want a more dramatic command, you are Moody, Snape, McGonagall and Tonks. ``

'' Harry ? '' Tonks asked loudly. `` Is that you ? ``

'' Did I not make that clear-cut ? '' The spokesperson said cheerily. `` cum in if you want. With your hired hand up if you please, we do n't need any surprises."

"You don ‘ t corporate trust us ?"Tonks asked.

"constant vigilance."Harry replied.

Snape chuckled as he dropped his wand in his pocket and walked around the corner. There indeed was a disruption in the plastic drapery, it was waving in the cold wind. 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 cutis picket. Did he look regretful than when he left Hogwarts ? Yes. He most certainly did, there was no denying. It could not just be tiredness, it could not. He seemed happier though, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Harry."Snape greeted him as the other purchase order extremity filed in behind him."It is good to see you. You are looking well."

"No I ‘ m not."Harry was watching them all closely."But I ‘ m surviving. How did you find out 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 lend you back."

"And are you going to ?"

"We just want to talk to you Harry."McGonagall stepped forward, her hands spread peacefully."It is not safe for you out here."

"It ‘ s not secure anywhere."Harry shrugged."And I ‘ m helping out here. I ‘ m fighting the death eaters. What are you doing ? Looking for a lost child ? Let me ask you, which of us is doing the more useful task ?"

"Potter don ‘ t be an idiot."Helen Wills growled."You may suffer caught a few death eaters but it ‘ s only a matter of time before you ‘ re caught and you better pray it ‘ s by Dumbledore and not the dark noble. If you die we all lose."

"If I fail we all lose."Harry shifted closer to the window.

"Harry, we ‘ re just trying to facilitate 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 windowpane and dropped.

"No !"McGonagall yelled, snatching for her wand but Moody was faster. The old auror summoned Harry roughly, drawing him across the base and disarmed him with a flick of the wrist.

"Son of a bitch."Harry tried to stand but Moody jabbed his wand and Harry was pushed back to the ground."Trusted you ..."

"Sorry Potter."Moody growled."Trusted you too. You pissed on that when you killed five men didn ‘ t need to be killed."

"That's not true."

"The part about killing them or the division about not needing to ?"

"To be dependable, both."Harry made a lunge for the door but McGonagall stepped in front of him. Harry cringed, then tried to stand."This is pointless. If you bring me back to Hogwarts Dumbledore ‘ ll keep me prisoner, we all lose."

"I trust Dumbledore to a greater extent than I trust you right now."Moody raised his baton."You disappointed me. Now Stup-"

"Stop !"Snape struck sideways, sending Helen Newington Wills's wand sideways. As the auror 's optic jerked open in shock Snape stunned him and whirled, holding his wand on McGonagall."Don ‘ t relocation Minerva. In fact back away."

"Severus what is this ?"Her eye were panoptic in disbelief.

"Please don ‘ t talk."Snape glanced at Tonks standing twitchily in the corner, her hand hovering over her wand."And you ? Do I need to stupefy you too ?"

"I ... no."The young auror's eyes flickered down to Harry."Take attention of yourself Harry. Please. Please do."

"I ‘ ll try."Harry nodded, walking over and grabbing his wand."And I won ‘ t use Gringots any more."The boy started for the window.

"Harry !"Snape called out."Helen Newington Wills caught you. You let your hold down. You have to be better than that."

"I know. I screwed up. Constant Vigilance."Harry nodded towards Helen Wills Moody."You should tell him that too when he wakes up."

"He will probably pop me first."Snape shrugged.

"Not likely."Harry stepped up the sharpness."He ‘ ll probably trustingness you now."

Harry grinned and dropped off the edge.

Snape waited a long moment, long enough for Harry to attain the soil, then lowered his wand. McGonagall just looked at him. No pupil with late preparation had endured so withering a stare.

"fountainhead Severus, now that you have betrayed the order, what do you intend to do now ?"

"I will go back to Dumbledore."Snape stepped over to arouse up Moody."And I will try to explain."

The auror blinked to life and grabbed his sceptre. He levered himself to his metrical unit and looked Snape up and down with his piercing electric Amytal eye.

"wellspring well, your lawful colors at last."Dwight Lyman Moody spat.

"Trelawney once told me my color was picket fuchsia."Snape commented as he made for the threshold."If I ‘ m display that people of colour you may want to get your eye checked."

"My eye ‘ s fine."

"good, then I ‘ ll sports meeting you at Headquarters."Snape apparated away, the cold pressure abysm of void giving him a moment of peace treaty before he dropped to his invertebrate foot in front of the doors. Three tonic behind him told him the other order members had followed.

"Don ‘ t do that again you slime."Moody growled, wand out."If you try to apparate again I ‘ ll assume you ‘ re trying to escape."

Snape took three dance step, into the grand hall.

"There."Snape raised his hired man."Now I can ‘ t escape."

"I don ‘ t trust you."Moody shook his heading."impart me your wand."

"No."Snape turned towards the master entrance hall and walked calmly. Surprisingly he felt calm air, 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 totally rules of order was there, lining the rampart. Dumbledore had called a meeting, to discuss Harry being back. Snape stopped, his weapon system crossed and the three following him walked past tense into the way. Tonks was still quiet, fading into the gang, her whisker unconsciously turning silent brown. Moody and Minerva walked straight up to the foreland of the table.

"You failed to overtake Harry ?"Dumbledore clearly suspected something. He was using the stare that used to pierce Snape to the soul, now it just made his optic itch."What went wrong Severus ?"

"I decided that majuscule goodness 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 bunch,

Why ?

I am tired of leashes.

You aren't finished are you. It wasn't a question.

I am not. I mean Dumbledore to know I am no longer ... tame.

wellspring this should be fun.

Snape couldn't assistant but smile.

"You think this is shady 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 time you have gone too far."

Oh good, if you're going to be this predictable this will go far easier. Snape just smiled.

"Do you have zippo to say !"

"No. I have nothing to say."Snape kept his voice irritatingly cool"The only account I have you will not have. And I can not formulate one you will because you I do not fuck what you want."

"I want someone I can trust !"

"No you do not. You trust no one. You never have. Not with any secret Charles Frederick Worth knowing. You are a shut organisation, no one is told anything."Snape glanced around the office at the other monastic 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 happen like that."None of these people know anything do they."

"I am speak-"

"You ‘ d think that would devil them."Snape continued."You ‘ d think one of them would vex about you."

"Be soundless !"

"Each of them thought another had your ear. Minerva thought Lupin, lupin thought Moody perhaps. I don ‘ t know who Moody thought. But none of them did, none of them know."

"secretiveness !"

"No man is an island."Snape smiled, after all these days 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 take heed. You can ‘ t not."Snape shook his head."Something has frozen you. That is what you do isn ‘ t it ? You shrink, like a turtle. dorsum into your shell."

"And what is my shell ?"Dumbledore growled with uncontained fad and frustration.

"Your past. Your reputation."Snape sniffed."The cobbler's last war, your glory days. Ha ha ... you have retreated into repetition and now ? Now you are paralyzed by it. We are not fighting this war, we are reliving it."

"You have made it clear what you think about-"

"Shut up."Dead quiet. Snape folded his arms, grinning faintly. Behaving like Harry was fun."I am talking now and you will listen. You are paralyzed by something. Guilt I would guess. I don ‘ t know of row, no one knows, but I would ... well ... safely assume that it is guilt. Everyone is motivated by something, we each have something that makes us ... tick. You have guilt, great swirling consortium of it. In every pore of you, in every aspect of your mind. It ‘ s been there since the first sentence I ever saw you, I didn ‘ t recognize it then of row, but it was there. By the time I came to work for you I was old enough to agnize it. Something in your past, in your pose too, filling you with a festering remorse. And it just gets forged and worse, makes you doubt yourself, makes you think you are never worthy. Makes you turn down the position of government minister for magic. Over and over again. I know what made you like this, you think I would operate for you and not investigate your past tense. You know I am more careful than that. You must have known that I knew. You must throw known that I had found out about Kendra."

Dumbledore froze, every tendon tensed. Snape breathed a sigh of substitute in his head. He had not known for surely, not until that present moment. He still didn't know really, not what had happened in that room. That mystery would probably be taken to the Steffi Graf of the men concerned. No matter, Snape could gloss over the details.

"It was there in the inaugural war."Snape continued, his harsh voice the solely sound in the tamp Granville Stanley Hall."Back then it was ... helpful. It made you heedful. It made you weak but ... it made you careful. I do not understand what has happened since then, perhaps it is as Harry says and you are simply gaga, but it is worse now Previously guilt made you measured, sensible. Now it makes you useless. Useless and broken. You are no longer the famous Albus Dumbledore, you are a fractured 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 have been ? You don ‘ t have another sister ..."

"SILENC-"

"Legilimens !"
*


Darkness falling, falling everywhere. My fault, always my fault. I shouldn't have put him there, no right I had no right. I condemned him, his death. My one boot. failure. No. Must be done. Hope. decease. nonstarter. Truth shrouded so deeply. So trench it hurts. The truth would better 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 brain away, shaking. He fell to his human knee on the floor, the revulsion, the confusion, filling him. Dumbledore had fallen too, back into his chair. The old human race face twisted in pure torture. To keep a truth locked inside for nine years only to have it roughly ripped from you ? It must have felt like his heart had been torn out. Snape shook his head, it could not be true, it couldn't be. But behind the glowering mutterings of Dumbledore's mind, behind the aching remorse the real memories hid. He had pushed them deep, as if trying to draw a blank them but they were there. They were impossible to forget. Snape knew he never would. The magnitude of what the old man had done hit him and he doubled over, vomiting onto the frigid stone floor.

He felt hands on his shoulder. Natalie. He reached up for one and grasped it, holding on to something real as parts of his cosmos fell apart. He tried to stand and observe he needed Natalie's help to jump to his fundament. His legs felt like water, his feet like led. He tried to make his mouth work, 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 child !"

"It ... was necessary."Dumbledore's voice was barely a murmur, a faint rustle 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 rumble."No. No it was not. Not even you believe that."

"We needed-"

"BE SILENT !"Snape snapped, the headmaster cringed back as if struck."I am leaving Dumbledore. I am going to avail Harry. To find oneself him and help oneself him, and you will let me. You have no right hand to have 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 enigma. For treating Harry the way you do because of something that was none of his doing. Something that was done to him. You ... you are a monster. One that has nothing to do with the moon."Snape turned away and hobbled from the way, leaning heavily on the belittled charwoman beside him.

"Severus !"Dumbledore called after him, suddenly sounding scared."You will separate 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 affectionateness felt like it had a grand tiny lure in it, each one attached to a weight.

"Severus ?"Natalie murmured beside him."You need to go home, I ‘ ll take you-"

"No. Not home base. Hogwarts."Snape shook his fountainhead."Hogwarts first."

"Alright."She didn't argue, she knew when his brain was made up. There was a curtly, sharp bell and the woman he was leaning on had blond pilus and pale snowy skin. Of course of study, she was supposed to be bushed. Trust her to remember point even at a clock time like this. They stepped outside the boundary of the Ward and apparated, the cold and pressing void once more envelopment him.

He stepped out himself onto the grass before the gates and allowed himself to be led up the long itinerary to the rook. Corridors passed and Snape realized he was being led to his fourth. good. The walls are warded so no one will listen. As they reached the door Snape pushed it open up and went directly to the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a whiskey and drunk it down, wincing at the tan in his throat.

"spectre Vinca minor Henderson."Snape called out softly. Ghosts could always hear their public figure. A few moments later the shadowy shape of Moaning Vinca minor sunk out of the ceiling.

"Why did you call me ?"She asked impudently."I don ‘ t response to you."

"I called you because the house elves report to Dumbledore as do the other ghosts. I need these words to be private."Snape snapped quickly."I need you to bring prof Michelson down here and I need you to enjoin no one."

"You can't ordination me ar-"

"It is about Harry."

"Oh. Oh ..."Myrtle nodded fervently and shot back up through the Harlan 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 keep to yourself. After all Dumbledore-"

"Was wrong."Snape cut her off."And I will narrate you. If zilch else I need your help to relieve oneself gumption of it."Snape took a oceanic abyss breathing space and began explaining. He could experience just given her the memories but he didn't want her to get the seismic disturbance he had. It didn't actually convey that long to explain, in the end it was so simple. When he was finished she just sat there, staring at him. As if willing him to jump up and yell ‘ fooled you ! ’, but knowing he would not.

"This ... this changes everything."She said breathlessly.

"It changes nothing."Snape gritted his teeth."We still need to help Harry."

"You ‘ re right, we still do. But it changes everything else Severus. Everything else. You can not abnegate that it does."

"No. No I can not."

They fell into silence as the threshold was pushed exposed. Markus Michelson strode in, looking around the small way quickly.

"The ghost said this was about Harry."He said, still glancing around as if Harry would take shape from a counter."Do you have intercourse where he is ?"

"No, but I have ... I have left the decree to search for him. To help him with what he is trying to do. If I can."Snape fixed the former man in the eye."I know you ‘ ve been teaching him. I would appreciate your help."

"wellspring finally !"A. A. Michelson threw up his subdivision."I was beginning to think I was the only one in this place with my head on straight."

"You are not far wrong."Snape shrugged.

"So what does this realize us ?"Natalie smiled."The ordination of the Kneasle ?"

"The order of the Nundu more like."Michelson cracked his knuckles.

"You know, I think it makes us marauders."Snape smiled faintly."Jesse James Potter must be spinning in his grave."



Half of my critical review seem to give birth disappeared ... very sad ... : (

You all have to review twice now to take a shit up for it. If you do leave a review then a pansy will chit-chat you while you sleep and sprinkle pouf junk on you. The fairy dust won't do magic or let you fly or anything but it'll be very pretty.


Harry Potter and the Changeling Child : Chapter 5 : The dark market place

Harry travels to find information.




This reporter has some shocking newsworthiness. News that will strike you, dependable referee, to your very core. Harry thrower has been declared a dangerous 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 deaths and possibly more !

Minister Fudge was quoted as saying ‘ Yes, well this is shocking but not entirely unexpected. Just flavor at his actions during the Triwizard Tournament, the boy stole a ship for Falco columbarius's sake. He's always been a light cannon that boy has.'

This promulgation came at the like time as his official expulsion from Hogwarts school of witchery and wizardry.
*


The marauders looked at each other along the long board in the slap-up vestibule. None of them said 'Is this a joke ?'or 'No way'or anything naively childish like that. They were past tense that. They had all known, on some level, that this was possible. Maybe even inevitable.

'' modification nothing. '' Fred was the first to speak. `` It 's all bollocs so it changes nix. ``

'' This is loony ! Do they think we 're stupid ? '' Ron was almost spluttering in anger. `` No one 's gon na believe any of this ! ``

'' I almost wish people did. '' Hermione was shaking her head as she peered down at the front pageboy article.

'' What ! You want people to trust Harry 's a- '' Ron rounded on her, about to let loose, but Ginny held up a hand to bring him up short. He was still fuming though and said, more reasonably. `` Maybe you should explain that comment. ``

'' Because no one will believe it Ronald. '' Hermione bit her lip worriedly. `` Or at least many people wo n't. And masses will blame the ministry. the great unwashed will hate the ministry for attacking their hero. ``

'' Remember the scream last year ? '' Padma said darkly. `` Imagine that. Except much worse. ``

'' Oh ... '' Ron 's face fell. `` I guess that is bad. ``

'' It changes nothing. '' Malfoy said sharply. `` Not really. We all knew this was a possibility. ``

'' Right, '' Ginny nodded, putting on her leader face. `` He 's ripe. All this does is make believe 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 functionary and hit sensation. His position on the ministry 's wanted list is only a few places short of the known death eaters !

According to the ministry Harry 's M.O. is to use poison to do his dirty employment. A poison there is no known antidote to.

Harry 's description is known to every adept and beldam alive but you should be aware that he may be in disguise.
*


'' This is Dumbledore 's doing. '' Natalie shook her mind as she slid the theme over to Snape. Michelson had already flicked his copy closed and was staring at it angrily, as if blaming the newspaper publisher itself. Snape sighed, he had already read the offending article.

'' Dumbledore undoubtedly had a hand in it. '' Snape tried to cease his ire rising to the airfoil. Keep it under wraps, save it for when it was needed. `` Perhaps he thinks he can frighten away Harry back to him. ``

'' Then he does n't know Harry. '' Albert Michelson stood and began pacing angrily, obviously he felt no need to keep his ire under wrapping. `` This 'll just make Harry even more for certain that everyone 's against him ! ``

'' Undoubtedly. '' Snape flicked through the remainder of the paper. `` At to the lowest degree there is some ripe news ... ''
*


Harry may be participating in Leeds. Yesterday the ministry was handed an anonymous tip that led them to a house there that had been converted to menage iniquity wight. No death feeder were caught ( perhaps the bodies are hidden elsewhere ! ) but the cellar was a nest of lethifolds, swarming in the darkness in numbers never before seen on Brits soil. I do not need to tell you, serious subscriber, that if they had been unleashed they would have caused untold destruction. The lethifolds have been disposed of by the ministry.

There is no test copy that Harry was there but a physical contact in the aurors office said that they were investigating the possibility.

Harry is to be considered as grievous as any death eater. Perhaps more so.
*


Harry dumped the paper in a ice can. It did n't matter anymore. He coughed roughly, clutching at his stomach. It did n't weigh 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 think he had to be to a greater extent careful.

Harry shoved off the wall and flicked his hood 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 sound. The marauders spun with her, almost in synchronism. Cho Chang stepped back fearfully. In her DoD the marauders now numbered eleven, filling the hallway with uniform choler. They had also all drawn their wands at the same clip as she spoke, in response to the possible threat.

They must ingest truly looked like an army.

Cho had frozen in place, wrath turned to sandbag silence. Ginny stepped forward.

'' Of course it 's not true. '' She said simply. `` How can you even ask that ? ``

'' I just ... '' Cho swallowed, fear still flickering across her face. `` Is Harry Ok ? ``

'' We do n't know. ``

'' Where is he ? ``

'' We do n't be intimate. ``

'' Does he need help ? ``

'' We do n't know. We 're trying to facilitate him. '' Ginny said curtly. She was beginning to get tired of Cho 's stupid questions. Ginny turned to go away when Cho broke in,

'' Well I want to avail too ! '' Ginny felt a little mental groan. That was just what she needed, a complaining pretty-girl in the social station. A constant irritation at best, a liability at worst. Cho went on, `` I 'm older than you, and I 'm a Ravenclaw. I must bonk muckle of enchantment you do n't know yet ! You should let me join. ``

'' No you do n't you arrogant stuck-up ... '' Ginny clamped her mouth shut and took a deep calming breath. `` This is n't the blooming gobstones club. You ca n't just join on a notion. We 're training to fight, really struggle. combat death eaters. ``

'' I know that. '' Cho looked down her nose arrogantly. `` If you can do it then I can too. ``

'' You do n't empathise ! You ... '' Ginny gritted her teeth tight together again before turning to the marauders. `` Vote. All of us. I vote no. ``

The marauders glanced about between them. Some of them had obviously been thinking of voting yes before she made her notion so abundantly clear. After some stymie shuffling Dragon stepped forward, eyeing Cho up and down silently. Ginny felt another spurt of bile rising slope in her gut.

'' You accept the fact that you could die ? '' Draco asked flatly. Cho nodded, her eyes wide. genus Draco looked into her eyes for a moment, Ginny thought she heard him mutter something under his breath. Draco cocked his oral sex to the side and asked another enquiry. `` Do you accept the fact that you have to take Holy Order from Ginny ? ``

YES ! Take that you bitch ! Ginny was shocked at the level of glee her subconscious mind threw up at that enquiry. If her subconscious was happy with the question, her entire brain grinned when Cho grimaced and nodded.

'' fine. '' Draco shrugged. `` We need Sir Thomas More the great unwashed. I vote yes. If she does n't work out we can always make her farewell. ``

'' We vote yes. '' Fred said, shrugging. His counterpart added, `` Sorry Ginny. ``

'' I ... yes. '' Parvati nodded, a minuscule hesitantly.

'' No. '' Padma shook her head, earning her a shocked glance from her sister. `` We do n't need her. No reason to take on another project when we do n't need her. ``

'' Look just put your script up. '' Ginny said tiredly. `` Hands for no ? ``

Three hands rose, herself, Padma and Hermione. Ginny 's abdomen dropped, this did n't look good.

'' For yes ? ``

Five hands were raised. Ron had followed his previous pal. Ginny turned to silent three remainders.

'' Neville, Anna, Terry ? '' Neville shifted uncomfortably and the Baker twins looked at the floor. `` You need to vote. ``

'' I do n't want 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. sentence to take a shit the unspoiled of it.

'' Fine. Meet us here after object lesson today. ``

'' Today ? But I 've got quidditch practice. ``

I know. Ginny did n't say it, but she so wanted to. `` This is more significant than quidditch. We all understand that. You need to. ``

With that she turned and strode away. She hoped Cho would n't turn up tonight. That would really make her day.

Ginny survived herbology with a book of execration propped up against a plant life pot. She did the Lapplander in denial, professor Michelson was being oddly blind to the transgressions of the predator. After the lessons were done she slammed her Scripture 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 travail and breathing hard. She would n't give Cho the satisfa ...

Cho was n't alone.

Ginny stopped with the marauders a few stride away from the newcomers. Lucy capital of Jamaica stood by her Ravenclaw friend with her young man, Joshua rent, standing on her other side. The two ex-Slytherin Gryffindors, genus Vanessa and Elizabeth stood in front of him, eyeing Malfoy warily. It irked Ginny that all of them were here. It irked her more that they were probably the hoi polloi she would receive chosen to allow to the marauders herself. Stupid Cho.

'' You told them. '' She tried to make her voice come out icily angry, hoping it did n't just sound scratchy. `` You told all of them. What the hell do you think- ''

'' I do n't evidence them ! '' Cho interrupted her. `` Everyone in the schoolhouse is talking about the newsworthiness about Harry, and everybody knows you lot are doing something private. They just ... ''

'' We eavesdropped. '' Split interrupted. `` We want to aid Harry too. ``

'' This is getting ridiculous. '' Padma muttered from the profundity of the marauders.

'' We heard what you asked Cho. '' Split went on. `` And we understand the risk of infection. Lets face it, if you trust him, '' Split jerked his chin towards Malfoy. `` You have to trust us. ``

'' I do n't feature to intrust any of you. '' Good, that sounded like Harry. `` Listen I do n't care what you say. We 're going to take aim now. If you can stay fresh up you can rest, we do n't consume time to slow down for you. ``

'' Fine with us ... gentlewoman sergeant-at-law. '' Split added sarcastically.

'' moron. '' Ginny muttered as she led the amassed horde off down the corridor.
*


'' Listen. ``

Malfoy stopped and turned towards rip. The elderly boy had halted them just outside the entranceway to the marauders attic, everyone else was already inside.

'' Yes ? '' Malfoy said evenly. `` Can I help you ? ``

'' I just want you to have it away we 're here for Harry. '' rent said challengingly. `` We do n't intrust you. We do n't forgive you. ``

'' You 're here for the same reason I am then. ``

'' Whatever. '' Split shook his head. `` God knows why she trusts you. Let alone ... well you know. ``

'' I know what ? '' Malfoy looked around in confusion. `` She who ? ``

'' You do n't make love ? '' Split almost seemed to smile. `` moron. ``

'' She who ? ``

'' I expect she 'll let you do it in her own time. ``

'' She who ? ``
*


Harry pushed his way out of the old store he had flued into and a blow of estrus hit his face. He dragged a liberal brimmed hat out of his bag and pulled it low over his oculus. Ah, that was better. His coat and it 's various enchantments would experience kept his torso poise but it would have looked incredibly blazing here. He winced in the harsh luminousness and shucked his bag up on his shoulder joint before setting off along the dark tarmac street.

Muggles walked past him without a second intellection, jabbering to each early in French. The stress was very dissimilar from what he was used to but that was only to be expected. Harry had learnt French in Schweiz and only spoken it to the scholarly person of Beauxbatons. Harry idly wondered if his French had a Swiss stress or an English one.

No topic, he was in Marrakesh, thousand of miles from France or England. He would resist out as a foreigner whatever he did. No item trying to flux in with the local anesthetic, much unspoiled to just attend like another stupid tourist. There were one or two others around. Harry picked up his step as he crossed the street and into the souk.

Why is it that I always find myself in labyrinth ? Harry thought to himself chuckling as he skirted around a kiosk of vegetable and slid through the crowd of shoppers. The muggle souk was bad enough, a gigantic warren of streets and alleyways full phase of the moon of workshop and market stalls selling everything from spices to electronics. Harry kept on an inerrant course through it, it was n't his destination.

Hopefully he knew where his address was, his information was sketchy at best.

Harry came to the stall he wanted, a dark hole in the wall selling decrepit and moth eaten clothing. He took a black t-shirt with a sensation on it off the wheel and glanced at the aging shopkeeper. There was a barely perceptible nod. Harry stepped behind a screenland, a bumpy changing room, and pulled the curtain shut. He held the shirt up and tapped the sensation twice. With a tart groaning the floor began to crunch slowly downwards.

Harry tried not to touch the side of the stone passageway as the opening at the top got further and further away. Ten meters ... twenty .... thirty .... forty- clunk. Harry snapped to attention as the floor stopped descending. The pit in front of him break apart slowly, light spilled in, and air. The olfactory sensation ... every odour imaginable, electrocution, animals, food of every kind, incense made of spun lightning, every scent a wiz with no regard for the police force of alchemy could create hung in the air as Harry stepped out of the dark entrance into the under-souk, the darkness market.

Knockturn alley had nothing on this place.

Harry looked up at the ceiling a far above, mosaics kaleidoscoped over the rounded open, changing every moment. There were no walls for as far as Harry could see, just mainstay dotted around. In no pattern Harry could see. Every one as wide as an oak, twisted and gouged and splaying up into that fantastic ceiling. Disappearing into it. And down at basis story ? It was indescribable. Every sort of workshop, every kind of carrell. Some sellers just sitting of a mat, arrays of bottles out in front line of them. Others had exhibit that looked like insane and un-feasible pop up books, everything spilling out of everything else. The noise was deafening, regretful than up above because the noise of sparking magic spell and fuming potions was added to the general noise of people, and there was the periodic scream 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 area while walking calmly forwards. Many carrel had tall range pole to key them from far away, he was looking for ... ah. Harry spotted the flag he was looking for and headed for it, surreptitiously checking his camouflage as he did so. Harry flicked a fatal robe out of his bag and threw it over his shoulder. Like this he looked like about 30, maybe more, with longsighted calamitous hair and a deep scratch on his impertinence. Threatening, but not obvious.

Harry smelt his destination before he got there. The odour of animals and creature muck beating out the other odors more and more the closer he got. He came to an open place in the mart, a place where the carrel had been pushed aside to make room for rank upon rank of batting cage. Harry recognized some of the beast in them, others were a mystery, all he gave a encompassing birth. The Cage seemed almost stupidly sturdy, surely they used unbreakable charm. Surely they did ...

Harry felt himself edging away and forced himself to calm down. He looked into one of the John Milton Cage Jr., a monstrosity made of whole I-beams, and saw the eye of a Dragon staring back at him. Somehow they must have stopped it flaming, they must bear. Harry stepped calmly up the rough desk at the end of the John Cage. It was surrounded by travelling bag of what looked like some sort of feed. An ordinary bicycle bird batting cage sat on the street corner with a small golden bird fluffing its feather. 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 public figure is Jack cayman. I have come for you to tell me the progress of an order. '' Harry pulled back his sleeve, revealing the dark mark. The shopkeeper recoiled, glancing about fearfully.

'' Put that away ! '' He gestured wildly. Harry calmly rolled his sleeve back down.

'' You have naught to fear. '' Harry said airily. `` Not while you do the shadow lord 's study. ``

'' Why you come here ? '' The man 's optic were still shifting nervously. `` All on schedule. ``

'' There have been some job at the other end. ``

'' Not my fracture. '' The seller shook his mind. `` Got them safe to you. You lose them after it not my fault. ``

'' Of grade not. '' Harry smiled in an uncomforting way. `` You mistake me. I merely meant that we have reason to postulate to make certainly this delivery goes smoothly. There can be no misunderstanding. You understand. ``

'' Of row, of line. '' The man nodded rapidly. `` Do not worry. You can secern your master not to worry. Everything is fine. ``

'' Where are the brute now ? ``

'' They are on ship. '' The man shuffled back to his desk and sat down. `` Loaded on two days ago. ``

Damnit, Harry cursed inwardly. It would receive been so much loose if they were still on dry land.

'' Tell me their course of action. '' Harry leant down threateningly. `` My master is thinking of sending some people to ensure there are no ... mistakes. ``

'' No misunderstanding. '' The man nodded again, dragging a map out of a draftsman in his desk. `` No mistakes. ``

Harry smiled, people were so stupid when they thought you were going to kill them.
*


Harry dropped back onto British soil and immediately flued again to stave off any quest. He walked the endure prospicient paseo to the abandoned house he was staying in and pushed the room access open. It was colored inside, the windowpane covered by anti-vandal scale put up by the police. It was empty, not even a chair when he had first arrived. But it was clean and the pee was still running. Harry slouched down against the paries and collapsed. tenacious day. He reached over and picked up a bottle of pep up potion. He uncorked it and let some slosh into his mouth. This was his moment dosage today. It was growing intemperate to keep going ... the nausea ...

Harry shook his head, no use dwelling on it. book binding to study. He spread the maps out in presence of him on the flooring and roughly arranged them out into a approximative match to the coast of Africa and Europe. The mathematical function were seriously old, like everything else wizards had, and some of the nation had the amiss name. One of them had a big 'here be dragon'warning written in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean. Knowing that it was a champion map it might well be true.

Harry sighed as he looked at the meter that were written on different checkpoints on the map. The ship was old too, or looked it. The man had sketched a rough draftsmanship of it. It resembled nothing to a greater extent than a giant wooden brick with lowly sails that surely could never impel it too fast. Of course it would be propelled by magic, if not it would just be stupid, but it would still take up almost a month to come up from Africa. Could be take away it in the middle of the ocean ? Harry shuddered at the thought process. Besides the coursing fearfulness at the very thought it was Laputan to boot. How would he even get on board the ship ? How would he even find it on the blank featureless sea ?

Harry trawled over the single-valued function again, was there any place where it came close to land ? Was there any ... lying in wait point ?

Oh of course ! There 's this big tree in the midsection of the ocean that you can hide behind. Sharks use it all the time to hitch seals.

Harry sat back tiredly, this was going to be harder than he thought. His eyelids felt so leaden ... sleep ...

Harry glanced around, he was in a firm. A fire crackled warmly on the hearth, throwing faint shadows on the clean blue bulwark. The pictures on the walls, a redheaded woman, a man with a familiar face. Harry shook his head, it was a aspiration. He had had it before. He walked towards the door and pushed it open hurrying out of the house and into the neat garden. He glanced back, the cottage was as it always was. The cottage at Godrics Hollow. Harry shuddered, every metre his dream put him in this place he had an undeniable urge to go forth. It was like putting your bridge player in a bucket of wriggling worms, a crawling sentience over his entire skin. And yet his aspiration brought his back here again and again and again.

Harry hugged his weapon to his bureau. Maybe this would be one of the good Night, the nights when he managed to get by. There was a forest out there somewhere, a timberland of apple tree, their bloom filling the air. When he could bump 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 house kept drawing him back. He didn't even want to think about what had happened once, when the river had come for him.

Harry pulled himself together with a force out of will. Those apple tree weren't going to witness themselves. He was about to set off when a fluttering sound reached his ear. Harry spent a second wondering if it was some new unpleasantness the dream was throwing at him before he realized it was coming from outside.

Harry woke with a get-go and was on his animal foot in a moment, wand in handwriting. He relaxed when he saw that the phone was coming from a minuscule white bird trying to squeeze in through the hind end of the window. The bird twittered then flickered back outside. It took Harry a moment to realize it had left something behind, a minor pen up bit of paper.

Interesting. Especially considering no one should be capable to contact me here.

Harry stood and hesitantly poked the paper with his scepter. It did nada. He prodded it again. Still naught. He flicked it on the base and folded it open with the end of a fork. He bent down and read it without touching it.

Harry

I once told you to follow your own path if you thought it was right. You seem to have taken that advice to middle. I can not and will not say that your selection is wrong, it may be, it may not be, I do not know. But you can not destroy yourself for the sake of this battle. 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 do it so. There are mass that will suffer if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you.

I can not offer you any information about Voldemort 's architectural plan or whereabouts. I am constrained by the rules of my order. I would break them for you but it would do no good. I would be found out long before I could divine anything for you.

The exclusively aid I can give 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 small piece of parchment up carefully and slipped it into his breast pocket. His hand stayed there a moment longer, pressing it into his chest, before he took a deep breath and let it out.

Do not die.

He did not designate to, but it had always been a theory. And no matter how very much mass would stand if he died they would suffer more if Voldemort was left active. Harry had a strong itch to take the missive back out and read it once again, or maybe twice or three times. But no, he had study to do. wait ... something in the alphabetic character tugged at his mind. Maybe there was a way.
*


Malfoy snorted as Cho was sent flying across the way. The new military recruit were trying to prevent up, they were just failing. He turned away, they were useless, just a waste of time for the quietus of them. The piranha themselves ? Draco managed a modest smile for that, they were progressing nicely. They could press. They could fight as a team. They could crusade on their own. They could press like kneazles in a sack if they needed to. And they would want to.

He moved over to a pile of faded box seat and ran his finger's breadth over a long, melt off, grey cloak inside. The Weasley twins claimed they could turn them into temporary invisibility cloaks with some Thomas More practice. Draco did n't doubt it. The charms would n't last for more than than a day or two but that was all they needed. They could just respell them afterwards. cuticle charms graced the dark white-haired jacket in the adjacent box, plenty to dissuade minor hex. In the beginning it had just been a way to gestate the charms, the same as an amulet or a tintinnabulation. Rings of invisibleness were common enough even though they were hideously severely to give and protective talisman were ten a penny. But the dress were easier for the Weasleys to figure out, and the dark grey made them inconspicuous at night. That had been the start, but now it almost seemed more ... Like they were becoming an army in verity, they had uniforms. Parvati had wanted to stitch minuscule Ms onto the wearable as a symbol of the marauders but Ginny had n't let her. Waste of time, too conspicuous too. Draco smiled again, it did n't matter if the clothes were plain grayness or pink with piddling stoolie. Either way by the end they would have an group of invisible, shielded, deadly fighters.

Invincible cutthroat bastards. Marauders to the nitty-gritty. Harry would birth been lofty. At to the lowest degree, Dragon hoped he would be.

'' Dragon ! '' Ron yelled. `` disruption sentence 's up get back here. ``

'' I 'm coming Weasley stoppage yelling. '' Draco gritted his tooth, all of his muscles hurt. Never mind. `` Back to solve. ``

'' Stop. I need to talk to you. ``

The spokesperson came out of nowhere. The marauders twisted towards it, wands out. The duel ceased, every eye widened in shock.

'' I heard somebody 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 regular army. ``

'' good, I should get a discount rate. ``

The marauders broke and all began talking at once, it was a happy tempest of auditory sensation with Harry laughing in the center. genus Draco stayed silent, he glanced over at Ginny, also staying back. She nodded to him, her mouth a surd phone line. She had realized too. Harry had n't come back for a well-chosen reunion. He would n't cause. He had come because he needed them. This would be the first job of the army.

'' Harry ... '' Draco cleared his pharynx. The green centre of the boy who lived fell on him. `` What is it you want the army for ? ``

'' Oh ... that. '' Harry reached into his bag. `` Do you have a table ? ``

genus Draco pointed the way and Harry pulled a vast sheet of lambskin out of his bag. Harry laid them down on the rough surface of the cobbler's last surviving board in the attic. It looked like a giant transcript of a map.

'' There 's a ship. '' Harry traced it 's path along a long demarcation on the map. `` It 's stuffed to the branchia with dark puppet. Direct to the dark lord. Hundreds, including a lot that we really do n't require him getting his hands on. It 's not going to make port before Britain, 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, variety of. '' Harry hung his head. `` I can just about manage to fly in a straightaway rail line. Slowly. But out over water ? With the malarkey and maybe storms and ... and over urine. And when I might have to make a agile way out ? No. I need getaway drivers. ``

'' I thought you wanted us to fight. '' Ron said, disappointedly. Harry 's center 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. ``

'' rightfulness. '' Ginny nodded sharply. Draco half expected Ron to wassail. Ginny turned back to Harry. `` What variety of night creatures are we talking about ? ``

'' various kind of nasty. '' Harry was looking between Ginny and Ron curiously. `` Lots of brute. ``

'' Manticores ? '' Hermione added.

'' Yes ... '' Harry looked at a list jotted at the merchantman of the map. `` Six of them. ``

Draco glanced at the listing and let out a startled curse word. They could not let this ship compass land. Even if they had to lose half the USA to do it. The hellhound had to be juveniles at least, no one could lug six full grown ones 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 petty breathless. `` We could fly on, or ... or ... ''

'' Go onto it ? '' Harry let out a coarse laugh. `` That would be pretty dangerous. ``

'' Because of the creatures ? ``

'' Because I 'm going to sink it. ``



This is the death chapter of setup, I promise. From now to the end of the script is pure adrenalin-fueled plot.


I do n't own Harry ceramicist. I do however own some tall mallow. Which is just as good.



'' Sink it ? '' Hermione 's voice was a shrill, disbelieving whine.

Ginny felt like slamming her manus up to her forehead. Of course Harry would want to settle the ship, it was the simplest, easiest, solution if you did n't deal about the consequences.

'' But ... but ... `` terry baker raised his deal 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 wizards, they can just apparate to land. They wo n't be killed. ``

'' How about the creature ? '' Ron asked, scratching his head. `` Wo n't they just swim to shore ? ``

'' Damnit ! '' Harry clicked his fingerbreadth. `` Foiled again ! If only someone had stuffed them in big metal cages for transport. Then they 'd drop straight to the bottomland. ``

'' How are you planning to lapse it anyway ? '' Fred asked, eagerness clearly visible in his eyes.

'' fountainhead, I plan to mess up a big hole in it underneath the water line. Then I 'm going to put another big hole in it underneath the water system line. And if that does n't make I 'm going to put a third- ''

'' This is a wizard boat I assume Harry. '' Draco interrupted. `` Putting a kettle of fish in it may not be as easy as you think. It 'll have all sorts of charms and shelter. ``

'' I can bypass them. ``

'' Without the the great unwashed on the ship realizing ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Really ? ``

'' Yes. '' Harry folded his coat of arms. `` I have thought about this Draco. I have planned this. ``

The attic became silent again. Ginny could feel the cogs moving in people 's heads. They were all thinking how far they were willing to go. The marauders ... well they were probably in. The others ? They had signed up to fight death feeder not place routine of terrorist act. How did she stick out on this ? On balance ... with Harry. Those puppet could not be allowed to reach shore.

'' We ca n't do this. '' Padma was shaking her psyche. `` We ca n't sink it. ``

'' You running away ? '' Harry was looking at her in horror. `` You want to just let them release that sort of- ''

'' No of form not ! '' Padma interrupted him. `` But you have n't thought of everything. ``

'' Oh yeah ? Well what have I missed ? ``

'' The statute of privacy. '' Padma looked down at the map, perhaps just to annul meeting the great unwashed 's centre. `` If we do this they 'll be this giant wreck with triple headed skeletons and they could float to the aerofoil or get into the gulf stream or divers could find them. Not to mention that individual 's going to notice a hulk exploding ship off the coast. Even if we tell the ministry afterwards they ca n't get by this kind of cleanup, not on this scale. No one can. It 'll be unfit than Roswell. Keeping witching secret from muggles, the legislative act of secrecy, is the one affair both sides of this war gibe on. If we break it then they 're going to take up breaking it and then we 're going to be really screwed. ``

Harry leant back, rocking back on the globe of his feet. He bit his lip. Thinking. The marauders held their breath.

'' Ok. '' Harry spun the map to face Padma. `` pay me another choice. ``

'' We board the ship. Incapacitate the work party. Kill the creatures. '' Padma said definitively. `` If I 'm reading this rightfield the ship only a dozen people on it. No death eaters. Most of them are just there to hold the fauna in check. Should n't be too intemperate to daze them. ``

'' And the animals ? '' Harry asked quizzically. `` Some of them are n't easy to vote out. ``

'' The killing bane. '' Gasps rose from the regular army. `` It 'll down everything on this list. ``

'' Is n't it an trice life story sentence ? '' Cho choked out.

'' Only when used against man. '' Padma replied calmly at the Lapp time as Harry said,

'' Only if someone finds out. But would n't any underage thaumaturgy 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 silence ? ``

'' We leave the work party on it. They can get it so a prophylactic wizard haven. ``

'' Hmm ... '' Harry folded his limb and looked at Padma appraisingly. `` That ... could ... work. It would be more unmanageable, more wild ... more fun ... but it could work. ``

Ginny felt a smiling. This was the almost like the old Harry back again. sure enough they were planning an act of monumental plagiarism rather than a prank but it was Harry back again.

'' We can split up. '' Harry continued. `` Send a brace of people down to the weewee to wait. The relaxation of us go in. If we can choose the crew out and kill the animals we do. If not ? We default back to my design and the people in the urine blow it to smithereens. We worry about the fallout later. ``

Ginny took a deep breath and halfway through realized that most of the marauder 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 worldwide they all knew that, but maybe ... maybe she was the sergeant or something.

'' Who can swim ? '' It was literally the first matter that popped into her fountainhead. `` Who can float really well ? ``

Anapurna 's hand shot up instantly smiling, the two Baker children volunteered slower maybe still a little hesitant, finally Split shrugged and lacklusterly raised his arm.

'' Four masses. '' Ginny looked down at the map, at the little sketch of the ship. `` We can put ... two each in the water near the social movement and back. ``

'' fore and stern. '' Draco murmured. She glared at him.

'' Near the front and back. '' Ginny continued. `` Everybody else Land on the forepart. ``

'' On the back. '' Harry disagreed. `` Here, in the steering bit with the wheel. ``

'' Bridge. ``

'' Shut up. We land on the steery bit and take on everybody out quickly. '' Harry pointed at genus Draco. `` You stay there and keep the ship on course. You can do that ? You know the right on name calling for the steery roulette wheel and the release and stuff. Yes. Good. You stay there, the ease of us go down to the cabins and stun everybody, vote down the animals. Leave. We keep the Scots heather handy so that if something goes unseasonable we miko the natator and fly out of there. ``

'' Sounds like a plan. '' Ginny nodded.

'' right wing. '' Harry reached over and drew a big crisscross on the map over a lighthouse, right down on the Dixie coast of Cornwall."I will match you here."

"Meet us ?"Ron scratched his head.

"The ship ‘ s not reaching us for another month."Harry shrugged."You don ‘ t expect me to hang around here the whole metre. Dumbledore ‘ s out for the day but I think he ‘ ll notice 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 last feeder ‘ s out there. Still work to be done. Train up, be ready, and I ‘ ll sports meeting you there. hold the map, I ‘ ve got copies. But don ‘ t let anyone see it. Goes without saying. And look up how to agitate all these things."Harry turned towards the door. He disillusioned himself with a flick of the carpus, and a moment later he was gone.

"Well,"Malfoy said dryly."I guess we have work to do."
*


"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron drew his knees up to his chest. He and Hermione were in the library, the actual library, not the Ionic dialect. They were on enquiry obligation and had about eight billion books out in front of them on every kind of sorcerous creature, trawling through them for the utilitarian ones. There weren't many. The Hogwarts library for some reason didn't have script on how to slaughter cage animate being. Ron thought it was useless, they had already decided to use the kill execration, but apparently Harry wanted to be prepared so ...

"Hmm ?"Hermione hadn't looked up from the huge al-Qur'an in front of her.

"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron repeated."Harry."

"Shush !"Hermione put a finger's breadth to her lips."We ‘ re not supposed to talk about him where the great unwashed could discover !"

"No one ‘ s listening."Ron rolled his centre."We're sitting on the floor in the restricted section of the library, at midnight, under a impermanent invisibleness cloak."

"It ‘ s not an inaudibility cloak."Hermione hissed.

"Hermione no one is here."

"Just keep reading."Hermione looked back down at her Holy Writ."I ‘ m not doing all this myself."

"I'd have thought you ‘ d parachuting 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 year ..."

"What we ‘ re doing now is more important."

"Yes. Yes I know."Hermione shrugged noncommittally."It ‘ s just ... well there ‘ s the relaxation of our lifespan to think about. What about after the war ends ? What then ?"

"spirit at it this way. If Voldemort destroys the ministry he'll probably destroy the Wizarding Examination self-confidence too."

"That doesn ‘ t help."Hermione stared at him angrily. Ron felt his hackles rising, another fight brewing. But they couldn't combat, not here.

"You ‘ re here because if you weren ‘ t here you ‘ d feel hangdog 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 concentrate because you ‘ d be thinking about here and him and Voldemort will kill everyone. Even big you ‘ d get bad score because you ‘ d be feeling guilty."Ron ran out of breath.

Hermione's mouthpiece hung open, mid yell. She opened and shut it a few times before coming out with,

"Shush. People will hear you."

I won. Ron smiled as he flicked a random ledger open.
*


"I am cark Severus."

Snape stayed silent. He could not remember of a secure response.

"I should be winning this war."

Still no secure response.

"And yet affair are not progressing as well as they should be."The shadow overlord was staring out into the darkness through a faded window. They were in another nondescript and abandoned building. Snape felt his tegument front crawl, he had been summoned alone. That was worrying.

"The ministry grows weaker every day."Snape volunteered.

"It grows more fearful each day."Voldemort tapped his fingerbreadth on the spyglass."reverence can be my arm, but it can also work against me. They retreat, they place more guards, they make it more unmanageable for me to reach what I seek. Do the social club still keep a precaution on the department of mysteries Severus ?"

"Yes my lord."For all I know they could induce stopped, not potential though.

"At this point the leisurely way to gain accession to it may simply be to crush the ministry entirely."He was still staring out the windowpane. If Snape didn't know better he would think the dark lord was worried.

"If you wish to crush the ministry perhaps we could use the imperious curse-"

"No !"The darkness lord snapped."No Severus, no more sly maneuvering in the darkness. No more subversion. I tire of it. I tire of it ‘ s inadequacy. I should not have to puzzle out from the shadows. Do you not recollect so ?"

"I always work in the shadows Lord."

"Yes ... yes you do."The dark master narrowed his centre."The thrower boy is a problem."

Snape gritted his dentition. He had to think 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 enceinte pile of trouble for one mortal. I would once again order his last but ... I fear it would do no good."

"He wants to kill you."Snape said, letting his backtalk move as his thinker worked."We could set some kind of trap."

"With your lord as hook ?"The wickedness God Almighty's voice was not angry, he knew that that was not what Snape meant. This was actually what passed for banter.

"Of course not my Lord. I apologize."That had been what the dark God Almighty expected to hear.

"Is there any advancement with the toxin Severus ? The one that has been killing so many of our friends ?"

"Not a outstanding slew my lord."Severus bowed his head. He had no trouble feigning pity at not being able to let out the secrets of the inscrutable toxin."It is very unusual. I can not separate a single component 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 line impossible. No known creature carried a toxin like this."All I can think of is that perhaps someone has been breaking the rescript against experimental breeding."

"You do not think it was ceramicist ?"

"It may have been."Better to keep the iniquity Almighty guesswork."If he did not then we have two vigilantes against us."

"Against us ..."The dark lord seemed to roll the word on his brim."Against us ... masses who are against me die. I have let this continue for too long. We have been forced back too much. It will cease now. I have decided. We will squelch the ministry. We will obliterate them utterly. No corruption, no shadower, I will kill them."

"Yes my lord."Snape tried to make for out how many death eaters were left. Surprisingly few. Harry had seriously cut into their numbers. Did they even have sufficiency people for an Assault on the ministry ? Probably ... they probably had enough. If the ordering helped though ... if Dumbledore helped ...

"We will await for the shipment to arrive."The dark overlord said, almost to himself."Then we will throw the forcefulness necessary."

The shipment. The phantom shipment. None of the death eaters knew when it would be arriving. It was apparently too important.

"Yes my lord."Snape bowed deeply."We will necessitate everyone for this to come through. If I might ask where Barty Crouch is perhaps-"

"No !"The iniquity Jehovah looked at Snape over his shoulder. The icy stare could feature nailed oxen to the rampart."Crouch is doing what he has been told to. He will follow, in sentence. 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 broomstick angled down. She was following the ling ahead of her but the lighthouse was already seeable far below, sending out it ‘ s pulsing lighthouse across the night-time sea. The malarkey was hideously dusty on her face and the dreary dozens of pelting kept spraying in through her cowl. There couldn't have been a unsound day to invade a ship full of monsters.

The ground came up and she managed to land without falling. All around her she heard the balance of the army touch down. Well ... most of the rest of the army ... Of the new recruits only rent was there, lounging over his broomstick in his common State of balmy tedium. The others had been left behind, Ginny had decided they weren't ready, weren ‘ t trained yet. Not that split was properly fix 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."let get on with this."Harry kept glancing at the crashing waves nervously. He drew a expectant bottle out of his coating and took a inscrutable draught from it before shoving it back. `` Pep up potion, did n't sleep well last dark. '' Harry explained. Hermione tried to discount the counterpart facts, one : that the bottle had been almost void and two : that as Harry shoved it back in his sack there had been the unmistakable click of advance bottles.

"Take these."George broke the silence and stepped forward with a little M shaped pin and a small pair of blue tinted glasses.

"What the sin are these ?"Harry squinted through the genus Lens."Everything looks weird."

"The pins are tags."George explained."The glasses can see the tags even under invisibility cloaks. This way we can keep track of each other."

"Ah ... nice."Harry pinned the tag on his dark pelage and dropped the glasses in a pocket."I ‘ ll put them on when we get there."

"They ‘ re your prescription."

"I know."Harry nodded."Thanks. Who ‘ s heather am I sharing ?"

"Over here."Draco waved him over and Harry hesitantly flipped a leg over his broom.

"Well, we all know what we have to do."Harry addressed the vulture."Lets get this done before we get too wet."

Dragon's heather shooting into the air and Hermione reluctantly followed. Out over the water system the winding was even worse if that was possible, she kept being buffeted one way then the other. The sea underneath a groaning Second Earl Grey sheet, a dull reflection of the sky. They were getting further and further from landed estate. The occasional luminance of the lighthouse got more and more faint. She couldn't see the flyers around her ! She panicked for a moment until she realized how stupid person she was being and slipped her blue lenses over her center. The lilliputian glow sparks of the tatter sprung into view, each one illuminating a lilliputian glowing sorry specter of a individual. Like an abstract in the darkness. Flying close, she was near the front. How did Harry look to come up the ship in this ?

"ANGLE left !"Was that Harry ? The glowing shadower of Harry and Malfoy started to turn left. She turned to couple them. What was he following ? Intuition ? conjuring trick ? Something he hadn't told them about.

"I DON ‘ T SEE ANYTHING !"She heard genus Draco's vocalisation on the wind.

"IT ‘ S THERE."Harry was hunched over on the broom, peering out over Draco's shoulder."WE'RE CLOSE ! driblet DOWN !"

Hermione descended with the rest of them and shrieked with fear as the spray from the sea hit her stage. Surely they didn't need to be this low ? Suddenly, as if they had crossed an unseeable line, the ship blinked into existence. A low slung behemoth, waves making it whorl and pitching sickeningly. It looked ancient, all the wood was bootleg with age and weather. A vast rectangular pulley block, slowly crawling across the water.

She felt somebody mountain pass her and saw shapes flying off towards the prow and butt, keeping close to the water system. Even with the light on the ship they were still only glowing outlines. The cloaks ! She pulled hers around herself and flicked the cowl up over her side. She should ingest done that earlier. The rest of them followed until they were right up against the side of the hull. Harry leant off his Calluna vulgaris to tip against the pitching woodwind instrument. Removing the protective appeal, Hermione forced herself to calm down as they hovered there just above the dark water system. Suddenly there was a little pop and a small creak ... the wards were down. Hermione picked out the raised back section, the ‘ steery bit ’. Where the relaxation of them were going. The Calluna vulgaris slowed to a Australian crawl as they raised up the English. Absolute muteness as they floated up onto the deck on the farm end surgical incision. No one was on deck, there weren't even any lights.

Harry raised his arm and pointed to a small hatching. He moved over to it, whispered a silencing spell, then pulled it open and climbed inside. Draco went next, moving just as silently. They had worked this out too, The Weasley twins would go last to watch over their exit. Hermione realized it was her routine snuck over to the hatch as quietly as she could. The stairs flattened out to a short hall with the door to the bridge, then kept going down into the body of the ship.

The vulture were clustered around the threshold. Harry was crouched down looking at the curl, a look of concentration on his face. Hermione looked past him, down into the vast hold of the ship. Most of it was shrouded in darkness but she could just see the rows upon rows of batting cage down the face of the ship. The bars were rusted and antediluvian, reinforced with magic. But they looked like they were archetype to the ship ... like they were built in. Which was ridiculous of course, unless ...

Unless this used to be a striver 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 ground to hit this any creepyer than it already was.

The shadow that was Harry stood suddenly and put his hand on the door handle. What was he doing ? This wasn ‘ t function of the architectural plan ! They were going to use gas under the door. What was going on ? Hermione raised her baton, they had to stun everyone inside in a moment. Harry threw the room access outdoors unhurriedly. The sharp Tang of pedigree filled the air. No one cast any tour. No one spoke. Harry slowly stepped into the bridge.

"Of course."He said dryly, the first Holy Writ spoken since they'd landed, spoken dispassionately while looking out over a room full phase of the moon of devastate corpses."Of course they're loose. We ‘ re on a nervous ship at night fully of man-eating deadly fauna. Of form the brute are liberal. 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.

"Blow it."Ginny growled under her breathing time."Forget everything. Sink it now."

"We can ‘ t."Harry said angrily as he stepped over a eubstance and stood in front of the main bicycle."At to the lowest degree not yet."

"Why ?"Annapurna was glancing around fearfully."Why not ?"

"Two reasons."Harry leant against the roulette wheel tiredly."One ; the entirely degree was that the animals would sink in their cages, now they could drown to shore. Two ; there are still three crew members awake, barricaded down in the hold where they ca n't apparate out."

"How do you know ?"Dragon snapped suddenly.

"I know !"Harry snapped back."We need a new program. The animal are mostly still in their cages, seems like it ‘ s just the manticore that got loose."

"How do you-"

"I just know !"Harry rubbed his os frontale tiredly, his eyes were closed."There are compartment doors down below. If we can trap the animate being inside the hold, separate it off and guard it up good it ‘ ll be the Saame as a cage. Water gets in, animate being do n't get out. Just one problem ..."

"What ?"Ginny was eyeing the threshold carefully, looking for anything trying to sneak up on them.

"The bunch are down in that hold."Harry took a cryptical breath and turned back towards the marauders."Alright ... this is what we ‘ re doing. I need four multitude with me down in the clasp, It ‘ s too cramped for more than. We go get the subsister, get out. The repose of you split up and catch the fore and aft door. You lock them practiced the present moment we give the signal."

"Four ‘ s not enough."Draco said immediately.

"I don ‘ t have prison term to contend !"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 best. Your four best. Now."

No one wheel 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,

"Dragon, me, Hermione and Padma."Ginny took a trench breath."Ron, Fred, George, you fly over and man the other doorway. Everyone else watch this one. The signalize is-"

"Me yelling to shut out the bloody doors."Harry interrupted."No point being stealthy at that point."

Harry moved slowly out of the bridge. Hermione steeled herself them followed. They stepped down the steps slowly, the immense hold opened up in front of them. Surely it had been expanded.

"This way."Harry whispered, pointing along a raised walk."Draco, watch our back."Harry stalked forward, his wand out ahead of him. Hermione followed him. They passed a sinister cage, inside it a gigantic Black person clod shifted near the back. Hermione tried to ignore it, the ones in the cages were the good unity, it was the ones outside they had to ascertain out for. The cage ended and was replaced by another, six red optic looked out from behind the bars. The three dog school principal were pressed right up to the boundary, watching them. follow to think of it the cage in animals probably hadn't been fed in a patch. Suddenly the lurch and rolling of the ship seemed worse. If she fell into one of the cages ...

She spread her feet further apart, trying to get more stable. This was painful, this was hell, and they were going in to economize some stupid moon-curser. Bad people ! Hermione didn't spirit good for thinking like that. Not right at all. Harry suddenly raised a hand for them to stop.

"Get down."Harry hissed."One of them ‘ s coming. From up ahead. It hasn ‘ t seen us."

Obviously it hadn't, they were invisible. But how had Harry seen it ? Hermione watched as Harry aimed his wand down the dark gangway, waited a long consequence ... and flicked it forward, muttering under his hint. The wink of green illumination was expected but still horrifying, flying into the darkness. For a bit it illuminated a boisterous Panthera leo mane and two shining center glowing putting surface in the Christ Within. Then it snapped out and there was a dull thump like a body hitting the floor.

"One out of six."Harry murmured, then shuddered."So that was the killing cuss. Felt like drinking nightmares."

"Harry ..."Padma began but Harry silenced her with a wave.

"It 's just a tool."Harry shook himself."Just a tool. Just a peter. ejaculate on, lets keep going."Harry stepped forward, into the darkness.

Harry brought them to another staircase and quietly slinked down, his back pressed up to the wooden paries. As they crept down Harry held up a hand to discontinue again and dropped down to his knees.

"The other five are sleeping in there."Harry pointed down the steps."Round the corner, right in front of the storage elbow room where the crowd are barricaded."

Hermione didn't bother to ask how he knew.

"Now the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall opens up just round the corner."Harry sketched the curve of it with his paw."We can hit them all before they even wake up. Draco, you kill the one up by the far leave alone,"Harry pointed straight into the wall. `` Ginny, near the left wing wall. Hermione get the one right next to it, closer to us. Padma you get the one right in the middle, I 'll get the one closest to the stairs. Got it ? Everyone set ? ``

Hermione was gripping her verge hard, her ribbon wet with sweat. She did n't experience ready but she nodded anyway. They shifted closer towards the corner. Harry held his script up, three fingers. Two fingers. One ...

Harry swung out around the boundary, his wand coming up, at the Lapplander clock time his knees bent down. giving the rest of them a better shot. Hermione jumped out as fast as she could, the room was pitch black ! How was she supposed to-

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' A fire of gullible light flew from Harry 's scepter, striking a benighted shape on the ground and throwing the rest of the room into sharp shadow. Four lot 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 and soul. Freezing inscrutable into her chest, like terror. Then it was gone a moment later as the burning green light flew away, striking the manticora as it rose from the footing, throwing it back into the ground. At the Saame prison term she felt three more blasts of tip and flashes of dark trick fly out from beside her. A shattering crash of wooden splinter sounded and there was an angry inhuman holla. A shape unfurled like a leap and flew across the way towards them. Hermione felt her arm shooting up, too slowly ! Too sluggish !

'' Excalabus ! ``

A shining white luminousness flashed across the wood and there was a screech like a saw across glass. She felt a spray of dark blood cover her and a heavy embodiment flew past her, impacting with a expectant thump against the back wall. She turned to it, not breathing. It was a manitcore, or one-half of one. It was sliced in two, the wounding leaking a sea of blood into the storey. She turned back. Harry was standing over the former half, his scepter surrounded by a glowing White person nimbus, extending out like a flare pass. 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. '' Dragon shook his head. `` It was too far away, too little light. I saw the oculus, I- ''

'' Practice. '' Harry cut him off and turned away from them. `` exercise hard. '' As he walked away one of the Cerberus in a cage began barking and biting at the bar. It could smell the blood. Hermione tried to dismiss it, tried to think that the BAR were reinforced. But it was hard. The dog on the other side woke up at the stochasticity and rammed the legal community with its shoulder. There was a screech of alloy and the dog fell back.

Harry ignored the gigantic cerberus and walked calmly through the dark room to reach the low threshold at the end. He thumped it with his fist.

'' Hey ! '' Harry yelled. `` human in there get out. We 've come to deliver you, except we do n't want to see any verge and you 'd better have your hands up ! '' There was a scraping phone as if huge crates were being moved. The dogs kept scraping against the bars, biting at the wood. Hermione tried to observe calm air ... tried to ...

Oh no. No no no no no !

'' Harry ! ``

'' What ? '' Harry pushed the door open, revealing three disheveled and ragged men. `` What is it ? ``

'' Harry we need to go now ! ``

'' Ok, ok. We got what we came for. ``

'' NO ! Harry the coop are built into the ship ! ``

'' So ? ``

'' You released the protective charm on the ship ! ``

Harry 's fount fell like a popped balloon. His eyes shot wide.

'' So those measure are just ... ''

'' Heavily corroded iron. ``

'' God hates us. '' Harry whispered. `` God hates us ... RUN ! ``

At the moment Harry yelled the left field hellhound took a execute pounce and shattered through the bars straight a him.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry 's wand had flicked up the moment it moved and the green Light struck the monumental muscled cast in the air. But it kept moving and fell like a Stone onto Harry, like a mountain of black hair and sweating flesh. At the last moment he threw himself to the English and slid out from under it as it fell to the floor in a splintering explosion of wooden shrapnel.

'' wellspring do n't stand there run ! '' Harry yelled, pushing himself to his substructure and waving them towards the door. He turned to the crew member. `` You too ! ``

The other hellhound had a bar in each oral fissure and was grinding them apart.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot at it. The charm smashed one of the bars into rusty shard. `` Screw that ! Just run ! ``

Hermione spun and dashed up the stairs. Behind her she could hear more running feet and the repulsive gnashing of giant star jaws. somebody pushed her to the side and she saw one of the scrawny crew members making a rift up the stairs. She picked herself up and throw off herself forward as fast as potential. She glanced behind her, all the vulture were cannoning along behind her. Harry was bringing up the butt, sending pulsing of fleeceable incubus behind him.

They reached the passage. She could see the doorway ! The paries exploded in splinters and four muscled arms reached out to grab her.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' The trance came easier this time, freezing her to the substance as even as it threw the wendigo back through the bulwark. In a way it made it easier, it made her numb. She felt someone jostle her forward and realized she had been standing still. She dashed towards the doorway, trying to stay fresh away from the buckling bars of the cages all around her. They could smell out the blood.

'' Hermione what the perdition is going on ! '' Parvati yelled from the side of the room access as she hurtled through.

'' Just close it ! '' Her throat felt raw. `` Close it ! ``

Hermione scrambled away down the corridor before turning and looking back. The raged crewmen were already huddling on this side of the door just as Ginny and Padma hurtled through with genus Draco right of their heels. Behind them the hold was a demonic nightmare of churning frame, every darkness shadow seemed to suffer a creep animate being. Harry was still in the corridor, retreating slowly as he threw spell after piece at the roaring mass.

'' Harry just leave it ! '' Draco yelled. `` Get back here ! ``

Harry spun and dashed for the door, the darkness following like a Wave. Suddenly the coop in forepart of him exploded outwards, dark hair and scarred frame coming between the marauders and Harry. Wooden sides of the cage buckled and broke, the roof came with it, filling the air with splinters and the passage with expectant wooden sparring. It was blocked.

'' shut it ! '' Harry 's spokesperson shook the ship, amplified by trick. `` 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 it. '' Ginny ordered, her voice raw.

'' But ... ''

'' finish IT ! '' Ginny suited her words and flicked her verge at the threatening hatch, slamming it shut. `` Hermione ward it ! ``

Hermione shook as she raised her wand. It took her three tries to properly seal the door up.

'' rightfield, now get on the brooms. '' Ginny grabbed hers off her back. `` We get to the other incline of the ship and go in after Harry. ``

Of course ! Hermione threw herself onto her Calluna vulgaris. They could still go in and serve him !

'' You three with them ! '' Dragon bellowed at the crew members, pointing at the baker twins and Neville. `` And stay quiet. ``

Hermione lifted off the floor and aimed up the hatch to the outside. The pelting and malarkey hit her but she ignored them, they had to go helper Harry ! Suddenly the air was filled with a buffeting wall of sound. The nighttime air was lit up with two twin eruptions of fire. Reflecting off the mountainous waves and painting them red like a sea of lava. Under her the ship lurched to the slope, there was the strait of gushing water.

'' Why did you bobble it ! '' somebody yelled behind her. Hermione turned to see Ginny leant off her broom and grabbing Split by the front of his robe.

'' I got the signal. '' The storm boy shook his principal. `` 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 piddle and grabbed the beam above him, swinging up onto it with all his strong suit. Something below him roared but he ignored it and dashed along the thin and shaking duration of wood.

This was nether region. This was his own personal hellhole. The water supply was coming in everywhere, gushing up through a G holes in the cargo hold. And the creatures ... Harry had had to order the hold 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 other as severely as they were trying to eat him he would already be suddenly. In the water beneath him the dark head of a hellhound surfaced and gulped a barking breathing space before a crab like beast leapt from the shadows and slashed out it's eye. They both disappeared back under the pitch blackness water system, stained with blood, in a foaming maelstrom.

He had to get out of here. Harry's centre frantically searched for some way ... any way ... out. The piddle was everywhere ! The terror rose in Harry's throat. He couldn't think ! Couldn't breath ! NO ! NO ! Stay concentre !

Harry leapt onto the top of another shift cage, ignoring the floating remains in the water nearby. There had to be some way ! His heart searched frantically but all there was was crashing water and writhing flesh. Harry was struck in the rear by a gush of water, knocking him down to the alloy measure below. He spun around and the waterfall struck him in the face, terror blindsided him again but he threw it down again. The gushing water was coming from a ... pipe ? A hole ? A ... feeding golf hole ! Harry threw himself to the paries and clambered up a heaving beam, the roof right above him, he flicked his scepter out,

"Hammus Missus !"The spinning conjured chain lashed out and stabbed into the tobacco pipe. Harry grabbed to and pray that Hollywood got some things right. He let go of the rampart. He swung out into the spray of gushing pee and screamed as it splattered over his head word. He was thrown out the former side but he came back just as fast."This is idiotic ! Arefacio !"The waterfall dried up and he was able to go up a few feet up before it began gushing again.

A squawking terror exploded from the wickedness to Harry 's left. His wand was occupied but Harry clawed a gun from his pouch and fired wildly at the feathered beast. He did n't check shooting until it disappeared into the water below. Harry stuck the gun in his girdle and cast the Arfacio again. He was capable to pull himself up another few understructure before the water came again.

By the painfully easy fillet and starting he was able-bodied ( just ) to reach the tobacco pipe. He cast one more drought charm and reached as high as he could in the wickedness, his finger's breadth reached the edge. Harry dropped off the chain and pulled himself up with all his effectiveness. The water struck his head just as he pulled himself up and beached himself on the pitching pack of cards like a seal.

The ship was already mostly submersed, there was just the lowly, highest, parcel left. Sinking fast. Where were the marauders ? There ! Up high !

"HEY !"Harry magically amplified his voice and shouted out over the water."I ‘ M HERE !"

The brooms dropped like rock, shooting right at him. Draco braked to a arrest right in strawman of his face.

"You idiot !"He yelled, reaching out and pulling Harry onto his broom."You complete idiot !"

"Shut up and fly !"
*


The Light Within of dawn was just creeping over the purview when they finally touched down back on nation, a rough stony beach. Harry staggered onto whole ground and tried to get his balance wheel 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 judgment that by failing to protect your ship you failed Jehovah Voldemort, he ‘ s not going to be happy with you so if I were you I ‘ d go far far away. Right now."

The three men broke and ran like scared hare. God knows where they ended up. Harry breathed out and turned back to the marauders.

"trade good. That went well."

"Well !"Padma let out a suffocate cry."Everything that could possibly have gone wrong did go wrong !"

"And despite all that we stopped the shipment and made it out alive."Harry sat down on the hard primer coat and pushed the whisker out of his eyes. God he was tired."We have to assume that the odds will be stacked against us. We have to always bear that in intellect, tonight was a ripe case. 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 oral sex, they looked as tire as he felt. They were too tired to be majestic right now. Too bad this wasn't over.

"Here,"Harry drew his bottomless bag over and pulled a collapsible shelter out of it. It raised itself with a tap of his wand and would fit half a house inside."Get inside and get some sleep. We need to be ready in five hours."

"Five time of day ?"Ginny asked pointedly."What happens in five hr ?"

"Phase two of the plan. In six time of day will be when the ship was meant to come into port."Harry grinned evilly."There will be a group of decease feeder, five of them, waiting to welcome them in a obscure port site. Hidden ... rocky ... enclosed ... skillful station for an ambush."

"We ‘ re ambushing them ?"Dragon asked disbelievingly."Today ?"

"Yes."Harry pushed himself from the floor."Today. I mean Voldemort to find the double whammy of the passing of his creatures and his death eaters all in one fell swoop. I mean to put to put the heat on him, really sprain up the threat level you know ... The creatures were the independent thing, couldn ‘ t let them reach farming. The death eaters are just the icing on the cake."

"Harry ... are you for certain ?"Hermione stepped forward."We ‘ re all wear 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 matter. Now get on into the tent, you ‘ re wasting valuable resting meter. I ‘ ll take the first sentry. Go on, there are beds for everyone. Huge one, this a really serious tent."

Harry settled back down on his rock as the marauders trouped inside the tent. Harry sighed, if they didn't like phase two they definitely wouldn't like phase three.



followup or a gargantuan prehistoric dragonfly will take you to be the Host for it 's parasitic larva.


The adjacent chapter 's a big one so gallus yourselves.


Please perform these basic safety checks before reading this chapter
1 ) Make sure your chair is secure and steadfast so that if you faint you will not decrease to the floor and danger head trauma.
2 ) Make sure you are not in hearing of any children so when you let loose with a string of curse word it does not reach their tiny ears.
3 ) Check your rake force per unit area. If it is significantly higher up average you may want to read this chapter in quick dashing aloofness of a defibrillator.
4 ) lock chamber away all small-scale objects you could throw at your calculator screen.
5 ) Pray.

This, boys and young lady, is the big one ...



Snape felt his mark suntan in the middle of a potions deterrent example. That was worrying, Voldemort had always been careful of maintaining his binding. The mark burnt harder and Snape had to grit his teeth 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 birth dared ask him. Snape lurched to his feet.

"coterie up your things. The moral is over."He could not leave them unsupervised with potions ingredients. Snape hurried out the door, sending a rush along patronus to McGonagall saying that he had been called away suddenly. She would bang what that meant. He felt compelled to at to the lowest degree hold the order informed, but he could not contribute himself to touch Dumbledore directly. He sent a second patronus to Natalie and a third to Michelson for estimable measure.

He reached the primary logic gate and stepped beyond the Hogwarts wards hesitantly. The tugging on his arm intensified and he let himself be pulled into the vacuum by it, drawing him along until his feet touched flat coat. He glanced around, another dark place. A warehouse by the expression of it, dust covered the wooden box stacked to the high roof. The rest of the death eaters were already there, standing in a rough circle. Only Bellatrix had kept her masque off, she usually did. Vanity no doubt. Vanity and a need to be seen. Snape stepped into his plaza in the dress circle and waited. He did not block out himself, he did not get it on why. Perhaps a whim.

But were they all there ? Snape glanced back around the forget me drug, only eight image stood sentry in there midnight gown. At the last encounter there had been fifteen. Snape had grown to the compass point where he could make out each of the destruction eater by shape alone beneath their masquerade party. Who was missing ? Dolohov, family Corvidae, Avery Sr, Mulciber, the Carrows and Forneus. All death eaters that Voldemort could be said to bank, if he could be said to trust anyone. That all of they would be missing at the same clip ... it was very worrying.

'' Do not worry yourselves. '' The vocalization of Voldemort came from the air between two stacks of crateful. A import later he himself strode out, his red center flashing first to one of them, then to another. `` Your blood brother will link up us soon. And with them they will bring glad newsworthiness. waiting my Quaker, postponement with patience. ``

Snape shifted his stance. The shipment was here, that could be the only newsworthiness that would put Voldemort in such a gladiola mood. Snape made ready to memorize any contingent that he could glean when the seven destruction eaters appeared. Any lilliputian fact that might help to at to the lowest degree somewhat reduce the damage.

Reduce the hurt ... that was a prank. Reduce it from a catastrophe to a disaster.

He was broken out of his persuasion be a meretricious fissure. He turned to see Forneus stumble forward from his apparition point. His total darkness robe were streaked with mud and Baroness Dudevant and were torn raged. He collapsed near the edge of the circle, his arms out entreatingly towards the wickedness lord.

'' Master ! '' He gulped, his voice full of fear. `` We were attacked. Spells out of nowhere, hundreds of them. We could not entertain them back. ``

'' What ? '' Voldemort whirled on the prostrate wizard.

'' They were waiting for us. Waiting at the dock. '' Forneus ducked his head to the floor. `` I was the only if one to esc- ''

'' attend me in the eye ! '' Voldemort hissed, Forneus was dragged to his feet by an unseeable force. `` Look your Lord in the eye when you admit your failure. ``

'' There was goose egg we could do my lord. '' Forneus cringed. `` They must have known about- ''

'' Crucio ! ``

Snape watched as the livid haired dying feeder writhed on the floor. How had this happened ? Not the ordination, he would have been capable to tell if this form of large scale operation was in the offing. The ministry ... that was just laughable. So that left ... Harry Potter. This was done by Harry thrower. Snape kept his font impassive as his stomach did cartwheel. Harry was alive, fighting and apparently able of fighting seven death eaters all in one morning. But Forneus had said there were many of them ... well that explained the absences in his morning class.

The dark God Almighty whipped his wand back, Forneus stopped shaking and instead started whimpering.

'' Up Foerneus. Up ! '' Voldemort dragged the cringing death eater to his feet again. `` I expect more from one of my oldest servant. ``

'' Please ... please ... ''

'' What of my ship Forneus ? '' Voldemort stepped forwards. `` Where are my creatures ? ``

'' I ... I do not know my Lord. '' 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 screw about the ship. I suspect ... I think ... the ship may be no more my lord. ``

'' No more ? '' Voldeomort repeated coldly. `` No more Forneus ? My lading ... my beast ... is no more ? ``

'' I do not recognise my lord. '' Forneus ducked his head. `` They were not at the harbor. ``

'' You mean it is at the hindquarters of the sea. '' Voldemort 's voice was at it 's most icy and smooth. `` You mean to evidence me that my creatures, that I bought with good gold and sincere hope of further gold are dead."

'' I do not know my Jehovah. ``

'' You do not know. '' Voldemort snarled. `` You do not know ! Crucio ! ``

Snape tried to stay equanimity. What plans would this change ? How did this affect things ...

'' Please master ... '' Forneus was trying to speak through gritted teeth. `` There was nothing we could do. ``

'' Who did this ? '' Voldemort snapped suddenly. `` Who is creditworthy ? Speak ! ``

'' I did not see. '' Forneus whimpered. `` They were hiding ... I did not see their faces. They were everywhere but hidden. They was nothing I could identify- ''

'' Let me be the justice of that. '' Voldemort raised his verge again. `` Legilimens ! ``

Snape watched as the two adept remained with lock away eyes for moments, then minutes. Snape was beginning to wonder what was happening when Voldemort looked away, his hilltop creasing.

'' Your store have been altered. '' Voldemort said quietly. In anyone else Snape would have thought he was worried. `` Your memory board have been altered. Inexpertly, but they clearly have been. ``

'' You ... Do you mean the ship may still be there my nobleman ? '' Forneus asked hurriedly.

'' No. '' Voldemort tapped the face of his chin thoughtfully. `` Your memories are your own until you remember apparating away from the conflict. 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 take after you here. Foolish. No trance could cross you here, I have warded this situation against tracking piece. ``

Snape began to feel queasy. Harry was far from a fool, what was his plan here ?

'' hitch still ! '' Voldemort snapped at Forneus. He flicked his wand at the dying eater. Nothing happened. Voldemort frowned. `` No tracking patch of any kind ... interesting. Turn out you pockets ! ``

Forneus quivered as he reached into first one shadow pouch of his robes, then another. As his hand reached his inside pocket he froze.

'' My Divine ... there is something here. '' He slowly drew out a flat black box, the size of a plurality of cards. A little red light blinked on its open. Forneus held it out for the night lord. Voldemort made no move to take it but instead examined it dispassionately from where he stood.

'' Interesting ... '' Was all the shadow lord said.

Snape felt like chuckling. Voldemort clearly had not the light idea what that was. Neither did Snape but at least he could acknowledge that it was muggle engineering. What could it be for ? The nictitation light was like a vindictive eye but it did not seem to be a artillery ...
*


Ginny dropped off her Scots heather and hastily stowed it in a carry lawsuit before shoving it under a cloak with the others. She checked herself to make surely no toe or curl or hair's-breadth had fallen outside her own cloak ... no. Good. She motioned the others to stick to her as they snuck up to a Chain logic gate. Beyond were two lined of decrepit muggle warehouse, some of them with the roofs fallen in. Harry eased up to the gate, his eyes darting down to a pocket-size device he held nestled in his hand.

'' This is it. '' Harry nodded. `` They 're here. In the third one down on the left hand. ``

'' Are you sure Harry ? '' She whispered. It was n't that she did n't bank Harry, it was this muggle elec-tricks. Surely it could n't be as reliable as a get across spell. She glanced down at the bright screen on the gimmick Harry was holding and tried to unite it back to her muggle study lessons. The thing was pretty complex, more complex than a clock. There must deliver been hundreds of gear mechanism inside. Ginny wondered how often it had to be wound. Harry looked into the disused industrial area, squinting at the distant warehouse, then nodded.

'' I 'm certainly. Ca n't you feel the wards around this place ? Give me a minute and I 'll check us a way through. ``

Ginny tried to defecate herself breathing spell as Harry knelt down and drew his wand, drawing it through the air as if trying to hitch tent flap. She turned to the marauders and took a deep breath.

'' Alright, '' She began under her breather. It was hard enough making voice communication, it was big when you could only see mass as ghostly shadows. `` Today is the day. This is it. This is what we 've been training towards. We all knew it would descend 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 plan to end it today. She had wanted to stop him, wanted to slap him down when he said that this was the honorable chance they would get. The trouble was he was right. She should severalize them that Ginny realized,

'' Harry 's right, this is as expert a chance as we 'll ever get. Voldemort 's feeble, Voldemort is running low on servants. We have the reward of numbers and the constituent of surprise. They 've got lord Voldemort, but we 've got Harry Potter ... '' Ginny broke off, looking into their wide eyed faces `` I know you 're scared ... I know that maybe, cryptic down, we all hoped we would n't get to confront Voldemort himself. But we are, and by doing it we can end this here and now. We can save thousands of sprightliness today. Today is the day. We 've been an US Army for a long while now, we 've been soldiers. But today, today we 're fighter. If we pull this off, one last chef-d'oeuvre of vulture havoc. We. Will. Be. submarine. Get ready to fight, you know what to do. ``

As if on cue Harry chuckled triumphantly and pushed the gate afford 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 black device onto the floor. `` jerky of them to bank on muggle twist. Idiotic. ``

A rough chuckle went around the circle of sorcerer. Snape faked laughter even as he continued to gaze at the box. The red light was still blinking. Voldemort licked his lips and sucked it air in a serpentine hiss.

'' A setback. '' He said, apparently having recover his composure. `` A momentary setback. We are still the nifty wizards alive, possessing powers the muggle loving mark in the order could not even comprehend. I shall triumph. ``

'' maestro ... ''

'' We wield the night magics, the only true power ! Trust in your noble and we will prevail. ``

'' maestro I have- ''

'' Forneus ? '' Voldemort turned on the cowering wizard. `` You dare break your master ? You dare even after you have humiliated yourself so ? ``

'' No my noble, '' Forneus bowed his mind. `` It 's just ... I have found a second device. '' He held it up for Voldemort to see. The darkness lord took it unworriedly.

'' Ha, how droll. '' Voldemort held the thing out for all the death eaters to see and express joy. `` They have sent me a stop of clay. Perhaps this is their idea of a jest. ``

Snape was not totally unaware of muggle engineering science and felt a strong urge to dismiss to the floor.
*


Harry watched as Voldemort raised the bomb above his head. He glanced to either English, there were piranha poised at each door and her knew there were Thomas More at every other entrance. He looked back to the Death eaters, Snape was with them but ... standing far enough away. He probably would n't be killed. Harry closed his heart, Snape would understand.

Harry drew the detonating device out of his robes. Hopefully this could be ended right now. With portion even if Voldemort realized what was happening he would n't be able to shield fast enough. The war could end there and then.

'' I do have a power you know not. '' Harry muttered under his breath. `` Turns out it goes windfall. ``

He clicked up the cover charge on the detonator, and pressed the switch.
*


'' master key no ! '' Rookwood suddenly yelled, whipping his wand out. Every eye flicked to him, even Voldemort 's. `` Protego ! ``

Even as the shining shield slid between the darkness lord and the bomb there was an earth-shattering pass and Snape was hit by a paries of noise and light. He was lifted off his feet and cast painfully against a crate. His auricle were full of only ringing and he fell in rummy detachment, not even hearing the thump as his own body crash onto the base. Through the fog of noise and tried to travel his legs, irritating but unbroken, then his arms. He got to his feet, blinking as everything swam before his center. He raised his verge to his face and tried to fix his vision. It was n't perfect but even the imperfect sight before him shocked him to his core.

fire licked every crateful as the explosion had thrown burning fragment across the entire warehouse. He could see the dying eaters running about in a mad, silent, panic, their mouthpiece open in screech of pain. Snape raised his sceptre to his ear and hesitantly muttered a healing spell. The shocking claxon call of wow almost made him rue doing so. Nott ran past him, his very pluck ablaze on his back. Snape ignored him, if anyone noticed his thoughtless attitude to a chap destruction feeder they would just impute it to shock. Voldemort himself was nowhere to be seen. Snape stumbled forward, stepping over a prone body, his head still full of fuzz.

'' Stupefy ! '' The pellet came out of nowhere, striking the bloody figure of Nott and throwing him to the story. Snape had his own wand out but the dish were flying faster, from everywhere. Snape 's head ached, he could n't keep up with this.

'' Bhraanti taraGga urvii ca agni ! '' The dark spell exploded out of the world, throwing boxful away and tearing the concrete underfoot in a burning conflagration. Voldemort appeared out of the smoke in the snapper of it, his weapon raised as the mightiness of the spell coursed through him. The shattering ground expanded in every focussing, clearing a space in the dark warehouse. Voldemort finally let his weaponry fall, his oculus still blazing with might. He pointed at three cowering death eaters with his clawed mitt. `` You ! Make a baracade there ! Bella, the same there ! They have surrounded us and warded this place against apparition, but we will cut them down ! They will rue the day they chose to fight me ! ``

Snape felt his muscular tissue moving dully as he moved to avail hover the crates into a barrier. The dish were already flying again. The unspoilt thing was to stay still, waiting for his chance.
*


'' Damnit ! '' Harry threw himself behind a pile of boxes as a killing curse 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 pile of sacks. Harry spun out around the corner and took in the barrier of crate. He was unseeable but there was so much smoke-

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry spun a crate into the path of the spell then banished it against the barricade. It exploded, raining beans over the death eaters.

'' Galbinus digitus ! '' Harry whipped his wand at the green shower and vines shot out of the dried husk, binding the two wiz into suffocating heap. Harry darted back behind the sacks as spells began to rain down down on the spotlight he had been standing.

'' Got them ? '' Draco yelled at him.

'' Think so ! How many do you- '' Harry was cut off as the earth before them raised up in a thunder crash. Two massive rhombus eyes fractured receptive in grey stone and two blazon erupted up beside the creature. It punched into the flat coat and the two marauders were thrown back.

'' Reducto ! '' Harry aimed at one stony eye but the spell just bounced off.

'' Avada kedavra ! '' genus Draco called out desperately as they scrambled away, the curse left a monolithic gap through the thing 's front but it did not stop it 's advance. It raised it 's arm like a pounding,

'' Excalabus ! '' The shining steel crew out of cipher and sliced the automaton 's arm off at the elbow making it roar in pain. Harry slashed through it 's body and jumped away as it crumbled into dust.

'' That was Voldemort 's work. '' Draco panted.

'' Oh really ya think ? '' Harry glanced around for a mean value to attack. `` They 're all in one place. We 're strung out over the unit bloody warehouse. He can nibble us off one by one like this, invisible or not ! ``

'' You think we should form up ? '' Draco held his sceptre out ready.

'' No, they 'll just fly the coop the other way. '' Harry ground his teeth together.

'' Maybe the aurors will get here soon. '' Malfoy had to parry as a spell pin-wheeled over his psyche. `` Or the order. ``

'' Ca n't banking concern on a maybe ! '' Harry glanced up and got an idea. `` admit the line, I 'm going to kick downstairs them up. ``
*


Snape saw a umbrageous shape dashing through the smoke and aimed just behind it. This was craziness, pure madness. Without Voldemort the death eaters would have fallen at the first volley, blinded and burned as they were, but with him they were holding their own against the ghost army raining turn down on them from all counseling. There was no telling where the next attack would come from, even the barricade were scant protective cover. And all the while the rut from the burning edifice all around charring into his hide. Being stuck in the middle of all that and not really being function of either side ... madness.

Snape hoped that perhaps Harry 's invisible US Army would realise him but he could n't count on it. If he could number on not being noticed he could try stunning himself, but then he would n't be there to avail Harry if something went wrong. Snape shielded himself from a barrage of stunners and cried in bother as a red-hot scrap of metallic element dropped onto him from above. He looked up in time 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 hawk into the heart of the end eaters.

His boots struck Bellatrix in the nerve just as she looked up and repulse her to the flooring with a bone-splitting crunch. Harry rolled like and came up in a second slashing his verge like a brand, there was a flash of white light and Rodolphus was opened from hip to neck. He went down spraying red blood across his aggressor but Harry had already whirled and blew one of the barricade to smithereens.

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry ducked the curse and stab back but he was in the midriff of the Death eaters now. Exactly what he wanted, Snape realized in flashing moment. He 's providing a distraction for the others to attack. The trouble was he would probably die to attain it. Snape raised his wand to help Harry but there was a sudden cleft of black lightness and he felt painful sensation invade every limb. An orb of shadow spun through the air towards Harry. Harry dodged wildly but there were too many other go flying and it exploded in the air next to him. Driving him sprawling to the floor. Snape shuddered, he had just experienced the slipstream of the turn and he felt like he had been kicked in the head by a horse cavalry. What Harry must be feeling he could not imagine.

'' Protect us ! '' Voldemort snapped, his scepter still smoking from the powerful jinx. `` I will deal with the boy. ``

Snape turned to wee it appear like he was complying but kept watch as the dark lord stepped up closer to Harry. Voldemort held out a hand and summoned Harry 's scepter to him.

'' Very brave Mr potter. '' Voldemort raised his sceptre. `` And very foolish. You must forgive me but I do n't have fourth dimension to have one of our traditional confabulation. Avada- ''

'' Avada kedavra ! '' Harry threw his left arm up as he shouted the inexcusable. The mocking laugh died on Voldemort 's lips as Harry 's hand exploded in green light.

The spell flashed through the air towards the shocked night lord. Snape watched as if in slow motion as Voldemort's handwriting flew into his robes and gripped around something. The very moment before the green bolt struck him he disappeared. The spell slashed across the circle and struck Rosier in the pectus, catapulting his corpse into the wall.

"Lord !"Forneus'stifle part sounded out as she rushed forward. Harry had fallen on his side cradling his hand in agony but at the death eater 's cry he unfurled and thrust his hand forward,

"Avada Kedavra !"The super acid bolt flashed towards the old demise eater but he threw himself to one English and screamed a curse. A purple bolt flicked off the end towards Harry but he frantically waved another death eater into the way of life of the tour then banished the screaming form so that it crashed into Forneus'face.

"Kill him !"person yelled and Snape realized that the other death eater were turning on Harry with rictus snarls of vengeful fury. Snape's gaze flicked from the death eaters charging to Harry, raising his arm again, and decided in a moment.

"Stupefy !"Snape's stunner jammed Goyle's mind back with a sickening crunch.

"Traitor !"Forneus was rising from the level with his sceptre pointed in recrimination."Crucio !"

Snape ducked the spell and darted over to stand shoulder joint to shoulder with Harry.

"Incendio !"

Snape shielded without thought and the flaming spell was absorbed into the general inferno.

"Tempesto !"Harry screamed, his voice twisted with pain in the neck, and waved his hired hand in a gyration arch. A wind sprung from discharge air and drew the flaming Grant Wood into a spinning crack of red region. Harry pointed and flung the firestorm at the death feeder, scattering them like cony. Harry spun on Snape in the brusk fourth dimension that had gained them.

"Why did you interrupt cover ?"He yelled, swooping to catch a fallen wand."They all saw you ! Idiot !"

"No more idiot than you for coming here !"Snape shot back as he sent a stunner at a stumble shape in the flame."Rushing in like a tomfool ! You are doing exactly what I said you would !"

"I had a architectural plan !"Harry growled at him."And it would accept bloody worked if Voldemort hadn ‘ t had an emergency portkey !"

"You risked your aliveness !"

"Mine to risk !"

"As is my book binding !"Snape glared into the smoke but the early death eaters seemed to be trying to escape rather than fight.

"They ‘ re trying to escape."Harry confirmed it and began advancing after them. His wand outstretched as he marched into the smoking."The aurors have broken in too now. We can trap them between us."

"Harry how have you been casting spells ?"Snape hurried after him, his verge flicking towards every touch of motion.

"Wandlessly obviously."

"Harry wandless magic is beyond you."Snape grated, it was the wide-eyed truth."And besides, certain spell can not be performed wandlessly, it is simply impossible. The unforgivables are among them."

"Impossible for regular people."Harry flashed a rictus grinning through the murk.

'' Harry, your script ! '' Snape cried as he saw it clearly for the first time. He grabbed the arm, his oculus wide with repugnance. The midsection finger's breadth was burnt down to a check stub and his forefinger finger was gone to the indorsement knuckle. The integral relief of the hired man was shrivelled and charred, as if it was burning from the interior out. It was boiling to the tactual sensation. `` Harry what have you done ! ``

'' What I had to ! '' Harry pulled his ruined hand back and held it painfully to his breast."I ‘ m the boy who lived, the bloody chosen one ! follow on, they ‘ re this way."

Wondering how Harry knew Snape followed him into the murk.
*


'' What is the situation ? '' Shacklebolt yelled as he dashed up to the 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 business. This must be why dad looked up to him.

'' There were eight end eater inside, at least 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 hoi polloi too, invisible. ``

'' Voldemort 's gone. '' Shacklebolt supplied. `` Unregistered portkey. Fletcher, hold your team to the Mae West entrance- ''

Ginny stepped back towards the building and grabbed the invisible baker Gemini who were standing with her.

'' We 're getting everyone out, all our people. '' She motioned one of them to each end of the building. `` We got them, we won. ``
*


'' Harry pass up ! '' Snape yelled as Harry had to jump out of the way of a collapsing passel of burning boxes. `` You could be killed here ! ``

'' They 're still in here ! '' Harry forged onwards into the murk.

'' Fool boy ! '' Snape 's gown caught fire and he threw it off angrily before rushing forward. He grabbed Harry around the arm only to be shook off. `` They will all be stagnant 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 lie with that ! '' Harry staggered a few more steps before keeling over and retching onto the trading floor. Snape shied away, for a present moment unsure of what to do. The only thing in his creative thinker was an idle interest in the fact that the vomit was steaming as it hit the trading floor. Harry stumbled to his feet and Snape hissed in shock, Harry 's eyes were running red with blood.

'' Harry something is wrong with you. '' Snape stepped forward carefully. `` Something is clearly legal injury. You need a therapist. ``

'' I ca n't leave yet ! ``

'' The aurors will- ''

'' No ! '' Harry turned and dashed into the smoke. Snape heard a monumental cleft from above and get around his verge up, not fast enough. The wooden shaft struck Harry in the back and drove him down, knocking him out and pinning him to the floor. Snape dashed forward, for once not even thinking of his verge, and shoved the beam off with all his strength. It thudded onto the story and Snape rolled Harry onto his back. Blood was running down the poor son haggard face.

'' Oh Harry .... why ? You fool ... '' Snape felt rising choler. None of it directed at Harry. `` You did n't have to do this. You did n't suffer to do any of this. You did not have to destruct yourself .... tinker's damn you Dumbledore ! '' He slammed his clenched fist into the cracked ground and bowed his head. He did n't even notice the secondly balance beam before in struck him on the book binding and drove him from consciousness.

And all around the fervidness raged.
*


'' Are all of your mass out. '' Shacklebolt yelled at Ginny.

'' Not Harry. '' Ginny frantically glanced back into the blazing. `` He 's still in there. '' She saw Shacklebolt 's face fall.

'' The edifice is not going to last much longer. ``

'' Gone on Harry. '' Ginny felt herself whispering. `` Come on ... ''
*


The witness scrabbled through the flame warehouse. He had come following the aurors, come hoping to kill more decease eaters. Cause pain to the snake-one. Cause pain to Tom Riddle. But all he had found was flames, fire and death.

His centre darted around, trying to find oneself a way out. If he was trapped here both he and Smoky would be killed. His fingers idly caressed Smoky 's scales where she hid in his sleeve. Maybe Smoky could hide in one of the grate in the level, but he would die for certainly. And if he died he would never get his revenge.

Sweet mellisonant revenge ... He took a moment to savour the thought as the fire licked at his legs.

What was that ? A maw in the floor, one of the muggle unity. 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 figures 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 retainer of the snake-one before him. He fought the snake-one, Tom brain-teaser, the stealer of life history, the trickster, the face-stealer, the- He shook his capitulum as the list of hatred raged through his mind.

He lifted the piece of music of wood off easily with a patch and regarded them through his blow over oculus. He did not remember caring about anyone, even before the snake-one did things to him. But these also fought the snake-one. And so maybe they should n't die. Maybe not.

He levitated them off the ground and scuttled to a faded window and threw them through the meth. There were shouts from extraneous and he could see the garmented men clustering around them. The robed men could n't see him though. He scuttled back to the gob in the floor and lowered himself in.

They could n't catch him yet.

He still had killing to do.
*


Harry stood in the orchard apple tree orchard again. The leafage turned brown for the season, the reason wet with dew. In every direction it stretched, impossibly deep.

'' Why am I here ? '' Harry tried to say, but his mouth would n't create sound. His throat was closed.

What is this place ?

Harry turned on his heel and there was the edge of the tree, just paces away. And beyond it ... nothing. The human race just dropped away as if the trees were the entirely real thing.

The speech sound of the river raged in his ears, filling him with fear. He ran from the bound, back into the rubber of the tree, back into the real part. But it was crumbling now, he could see the edge crumbling away and yet somehow never getting closer. Always falling apart but staying where it was.

What is this place ?

Harry hugged his arms to his chest. This was a aspiration, this was only a dream.

Then why does it feel like this is the only matter that 's real ?
*


'' He 's awake. ``

Draco dropped off his hospital bed at the sound of the healer representative and hurried up to the position of Harry 's bed. virtually of the other marauder clustered around with him. The Weasley Twins and Parvati were all in their own seam, kept mercifully unconscious while their injuries healed. They had all been hurt when they managed to drag themselves out of that inferno, it was a minor miracle none of them were dead. No ... not a miracle, they had trained, they had prepared. That was the rationality they were still alive. Not a miracle.

Draco looked down at his acquaintance, lying pale and wan on the infirmary rag. His eyes had cracked open, but he still was n't moving.

'' Welcome back Harry. '' Hermione grasped Harry 's bridge player encouragingly. `` Do n't try to blab yet the doctors said you were really sick. ``

'' ... ah ... '' Harry licked his mouth and tried again. `` ... Volde ... mort ... ''

'' He got away. '' Ginny supplied. Harry squeezed his oculus shut, a frustrated moan broke out from somewhere in his chest.

'' Do n't feel bad mate. '' Ron was clearly trying to sound pollyannaish. Idiot. `` Only three death eaters got away. We got all the rest, all of them. ``

'' Who ... ? '' Harry 's question 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 eye flickered towards Neville. `` And Bellatrix. ``

'' Bella ... '' Harry 's facial expression contorted into a maze. `` Got her ... Could swan I got- ''

'' You did Harry. '' Ginny picked up a chalk of water and slowly helped Harry to drink from it. `` The aurors were dragging her out but she came to in their arms, killed one of them with her bare work force and dissapperated with his wand. ``

'' Killed ? He died ? '' Harry 's voice seemed to be coming a bit easier now but it was still at the edge of weakness.

'' Yes. The sole auror, order member or marauder to die yesterday. '' Draco supplied, he could see Ginny 's heading obeisance. She could n't possibly experience guilty could she ? The man had let an unconscious prisoner rip out his windpipe. It was tragic, but it was no ones fault but his own. Harry certainly would n't feel guilty.

'' We got the residual though did n't we ? '' Harry asked, glancing down at his bandaged hand.

'' Most of them are dead. '' Draco supplied. `` Those who did n't die in the fight died in the fervor. ``

'' gibbon died. '' Neville said quietly. `` I saw the aurors pulling him out. person should severalise Vanessa. She deserves to know her father 's perfectly. 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 bandage hand.

'' Harry, your script ... '' Hermione brought it up and there was an instant cooling among the vulture. No one had wanted to be the one to ask Harry about it. `` Your bridge player it ... ''

'' Injured, I know. '' Harry looked over at it dully. `` Can the therapist fix it ? ``

'' They ... they can raise the digit back Harry but- ''

'' Perfect, that 's fine then. ``

'' But how did it happen in the foremost billet ? '' Hermione looked like she was trying to avoid actually looking at the hand. `` Snape said you used a wandless putting to death curse which is impossible- ''

'' Apparently not. '' Harry cut her off. `` If they can fix me then why have n't they started ? I need my hand back, Voldemort could retaliate at any moment. ``

'' Harry ... '' Hermione looked around, perhaps looking for backup. Draco shook his head, she had opened Pandora 's box she could deal with it on her own. `` Harry the hand is n't the only thing awry with you. ``

'' Some sort of curse or something ? ``

'' No, at to the lowest degree ... they do n't think so. ``

'' What are you talking about ? ``

'' Well- '' Hermione began but was cut off as a vox said,

'' Let me excuse. '' Draco looked towards the strait to see Snape striding in through the threshold. The marauders made way for him as he moved to the foot of Harry 's bed. A clean bandage encircled his forehead but he did n't seem to notice it. Snape nodded towards Harry 's ruined script. `` I think I understand now. That was a Shén de shou was n't it ? ``

No. No Harry oh god no ! Dragon felt some frightening cocktail of passion, fear and pity 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 bother. '' Harry replied coldly.

'' Harry you are twice the mug I ever named you. '' Snape bowed his mind, 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. '' Draco supplied, finding that his voice was almost tinged with tears. `` It 's an performance, originating in mainland China, they insert wand cores into the bones of your script. Surgically. '' There was a gasp from the marauder 's but Draco carried on. It felt better if they knew it too, like the horror was more spread out. `` It 's outlawed everywhere in the human race. It is insanely serious, even when they are done right they damage the user since the illusion has to squeeze it 's way out through bod and skin. And casting a cuss as right as the killing nemesis ? He 's lucky he still has an arm. ``

'' I was n't planning on using it levitate feathers. '' Harry said acidly. `` It was a weapon of last stamping ground, and it worked. I saved myself and almost killed Voldemort. ``

'' If it were only that bare Harry. '' Snape still was n't looking Harry in the eye. `` Your Shén de shou may induce been installed properly, it may not consume been. Either way it would not account for all of your symptoms. And yes Harry, you have many symptoms. The healers found infections in your blood, some new and some just remnant. 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 dread rise in his stomach. He was sick right at the get-go of the class and I did zippo ... I could have prevented this.

'' You are hurt more deeply than anyone can tell, and they can barely tell at all because of that ! '' Snape pointed at the attenuate and cut off armguard around Harry 's arm. `` You have it charmed so that none but you can remove it. Your paranoia is killing you since the malign eye prevents the healers from telling what is actually unseasonable with you. A fact I think you know, a fact I think you know very well. You do not want anyone to experience what was going on inside you. You got the Shén de shou Harry Potter, but what else did you get ? You came back after a summertime 's time and suddenly you stand toe to toe with death eaters ? the great unwashed who have spent their aliveness learning the dim of liberal arts ? No ... no ... You did not simply train over the summer months. What else festers under your skin ? What else have you done to yourself ! ``

The silence in the room was solid as granite, and as harsh. Harry licked his lips before answering slowly, measuredly,

'' If I answered you, you would feature the healer remove what I had put in. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why ? ``

'' To carry through your living. '' Snape was virtually shaking.

'' My animation 's worth aught if Voldemort 's around. '' Harry shook his head. `` Afterwards. I 'll kill Voldemort then the material comes out. Until then I need it. ``

'' Afterwards ? Afterwards ? '' A shoot squeezed out of the corner of Snape 's eye, shocking everyone. It might throw been a tear of rage, it might not. `` Harry by then it may be too of late ! The healer say that you have months, half a twelvemonth at very best, if we do not do something. ``

'' And face what I 've done with a year ! '' Harry yelled angrily. `` I 've pushed Voldemort back to the brink ! How many death eaters does he deliver left ? FOUR ! Down from what ? Twenty ? thirty ? I knew I would n't have a good deal time. I accepted that my life-time would be severally cut, but I have taken my lifespan and ticktock that Hydra faced jerk-off around the mind with it ! He is hanging by a thread thanks to me ! I am the entirely one who can vote down Voldemort ! The ONLY ONE ! You know that ! The freaking chosen one, I had to do this. I had to ! There was NO OTHER WAY ! No way for me to win, not against him. I needed every advantage I could receive so, god help me, I went out and found some vantage. I had to. And if it means I win my big vaticinate fight against the bastard ? Then I made the right outcry. And if I do n't ? Then it wo n't count anyway. ``

Harry cut off, his bureau rising and falling sharply, showing how much his actor's line had taken out of his bruise human body. Snape was just standing there, his case an indescribable masquerade of ruefulness. Another bust, 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 part cut through the quiet like a siren. `` Back on the ship you knew where the crew were. You knew where the creatures were. You even knew where the ship was in the centre of the night on a stormy sea. You knew where we were too. You put the chicken feed in your sack, I never saw you put them on. We were invisible, but not to you. Oh god Harry ... tell me you did n't. distinguish me ... '' Padma reached a hand forward, up towards Harry 's face. Harry did n't flinch back even as her foresightful fingernail reached up close and tapped his eye.

The unmistakable clink of glass was like a death toll.

'' Your eye ... '' Hermione breathed, every reverb of her vocalization begging it not to be true. `` You ... you cut out your eye ? ``

'' No, guy at the shop did it. '' Harry tried to beat Padma 's hand away but clearly did n't have the force. `` Do n't you all look at me like that. I saw how useful Helen Wills Moody 's was and got one for myself. This one's better though, it can calculate anywhere, out the dorsum of my promontory and all but it's charmed to look like it's pointing the Lapplander way as the former one. So no one ever knows. It 's been useful, more than than useful. You ca n't tell me it has n't. '' Harry's voice had grown more sharp as he spoke.

'' But ... your eye. '' Hermione shuddered, her hand involuntarily flinched up to her face. `` How could you ? ``

Draco felt bile rise like a volcano. Just the thought of tearing out his own eye made him sick. What block and horrific will would it take to willingly chose that self-mutilation. For the first time that year, Draco began to venerate 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 fuck why I did this ! Do n't look at me like you do n't understand. I had to ! ``

The desperation in his voice. The need for them to empathize, to apologise what he had done. Draco shuddered. In Harry 's billet would he have done the same ? He honestly could n't guess. No one could. Draco cleared his throat,

'' Harry, I ca n't guess why you chose to do this. But you need to let the healer fix you now. ``

'' Draco, I ... you too ? '' Harry seemed very small in that present moment. Very lost.

'' Please let them fix you Harry. '' Draco felt a small hired hand grok his and glanced to the incline to see Ginny. Offering financial support. A good supporter. Thank you. `` You might now even need this hooey anymore. Voldemort is weak, maybe- ''

"Maybe !"Harry snapped."Maybe, maybe MAYBE ! That ‘ s all I ‘ ve heard all twelvemonth ! I won ‘ t trust to hope ! It ‘ s too important."

"Harry please ..."Draco's pharynx felt like it was closing up."Please ... you may not empathise just how lots scathe you ‘ re doing to yourself. Waiting a few weeks even could-"

"frustration Voldemort."Harry said coldly."I ‘ ve made my selection. Tell the healer to fix my hand, just the hand. You don ‘ t think I wish it was different ? I do. But some bastard prophecy had the gall to set my living in move long before I had any say in it. I have to win. I have to win even if I die because aught else thing. Turns out this battle was what I was born for and I ‘ ll burn myself from the inside out before I lose to that snake-faced bastard. I have to win. Even if I die."

Draco stepped back from the bed. The horrible certainty in Harry's articulation was shocking. He had accepted his fate down to his finger cymbals. He had drunk it in till it was the very core of his being. Was Harry even in there any more ?

Draco was shocked out of his thoughts by a small strait. 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 Draco looked up at the potions master's face he almost cried out in concern. The most tremendous dark rage Draco had ever seen was painted across Snape's face, etched in every line and crease. The dark shadow in his heart were seething puddle of smothered fury. Suddenly Snape let out an almost inhuman growl and disapperated on the spot, tearing a piece of the bed away with him.
*


No opinion entered the red fog of Snape's psyche as he strode towards the Gates of Hogwarts. His wand whipped out and the huge doors were thrown back with a rumbling wreck that shook the castle. He could not wish less if the whole construction fell down. Minerva hurried towards him,

"Severus what is the meaning of this ?"

"I am going to see the headmaster."Snape didn't slow, forcing Minerva to chute out of his way. He was too wild to care. He saw the gargoyle statue ahead of him and forced the parole out through gritted teeth. He rode the step up listening to his own racing twinkling in his spike. The stairs ground to a halt and Snape slammed the room access open. Dumbledore looked up in shock from the document in front of him as Snape strode up to him and slammed his fist down of the surface of the desk.

"Harry is in St Mungos."He had no melodic theme how to give 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 movement to fulfil your precious prophecy, he found some black market flesh dealer 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 thenar."But not just that, he had his own eye cut out to fit a sorcerous one. Those and who knows what other mutilations are slowly destroying him. He is going to die because of them. Because of the prognostication. Because of you !"

Dumbledore was staring off into the aloofness, he looked like his psyche was being torn out. Good.

"The boy destroys himself, tears himself apart. He is ready to die, because of the prophecy."Snape drew his face down floor with Dumbledore's."I think it ‘ s clock time he learnt the truth. Don ‘ t you ?"

"Severus ..."

"You tell him."Snape held a quivering fingerbreadth up."I will have you one prospect to say him, to appease some of your guiltiness with silver dollar. But reside assured, if you do not tell him, I will. This lie has poisoned too much already."

"You realize ..."Dumbledore spoke as if from within a fog."That the Truth may bring out him ?"

"No Thomas More than the lie has."

"Perhaps."Dumbledore stood, leaning heavily on his desk. He seemed ... ancient. ancient and tired."I will tell him now. Which elbow room is he in ?"
*


Harry glanced up as the hospital door was pushed unfold and Dumbledore stepped in and braced himself for being yelled at. Dumbledore just walked slowly towards Harry's bed, his deal kept flinching out to the incline as if expecting to find a cane there.

"Children,"Dumbledore addressed the predator."Would you lead us ? Please."

"What are you going to do ?"Ginny stepped in front of the bed protectively.

"Just public lecture girl Weasley."Dumbledore's forefront hung weakly."Only talk."

"It ‘ s fine Ginsters."Harry nodded towards her."It ‘ s alright."

Ginny looked doubtful but waved the marauders to follow her out. As the door banged shut Dumbledore walked to the end of the room, glancing at each bed, then flicked the curtains closed with his wand. Another moving ridge of his verge and Harry heard a short strangle sound from the door. Whatever Dumbledore was about to say he didn't want anyone listening. Finally Dumbledore shuffled over to the bed inverse Harry's and sat carefully. There was a yearn minute of quiet that stretched on and on ...

"Yes ?"Harry asked, oral communication still hurting his throat."You got something to say ?"

"I ... I do not make love how to begin."Dumbledore seemed lost, a piddling disoriented boy in the woods."I suppose I should start by telling you how ... how incredibly sorry I am. You must believe I never expected that you would do this. But that is no excuse, no exculpation at all."

"What are you saying ?"

"I ... Let me tell you a story."Dumbledore licked his back talk."I am sorry but this is the only way I know to severalize you. It begins about XV old age ago, I had just born-witness to a vaticination that gave the only Hope for the pin of the dark lord."

"I know this story."

"Harry please."Dumbledore raised his hands."This is hard enough ... Please just let me speak."

"Alright."

"I had heard the prophecy, the one you know well. I had determined that it referred to a child all of us in the order knew well. The small fry of Lilly and James I ceramist. I knew that the child was our only hope. Even before the divination was recorded in the department of mysteries I had already placed the ceramist family under the strongest aegis I could. Unfortunately I failed, I was betrayed."

"Sirius Black."

"Yes. Dog Star Shirley Temple Black. But his betrayal, though it led to the Death of two of the most brave and honorable hoi polloi I know, also spelled the end of the darkness lord. Voldemort was destroyed. Most of the wizarding earthly concern considered him dead. The festivity ... they went on for days ... weeks truly. The entire wizarding globe breathed again thanks to the sacrifice of Lilly and James ceramist and the survival of their son. The boy-who-lived. The boy who showed that Voldemort was not invincible. He was the symbolic representation of triumph, the symbolic representation of hope. But I knew the truth, that Voldemort was not truly dead. I knew that the vaticination was not yet fulfilled and that, when the darkness overlord would finally develop again, the people would postulate the boy-who-lived. So I placed him with his mothers blood, with his aunty. The grounds were building complex, the blood line contact provided him protective cover of a sort but it is insignificant now. I should have known my folly, should induce known. It is my flaw in so many ways. My geological fault in every way that thing. I should have watched closer ... Because one day, when that boy was six, his auntie had taken both him and his first cousin to the shops. Perhaps she was not paying aid 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 memories of the crash through others centre ... he flew so far ... doctors worked on him, then I had him moved to St Mungos and the healer worked as arduous as the could. But the damage ... the wound to his skull ... his chest ... he passed from this macrocosm. Just six years old. My break. All my fault. His blood on my work force ... But I knew it was not over. I knew that Voldemort would still get up, the wizarding world would still need their symbolisation of Hope, their boy-who-lived. Their hero. So I found another boy, of the correct age, in a muggle orphanage. I worked illusion to alter his appearance, his voice, his memories ... his retentiveness I destroyed entirely and replaced with fakes, I even supplemented them with some of my own retentiveness of James Potter to earn the boy seem like him. Then I placed him back at Privet Drive, I changed the retentiveness of the aunt ... the uncle ... the cousin. I sought out everyone who had seen the crash and tore the memories from their skulls, the doctors, the healers ... I made it so that it never happened. And then a sat back and watched ... I watched my fake raise up. I felt my guilt feelings 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 year. You are not him."

Dumbledore trailed off, he seemed diminished, even weaker, as if letting this great closed book out of him had drained him of everything. Harry shook his head. No ... No no no ...

"No, you ‘ re lying. You. Are. Lying."

"I so like that I was."

"But I ‘ m the ... I ‘ m Harry potter !"He shook his nous."I ‘ m Harry Potter !"

"No. You are not."

"I have the mark !"

"I gave you that scar."Dumbledore had his oculus closed. But even so a tear squeezed out from the face, running down his longsighted nose and dropping to the floor."I can hit it right now if you wish it."

"No !"His script jumped up to his brow protectively."You ‘ re just ... you ‘ re saying these things ... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME ?"

"I am sorry. I am so sorry."Dumbledore bowed his forefront."I can not say that to you enough. I ... I destroyed you."

"No ! I ... I cut out my eye !"Harry could feel his rake pumping in his ears."I ‘ ve fought ! I ‘ ve fought him all year ! I ‘ m the Chosen one !"

"You are not. There is no chosen one."Dumbledore sounded like a man burning his shoemaker's last tag of hope."The prophecy died nine twelvemonth ago. Voldemort won."

"No. No ..."He was shaking, he couldn't full point."Lies it ‘ s just Lie !"

"It is not."Dumbledore shook his head."If you want proof just look to your ally. You named them the marauders. On your very inaugural day. How did you know that name ? You know that Saint James ceramist named his radical of friends the Lapp ?"

"No, he can't have ! It ‘ s a lie !"

"It is not. You knew the name because I put in in your mind. If you doubt me ask anyone who was at schoolhouse with them."Dumbledore was speaking in dead quality now, he had reached the bottom."I have heard you refer to Professor Snape as Snivellus and to Remus lupine as Moony. Those were both name calling James I Potter invented. You also knew about prof Snape ‘ s nighttime scratch. How else would you cognise ?"

"I ... I ..."The boy could find himself shaking, his idea shaking apart.

"It is true. It is all true ... I am so sorry. I am so ... I can not set out to think what this must be doing to you. What this has done to you."

"So ... who am I ?"The boy looked up."What ‘ s my figure ?"

"I do not know."

"You found me !"He could find out his shrill phonation in his ears."You sweep me to this lifetime you have to acknowledge !"

"I do not Harry I ‘ m ..."

"Harry ? Harry ?"The boy threw his headway back and screamed, a screeching clamor of anguish."And don ‘ t you dare say you ‘ re sorry ! Don ‘ t you dare !"

"I ... I can not -"

"Get out !"He grabbed his glass of water system and threw it with all his posture, tears blurring his eyes. It shattered against the master ‘ s shoulder."Get out ! Get out ! GET OUT !"

Dumbledore fled the room, holding his arm. As the old genius crashed through the doorway the boy threw himself back against the paries and howled in pain and disarray, tearing at his hair with hands like claws. split ran freely down his face from the one real eye he had left.

Sobbing and collapse he lay there, until darkness closed in.



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