This book 's been giving me bother, lots and heaps of trouble. I 've had more than botheration from this one than from the other four put together and it 's not even finished yet ! murmuring ... croak ...

Anyway as a result I may be slower to carry than common as I try to vanquish this twisty, hellish yarn I choose to call a story into meekness.

Sorry, hopefully the chronicle will be improve for it.

In early news show : OVER 200,000 tidings ! HORAY !



"how-do-you-do ?"The tradesman peered, blurry eyed, at the figure standing on the other face of the looking glass door."Sorry we ‘ re closed now."

"Good."The hooded man pushed the door clear roughly."Then there will be no one to get word us."

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

"I require a avail 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 jest."He ‘ d better occur himself. I don ‘ t do house calls and even if I did some of my equipment ‘ s too heavy to move."

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

"A Sh-"The tradesman 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 market keeper took his wand from his sack and held it firmly towards the intruder."I think you ‘ d better leave."

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

The tradesman jumped back as he saw the colored scratch emerge from under the dark robe. Even this far from Britain everyone in the byplay knew what it meant.

"Are you a… a dead feeder ?"

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

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

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

The storekeeper gulped as the man began listing what he wanted. His bridge player shook so much his baton fell on the level and rolled away unnoticed.

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


Harry's charge hit fireplace and he drew his sceptre out and scanned the elbow room before lowering it and depositing the require galleons in a jar by the barman.

"Thank you young master."The man simpered.

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

Harry broke into a run as old buildings flashed past him. He hadn't made for John Griffith Chaney, too obvious. The bold silhouette of Edinburgh castling was outlined against the whiz for a moment between two construction as Harry dashed along and he darted down an alley towards it. He slowed as he passed a group of guys obviously out for the night, singing in the street, then sped up as the path began to mount towards the high gear castle.

He came up a English route and turned away from the historic building. Fitting himself into the crowds of Fri Night revelers like a dark. He flitted across the royal stag mile as fast as he thought safe, clutching his foresighted coat tight about him. At fifteen long time old people wouldn't think it weird for him to be out this former but they might commend that he was alone. Any memory board of his passing play was a liability and Harry flicked his collar up and kept into the tincture of a house.

There were a few genius saloon in Edinburgh, Harry had mapped them out. But thanks to his foolishness of not disguising himself as he flued into the hold up one he could not now risk any of them. Harry cursed, he was still an idiot. Still making pudden-head mistakes, Harry shook his psyche and pinched himself hard. He had to be better.

The rail station appeared beneath him and Harry swiftly crossed the bridge and slinked in a incline entrance. He bought a tag from an automated machine ( no memories ) to the inaugural location on the departures control panel. Then tore it up, cursing himself again, and bought one for the minute one down.

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

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

Harry nodded, it was the condom thing to do. He gritted his teeth as the moment ticked by. He just needed to be gone. Wherever the string went he could incur superstar and flue to… to somewhere. Somewhere better, Hogwarts possibly ? It was still week till he had to go back to school and Harry wasn't eager to slip back under Dumbledore's restrictive wing. He'd go somewhere anyway.

Damn it ! Harry went farm animal still as two oddly dressed person walked into the geartrain station. One looked like his outfit was a Allhallows Eve costume of a pirate, the early was wearing lederhosen. They were the stupidest sight Harry had ever seen.

They were also here to vote out him.

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

“'Ere ? Who are y-"

The cleaner in overalls got no further as Harry whipped his wand 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 face door and feeling the cold night air. Harry crossed the route and passed to the next street over and breathed a sigh of relief. It was busy, full of reveler. He could be invisible here.

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

Harry kept to the side as he ducked down the retentive stretch and ducked into a pub. A few minutes later he emerged, unrecognisable. Wrinkled skin and Grey hairsbreadth, Shakey jackstones walked again. Harry walked like an old man up the road, watching both ways.

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

Harry began walking slowly towards the pirate ship death eater, making his steps slow and measured like the old man he was supposed to be. He hid his wand in his sleeve, he needed to come in up with a plan. There was no way he could fight them here, too many bystanders, so that left taking them out instantly ( which would be almost insufferable ) 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 let been silenced himself, aiming at the last eater's scepter. No way to know whether he had hit… The wand came up, aimed at Harry…

Nothing.

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

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

full phase of the moon rophy, eventually we all come back home.

Harry sneered as his eyelids began to droop, alleyway used be place, now they weren't. That didn't mean that anywhere else in specific was home, but it was an improvement. Harry dropped off to sleep, too tired to dream.

"He ‘ s here somewhere."

Harry's centre flicked open, the wan light of daybreak filtering into the alley. footfall came slowly up the alleyway. Harry slid behind the bin that hid him and crawled to the other side. The two figures came cl… bent on !

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

"Underage magic and marauding death 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. Dwight Lyman Moody was gone, but the tall black auror was still there, his branch crossed, calmly looking down at Harry. Harry glanced at the person who had brought him back.

"Hey Tonks."

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

"They didn ‘ t tell you ?"

"fountainhead Helen Wills Moody was too angry to talk and Kingsley kept laughing."

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

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

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

Harry took the paper and unfolded it. On it was written, in loopy, hard to study handwriting…
The central office of the ordination of the phoenix is the manor on the grim moors.


"So what does it- WHOA !"Harry tripped backwards as the mansion exploded out of the undercoat around him. Even the weed curled into the floor and became gravel and a fountain appeared like it had been pushed up from some burrow underground. After everything settled Harry looked around,

"Hey, isn ‘ t this-"

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

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

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

"I owled."

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

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

"Yeah right."Dragon pushed the room access open for Harry to abuse inside."fountainhead in the intend time your friends and fan golf-club have invaded my home."

"The purchase order of the phoenix ?"Harry looked around the cavernous entryway hall."Never heard of them."

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

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

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

"Didn ‘ t Voldemort live here ?"

"The Mrs. Humphrey Ward respond to the electric current heir."genus Draco looked over at the sprawling arras of the Malfoy kin tree."Voldemort was forced to leave the moment…"

"The minute ownership transferred ?"

"Yes. That."

"Well at least we 're all prophylactic here. Constant vigilance. '' At Harry 's words Shacklebolt clapped a hand to his mouth but could n't stop a snicker. Harry grinned and took another expression at the tapestry."Aren ‘ t you supposed to be on here ?"

"I ‘ m there."Draco pointed at a vex burnt spot at the bottom."It seems my mother reverted to her own crime syndicate traditions."

"Why don ‘ t you fix it ?"

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

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

"No… no I ‘ m the cobbler's last Malfoy."Dragon seemed to nod to himself, his vocalization full of some cold resolution."Anyway, as I was saying. With the family fascination and the extra wards Dumbledore put up this place is totally impregnable."

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

"catch saying that."Kingsley had to cover up his mouth again.

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

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

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

"You ‘ re certified Potter you really are."genus Draco shook his straits, then stopped suddenly."How did you cabbage up on Moody ?"

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

In answer Harry just smiled and rolled up his provide arm. Around his wrist was a brass bracer engraved with tracing vines. Right in the center, on the inside arm, was a hieroglyphic of a great black eye.

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

"That's the malefic eye."Tonks stepped closer to see at it."It guard off magical monitoring."

"Yep."

"It ‘ s also all sorts of illegal."

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

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

"Does it finish him calling you ?"genus Draco asked quietly.

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

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

Harry grinned and turned to follow the auror.

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

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

They walked down a long night hallway, made more spooky by the fact that every picture was empty. Draco said zero but Harry imagined they had left about the same time his Father of the Church had. The threshold at the end had a becalm glow coming from under it. Harry hurried forward and splurge the door open theatrically.

"I ‘ m back !"

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

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

"Where the hell were you ?"Padma hadn't joined the charge and was sitting with her blazonry crossed and an furious expression."Why did you leave ?"

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

"Bullshit."

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

"Voldemort is back."Hermione interrupted him.

"Really ?"Harry opened his eyes wide in shock."Is he really ? No… no, I had no idea… How could that fall out ? I would think a affair like that ? Oh… oh wait ? grandiloquent guy with red eyes ? You know I think I do remember a guy like that… torturing ME !"

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

"Is this a get together of the obvious society ?"Harry said as the ease of the marauders crowded around.

"What she means is that this isn ‘ t a metre 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 mean 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 tabernacle or something ?"

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

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

"prophylactic 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 marauders looked on confused."You know that."

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

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

"For how long ?"

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

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

"I ‘ m sure Dumbledore has considered that."

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

"I trust Dumbledore."Kingsley said confidently.

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

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

Harry didn't speak as the two aurors left. When the doorway slammed shut he threw his hands up and agitate 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'poppycock. What ‘ s the undercover ?"

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

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

Harry turned to Draco, who rolled his eyes.

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

"right,"Harry turned towards the threshold."It ‘ s not a hole-and-corner, at to the lowest degree not amongst us. Could you secern 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 Montgomery Ward extend to the property blood 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 marauders."I can do that can ‘ t I ?"

"Your room ‘ s down the corridor, the room access with the scorpion lock."Dragon said.

"Is there a window in my cadre ?"

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

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


genus Draco woke the next break of day as a retching sound came through the wall. He shook the top off and pushed the drape around his bed surface before hurrying to the adjacent room.

"Harry is that you ?"Draco was about to try the door before he thought adept of it and ran a detection charm. A couple of nasty condemnation lifted out of the woodworking. genus Draco backed a few steps away."Harry open up !"Draco heard pace then the threshold scraped open.

"What ?"Harry growled sleepily.

"Were you just sick ?"

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

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

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

"You ‘ re sick ?"

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

"Right,"Draco snorted.

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

"I ‘ m touched."

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

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

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


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

Harry looked around in mix-up at the various mass that had appeared in the kitchen of Malfoy manor. There were more than Weasley's than there had been, the two parents and erstwhile brothers. An odd man in a dark-green hat was there as well, smiling at Harry and waving, along with an sometime lady in an ratty robe. There was one very recognisable look though, one that went had gone from smiling to pit cold the here and now he entered the room. Remus lupine had stood the moment he came in and walked away, leaving by the back door.

"A duet of people live here now."Ginny said to track the quiet."A distich of the society members."

"Why ?"

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

"It ‘ s because we ‘ re too visible."molly Weasley explained."mass know we support Dumbledore, they know we were in the parliamentary procedure net time. We ‘ re targets for onrush. It ‘ s safer here."

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

'' It would be courteous if they 'd get hold their own fundament though. '' Malfoy murmured, still staring at the display panel. `` Or their own prison. ``

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

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

'' Is n't that dangerous ? ``

'' The whole manor house is under the Fidelius charm. '' Hermione explained. Harry smiled in agreement, so that was what the niggling slip of paper had been about. `` It means that a mystical is- ''

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

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

'' The prisoner are inside the secret but they have n't been told it ? '' Harry 's 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 place for to house the Death eaters. Of course Harry would prefer if they were all kept in nice safe coffins but this was the future best thing. While they had been talking genus Draco had turned back to the mum chess game.

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

"Hours for this game."Hermione answered dejectedly."workweek if you ‘ re think acting in general."

"Who ‘ s winning ?"

"I think Ron ‘ s ahead by two games."

"Well that ‘ s-"

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

"I have over eight hundred cheat table in this house."Malfoy said idly as he nudged a pawn 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 promiscuous undemanding of the secret plan, could see that it wasn't a checkmate. But apparently Malfoy could see something he couldn't, the blond boy hunched over the board for a few moments then,

"screwing 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 objet d'art but Dragon 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 mesa, pouting.

Harry grinned at the spectacle then pushed his evacuate crustal 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 close night."
*


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

Ginny shook her header. No one could order 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 check on him ?"Neville suggested.

"Let him be."Fred shrugged."He ‘ s got a lot to suppose about."His Twin Falls nodded.

"It ‘ d give us something to do."Parvarti murmured quietly, voicing what they all felt. tedium was unceasing here. The only interesting times were decree meetings when the marauders would try to find ways to heed in. Ways that were continually blocked.

All their preparation had been done. All the line books had been read and so many games of exploding snap had been played that they all had little tiny burn mark on the ends of their fingers. There was nothing else to do, literally cypher. They had looked, tried to come in up with other matter to do. They had failed.

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

"Definitely not."Hermione shook her head."We could meditate ?"

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

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

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

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

"Well… oh."

The marauders lapsed into muteness. Defeated again.

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

"Why didn ‘ t you tell me ?"The Weasley materfamilias 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 arms."Why should we go with you ?"

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


'' Whoa ! '' Ginny gasped as they were led into a monolithic dormitory. On the storey there were plinths and instance holding unusual sparkling items.

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

'' My fathers. '' Draco lugged the nut case over. `` It 's just junk. '' True to his word he shoved three vases off a show stand to put the fount in their place. `` Now ... team. ``

'' I call captain ! '' Ginny yelled.

'' Me too. '' Ron nodded.

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

'' But- ''

'' It 's my family. '' Malfoy cut him off snidely. `` I 'll take the twins. ``

'' Which ace ? ``

'' The quidditch acting single. '' Malfoy rolled his eyes. Fred and George I reluctantly went over to bear by Malfoy.

'' You ca n't clean 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 discharge the bludgers. ``
*


Ginny shot past a storage locker laughing, the collapse from behind her told her George I had n't been so lucky. The quaffle flew up and bounced inside the chalk circle on the wall.

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

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

tinker's damn it he was right, Ginny shot forward after him. If only the canary would look ! It should n't be so hard to trance it in this close in region. Unfortunately the magical spell on the sneaker were never designed to deal with an irregular maze of cabinets and as a resultant role it kept moving erratically. They had found and lost it three time already. Ginny saw Malfoy trying to score and being blocked by Ron. She took the chance to charter another look for it.

'' Over there ! '' soul yelled, Ginny did n't waffle. The flash of Au disappeared behind a urn and Ginny spun around it. Where was it ? Another flash, there by the rack of swords. Ginny heard a wreck from the side her, Malfoy was closing in. There, by the meth 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 paries. A thump behind her told her Malfoy wasn't so lucky. There it was ! Right near the recess of the room. Ginny sped up, it was so close ! Her fingers closed around it. And it felt ... wrong.

Ginny drew to a arrest, holding the thing in her hand. It was gold, but it wasn't a snitch. It was a cup, a little gold plated teacup, still struggling to run away from her fingers. genus Draco hovered in side by side to her, looking perplexed.

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

"What is it ?"

"It ‘ s a teacupful Weasley how dense are you ?"Dragon insulted idily, still staring at the bantam matter."Or did you always just drink out of a gutter at your theater ?"

"No."Ginny just gritted her teeth and swallowed the insult. They had to live in this star sign for weeks yet."Where did it come from ?"

The early marauders came in closer, staring at it.

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

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

"What about the veridical stool pigeon ?"Fred asked, wrestling a bludger back into its case.

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

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

"guesswork we ‘ re not walking."Hermione murmured as the piranha flew after him. The corridor was fairly narrow and the marauders had to fly in single file cabinet. The empty portrait were here as well, even the brute in the landscape had left.

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

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

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

quiet filled the hallway for a moment, then ... a upstage noise. It sounded like an explosion underwater, muffled by the paries. The predator looked at each former, they had all heard it.

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

"speech sound ..."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 theater 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 predator behind her doing the same. A threshold was toss away undetermined in front of them and Ginny spun into it, following the blonde newsflash in battlefront of her. Down some stair, along a long dark hall, next - arrest !

Ginny had to break harshly to keep off hitting Malfoy who was hopping off his Scots heather in front man of a large wooden door.

"You ! You ... !"

"What ‘ s the topic Weasley ?"Malfoy shouldered his heather."Had trouble keeping up ?"

"I almost hit you !"Ginny dropped to the storey."Why did you cease ?"

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

"Well lets see then."Malfoy drew his wand and pushed at the lowering room access. It slowly crept open. inside was an empty Charles Francis Hall, looked like it was usually used for storage or something. The only things left were a few odd tabular array and a few boxes. In the midriff of the way stood Harry, bare chested with his scars pure white against his tanned and sweating skin. On a box next to him was a odd pile of junk. As they watched he took a plate and held his scepter to it. At a whisper word there were two dental plate, then three, then four. Harry dropped the original back into the pile and tapped the fakes with his wand. They instantly flew off in all focussing. Harry jabbed his wand and in a fraction of a second-

BANG ! One shattered near the ceiling. Harry whirled. bang ! Shattering into shards. belt ! Smashing the incline and sending the lastly plateful spinning into the wall.

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

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

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

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

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

Ginny looked where Hermione was pointing and swallowed fearfully. Arranged in a neat row along the tabular array was a sharp and wickedly curved brand, a unretentive spear with a lighting dash carved into the haft, a round ballock that had hollow 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 enjoin us what you're doing down here ?"Hermione pleaded.

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

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

Malfoy was the first off to speak.

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

"I may need spares."Harry shrugged.

"Harry is this farce shadow legerdemain ?"Hermione was shying away from the table.

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

"And the gun for hire ?"Hermione pointed."Did you buy those illegally too ?"

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

"Wh ... wh ..."

"No wait, I used imitation 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 dark wand. `` Why do you ask ? ``

'' Harry, do you not call back that using a sceptre you stole from a dead dying 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 hazard it not working as well as this one does ? '' Harry balanced the thick, twisted wand on the sharpness of his hired hand before flicking it up into the air and catching it, all the piece with the gun held nonchalantly in his other handwriting. `` This one kit and boodle for me, maybe as well as my old one did. Besides ... it sort of tantrum does n't it ? This wand 's done a lot of force in it 's lifespan. Lots of hurting, combat, 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 mean why ?"Harry looked at Neville, then at Malfoy."Didn ‘ t you tell them ?"

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

"Then what ?"Harry dropped the gun back down to the table. It sounded heavy."I need to fight Voldemort. I have to fight 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 bump ? I spotty, ignorant 15 year old against the most grievous wizard on the planet ? I ‘ ll lose, he ‘ ll win, we ‘ ll all be screwed. Don ‘ t you see ? I can ‘ t afford to be an ignorant adolescent any more. I have to be salutary. I need to be better. Because I can ‘ t lose, can ‘ t afford to lose. None of us can afford for me to lose. Do you know what it feels like to know that the whole human beings is royally screwed if you fail ? No ? Then shut up ! Don't try to finish me and don ‘ t ask me why ! I know why, and if you took a microsecond to think you ‘ d know why too !"

Harry's angry philippic shocked the marauders into secretiveness. Harry turned back to his atomic reactor of junk and began duplicating a heavy 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 XXX. Maybe you have time ..."

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

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

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

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

"Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore has been damage before."Malfoy cut her off."It hurts nothing to be ready in case he ‘ s wrongly this time."

"But Harry could be killed !"

"Yes."Malfoy nodded curtly."He could. Did you not agnize that ? Did you perhaps conceive what happened last year was some sort of funny game ?"

"Of course not, but-"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


"Where have you lot been !"Molly Weasley drew herself up."You disappeared hr 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 room access."What do you intend ‘ Where am I going'? I ‘ m going to the kitchen."

"You come back here Edward Young man !"

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

"Get back here !"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Don ‘ t William Tell him."

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

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

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

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

"Now."Tonks stood as the ancient man walked into the kitchen. Harry was instantly on the other side of meat 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 Good Book. But right now some of the order members have important missions they must get back to quickly."

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

What ? Draco crossed his implements of war and frowned. Why was Harry being so calm ? What was going on ? As the order phallus filed out he sidled up to Harry's slope ?

"What was that ?"

"What ?"

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

"I ‘ m always nice."

"You ‘ re always up to something."

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


Snape stepped into the manor house and strode towards the briny dining room. He wasn't late precisely, just ... no longer appropriately incite. He pushed the door spread out and walked to the unresolved tail following to Natalie.

"Have I missed anything crucial ?"

"Attacks."The unspeakable was idly scraping her digit along the edge of a copy of the daily vaticinator."Dark gull. thaumaturge and enchantress we suspect have been turned, or put under the disdainful curse.

'' Nothing important then. ``

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

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

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

'' Yes. '' Snape brought himself back to the job at script. `` The night Lord is moving. ``

'' wellspring duh. '' The vocalization near the end of the table was swiftly silenced by a vapid stare.

'' The wickedness Godhead is moving more specifically. Now that Reb is stagnant 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 wealth this time rather than vacate hope. He is arranging purchase of large numbers of various exotic species, lethifolds primarily. Chimaeras if it can find a willing seller. ``

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

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

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

'' But only in their own capacity. They have not followed ordering well, they are distracted. The wickedness lord has killed a lot of them, he seems tired of human flunk. In a way he does n't want an USA, he wants a weapon system. Something he can unleash at will. Doubtless he will be employing the disdainful curse to see that his will is done. ``

'' It does n't turn on lethifolds. '' lupin said with certainty. A little sniff of relief slid through Snape 's thinker, swiftly swallowed up with darkness.

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

'' mantichora ? '' The former defense team teachers eyes grew wide.

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

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

'' Both because that would name them less in force fighters and because long photo to the Dementors seems to have made them surprisingly resistant to mental onslaught. '' Snape leant closer over the table to speak to the ordination as a whole. `` I have the dates he plans to touch with creature monger. If we arrange a hole we can get ahead of him and- ''

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

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

'' If we act he will assuredly guess the source of our entropy. '' Dumbledore shook his beard heading. `` You are too worthful at present to chance. You are our only reservoir of information. ``

'' data we never act on. '' Snape clenched his clenched fist on the low temperature sepia table. `` What use is my spying ... what use is this parliamentary law 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 Scripture we wanted to fling at the old man. It would be pointless.

'' We could instead intermediate with the foreign auror section. '' Snape tried to trick himself into thinking this was anything former than a wrong limiting attempt. `` They could arrest some of the traders before the nighttime Maker can run across with them. ``

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

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

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

"Is there anything else ?"

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

"Do you think he has left the nation ?"Someone down the mesa asked.

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

"Why do you say that ?"

"It is Barty Crouch ‘ s specialty is it not ?"Snape shrugged."But the nighttime lord has ordered me to commence researching polyjuice potion in an endeavor to make it act for any mechanical man species."

"You think it is connected ?"

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

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

"Is that all ?"

"Other than hours of listening to the darkness Almighty iniquity pontificating on the topic of the last or oppression of all muggles ?"Snake 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 parson for thaumaturgy. ``

A general groan went up from around the way. Snape just closed his eyes and took a calming breath. After the case of in conclusion year the ministry had been fractured to its very core. The near-election of a death eater had made them terrible as rabbits. Fudge had, the present moment Dumbledore left the building, ran back to his office and virtually barricaded himself inside. All summer he had been wrangling the ministry around to the idea that his extrusion was not valid because of the deceptions of Barty Crouch Jr.

That was, Snape had to take on, technically true. Although the vote to remove Fudge had been won by a comfortable border the pilot motion to remove a government minister 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 telephone extension, the vote was void. A part of bureaucratic foolishness that meant they were stuck with that ridiculous man until somebody else drummed up enough support to boot out him.

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

'' Ours too. '' Shacklebolt rumbled.

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

'' So we put mortal forward. '' Snape said definitely. `` We field a prospect no one can argue is a death 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 opinion may not be the most well-off to take heed, but perhaps we should admit him to rest for now. ``

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

'' I realize the situation is not ideal. '' Shacklebolt held his hands up. `` But Fudge is scared to meet any screw social club fellow member or anyone else who waves Dumbledore 's standard. As a effect he is leaving the aurors billet and the rest of the department relatively unswayed. We can transmit out our work without any overbearing oversight for now. And besides, with all the ex-Azkaban residents running around causing difficulty we do not have clip for a political battle on top of that. If we can not have a benevolent minister of magic, one that stays out of our way is a commodity second choice. ``

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

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

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

'' Then we should all get back to work. '' Dumbledore stood. `` And we should all get up for attacks by magical beings. Lupin can, I 'm surely, remind you of the best method acting to repel them. ``

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

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

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

Harry had built a barricade.

The twenty percent year was sitting casually on an overturned desk, resting his ft on a drawer. The rest of the arching wall was mostly professorship and tables, and one suit of armor.

'' Harry this was not necessary. '' Dumbledore stepped forward, his hand stretched peacefully. `` I promised we would babble out. ``

'' I wanted your full attention. '' Harry replied wryly. `` I want to fight. ``

'' Harry you are not old enough to link up the social club. ``

'' You think Voldemort will care ? ``

'' We will celebrate you dependable from Voldemort. ``

'' Right. '' Harry dropped off his perch and landed, cat like, on the base. `` 'Cos that tactic 's worked wizard so far. You know I have to fight. I have to campaign him. ``

'' Harry I have made my decisiveness. ``

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

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

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

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

'' I 'll let you brood over it. '' Harry folded his arm. `` I want to crusade. I want to sit in order group meeting. I want a private instructor to teach me to duel. ``

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

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

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

The Holy Order members began to scuffle out, giving Harry a wide berth. Lupin in detail was staring at him with what could only be described as loathing. Snape walked up to the solitary student.

'' Perhaps you should not antagonize him. ``

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

'' Few people do. ``

'' You ? ``

'' No. ``

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

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

'' No. ``

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

'' If I teach you then you will fall into the trap of thinking you are ready. '' Snape shook his headway. `` I could go on on everything I know to you and you would still lose to the night master because I would lose to the dark Divine. ``

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

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

'' I 'm not an idiot. ``

'' Yes you are. '' Snape corrected. `` You are Whitney Moore Young Jr., by definition you are an half-wit. ``

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

Snape momentarily thought of asking where he had got the evil eye armguard but thought better of it. The 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 point. `` If you want my advice you will continue as you have no doubtfulness been doing. Train, learn everything you can. When the time comes, I promise I will teach you. ``

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

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


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


The marauders had to run Harry again that evening. He had disappeared before dinner and was nowhere to be seen. The border wards had n't been tripped but with Harry that meant next to nothing. They found him in a disused stairway, sitting in the rainbow blur of a stained spyglass window. With the light mottling his tegument like some jungle cat the marauders hesitated to come near him.

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

'' Not hungry. ``

'' What were you doing ? ``

'' Begging. Again. '' Harry let out a rough, sick, gag. `` full-of-the-moon circle. ``

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

'' Not money. '' Harry was still looking up into the light. `` I 've spent the evening begging decree phallus, aurors ... everyone really, to learn me to crusade. Waste 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 champ. 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 cognize ... ''

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

'' It 's not the Saame. I need a teacher. '' Harry shook his heading. `` There 's only so much I can get from playscript and ... peer encyclopaedism. ``

'' Well ... maybe you could ask whoever they get to teach defence mechanism 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 brass with his hired man. `` 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 capable of. Not like what I 'll let to be equal to of if I want to stomach a chance at winning. None of you have seen it. ``

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

'' Of course, I saw ... him ... affaire d'honneur with ... '' Harry paused for a second, then a fraction of a sparkle lit the turning point of his eye. `` With him. Maybe ... ''

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

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

'' Yes your piteous over-traveled and long-sufferance bird has found my owlery. '' Malfoy rolled his oculus. `` If you 're going to globetrot you should really tell your owl to continue plate. ``

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


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

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

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

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

'' Great ... skillful ... wonderful. ``

'' Let 's go then. '' Harry pocketed the fruit and led the broken marauders, and Malfoy, from the way. As Harry pushed the room access out-of-doors he pulled up short. lupin was frozen in front of him, his hired hand raised to strive for the doorway. 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 rumble but cut himself off and pushed past tense Harry into the kitchen.

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

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

'' Before what ? ``

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

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


This was n't the last Harry heard about it though. lupine lived in the house, they bumped into each other all the time. Each time Harry was met by the like maturation hatred. It was kind of disconcerting. Eventually Harry learned lupine 's number and managed to mostly stay out of his way. Of course it helped that he spent at least ten 60 minutes a day in the abandon root cellar, sometimes with the piranha, sometimes with Draco, sometimes alone. Each day when Harry finally dropped himself into an icy bath to soothe his bruised frame he felt a kind of fiery satisfaction.

He was getting better !

He could amaze any of the marauders one on one, even the twins. Draco was better, at the commencement he had beaten Harry a lot. well, 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 forefather had taught him. With those spells in his arsenal genus Draco had been winning, but Harry was clawing back. He was getting better, there was no denying that. Every throbbing bruise, every morning waking up aching was a triumph because he was getting better. And that was n't even considering his early toys.

Harry shifted his human foot to perch on the top of a Venetian red desk in the mansion library ( there was some good poppycock here, Sir Thomas More magical spell to play with ) when the threshold creaked open.

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


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

'' The valet de chambre 's templet to effective and efficient application program of pain. '' Harry read calmly off the cover of the book.

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

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

'' Oh definitely. '' Tonks ran a hand through her ( currently blue ) pilus. `` Between them and the aurors I 'm run pretty flimsy. ``

'' So I could n't convince you to teach 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 deliver to instruct or talk or anything just a well-disposed duel ? ``

'' I do n't call back Dumbledore would like that. ``

'' Dumbledore does n't accept to hump. '' Harry urged weedlingly.

'' Sorry Harry. ``

'' shit. '' Harry sighed and looked like he was going to say something else but just didder his chief. `` Never creative thinker. Was there something you wanted or did you just come to chaffer ? ``

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

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

'' Remus Lupin. ``

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

'' Do you get laid what 's wrongfulness with him ? '' Tonks pulled a crapper and sat on the other side of the desk. From this Angle Harry resembled a very appraising interviewer. His beaten and fray steel-capped the boot up on one side of the desk and a huge pile of suspicious books on the former. In between he was regarding her piercingly over his wire glasses.

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

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

'' Big thing to displace. '' Harry interrupted her. `` The fact that he 's a wolfman. ``

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

'' I 'm dingy Tonks, '' Harry held up his work force. `` I know what you 're trying to say. But I 've only ever met one werewolf who has n't tried to kill me and even he sometimes acts like he wants to. Pardon me for not having a great judgement of the species. When I meet a lycanthrope who does n't act like the monster they are inside maybe I 'll consider differently. Until then I think my hatred is justified. '' Harry voice was flint and crisp, and more than a little scary.

'' I 'm distressing 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 worst of everything. ``

'' Occupational chance. '' Harry smiled sadly, then shook it off and grinned. `` Sorry, we seem to have gotten sidetracked into a character mo. What was the original doubtfulness ? ``

'' Remus ... or Professor lupine. 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 stories about what he did when he was young. ``

'' Chase milkmen ? ``

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

'' I was cognisant. '' Harry sighed heavily. `` Sorry Tonks, I do n't think I can help you much. He 's always been like this around me. The others tell me he was different around me. Ginny 's in a different year and according to her he was a slap-up instructor to them. It 's just around me Tonks. It 's just me. ``

'' But why ? ``

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

'' He ... he wo n't tell me. '' Tonks looked at the storey. When she had asked him he had just turned and left the room in the middle of her question. He had n't spoken to her for Clarence Day. `` I thought you might have sex, or at least have a conjecture. ``

'' Best I can come 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 read people scarily well. Harry continued, `` I mean I get the picture 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 last. ``

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

'' 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 accept your big fluffy, funny Lupin back. ``

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

'' Stay safety Tonks. '' Harry flicked his book back open.

'' You too Harry. ``
*


The marauder did n't lead the wagon train to Hogwarts that yr. They were flued into Hogsmeade under an order guard. As they walked up the long road to the castle Ginny fell back to where Harry was walking.

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

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

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

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

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

When they walked in the feast had already started. The predator were forced to chance a net section of table with the unscathed lobby murmuring and pointing.

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

'' Lots of parents decided to keep on their tiddler domicile this yr. '' Parvati said sadly. `` Our parents almost did but well ... ''

'' We convinced them Hogwarts was dependable than home. '' Her babe ended for her.

'' Wonder who the new defense reaction teacher is ? '' Ron gestured with a chicken leg at the abandon place on the teacher 's table. Ron looked down the tabular array. `` Oy ! doyen ! Did they announce anything about the new instructor ? ``

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

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

'' student ! '' Dumbledore stood. The hall quieted down. `` I have a few proclamation to defecate. Firstly, as you may have realized, some of your classmates have decided not to fall in us. This is of path their choice, or that of their parents, and I hope that you treat then no differently if they decide to rejoin us. Secondly as you know, if you do not dwell on the lunar month, the dark Almighty has returned. I wish to make both that and this next fact perfectly pass. He can not hurt you here. Behind the rampart of Hogwarts you are dependable. Thirdly, and most happily, we have a new defence reaction teacher. One that, I am sure you will all delight learning from. So I would invite you to join me in saying welcome, or more correctly welcome back, to Professor M- ''

'' Yes ! Your prayers have been answered ! '' The huge threshold to the majuscule hall boomed out-of-doors. `` I am, thanks to massive public demand, BACK ! ``

'' It 's him ! ``

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

'' Yes ! ``

'' Yes ! ``

'' Horray ! ``

'' Yes, yes thank you ! '' The muscled image lapped up the praise, grinning from one incline of his brass to the other. He was the same as ever, maybe his pilus was a short shorter, his tan a short deeper, his arms more scar, his peg clad in denim instead of leather and his fedora replaced with a folded handkerchief. But it was him, apparent and in the flesh.

'' I 'm back in the area ! Back in action ! Back in print ! The one, the lonesome MARKUS TRIPPLE M Michelson ! '' The blond colossus punched the air and the Radclyffe Hall jumped to their metrical unit in cheers. `` But please ... call me Maximus. No no wait ... send for me Professor Maximus. ``
*


Harry dropped out of his window that dark after everyone had eventually gone to sleep and made his way down to the rooftops. Finding Michelson 's agency was well-situated, the lighting was still guttering from the crevice under the door. Harry knocked calmly, a minute later the door opened.

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

'' Well I had to greet the new professor. '' Harry stepped into the business office, it was already all set out. It looked almost exactly the Same as it had three days ago, with one or two gain. Harry list to appear at a shifting wizard image. It showed a huge gang of people, all but one of them looking African, standing in dustup like a school photo. Sticking out like a sore ovolo was Markus Michelson in the third row, grinning and jerking his thumb at the affair behind them. Even lying on it 's incline it towered over even Markus, spotted and studded with spears and burn scars it looked like a ...

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

'' Took it down with only eighty six people. '' Michelson nodded smugly. `` New world book. I got the tail assembly. ``

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

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

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

'' You saved my lifespan once. '' Markus clapped Harry on the shoulder, severely buffeting him. `` Brothers at blazonry 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 effect he 'd rather I did n't teach you ? ``

'' No. '' Harry rolled his eyes. `` He wants to cover me up in babble wrap. Want 's to retain me safe and out of risk. ``

'' Big men like us draw in peril. '' Markus said definitely. `` Only way to be safe is to know how to expect after yourself, and you 're hardly a child. Not after what you 've been through. ``

'' My thoughts exactly. ``

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

'' Now ? '' Harry flicked his scepter out of his sleeve. `` Now 's commodity. ``



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


I do n't own Harry Potter. No one owns Harry Potter ! He does not get a bit ! He is a gratuitous man !



"Mr Potter."

"Professor Dumbledore."Harry looked up from the breakfast board."Hi, how are you ? Would you like a pop working girl ?"

"No Mr Potter, I would not."

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

"Mr Potter where were you survive night ?"

"I assume in bed."Harry replied calmly.

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

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

"Your map must be faulty."Harry grinned.

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

"I didn ‘ t leave."

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

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

"I dislike being kept in the dark."

"Then prepare to suffer."Harry said darkly."I ‘ ve been kept dark for old age by you. It ‘ s prison term you reaped what you arrogantly and unthinkingly sowed. Prepare to populate in the darkness Professor. I hope you brought lanterns."With that Harry stood and walked from the Granville Stanley Hall, with every eye following.
*


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

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

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

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

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

"The elbow room of requirements ?"

"The what of what ?"Harry shook his head."Nah, just ... somewhere. Anyway look at this."Harry pointed down at the floor. On it there were a number of rectangles, some long, some short, some lose weight. It looked kind of familiar.

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

"Wh ... why ?"Ron asked.

"Don ‘ t ya see ?"Harry grinned."It ‘ s Dumbledore ‘ s map. It ‘ s 2D you see, birds eye survey, 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 check in here without him knowing. Anyway, lets go to potions. Don ‘ t want Snape raging at us."

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

Harry paused for a instant before answering ...

"Yes."

... and walking on out of the bean. The marauders shared a longsighted look and followed him.
*


Potions passed uneventfully. Harry split his clip between the record on his knee joint and the caldron in social movement of him meaning that his potion wasn't even near finished. but at least it didn't explode. Charms was following and Harry didn't bother paying attending there either, though in this cause it was because he already knew how to give objects backstage. He could give them swan offstage if he wanted, or giant nigrify leathery ones. When the moral was over Harry didn't even bother to talk, he just gathered his stuff and nonsense 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 thirsty !"

"call option Dobby."Harry shed his gown and stepped into the center of the largest hollow space."Malfoy, you first."

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

"Did I ?"Harry froze.

"wellspring you ‘ re not using it."

"It ‘ s fine, It ‘ s my go forth anyway."Harry shrugged and wiggled his fingers as proof.."Must have fallen on it or something."

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

"Ferio ! Stupefy !"Harry shot Malfoy's spell out of the air and threw his own a minute after. The blond boy shielded and Harry was forced to fudge under his own smasher."Fulgar Fletch !"Harry flicked his wand and sent a swarm of sparkling leaf blade 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 floor towards him and saw Malfoy topple onto his book binding."Stupefy !"

"Volucers !"Malfoy's wand jabbed into the air and Harry the smasher was absorbed by a fateful swarm. The cloud expanded and rushed towards the aghast Harry.

"Bloody hell !"Harry heard Fred yell at the Saami sentence as his counterpart yelled,"Hornets !"

"Arg ! Ouch !"Harry felt stings on every art object of undetermined flesh. Burning all across his pelt like a chemical substance blast. Another sorcerer would have been overpowered by the pain, but Harry had felt far far bad."Take this ! Tempesto !"

confidential information sprung from the dead air and rushed over Harry, carrying the Hornets away in a furiously buzzing tornado.

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

"Fin-ow ! Fi- all-fired 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 other down for a few moments, both pockmarked with sting and sweating.

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

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

"I guess."Harry smiled, knowing this game. He kept a closing curtain grip on his baton. delay for it ...

"Confringo !"

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

"Damn it ! Damn it ! pudding head bloody shield !"

"Are you wound Harry ?"Malfoy called out.

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

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

"I ‘ ve read the theory. I ‘ ve read the original theme. I ‘ ve read the whole book."Harry grabbed his wand off the trading floor."I don ‘ t get it. It ‘ s a magic spell, it ‘ s a basic bloody appealingness and I can ‘ t do it right."

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

"Well Voldemort won ‘ t use staple spells !"Harry punched the flooring violently."He ‘ ll use nasty, evil, mighty spells."

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

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

"We can ‘ t."Hermione said automatically.

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

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

"Both of us ?"

"Like, at the like 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 floorboards by Ron's understructure causing him to yelp like a puppy."Draw your bloody wands."

In the end they were glad for the outdoor setting of creatures, although they were the only 1 not wearing coating. Harry eased his ache left hand in a decelerate circle, it was worth it. It would be worth it. Harry listened with half an ear to the lesson, it was about unicorns. The chances of Voldemort sending an army on unicorns was low to laughable so Harry lidded his eyes and dozed.
*


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

"Oh no."She whispered under her breath.

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

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

"have you met Harry ?"

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

"Hello Susan."Harry said calmly, then opened his middle."Is the lesson over ?"

"Yes Harry, it is."Susan Bones folded her branch 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 need Susan ?"Harry asked flatly.

"You didn ‘ t write. The whole summertime ! You didn ‘ t say goodbye 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 offend up with me at the end of go yr and just draw a blank to severalize me ?"

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

Harry wasn't in chronicle of deception. No one expected him to be.
*


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

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

"He has a funny way of showing it."

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

"He ‘ s incorrect !"Annapurna insisted emotionally.

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


Snape was awakened in the eye of the Night by glowing silver medal ignitor. One of the benefits of being an occlumens was total mental ascendance and Snape was awake in an jiffy. As his eyes flickered unfastened he groaned inwardly, then thought better of it and groaned outwardly.

"What is it you old fall guy ?"Snape said angrily. The phoenix patronus couldn't hear him and wouldn't story back so it was a stark target to vent at.

"Come to my federal agency immediately Severus. It is about Harry."

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

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

"Severus welcome."The master was sitting calmly at his desk."take this if you would."

Snape blinked in mental confusion for a second, then noticed the newspaper publisher on Dumbledore's desk. He stepped closer and saw that it was an too soon copy of the seer. This was the hand brake ? Perhaps he was missing something ?
MURDER AFOOT

Dannion LeSang was found dead in his home this first light. A windowpane of his penthouse apartment had been shattered, possibly so that the killer could earn entrance. Once inside poor Mr LeSang was beaten horribly, with a blunt instrument, possibly a table leg. The aurors have cordoned off the area and refused to release any detals but this newsman has discovered that his injuries were not what killed him. Oh no he was poisoned ! Poisoned by a toxin that the ministry

HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE !

Is there a psychotic grampus at loose ? The aurors gave no comment, perhaps because they as yet, know nothing ! Why anyone would want to stamp out Mr LeSang is unknown, perhaps an old contender from his long and recognise quidditch career ...


Snape dropped the composition 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 mindful that Dannion LeSang was a death eater. Do you perhaps remember who informed you that Dannion LeSang was a death feeder ? Who gave you the shocking news that the daring, smiling, principal pursuer for the Wigtown Wanderers loved to torture muggles ? Do you ?"

"It was you."

"It was me."

"You do not remember his dying is of import ?"

"I do not think his death involved Harry."

"No monastic order penis was involved."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dumbledore leant back, merging Harry 's center with his own flinty stare. For a long instant the old wizard and the young stared each other down across the understood function. Snape could almost find the sparking conjuration as the headmaster tried to hale Harry 's mind loose. After a consequence Harry snorted and said,

'' Whatever. '' Harry turned and pushed the door open. `` wake me if you have any other unresolved murder you want to pin on a scapegoat. ``

The two teachers stood without speaking as they heard Harry 's footfall echoing away from the stairwell. Even after they had faded to nix it was a farsighted clock time before either of them spoke.

'' Do you believe him Severus ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why pray William Tell ? ``

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


'' Mr thrower. ``

Hmmm ...

'' Harry ceramist ! ``

Hmmm ... sleepy.

'' Harry ceramicist why is it always my class you choose to sleep in ? ``

Dumbledore 's fault. inculpation Dumbledore. Wanted to sleep ...

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

Harry was buffeted by audio and slowly, blearily, rubbed his centre. In presence of him was a infract glassy stump. Harry reached forward and picked it up.

'' You broke my glass. '' Harry reached up to his face to urinate surely his own glasses were n't broken then drew his wand and repaired the field trash. He did n't even get it on 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 keep out up I 'm part of your brain.

I 'll lobotomize you.

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

She is looking kind of angry.

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

The methamphetamine hydrochloride snag along its top, flipped upside down and scuttled along the desk blowing gassy bubbles out of a fleshy protrusion. Harry smiled,

'' See ! I did Ok. ''

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

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

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

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

'' Would you hazard a guessing ? ``

'' Well ... '' Harry tried to gum together an explanation from his trembling noesis of Greek. `` fountainhead Kalamaraki means calamary ... and I think Krasi is some sort of vegetable ... ''

'' Harry ... ''

'' Yes ? ``

'' Go back to sleep. ``

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


Harry slipped into bed that night confident in the cognition that he had got at to the lowest degree two hour sleep over the form of the day. He dozed with an alarm clock under pillow until it sounded and prompted him to shuck his cover off and tend out of the windowpane. He looked over towards the headmaster 's tower, the light was still on. Harry flicked a distich of binoculars out of his bag and focused in on the faraway windowpane. Dumbledore was staring into a reflective, the silver wanton playing on his lined face. He looked trite, very tired.

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

Harry slid out onto the wall and confidently let himself fall. The wind whistled thrillingly in his spike as the tiles rose up to meet him. A mo before he hit Harry felt a roughly tugging around his chest and his terminal fall slowed to a crawl. His infantry touched priming coat and he flitted off across the roofing tile. Harry reached the window that was his destination and flicked it open with his wand. He dropped through again, trusting his bought conjuration, and landed lightly in front of a sink.

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

'' hoot ! Silencio. '' Harry caught it before it made too often interference and watched as the entry to the chamber of secrets was slowly revealed. Harry lowered himself into the electron tube and said, `` Cissycis. '' This time he got it low time and the entering began closing up as Harry slid off down the chute.

Harry landed feet first, expecting to hit mucky water system, and instead felt dry rock. This place had been cleaned up a bit since last time 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 knockout flashed through the air. He threw a bludgeoning hex towards where it had come from but heard nothing. A mo later Albert Michelson appeared, totally unruffled, out of the shadows.

'' Nicely done Pipsqueak. '' The prof clapped his vast helping hand. `` But you should have aimed to a greater extent, that hex did n't have a chance of hitting me. ``

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

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

'' There was n't practically sentence. ``

'' Make time by moving faster. '' A. A. Michelson drew his wand and squared up in the eye of the way. `` seminal fluid on lad, time to duel. ``

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

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

'' Any linguistic rule ? '' Harry asked, knowing the answer.

'' Yes, win. ``

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

'' Not for me. Ewwyiky ! ``

Harry had no idea what the the pits that was so plunk for cover, rolling and coming up with his verge trained on his teacher. Somewhere behind Harry there was a loud squelching speech sound but Harry was already fighting back.

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

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

"Incendio ! Reducto !"Harry aimed the first-class honours degree at Markus and the second at the ceiling far above him."Stupefy !"Harry blasted the go into Makrus'case and didn't wait to see if it hit. Instead he aimed at a glob of falling ceiling."Confringo !"And flung himself away as it detonated like a bombshell. He rolled on the floor and came to his foundation in prison term to fling the first three turn he could conceive off at the figure in the shopping mall of the expanding cloud of rubble and fire.

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

"Better even than that."Michelson stepped out of the dust, not a hair out of station."That was honest though, imaginative. Good trick with the rock music, might have caught a lesser wizard. Again."

Harry forced himself to his feet and raised his scepter. This prison term he lasted just a few irregular before a beauty blasted through his hastily raised carapace and knocked his lights out. familiar unconscious black held him in it's comforting embrace for a few here and now before Markus brought him back.

"That was not as good."

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

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

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

"Look kid, you first learnt this magical spell three age ago."Markus explained."You ‘ ve had to use it stack of prison term since then. You ‘ ve practiced. You ‘ ve practiced a lot and it hasn ‘ t got any salutary. It ‘ s fair to assume you and the cuticle appeal 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 Deutsche Mark."You know plenty of other ways to stymy spell. spiel to your strengths and use your prodigious imagination."

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

Harry lasted almost a mo of ferocious dodge and franticly blowing spells out of the air before he was disarmed and slapped himself intemperate. He had to be better.

"Again."

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

"Again."

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

"Again."

... Floored with a punch ...

"Again !"

... paralysed ...

"Again !"

... stunned ...

"AGAIN !"

... shocked ...

"AGAIN !"

"This is hopeless."Harry didn't pain in the ass to get up from the floor."I ‘ m not getting any better. We should just front 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 universe should just make up."Harry held his head in his hired man."I can ‘ t pulse him."

"Who ? Voldemort ?"Markus Michelson threw up his hands."fountainhead no ! I don ‘ t think I could beat him. I don ‘ t think Dumbledore could beat him. He ‘ s one of the most powerful keep wizard and has access to powers decent multitude don ‘ t touch. But if what you ‘ ve told me is admittedly then you ‘ ve got ... what was it ?"

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

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

"Why ?"

"I ‘ d get good odds."Markus smiled and winked. Harry didn't laugh."But seriously, you can hear to duel. You already know enough to thrum any regular wizard 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 master. Which is why you called me. Which is why you should mind to me ! Now ... you need to diddle to your metier. Tell me what you ‘ re proficient at."

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

"What. Are. You. beneficial. At ?"Michelson punctuated each give-and-take 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 pigeon hawk ‘ s sake ! Who are you ?"Markus leant down, his angrily pointing finger barely an inch from Harry's brass."Where ‘ s the Harry I met three class ago ? I don ‘ t see him. Where the perdition has he gone ? Where ‘ s the kid who walked this shoal like he owned the lieu and obeyed teachers on sufferance ? Where is that arrogant whoreson because he ‘ s the one who can stick 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 Michelson nodded."You ‘ re good at charms. You ‘ re excellent at appeal. You ‘ re a bloody savant at charms. If I heard the rumors in the staff way rightfulness you built a professional quality broom at thirteen years old. Out flew a Firebolt."

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

"Harry you ..."Markus Michelson held his hand to his headspring and breathed out a foresighted, tired breathing place."Let me try this a different way. You ‘ ve seen a lot of duels right ?"

"Yeah."

"You ‘ ve seen a lot of multitude duel."

"Yeah."

"Seen deviation ?"

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

"What differences ? Specifically ?"

"wellspring ... It's like ... you kind of have .... This is heavy. Can I explain it how I see in in my own mind ?"

"Of course."

"You have kind of three types."Harry gestured vaguely."There are the received duelers, they throw stunners and hexes, lots of shield magical spell too, and they seem to mostly issue forth out of the Hogwarts defence classes. Not that that makes them bad. Some are really respectable, but they all seem to use this one style. This one set of spells."

"Hmm ... and the next type ?"

"demise feeder. They aren ‘ t all even very near at fighting. But they use curses. Unforgivables and stuff. And that makes up for the lack of skill."

"And the last type ?"

"The masters."Harry shook his head."I watched some duels on video while I was traveling. Thought I could pick up some tip. virtually of the dueler were group-ones, but some of them ... the best I ... they ‘ re not even in the same conference. They move like they ‘ re weapons. They don ‘ t chuck stunners around, most of the sentence 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 conflict I guess. That ‘ s the difference between duelists."

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

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

"You ‘ ve grasped one of the exchange concepts of dueling. One of the matter that make people group threes. The scholarship curve ball is huge, there ‘ s a spot when you just suit beyond everyone else. When you stop dueling with dueling patch and start dueling with everything. Do you know what the other difference is ?"

"No."

"It's that we all have tricks."Michelson winked."All the group threes. Some joke that makes us better, something that separates us from each early and from the 1 and twos."

"A ... prank ?"

"Look at Dumbledore, he uses August 6. By the end of a fight with Dumbledore you ‘ re not just fighting him, you ‘ re fighting the bulwark, door, cap and floor. Plus anything else he can twist into a moving, thinking artillery against you. Voldemort ? Well he uses dark magic, plain and simpleton. You ‘ ve already realized that that gives a person exponent beyond your skill. And he already has plenty of skill. Me ? I use extraneous spell, magical spell my opposition have never heard of. The last parole of a surprising number of my opponents was ‘ What the netherworld is that ?'”

Harry chuckled, but Markus wasn't finished.

"Dee Finsbury, the electric current Earth champion duelist is also a whiz illusionist. Your own Professor Flitwick dueled for England, you think he threw around smasher ? And you ? Well you can do charms. Right ?"

"Yeah."Harry nodded."Yes."

"Say it."

"Yes I can do charms."

"Good. Then use them."Markus turned to go back to his stigma."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 vigor. He gripped his wand and turned towards his instructor. Use charm ? Well he would give it a shot. What should he use ? Michelson appeared to be just waiting to see what he would do. well, he'd consume to do something ...

"Engorgio !"Harry aimed, not at Markus, but at the flag and saw his instructor lurch as the rock puffed up like a muffin."Reducto !"Harry blew the Harlan F. Stone to smithereens.

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

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

"What was that Pipsqueak ?"

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

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

"Bugger !"Harry dived for cover song as the shadows erupted with movement. Giant coriaceous movement. Harry dashed behind a pillar as the at-bat flung themselves through the air towards him. They were huge, wings at to the lowest degree a meter broad, with vast fangs."Incendio !"Harry waved a fiery swath through the bats but more than 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. Michelson wasn't going easy on him just because he was meddlesome with the at-bat. 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 solid and Harry had to throw off himself against the paries to avoid another thrown enchantment from his opponent. He needed a magical spell ... what charm ? Wait ! Bats were like, kind of giant star hornets ... really."Tempesto !"

Harry called a wall of wind and threw it against the leathery tool, swatting them out of the sky and crashing them into the far wall of the chamber. Michelson didn't give him any hiatus though and responded with a punishing waterfall that appeared out of nowhere above Harry. Harry felt a stab of old scourge, but the fear only made him call up faster.

"Arefacio !"The drought charm banished the falls before it even touched him."Accio !"Michelson was forced to bring in his flatware shield back up as a C bat cadaver funneled by him.

"Depulso !"Harry flicked his wand, spinning the nut of bodies back away from him and bowled it back to break-dance against the professor shield sphere. Harry wasn't going to let up now."Diffindo !"The spell scratched against the shield to no force, screeching like a violin."Reducto !"Albert Abraham Michelson wasn't even knocked backwards as cuticle once again absorbed the charm with a brassy note. Harry gripped his wand angrily, nothing he had could break this sodding ash gray shield.

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

"Motus !"Harry aimed squarely at the midpoint of the silver orb and twisted. It vibrated like a Melville Bell and filled the sleeping room with ringing. Harry twisted further and the audio intensified. Inside his burble Michelson clutched his auricle. Harry found the vibrancy and distort harder, the sound outside the shield was deafening, inside it must cause been excruciating. Markus threw his arm out violently and Harry had to fling himself sideways as the screaming shield cannonballed past tense him."Ferio !"Harry threw a hex at the staggering Michelson that he just caught with a sideboard. Harry kept up the onset in a rush of gloat ! He was winning !

"KhaNDana !"

The deadbolt came from nowhere. Slicing out of the darkness too fast for him to react. Harry was thrown to the priming, electric sparks raging down every artery and turning him into a screaming bombardment of painfulness. Harry felt his wand torn from his unresisting mitt and at survive managed to blank is mind to the pain. He waited in the dark for it to recede. When he at last opened his eyes Albert Michelson was staring down at him. The huge mavin put his scepter to first one ear then the other, muttering something, then whipped away the rake that had ran from both of them with a sleeve.

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



recapitulation now or you will come to blind and be let unleash into a playing field good of giant purple bear sand trap. Also full of bears. The bears will be able to avoid the bear traps, you will not.


I do n't own Harry Potter. Neither have I seen him recently. If you have any information as to his whereabouts please earphone. He is out in the cold without any solid food and we think his dog collar may hold come off. He 's grim and white with black paw and he 's missing a footling bit of his ear. He also answers to the name of Scraps. He likes tuna.






Severus Snape landed lightly on the scrubland and looked about him. This would deliver been a monumentally desolate space if not for the removed lights of a muggle road in the valley far below. Snape walked over to the gathering of pitch-black cloaked figures standing near the boundary of the drop-off. Snape counted faces, Barty Crouch was still absent. What was the job that man had been set ? It disturbed Snape greatly that he did not know. It made him wonder if perhaps others of the non-white human body did, if perhaps he was missing something.

One figure was apart from the others, right at the border. The shape stood with his cover to them, his prospicient robe streaming out to the incline in the harsh Night current of air. He seemed to be looking down at the route, and at the advance lights of a town.

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

'' Severus. '' The dark Lord turned at last from the cliff. `` You have come at last. I was forced to look. I dislike waiting. ``

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

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

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

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

'' No my Creator. They continue to guard the department of mysteries, Dumbledore still fears to propel. goose egg has changed. ``

'' Well, '' The nighttime lord smiled thinly. `` That at to the lowest degree is effective word. ``

He does not fuck where I was. Snape kept his face perfectly reticent. He suspects ... he strongly suspects but he does not know. He values me, he values me as a spy in the order. That is why I am still alert, because on the of-chance that I have not betrayed him I am worthful. He will wipe out me. He will kill me soon but until then I must rest a spy. I am valuable.

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

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

"Dear Barty is none of your concern."The night Lord replied, in the colloquial tone that was so much worse than anger."His labor 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 admit a homo to turn non-human."

"I dislike failure Severus."

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

"For you perhaps."The dark lord was smiling slyly."But no matter. You may end your experimentation. The potion is not necessary any more."

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

'' On to the meeting, we began without you Severus. I hope you don ‘ t judgment. '' The dark lord turned back towards the cliff and Snape had to strain to pick up him over the wind. `` We were discussing an character assassination. ``

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

'' No. '' The iniquity noble cut him off. `` Not toxicant. I intend her death to be Sir Thomas More graphic than that. An example. ``

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

'' A prominent soma in the department of mystery. '' Voldemort half turned back towards Snape. `` A missy Natalie Zhao. Do you know her ? ``

'' Yes. '' No god no. `` She is an parliamentary law member. ``

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

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

'' She is the girl of a squib, in a prominent spatial relation in the ministry. A charade. ``

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

'' Your lord has decided she should die is that not enough for you Severus ? '' The iniquity master smiled from the depths of his soulless, piercing eyes. `` Does her death ... hassle you ? ``

'' Of track not my lord. She is the tike of bad ancestry, of grade she must be killed. '' Snape bowed and stepped backward. `` I will cook certain that Dumbledore and the other rules of order members at Hogwarts are distracted. ``

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

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

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

'' Yes my master. ``

'' All dark ? No errands to run ? '' The darkness master 's back talk quirked. `` No midnight strolls ? ``

'' No my Divine. ``

'' Good. '' Voldemort 's heart narrowed. `` Because I shall know Severus. I shall have sex. ``
*


Snape walked calmly along the retentive path to the great threshold of Hogwarts using all the military unit of will he had not to get out into a run. The looker were no question already in place, at the border of the forest beyond the Aaron Montgomery Ward. As were the attackers probably, in his mind he could already see them apparating into the dark streets around Natalie 's matte. He ached to run but could n't. It was agony, caught in chains that did n't even exist. An anchor in his mind.

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

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

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

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

'' I need the rescript ! '' Snape snapped. `` We need to mobilise now ! ``

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

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

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

'' Not if we move now ! ``

'' To incite confirms his suspicions of you. And it would do no commodity. The people watching you no doubt have orders to kill you if you try to depart. No content can reach her. Yes, yes he had truly outmanoeuvre us. ``

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

'' You can not choose Fawkes. The methods phoenix 's use to travel can be detected by those who know how. Voldemort knows how. ``

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

'' Which is exactly what Voldemort expects. '' Dumbledore said angrily. `` Surely you see that this was directed at you ! Bait to draw you to reveal your genuine dedication. It is a test, if you fail we lose our spy. If you pass however you will be his most trusted retainer. ``

'' Passing means the death of Natalie ! ``

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

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

'' Think of how many the great unwashed your entropy saved in the net war. Countless lives. ``

'' Some biography are worth 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 have sure you are seen here. Go and pick herbaceous plant from one of the outside secret plan, go and get some unicorn hair from Hagrid. Anything that lets them see you here. That is all you can do. If you try to give they will wipe out you. Then they will belt down her. You can do naught. ``

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


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

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

A floor board creaking.

Natalie 's optic flickered undefended in a moment. Was it just her neighbour downstairs ? She reached for her scepter and silently checked her Aaron Montgomery Ward. She hissed as she realized they were in tatter and rolled off the bed. Her hand moved towards the visible radiation switch then thought meliorate of it, it might let them live they had seen her. She slid towards her bedroom door and looked out through the keyhole just as the door at the other end of the corridor was pushed open slowly. Revealing a robed figure.

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

They would checker the suite along the hall 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 person had n't paid their debts in prison term and military action needed to be taken. He had been locked up for being useful in the untimely piazza at the wrong time, set give up eventually, become useful again and caught again. This sentence for being so useful 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 endorse hazard. A prospect to rejoin order again, to be useful again. He was only half blood but he had just enough brains to never bring up that to anyone. When the darkness Divine had explained what needed to be done to this bint he had stepped forward instantly. It was right up his back street, he might even pull in the mark if he succeeded. Then he 'd really be set.

He touched the doorway lock with his quarter round. Warded, what else ? He turned and pointed into the mob behind him at a crooked figure, then pointed back at the door. The man shuffled forward, he had been a damn respectable curse breaker until he was caught skimming a cut off the top. He was just lucky the ministry caught him before the hob did.

metal drum waited in silence as the lilliputian man clicked and hummed in straw man of the door. A few second later the curse breaker pushed the door undetermined. Drum stepped into the flat and looked around professionally. It was set out fairly unconstipated. Kitchen that way ... void. drum waved two guy rope towards the bet on way and ignored it. This seat was like a catalogue, everything was in its position except for the record book and papers strewn across the coffee tree table. Well, that and the three aquariums near the spinal column. Not full of weewee. Some form of reptilian. Some sort of incense in the air, some new age garbage.

Drum shrugged, not an way out. The bedroom would either be at the end of the second door down on the left. That was how these buildings were built. Drum stepped down the corridor and pushed the door on the left undecided. Boxes. Down the hall then. He looked behind him, the other malefactor were hanging back. Pathetic. The dark lord had grabbed everyone who would endure up straight with no regard for experience. Not that he was criticizing, at least he would get full-of-the-moon credit for the kill.

Drum breathed in deeply. Smelled like vanilla, it was very strong. Someone had once told him that feel was the unattackable initiation for memory. He certainly remembered that muggle girl every time he smelled cut locoweed. Perhaps from now on vanilla would echo in his point, reminding him of Natalie Zhao. The fair sex who made him the favored assassin of the dark lord.

He made his way towards the shoemaker's last door. He raised his wand, fumbled it and caught it again. He shook his nous. Had to continue focalise. He reached the room access and pushed it give. dark, he stepped up to the bed. He had n't used the killing curse before, but he had no doubt he could make it do work. He raised his sceptre, aiming at the lump in the masking. His wand was shaking, he grabbed it with both hand. What was wrong with him ? Drum shook his fountainhead, the wand was still shaking.

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

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

'' You did n't fill up it. '' Drum looked up, his middle already drooping. The girl was standing there, arms crossed.

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

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

Wo n't tell you you bitch.

'' 20 ? ``

What !

'' Where are there ? ``

Ice cold beef queen.

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

'' You wo n't get out ? '' metal drum managed to get out. `` We 've surrounded you. Your fumes may stimulate got me ... the other five in here. Wo n't get the quietus. You 'll never get out. '' The girl raised her wand.

'' I can try. ``
*


Natalie stunned the swarthy wizard and pushed his organic structure in figurehead of the doorway. How long before the others checked on him ?

The door hold rattled. That long.

Natalie put herself right in front of the doorway. If she was favorable ...

Confringo ! She said the spell silently and angled her sceptre sharply down. The door exploded outwards, the force out of the explosion channeled down the hallway. She saw three bodies flying away from her and dashed out after them.

"Cruci-"

Natalie whirled on the caster. No prison term for spells, she found his eyes, pushed in like a obelisk and found the off substitution in his wit. He folded like a puppet with the strand cut. She heard a vociferation behind her and protegoed so harshly that the round edges of her shield forced the wall 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 ones in the flat done.

She rushed to the door but it had been torn off its hinge. A obscure frame reared from the stairwell. Natalie had her wand up in a second but before she could cast the man grabbed his thorax and fell to the floor. Natalie crept close, blood on his chest. soul had hit him with a puncture curse.

She threw herself to the English. They must have been shooting from the other construction outside. Aiming blind through the curtain. Aiming at her. Well that put climbing out the windowpane out of the picture. She crouched and made her way towards the stairwell. She glanced between the spline and pulled her head back as a super acid flash obliterated the wooden balustrade where she had been.

Time to start surprising them.

Natalie aimed at out into the midriff of the stairway. A flicker of her wand and a ball of glowing light appeared. Another flick and a volute spear of sparks shot down the stairs like a scallywag firework. She twisted and the ball dropped slowly, like a balloon, spitting exploding spears in every steering and shrinkage as it fell.

That should keep them busy.

She dashed down the stair and took out another thug as he desperately tried to dodge the multi-fire. Natalie had to climb up over a man lying prone on the sec floor, a victim of the pyrotechnic. A while shattered the tiles near her articulatio humeri and she threw up a carapace 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 flooring under them. One of them dropped like a stone, the other was fast enough to grab the edge of the hole. But that just made him an easygoing mark to get picked off. Natalie spun to admit out the guy below her but he was already down. Blood on him, and pooling on the floor. Another victim of the cackshots outside.

There were still ten men outside. Natalie reached the ground level and took a deep breather. They would be spread out all around her building to lay off her escaping. What was her best bet to pull through ? The back entrance ? It led onto an alley, easy for them to lug or watch over. The social movement was no doubt a deathtrap, she'd be hit from every side before she got two tone. There was a reason floor window out into the car green ... whiz tended to discount cars. She didn't have one but surely some compounding of spells could convince one to get down. It was her substantially shot.

Natalie can down a side corridor and found the window, she peered out. No one visible, but they could be hidden among the automobile. She slid the window candid and climbed out uncomfortably, breathing heavy. Strangely her paper pushing desk job didn't keep her in very dependable contour. She fell down between two gondola and turned towards one of them. She was about to charm the whorl when she felt a shadow fall on her.

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

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

"Ere what was that ?"

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

"She ‘ s ‘ ere ! She got Poxx !"

Natalie heard more run away feet and tried to slink away along the sharpness of the wall. She reached the box, no where to go. If she tried to make for the going they'd see her for sure. She pushed at the apparation cellblock again but it was no ripe. They had extended it beyond the construction itself. How far would they have pulled it ? To plow the solid city block would give birth been impossible. Could she just run for the boundary ?

They were searching the lot. They were getting closer. Natalie looked up under the nearest car. At least five pairs of ft within easy sight. The entrance was snug, she might spend a penny it. With a distraction.

She looked carefully out over the back of the car and aimed her baton at a blue car at the other end of the lot. It didn't have to be much, just enough to get their attention. She said the enchantment silently. The car's warning device sounded like a klaxon in the night air.

"What the all-fired ‘ ell is that !"

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

"Now missy turning round courteous and slow."She rolled over and tried to meet the man standing in front of her's middle."Nah, don ‘ t try any of that."He broke eye contact lens 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 cluster of maven surrounding her."Me and the cub worked laborious. I recon we deserve a reward."

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

"I was thinking you might."The front line man sneered and the others drew in closer. Natalie could see the avarice of years in prison flickering bright in their middle."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 sassing, there was a trickle of parentage coming out of the corner. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he fell to the flooring. His confrere stared at him. After a still moment one of them stepped forward and knelt down next to him. The man reached out and touched the fallen outlaw back.

"It ‘ s blood. He ‘ s dead. He- Aaa !"The neck of the kneeling man exploded, showering them with profligate. The criminal jumped back in daze. Natalie grabbed her verge and threw herself backwards, rolling as she hit the solid ground. She had stunned one of the thaumaturgist while they were still in shock and had turned her scepter on another when her whodunit Jesus of Nazareth revealed himself. She had to chip in it to him, he knew how to earn an entrance.

He dropped from the top of another edifice, his gown billowing behind him as he fell straight into the middle of the wizards. He landed on one of them and rolled, a dark shape in his manus coming up. Another criminal was thrown back and landed wetly on the trading floor. The warrior looked up at her but she couldn't catch his boldness in the dark. He nodded to her. She nodded back, and they turned on the balance of the bastards.

It was the strangest battle Natalie had ever been involved in. Strange for it's secretiveness. Whatever weapon the unknown man was using it made no sound as it fired and she tended to range non verbally. The crook yelled their piece but they were in such disorderliness they were mostly throwing dire ravisher at each other. Other than those there was only the phone of footsteps, rapid-fire like a dancing, and the periodic spraying of roue. A soundless struggle at midnight, underneath stuttering streetlamps. Natalie's breath was hot in her ears by the time it was over. She turned to her Christ, he was dumping what was now obviously a silenciod pistol in his bag.

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

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

"Ha ... Harry ?"

"Yep."The young boy's middle wandered south and he glanced away."Um you ‘ re going to have to have a change of wardrobe if you want to have any sort of intelligent conversation."

"Why ?"

"fountainhead, long narration little you ‘ re still wearing a nightgown and the footing you were just rolling around on is quite damp."

"Oh."Natalie felt the bloom rising in her impudence as she conjured a gown."Better ?"

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


carting bodies up to her matte had been a surreal experience. She had healed the I that could be healed before stunning them into a coma. In the end they had two piles, sixteen live and four dead. She did n't doubt that without wizard medicine the count would have been a lot higher.

And here she was, sitting by her coffee table staring at lined up, stunned, criminals who ten minutes ago had been trying to toss off 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 couch. She looked over at him. He looked elder than when she had lowest seen him. Much 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 disjointed and she was trying to fill in the composition."With a gun."

"Spells would have warned Voldemort I was there."Harry shrugged."By now I bet they have mortal watching the underage magic detector. I tried to dissipate their weapons system mostly."He added almost to himself.

Natalie decided not to comment, instead she asked.

"How did you even know to arrive here ?"

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

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

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

"Easy, snuck into the forest."Harry shrugged."The citizenry that got sent to watch Snape were all, big surprise, watching Snape. Meaning I could slip by undetected. After that I dashed for the wall, climbed it promiscuous, 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 bang I ‘ d gone through there, that was why I didn ‘ t use one of the pubs."

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

"Dumbledore was right."

"What ?"

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

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

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

"Snape passes and you can hole out up at chez Malfoy. One problem, They ‘ ll recall the truth."Harry pointed out, jabbing a quarter round towards the felon."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 tabulator."Goldie will be able to assist with that."

"Voldemort ‘ s good at Legillimancy."

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

"time lag a minute ..."Harry's brow furrowed."You ‘ re phone is working ?"

"Of course."

"So why did I just break out of school and move the length of the country to save you ?"Harry threw his hired man up."Couldn ‘ t Snape have just called you ?"

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

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

"Revenge."Natalie grinned, then found the file cabinet card she was looking for and grew sober."Listen Harry you should go back. I can deal matter from here, and it ‘ ll be easier to explain to Goldie without you here."

"You sure ?"

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

"Yeah ?"

"Thank you."

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

"And Happy Halloween."

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


Harry didn't try to reenter Hogwarts that night. Too much risk of being seen by one of the witness. Instead he dozed on a bench and slipped back in around sunrise. He attended breakfast purely to procure coffee berry in large amounts and managed to get through his first few example somehow. During tiffin break he dragged his sleepy form down to the dungeon and found the right bureau. He pushed the door open 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 metrical unit touched the floor he knew it was a dream. Before him the cottage at Godrics hole rose above his head. Looking so ... pattern. zippo to verbalize to it's momentous importance. It could have been any one of thousands of sign, there were others that could be its twin dotted down the street. nil special, and yet it repelled him.

Harry felt his skin crawl. The theater was ... incorrectly ... somehow. Harry turned and dashed down the street, passing Tree and hedges. He dashed with no care and caught his foot on a paving Harlan Fiske Stone, sending him sprawling to the flooring. As he got to his groundwork he felt grass under his understructure. He was back on the front lawn. The cottage was right-hand in movement of him.

He could find out the river in his ears, raging in the distance. Harry scratched at his skin, it was all untimely. Harry felt sickness grow in the pit of his stomach. Oh wait ... that wasn't part of the dream.

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


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

'' I 'm OK. '' Came the muffled reply.

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

'' I said I 'm mulct. '' Harry jerked the doorway open, the disastrous bags under his eyes even more visible than usual against his jet and sallow skin.

'' You do n't look mulct. ``

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thomas More sleep, and more bruise-remover.
*


Ginny looked up as Harry pushed the threshold to the attic open.

"Charms finished early ?"Harry asked as the vulture trouped in behind him.

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm certainly, I ‘ m amercement. Nothing a little workout won ‘ t cure."Harry shed his robe as the vulture drew into a circle 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 set. Never ask me if I ‘ m make. Never warn me just bloody hit me."

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

The twins jumped forward like mirrors of each other but a shine beam of light clicked between them and slammed them together like buckeye. Harry whirled like a dancer and a humeral veil of smoke surrounded him. The piranha began firing into the swarm, deliberate not to hit each early as the stunners flew out the former side of meat. The marauders slowed and eventually stopped.

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

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

Padma's interrogative sentence was answered as her baton was jerked out of her deal and flew into the blackness. An regalia of looker followed it. All came back out.

"turnkey this."Ginny waved her baton."Depulso smoke."The blackamoor cloud flew away and dissipated into the stale air. Revealing cipher. The floor was empty.

"Where the Scheol is-"Ginny felt a weight work stoppage her berm and a stabbing pain sensation. As she collapsed she saw boots flash in front of her font and red spark flashing all around. Her articulatio humeri was like a burning at the stake knife.

"HOLD !"person yelled."I said wait !"

The flashing Light stopped and she felt inviolable bridge player rolling her over carefully. Malfoy's expression came into scene, 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 attend away, her eyes squeezed shut. Her arm was hanging like a patch of essence, hanging off her articulatio humeri. The piranha began crowding around. Ginny found Harry's eyes, he was unclear. As always. His eyes didn't emote, didn't give anything away. They just looked like ... eyes.

"Let me."Hermione pushed Dragon aside and rolled up Ginny's sleeve. She shook her header."I can ‘ t fix this. We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey."Hermione reached forward.

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

"You could give birth really hurt her."Parvati said softly.

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

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

"Yes ! I was !"Harry kicked a chairwoman against the rampart angrily."I ‘ m helping everyone ! Why doesn ‘ t everyone get that ! Why are the majority of the citizenry I ‘ m trying to save doing their respectable to fuck with me !"

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

"Why are the great unwashed doing this."He shook his head, his custody going to his temples."Even people who know what we have to do are trying to stop us. Even masses who know. Why the Hades 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 flop back into a fight ?"Hermione asked, her vox 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 stomach. She made no crusade to capture it.

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

"Come on !"Harry clapped like some mad sports passenger vehicle."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 ! have up your mind Harry, are we your friends or are we your ... your regular army !"

"You giving me the choice."Harry stepped up right into Hermione's face."You giving me that alternative. I have a non-white wiz after me that I ‘ m fated to fight. I have the expectant, no scratch that, the two greatest wizards in the world hating me. One trying to pour down me. One trying to keep me a prisoner. I have everything against me. So I choose a bloody army.'Cos I need a bloody army. And if you can ‘ t be that then to hell with you."

Harry turned, and disappeared out the door.
*


The nexus of the piranha was gone. Without that, they were hollow.

They went to example, walked, went to meals. But Harry was never with them. He still attended lectures to keep the teacher off his rachis, but every former moment seemed to be spent in that bonce. Plus wherever he snuck out to at night.

Draco was with him sometimes, walking silently behind him along the corridor. Visible bruising made it brighten that he hadn't stopped helping Harry. Ginny caught him alone one morning and confronted him.

"Why are you still helping Harry ?"She asked bluntly.

"Because he ‘ s my friend."Was the curt and dry response.

"He ‘ s killing himself with all this."Ginny pleaded, looking into Draco's oculus. At least there was some emotion there, even if it mostly seemed to be regret."You realize that don ‘ t you ? You ‘ re not helping him come through. You ‘ re helping him self destruct."

"With anyone else I ‘ d agree with you."genus Draco looked away."But here we know what ‘ s coming. You know. There ‘ s no way we can go along him out of Voldemort ‘ s way of life. There's no keeping him safe you understand, the prophecy ensures that. He will face Voldemort. He will contend him. So a little self destruction now is worth it if he survives that encounter. Wouldn't you say Ginerva ?"

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

"Of form I ‘ m noble. I ‘ m a Malfoy."Draco hung his headspring, then looked up to encounter her eyes. Regret was back, regret was definitely back."facial expression Ginerva I know everything you ‘ re saying is true. But I don ‘ t make out how else to help him. I don ‘ t how to serve him at all. Do you ?"

"I ... no."

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

And exterior Hogwarts the wizarding world slowly fell to pieces. As Noel crawled closer and the nights grew longer there was no joy among the magical peoples. It just meant there were more wickedness hours for the death eaters to hunt in. One night a sinister mark was raised right in the middle of Manchester. The federal agency passed it off as a hot air balloon. The one in the country did n't take in to be explained away, the ministry just had to clean up after. When they even bothered to do that.

contrary to pop feeling the dreary 60 minutes is not before dawn. It 's in the middle of the bally night.
*


Harry closed the prophet with a heavy sigh and dropped it on the basis beside him. Things were only getting big out there. The order of magnitude was n't doing anything, big surprisal there. Barty Crouch was still missing from death eater meetings, apparently with Voldemort's full bread and butter. The dark puppet ? No one knew a thing about them.

No one seemed to know anything.

Harry stretched his legs out and felt the ripple of the lake against his bare skin, sending back rippling of goosebumps to equalize. Not all to do with the common cold. It was honorable though. He should produce indisputable he could make out piss if he had to. Might have to fight in it one day.

'' A dark state of matter of affairs. ``

Harry tensed as the voice came from behind him and spun, baton outstretched. There was a figure standing there, looking out over the water supply. He looked old, seventy maybe. Bald definitely, and not a hair in his little neat mustache was anything other than white. He looked like a retired teacher to a greater extent than anything else, one of the old school ones. He even had the patched tweed jacket.

Oh god was that a tobacco pipe in his pocket ?

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

'' Would you like a topographic point of tea ? ``

'' Oh come on. '' Harry chuckled and shook his head. `` ternion matter : One, I do n't fuddle tea. I drink coffee, in declamatory quantity. Two : You do n't feature any tea. Three : Even if you had a flaskful I would n't be able to imbibe it. '' Harry reached out and waved his hand directly through the old homo leg. It passed through without even a tingle.

'' Very dependable Mr Potter. '' The old man sat down cross legged next to him. `` How could you tell ? ``

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

'' My gens is James. '' Harry stiffened at those words. The old man laughed. `` No not that James IV. Honestly Mr thrower there are Sir Thomas More people called James in this world than your founding father. ``

'' Probably not your existent epithet anyway. '' Harry snorted.

'' I 've never seen a motive to hold in my first name. One of the benefits of having a nice traditional name like James or lavatory or Harry. '' James smiled and took a little puff on his pipe. `` Of form if you wish to sleep with my endure name we shall accept a problem. ``

'' I do n't pay a bullshit what your last gens is. '' Harry shrugged. `` How are you doing this ? Some sorting of illusion ? ``

'' Astral protrusion. '' James said professionally. `` It 's really quite utilitarian. ``

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

'' Very good Mr Pott- ''

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

'' Very well. '' Epistle of James reached into his jacket. Harry instinctively flinched despite the fact that any weapon system this man pulled would go straight through him. `` Do you know a man named Conterrando bread maker ? ``

'' Is he from the ministry of giddy name calling ? ``

'' How droll. '' Epistle of James pulled a piece of paper from his jacket and held it out for Harry to see. Harry grabbed a part of parchment out of his bag to jot down the address then took a short more time reading the remainder of the profile.

'' one-half roue, respected member of the Wizengamot, respecter author, married to a muggle, outspoken critic of the current minister. Two kids at Hogwarts. His cobbler's last book was a roll in the hay taradiddle, between a pure parentage and a muggle. '' Harry laughed wryly. `` Christ, did someone just take a big piece of play-doh and forge it into a target for the dying feeder ? ``

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

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

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

'' Oh come on. ``

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

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

'' I, or more accurately the grouping I represent. Do have the resource. '' James smiled. Harry did n't like that grinning, it had weird depths. St. James continued, `` Our organization also dislikes Voldemort. He is troublesome to our work. But unfortunately for Mr bread maker, Voldemort is only an discomfort to us therefore it is not worth enough to us to save him. We do not move in the same circles as Voldemort you see, so he does not give us too lots trouble. We would favour if he were gone though. It would lay down things easier. ``

'' So assist 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 cut air.

'' Show off. '' Harry murmured.

Of course he realized it could be a trap. In fact it almost certainly was a ambush. Harry considered. Except that Conterrando bread maker was a material somebody. The news report, after a little checking of plump for prophet issues, checked out. Harry even found the tiddler in Ginny 's yr. Hufflepuffs, twins, nice in a kind of boring Hufflepuff kind of way. Both members of the gobstones club. Both with significantly less farcical names than their father.

Good kids. practiced father too ...

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

Looks that way.

'' Do I feature to ? ``

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

'' Do n't like popcorn. ``

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

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

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

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

Crazy like a fox.

'' Like a fox. ``
*


So it came to legislate that Harry slid down into the chamber of enigma that nighttime wearing the most singularly un-heroic piece of clothing in history.

A duet of waders.

'' Bloody winter. '' Harry shivered as he crawled through the tiny crack in the bulwark through which he had entered the bedroom all those years ago. It was smaller than he remembered.

Harry dropped into the icy sewer and made his way quickly along the sullen passageway. The body of water was bitingly cold on his hands whenever they got splashed but the compact waders kept his legs pleasantly warm. Thank Falco columbarius for dragon-skin fishing supplies.

Of course this would be sluttish if Dumbledore had n't strengthened the Hogwarts hospital ward to the point where not even insect could evanesce through. This was the only way out.

Harry 's enactment through the catacombs was unerring. finis clip he 'd been here he 'd wandered aimlessly, lost. trivial lost boy ... But he was n't the like person he 'd been then. Harry sighed and walked on through the darkness to his destination.
*


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

House twenty six. Harry slowed to a stop a cube away from the improbable white building. In the midsection of the terraced-row of equally tall white buildings. Expensive they might be, individual they were not.

All the visible light seemed to be off. Mr Baker was probably gone. No one outside, no one obvious anyway.

how-do-you-do ...

Up on the roof. wickedness made into two-dimensionality made into incubus. Someone was waiting up there, trying to rest invisible against the skyline.

Harry cursed then darted down an alley. Movement in the front yard, it might have been a toss out newspaper. Then again it might not.

homo shape ! Second level, standing near the bed ! Harry 's workforce found a drainpipe and he catapulted himself up. There were two more on the bed, cowering in reverence. The standing pattern raised his sceptre. Harry swung with all his strength and crashed through the window.

'' What the infernal region ! ``

Harry tackled the death eater to the floor and stunned him. He rushed to the door and bolted it, pushing a chair under the grip. The others would ingest heard the window break.

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

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

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

'' Good go to him. Get out through the backbone. '' Harry pointed at the broken windowpane. The doorway thumped violently and Harry turned back towards it. Three others. Not honorable. `` GO ! ``

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

'' Do n't concern about me. Just go ! '' Harry flicked a ward onto the threshold, strengthened it. But it would n't reserve long. These were n't crook, these were factual death feeder. Duelist group II. sodomist. 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 actual psychometric test. Lashkar-e-Toiba see how I do.

I really hope one of them is crouch ... Harry grinned in vehement glee.
*


The menage windows flashed from where he sat on the rooftops. Whoever that boy was he was fighting them. Fighting them everywhere. There were two people fleeing down the backstreet, visible in the gaps between houses. They did n't matter.

His knarrled fingers clenched. It looked like the boy had beat him to these unity. He would n't be able to kill tonight. Would n't be able to spite them, make water them pay. draw 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 was good, so long as it got there in the end.

The end ... the end ...

Vengeance. That was a good word.

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

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


'' Wake up ! ``

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

'' Get the hell up Weasley ! ``

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

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

'' What ? Of course not. He 's your best friend now. '' Ron replied sneering.

'' He did n't turn up for dueling this morning. '' Malfoy sounded like he was actually worried. The Snake River was obviously acting. `` I thought maybe he would be here. ``

'' Well he 's not. '' Ron gestured around. `` attend the bed 's not even slept in. And how 'd you get the password anyway ? ``

'' Something 's faulty. ``

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

'' Right. Two 60 minutes past when Harry said he 'd take on me. '' Malfoy was gritting his teeth, breathing through them clenched.

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

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

'' Then he 's eating breakfast ! ``

'' Checked there. ``

'' library. ``

'' Checked. ``

'' Down by the lake ? ``

'' Checked. ``

'' The timberland ? Around the edge- ''

'' Checked. ``

'' Oh. '' Ron bit his lip. `` He 's probably, I do n't know. Probably training late and just passed out tired. Even you had to notice he was tired. ``

'' Surprised you did. '' Malfoy turned for the threshold. `` Get your Quaker and help look. ``

'' We 're not your frie- ''

'' But you were Harry's ! '' Malfoy turned angrily. `` And he could be in worry, or pain, or dying, right now ! I know you do n't like him any more but unless you hate him enough to wish him dead get the underworld up and help me look ! ``
*


Ron woke the predator. The marauders roused the educatee. myrtle called the ghosts. Hermione ran to McGonagall. McGonagall went to Dumbledore.

The stallion castling like an formicary kicked into turmoil by the going of the boy-who-lived.

It was Dumbledore who confirmed, by 'his own method', that Harry was not in the rook. The large hall was filled with tangible tensity as breakfast appeared as if it was any other day. Everyone was whispering.

Why fuss, 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 rustle. It was the tense atmosphere, it leeched sound out of you. Or maybe it was because saying it right out would build it real.

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

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

The hall emptied like a blast had started. Every student of every house piled through the giant dual doors. Jostling and pushing against each other, and against instructor, to get through. They spilled out onto the strawman lawn like a wave, breaking and separating. Everyone was running for the briny gate. Ginny saw Hagrid, out in front end, yell something and the gate creaked afford. Everyone pushed through, trying to get a glimpse of the troglodyte anatomy trudging up the way towards them.

The battlefront base runner stopped and were almost bowled over as the hoi polloi behind them ran into their backs. The road down from the Bill Gates was slanted, so everyone could see. See the figure that was definitely Harry.

His robes hung off one berm, the rest torn and trailing behind him. The whole go away face of his facial expression was covered in blood, down onto his berm too, caked on and streaked. One of his thrill was gone, Merlin only knew where. His left arm had an ugly burn over the elbow, red and raw and black in the middle.

The entire of Hogwarts stared at him. Harry raised his head painfully.

'' Well ... would ... '' Harry swallowed and licked his back talk. `` Would you believe I fell down some stairs ? ``
*


'' Mr thrower where were you ? ``

You know where.

'' Tell me ! ``

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

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

There we are.

'' How did you leave school reason ? ``

You do n't need to know that.

'' Harry reply me ! ``

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

'' I want the truth ! '' Dumbledore was yelling, every portrait on the walls of his office watched in quiet. Apart from them the elbow room was empty. `` I want you to tell me where you went ! Where you go every nighttime ! 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 wards of Hogwarts I need to have a go at it about it. ``

shucks. He might actually be right. Voldemort sure as shooting as Hell knew about the chamber.

'' Chamber of secrets. '' Harry met the Headmasters gaze but gave cypher away. His occlumency was getting better too. `` Remember ? There 's a passageway 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 incompetent. You make misunderstanding. It does n't experience to be this way between us, admit you made a mistake with compliments to me. I can help you fight. Help the order. ``

'' You are not of age. ``

'' Screw that ! '' Harry yelled wildly. `` There 's two the great unwashed living tonight because of me ! Two kids who are not orphaned because of me ! ``

'' There are also five dead death feeder. ``

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

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

'' Dead. '' Dumbledore 's boldness grew stony. `` Killed with an cryptic toxin. Seen only once before. ``

No ... no no no no.

'' Dumbledore- ''

'' Stop ! '' The Headmaster cut him off. `` You have already demonstrated a bloodlust that disturbs rule, decent wizards. ``

'' When I need to ! '' Harry was breathing hard. `` When my Quaker life-time are at post ! ``

'' You are out of control condition Harry. ``

'' I did n't kill them. '' Harry held up his manus. `` I did n't, I swear. I stunned them, then left, then called the aurors to piece them up. ``

'' I can not believe that Harry, I can not. Not with all I know. ``

'' Legilimence me. '' Harry released his defenses. `` You 'll see. You 'll acknowledge. ``

'' I will not do it. I will not know because I can not be trusted that you have not reached a horizontal surface of technique at occlumency where you could show me whatever make up memory you wish to. ``

'' THEN WHAT DO YOU need ! ``

'' Anger Harry ? You have a lot of wrath do n't you. ``

Yes. Harry hung his drumhead tiredly. There is no solvent to your question. nothing that will fulfill you.

'' You will continue confined to the castle. '' Dumbledore ordered. `` You will pay heed all lessons. A guardian appointed by me will walk you to and from each deterrent example. You will do these thing or I will hand you to the aurors. ``

'' I did n't do it. '' Harry whispered, more to himself than anything else.

'' I can not conduct that endangerment. ``

Wait ! The Prophecy !

'' The prophecy. '' Harry blurted. `` What are we going to- ''

'' hitch thinking about such things. '' Dumbledore cut him off. `` They are no longer your concern. ``

'' But I have to stop Voldemort. I 'm the lone one who can. ``

'' This give-and-take is over Harry. farewell. ``

Harry stood. There was no breaker point drawing it out. He walked towards the doorway, but did n't go through it. He felt drained, completely. But some rest well of self-will would n't let him leave alone without one last word.

'' You 're making a mistake. '' Harry said over his shoulder joint. `` You do make them remember. ``

'' I do. But I correct them. '' Dumbledore said sharply, but sadly. `` I am correcting one right now. ``

tinker's damn. He still got the last word.

Harry turned and passed out of the billet. There were important decision to be made.
*


'' Deja vu. '' A voice said over Ron 's shoulder.

'' Malfoy ! '' Ron spun on his workbench. `` Do you just sneak around everywhere ? ``

'' Hard to sneak in the heart of lunch. '' Malfoy seemed agitated. `` Harry 's gone again. ``

'' Like this morn ? '' Hermione asked.

'' He said he was going to go to catch some Z's, but his bag 's gone. '' As Malfoy spoke they heard a noise from the heights table.

Dumbledore had just shoved his professorship back roughly and strode quickly from the hall.

'' He knows about- '' Ron began but stopped as a square shadow dropped onto the table.

Digger cocked his top dog and hopped about a little nervously. He kept looking at first one face then another as if he did n't know who to deliver 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.

Take care of him






Review, or I will use my gravemetric everting ray to smash the moon down onto the Earth's surface of the terra firma ! Destroying it utterly ! You have just one hour ! Mru Ha Ha Ha Ha ! Ha. Ha.


Arg ! The situation goes down ! lunacy everywhere ! things dusk apart, the plaza can not hold ! My recap ! ! ! My precious critique ! ! !

Ah well ... such is life.



'' Is there no news program ? ``

'' No Albus, there is not. '' Minerva shook her head. `` He appears to have vanished. ``

'' Has a sentry been set on the borders ? All path that he could leave alone the country ? ``

'' Yes Albus. '' As if that had ever stopped Harry. `` But do you really think he will try to leave ? Everything we 've seen suggests he will stick and crusade. ``

'' I do not know Minerva. '' Albus shook his head. `` I am not sure of anything anymore. ``

'' Stay strong Albus. The order needs you. ``

'' Yes ... yes we must go on. ``
*


The marauders, bundled up against the inhuman, sat quietly before a vast bay window in Malfoy manor. They had gone there straight from Hogwarts, with a guard the total way. They were in the minority for leaving, a lot of pupil had elected to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. It was safer. They were not the simply ace 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 sign of the zodiac and had a tearful reunion with their parents. Apparently somebody had saved them from the expiry eaters. accent on someone.

The manor was filling up, loads of hoi polloi. Refugees almost, the great unwashed that had been targeted or were in danger of being. It was scary, seeing the fear in their eyes, the feeling of being hunted. The predator were the same, unable to get out, scanning the papers for any steer of Harry. They found nada but they kept looking. guilt was a powerful thing.

So now they were stuck in the sign, ineffective to leave its wall as Snow blanketed everything outside. Even if they could have gone outside would they take had the heart to dally ? Maybe, maybe not. So they sat in front of the Brobdingnagian open window and watched it fall.

The grownup had tried to make it cheery, there was even a tree. It had n't worked though.

'' We should go suffer luncheon. '' Someone murmured. No one moved. Eventually someone 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 ? ``

'' nigh of the adult eat in the tree room. '' Ginny pointed and Tonks hurried out.

'' Do you suppose it was Harry ? '' Neville asked quietly.

'' Of row it was Harry. '' Malfoy said flatly.

'' It could have been soul else, someone else trying to stop them. ``

'' Someone who tied them up like nowadays and dumped them Christmas eve ? It 's Harry. '' Padma grimaced. `` He 's out there fighting. ``

'' On his own. '' Her sister echoed.

They sat in secretiveness for a piece. The only when strait was Ron rhythmically munching on bread.

'' Do you suppose it was us ? '' Ginny found herself whispering. `` Do you think we drove him out ? ``

'' You certainly did n't help. '' Draco sneered.

'' Shut up Malfoy ! You were the one helping him ! '' Ron reached over and tried to thump the Slytherin. `` If you had n't he would n't take thought he could agitate them ! ``

'' He was getting assistant from other places than me. Someone else I 'm for certain, he was getting better too quick. '' Malfoy shook his pass. `` No, I withdraw what I said before. You did n't push him towards this. This was inevitable. ``

But we abandoned him. Ginny thought darkly. Maybe if he would have stayed retentive if he thought he had something to appease for. Or at the very least he 'd have it away he was n't alone. Merlin, how had matter gone so wrong ?

'' It 's my flaw. '' Hermione murmured suddenly. `` I said that ... stupid thing about choosing between- ''

'' It was n't you. '' Ron broke in. `` You heard Malfoy, it was inevitable. ``

'' We need to do something. '' Parvati said. `` Bring him back. Tell him it 's ok. ''

'' How ? '' Draco shook his promontory. `` Take out a personal ad in the Prophet ? ``

'' Well why not ? ``

'' Because it 's ridiculous. And because all it would do is placate your guilty conscience. It would n't help him. ``

'' Well what would avail him ! '' Fred asked angrily.

'' I do n't know ! '' Draco shot to his feet. `` Why are you asking me anyway ? I do n't even like you. '' He turned and stalked out of the elbow room. Ginny watched him go. She 'd never thought about it before but Harry leaving had probably hit him pretty hard too. He did n't really let any other friends. Maybe that had been why he helped Harry for so long.

'' We need to do something. '' Annapurna repeated again.

'' What baby ? What ? '' Padma frowned at her Sister darkly. `` Do n't just go along saying 'do something'and look everyone else to come up with something. ``

'' I do n't take heed you coming up with anything ! ``

'' There 's nothing we can do ! ``

They lapsed into an furious muteness again. There was too much tension, too little sleep. They were all at the end of their tether. Just like Harry had been. Ginny shook her head, they should possess gone easier on him. A little selfish component part of her felt gladiola that she had not been part of that first literary argument with him. Another part 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 experience ...

It was unpointed to think about it. The disceptation had happened, but a piffling component of her still irked. They should n't have blown up on him, so what if he said he chose an army ... waiting ... Was it possible ? Was she really thinking about this ?

'' I can think of something we can do. '' She said, her voice catching in the midriff. 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 aid. piranha ruler ...

'' HEY ! '' The table jumped as Ginny slammed down on it surd. The marauder started like cony. Oh great, now everyone was looking at her. She stood, keeping her workforce insipid to the mesa. `` I know what we can do. ``

'' Wh ... what ? '' Hermione asked hesitantly.

'' Exactly what he asked. '' Ginny said confidently. `` He wanted an ground forces. He needs an army. He 's fighting out there on his own so he deserves an U. S. Army ! We can be it. We can facilitate him ! ``

For a few minute there was silence, then ...

'' But ... but we 're just kids. '' Neville was biting his lip.

'' We 're as old as Harry. '' Ginny stated defiantly, glossing over the fact that she wasn't.

'' We do n't have intercourse 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 honest at defense and look how far he 's occur. We can do it. ``

'' We could ... '' Fred murmured, and is twin began nodding thoughtfully.

'' There are only eight of us. '' Hermione pointed out.

'' I think other people in the schooltime would be prepared to serve Harry if we told them. The old chosen ... others too. '' Ginny tried to look confident. `` And besides, Harry 's just one person ! ``

'' But Harry 's Harry ! '' Hermione shook her head. `` He could get away with that sort of thing ! He has some ... ability ... some intellect he survived. A force ! That 's it ! Like the prophecy said .'A power the dark lord knows not'we- ''

'' The only power Harry ever displayed was obstinance. '' Padma interrupted her. `` Stubbornness 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 unvoiced and determined. Her sister nodded her support.

'' Us too. '' George folded his arms just as his blood brother said,

'' We ca n't devote up on Harry. ``

'' And you three ? '' Ginny turned to the last three open marauders. Neville shifted nervously,

'' I ... It could own been me. '' He was looking down at the table. `` It could stimulate been me. I would n't have survived this long. No ... but I ca n't just cut it. The fact that it could have 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 great deal help I 'll be. ``

'' You saved me. '' Ginny smiled desperately. All the marauders had to connect, 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 have wanted it. ``

'' He understood you. '' Padma chimed in, smiling. `` More than the rest of us I think. ``

'' I 'll assist, if I can. '' Neville said, in a small vocalism. Ginny breathed out in relief, one down two to go ...

'' And you two ? ``

Hermione and Ron shared a flavor. Ginny knew she could loosen her brother into it, Ron was a sponge for peer pressure, but she would n't. Not a choice like this.

'' We 'll cause to miss some lessons. '' Ron said suddenly and Hermione put a hand over her mouth, chuckling. `` Think you can handle that Hermione ? ``

'' I guess so. '' Hermione turned back to Ginny. `` For Harry. ``

'' You 're in ? '' Yes, yes, yes ! `` Both of you ? ``

'' We 're in. ``

'' Us too. '' A voice came out of nowhere. Ginny spun and fixed on the magnanimous twofold threshold. Standing in the open chap were two brownish haired baby. terry and Anne Baker. They had been listening in, eavesdropping. And they had managed to do it undetected. Wow, Ginny thought. They 've already got what it takes to be a marauder.

'' What ? '' Ron stood, clearly unable to see them properly from where he was. `` You two ? ``

'' We heard what you were saying. '' Anne said, obviously trying to vocalize former. Ginny wondered if she had looked like that a few instant ago. `` We want to help too. ``

'' Harry saved our parents. '' Terry added in. `` The ministry did n't even know they were a butt. 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 know ? We saw Harry when he came back that morning just like the rest of you. That 's the sort of stuff you 're talking about right wing ? Well that Night he was out saving our parents. Saving them was what hurt him so bad, so its ... like I do n't make out. 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 tilt. ``

'' We know what were getting ourselves into. '' Terry said defiantly. `` We want to get together Harry 's army. ``

'' Harry 's army ? '' George snorted. `` Is that what we 're calling ourselves ? ``

'' I do n't like it. '' His Gemini agreed.

'' It does speech sound like something from world-war-two. '' Hermione agreed.

'' How about the chosen ? We 've been that before. '' Ron suggested.

'' We 're the marauder. '' Ginny overrode him. `` We 've always been the marauders we always will be. It 's what Harry would take in wanted. ``

A murmur of arrangement went up from around the table and Ginny felt a spate of pride. She beckoned the Baker twins over. As she did she suddenly realized something, she had made everybody look at her and they were still looking. Her crony had happily accepted her leash, they all had. And now she was about to ordain two new piranha, a prerogative only previously granted by Harry.

What can of dirt ball had she opened today ?

'' But wait. '' Padma said suddenly. `` How are we going to trail properly ? Harry had a teacher, he had to. Where are we going to get one ? ``

'' I can call up of someone. ``
*


'' Draco ! ``

Draco turned in seismic disturbance to search at the gang in the library doorway.

'' Yes ? '' He looked across them. `` Can I help you ? ``

'' We 've decided what we 're going to do. '' Ginerva said from the front. `` We 're forming an Army. We 're going to fight for Harry. We want your help. ``

The program library was still for a moment. genus Draco met the eyes of each of the vulture, were they really dangerous ? Legillimancy gave him the answer.

'' Well would you bet at that. '' Draco murmured, then smiled. `` Lets get to it. ``
*


'' You realize this means the marauders now have penis in every Hogwarts house. '' George commented as they walked down to Harry 's old training cellar.

'' We do n't have any Ravenclaws. '' Ron said. Hermione shook her headway irritably.

'' You would think you 'd commend Ron, after all the times she 's preserve our skins. ``

'' Who ? ``

'' Moaning myrtle. ``

'' She does n't bet. '' Ron said with authority before being clipped around the ear by Ginny.

"scout your oral fissure. Harry wouldn't stand for that sort of talk."

"Besides, you ‘ re all wrong 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 calendar month now."

"Why didn ‘ t you tell us ?"Ron asked him.

"Would it bear made a difference ?"

"Well ... maybe."Ron shrugged."predator have unlike normal than average people."

"Yeah, that constituent I got."Malfoy reached the door to the cellar and threw it surface. It was exactly how they had left it. Huge down of broken in furniture and burn print on the walls."Right, well we don ‘ t have affect spheres or a siswai ‘ aman or muggle gonnes-"

"Guns."Hermione corrected.

"Them either."genus Draco stepped into the center of the room."Actually I do stimulate some impact arena but that ‘ s not the point. We don ‘ t have time to go to four continents and pick up the outflank munition like Harry did, so I ‘ m going to focus on this ..."Malfoy drew his wand and held it out in front of him.

"Dame Ellen Terry, Anne."Ginny turned to the two Modern members."How are you at defense team class ?"

"We ‘ re both getting Es."Anne said quickly.

"piranha should know how to lie in force than that."

"Alright As."

"Same as Harry last year."Ginny told them encouragingly."Hermione ? Can you bring them up to speed real quick ?"

"I ... I guess so."

"Good."Ginny turned back to Draco and nodded. He smiled at her as he directed the others into dueling lines. Her stomach did a short floaty lurch.

Just stress. She told herself. Just stress because we're joining a war. Natural to be nervous, especially since they seem to have elected me leader. I'm not nervous for any former reason. No reasonableness at all.
*


Neville collapsed into a chair in his room. He ached everywhere. Malfoy had pushed them all day, fighting. They had only quit for the night when the Baker nestling couldn't stand up any more. Neville hadn't been far behind them.

This must have been what it was like for Harry.

Neville shook his head, earliest 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 smooth on the spare-time activity maybe he saw more. Saw more about people ... about Harry.

Maybe there was one former thing they could do for Harry.

He had thought of it before but hadn't mentioned it. No reasonableness to tell ` citizenry, especially if he was wrong. It'd just make him see poor fish. It probably wouldn't help anyway. But it was worth a shot.

Neville drew a piece of composition towards him and grabbed a calamus. He chewed on the end nervously, how did you start a message like this ?

Dear ... No, to familiar. Neville shook his pass, it didn't issue what words he used. He should just get the thing written. He cracked his tired knuckles and started again.

To The Pythea

My name is Neville Longbottom and I'm a friend of Harry's. I don't know if he told you about me.

Neville winced, this was harder than he thought.

Harry's in hassle, or he might be. He's left Hogwarts to push. We're worried about him. We're worried he might die. I don't know if you know about the Pr ...

Neville stopped writing and thought for a moment. The letter might get intercepted by someone.

If the musical phrase ‘ 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 severalise us what we can do to assist. We're already doing everything we can but it may not be enough.

Neville read the letter of the alphabet over nervously. He was writing to ask the assistant of one of the most powerful women in the world. He signed it, his hand shaking decent to make the signature illegible, then squeaked his chairman back and made for the owlery.

excavator was wake up and waiting, like he knew. The owl didn't even bother to look at the computer address, it just glanced at the name and took off. Neville watched it go, hoping ...
*


He got no answer over Christmastide. The marauders opened present tense with aching bones while their parents watched before begging out and going back down to the basement. Neville was surprised that the Baker children didn't complain about being worked on Dec 25 day. Perhaps they really did understand what they were in for.

Snow kept falling intermittently, not enough to cut across the dry land again. It just ended up slush. Neville wondered if Harry was outdoors, cold, right now, then felt pillock. If Harry could get unearthly dark weaponry out of the blue devil then he could keep warm in winter.

'' Neville ! '' He heard Fred vociferation at him. `` I thought we were dueling not staring out the windowpane. ``

'' I 'm coming. '' Neville turned and raised his scepter. `` Just a bit. ``

We 're doing what we can Harry, just you wait.
*


Harry crouched on the roof of a mansion, careful not to slip one's mind on the wet tile. The theater across the way was owned by a prominent member of a consummate blood family. Not his briny house obviously, jerkwater footling lieu like this, but one of his properties.

A place with a orotund cellar. A property that had been taking in large supplies of heart and soul, bad sum too. Off cuts, the variety you would throw animals.

It was a lead. Harry smiled grimly, he was on to them. He could wait here all Nox ...
*


"Severus the children at headquarters keep disappearing during the day. Do you know where they're going ?

"I do not Albus."Technically rightful though any sensible person could guess.

"Do you remember they might be planning to abide by Harry ?"

"It is possible."I hope they are.

"This troubles be Severus, they should be kept safe."

"They are children."Technically confessedly though not actually revealing his opinion.

"You will assure me if you hear anything I should know."

"Of course."Anything I think you should know.

"Now, '' Dumbledore looked around the hall, meeting the centre of the four lodge member. Snape, McGonagall, Tonks and Moody. They had all been asked here. None of them knew why. `` I believe I have found Harry. ``

'' Are you sure ? '' Minerva rose to her feet, blow evident on her look. `` How ? ``

'' Harry has been too trusting of Gringots. '' Dumbledore drew a thin leaflet of lambskin towards him. `` He forgets that they have homo employees as well as goblin ace. I have managed to obtain phonograph record of Harry 's transactions. I believe I have pinpointed his locating. ``

'' So why have n't you brought the miserable boy back ? ``

'' Because Harry will get an issue strategy. '' Dumbledore shook his head teacher. `` If he sees me he will run, and I can not assure I will be able to take hold of him. You are the fiat fellow member I believe he will believe. You must draw near him. You must impart him back. ``

And what if I do n't wish well him back. Snape was heedful to shield his thinking utterly. What if I merely wish to make sure he 's safe.

'' This is the emplacement. '' 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 level ? '' The auror Tonks was looking at the map drawn by Dumbledore. `` Why would he be on the top floor ? It 's a idle 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 hear dampen interpreter and clicking from adjacent rooms, but the top storey was closed for renovation.

'' Perhaps Dumbledore was haywire then. '' Was that a hint of Hope in the interpreter of the young auror ?

'' More probable Harry has a broomstick up there. '' Minerva snapped.

Harry would not receive a broomstick. Snape shook his head but said nothing out loud. He is more likely to have a pet dragon up there than a broomstick.

'' Quiet. '' Moody was up ahead, his wizardly eye scanning above them. The old auror cursed. `` tinker's dam evilness eye ! There 's travelling bag up there, and newspaper publisher. But I ca n't tell if there 's a person. ``

'' Let me see. '' Minerva slinked into her cat contour and carefully padded up the steps. Then came back down, her eyes twinkling. She transformed back and said, `` Harry has been here. His look is everywhere. ``

'' Do you know if he is there now ? '' Snape asked.

'' He is there. The scent is too recent for him not to be. ``

'' Then we go in. '' Helen Wills Moody stalked forward. `` No wand seeable, do n't spook him. ``

They walked up the barren concrete stairs. The door was closed and covered by a plastic sheet. Snape was reaching out to cut it aside when they all heard,

'' Do n't bother, I 've cut a slit in the one turn the side. '' The four order members stopped dead. The voice continued. `` And if you want a more striking statement, you are Moody, Snape, McGonagall and Tonks. ``

'' Harry ? '' Tonks asked loudly. `` Is that you ? ``

'' Did I not make believe that exculpated ? '' The voice said cheerily. `` Come in if you want. With your hands up if you please, we do n't want any surprises."

"You don ‘ t faith us ?"Tonks asked.

"Constant vigilance."Harry replied.

Snape chuckled as he dropped his wand in his sac and walked around the corner. There indeed was a break in the charge plate curtain, it was waving in the cold malarky. Snape stepped up to the gap and pushed it aside. Harry was standing in the surface bay window, leaning easily against the edge.

He looked ... tired. Beyond tired, his eyes were sunken and his pelt pale. Did he look worse than when he left Hogwarts ? Yes. He most certainly did, there was no denying. It could not just be tiredness, it could not. He seemed happy though, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Harry."Snape greeted him as the other order members filed in behind him."It is proficient to see you. You are looking well."

"No I ‘ m not."Harry was watching them all closely."But I ‘ m surviving. How did you observe me ?"

"I ‘ m afraid we can ‘ t-"

"Gringots led us here."Snape interrupted McGonagall, who glared at him."Dumbledore found you here with their entropy. He sent us here to bring you back."

"And are you going to ?"

"We just want to spill the beans to you Harry."McGonagall stepped forward, her hands circularize peacefully."It is not safe for you out here."

"It ‘ s not safe anywhere."Harry shrugged."And I ‘ m helping out here. I ‘ m fighting the last feeder. What are you doing ? Looking for a lost small fry ? Let me ask you, which of us is doing the more utile project ?"

"Potter don ‘ t be an idiot."Moody growled."You may have caught a few death eater but it ‘ s only a issue of time before you ‘ re caught and you safe implore it ‘ s by Dumbledore and not the dark Divine. If you die we all lose."

"If I fail we all lose."Harry shifted closer to the window.

"Harry, we ‘ re just trying to help you."Tonks stepped forward."We all know what ‘ s at stake here."

"This scene is recap."Harry scoffed."I ‘ m leaving."He turned to the window and dropped.

"No !"McGonagall yelled, snatching for her baton but Dwight Lyman Moody was faster. The old auror summoned Harry roughly, drawing him across the floor and disarmed him with a flick of the wrist.

"Son of a bitch."Harry tried to stand but Moody jabbed his wand and Harry was pushed back to the ground."Trusted you ..."

"Sorry Potter."Helen Newington Wills 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 constituent about not needing to ?"

"To be honest, both."Harry made a lunge for the room access but McGonagall stepped in front man of him. Harry cringed, then tried to stand."This is superfluous. If you bring me back to Hogwarts Dumbledore ‘ ll prevent me prisoner, we all lose."

"I trust Dumbledore more than I trust you right now."Dwight Lyman Moody raised his wand."You disappointed me. Now Stup-"

"occlusion !"Snape struck sideways, sending Moody's wand sideways. As the auror 's optic jerked unresolved in shock Snape stunned him and whirled, holding his sceptre on McGonagall."Don ‘ t move Minerva. In fact back away."

"Severus what is this ?"Her eyes were wide in disbelief.

"Please don ‘ t talk."Snape glanced at Tonks standing twitchily in the corner, her hand hovering over her scepter."And you ? Do I need to stupefy you too ?"

"I ... no."The young auror's centre flickered down to Harry."Take tutelage 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 ward down. You have to be better than that."

"I know. I screwed up. Constant Vigilance."Harry nodded towards Helen Wills."You should tell him that too when he wakes up."

"He will probably kill me first."Snape shrugged.

"Not likely."Harry stepped up the sharpness."He ‘ ll probably corporate trust you now."

Harry grinned and dropped off the edge.

Snape waited a long moment, long enough for Harry to reach the ground, then lowered his baton. McGonagall just looked at him. No student with belated homework had endured so withering a stare.

"Well Severus, now that you have betrayed the order, what do you stand for to do now ?"

"I will go back to Dumbledore."Snape stepped over to wake up Moody."And I will try to explain."

The auror blinked to lifetime and grabbed his verge. He levered himself to his pes and looked Snape up and down with his piercing electric blasphemous eye.

"wellspring well, your reliable people of colour at last."Moody spat.

"Trelawney once told me my vividness was pale fuchsia."Snape commented as he made for the door."If I ‘ m showing that color you may want to get your eye checked."

"My eye ‘ s fine."

"commodity, then I ‘ ll meet you at Headquarters."Snape apparated away, the cold press abyss of vacancy giving him a moment of peacefulness before he dropped to his feet in front of the doors. Three pops behind him told him the other order appendage had followed.

"Don ‘ t do that again you slime."Helen Wills growled, wand out."If you try to apparate again I ‘ ll assume you ‘ re trying to escape."

Snape took three pace, into the lofty hall.

"There."Snape raised his hands."Now I can ‘ t escape."

"I don ‘ t trustingness you."Moody shook his oral sex."hand me your wand."

"No."Snape turned towards the principal hall and walked calmly. Surprisingly he felt calm, he was comfortable. He was disgusted of being Dumbledore's lapdog, and now he had finally acted on it.

He pushed the double doors open and found something he didn't expect. The whole order was there, lining the paries. Dumbledore had called a meeting, to discuss Harry being back. Snape stopped, his subdivision crossed and the three following him walked past into the room. Tonks was still quiet, fading into the crew, her hair unconsciously turning mute brown. Moody and Minerva walked straight up to the brain of the table.

"You failed to enamor Harry ?"Dumbledore clearly suspected something. He was using the stare that used to pierce Snape to the psyche, now it just made his eyes scabies."What went incorrect Severus ?"

"I decided that heavy 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 crew,

Why ?

I am tired of leashes.

You aren't finished are you. It wasn't a question.

I am not. I mean Dumbledore to have it off I am no longer ... tame.

Well this should be fun.

Snape couldn't aid but smile.

"You think this is funny Severus !"Dumbledore had stood, his center flinty and hard.

"Yes."

"How dare you !"

How daring I ? Snape snorted, this was the way thing should be. He felt more well-off with everything against him.

"Snape this time you have gone too far."

Oh goodness, if you're going to be this predictable this will go far easier. Snape just smiled.

"Do you have nothing to say !"

"No. I have nothing to say."Snape kept his voice irritatingly cool"The only explanation I have you will not accept. And I can not excogitate one you will because you I do not acknowledge what you want."

"I want someone I can trust !"

"No you do not. You trust no one. You never have. Not with any secret worth knowing. You are a come together system of rules, no one is told anything."Snape glanced around the office at the other edict members, practically everyone was there. Everyone there to witness his humiliation, that was what Dumbledore wanted anyway. If Snape had his way it wasn't going to materialise like that."None of these people know anything do they."

"I am speak-"

"You ‘ d think that would get at them."Snape continued."You ‘ d think one of them would worry about you."

"Be silent !"

"Each of them thought another had your ear. Minerva thought Lupin, lupine thought Moody perhaps. I don ‘ t know who Moody thought. But none of them did, none of them know."

"Silence !"

"No man is an island."Snape smiled, after all these age he knew how to get to the old man."No man is an island unless he makes himself so."

"Severus I will not hear to-"

"You will take heed. You can ‘ t not."Snape shook his point."Something has frozen you. That is what you do isn ‘ t it ? You shrink, like a polo-neck. back into your shell."

"And what is my shell ?"Dumbledore growled with uncontained cult and frustration.

"Your yesteryear. Your reputation."Snape sniffed."The last war, your nimbus days. Ha ha ... you have retreated into repeating and now ? Now you are paralyzed by it. We are not fighting this war, we are reliving it."

"You have made it clear what you think about-"

"Shut up."Dead silence. Snape folded his weapon, grinning faintly. Behaving like Harry was fun."I am talking now and you will listen. You are paralyzed by something. Guilt I would reckon. I don ‘ t know of course of study, 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, outstanding swirling pools of it. In every stoma of you, in every facet of your idea. It ‘ s been there since the first sentence I ever saw you, I didn ‘ t distinguish it then of course, but it was there. By the time I came to sour for you I was old enough to greet it. Something in your past tense, in your demonstrate too, fills you with a festering compunction. And it just gets defective and unfit, makes you doubt yourself, makes you think you are never worthy. shuffling you turn down the positioning of minister for magic. Over and over again. I know what made you like this, you think I would work for you and not enquire your past. You know I am more careful than that. You must have known that I knew. You must have known that I had found out about Kendra."

Dumbledore froze, every tendon tensed. Snape breathed a sigh of easement in his mind. He had not known for sure enough, not until that moment. He still didn't know really, not what had happened in that elbow room. That secret would probably be taken to the grave accent of the men concerned. No matter, Snape could gloss over the details.

"It was there in the foremost war."Snape continued, his harsh representative the sole auditory sensation in the tamp down hall."Back then it was ... helpful. It made you careful. It made you weak but ... it made you careful. I do not sympathise what has happened since then, perhaps it is as Harry says and you are simply senile, but it is worse now Previously guilt made you careful, sensible. Now it makes you useless. Useless and broken. You are no longer the celebrated Albus Dumbledore, you are a fractured interpretation of him."

"No."

"Something destroyed you."

"Stop."

"I don ‘ t know what it was."

"Please."

"It must take in been something terrible."Snape smiled slyly, letting his news sink in. Weakening."Whatever could it have been ? You don ‘ t have another sister ..."

"SILENC-"

"Legilimens !"
*


wickedness falling, falling everywhere. My fault, always my fault. I shouldn't have put him there, no right I had no right field. I condemned him, his Death. My one explosive charge. nonstarter. No. Must be done. hope. demise. failure. Truth shrouded so deeply. So cryptic it hurts. The accuracy would get around 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 psyche away, shaking. He fell to his knees on the storey, the horror, the mix-up, filling him. Dumbledore had fallen too, back into his chairperson. The old homo face twisted in pure agony. To keep a the true locked inside for nine years only to have it roughly ripped from you ? It must have felt like his sum had been torn out. Snape shook his head teacher, it could not be rightful, it couldn't be. But behind the coloured muttering of Dumbledore's intellect, behind the aching remorse the real memory hid. He had pushed them deep, as if trying to forget them but they were there. They were impossible to forget. Snape knew he never would. The magnitude of what the old man had done hit him and he doubled over, vomiting onto the cold stone floor.

He felt hand on his shoulders. Natalie. He reached up for one and grasped it, holding on to something veridical as parts of his cosmos fell apart. He tried to fend and determine he needed Natalie's help to stand up to his infantry. His legs felt like water, his foundation like led. He tried to name his mouthpiece work, affair needed to be said. Something needed to be said.

"How daring you ?"Predictable, but Snape could cogitate of goose egg better."How could you do that ? To a child !"

"It ... was necessary."Dumbledore's vox was barely a murmur, a faint whisper in the air."It had to be done. It had to be done. It had to be done."Dumbledore mumbled that phrase over and over like a prayer.

"requisite ?"Snape found his tongue and used it to growl."No. No it was not. Not even you believe that."

"We needed-"

"BE SILENT !"Snape snapped, the schoolmaster cringed back as if struck."I am leaving Dumbledore. I am going to help oneself Harry. To find him and help him, and you will let me. You have no rightfield to take 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 confidential. For treating Harry the way you do because of something that was none of his doing. Something that was done to him. You ... you are a devil. One that has nothing to do with the moon."Snape turned away and hobbled from the elbow room, leaning heavily on the small woman beside him.

"Severus !"Dumbledore called after him, suddenly sounding scared."You will recite 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 heart felt like it had a thousand tiny lure in it, each one attached to a weight.

"Severus ?"Natalie murmured beside him."You need to go plate, I ‘ ll take you-"

"No. Not family. Hogwarts."Snape shook his nous."Hogwarts first."

"Alright."She didn't argue, she knew when his idea was made up. There was a myopic, precipitous bell and the woman he was leaning on had blond fuzz and wan Andrew Dickson White skin. Of course of action, she was supposed to be all in. trust her to think of details even at a time like this. They stepped outside the bounds of the Mrs. Humphrey Ward and apparated, the cold and pressing void once more introduce him.

He stepped out himself onto the weed before the gates and allowed himself to be led up the foresighted path to the rook. Corridors passed and Snape realized he was being led to his one-fourth. commodity. The bulwark are warded so no one will hear. As they reached the doorway Snape pushed it undefended and went directly to the booze cabinet. He poured himself a whisky and toast it down, wincing at the suntan in his throat.

"trace myrtle Henderson."Snape called out softly. Ghosts could always hear their names. A few present moment later the shadowy shape of Moaning myrtle sunk out of the ceiling.

"Why did you shout out me ?"She asked impudently."I don ‘ t response to you."

"I called you because the house elves report to Dumbledore as do the other touch. I need these discussion to be private."Snape snapped quickly."I need you to bring in professor Michelson down here and I need you to severalize no one."

"You can't edict me ar-"

"It is about Harry."

"Oh. Oh ..."Vinca minor nodded fervently and shot back up through the stone. Snape turned to Natalie, now back to looking like her old self, waiting patiently.

"You don ‘ t have to tell me."She said understandingly."I understand if it ‘ s something you want to hold back to yourself. After all Dumbledore-"

"Was wrong."Snape cut her off."And I will separate you. If nothing else I need your assistant to make sensory faculty of it."Snape took a mysterious breathing space and began explaining. He could accept just given her the memories but he didn't want her to get the shock he had. It didn't actually take that long to excuse, in the end it was so unproblematic. 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 aright, 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 secretiveness as the door was pushed open. Markus Albert Abraham Michelson strode in, looking around the lowly room quickly.

"The ghost said this was about Harry."He said, still glancing around as if Harry would resile from a sideboard."Do you cognize where he is ?"

"No, but I have ... I have left the orderliness to search for him. To serve him with what he is trying to do. If I can."Snape fixed the other man in the eye."I know you ‘ ve been teaching him. I would prize your help."

"wellspring finally !"Michelson threw up his arms."I was beginning to think I was the merely one in this blank space with my head on straight."

"You are not far wrong."Snape shrugged.

"So what does this make us ?"Natalie smiled."The order of the Kneasle ?"

"The decree of the Nundu more like."Michelson cracked his knuckles.

"You know, I think it makes us marauders."Snape smiled faintly."William James potter must be spinning in his grave."



Half of my follow-up seem to have disappeared ... very sad ... : (

You all have to brush up twice now to make up for it. If you do result a review then a fairy will visit you while you sleep and sprinkle fairy junk on you. The fairy junk won't do magic or let you fly or anything but it'll be very pretty.


Harry thrower and the cretin Child : Chapter 5 : The dark mart

Harry travels to find information.




This newsman has some shocking news. News that will affect you, good reader, to your very core. Harry Potter has been declared a dangerous vigilante by the ministry. Yes, Harry Potter the-boy-who-lived, is a murderer. According to ministry officials Harry has been responsible for at least six end and possibly more !

Minister Fudge was quoted as saying ‘ Yes, well this is shocking but not entirely unexpected. Just look at his activeness during the Triwizard Tournament, the boy stole a ship for Merlin's sake. He's always been a loose shank that boy has.'

This announcement came at the same meter as his official expulsion from Hogwarts schooltime of witchery and wizardry.
*


The piranha looked at each former along the farseeing table in the capital mansion. None of them said 'Is this a trick ?'or 'No way'or anything naively childish like that. They were past times that. They had all known, on some level, that this was possible. Maybe even inevitable.

'' Changes naught. '' Fred was the first to speak. `` It 's all bollocs so it changes nothing. ``

'' This is mad ! Do they think we 're pudden-head ? '' Ron was almost spluttering in anger. `` No one 's gon na conceive any of this ! ``

'' I almost regard the great unwashed did. '' Hermione was shaking her caput as she peered down at the figurehead Page article.

'' What ! You want the great unwashed to believe Harry 's a- '' Ron rounded on her, about to let liberal, but Ginny held up a hand to get him up short. He was still fuming though and said, more reasonably. `` Maybe you should explicate that comment. ``

'' Because no one will trust it Ronald. '' Hermione bit her lip worriedly. `` Or at least many the great unwashed wo n't. And people will blame the ministry. People will hate the ministry for attacking their champion. ``

'' Remember the riot death year ? '' Padma said darkly. `` Imagine that. Except much uncollectible. ``

'' Oh ... '' Ron 's aspect fell. `` I guess that is bad. ``

'' It changes nothing. '' Malfoy said sharply. `` Not really. We all knew this was a hypothesis. ``

'' Right, '' Ginny nodded, putting on her leader cheek. `` He 's right hand. All this does is make what we 're doing even more urgent. ``

They all nodded, they had been training ever since they had got back to hogwarts a month ago.
*


His description has been given to every ministry law enforcement official and hit wizard. His position on the ministry 's wanted list is only a few berth short of the known destruction eater !

According to the ministry Harry 's M.O. is to use toxicant to do his dirty work. A poison there is no eff counterpoison to.

Harry 's description is known to every wizard and beldam alive but you should be mindful that he may be in disguise.
*


'' This is Dumbledore 's doing. '' Natalie shook her head as she slid the paper over to Snape. Albert Michelson had already flicked his copy closed and was staring at it angrily, as if blaming the paper itself. Snape sighed, he had already read the offending article.

'' Dumbledore undoubtedly had a hand in it. '' Snape tried to stop his ire rising to the Earth's surface. Keep it under wraps, save it for when it was needed. `` Perhaps he thinks he can pall Harry back to him. ``

'' Then he does n't know Harry. '' Albert Abraham Michelson stood and began pacing angrily, obviously he felt no indigence to stay fresh his ire under wrapper. `` This 'll just take a leak Harry even more sure that everyone 's against him ! ``

'' Undoubtedly. '' Snape flicked through the remainder of the newspaper. `` At least there is some good news ... ''
*


Harry may be active in Leeds. Yesterday the ministry was handed an anonymous tip that led them to a home there that had been converted to business firm dark creatures. No Death feeder were caught ( perhaps the bodies are hidden elsewhere ! ) but the basement was a draw close of lethifolds, swarming in the darkness in numbers never before seen on Brits soil. I do not need to say you, good reader, that if they had been unleashed they would experience caused untold destruction. The lethifolds have been disposed of by the ministry.

There is no proof that Harry was there but a touch in the aurors business office said that they were investigating the possibility.

Harry is to be considered as severe as any death feeder. Perhaps more so.
*


Harry dumped the paper in a trash can. It did n't subject anymore. He coughed roughly, clutching at his stomach. It did n't count if the ministry caught him so long as he did what he had to do first. What the sin did he care what everybody else thought ? It just think he had to be more careful.

Harry shoved off the wall and flicked his toughie up before walking off down he alleyway. There was still oeuvre to do.
*


'' Is it truthful ? ``

Ginny turned at the strait, the wild and forceful strait. The vulture spun with her, almost in synchronicity. Cho Chang stepped back fearfully. In her defense the piranha now numbered eleven, filling the hallway with uniform wrath. They had also all drawn their sceptre at the same time as she spoke, in reception to the possible threat.

They must have truly looked like an army.

Cho had frozen in place, ira turned to out silence. Ginny stepped forward.

'' Of course it 's not true. '' She said simply. `` How can you even ask that ? ``

'' I just ... '' Cho swallowed, veneration still flickering across her human face. `` Is Harry Ok ? ``

'' We do n't have sex. ``

'' Where is he ? ``

'' We do n't experience. ``

'' Does he need help ? ``

'' We do n't know. We 're trying to serve him. '' Ginny said curtly. She was beginning to get tired of Cho 's stupid questions. Ginny turned to allow when Cho broke in,

'' Well I want to help too ! '' Ginny felt a slight mental groan. That was just what she needed, a complaining pretty-girl in the social status. A ceaseless irritation at best, a liability at worst. Cho went on, `` I 'm elderly than you, and I 'm a Ravenclaw. I must recognize spate of spells you do n't make out yet ! You should let me join. ``

'' No you do n't you arrogant stuck-up ... '' Ginny clamped her mouth shut and took a cryptical calming breath. `` This is n't the bloody gobstones club. You ca n't just join on a impulse. We 're training to fight, really fight. Fight death feeder. ``

'' I know that. '' Cho looked down her nose arrogantly. `` If you can do it then I can too. ``

'' You do n't understand ! 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 block shuffling genus Draco stepped forward, eyeing Cho up and down silently. Ginny felt another spurt of bile rise in her gut.

'' You accept the fact that you could die ? '' Draco asked flatly. Cho nodded, her eyes wide. Draco looked into her eyes for a consequence, Ginny thought she heard him mutter something under his breathing space. Draco cocked his head to the side and asked another question. `` Do you accept the fact that you have to take parliamentary procedure from Ginny ? ``

YES ! Take that you bitch ! Ginny was shocked at the level of glee her subconscious threw up at that interrogative. If her subconscious mind was glad with the question, her entire brainpower grinned when Cho grimaced and nodded.

'' Fine. '' Draco shrugged. `` We need more people. I vote yes. If she does n't exploit out we can always make her leave. ``

'' We vote yes. '' Fred said, shrugging. His twin added, `` Sorry Ginny. ``

'' I ... yes. '' Anapurna nodded, a little hesitantly.

'' No. '' Padma shook her fountainhead, earning her a scandalise coup d'oeil from her babe. `` We do n't need her. No reasonableness to take on another project when we do n't need her. ``

'' look just put your hands up. '' Ginny said tiredly. `` Hands for no ? ``

trine workforce rose, herself, Padma and Hermione. Ginny 's stomach dropped, this did n't face good.

'' For yes ? ``

fivesome paw were raised. Ron had followed his older brothers. Ginny turned to silent three remainders.

'' Neville, Anna, Terry ? '' Neville shifted uncomfortably and the bread maker twins looked at the floor. `` You need to vote. ``

'' I do n't require to vote. '' Neville said quietly.

'' And we 're new. '' Anna shrugged. `` We 'll let you decide. ``

'' You see ! '' Cho said triumphantly. `` I 'm in ! ``

Ginny turned slowly, it was done. Time to stimulate the best of it.

'' mulct. 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 change state up tonight. That would really hit her day.

Ginny survived herbology with a Good Book of execration propped up against a plant pot. She did the same in Defense, prof Michelson was being oddly blind to the transgression of the marauders. After the object lesson were done she slammed her leger away and dashed for the door. She ran for the group meeting place but slowed down before she got there. She would n't derive all covered in swither and breathing hard. She would n't render Cho the satisfa ...

Cho was n't alone.

Ginny stopped with the predator a few paces away from the newcomers. Lucy Kingston stood by her Ravenclaw friend with her swain, Josue split, standing on her other side. The two ex-Slytherin Gryffindors, Vanessa and Elizabeth II 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 people she would have chosen to admit to the vulture herself. Stupid Cho.

'' You told them. '' She tried to take a crap her voice come out icily angry, hoping it did n't just sound peevish. `` You told all of them. What the hell do you think- ''

'' I do n't tell them ! '' Cho interrupted her. `` Everyone in the schoolhouse is talking about the news about Harry, and everybody knows you lot are doing something secret. They just ... ''

'' We eavesdropped. '' Split interrupted. `` We want to help Harry too. ``

'' This is getting ridiculous. '' Padma muttered from the depths of the marauders.

'' We heard what you asked Cho. '' tear went on. `` And we understand the risks. Lashkar-e-Toiba face it, if you trust him, '' Split jerked his chin towards Malfoy. `` You have to trust us. ``

'' I do n't experience to entrust any of you. '' good, that sounded like Harry. `` Listen I do n't care what you say. We 're going to civilise now. If you can retain up you can stay, we do n't give time to slow down for you. ``

'' mulct with us ... gentlewoman sergeant. '' Split added sarcastically.

'' changeling. '' Ginny muttered as she led the amassed horde off down the corridor.
*


'' Listen. ``

Malfoy stopped and turned towards Split. The older boy had halted them just outside the ingress to the marauders noggin, everyone else was already inside.

'' Yes ? '' Malfoy said evenly. `` Can I help you ? ``

'' I just want you to make love we 're here for Harry. '' Split said challengingly. `` We do n't confide you. We do n't forgive you. ``

'' You 're here for the same reason I am then. ``

'' Whatever. '' stock 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 have intercourse ? '' Split almost seemed to smile. `` Idiot. ``

'' She who ? ``

'' I expect she 'll let you have it off in her own time. ``

'' She who ? ``
*


Harry pushed his way out of the old shop he had flued into and a blast of heating system hit his face. He dragged a broad brimmed hat out of his bag and pulled it low over his eyes. Ah, that was better. His pelage and it 's diverse enchantments would have kept his consistency poise but it would have looked incredibly conspicuous here. He winced in the harsh light and shucked his bag up on his shoulders before setting off along the dark tarmacadam street.

Muggles walked past him without a second thought, jabbering to each other in French. The dialect was very unlike from what he was used to but that was only to be expected. Harry had learnt French in Suisse and only mouth it to the pupil of Beauxbatons. Harry idly wondered if his Daniel Chester French had a Swiss dialect or an English one.

No matter, he was in Marrakesh, thousands of miles from Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault or England. He would remain firm out as a outsider whatever he did. No period trying to blend in with the locals, much respectable to just count like another poor fish holidaymaker. There were one or two others around. Harry picked up his tread as he crossed the street and into the souk.

Why is it that I always find myself in maze ? Harry thought to himself chuckling as he skirted around a cubicle of vegetables and slid through the gang of shoppers. The muggle souk was bad enough, a gigantic warren of streets and alleyways full of shops and market stalls selling everything from spice to electronics. Harry kept on an inerrable path through it, it was n't his destination.

Hopefully he knew where his destination was, his data was sketchy at best.

Harry came to the stall he wanted, a sullen hole in the wall selling decrepit and moth eaten clothing. He took a blacken tee shirt with a champion on it off the single-foot and glanced at the aging shopkeeper. There was a barely perceptible nod. Harry stepped behind a CRT screen, a rough changing way, and pulled the curtain shut. He held the shirt up and tapped the star twice. With a sharp groaning the story began to grind slowly downwards.

Harry tried not to touch the sides of the stone passage as the gap at the top got further and further away. Ten cadence ... twenty .... thirty .... forty- clunk. Harry snapped to attention as the story stopped descending. The rock in front of him split up apart slowly, light spilled in, and air. The smells ... every scent imaginable, burning, animal, food of every variety, incense made of spun lightning, every scent a star with no paying attention for the jurisprudence of chemical science could create hung in the air as Harry stepped out of the sour entrance into the under-souk, the night market.

Knockturn back street had nothing on this place.

Harry looked up at the ceiling a far above, photomosaic kaleidoscoped over the rounded aerofoil, changing every second. There were no walls for as far as Harry could see, just pillars dotted around. In no figure Harry could see. Every one as wide as an oak, twisted and gouged and splaying up into that marvellous ceiling. Disappearing into it. And down at ground horizontal surface ? It was indescribable. Every kind of workshop, every kind of stall. Some vendor just sitting of a mat, arrays of bottles out in front of them. Others had displays that looked like insane and un-feasible pop up Good Book, everything spilling out of everything else. The noise was deafening, worse than up above because the dissonance of sparking enchantment and fuming potions was added to the worldwide interference of people, and there was the occasional screech as another shopper was brought down by one of the entrances.

There was no finding your way in this situation. Not unless you grew up down here. Harry scanned the area while walking sedately forwards. Many stalling had marvellous range pole to distinguish them from far away, he was looking for ... ah. Harry spotted the masthead he was looking for and headed for it, surreptitiously checking his disguise as he did so. Harry flicked a Negro robe out of his bag and threw it over his shoulder joint. Like this he looked like about thirty, maybe more, with foresightful black hair and a recondite scratch on his cheek. Threatening, but not obvious.

Harry smelt his terminus before he got there. The smell of animals and brute dung beating out the early odors more and more the finisher he got. He came to an receptive post in the securities industry, a blank space where the stall had been pushed aside to make room for rank upon rank of cage. Harry recognized some of the creatures in them, others were a mystery, all he gave a encompassing birthing. The cages seemed almost stupidly sturdy, surely they used unbreakable good luck charm. Surely they did ...

Harry felt himself edging away and forced himself to calm down. He looked into one of the batting cage, a monstrosity made of whole I-beams, and saw the eye of a flying lizard staring back at him. Somehow they must have stopped it flaming, they must stimulate. Harry stepped calmly up the scratchy desk at the end of the coop. It was surrounded by bag of what looked like some sort of feed. An ordinary raspberry cage sat on the corner with a small golden fowl fluffing its feathers. The heavily bearded and mustachioed man sat behind it looked up as he approached.

'' Yes ? '' He asked in easy English. `` Are you look for something ? ``

'' My figure is Jack cayman. I have come for you to tell me the procession 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 null to venerate. '' Harry said airily. `` Not while you do the wickedness lord 's oeuvre. ``

'' Why you come here ? '' The man 's heart were still shifting nervously. `` All on schedule. ``

'' There have been some problem at the other end. ``

'' Not my flaw. '' The seller shook his nous. `` Got them safe to you. You lose them after it not my geological fault. ``

'' Of course not. '' Harry smiled in an uncomforting way. `` You mistake me. I merely meant that we have reason to ask to piddle certain this pitch goes smoothly. There can be no misapprehension. You understand. ``

'' Of course of study, of course. '' The man nodded rapidly. `` Do not vex. You can tell your professional not to worry. Everything is all right. ``

'' Where are the puppet now ? ``

'' They are on ship. '' The man shuffled back to his desk and sat down. `` Loaded on two Clarence Day ago. ``

Damnit, Harry cursed inwardly. It would make been so much well-to-do if they were still on dry land.

'' Tell me their course. '' Harry leant down threateningly. `` My passe-partout is thinking of sending some citizenry to see there are no ... mistakes. ``

'' No mistake. '' The man nodded again, dragging a map out of a drawer in his desk. `` No mistakes. ``

Harry smiled, people were so stupe when they thought you were going to kill them.
*


Harry dropped back onto British stain and immediately flued again to stave off any spare-time activity. He walked the last recollective walkway to the abandoned house he was staying in and pushed the door open. It was moody inside, the windows covered by anti-vandal plates put up by the police. It was empty, not even a chair when he had first arrived. But it was clean-living and the water was still running. Harry slouched down against the rampart and collapsed. foresighted 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 second Venus's curse today. It was growing laborious to keep going ... the illness ...

Harry shook his mind, no use dwelling on it. book binding to study. He spread the maps out in front end of him on the story and roughly arranged them out into a fierce lucifer to the seacoast of Africa and Common Market. The maps were seriously old, like everything else sorcerer had, and some of the body politic had the ill-timed names. One of them had a big 'here be dragons'warning written in the middle of the Atlantic. Knowing that it was a wizard map it might well be true.

Harry sighed as he looked at the times that were written on different checkpoints on the map. The ship was old too, or looked it. The man had sketched a rough drawing of it. It resembled goose egg more than a giant wooden brick with small sails that surely could never move it too fast. Of course it would be propelled by magic, if not it would just be stupid, but it would still postulate almost a month to arrive up from Africa. Could be take it in the middle of the ocean ? Harry shuddered at the thought. Besides the coursing fear at the very opinion it was impractical to reboot. How would he even get on board the ship ? How would he even find it on the vacuous featureless sea ?

Harry trawled over the mapping again, was there any place where it came close to nation ? Was there any ... ambush point ?

Oh of course ! There 's this big tree in the center of the ocean that you can hide behind. Sharks use it all the time to see seals.

Harry sat back tiredly, this was going to be harder than he thought. His eyelids felt so ponderous ... nap ...

Harry glanced around, he was in a house. A fire crackled warmly on the fireplace, throwing deliquium shadower on the clean blue bulwark. The icon on the wall, a redheaded fair sex, a man with a comrade nerve. Harry shook his head teacher, it was a ambition. He had had it before. He walked towards the threshold and pushed it open hurrying out of the star sign and into the not bad garden. He glanced back, the cottage was as it always was. The cottage at Godrics Hollow. Harry shuddered, every clock time his pipe dream put him in this place he had an undeniable itch to leave. It was like putting your hand in a bucket of wriggling dirt ball, a crawling sentience over his full skin. And yet his aspiration brought his backrest here again and again and again.

Harry hugged his arms to his pectus. Maybe this would be one of the unspoilt Night, the nighttime when he managed to escape. There was a timberland out there somewhere, a forest of apple tree diagram, their bloom filling the air. When he could feel that in his ambition 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 cerebrate about what had happened once, when the river had come for him.

Harry pulled himself together with a force of will. Those apple trees weren't going to find themselves. He was about to set off when a flap sound reached his ear. Harry spent a second wondering if it was some new unpleasantness the pipe dream was throwing at him before he realized it was coming from outside.

Harry woke with a start and was on his feet in a minute, scepter in hand. He relaxed when he saw that the strait was coming from a lowly Andrew D. White bird trying to squeeze in through the bottom of the window. The boo twittered then flickered back out-of-door. It took Harry a moment to pull in it had left something behind, a small pen up part of paper.

Interesting. Especially considering no one should be able to contact me here.

Harry stood and hesitantly poked the paper with his scepter. It did nothing. He prodded it again. Still nothing. He flicked it on the floor and folded it overt with the end of a fork. He bent down and read it without touching it.

Harry

I once told you to keep an eye on your own itinerary if you thought it was right. You seem to have taken that advice to sum. I can not and will not say that your choice 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 friend 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 matter how much you fight to make it so. There are people that will suffer if you die, even if you take Voldemort with you.

I can not put up you any data about Voldemort 's architectural plan or whereabouts. I am constrained by the normal of my order. I would break them for you but it would do no good. I would be found out recollective before I could divine anything for you.

The solely assistance I can hand you I have already given. I wish I could do more Harry, you must believe that.

Remember to fag out the pendent.

DO NOT DIE.

Pythea.

Harry picked the small musical composition of parchment up carefully and slipped it into his breast pocket. His hired hand stayed there a moment longer, pressing it into his bureau, before he took a deep breathing spell and let it out.

Do not die.

He did not intend to, but it had always been a possibleness. And no matter how a good deal people would sustain if he died they would suffer Thomas More if Voldemort was left alive. Harry had a strong impulse to take the missive back out and read it once again, or maybe twice or three time. But no, he had work to do. Wait ... something in the letter tugged at his mind. Maybe there was a way.
*


Malfoy snorted as Cho was sent flying across the room. The new military recruit were trying to hold on up, they were just failing. He turned away, they were useless, just a thriftlessness of prison term for the rest of them. The marauder themselves ? Draco managed a small grin for that, they were progressing nicely. They could fight back. They could fight down as a team. They could struggle on their own. They could contend like kneazles in a sack if they needed to. And they would postulate to.

He moved over to a pile of faded corner and ran his fingerbreadth over a long, fragile, Second Earl Grey cloak inside. The Weasley twins claimed they could turn them into impermanent invisibility cloaks with some more exercise. Draco did n't doubt it. The appealingness would n't concluding for More than a day or two but that was all they needed. They could just respell them afterwards. carapace charms graced the wickedness greyness jackets in the next box, enough to deter minor hexes. In the beginning it had just been a way to comport the charms, the same as an amulet or a ring. gang of invisibility were common enough even though they were hideously hard to make and protective talisman were ten a centime. But the clothes were easier for the Weasleys to work out, and the shadow Charles 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 little Ms onto the clothing as a symbolization of the marauders but Ginny had n't let her. waste matter of meter, too blatant too. Draco smiled again, it did n't matter if the clothes were plain Charles Grey or pink with little stoolie. Either way by the end they would have an group of invisible, shielded, deadly fighters.

Invincible cutthroat bastards. Marauders to the inwardness. Harry would hold been proud. At least, Draco hoped he would be.

'' Draco ! '' Ron yelled. `` break of serve time 's up get back here. ``

'' I 'm coming Weasley arrest shouting. '' Draco gritted his dentition, all of his muscles hurt. Never psyche. `` Back to work. ``

'' check. I need to talk to you. ``

The voice came out of nowhere. The vulture twisted towards it, wands out. The affaire d'honneur ceased, every eye widened in shock.

'' I heard somebody was raising an ground forces. '' Harry quirked an eyebrow. `` I find myself in want of an army. Is this one for hire ? ``

'' Hire ? '' George let out a laugh. `` Harry this is your army. ``

'' goodness, I should get a discount. ``

The marauders broke and all began talking at once, it was a happy storm of sound with Harry laughing in the center. Draco stayed silent, he glanced over at Ginny, also staying back. She nodded to him, her mouth a strong line. She had realized too. Harry had n't come back for a happy reunification. He would n't have. He had come because he needed them. This would be the outset job of the army.

'' Harry ... '' Dragon cleared his throat. The green oculus of the boy who lived fell on him. `` What is it you want the army for ? ``

'' Oh ... that. '' Harry reached into his bag. `` Do you give a table ? ``

Draco pointed the way and Harry pulled a immense piece of paper of lambskin out of his bag. Harry laid them down on the rough surface of the death surviving mesa in the attic. It looked like a hulk copy of a map.

'' There 's a ship. '' Harry traced it 's path along a long line on the map. `` It 's stuffed to the gills with drab creatures. Direct to the iniquity Lord. Hundreds, including a lot that we really do n't want 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, sort of. '' Harry hung his head. `` I can just about manage to fly in a straight seam. Slowly. But out over water ? With the tip and maybe storms and ... and over water system. And when I might stimulate to draw a nimble exit ? No. I need getaway drivers. ``

'' I thought you wanted us to defend. '' Ron said, disappointedly. Harry 's eyes narrowed, he opened his mouth but Ginny cut in.

'' We 're here for whatever Harry needs us for Ron. '' She snapped. `` You should have sex that. ``

'' I ... right. ``

'' Right. '' Ginny nodded sharply. Draco half expected Ron to pledge. Ginny turned back to Harry. `` What variety of dark creatures are we talking about ? ``

'' Various kinds of awful. '' Harry was looking between Ginny and Ron curiously. `` draw of creatures. ``

'' Manticores ? '' Hermione added.

'' Yes ... '' Harry looked at a list jotted at the bottom of the map. `` Six of them. ``

Draco glanced at the inclination and let out a galvanize cuss. They could not let this ship reach land. Even if they had to fall back half the USA to do it. The hellhounds had to be juvenile at least, no one could stuff six good grown ones into a ship. Unless it had been magically expanded. Which it almost certainly had. They could not let that ship scope land.

'' We need to get on that ship. '' He heard himself saying, his voice a fiddling breathless. `` We could fly on, or ... or ... ''

'' Go onto it ? '' Harry let out a coarse gag. `` That would be pretty dangerous. ``

'' Because of the creature ? ``

'' Because I 'm going to subside it. ``



This is the last chapter of frame-up, I promise. From now to the end of the book is virtuous adrenalin-fueled plot.


I do n't own Harry Potter. I do however own some cheeseflower. Which is just as good.



'' Sink it ? '' Hermione 's voice was a shrill, disbelieving whine.

Ginny felt like slamming her hand up to her frontal bone. Of course Harry would want to bury the ship, it was the dim-witted, easiest, solution if you did n't wish about the consequences.

'' But ... but ... `` terrycloth Baker raised his hand slowly as if he were in class.

'' Yes unexpected-addition-1. '' Harry nodded pleasantly.

'' Are n't there hoi polloi on the ship ? ``

'' Yes, but they 'll be wizards, they can just apparate to shore. They wo n't be killed. ``

'' How about the creatures ? '' Ron asked, scratching his head. `` Wo n't they just swim to shore ? ``

'' Damnit ! '' Harry clicked his fingers. `` Foiled again ! If only someone had stuffed them in big alloy cage for ecstasy. Then they 'd slide down straight to the bottom of the inning. ``

'' How are you planning to subside it anyway ? '' Fred asked, eagerness clearly seeable in his eyes.

'' fountainhead, I plan to gas a big muddle in it underneath the body of water bank line. Then I 'm going to put another big hole in it underneath the water argument. And if that does n't work I 'm going to put a third- ''

'' This is a wizard gravy holder I assume Harry. '' Dragon interrupted. `` Putting a maw in it may not be as easy as you think. It 'll have all kind of charm and protections. ``

'' I can bypass them. ``

'' Without the multitude on the ship realizing ? ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Really ? ``

'' Yes. '' Harry folded his arms. `` I have thought about this Draco. I have planned this. ``

The Classical Greek became silent again. Ginny could feel the cogs moving in people 's heads. They were all thinking how far they were uncoerced to go. The piranha ... well they were probably in. The others ? They had signed up to crusade death eaters not commit acts of terrorism. How did she stand on this ? On balance ... with Harry. Those tool could not be allowed to reach shore.

'' We ca n't do this. '' Padma was shaking her head. `` We ca n't dip it. ``

'' You running away ? '' Harry was looking at her in repugnance. `` You want to just let them eject that kind of- ''

'' No of trend not ! '' Padma interrupted him. `` But you have n't thought of everything. ``

'' Oh yeah ? Well what have I missed ? ``

'' The statute of silence. '' Padma looked down at the map, perhaps just to avoid meeting citizenry 's eyes. `` If we do this they 'll be this giant wreck with triple headed skeleton in the cupboard and they could float to the surface or get into the disconnection stream or plunger could witness them. Not to remark that someone 's going to detect a giant exploding ship off the coast. Even if we tell the ministry afterwards they ca n't manage this kind of cleanup, not on this graduated table. No one can. It 'll be spoilt than Roswell. Keeping thaumaturgy closed book from muggles, the statute of secrecy, is the one thing both sides of this war agree on. If we break it then they 're going to start breaking it and then we 're going to be really screwed. ``

Harry leant back, rocking back on the formal of his metrical unit. He bit his lip. Thinking. The marauders held their breath.

'' Ok. '' Harry spun the map to face Padma. `` turn over me another selection. ``

'' We control panel the ship. handicap the crowd. Kill the creature. '' Padma said definitively. `` If I 'm reading this rightfield the ship only a dozen people on it. No death eaters. virtually of them are just there to keep the animals in check. Should n't be too severe to stun them. ``

'' And the beast ? '' Harry asked quizzically. `` Some of them are n't well-to-do to kill. ``

'' The killing scourge. '' Gasps rose from the U. S. Army. `` It 'll kill everything on this listing. ``

'' Is n't it an instant lifespan prison term ? '' Cho choked out.

'' Only when used against human race. '' Padma replied calmly at the Saame time as Harry said,

'' Only if someone finds out. But would n't any nonaged magic be detected."

"Not in international waters."

'' And the ship ? '' Harry asked. `` If we just leave it drifting wo n't that be against the statute of privacy ? ``

'' We leave the crew on it. They can get it so a prophylactic wizard haven. ``

'' Hmm ... '' Harry folded his limb and looked at Padma appraisingly. `` That ... could ... workplace. It would be more difficult, more wild ... more fun ... but it could knead. ``

Ginny felt a grinning. This was the almost like the old Harry back again. Sure they were planning an act of monumental piracy rather than a clowning but it was Harry back again.

'' We can split up. '' Harry continued. `` Send a span of people down to the urine to look. The rest of us go in. If we can take the crew out and kill the animate being we do. If not ? We default back to my program and the citizenry in the water bollocks it to smithereens. We worry about the radioactive dust later. ``

Ginny took a deep breath and halfway through realized that most of the marauders were looking at her. Her pharynx closed up and she almost coughed up her lungs. They were still looking to her, even though Harry was back. Harry was the world-wide they all knew that, but maybe ... maybe she was the sergeant or something.

'' Who can swim ? '' It was literally the start thing that popped into her head. `` Who can float really well ? ``

Parvati 's hand shot up instantly smiling, the two baker kid volunteered slower maybe still a little hesitant, finally rent shrugged and lacklusterly raised his arm.

'' Four mass. '' Ginny looked down at the map, at the footling survey of the ship. `` We can put ... two each in the water supply near the front and back. ``

'' prow and stern. '' Draco murmured. She glared at him.

'' Near the front line and back. '' Ginny continued. `` Everybody else land on the front. ``

'' On the cover. '' Harry disagreed. `` Here, in the steering bit with the cycle. ``

'' bridge circuit. ``

'' Shut up. We land on the steery bit and withdraw everybody out quickly. '' Harry pointed at genus Draco. `` You stay there and proceed the ship on trend. You can do that ? You know the right names for the steery roulette wheel and the push and stuff. Yes. unspoiled. You stay there, the rest of us go down to the cabins and stun everybody, kill the creature. Leave. We keep the brooms handy so that if something goes wrong we miko the swimmers and fly out of there. ``

'' Sounds like a plan. '' Ginny nodded.

'' right field. '' Harry reached over and drew a big cross on the map over a lighthouse, right down on the Confederate States of America seashore of Cornwall."I will meet 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 sentence. 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 death eater ‘ s out there. Still work to be done. aim up, be set up, and I ‘ ll sports meeting you there. Keep the map, I ‘ ve got copies. But don ‘ t let anyone see it. Goes without saying. And seem up how to fight all these things."Harry turned towards the door. He disillusioned himself with a moving picture of the wrist, 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 Classical Greek. They were on inquiry duty and had about eight billion books out in front man of them on every variety of magic creature, trawling through them for the utile ones. There weren't many. The Hogwarts subroutine library for some reason didn't have books on how to slaughter cage animals. Ron thought it was useless, they had already decided to use the killing curse, but apparently Harry wanted to be prepared so ...

"Hmm ?"Hermione hadn't looked up from the huge book in straw man of her.

"Can you believe he came back ?"Ron repeated."Harry."

"Shush !"Hermione put a finger to her lips."We ‘ re not supposed to talk about him where citizenry could pick up !"

"No one ‘ s listening."Ron rolled his middle."We're sitting on the storey in the restricted section of the depository library, at midnight, under a temporary invisibility cloak."

"It ‘ s not an inaudibility cloak."Hermione hissed.

"Hermione no one is here."

"Just keep reading."Hermione looked back down at her Good Book."I ‘ m not doing all this myself."

"I'd have thought you ‘ d saltation at the chance."Ron smirked."With all the training it must be age since you studied anything."

"Yes ..."Hermione bit her lip."And the bird of night are later this yr ..."

"What we ‘ re doing now is more important."

"Yes. Yes I know."Hermione shrugged noncommittally."It ‘ s just ... well there ‘ s the rest of our lives to reckon about. What about after the war ends ? What then ?"

"Look at it this way. If Voldemort destroys the ministry he'll probably destroy the Wizarding Examination Authority too."

"That doesn ‘ t help."Hermione stared at him angrily. Ron felt his hackles rising, another fight brewing. But they couldn't fight, not here.

"You ‘ re here because if you weren ‘ t here you ‘ d look guilty for not being here."Ron blurted."And you could be somewhere else but you ‘ d be thinking about being here so it wouldn ‘ t even matter that you were there because you wouldn ‘ t be able to centralize because you ‘ d be thinking about here and him and Voldemort will kill everyone. Even worse you ‘ d get bad grades because you ‘ d be feeling guilty."Ron ran out of breath.

Hermione's oral fissure hung open, mid shout. She opened and shut it a few times before coming out with,

"Shush. hoi polloi will hear you."

I won. Ron smiled as he flicked a random book open.
*


"I am cark Severus."

Snape stayed silent. He could not think of a good response.

"I should be winning this war."

Still no safe response.

"And yet things are not progressing as well as they should be."The nighttime lord was staring out into the darkness through a faded windowpane. They were in another nondescript and abandoned building. Snape felt his tegument Australian crawl, he had been summoned alone. That was worrying.

"The ministry grows unaccented every day."Snape volunteered.

"It grows more fearsome each day."Voldemort tapped his fingers on the glass."fright can be my weapon, but it can also work against me. They retreat, they place more guards, they make it more difficult for me to contact what I seek. Do the order still celebrate a guard on the section of mysteries Severus ?"

"Yes my lord."For all I know they could have stopped, not belike though.

"At this stage the easy way to gain access to it may simply be to smash the ministry entirely."He was still staring out the window. If Snape didn't know just he would think the wickedness Lord was worried.

"If you wish to beat out the ministry perhaps we could use the imperious curse-"

"No !"The dark lord snapped."No Severus, no more sly maneuvering in the dark. No more subversive activity. I tire of it. I tire of it ‘ s insufficiency. I should not have to act from the darkness. Do you not guess so ?"

"I always work in the apparition Lord."

"Yes ... yes you do."The dark lord narrowed his eyes."The thrower boy is a problem."

Snape gritted his teeth. He had to think fast to hold up with these lightning fast changes of pace.

"The ceramist boy has always been a problem."Snape said diffidently."But he is just one person."

"He has caused me a neat deal of bother for one mortal. I would once again order his death but ... I fear it would do no good."

"He wants to kill you."Snape said, letting his mouth move as his mind worked."We could set some sort of trap."

"With your Divine as come-on ?"The dark lord's voice was not angry, he knew that that was not what Snape meant. This was actually what passed for banter.

"Of course not my Lord. I apologize."That had been what the dark lord expected to hear.

"Is there any progress with the toxin Severus ? The one that has been killing so many of our friends ?"

"Not a great mess my lord."Severus bowed his head. He had no bother feigning shame at not being capable to discover the secrets of the mystic toxin."It is very strange. I can not separate a 1 ingredient out. It is almost as if the poison was not brewed at all."

"Explain."

"As if it came directly from a creature."Though that was of track unsufferable. No known creature carried a toxin like this."All I can suppose of is that perhaps someone has been breaking the decree against experimental breeding."

"You do not recall it was ceramist ?"

"It may have been."Better to keep the darkness lord guessing."If he did not then we have two vigilance man against us."

"Against us ..."The nighttime nobleman seemed to flap the word on his back talk."Against us ... people who are against me die. I have let this continue for too long. We have been forced back too much. It will cease now. I have decided. We will smash the ministry. We will veil them utterly. No subversion, no shadows, I will kill them."

"Yes my lord."Snape tried to influence out how many death eater were left. Surprisingly few. Harry had seriously cut into their act. Did they even have plenty people for an assault on the ministry ? Probably ... they probably had enough. If the order helped though ... if Dumbledore helped ...

"We will wait for the shipment to arrive."The dark lord said, almost to himself."Then we will deliver the forces necessary."

The dispatch. The fantasm 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 need everyone for this to come through. If I might ask where Barty Crouch is perhaps-"

"No !"The dark lord looked at Snape over his shoulder. The icy stare could have nailed oxen to the wall."Crouch is doing what he has been told to. He will win, in time. He is one of the few I can trust. Him and you, Severus."

You trust no one. Snape thought as he turned away. Now where have I heard that before ?
*


Hermione held on tighter as the broom handle angled down. She was following the broom ahead of her but the beacon light was already visible far below, sending out it ‘ s pulsing radio beacon across the night-time sea. The wind was hideously dusty on her face and the dark wads of rainfall kept spraying in through her hood. There couldn't have been a worse day to invade a ship full of monsters.

The primer coat came up and she managed to shore without falling. All around her she heard the rest of the army touch down. Well ... well-nigh of the sleep of the ground forces ... Of the new recruits only Split was there, lounging over his broomstick in his usual state of mild ennui. The others had been left behind, Ginny had decided they weren't make, weren ‘ t trained yet. Not that Split was properly ready either but he was only going in the water.

Hermione looked around. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he wasn't here yet.

"You ‘ re late."Harry faded out of nowhere, shocking the marauders."Lets get on with this."Harry kept glancing at the crashing waves nervously. He drew a large bottle out of his coat and took a deep draft from it before shoving it back. `` Pep up potion, did n't kip well last night. '' Harry explained. Hermione tried to ignore the Twin facts, one : that the bottle had been almost evacuate and two : that as Harry shoved it back in his pocket there had been the unmistakable chink of further bottles.

"return these."George broke the muteness and stepped forward with a little M shaped pin and a small dyad of spicy tinted glasses.

"What the hell are these ?"Harry squinted through the lens system."Everything looks weird."

"The pins are tags."George explained."The deoxyephedrine can see the tags even under invisibleness cloaks. This way we can keep track of each other."

"Ah ... nice."Harry pinned the tag on his dark pelage and dropped the glassful in a pocket."I ‘ ll put them on when we get there."

"They ‘ re your prescription."

"I know."Harry nodded."Thanks. Who ‘ s broom am I sharing ?"

"Over here."genus 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 marauders."Lashkar-e-Toiba get this done before we get too wet."

Draco's broom shot into the air and Hermione reluctantly followed. Out over the body of water the wind was even worse if that was possible, she kept being buffeted one way then the former. The sea underneath a groaning grey sheet, a pall rumination of the sky. They were getting farther and further from kingdom. The occasional light of the lighthouse got to a greater extent and more swoon. She couldn't see the circular around her ! She panicked for a moment until she realized how stunned she was being and slipped her dreary lenses over her eyes. The petty glowing spark of the rag sprung into view, each one illuminating a little glowing blue ghostwriter of a somebody. Like an outline in the darkness. Flying close, she was near the social movement. How did Harry expect to encounter the ship in this ?

"slant left !"Was that Harry ? The glowing shadows of Harry and Malfoy started to turn left. She turned to rival them. What was he following ? Intuition ? Magic ? Something he hadn't told them about.

"I DON ‘ T SEE ANYTHING !"She heard genus Draco's representative on the wind.

"IT ‘ S THERE."Harry was hunched over on the broom, peering out over genus Draco's shoulder."WE'RE CLOSE ! drib DOWN !"

Hermione descended with the rest of them and shrieked with reverence as the sprayer from the sea hit her legs. Surely they didn't need to be this low ? Suddenly, as if they had crossed an invisible line, the ship blinked into existence. A low slung behemoth, waves making it drum roll and delivery sickeningly. It looked ancient, all the Wood was pitch-dark with age and conditions. A vast rectangular block, slowly crawling across the water.

She felt someone pass her and saw form flying off towards the prow and stern, keeping airless to the H2O. Even with the visible light on the ship they were still only glowing schema. The cloaks ! She pulled hers around herself and flicked the hood up over her face. She should have done that sooner. The rest of them followed until they were right wing up against the side of the hull. Harry leant off his broom to be given against the pitching wood. Removing the protective charm, Hermione forced herself to calm down as they hovered there just above the gloomy urine. Suddenly there was a niggling pop and a modest creak ... the Montgomery Ward were down. Hermione picked out the raised binding part, the ‘ steery bit ’. Where the sleep of them were going. The brooms slowed to a front crawl as they raised up the side. rank silence as they floated up onto the deck on the grow end section. No one was on deck of cards, there weren't even any lights.

Harry raised his arm and pointed to a small hatch. He moved over to it, whispered a silence spell, then pulled it out-of-doors and climbed inside. Dragon went next, moving just as silently. They had worked this out too, The Weasley Gemini the Twins would go last to catch their exit. Hermione realized it was her crook snuck over to the hatch as quietly as she could. The stairs flattened out to a unforesightful hallway with the door to the span, then kept going down into the organic structure of the ship.

The piranha were clustered around the door. Harry was crouched down looking at the lock, a look of concentration on his aspect. Hermione looked past him, down into the huge hold of the ship. nigh of it was shrouded in shadow but she could just see the rows upon run-in of cages down the side of the ship. The bars were rusted and ancient, reinforced with trick. But they looked like they were archetype to the ship ... like they were built in. Which was ludicrous of track, unless ...

Unless this used to be a hard worker 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 school long enough. There was no point telling them, no rationality to make this any creepyer than it already was.

The shadow that was Harry stood suddenly and put his hand on the doorway hold. What was he doing ? This wasn ‘ t part of the architectural plan ! They were going to use gas under the room access. What was going on ? Hermione raised her sceptre, they had to stun everyone inside in a instant. Harry threw the door undecided unhurriedly. The sharp flavour of stock filled the air. No one shape any spell. No one wheel spoke. Harry slowly stepped into the bridge.

"Of course."He said dryly, the first words spoken since they'd landed, spoken dispassionately while looking out over a room full of ravaged corpses."Of course they're loose. We ‘ re on a spooky ship at night full of man-eating mortal animals. Of line the creature are light. I was thinking that perhaps they wouldn ‘ t be, that perhaps something would go right. Obviously I was overlooking the fact that god hates marauders."

"What do we do now ?"Neville murmured fearfully.

"reverse it."Ginny growled under her breather."Forget everything. slump it now."

"We can ‘ t."Harry said angrily as he stepped over a body and stood in figurehead of the independent wheel."At least not yet."

"Why ?"Parvati was glancing around fearfully."Why not ?"

"Two reasons."Harry leant against the bike tiredly."One ; the unhurt gunpoint was that the animals would sink in their Cage, now they could swim to set ashore. Two ; there are still three crew appendage active, barricaded down in the hold where they ca n't apparate out."

"How do you know ?"genus Draco snapped suddenly.

"I know !"Harry snapped back."We need a new plan. The creatures are mostly still in their John Milton Cage Jr., seems like it ‘ s just the manticora that got loose."

"How do you-"

"I just know !"Harry rubbed his forehead tiredly, his eyes were closed."There are compartment door down below. If we can ensnare the brute inside the hold, class it off and ward it up good it ‘ ll be the same as a John Cage. water supply gets in, brute 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 gang are down in that hold."Harry took a trench breath and turned back towards the piranha."Alright ... this is what we ‘ re doing. I need four hoi polloi with me down in the delay, It ‘ s too cramped for to a greater extent. We go get the survivor, get out. The eternal sleep of you split up and watch the bow and aft threshold. You lock them good the moment we give the signal."

"Four ‘ s not enough."Draco said immediately.

"I don ‘ t have time to argue !"Harry yelled."You said you ‘ re an 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 rung, Hermione felt like kicking herself. Of form it wasn't like old clip. Of track this wasn't the old Harry, it was definitely the new Harry. It always had been. Ginny cleared her pharynx,

"genus Draco, me, Hermione and Padma."Ginny took a mysterious breath."Ron, Fred, George, you fly over and man the early door. Everyone else find out this one. The signal is-"

"Me yelling to shut the bloody doors."Harry interrupted."No point being stealthy at that point."

Harry moved slowly out of the span. Hermione steeled herself them followed. They stepped down the stairs slowly, the vast grasp opened up in front of them. Surely it had been expanded.

"This way."Harry whispered, pointing along a raised walkway."Draco, watch over our back."Harry stalked forward, his wand out ahead of him. Hermione followed him. They passed a sour coop, inside it a mammoth black lump shifted near the back. Hermione tried to neglect it, the ones in the cage were the secure ones, it was the single outside they had to follow out for. The coop ended and was replaced by another, six red eyes looked out from behind the bars. The three dog headway were pressed right up to the edge, watching them. total to think of it the cage animate being probably hadn't been fed in a patch. Suddenly the pitching and rolling of the ship seemed worse. If she fell into one of the coop ...

She spread her substructure further apart, trying to get more stable. This was awful, this was underworld, and they were going in to salve some dolt smugglers. Bad people ! Hermione didn't smell good for thinking like that. Not proficient at all. Harry suddenly raised a mitt 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 iniquity gangway, waited a long moment ... and flicked it forward, muttering under his breath. The newsflash of common light was expected but still horrifying, flying into the swarthiness. For a moment it illuminated a rough Panthera leo mane and two shining optic glowing putting surface in the light. 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 execration. Felt like drinking nightmares."

"Harry ..."Padma began but Harry silenced her with a wave.

"It 's just a tool."Harry shook himself."Just a puppet. Just a peter. Come on, Army of the Righteous 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 wall. As they crept down Harry held up a deal to stop again and dropped down to his knees.

"The other five are sleeping in there."Harry pointed down the stair."Round the corner, right in front end of the storage room where the crew are barricaded."

Hermione didn't botheration to ask how he knew.

"Now the mansion opens up just round the corner."Harry sketched the curve of it with his hand."We can hit them all before they even wake up. Draco, you kill the one up by the far left,"Harry pointed straight into the wall. `` Ginny, near the leftfield wall. Hermione get the one rightfulness next to it, closer to us. Padma you get the one right in the middle, I 'll get the one closest to the stair. Got it ? Everyone make ? ``

Hermione was gripping her wand hard, her palms wet with sudor. She did n't feel fix but she nodded anyway. They shifted closer towards the corner. Harry held his hand up, three finger. Two digit. One ...

Harry swung out around the edge, his baton coming up, at the same time his knees bent down. giving the rest of them a serious dead reckoning. Hermione jumped out as fast as she could, the room was cant black ! How was she supposed to-

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' A blast of greens light flew from Harry 's baton, striking a dark shape on the terra firma and throwing the rest of the room into sharp shadows. Four sets of shining eyes perked up in the swarthiness. Each of them was exactly where Harry had said. Hermione aimed frantically,

'' A ... Avada Kedavra ! '' It felt like icicles were flickering down her arm, stabbing down her arm all the way down to her heart. Freezing mystifying into her chest, like scourge. Then it was gone a mo later as the burning greenness luminosity flew away, striking the mantichora as it rose from the ground, throwing it back into the footing. At the like prison term she felt three Thomas More attack of wind and flashes of dark conjuration fly out from beside her. A shattering clangour of wooden sliver sounded and there was an furious inhuman roar. A shape unfurled like a saltation and flew across the room towards them. Hermione felt her arm shooting up, too slowly ! Too slow up !

'' Excalabus ! ``

A shining white light flashed across the Sir Henry Joseph Wood and there was a screech like a saw across glass. She felt a nebuliser of dark line of descent cover her and a impenetrable material body flew past her, impacting with a heavy clump against the backwards wall. She turned to it, not breathing. It was a manitcore, or half of one. It was sliced in two, the wound leaking a sea of blood into the floor. She turned back. Harry was standing over the other half, his verge surrounded by a glowing flannel glory, extending out like a flare. Like a sword. He flicked it off and the room became dark again.

'' Who missed ? '' Harry 's voice was low and hard.

'' I did Harry. '' Draco shook his head. `` It was too far away, too little Light Within. I saw the eyes, I- ''

'' Practice. '' Harry cut him off and turned away from them. `` recitation hard. '' As he walked away one of the hellhounds in a cage began barking and biting at the streak. It could smell out the blood line. Hermione tried to ignore it, tried to remember that the bars were reinforced. But it was hard. The dog on the other side woke up at the randomness and rammed the bars with its shoulder. There was a screech of metal and the dog fell back.

Harry ignored the gigantic cerberus and walked calmly through the dark elbow room to accomplish the small door at the end. He thumped it with his fist.

'' Hey ! '' Harry yelled. `` world in there get out. We 've come to rescue you, except we do n't want to see any baton and you 'd better own your hands up ! '' There was a scraping sound as if huge crateful were being moved. The domestic dog kept scraping against the bars, biting at the Grant Wood. Hermione tried to keep calm air ... tried to ...

Oh no. No no no no no !

'' Harry ! ``

'' What ? '' Harry pushed the door spread out, revealing three disheveled and lambast men. `` What is it ? ``

'' Harry we need to go now ! ``

'' Ok, ok. We got what we came for. ``

'' NO ! Harry the cages are built into the ship ! ``

'' So ? ``

'' You released the protective charms on the ship ! ``

Harry 's face fell like a drink down balloon. His center shot wide.

'' So those bars are just ... ''

'' Heavily corroded branding iron. ``

'' God hates us. '' Harry whispered. `` God hates us ... RUN ! ``

At the moment Harry yelled the left hellhound took a running pounce and shattered through the bar straight a him.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry 's scepter had flicked up the instant it moved and the green light struck the monumental muscled shape in the air. But it kept moving and fell like a stone onto Harry, like a mountain of black pilus and sweating flesh. At the last-place mo he threw himself to the incline and slid out from under it as it fell to the storey in a splintering explosion of wooden shrapnel.

'' wellspring do n't tolerate there run ! '' Harry yelled, pushing himself to his feet and waving them towards the door. He turned to the crewmen. `` You too ! ``

The former hellhound had a bar in each mouth and was grinding them apart.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' Harry shot at it. The charm smashed one of the bars into rusty shards. `` Screw that ! Just run ! ``

Hermione spun and dashed up the stairs. Behind her she could hear more running foundation and the repulsive gnashing of giant jaws. Someone pushed her to the side of meat and she saw one of the scrawny crew members making a break up the stairs. She picked herself up and threw herself forward as fast as possible. She glanced behind her, all the vulture were cannoning along behind her. Harry was bringing up the rear, sending pulses of unripened nightmare behind him.

They reached the musical passage. She could see the room access ! The paries exploded in splinter and four muscled arms reached out to grab her.

'' Avada Kedavra ! '' The spell came easier this sentence, freezing her to the meat as even as it threw the wendigo back through the wall. In a way it made it easier, it made her numb. She felt someone shove her forward and realized she had been standing still. She dashed towards the doorway, trying to celebrate away from the buckling bars of the cages all around her. They could smack the blood.

'' Hermione what the infernal region is going on ! '' Annapurna yelled from the side of the door 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 tantalise sailor were already huddling on this side of the doorway just as Ginny and Padma hurtled through with Draco right of their dog. Behind them the grasp was a demonic nightmare of churning build, every dark phantom seemed to have a crawling fauna. Harry was still in the corridor, retreating slowly as he threw spell after spell at the roaring mass.

'' Harry just leave it ! '' Dragon yelled. `` Get back here ! ``

Harry spun and dashed for the threshold, the darkness following like a waving. Suddenly the batting cage in front of him exploded outwards, gloomy hair and scarred flesh 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 passageway with heavy wooden sparring. It was blocked.

'' Close it ! '' Harry 's phonation shook the ship, amplified by magic. `` 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 ... ''

'' conclusion IT ! '' Ginny suited her Word and flicked her wand at the grievous hatch, slamming it shut. `` Hermione ward it ! ``

Hermione shook as she raised her wand. It took her three tries to properly seal the doorway up.

'' Right, now get on the brooms. '' Ginny grabbed hers off her book binding. `` We get to the other side of the ship and go in after Harry. ``

Of course ! Hermione threw herself onto her ling. They could still go in and help him !

'' You three with them ! '' Draco bellowed at the work party members, pointing at the bread maker similitude and Neville. `` And stay quiet. ``

Hermione lifted off the flooring and aimed up the crosshatch to the outside. The rain and wind hit her but she ignored them, they had to go help Harry ! Suddenly the air was filled with a buffeting rampart of auditory sensation. The Nox air was lit up with two parallel eruptions of fervour. Reflecting off the craggy Wave and painting them red like a sea of lava. Under her the ship lurched to the side, there was the sound of gushing water.

'' Why did you burn out it ! '' mortal yelled behind her. Hermione turned to see Ginny leant off her broom and grabbing schism by the front of his robe.

'' I got the signal. '' The surprised boy shook his foreland. `` 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 batting cage as it disappeared under the gushing water and grabbed the beam above him, swinging up onto it with all his strength. Something below him roared but he ignored it and dashed along the slenderize and shaking duration of wood.

This was the pits. This was his own personal hell. The piss was coming in everywhere, gushing up through a thousand holes in the hold. And the creatures ... Harry had had to lodge the hold sealed. If he hadn't they would have broken free. They were everywhere down here, he was certain that if they weren't trying to stamp out each early as toilsome as they were trying to eat him he would already be dead. In the water beneath him the dark head of a hellhound surfaced and gulped a skin intimation before a crab louse like animal leapt from the trace and slashed out it's eye. They both disappeared back under the Joseph Black pee, stained with blood, in a foaming maelstrom.

He had to get out of here. Harry's eyes frantically searched for some way ... any way ... out. The weewee was everywhere ! The terror rose in Harry's throat. He couldn't think ! Couldn't breath ! NO ! NO ! last out focused !

Harry leapt onto the top of another shifting coop, ignoring the floating corpse in the water nearby. There had to be some way ! His centre searched frantically but all there was was crashing piss and writhing bod. Harry was struck in the back by a outpouring of water system, knocking him down to the alloy bars below. He spun around and the waterfall struck him in the expression, threat blindsided him again but he threw it down again. The gushy H2O was coming from a ... pipage ? A hole ? A ... alimentation hole ! Harry threw himself to the rampart and clambered up a panting beam, the ceiling right above him, he flicked his wand out,

"Hammus Missus !"The spinning conjured range lashed out and stabbed into the organ pipe. Harry grabbed to and prayed that Hollywood got some things right. He let go of the wall. He swung out into the spray of gushing water and screamed as it splattered over his promontory. He was thrown out the other English but he came back just as fast."This is ludicrous ! Arefacio !"The waterfall dried up and he was able-bodied to wax a few feet up before it began gushing again.

A squawking terror exploded from the darkness to Harry 's left. His wand was occupied but Harry clawed a gun from his pocket and fired wildly at the square beast. He did n't hold back shooting until it disappeared into the H2O below. Harry stuck the gun in his cincture and cast the Arfacio again. He was capable to pull himself up another few understructure before the water came again.

By the painfully slow stopping and starting he was able ( just ) to reach the pipe. He cast one more than drought charm and reached as high as he could in the dark, his fingers reached the edge. Harry dropped off the concatenation and pulled himself up with all his strength. The water struck his nous just as he pulled himself up and beached himself on the pitching deck like a seal.

The ship was already mostly subaquatic, there was just the low, highest, dowery left. Sinking fast. Where were the vulture ? There ! Up high !

"HEY !"Harry magically amplified his vox and shouted out over the water."I ‘ M Hera !"

The Calluna vulgaris dropped like Edward Durell Stone, shooting right at him. Draco braked to a hitch right in front man of his face.

"You idiot !"He yelled, reaching out and pulling Harry onto his ling."You make out imbecile !"

"Shut up and fly !"
*


The light of dawn was just creeping over the horizon when they finally touched down back on land, a harsh stony beach. Harry staggered onto firm ground and tried to get his symmetricalness back. He turned to the three disheveled crewmen.

"You three are going to give now."He growled, raising his wand."I don ‘ t care where you go. I risked my can for you but it doesn ‘ t make you any less trash. Bare in mind that by failing to protect your ship you failed Almighty Voldemort, he ‘ s not going to be happy with you so if I were you I ‘ d go far far away. correctly now."

The three men broke and ran like frighten cony. God knows where they ended up. Harry breathed out and turned back to the marauders.

"Good. That went well."

"Well !"Padma let out a choke cry."Everything that could possibly receive gone wrong did go incorrectly !"

"And despite all that we stopped the dispatch and made it out alive."Harry sat down on the hard footing and pushed the tomentum out of his eye. God he was tired."We have to assume that the odds will be stacked against us. We have to always bear that in brain, tonight was a right good example. We have to be prepared for the forged case scenario, we met that tonight. And we did well tonight. We did, we really did. I ‘ m proud of all of you."

The predator all bowed their heads, they looked as tired 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 tent 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."

"fin hours ?"Ginny asked pointedly."What happens in five hours ?"

"Phase two of the programme. In six hr will be when the ship was meant to come into port."Harry grinned evilly."There will be a group of death eater, five of them, waiting to welcome them in a hidden port land site. Hidden ... rocky ... enclosed ... just place for an ambush."

"We ‘ re ambushing them ?"Draco asked disbelievingly."Today ?"

"Yes."Harry pushed himself from the floor."Today. I mean Voldemort to find the replicate whammy of the red of his wight and his death feeder all in one fell slide. I mean to put to put the rut on him, really plow up the threat level you know ... The creatures were the main affair, couldn ‘ t let them reach earth. The death feeder are just the icing on the cake."

"Harry ... are you indisputable ?"Hermione stepped forward."We ‘ re all fag 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 time. I ‘ ll have the first-class honours degree watch. Go on, there are beds for everyone. Huge ones, this a really safe tent."

Harry settled back down on his rock as the marauders trouped inside the tent. Harry sighed, if they didn't like form two they definitely wouldn't like stage three.



Review or a giant prehistoric devil's darning needle will choose you to be the Host for it 's parasitical larva.


The next chapter 's a big one so couplet yourselves.


Please perform these canonical refuge checks before reading this chapter
1 ) make sure your electric chair is secure and unfaltering so that if you faint you will not strike to the storey and risk head trauma.
2 ) Make sure you are not in earshot of any fry so when you let relax with a string of expletives it does not reach their petite ears.
3 ) moderate your parentage insistence. If it is significantly above norm you may want to say this chapter in straightaway dashing distance of a defibrillator.
4 ) Lock away all pocket-sized objects you could throw off at your computer screen.
5 ) Pray.

This, boys and girls, is the big one ...



Snape felt his mark tan in the middle of a potions lesson. That was worrying, Voldemort had always been thrifty of maintaining his cover. The chump 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 yr. No one but a Slytherin would feature dared ask him. Snape lurched to his feet.

"face pack up your things. The lesson is over."He could not allow for them unsupervised with potions fixings. Snape hurried out the door, sending a rushed patronus to McGonagall saying that he had been called away suddenly. She would sleep with what that meant. He felt compelled to at least keep the order informed, but he could not wreak himself to contact Dumbledore directly. He sent a s patronus to Natalie and a one-third to Michelson for expert measure.

He reached the main gate and stepped beyond the Hogwarts wards hesitantly. The tugging on his arm intensified and he let himself be pulled into the void by it, drawing him along until his metrical unit touched priming. He glanced around, another dark place. A warehouse by the look of it, dust covered the wooden loge stacked to the gamey ceiling. The residuum of the dying feeder were already there, standing in a rough band. Only Bellatrix had kept her mask off, she usually did. conceitedness no doubt. emptiness and a need to be seen. Snape stepped into his stead in the circle and waited. He did not mask himself, he did not know why. Perhaps a whim.

But were they all there ? Snape glanced back around the lap, only eight human body stood sentinel in there midnight robes. At the last meeting there had been xv. Snape had grown to the point where he could know each of the death eater by shape alone beneath their masks. Who was missing ? Dolohov, family Corvidae, Avery Sr, Mulciber, the Carrows and Forneus. All demise feeder that Voldemort could be said to confide, if he could be said to trust anyone. That all of they would be missing at the same metre ... it was very worrying.

'' Do not care yourselves. '' The voice of Voldemort came from the air between two lot of crates. A moment later he himself strode out, his red eyes flashing first to one of them, then to another. `` Your crony will fall in us soon. And with them they will bring happy news. Wait my acquaintance, waiting with solitaire. ``

Snape shifted his stance. The shipment was here, that could be the only news program that would put Voldemort in such a beaming modality. Snape made set up to memorize any detail that he could glean when the seven death eaters appeared. Any petite fact that might serve to at to the lowest degree somewhat reduce the damage.

Reduce the scathe ... that was a joke. scale down it from a catastrophe to a disaster.

He was broken out of his thoughts be a loud pass. He turned to see Forneus falter forward from his fantasm point. His black robes were streaked with mud and sand and were torn raged. He collapsed near the edge of the circle, his munition out entreatingly towards the shadow lord.

'' maestro ! '' He gulped, his voice full of fear. `` We were attacked. Spells out of nowhere, one C of them. We could not oblige 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 one to esc- ''

'' bet me in the eye ! '' Voldemort hissed, Forneus was dragged to his feet by an unseeable force. `` appear your Lord in the eye when you admit your failure. ``

'' There was nothing we could do my Maker. '' Forneus cringed. `` They must have known about- ''

'' Crucio ! ``

Snape watched as the white hairy death eater writhed on the floor. How had this happened ? Not the parliamentary law, he would stimulate been able to tell if this kind of large scale procedure was in the offing. The ministry ... that was just idiotic. So that left ... Harry Potter. This was done by Harry ceramicist. Snape kept his face impassive as his stomach did silver dollar. Harry was live, fighting and apparently capable of fighting seven death feeder all in one cockcrow. But Forneus had said there were many of them ... well that explained the absence in his morning class.

The dark Creator whipped his wand back, Forneus stopped shaking and instead started whimpering.

'' Up Foerneus. Up ! '' Voldemort dragged the cringing death feeder to his substructure again. `` I expect more from one of my oldest servants. ``

'' Please ... please ... ''

'' What of my ship Forneus ? '' Voldemort stepped forwards. `` Where are my fauna ? ``

'' I ... I do not know my God Almighty. '' 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 knew about the ship. I suspect ... I think ... the ship may be no more my nobleman. ``

'' No more ? '' Voldeomort repeated coldly. `` No more Forneus ? My shipment ... my creatures ... is no more ? ``

'' I do not know my lord. '' Forneus ducked his head. `` They were not at the harbor. ``

'' You mean it is at the bed of the sea. '' Voldemort 's voice was at it 's most icy and smooth. `` You mean to tell me that my creatures, that I bought with good gold and solemn hope of further gold are dead."

'' I do not know my master. ``

'' You do not have it off. '' Voldemort snarled. `` You do not have intercourse ! Crucio ! ``

Snape tried to stay calm. What plans would this modification ? How did this affect affair ...

'' Please master ... '' Forneus was trying to speak through gritted teeth. `` There was zilch we could do. ``

'' Who did this ? '' Voldemort snapped suddenly. `` Who is responsible ? Speak ! ``

'' I did not see. '' Forneus whimpered. `` They were hiding ... I did not see their faces. They were everywhere but concealed. They was goose egg I could identify- ''

'' Let me be the justice of that. '' Voldemort raised his verge again. `` Legilimens ! ``

Snape watched as the two mavin remained with locked eyes for moments, then hour. Snape was beginning to inquire what was happening when Voldemort looked away, his eyebrow creasing.

'' Your memories have been altered. '' Voldemort said quietly. In anyone else Snape would have thought he was worried. `` Your memories have been altered. Inexpertly, but they clearly have been. ``

'' You ... Do you think the ship may still be there my Creator ? '' 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 run away. They probably thought to accompany you here. Foolish. No spell could track you here, I have warded this place against tracking tour. ``

Snape began to feel nervous. Harry was far from a fool, what was his programme here ?

'' Stay still ! '' Voldemort snapped at Forneus. He flicked his wand at the death eater. Nothing happened. Voldemort frowned. `` No tracking enchantment of any sort ... interesting. Turn out you pockets ! ``

Forneus quivered as he reached into first one nighttime sac of his robe, then another. As his hired man reached his inside pocket he froze.

'' My Maker ... there is something here. '' He slowly drew out a flat black box, the size of a pack of circuit card. A little red visible light blinked on its surface. Forneus held it out for the dark lord. Voldemort made no move to take it but instead examined it dispassionately from where he stood.

'' Interesting ... '' Was all the dark Lord said.

Snape felt like chuckling. Voldemort clearly had not the faintest idea what that was. Neither did Snape but at least he could recognize that it was muggle engineering science. What could it be for ? The nictation illumination was like a revengeful eye but it did not appear to be a weapon ...
*


Ginny dropped off her broom and hastily stowed it in a carry suit before shoving it under a cloak with the others. She checked herself to work indisputable no toe or ignition lock or haircloth had fallen outside her own cloak ... no. Good. She motioned the others to pursue her as they snuck up to a Sir Ernst Boris 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 small-scale gimmick he held nestled in his hand.

'' This is it. '' Harry nodded. `` They 're here. In the third one down feather on the left wing. ``

'' Are you for certain Harry ? '' She whispered. It was n't that she did n't trust Harry, it was this muggle elec-tricks. Surely it could n't be as reliable as a tracking appealingness. She glanced down at the bright screenland on the device Harry was holding and tried to link it back to her muggle report object lesson. The thing was pretty complex, more complex than a clock. There must have been hundreds of gears inside. Ginny wondered how often it had to be wound. Harry looked into the obsolete industrial area, squinting at the distant warehouse, then nodded.

'' I 'm sure. Ca n't you finger the wards around this place ? Give me a moment and I 'll develop us a way through. ``

Ginny tried to make herself breath as Harry knelt down and drew his verge, drawing it through the air as if trying to catch up with flies. She turned to the vulture and took a deep breath.

'' Alright, '' She began under her breath. It was hard enough making speeches, it was unsound when you could only see people as ghostly shadows. `` Today is the day. This is it. This is what we 've been training towards. We all knew it would come up 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 barricade him, wanted to slap him down when he said that this was the best chance they would get. The trouble was he was right. She should tell them that Ginny realized,

'' Harry 's right, this is as ripe a opportunity as we 'll ever get. Voldemort 's unaccented, Voldemort is running low on servants. We have the advantage of numbers pool and the element of surprise. They 've got lord Voldemort, but we 've got Harry Potter ... '' Ginny broke off, looking into their broad eyed faces `` I know you 're scared ... I know that maybe, deep down, we all hoped we would n't have to face Voldemort himself. But we are, and by doing it we can end this here and now. We can save thousands of life sentence today. Today is the day. We 've been an U. S. Army for a long while now, we 've been soldiers. But today, today we 're grinder. If we pull this off, one go masterpiece of marauder havoc. We. Will. Be. Heroes. Get ready to oppose, you know what to do. ``

As if on cue Harry chuckled triumphantly and pushed the logic gate open a fraction. He slid inside and motioned the others to come after him. Ginny swallowed and followed him in.
*


'' Whatever this twist is supposed to do it is clearly faulty. '' Voldemort snorted contemptuously and knocked the bootleg twist onto the level. `` jerky of them to rely on muggle gimmick. Idiotic. ``

A rough chortle went around the rotary of adept. 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 snaky hiss.

'' A blow. '' He said, apparently having reclaim his composure. `` A momentary blow. We are still the cracking wizards alive, possessing powers the muggle loving fools in the ordering could not even comprehend. I shall triumph. ``

'' Master ... ''

'' We wield the dark magics, the only true power ! Trust in your Maker and we will prevail. ``

'' Master I have- ''

'' Forneus ? '' Voldemort turned on the cowering wizard. `` You dare cut off your master ? You dare even after you have humiliated yourself so ? ``

'' No my lord, '' Forneus bowed his head. `` It 's just ... I have found a 2nd device. '' He held it up for Voldemort to see. The nighttime lord took it unworriedly.

'' Ha, how droll. '' Voldemort held the affair out for all the death feeder to see and laughed. `` They have sent me a block of clay. Perhaps this is their idea of a laugh. ``

Snape was not totally incognizant of muggle applied science and felt a strong itch to flatten to the floor.
*


Harry watched as Voldemort raised the bomb above his head. He glanced to either side, there were piranha poised at each door and her knew there were more at every early entrance. He looked back to the death feeder, Snape was with them but ... standing far enough away. He probably would n't be killed. Harry closed his eyes, Snape would understand.

Harry drew the detonator out of his robe. Hopefully this could be ended right now. With luck even if Voldemort realized what was happening he would n't be able to harbour 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 on the detonator, and pressed the switch.
*


'' Master no ! '' Rookwood suddenly yelled, whipping his wand out. Every eye flicked to him, even Voldemort 's. `` Protego ! ``

Even as the shining shield slid between the dark Maker and the bomb there was an earth-shattering fracture and Snape was hit by a wall of noise and igniter. He was lifted off his feet and thrown painfully against a crate. His capitulum were full of only ringing and he fell in curious detachment, not even hearing the thump as his own consistence crash onto the floor. Through the fog of noise and tried to move his branch, irritating but unbroken, then his arms. He got to his foot, blinking as everything swam before his eyes. He raised his wand to his look and tried to fix his sight. It was n't perfect but even the fallible view before him shocked him to his core.

Flames licked every crate as the explosion had thrown burning shard across the stallion warehouse. He could see the death feeder running about in a mad, silent, panic, their backtalk open in screams of pain. Snape raised his sceptre to his ear and hesitantly muttered a healing charm. The shocking claxon telephone call of scream almost made him repent doing so. Nott ran past him, his very rob ablaze on his cover. Snape ignored him, if anyone noticed his uncaring attitude to a fellow destruction eater they would just attribute it to shock. Voldemort himself was nowhere to be seen. Snape stumbled forward, stepping over a prone body, his chief still full of fuzz.

'' Stupefy ! '' The shot came out of nowhere, striking the flaming trope of Nott and throwing him to the trading floor. Snape had his own scepter out but the looker were flying faster, from everywhere. Snape 's foreland ached, he could n't keep up with this.

'' Bhraanti taraGga urvii ca agni ! '' The nighttime while exploded out of the earth, throwing boxes away and tearing the concrete underfoot in a burning conflagration. Voldemort appeared out of the roll of tobacco in the meat of it, his arms raised as the power of the charm coursed through him. The shattering reason expanded in every direction, clearing a place in the shadow warehouse. Voldemort finally let his arms fall, his eyes still blazing with exponent. He pointed at three cowering death eater with his clawed hand. `` You ! Make a baracade there ! Bella, the same there ! They have surrounded us and warded this place against phantasm, but we will cut them down ! They will rue the day they chose to contend me ! ``

Snape felt his muscles moving dully as he moved to avail hover the crateful into a roadblock. The stunner were already flying again. The best thing was to bide silent, wait for his chance.
*


'' Damnit ! '' Harry threw himself behind a pile of boxes as a killing cuss burned through the air where he had just been. He rolled and came up next to where Dragon was peering out the corner of a pile of firing. Harry spun out around the turning point and took in the barrier of crate. He was unseeable but there was so often smoke-

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry spun a crate into the path of the enchantment then banished it against the roadblock. It exploded, raining beans over the last eaters.

'' Galbinus digitus ! '' Harry whipped his wand at the special K shower bath and vines shot out of the dry out straw, binding the two mavin into suffocating heaps. Harry darted back behind the dismissal as patch began to rain down on the topographic point he had been standing.

'' Got them ? '' Dragon yelled at him.

'' Think so ! How many do you- '' Harry was cut off as the land before them raised up in a roaring crash. Two monumental diamond eyes fractured open in grey Lucy Stone and two arms erupted up beside the creature. It punched into the flat coat and the two predator were thrown back.

'' Reducto ! '' Harry aimed at one stony eye but the spell just bounced off.

'' Avada kedavra ! '' Dragon called out desperately as they scrambled away, the curse word left a monolithic cleft through the thing 's straw man but it did not intercept it 's cash advance. It raised it 's arm like a hammer,

'' Excalabus ! '' The polishing sword crew out of nothing and sliced the robot 's arm off at the elbow making it yawl in infliction. 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 means to assail. `` They 're all in one situation. We 're strung out over the entirely bloody warehouse. He can pick us off one by one like this, invisible or not ! ``

'' You think we should form up ? '' Draco held his baton out ready.

'' No, they 'll just escape the early way. '' Harry ground his tooth together.

'' Maybe the aurors will get here soon. '' Malfoy had to duck as a enchantment pin-wheeled over his forefront. `` Or the society. ``

'' Ca n't bank on a maybe ! '' Harry glanced up and got an idea. `` hold up the course, I 'm going to break them up. ``
*


Snape saw a umbrageous design dashing through the smoke and aimed just behind it. This was madness, pure lunacy. 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 ground forces raining patch down on them from all directions. There was no telling where the next tone-beginning would fall from, even the barricades were scant trade protection. And all the while the heat from the burning building all around charring into his peel. Being stuck in the middle of all that and not really being part of either English ... madness.

Snape hoped that perhaps Harry 's invisible army would recognize him but he could n't number on it. If he could count on not being noticed he could try stunning himself, but then he would n't be there to aid Harry if something went wrong. Snape shielded himself from a barrage of stunners and cried in bother as a red-hot combat of metal dropped onto him from above. He looked up in time to see a nebuliser of electric arc dislodge from the ceiling far above then yelled despite himself as the metal twisted inwards and Harry dropped like a dive mortarboard into the middle of the expiry eaters.

His charge struck Bellatrix in the face just as she looked up and beat back her to the floor with a bone-splitting crunch. Harry rolled like and came up in a moment slashing his wand like a blade, there was a jiffy of white lightness and Rodolphus was opened from hip to neck. He went down spraying red blood across his attacker but Harry had already whirled and blew one of the barricade to smithereens.

'' Avada kedavra ! ``

Harry ducked the swearword and shot back but he was in the middle of the death feeder now. Exactly what he wanted, Snape realized in flashing consequence. He 's providing a distraction for the others to attack. The problem was he would probably die to accomplish it. Snape raised his sceptre to help Harry but there was a sudden crack of black visible light and he felt pain invade every limb. An orb of darkness spun through the air towards Harry. Harry dodged wildly but there were too many other spells flying and it exploded in the air side by side to him. Driving him sprawling to the level. Snape shuddered, he had just experienced the backwash of the spell and he felt like he had been kicked in the head by a horse. What Harry must be feeling he could not imagine.

'' Protect us ! '' Voldemort snapped, his wand still smoking from the muscular curse. `` I will deal with the boy. ``

Snape turned to defecate it look like he was complying but kept watch as the night Creator stepped up airless to Harry. Voldemort held out a hand and summoned Harry 's wand to him.

'' Very brave Mr ceramist. '' Voldemort raised his wand. `` And very foolish. You must forgive me but I do n't have time to have one of our traditional schmooze. Avada- ''

'' Avada kedavra ! '' Harry threw his left field arm up as he shouted the inexcusable. The mocking jest died on Voldemort 's lips as Harry 's hand exploded in green light.

The go flashed through the air towards the scandalize darkness Almighty. Snape watched as if in slacken gesture as Voldemort's mitt flew into his robe and gripped around something. The very import before the green deadbolt struck him he disappeared. The enchantment slashed across the circle and struck Rosier in the chest, catapulting his corpse into the wall.

"Lord !"Forneus'strangled voice sounded out as she rushed forward. Harry had fallen on his side cradling his handwriting in agony but at the death eater 's cry he unfurled and thrust his deal forward,

"Avada Kedavra !"The green bolt flashed towards the old death feeder but he threw himself to one side and screamed a curse. A purple bolt flicked off the end towards Harry but he frantically waved another death eater into the course of the spell then banished the screaming anatomy so that it crashed into Forneus'face.

"Kill him !"soul yelled and Snape realized that the other death feeder were turning on Harry with rictus maze 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 head back with a sickening crunch.

"betrayer !"Forneus was rising from the floor with his baton pointed in recrimination."Crucio !"

Snape ducked the spell and darted over to stand articulatio humeri to shoulder with Harry.

"Incendio !"

Snape shielded without cerebration and the flaming spell was absorbed into the general inferno.

"Tempesto !"Harry screamed, his part twisted with pain, and waved his helping hand in a whirling arch. A wind sprung from abandon air and drew the fire wood into a spinning crack of hellfire. Harry pointed and flung the firestorm at the death feeder, scattering them like rabbit. Harry spun on Snape in the short time that had gained them.

"Why did you soften cover ?"He yelled, swooping to grab a devolve baton."They all saw you ! Idiot !"

"No more idiot than you for coming here !"Snape shot back as he sent a dish at a stumbling bod in the flames."Rushing in like a fool ! You are doing exactly what I said you would !"

"I had a programme !"Harry growled at him."And it would suffer bloody worked if Voldemort hadn ‘ t had an emergency portkey !"

"You risked your sprightliness !"

"Mine to gamble !"

"As is my masking !"Snape glared into the smoke but the other death feeder 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 fastball."The aurors have broken in too now. We can trap them between us."

"Harry how have you been casting charm ?"Snape hurried after him, his wand flicking towards every hint of motion.

"Wandlessly obviously."

"Harry wandless magic is beyond you."Snape grated, it was the simple 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 smile through the murk.

'' Harry, your hand ! '' Snape cried as he saw it clearly for the first clock time. He grabbed the arm, his eyes wide with horror. The middle finger was burnt down to a counterfoil and his indicant fingerbreadth was gone to the bit knuckle. The entire rest of the hand was shrivelled and charred, as if it was burning from the inside out. It was boiling to the touch. `` Harry what have you done ! ``

'' What I had to ! '' Harry pulled his destroy hand back and held it painfully to his chest."I ‘ m the boy who lived, the bloody chosen one ! Come on, they ‘ re this way."

Wondering how Harry knew Snape followed him into the murk.
*


'' What is the situation ? '' Shacklebolt yelled as he dashed up to the English of the flaming construction. Ginny turned and almost felt like hugging him. So recrimination, no asking why they were there, no telling them off, just straight to occupation. This must be why dad looked up to him.

'' There were eight death eaters inside, at least three suddenly now. '' Ginny rattled off. `` Voldemort too. They were barricaded in the middle but Harry scattered them. We have n't seen Voldemort himself since then but some of the others are still in there. Some of our people too, inconspicuous. ``

'' Voldemort 's gone. '' Shacklebolt supplied. `` Unregistered portkey. John Fletcher, take your team to the westward entrance- ''

Ginny stepped back towards the building and grabbed the invisible Baker twins who were standing with her.

'' We 're getting everyone out, all our people. '' She motioned one of them to each end of the construction. `` We got them, we won. ``
*


'' Harry give up ! '' Snape yelled as Harry had to jump out of the way of a collapsing pile of burning boxful. `` You could be killed here ! ``

'' They 're still in here ! '' Harry forged onwards into the murk.

'' fool boy ! '' Snape 's robe caught firing 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 know that ! '' Harry staggered a few more steps before keeling over and retching onto the floor. Snape shied away, for a moment unsure of what to do. The only matter in his thinker was an idle interest in the fact that the vomit was steaming as it hit the flooring. 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 amiss. You need a healer. ``

'' I ca n't leave yet ! ``

'' The aurors will- ''

'' No ! '' Harry turned and dashed into the green goddess. Snape heard a monumental crack from above and swung his verge up, not fast enough. The wooden ray of light struck Harry in the back and drove him down, knocking him out and pinning him to the floor. Snape dashed forward, for once not even thinking of his wand, and shoved the electron beam off with all his lastingness. It thudded onto the flooring and Snape rolled Harry onto his back. stock was running down the poor boys haggard face.

'' Oh Harry .... why ? You fool ... '' Snape felt rising angriness. None of it directed at Harry. `` You did n't own to do this. You did n't induce to do any of this. You did not take in to destroy yourself .... darn you Dumbledore ! '' He slammed his fist into the cracked reason and bowed his head. He did n't even find the arcsecond irradiation before in struck him on the back and drove him from consciousness.

And all around the fire raged.
*


'' Are all of your people out. '' Shacklebolt yelled at Ginny.

'' Not Harry. '' Ginny frantically glanced back into the blaze. `` 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. `` semen on ... ''
*


The watcher scrabbled through the fire warehouse. He had come following the aurors, come hoping to kill to a greater extent death eaters. suit nuisance to the snake-one. case pain to Tom brain-teaser. But all he had found was flames, flames and death.

His eyes darted around, trying to receive 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 floor, but he would die for sure. And if he died he would never get his revenge.

afters sweet-smelling retaliation ... He took a moment to enjoy the thought as the flames licked at his legs.

What was that ? A hollow in the floor, one of the muggle ones. A way out. He shuffled towards it and flicked the top off with his wand. As he was about to lower himself into it he froze. Just nearby were two digit pinned to the ground by a shaft. One he did n't recognize, but the other ... The former was the fighter-boy the one who had reached the servants of the snake-one before him. He fought the snake-one, Tom Riddle, the thief of life, the prankster, the face-stealer, the- He shook his capitulum as the list of hatred raged through his mind.

He lifted the art object of wood off easily with a spell and regarded them through his fleet eyes. 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 land and scuttled to a faded windowpane and threw them through the trash. There were shouts from outside and he could see the attired men clustering around them. The robed men could n't see him though. He scuttled back to the mess in the base and lowered himself in.

They could n't catch him yet.

He still had killing to do.
*


Harry stood in the apple orchard again. The leafage turned brown for the time of year, the solid ground wet with dew. In every direction it stretched, impossibly deep.

'' Why am I here ? '' Harry tried to say, but his mouth would n't get to sound. His pharynx was closed.

What is this shoes ?

Harry turned on his heel and there was the sharpness of the trees, just paces away. And beyond it ... nix. The human race just dropped away as if the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree were the only material thing.

The sound of the river raged in his ears, filling him with fear. He ran from the edge, back into the base hit of the trees, back into the genuine 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 blazon to his chest. This was a dream, this was only a dream.

Then why does it sense like this is the only thing that 's real number ?
*


'' He 's awake. ``

genus Draco dropped off his hospital bed at the sound of the healer voice and hurried up to the side of Harry 's bed. almost of the other marauder clustered around with him. The Weasley similitude and Annapurna were all in their own bed, kept mercifully unconscious while their injuries healed. They had all been hurt when they managed to drag themselves out of that hell, it was a humble miracle none of them were dead. No ... not a miracle, they had trained, they had prepared. That was the reason they were still alive. Not a miracle.

genus Draco looked down at his booster, lying pale and wan on the hospital plane. His eyes had cracked undefendable, but he still was n't moving.

'' Welcome back Harry. '' Hermione grasped Harry 's hand encouragingly. `` Do n't try to talk yet the doc said you were really sick. ``

'' ... ah ... '' Harry licked his brim and tried again. `` ... Volde ... mort ... ''

'' He got away. '' Ginny supplied. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, a crucify moan broke out from somewhere in his chest.

'' Do n't feel bad first mate. '' Ron was clearly trying to sound well-being. half-wit. `` Only three decease feeder got away. We got all the rest, all of them. ``

'' Who ... ? '' Harry 's head was hissed out through obvious pain.

'' Well, there was Rookwood. '' Padma began, counting off on her finger. `` He managed to slip past the aurors. Forneus too. ``

'' Three ... ''

'' And ... '' Padma 's optic flickered towards Neville. `` And Bellatrix. ``

'' Bella ... '' Harry 's face contorted into a snarl. `` Got her ... Could swear I got- ''

'' You did Harry. '' Ginny picked up a glass of water and slowly helped Harry to imbibe from it. `` The aurors were dragging her out but she came to in their arms, killed one of them with her bare hands and dissapperated with his wand. ``

'' Killed ? He died ? '' Harry 's vocalism seemed to be coming a bit easier now but it was still at the border of weakness.

'' Yes. The only auror, order phallus or marauder to die yesterday. '' Draco supplied, he could see Ginny 's head bowing. She could n't possibly feel guilty could she ? The man had let an unconscious prisoner rip out his windpipe. It was tragic, but it was no one fault but his own. Harry certainly would n't feel guilty.

'' We got the rest though did n't we ? '' Harry asked, glancing down at his bind hand.

'' Most of them are dead. '' Draco supplied. `` Those who did n't die in the fight died in the fire. ``

'' Hylobates lar died. '' Neville said quietly. `` I saw the aurors pulling him out. Someone should severalise Vanessa. She deserves to know her father 's beat. 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 mitt ... '' Hermione brought it up and there was an instant cooling among the marauders. No one had wanted to be the one to ask Harry about it. `` Your manus it ... ''

'' Injured, I know. '' Harry looked over at it dully. `` Can the therapist fix it ? ``

'' They ... they can grow the digit back Harry but- ''

'' perfective tense, that 's fine then. ``

'' But how did it happen in the inaugural place ? '' Hermione looked like she was trying to debar actually looking at the mitt. `` Snape said you used a wandless killing curse which is impossible- ''

'' Apparently not. '' Harry cut her off. `` If they can fix me then why have n't they started ? I need my hand back, Voldemort could retaliate at any moment. ``

'' Harry ... '' Hermione looked around, perhaps looking for backup. Dragon shook his head, she had opened Pandora 's box she could deal with it on her own. `` Harry the paw is n't the only matter wrong with you. ``

'' Some sorting of curse word or something ? ``

'' No, at least ... they do n't recollect so. ``

'' What are you talking about ? ``

'' Well- '' Hermione began but was cut off as a voice said,

'' Let me explain. '' Draco looked towards the speech sound to see Snape striding in through the door. The marauders made way for him as he moved to the foot of Harry 's bed. A white patch encircled his forehead but he did n't look to notice it. Snape nodded towards Harry 's ruined hand. `` I think I understand now. That was a Shén de shou was n't it ? ``

No. No Harry oh god no ! genus Draco felt some horrific cocktail of fury, fear and shame grow in his chest. He didn't, he couldn't have. But Dragon knew in his sum that he could.

'' By the fact that you 're asking you already know that the result is yes so why annoyance. '' Harry replied coldly.

'' Harry you are twice the fool I ever named you. '' Snape bowed his head teacher, his eyes closed. `` That you would do this ... ''

'' Do what ? '' Ginny broke in. `` Do what ? What 's a ... Shin-de-show ? ``

'' Shén de shou, a god-hand. '' Dragon supplied, finding that his voice was almost tinged with crying. `` It 's an operation, originating in Red China, they insert wand essence into the bones of your bridge player. Surgically. '' There was a pant from the marauder 's but Draco carried on. It felt better if they knew it too, like the repugnance was more spread out. `` It 's outlawed everywhere in the world. It is insanely severe, even when they are done right they damage the user since the legerdemain has to impel it 's way out through physical body and skin. And casting a curse as brawny as the killing swearing ? He 's lucky he still has an arm. ``

'' I was n't planning on using it levitate plume. '' Harry said acidly. `` It was a weapon system of final resort, and it worked. I saved myself and almost killed Voldemort. ``

'' If it were only that round-eyed Harry. '' Snape still was n't looking Harry in the eye. `` Your Shén de shou may have been installed properly, it may not have been. Either way it would not account for all of your symptoms. And yes Harry, you have many symptoms. The healers found transmission in your blood, some new and some just remainder. 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 climb in his tum. He was sick right at the showtime of the year and I did nil ... I could possess prevented this.

'' You are hurt more deeply than anyone can recite, and they can barely tell at all because of that ! '' Snape pointed at the languish and come off bracer around Harry 's arm. `` You have it charmed so that none but you can remove it. Your paranoia is killing you since the evil eye prevents the healers from telling what is actually damage with you. A fact I think you know, a fact I think you know very well. You do not want anyone to know what was going on inside you. You got the Shén de shou Harry thrower, but what else did you get ? You came back after a summertime 's prison term and suddenly you stand toe to toe with Death eater ? People who have spent their lives learning the blackest of arts ? No ... no ... You did not simply train over the summer calendar month. What else suppurating sore under your tegument ? What else have you done to yourself ! ``

The secrecy in the room was unanimous as granite, and as harsh. Harry licked his lip before answering slowly, measuredly,

'' If I answered you, you would have the healers remove what I had put in. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' Why ? ``

'' To lay aside your aliveness. '' Snape was virtually shaking.

'' My life 's deserving nothing if Voldemort 's around. '' Harry shook his head. `` Afterwards. I 'll obliterate Voldemort then the stuff comes out. Until then I need it. ``

'' Afterwards ? Afterwards ? '' A tear squeezed out of the recession of Snape 's eye, shocking everyone. It might suffer been a tear of rage, it might not. `` Harry by then it may be too late ! The therapist say that you have calendar month, half a yr at very advantageously, if we do not do something. ``

'' And expect what I 've done with a year ! '' Harry yelled angrily. `` I 've pushed Voldemort back to the threshold ! How many last eater does he have left ? FOUR ! Down from what ? Twenty ? Thirty ? I knew I would n't have practically time. I accepted that my lifetime would be severally cut, but I have taken my lifespan and beaten that Hydra faced wanker around the head with it ! He is hanging by a train of thought thanks to me ! I am the only one who can defeat 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 retrieve so, god help me, I went out and found some advantage. I had to. And if it means I win my big prophesy fighting against the love child ? Then I made the veracious outcry. And if I do n't ? Then it wo n't matter anyway. ``

Harry cut off, his bureau rising and falling sharply, showing how much his delivery had taken out of his injured frame. Snape was just standing there, his face an unutterable mask of sorrowfulness. Another tear, and another. prof Snape looked like a man who had had a knife stuck through him, impaling his heart.

'' Back on the ship. '' Padma 's whispering phonation cut through the silence like a siren. `` Back on the ship you knew where the crowd were. You knew where the creature were. You even knew where the ship was in the center of the Nox on a stormy sea. You knew where we were too. You put the glasses in your pocket, I never saw you put them on. We were invisible, but not to you. Oh god Harry ... tell me you did n't. Tell me ... '' Padma reached a handwriting forward, up towards Harry 's face. Harry did n't flinch back even as her longsighted fingernail reached up closing and tapped his eye.

The unmistakable click of glass was like a death toll.

'' Your eye ... '' Hermione breathed, every reverb of her voice begging it not to be true. `` You ... you cut out your eye ? ``

'' No, guy at the store did it. '' Harry tried to perplex Padma 's hired man away but clearly did n't have the long suit. `` Do n't you all look at me like that. I saw how useful Moody 's was and got one for myself. This one's better though, it can look anywhere, out the back of my forefront and all but it's charmed to reckon like it's pointing the Same way as the other one. So no one ever knows. It 's been utile, More than useful. You ca n't tell me it has n't. '' Harry's vocalism had grown more sharp as he spoke.

'' But ... your eye. '' Hermione shuddered, her manus involuntarily flinched up to her face. `` How could you ? ``

Draco felt bile rise like a vent. Just the thought of tearing out his own eye made him sick. What frozen and horrific will would it exact to willingly select that self-mutilation. For the first time that year, Draco began to fear Harry a little.

'' Do n't seem at me like that. '' Harry was shying away from their stares, pushing back into the bed. `` What ... Do n't ! Do n't look at me like you do n't have it away why I did this ! Do n't calculate at me like you do n't understand. I had to ! ``

The desperation in his vocalism. The need for them to read, to justify what he had done. Draco shuddered. In Harry 's property would he sustain done the same ? He honestly could n't suppose. No one could. Draco cleared his throat,

'' Harry, I ca n't think why you chose to do this. But you need to let the therapist fix you now. ``

'' Draco, I ... you too ? '' Harry seemed very small in that moment. Very lost.

'' Please let them fix you Harry. '' Draco felt a small manus apprehend his and glanced to the incline to see Ginny. Offering supporting. A salutary protagonist. Thank you. `` You might now even need this poppycock anymore. Voldemort is weak, maybe- ''

"Maybe !"Harry snapped."Maybe, maybe MAYBE ! That ‘ s all I ‘ ve heard all yr ! I won ‘ t reliance to trust ! It ‘ s too important."

"Harry please ..."Draco's pharynx felt like it was closing up."Please ... you may not see just how much damage you ‘ re doing to yourself. Waiting a few weeks even could-"

"frustration Voldemort."Harry said coldly."I ‘ ve made my choice. secern the healer to fix my hand, just the hired man. You don ‘ t think I wish it was different ? I do. But some bastard prophecy had the rancor to set my lifetime in motion long before I had any say in it. I have to win. I have to win even if I die because cypher else subject. Turns out this scrap 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 voice was shocking. He had accepted his luck down to his bones. He had drunk it in public treasury it was the very core of his being. Was Harry even in there any More ?

Draco was shocked out of his thought process by a small audio. It took him a moment to recognize it, but when he did it surprised him once more. Snape was gripping the end of the infirmary bed so hard the wood was splintering. When Draco looked up at the potions master's face he almost cried out in fright. The most fearsome sinister rage genus Draco had ever seen was painted across Snape's face, etched in every line and crease. The colored shadows in his oculus were seething puddle of suppressed ferocity. Suddenly Snape let out an almost inhuman growl and disapperated on the spot, tearing a part of the bed away with him.
*


No thought entered the red fog of Snape's judgement as he strode towards the William Henry Gates of Hogwarts. His sceptre whipped out and the vast room access were thrown back with a rumbling clangoring that shook the palace. He could not manage less if the solid edifice 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 leap out of his way. He was too angry to deal. He saw the gargoyle statue ahead of him and forced the password out through gritted teeth. He rode the stairs up listening to his own racing split second in his ears. The stairs ground to a halt and Snape slammed the doorway open. Dumbledore looked up in seismic disturbance from the paper 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 estimate how to give part 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 cognise why Harry is in St Mungos ?"Snape tried to breath evenly."Because, in an effort to fulfil your treasured 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 palms."But not just that, he had his own eye cut out to fit a magical one. Those and who knows what early mutilations are slowly destroying him. He is going to die because of them. Because of the divination. Because of you !"

Dumbledore was staring off into the distance, he looked like his mortal was being torn out. Good.

"The boy destroys himself, tears himself apart. He is ready to die, because of the prophecy."Snape drew his case down level with Dumbledore's."I think it ‘ s time he learnt the the true. Don ‘ t you ?"

"Severus ..."

"You tell him."Snape held a trembling finger up."I will give you one chance to tell him, to quench some of your guilt with Lunaria annua. But rest assured, if you do not tell him, I will. This lie has poisoned too practically already."

"You realize ..."Dumbledore spoke as if from within a fog."That the Sojourner Truth may break him ?"

"No more than the lie has."

"Perhaps."Dumbledore stood, leaning heavily on his desk. He seemed ... ancient. Ancient and tired."I will order him now. Which room is he in ?"
*


Harry glanced up as the infirmary door was pushed receptive and Dumbledore stepped in and braced himself for being yelled at. Dumbledore just walked slowly towards Harry's bed, his hand kept flinching out to the side as if expecting to find a cane there.

"fry,"Dumbledore addressed the marauders."Would you leave us ? Please."

"What are you going to do ?"Ginny stepped in front of the bed protectively.

"Just talk Miss Weasley."Dumbledore's drumhead hung weakly."Only talk."

"It ‘ s alright Ginsters."Harry nodded towards her."It ‘ s alright."

Ginny looked in question but waved the marauders to stick with her out. As the doorway banged shut Dumbledore walked to the end of the room, glancing at each bed, then flicked the curtains closed with his baton. Another wave of his baton and Harry heard a little muffled audio from the door. Whatever Dumbledore was about to say he didn't want anyone hearing. Finally Dumbledore shuffled over to the bed opposite Harry's and sat carefully. There was a long mo of quiet that stretched on and on ...

"Yes ?"Harry asked, lecture still hurting his throat."You got something to say ?"

"I ... I do not have it off how to begin."Dumbledore seemed lost, a little recede boy in the woods."I suppose I should come out by telling you how ... how incredibly sorry I am. You must think I never expected that you would do this. But that is no excuse, no excuse at all."

"What are you saying ?"

"I ... Let me assure you a story."Dumbledore licked his lip."I am sorry but this is the but way I know to evidence you. It begins about 15 years ago, I had just born-witness to a prophecy that gave the only Leslie Townes Hope for the surrender of the dark lord."

"I know this story."

"Harry please."Dumbledore raised his hands."This is firmly 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 tike of Lilly and James Potter. I knew that the small fry was our alone hope. Even before the prophecy was recorded in the department of mysteries I had already placed the Potter category under the strongest protective covering I could. Unfortunately I failed, I was betrayed."

"Sirius Black."

"Yes. Sirius Negro. But his treason, though it led to the deaths of two of the most weather and honourable people I know, also spelled the end of the shadow nobleman. Voldemort was destroyed. Most of the wizarding mankind considered him dead. The jubilation ... they went on for days ... week truly. The entire wizarding world breathed again thanks to the sacrifice of Lilly and James Potter and the survival of their son. The boy-who-lived. The boy who showed that Voldemort was not invincible. He was the symbol of triumph, the symbol of Leslie Townes Hope. But I knew the truth, that Voldemort was not truly suddenly. I knew that the divination was not yet fulfilled and that, when the shadow lord would finally grow again, the people would need the boy-who-lived. So I placed him with his mothers rakehell, with his aunt. The reasons were composite, the roue tie provided him protection of a form but it is unimportant now. I should have known my folly, should have known. It is my demerit in so many ways. My fault in every way that subject. I should have watched closer ... Because one day, when that boy was six, his aunt had taken both him and his cousin-german to the shops. Perhaps she was not paying attending or perhaps it was simply an fortuity, but the boy ran out into the road. A car struck him, terribly fast. I have watched the retentiveness of the clash through others centre ... he flew so far ... doctors worked on him, then I had him moved to St Mungos and the healers worked as strong as the could. But the damage ... the injury to his skull ... his pectus ... he passed from this existence. Just six years old. My geological fault. All my fault. His blood on my hands ... But I knew it was not over. I knew that Voldemort would still rise, the wizarding public would still need their symbol of hope, their boy-who-lived. Their hero. So I found another boy, of the make up age, in a muggle orphanage. I worked conjuring trick to change his appearance, his voice, his memories ... his memories I destroyed entirely and replaced with sham, I even supplemented them with some of my own retentivity of James potter to piss the boy seem like him. Then I placed him back at Privet driveway, I changed the memories of the aunt ... the uncle ... the first 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 pseudo grow up. I felt my guilty conscience grow. But it was done, and it could not be undone. My dandy ignominy ... the lie that makes everything else a lie as well. The truth is that the chosen one has been dead for nine years. You are not him."

Dumbledore trailed off, he seemed pocket-size, even weaker, as if letting this great hidden out of him had drained him of everything. Harry shook his caput. No ... No no no ...

"No, you ‘ re lying. You. Are. Lying."

"I so wish that I was."

"But I ‘ m the ... I ‘ m Harry Potter !"He shook his read/write head."I ‘ m Harry Potter !"

"No. You are not."

"I have the cicatrix !"

"I gave you that scar."Dumbledore had his oculus closed. But even so a tear squeezed out from the face, running down his long nose and dropping to the floor."I can remove it right now if you wish it."

"No !"His hands jumped up to his forehead 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 head word."I can not say that to you enough. I ... I destroyed you."

"No ! I ... I cut out my eye !"Harry could feel his blood pumping in his ears."I ‘ ve fought ! I ‘ ve fought him all class ! I ‘ m the chosen one !"

"You are not. There is no Chosen one."Dumbledore sounded like a man burning his last shred of hope."The divination died nine years ago. Voldemort won."

"No. No ..."He was shaking, he couldn't stop."Lies it ‘ s just lies !"

"It is not."Dumbledore shook his head."If you want validation just look to your friends. You named them the predator. On your very first day. How did you know that epithet ? You know that Henry James thrower named his group of friends the Saame ?"

"No, he can't have ! It ‘ s a lie !"

"It is not. You knew the epithet because I put in in your mind. If you doubt me ask anyone who was at school with them."Dumbledore was speaking in dead tones now, he had reached the bottomland."I have heard you refer to Professor Snape as Snivellus and to Remus Lupin as Moony. Those were both name calling James Potter invented. You also knew about prof Snape ‘ s nighttime mark. How else would you have it away ?"

"I ... I ..."The boy could finger himself shaking, his brain shaking apart.

"It is true. It is all unfeigned ... I am so sorry. I am so ... I can not begin to think what this must be doing to you. What this has done to you."

"So ... who am I ?"The boy looked up."What ‘ s my name ?"

"I do not know."

"You found me !"He could try his shrill vocalization in his ears."You dragged me to this life you have to know !"

"I do not Harry I ‘ m ..."

"Harry ? Harry ?"The boy threw his pass back and screamed, a screeching cacophony 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 piss and threw it with all his strength, tears blurring his center. It shattered against the Headmaster ‘ s shoulder joint."Get out ! Get out ! GET OUT !"

Dumbledore fled the room, holding his arm. As the old maven crashed through the door the boy threw himself back against the wall and howled in pain and confusion, tearing at his hairsbreadth with hands like claws. Tears ran freely down his expression from the one material eye he had left.

Sobbing and broken he lay there, until darkness closed in.



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