Have n't said this in a piece so I should probably mention. I do n't own Harry Potter. I 'm not certain of the particular effectual branch of a character called Harry ceramist but not actually the Lapplander guy. But anyway, I do n't own any of the stuff I 'm not supposed to own. I may own the clobber I 'm supposed to own but since I 'm unconvincing to write it probably does n't matter.



It was a squeamish garden, the garden at Malfoy manor. At one sentence the Dubyuh were elegantly crafted topiary, a menagerie of fantastic creatures in notional poses, but they had been untended for a year and now they looked just like bushes. Just here or there you could see a shadow of a dragon, the wing of a swan. It was like looking at cloud. The Grass had grown up too, farsighted vane that got between your toes. It was half wilderness but then that was effective. It was a wonderfully passive place.

So why oh why had they nailed two bloody great quidditch goals into it. Harry snorted, they were ruining the view with their stupid game.

'' ejaculate on Harry ! '' Ginny swooped down laughing. `` There 's a spare heather ! ``

'' Right, the broom 's the job. '' Harry laughed back, waving his cane. `` Not the fact that I 'm fatal in the air at the full of meter and am currently down a limb. ``

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

'' Just keep it quiet you hooligans. '' Harry laughed as Ginny rose into the sky again. It would have been fun to go up and make a fool of himself, make them laugh when he fell off. But if he ever wanted to get rid of the walking pin he would cause to let himself actually heal. If he burst his guts candid nobody would laugh. wellspring ... maybe the Gemini the Twins would.

Harry turned and stomped off across the grass, back towards the house. The sun was beating down like a hammer and Harry was sweating by the clock time he reached the all-embracing gallery. He took a moment before climbing the stairs. Everybody knew he was recovering from his injuries but he did n't like to let them know how voiceless some thing were for him. bettor to just require a minute.

Harry stomped up the wooden step and dropped into a folding deckchair. The whole gallery was new wood, tacked onto the back of the ancient house. The vulture had conjured and constructed the thing the first day they got there, at Draco 's goading. The young Slytherin took an almost pathological pleasure in slamming radio beam into the ancient Malfoy mansion. It was all they could do to blockade him using fifteenth century daggers as nails.

The whole place had been transformed into a variety of piranha summer camp. All of them were there, at initiatory they had just come during the day to flow out, then in dribs and drabs they had attached themselves to rooms and began staying overnight. Harry was loving it, he had a engrossed audience. And now that the marauders numbered twenty they were a good consultation. Except when they did unpointed things like play quidditch or do prep. But at other times they were brilliant.

'' So, '' Harry turned to the deck chairman beside him, containing his newest enlightened. `` Who 's winning ? ``

'' I ca n't tell. '' Pythea took a kickshaw sip from a drinking glass of lemonade. `` They seem to own released four different sneaker so I do n't know how to tally. ``

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

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

'' Probably just trying to outgo the Twin Falls. '' Harry shrugged. `` How many bludgers were there ? ``

'' XII I believe. ``

'' Seemed like more. '' Harry glanced up at the biz flowing above the vast footing. 16 marauders were swooping and diving in the hot, dead, air. Like swallow. Harry envied them, not for the ability to fly, but for the relief from the heat that flying would institute. Harry brushed his sweat filled haircloth out of his fount and fanned himself with his hand. He turned to the girl next to him. `` How are you not sweating ? It 's like a warm day in Hades. ``

'' I 'm used to Hellenic Republic Harry. ``

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

His maiden wand had been taken from him by Voldemort at the end of his fourth yr, it had never been recovered. His irregular lay broken in Godrics holler. Both had worked for him wonderfully and he had wanted something as commodity. The for the first time day he had got out of infirmary he had stomped down to the old wand-makers shop to buy a new wand. Unfortunately the old man had had former ideas.

'' Out ! Out ! Wand-killer ! Get out of my shop class ! ``

'' But I just want- ''

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

Harry had been bundled from the shop by the scrawny old prick. As he fell backwards out the room access, his cane clattering on the cobbles, he had yelled.

'' I did also shoot down Voldemort you know ! '' But the door had been slammed shut in his case and he had gone back to the sign of the zodiac empty handed. Given that he did n't want to go to long without a wand he had scrounged through the things taken from the captured dying eaters. Eventually he had found one that worked. He never found out who it belonged to, did n't really weigh to him. It was made of reassuringly punk oak and had a nice round hold. It was just sometimes a piffling ... finicky. Finicky was the right Good Book. He just had to get used to it.

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

'' Are you sure you ca n't scan minds anymore ? '' Harry smiled over at Pythea.

'' You were staring at it. ``

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

'' I do n't use one. '' Thea hovered her lemonade up above her hand by way or substantiation. `` I had a different form of pedagogy. ``

'' Could you teach me ? ``

'' Do you have a few dispense with days ? ``

'' Ouch. '' Harry threw his hired hand to his chest in mock wounding. `` I 'm not that dumb. ``

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

'' Oh eventually. '' Harry put his weapon behind his fountainhead. `` I 'm in no hurry. No wait, starting line that. Once they come we do n't get to listen to Hermione worrying anymore. They need to come now. Right now. ``

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

Harry stretched out in his chair and yawned. It was prissy to give an actual holiday again, no worry about Voldemort, no pursuit to guarantee. It was relaxing. Harry eased his offend leg into a more well-fixed berth. He needed relaxing. His leg and his stomach needed relaxing. His brain needed it too. Harry closed his center and sighed happily. Through his illusion vision he could see Thea calculate over and smile fondly.

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

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

'' You could be a educational activity helper. '' Harry grinned. `` assist Trewalny- ''

'' Do n't even finish that judgment of conviction. '' Pythea shuddered. `` That thought is too horrible to contemplate. ``

'' But most of all you can be close to the edict in pillow slip they need your arcane talents. '' Harry wheedled. `` Your impressive arcane endowment. Your stick and unparalleled arcane talents. ``

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

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

'' Harry ... ''

'' And besides. '' Harry smiled warmly. `` You never got a chance to be a kid. assume this chance, come to Hogwarts. Let the marauders show you how to accept fun. ``

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

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

'' Harry ... ''

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

'' You ... ''

'' Me. ``

'' give up it. ``

'' Ca n't. ``

'' And you call me a terror. ``

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

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

stack, peck, peck.

'' Oh fine. '' Harry woke and cracked his cervix. The owl was n't holding a letter. `` Where are my bleedin event you stupid bird ? ``

'' Here Harry. '' Thea was sitting comfortably, holding a close up flake of theme in her hands.

'' The owl gave it to you ? ``

'' I 'm good with brute. '' Thea glanced down at the piece of paper. `` Do n't you want to jazz your issue ? ``

'' Not particularly. ``

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

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

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

'' brat. ``

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

'' Well that ... '' Harry nodded faintly. `` That 's not bad. That 's not too bad. Considering. '' He reached over and picked the event out of her hand. `` appealingness O. Ok that works for me. Defence ... E. ''

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

'' Defeating dark lords does n't get a written portion. '' Harry said indignantly.

'' Did you see the other results ? ``

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

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

'' The results ! The result are here ! ``

Harry 's ears were assaulted by Hermione 's screaming. Thea raised her bridge player to her ears and winced.

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


The adjacent day they did the only affair traditional after receiving Hogwarts letter. The customary, almost pilgramigical, head trip to Diagon Alley.

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

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

'' What ? ``

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

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

'' Maybe. ``

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

'' I 'm blase. '' Was his succinct reply.

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

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


Harry dropped into a seat in an ice-cream parlor. His left leg, and left arm were both killing him. He had never been more grateful that his bottomless bag absorbed the weight of the books he 'd bought. If he 'd had to carry them the traditional way he might well be short. It was n't even just the weighting or the injury, it was the the great unwashed. What had happened in the section of mysteries was known to every wizard in United Kingdom and probably a respectable turn outside as well. Harry did n't jazz which 1 were bad, the I that demanded an autograph like he was he was a bloody celebrity or the ones that shied away from him like he was a god. It was draining, physically and mentally. He needed a break.

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

'' Everyone wants to stop for ice emollient right ? '' Harry panted. `` We 're all stopping for ice cream. Not because I 'm almost utter. Stopping for ice cream because we want to, not because I 'm a bloody disable. ``

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

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

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

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

'' shuffling up your idea. '' genus Draco muttered and shook his head wryly as the marauders pushed tables together around the one Harry had claimed. Harry just sat back and grinned. The heat energy had beat down harshly all day but now it was evening and the air was pleasantly cool. Very passive. Harry wondered idly what he would do with a year of ataraxis. Probably go mental. Possibly get arrested. Without his lofty goals to justify his anarchy he was nonimmune to end up oust. He might get to harness himself in a bit. Just a bit. It was unfortunate that he had no idea how to do that.

'' coffee tree and chocolate. '' A strobilus was shoved into his bridge player by Padma.

'' What ? No waffle cone ? ``

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

'' Ouch. '' Harry chuckled as the marauders pulled up chairs around the mesa. Despite her irony Padma pulled up the president next to Harry. Thea sat down quietly on the other side. She was pipe down with everyone but Harry still. For person who had been one of the most powerful women in the man she was remarkably shy. Harry opened his mouth to ask her something when he felt a tug at his sleeve.

'' watch. '' Padma hissed quietly and cheekily. Harry 's eye followed her sneak gaze to the other face of the table. Ginny and Draco were sitting at the far early side of meat. As he watched Ginny held her ice pick out to Dragon, who bent to clobber it and ended up with a spot on his nose. Ginny laughed louder than it was natural to laugh at something so cliché and wiped the point off with a serviette. The diaper brushed down genus Draco 's face just a mo longer than was necessary. With his magic eye Harry could even see Ginny 's heartbeat quicken. Harry turned to Padma.

'' And he still remains totally oblivious. '' Harry shook his head in incredulity. `` Does he suffer some form of empathic blind-spot ? ``

'' Apparently. '' Padma snorted cynically. `` I think Ginny 's getting desperate. It 's almost unenviable. My darling Sister has been lending her mascara. And pick. ``

'' Interesting that you say creams in the same manner that others would say ... oh I do n't recognize. pot bile. ``

'' If he 's that oblivious he 's not worth it. By the way, if you want to swap some of the ointment for git gall I 'm game. '' Padma grinned slyly.

'' That would be really mean. ``

'' She would attract care though. ``

'' We do n't prank fellow marauders. '' Harry turned to the girl on his other side. `` Maybe you can tell us. See anything in their future ? Something belittled and squalling perhaps ? ``

'' I 'm not a portion vote counter Harry. '' Pythea said coldly. It was only the dim twinkle in her eye that told him she was kidding.

'' Not even a slight luck ? '' Harry arched an eyebrow.

'' What do you have a bun in the oven me to do Harry ? '' The footling seer smiled. `` understand tea leaves ? ``

'' Would that forge ? ``

'' Of course not. ``

'' Wait a min ! '' Ron spun troll from Pythea 's other English. Harry saw the seer jump in surprisal but deal it a moment later. Ron had n't noticed. `` Tea leaves do n't predict the future tense ? ``

'' No. However could they ? ``

'' What about clouds ? Tarot batting order ? Casting pearl ? ``

'' I 'm sorry Ronald none of those will establish you any perceptiveness into the future. '' Pythea answered calmly.

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

'' Making squeeze up ? '' Harry suggested.

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

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

Pythea laughed lightly into her mitt causing Harry to notice something.

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

'' Harry it 's okay. '' Pythea seemed to shift closer to him. `` I just do n't get any money that 's all. I left Ellas with naught and I 've been staying at the manor house ever since you know ... ''

'' You should have said something. '' Harry held out his cone. `` Here. You 'll like it, chocolate is one of the three safe U.K. look, coffee ice cream however is dangerously experimental. ``

Pythea chuckled as she daintily licked a drop off the side of his ice cream conoid. Harry turned it to let her get at all of it. He heard a snigger behind him and looked over his berm to see Padma covering her mouth with her hand.

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

'' goose egg. '' Padma 's heart flickered to Draco and Ginny on the other side of the table then back to him.

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

It was a totally fun and peaceful scenery. Harry should give birth known it would n't final.

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

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

'' A pity really. '' St. James the Apostle turned his pale, lined face to the sky. `` It looks like such a skillful eve. ``

'' Is it cold where you are ? ``

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

'' I 'm certainly curious as to who you are. '' Harry leant forwards. `` in conclusion time I followed your advice I was framed for murdering some dying eaters. ``

'' A too bad event Mr potter, but not my fault. '' James II spoke dryly and precisely. `` The info I gave you was entirely correct. ``

'' Yes. '' Harry nodded towards the baker Twin, both ( despite his Scripture ) looking ready to spring. `` You told me that their sire was targeted to be attacked so I do n't think you work for Voldemort. But that does n't mean you 're on the side of ripe. ``

'' goodness is meaningless. '' James I said definitely. His crisp Oxford enunciation making the Scripture seem even colder.

'' Now I know you 're on the unseasonable face. ``

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

'' You 'd improve talking fast then. '' Harry 's finger were gripping the sides of his chair.

'' Voldemort will aggress here. '' Was the simple response from the elderly visage in front of him.

'' Voldemort has just two last feeder and is supposed to be almost utterly. '' Harry grated angrily. `` How could he possibly mount an approach. ``

'' Dear boy do you expect me to severalise you everything ? '' St. James the Apostle smiled faintly. `` You would retrieve that this would be enough. Just know that as soon as the moon rises about twenty wolfman and at least as many necromancer will be attacking here. Whether you chose to conceive me ... is up to you. '' James disappeared where he stood, startling a passing family.

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

'' Yes. '' Harry 's teeth grated together. `` Sod the bastard but yes. '' Harry grabbed his cane and pushed himself to his wobbling animal foot. `` Neville, get inside the shop and flue the aurors, and the society. Everybody else start spreading out and getting citizenry into the fireplaces. Do not panic them. GO ! ``

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

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

'' Ok, do n't take this the wrong way but if something happens you need to stay out of the way. '' Harry raised his handwriting to her shoulder joint. `` check safe. '' Harry stepped back and waved the marauders to the left field and right down the street. He himself painfully stepped onto the table and amplified his voice.

'' Listen ... ag ... This is Harry ceramist. '' A sunniness went up from the crowd, some multitude began to scrabble for matter for him to bless. `` No no, Listen. We 've received a tip that there might be something bad happening here soon. It 's probably a false alarm, just some idiot who thinks he 's funny remark, but I 've talked to the aurors and they think we should void anyway. Just proceed calmly into the near shop and flue back to your homes. No pushing, just please go home. Do n't concern about your acquaintance up and down the street, we have people warning them too. ``

Harry tried to keep a calm smiling face as he waved masses into away, nodding with an almost banal normality. He heard clattering footsteps behind him.

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

'' What did the aurors say ? ``

'' I could n't get through them, the flue 's blocked. '' Neville panted. `` I went through the back and tried the next shop. It 's down too. I think they all are. ``

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

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

'' Try to apparate. ``

'' Is there a problem ? ``

'' Just try to bloody apparate ! ``

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

Harry spun back to side Neville. The nervous marauder was gripping his sceptre hard. Harry amplified his phonation harshly, twisting his verge until he could feel his vocal cords twanging.

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

Harry left Neville in charge and clattered back towards the leaky caldron, his leg felt like it was on fire. The entering wall came into hatful, closed. hoi polloi were crowded up against it, clawing at the bricks like skunk. Harry stopped, shocked.

'' Harry ! '' Lucy Kingston ran up to him, the bread maker twins trailing behind her. `` We tried to get them out but the flues are down. When they found out the panicked. I 'm ... I 'm sorry. ``

'' Get out of the way. '' Harry ordered them, raising his sceptre towards the gang. `` EVERYBODY move ! ``

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

"Confringo ! '' Harry aimed the curse at the center of the bulwark and blasted a golf hole in the masonry. He shot again and the rampart fell in, crumbling into rubble. Behind the wall a name stepped forward, his cheek veiled by a uncut textile and the residuum of him covered in recondite green. That was what everybody saw. magic middle saw more.

'' Get away from him ! '' Harry yelled, but he was too retard. The figure shot forward like a snake, his hired hand jerking into his article of clothing and coming out with a midst bladed dagger. In one smooth motility the man was amongst the crowd. The tongue came forward and Harry saw a spraying of blood. The knifeman spun and plunged the sword into the back of a woman who had turned to run then Harry was knocked to the side by pressing bodies as the gang stampeded away.

'' Let me through ! '' Harry yelled as he was buffeted madly. He could still see the knifeman in the cold blue of his legerdemain mess. The man was spinning randomly through the gang, opening veins and cutting throats like the flick picture of liquid death. Harry tried to push his way towards him but he was thrown back. `` Screw this ! Galbinus digitus ! Hammus missis ! ``

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

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

'' Stalagmite ! '' Harry jabbed his wand down and the cobbles exploded upwards in a jutting spindle, knocking the knife away. But the man was too debauched his unexpended hand dipped into his clothes and came back with a thin out wand before Harry could even stand. Harry had to vagabond away as a violent net of razor yarn came shooting towards him. He tried to stand but his leg buckled and he saw the scoot tongue again, too close this time.

'' Stubefy ! '' The red Light smashed the knifeman from behind and threw him to the floor. Harry struggled to climb up as Lucy and the two Bakers pushed through the live on of the gang to get to him. Lucy grabbed his arm and he gratefully pulled himself upright. `` Are you alright ? ``

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

'' We tried to- '' Dame Alice Ellen Terry baker began to utter but a knife bloomed from his shoulder and he was thrown back into his baby arms. `` Aaaah ! ``

Harry spun with his sceptre out. Out of the hole in the paries were climbing three more unripened shrouded figures. Harry 's eye buzzed through them and was more behind them. quite a little more.

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

'' I 'm not leaving you. ``

'' That 's okay, I 'm retreating too ! '' Harry hobbled backwards, his wand trained on the wall. A blurred flesh catapulted over the rampart, spinning in the air. Harry 's wand flicked out. `` Ferio ! '' The hex struck the man in the air and he crashed to the floor head first with a sickening crunch. Two more followed him and Harry threw more magic spell, beside him Lucy was madly shed curses. Harry could see the street behind the bulwark filling up with enemy. There were far to a greater extent than the twenty St. James the Apostle had warned about.

'' Difindo ! '' Harry raked his scepter along the bottom of the wall, forcing himself to push aside the three more warriors that had leapt over the top of it. `` Depulso ! '' His wall flew backwards along the street like a wrecking ball, sweeping the attackers back. Harry did n't have clip to gloat as a lion made of fervidness leapt out of slight air and raked his arm with burning nipper. He did n't vex to flame-freeze it, just blasted it out of the air and sent the flames back at the dark image advancing up the street towards them.

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

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

Harry blocked another curse but even as he did so two Sir Thomas More birr past times him and hit the crew. He heard cries of pain and torture. He could n't stop all of them. He could n't even stop most of them. This was going to be a bloodshed unless he could quit it.

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

Harry 's eye swiveled up and he cursed. There were at least five shady figures dashing along the rooftops towards them, the sheer slope not even giving them pause.

'' Bloody hell who are these guys ? Cover me ! '' Harry ducked behind Lucy as he jabbed his wand up at the shingles. `` Pinguis ! '' The tiles suddenly gleamed like an oil slipperiness and the running fig tumbled like skittles, skidding and scrabbling to find leverage before falling to the cobbles with a crunch.

Harry saw more spells coming from behind him and felt like cheering as he saw five more marauders dashing to aid out of the pressing crowd. genus Draco skidded to a plosive consonant next to him and instantly had to parent a cuticle to stop a spinning blade.

'' They 're attacking on the other face too ! '' Dragon yelled, his face covered with a lustre of effort. `` Ginny 's keeping them back but there 's nowhere for the crowd to go. We 're between a hammer and an anvil ! ``

Harry cursed even as his eye swirled in it 's socket and tried to focus to the other face of the crowd. No good, too many people. But he could see magic spell flaring up from the street beyond. Harry swore again and had to discharge off a do-or-die tabulator to a imperial curse hat hissed through the air like a snake in the grass. Harry swung his wand at the shops on either side of the street and yelled a charm. The meth in the windows shattered into knife-edge shards and swing out across the street like a scythe. Harry could hear the thuds as it bit flesh. It only gained them moments, new figures appeared almost instantly, crouching behind their utter comrades for cover. Harry used the meter to kick upstairs the sett in another wall but almost instantly it was struck with condemnation. Blasting away the endocarp and leaving holes for their enemies to can through.

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

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

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

'' This many hoi polloi ? Crammed in there ? '' Draco ducked behind a conjured cuticle. `` It would be a meatgrinder !. ``

'' It may be the alone chance ! '' Harry 's eye swivelled to witness the nighttime side street. Some multitude were trying to escape down it but about were shying away. Harry 's eye focused further, further down the street ... `` Oh for the ... ! Werewolves ! wolfman in knockturn ! ``

But the cry came too recently. They burst out of the darkness like a waving of sweating hair, cutting into the crowd like butter. Whether there were twenty or L or more than was insufferable to recount, they just seemed like one giant raging beast. The screams came louder and louder, as did the howls.

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

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

'' Gon na have to ! '' Harry glanced back at the street, filling again with foe. `` I ca n't move fast enough to fight lycanthrope. '' Harry summoned a wrecked board, ducked behind his stopgap protection and jammed his wand to the cervix. `` GINNY SEND TWO OF YOUR multitude TO KNOCKTURN skittle alley. WEREWOLVES ! ``

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

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

Harry was thrown to the flooring as his table exploded, showering him with tongue sharp splinters. He felt one bounce of his legerdemain eye and shuddered to think of what it would experience done to his real one. A knife spun out of the amobarbital sodium and cut a gash out of his arm.

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


Ginny abandoned the failing shelter of a doorway and dashed for a pile of rubble. piece zinged above her head, too many to count. She dove to the flooring and felt her hide tear as she slid behind her the bricks. The street was good of fury. Whoever the hell these guys were they were respectable. Better than death eaters.

heat. Lots of heat.

'' Ginny get out of there ! ``

Ginny threw herself forward before the stack she was hiding behind exploded into blue flame. She dashed back to the other vulture, spinning and casting charm at the phantasm flitting towards them. Too many to count. Every threshold was a voltage aggressor. Ginny reached the marauders and spin around in meter to shield and weather a blast of frozen leaf blade. She heard the crowd behind her yell in pain. Whatever the marauders did it was n't enough. The people were getting into Gringots but not fast enough, the crowd was too huge and the door to the bank too modest. Too many dying. Ginny steeled herself against the blood. It smelled like a slaughterhouse. She wanted to vomit.

'' There 's no more natural covering. '' Hermione 's voice was shaking. `` There 's no More cover. ``

'' We are the covering. '' Ginny yelled, trying to voice like Harry. `` air up in front of the bunch ! ``

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

'' Then line up in front of about of the crowd ! '' Ginny yelled archly. `` You chose who you want to let die ! ``

Ginny ducked to the floor and shielded as strongly as she could as a bombardment of spells knocked her back. She did n't try to fire back. She had to use everything she had to stay fresh the shield up. On either side it butted up against Hermione 's and Cho 's, right now it seemed like a composition wall. Ginny gritted her teeth they had to obtain. Just a small longer.

The crowd was surging backwards, slowly seeping away. The piranha backed their wall to follow them. Ginny tried to snub the fact that every cadence the crowd pulled back revealed Thomas More bodies from under their feet.

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

'' Hold the line ! '' Was the first gear thing that came to Ginny 's lips as she dropped her shield and blasted water onto the strike predator. She dashed to Cho 's position and grabbed her arm, hoisting the older girl onto her articulatio humeri. She threw up a precipitant shield that shattered instantly under the onslaught and was driven to her knees. Ginny summoned another shield and dragged her onus back, trying to neglect the fact that the arm draping over her shoulder was black with burns. Ginny 's brain seethed with rage and she itched to drop her shield and fire dark curses at the foeman before her. But she could n't. Wand shaking in her paw she kept her deadening retreat, her judgement recoiling at every piece that slipped through.
*


The black wall of passion just kept coming. The werewolf were mad with Moon, they did n't even give care when they were burnt or bled. You had to cut them down. The cobble were slippery with blood and viscera.

'' Difindo ! '' Draco flicked open a spurting slice in the neck of a snarling woman chaser, screeching howling of pain went up. He blocked them out. He glanced behind him, the crowd was squeezing back into the coin bank like a living matter, they were almost all inside. The vulture were almost back to the entrance now, one bulwark of defensive attitude shields, one wall of aggressive firing death. He could see Harry breaking giant chunks of route to fling like wrecking balls.

'' genus Draco duck ! ``

genus Draco did n't even recall, he just slammed himself to the floor. Green light blasted above his head. That was not a loup-garou ! Dragon rolled to his feet, wand out. In amongst the werewolves were loping frame, wands out and firing. Black mainsheet of tattered gown around them. Killing cuss one after another and another blasting out. They did n't even look to care if they hit the vulture, the werewolves or one of their own.

'' These are n't the Lapplander as the ninja guys ! '' Parvati screamed, ducking into a doorway to avoid the storm of curse word. Draco stabbed his wand forward.

'' Incendio ! '' A cloaked figure salvo into flaming but kept coming. Dragon cursed and took aim at a draped head. `` Reducto ! '' The head exploded but the organic structure kept lurching forwards.

'' What the underworld are they ! '' Ron 's quiver voice yelled out from fundament. `` They do n't die ! ``

'' Back up ! '' Draco desperately waved the marauders back. He stumbled backwards, aught could sacrifice people this power, this was insanity. A delusion or else a feverishness aspiration. Dragon dashed across the square away, there was no holding back these beast. There were still people in the street ! Draco ducked behind a bloody werewolf carcass but there was slight point, there were enemy all around now. The marauders were being pushed back, the green-clad assassinator coming from left and right and the werewolves and impossible warriors crashing in from the front.

genus Draco screamed as his arm was engulfed in flame and extinguished it with his arm. He shot a curse down the street at a shadow but missed. They were losing. A dark contour loomed over him and he spun, too tiresome. The hook figure fell on him and he felt steely-cold hands grab both his weapons system. With an inhuman forte he was held to the floor. The cap came up and genus Draco felt his eyes go panoptic with fear.

The expression had rotted away.

"Fulgar Fletch !"The clay above him was thrown backwards as a cloud of knives sliced it to typewriter ribbon. A indorsement cloud reduced it to flayed meat and the rotting shuck fell to the ground in pieces. `` Get up Draco ! ``

Draco scrambled to his substructure and spun to see Harry standing like a bloodstained god of war. He swung his wand in a tight arc and the knife leapt into the air again, each growing a set of devil's darning needle wings and darting forward to slice up another shambling shape to ribbons.

'' We ca n't kill than but we can shred them ! '' Harry yelled, standing in plain sight like he was daring the things to try to toss off them. `` We just need to carry for a few more damn seconds ! ``

Draco dashed back to the marauder line, spinning and sending flaying curses behind him at the pursuing creatures. In front of him he saw Ron struck in the side, with what he could not order. Draco dashed to help him but the cobble between them exploded into razor sharp shrapnel and he was driven back.

'' Just a few more bit ! '' Harry appeared out of nowhere, one arm gripping his cane like a vice, the other moving in a blur of spell casting. Ron was lifted from the floor and flew towards Gringots, Harry had n't even been looking at him. `` A few more than ! '' His arm was caught with the edge of a curse and he was spun off his human foot, pitching him onto the floor.

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

'' Now ! '' Ginny 's interpreter shouted out. `` Everyone inside ! ``

Draco 's feet skidded on the cobbles as he dashed for the whole tone of Gringots. He shielded as a curse winged towards him and had to roll out of the way of a killing curse. Ginny 's marauders were holding the line for just a minute longer, giving the residual of them a opportunity to get in. Draco powered up the footfall and spun when he reached the door, firing swearword as fast as he could. Harry was the only one left out there, slowly backing up the steps with his wand out.

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

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

Dragon did n't need Ginny 's shouted command, his fundament were already skidding him backwards. The heavy room access were slammed shut on his heels. He could hear curse sparking against the wood and cracking stone.

'' Colloportus ! '' Harry was back on his metrical foot and pointing his wand at the door.

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

'' No. ``
*


'' I want those mesa stuck across the windows ! '' Harry gestured with his cane. His eye was flickering around desperately trying to blot any early way their attackers could breach the building. `` Raise walls across the floor to shoot out of. And get all these people down into the burrow ! ``

'' Mr ceramicist you can not give parliamentary law here ! '' A hobgoblin appeared from nowhere, his eyes flinty. `` You had no rightfulness to imply Gringots in thaumaturgist business ! ``

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

'' That is not my job. '' The goblin snarled. `` leave-taking now or we will unfold the door and let those mass in. ``

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

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

'' Wait ! '' The gang was pushed aside and Pythea, her face streaked with dirt, stepped between Harry and the goblin. She turned on the hobgoblin with her work force spread out. `` You have to let them in. ``

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

'' These people have account statement. They have vaults. '' Pythea spoke quickly. `` By law if they request to access their bank vault you must let them. ``

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

'' I do n't think they 're listening to you. '' Harry said to the goblin, over the hollering. `` And besides, if they get in here do you think they 'll halt at killing the humans ? ``

'' You ... homo. '' The hobgoblin spat the last word before disappearing into the crush of people. A consequence later the construction shook like a bell. Harry spun and looked towards the door, he groaned.

'' They 're trying to check the door down. '' Pythea breathed, her representative steadfast than Harry thought he could suffer managed.

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

'' Do you think that will keep them out ? '' Pythea asked doubtfully.

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

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

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

'' Terry Baker has a tongue in him, I believe it may be poisoned but I can not tell. '' Pythea shook her head. `` Miss Chang has been burnt, I have done what I can for her. George Weasley was exsanguinated, I have spliced his circulatory system to his twin and they should pull through for a while. Joshua snag can not walk and I have no melodic theme what is wrong with him. He can speak but he does n't appear to be aware of what is going on. Oh, and I can not fire up Padma Patil. She seems comatose. ``

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

'' Harry ... ''

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

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

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

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

'' Hold on ... '' Harry let his eye focus out through brick and sticking plaster, then cursed. `` There are three hoi polloi in there. Children. They 're trying to obscure in the basement. They 're failing. ``

'' What ? ``

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

'' What do we do ? ``

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

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

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

'' Yes, they will ... '' Harry put his hand up to his face. `` And the absolutely men seemed to act the same. Maybe I can absorb them off. ``

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

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

'' Me ? ``

'' You. '' Harry turned back to Ginny. `` lot them back towards the Leaky Cauldron. If you meet the aurors coming the other way tell them to look sharp the hell up ! ``

'' What about those three small fry. '' Hermione pointed out the windowpane again.

'' If someone gets up to the roof through ... through that window they can get over there without drawing attention. '' Harry gripped his cane angrily. Something else he could n't do. `` genus Draco I need you to go alone. We ca n't spare more than citizenry. ``

'' They 're tyke ! '' Hermione protested.

'' So are we ! '' Harry shouted back. `` And so are half the hoi polloi huddling in the burrow right now ! Why do you reckon they picked the day after the Hogwarts letter to snipe ! We need to economize as many the great unwashed as we can. '' He stumbled as the edifice was rocked with another blast. The Harlan Fiske Stone around the door was beginning to buckle. Harry swiped his baton along the floor to clear a space. He pointed down at the marble.

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

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

'' You ready ? ``

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

Harry raised them to the point of the windowpane, then drew them back. With a flick of his wand the two piranha were thrown out into the street in their stone birthplace. enchantment chipped and blazed against the marble but Harry held it as a carapace for the two lady friend, anchoring it to the soil. The residue was up to them.

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

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

'' What are you looking at ? We still need to protect this space ! '' They scattered and Harry began raising blood line after line of wall as defence. He drew lines of lace wire in social movement of the door and disillusioned it. Hopefully they would n't notice it.

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

'' Theia I just sent some of my in force friends out to die because I ca n't do it. '' Harry 's own voice sounded bitterness in his ears. `` But I 'm certain as netherworld staying here to discontinue them getting through. That 's all I can do, but I 'll do it if it kills me. ``
*


'' They 're not following us ! '' Vanessa was peeking out from behind their stone shelter, jerking her head back as a shower of spells bit ball out of the floor.

'' Damnit. '' Ginny 's blood was pumping heavily in her auricle. Nothing they did could realise the werewolf chase them. Nothing. They were just milling around in front man of the bank and howling while the ninja men tried to reveal in.

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

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

'' The absolutely I are coming too ! '' genus Vanessa screamed as she darted ahead. Ginny threw a look over her shoulder joint and saw the true statement of it. The dead men were sprinting madly in amongst the wolves, their hooded faces up and sniffing the air. Drinking it in like it was honey. Ginny thought she could see glowing red heart beneath the disastrous hoods. For a mercy the ninja-men seemed to make more self command. They were not following, but instead pounding again on the door of the goblin 's bank.

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

'' Ginny duck ! ``

Ginny did n't even recollect, she just let her legs turn up under her, falling like a Lucy Stone. The a wolf flashed over her prone eubstance and crashed to the floor. Vanessa stunned it before it had a prospect to rise. Ginny scrambled to her human foot but she could n't move fast enough. An arm closed around her leg. She kicked madly but the arm had the strong suit of the dead.

'' Summon me ! '' Ginny screamed.

'' Accio Ginny ! ``

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

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


Draco slid out of the window and pulled himself over the peak of the cap to hide on the other side. He tried to pick good footing as he hurried along the tiles. One chimney ... two chimneys ... he was looking for the 7th theatre. For a moment Draco wished he had Harry 's eye but pushed the thought away. That way of thinking lead to unfortunate paths.

Seven chimney. Dragon put his ear to the tiles and heard zip. Damnit.

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

Draco tried to think of a way to break through the tiles without causing too much dissonance. Silencing spell. Draco cast it and blasted the silent tiles away with a reducto. The space below was black. He leant down, lighting his wand. The Christ Within seemed swallowed by the inky darkness.

Suddenly the tile by his legs erupted and he felt his pegleg dragged back. He fell like a stone through the roofing tile and landed on his cover with a lightning stab of pain. He kicked as intemperate as he could and knife his scepter at the dark shape clutching his leg.

'' Confringo ! '' The figure 's pectus exploded, raining Dragon with skeletal shrapnel. He felt a stabbing pain sensation in his chest. Through the pain his eye caught movement by the stairs. He rolled just before green Light obliterated the floor where he had fallen.

'' Confringo ! '' The explosive curse seemed the best weapon against these dead things. Draco pulled himself to his feet and stumbled to the stairwell. He heard a scrabbling and stunned a loup-garou as it put it 's matted head around the bend.

Draco was breathing hard. He put his manus to his chest and felt a long sliver of bone stabbed into him. Perfect. With his wand held out shakily, Draco slowly made his way down the stairs.
*


They were almost to the caldron, Ginny could see it appear around the crimp. Vanessa was dashing beside her, her oculus wide with fear. Ginny vaulted over the big bucks of rubble from the wall and spun with her scepter out. They were so close !

'' Reparo ! '' The bricks flew together madly, Ginny willed them to arrive together faster than the beasts were moving. Vanessa spun beside her and began firing through the rapidly closing gap. Two werewolf leapt through and were sliced to the side. Ginny held her wand tight and tried to force the turn to act faster. A mantled figure slammed through the bricks and pounced on Vanessa, throwing her to the floor. Vanessa screamed with horror.

The wall was n't fixed yet !

safekeeping her wand trained on the bricks Ginny darted over and slammed her metrical foot into the spinal column of the robed figures head. It did n't even seem to finger it. She kicked again, crashing her foot into the beast 's shrouded facial expression. There was a hideous crush and the headland snapped back, hanging by flight strip of cutis. The close brick slammed into post and Ginny whirled.

'' Depulso ! '' The thing was thrown off Vanessa. `` Difindo ! '' She slashed her verge like a brand and fetted descent spurted out, filling the air with a rotten smell. She slashed again, taking off first one arm then the other, then finally the leg, collapsing the dead thing into a twitching cumulation on the base. Ginny stumbled to the gutter and vomited.

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

Vanessa did n't speak, she was staring at the pile of blood-soaked robe and body parts, her dark eyes wide.

'' Why did n't you press him ? '' Ginny straightened up. `` Did you leave everything I taught you ? ``

'' It ... '' genus Vanessa sounded like she was speaking from mystifying in her own grave. `` It was my father. ``

Ginny felt her stock freeze. She walked over to the torso and gingerly lifted the punk off with her wand. She stumbled back and was almost sick again. There was nothing there but a masses of rakehell and broken off-white. Her kick had stove in the rotted bone and left the facial expression looking like rancid mince.

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

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

Ginny reached out a hand to comfort her classmate but realized she had naught to say. She turned to the wall and pointed her scepter at the modest tobacco pipe at the base.

'' Oderifer. '' There was plenty of blood already on her verge and the red mist floated out and down the piping. There was an blink of an eye set of muffled ululation from the other side. That should continue the werewolves and dead men off Harry 's back for a while.

And give Draco a chance to survive. Maybe.

What was that ! Ginny whirled, wand out, towards the Leaky Cauldron. She was certain she heard something from interior. Aurors ? Not even the most affirmative of desirous thinking could persuade her of that.

'' Vanessa, stay here. hold open the spell going. '' Ginny motioned to the former marauder without looking and slowly stepped towards the doorway. The room access was off it 's hinge but she could see nothing from inside, just broken tabletops and a bar entire of smashed glass. She stepped to the sharpness of the room access and peered around tentatively. There were torso. But she had seen too many of them today to be horrified. Wait ... two of the bodies were Green River robed like the attackers, slumped over a board. Ginny slowly stepped into the darkened pub and checked around. There did n't seem to be anyone left alive. She stepped up to the two corpses and slowly drew their goon back. Dull glassy oculus stared back at her out of faces twisted in annoyance. They had both been stabbed brutally and repeatedly, the second still had the knife embedded deep in his neck.

These two had probably been left as a guard, but who had killed them ? Did the grampus just leave ?

Ginny 's blood froze as she remembered why she had come in here originally. She had heard a interference. Thinking back, it could have been someone dissapperating. But that meant that this place was outside the wards ! Ginny dashed towards the fireplace and grabbed a generous handful of powder. The green flame that sprung up were the most brilliant thing she had ever seen.

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


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

Where were the remainder ? Where were the kid ? These thoughts came to Draco through a haze of pain. The tiddler were in the basement ... he needed to go down. genus Draco staggered to a set of spiral Harlan Stone steps and started down them, leaning his blooded body against the wall.

As he neared the merchant ship a door came into purview. Before the door were two of the all in thing, slamming their rotting body against the Wood. As Draco approached they turned to face him. One set of glowing red eyes and one of hollow rotted sockets.

'' Confringo ! '' Draco ducked back into the stairwell as the first tool exploded and retreated further as a barrage of killing curses came flying down the pit hallway. Draco waited for a gap to spin out from around the recession. `` Confringo ! '' The secondment beast disintegrated into shrapnel. Draco felt his bad arm explode with pain but did n't take care down. He stumbled to the wooden door and slammed his fist against it.

'' I 'm human. '' His voice sounded thick and atrocious. `` Let me through. ``

The curl clicked and the room access swung in. Draco 's wooden leg gave out and he fell in. He kicked the door closed and glanced into the sorry basement. Three shining sets of eye looked back at him from petite frames. None of them could have been older than four. They were in pyjamas, already set up to be tucked in when all hell broke loose.

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

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

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


Harry was thrown backwards and rolled to his feet. A nigrify embodiment landed in front of him, long tongue raised. Harry slammed his cane straight up into his attacker's crotch and kicked the man's stage out from under him. Harry raised his wand to finish the job but another flesh darted at him, wand out, out of the dust. Too quick ! Harry stumbled backwards as he fenced with flashing illumination against his attacker. The man was too blinking quick ! The bastard jabbed in with his unexpended paw and Harry felt a slash open along his costa. Do not let them get close !

"Excalabus !"Harry slashed out and saw jounce in his attacker eyes as the shining brand clove him in two. But his firstly attacker was back up and raging for blood.

Harry didn't face for help. There was no help. The ninja screeched something and Harry couldn't dodge in prison term. Writhing pain in his chest drove him to his knees. Harry turned the drop into a bowl and came up with his sceptre out.

"Ferio !"The spell was blocked but it had given Harry time to stagger backwards. They were coming faster now. Spilling through the broken threshold too fast to enumerate. Harry was driven back by a barrage of trance and ducked behind a barricade, only to have it explode in a muckle of marble gravel.

"Atrax !"Harry swept his wand across the debris, every shard grew spindly ramification and Fang and darted towards the foeman. Harry had never used the charm before and hoped to god the spider-rocks were poisonous. He leapt behind a tower before spinning and jabbing his wand back at the entry. He fired off a magic spell and 30 came flying back. The nuisance in his chest was back. Harry looked down to see his shirt drenched in bloodline. His or former citizenry ? Both. Harry could see through the cloth to where his skin had been flayed off in huge glob by his attacker's condemnation. nil he'd seen before. Who the hell were these guys ?

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

Wait ...

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

"Stubefy !"

"Confringo !"

Spells sparked out from the still standing marauders like a paries off spears. Harry's eye darted madly around the student residence, trying to retain up. No, who was that on the floor ? Neville ... not dead. Harry could see his heart beating.

"Stubefy !"Harry stunned a charging ninja and levitated him up block. Harry darted out from behind his mainstay. Three daggers instantly slammed into his man shield. sod. Harry dropped the dead weight and dropped to the flooring, skidding across the wet marble. He grabbed Neville's leg and yanked him out of the firing line, throwing a Sir Ernst Boris Chain to trail them both back to the barricades. Harry dropped him there and darted back to his place by the pillar.

Harry heard a scream and saw a gush of line of descent. Who was it ? No fourth dimension ! Harry swung out from his hiding place and sent a storm of lighting into the bulk of attackers. His pillar was struck with a swearword. There was a hurry auditory sensation and it began to beam from rapidly spreading cracks ...

Harry shielded in panic but it barely dulled the military unit when the tower exploded from within, throwing him across the room and slamming him into the wall. His arm shattered and pain in the neck overwhelmed him.

Occlumency ! Come on !

Harry blanked his cerebration for all he was Charles Frederick Worth and, with agonizing slowness, gained control of his mind again. His arm was broken, shattered like a rod of ice, and hung limply at his slope. The lesion in his stomach had broken outdoors and was gushing blood. Could he raise his wand ? Could he even raise his wand ?

"Harry !"Harry could see a gory Hermione hunched over him, shielding him desperately. She grabbed his arm and dragged him back behind the endure standing roadblock."Can you stand ?"

Have to. Harry tried to mount but fell back. There were only two marauders left fighting and Harry wasn't arrogant enough to bet himself in that number.

Not enough. Not enough left.

They were finished.

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

"Reducto !"Harry saw a long crack open through the marble."Reducto !"The crack widened."Redu-"

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

"Wh ..."Harry's eye flickered around, nothing was moving. nada but the marauders and the groaning wounded."Wh ... where did they go ?"Harry's brain tried madly to process that. It seemed like they had been fighting for his intact life. His eye cycled out. Out beyond the bulwark. Negro robes. But the good variety. He could piece out Ginny and genus Vanessa's small build out in the middle.

"The aurors are here."Harry struggled to his feet. Leaning against the bulwark he could almost do it."They came. About flaming sentence ..."

Blackness drained back into his mind and he fell back into intimate unconsciousness.
*


genus Draco pushed the cellar door spread gingerly.

"Is it safe ?"One of the children whispered.

"Shut up."Draco muttered.

"Are they gone ?"

"Shut up."Draco slowly made his way forward, wand out in one hand, the other pressed against the wall for reenforcement. The bodies were gone. Was that good or bad ? Everything was bad.

"Is it safe ?"

"I told you to shut-"Dragon bit off his angry admonition. They were too young and their parents were probably dead. consecrate them something."I think it ‘ s safe. Let ‘ s go. stoppage behind me. And persist quiet."Draco dragged his ft up the volute stairs and stopped at the top. He could hear voices from outside. Someone was yelling orders. Aurors. Finally the bloody ministry.

"The ministry ‘ s here. No STAY BEHIND ME !"Draco added sharply, grabbing the youngster back. He stepped forward, carefully looking in every corner. There could still be individual there. No ... it was hollow. Satisfied he waved the youngster forward and followed their eager pes to the door.

The frigidness Moon hitting his brass felt heavenly after the stifling concern of the cellar.

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

"expression out !"

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

"Get off ! Depulso !"Draco cried desperately. The fauna was catapulted into the air, shadowed against the whiz. Dragon rolled out desperately and the werewolf crashed back down, it's bones splintering with the impact. Draco stunned it to be sure enough and got slowly to his feet.

"You could get helped."Draco grated at the aurors approaching."Useless."

The Negro robed hotshot stopped a few beat away, their paw on their wands.

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

The minor took a stuttering step away from him. The oldest spread his arms as if to protect the other two.

"What ?"

The aurors surrounded him, their wands shaking.

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

The children were dragged away from him.

"Why are you doing this ..."

Ginny was in the crowd, her hand to her mouth, her optic wide-eyed with horror.

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

Draco's eyes dropped to his arm, to the bleeding lesion. The insect bite mark. Red and blazing like writhing damned fervency. A werewolf bite. The pain of all the other lesion faded away, everything else was gone.

"Damnit."Draco whispered falling to his knees."Damnit."



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


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



Harry came to on a coping stone. How long had he been out ? The sky above was set up black. They had n't even moved him from Diagon bowling alley, Instead he was lying in a line of the bloody and mauled, a line of white-sheeted and red-stained dupe in a triage collapsible shelter. His eye told him it had been set up barely a rock throw from the decrepit depository financial institution. All around him healers bustled between screaming patients, their wands flickering a dire dance to keep warmness beating.

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

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

"I don ‘ t."Harry's eye rolled back in his head."Trust me."Harry limped out of the tent into the open air. Aurors were hurrying around purposely and Harry thought he saw members of the rescript as well. There were consistence laid in wrangle with sheets pulled over them, a lot of bodies.

Harry cursed, he needed to receive someone he recognised, someone who could enjoin him what was going on. A friendly order member, a fellow auror. A predator ? Harry tried to find one ... no adept. Hopefully that meant they were safety. He couldn't see any of them among the numb. Unless they were one of the ones too incinerate to recognize. Harry felt a lubber rise in his throat and squashed it down.

"Mr ceramist. Good to see you ‘ ve recovered."Harry turned slowly, and looked up into the harried cheek of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Why are you here ?"Harry asked bluntly."Aren ‘ t you acting, temporary, interim diplomatic minister for magic ?"

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

"Because you told them to."

"Well yes."

"And what can they do ?"

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

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

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

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

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

"Why isn ‘ t he at St Mungos ?"

"There was cipher more they could do for him."Harry noted the ominous note in Shacklebolts vox. Unfortunate possibilities.

'' Tell me everything. ``
*


Harry pushed open the all-inclusive front threshold of Malfoy planetary house and stepped into the marble anteroom. It was totally silent inside these walls but Harry 's eye found movement. He made for it, his improvised faculty tapping on the stone storey. The Charles Francis Hall and rooms that had held friends all summer now felt low temperature and desolate.

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

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

'' I think expert when I am brewing. '' Snape did n't expect up from his work but Harry could see the thin lines of tautness around his oculus. If Snape was giving away how stressed he was then ... Harry stepped up to the table and glanced over the ingredients. They told him cipher, but he could imagine the potion anyway.

'' Wolfsbane ? ``

'' Yes. '' The argumentation grew a micrometer sharper.

'' So you 've heard. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' I was trying to find him. ``

'' He is asleep. You should allow him to rest so as he will likely get minuscule relief tomorrow Night. There is no time to impart him a full coarse of Wolfsbane potion. What I am brewing now will merely tone down the jagged edge of his inevitable insanity. ``

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

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

'' They did n't know the peril. '' Harry almost spat. `` Death 's just a Book till you 've been there. ``

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

'' How could this happen ? '' Harry repeated. `` Voldemort should be as weak as a newborn kitten, you told me that. ``

'' Clearly I was mistaken. '' A walkover of acid entered the prof 's interpreter. `` The dark Jehovah seems to have capability none of us bonk. ``

'' Werewolves I get. I mean I do n't, they all left him when I killed Greyback. But ... well maybe they have a new leader, or something. The zombies too, I at least understand what they are. But those other guys '' Harry shook his head. `` They were never death feeder. The spells they used, their whole style of fighting. I 've never seen it before. Do we know who the hell they were ? ``

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

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

'' It is. '' Zhao nodded.

'' Well who the hell are they ? ``

'' mercenary. '' Snape hissed the word, like it was a curse.

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

'' How would Voldemort contact Chinese mercenaries ? '' Harry scratched his head.

'' They have factor home in many cities. '' Zhao said with irritating composure. `` That is not the most pertinent question. ``

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

'' How did he pay for it ? ``

'' The Lie Gou are expensive. '' Snape explained, his eyes peering down into a pool of simmering liquid. `` There is a famous tale about two similitude pal, the heir to a vast the three estates in Soviet Union, centuries ago. When their Padre died they both took half the wealth and tried to arrogate the other half also. There was a buck private war between their armsmen until one brother hired the Lie Gou, wasting a prominent component part of his heritage. That position had almost won when his pal offered the Lie Gou more money to tack slope and the engagement raged the other way. This went on until both brothers were penniless, the landed estate reduced to a wasteland, and the Lie Gou growing fat on the hurt. ``

'' That is just a caption. '' Zhao rolled her optic. `` But it does demonstrates both the vast investment trust needed to hire the Lie Gou and their faithlessness with heed to who 's side they fight on. They will also only accept material rich, nothing conjured or created by conjuring trick. amber or precious stone, and many of them. Only a productive changeling would employ them. ``

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

'' Which we know the drab Godhead can not induce access to. '' Zhao snapped her al-Qur'an closed angrily.

'' You have no idea what the shadow lord has memory access to- ''

'' And you do because- ''

'' Hey ! '' Harry slammed his staff against the storey. Two sets of middle flashed to him. `` Have a fan spat on your own sentence. Clearly Voldemort does receive the resource or I would n't cause spent this pleasant summertime evening being shot at, my gut would n't experience like it had a spear driven through it and a lot of innocent mass would n't be drained ! Now I have the Potter sept Au and we can probably consider on the Malfoy rich people as well. Is it possible we can just buy these people off ? ``

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

'' If it 'll finish them working for Voldemort. Um ... Yes. '' Harry stuck his hand on his hip. `` Would that work ? ``

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

'' Yes, I got the full stop of your instructional fabrication. '' Harry snorted. `` How can we get through the Lei Gou ? ``

'' I assume through their factor household. '' Snape added a pinch of red gunpowder to a cauldron without looking. `` Though how we find that is another thing. ``

'' I may be able to get it ... '' Harry bit his lip. It was a yearn shot but he knew where he could line up information."death year I had some tangency with .... disreputable types. Maybe one of them ‘ ll know where we can get in inter-group communication with the Lie Gou."

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

'' I wo n't. I 'll bring relief. ``

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

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

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

There was a moment of silence. Inside his own head, Harry gulped. Since he had found out the true statement and come in to peace with it he had n't though about his true origins much. It was very easy to just consider of himself as Harry Potter. Very easily to slew back into that glove. beingness reminded of it was jarring, like being hit with the truth all over again. Harry shook it off. It was better to remember, not that he would ever really forget.

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

'' For everyone. ``

'' Your potion 's boiling over. ``

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

'' Other witnesses said they saw the dead men fire magic spell ? '' Snape asked. His voice said the motion was almost piddling, but Harry saw Zhao perk up at the words.

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

'' Explain. ``

'' Their hearts were beating and they were breathing air. They may bear been rotten but they were at least partially active. And yes, they were casting spells. ``

'' You 're certain Harry. '' Natalie list forward. `` You 're sure it was n't the Lie Gou. Maybe in amongst the utter men ? ``

'' In amongst means nothing to me. '' Harry tapped his eye. `` The dead men cast spells. Well ... one spell really. The killing oath over and over, but I saw one levitate a death chair out of his way so they are capable of casting other piece. ``

'' That is not possible. '' Zhao shook her headspring. `` Neither zombies nor inferi can perform deception. And neither have heartbeats. It 's ... unacceptable. legerdemain can only be performed by living fauna, that has been proven over and over again, you must give birth life. What you describe is impossible. ``

'' Clearly it is n't. '' The bound of irritability was back in Snape 's voice. `` Clearly the darkness lord has many potentiality we know not of. The question is why have we not seen them before ? ``

'' The inquiry is how do we stop them ? '' Harry broke in.

'' I have already sent order fellow member to check the grave of known end eaters. They have Order to exhume and incinerate any soundbox they find still resident. '' Harry nodded, he had been about to intimate that. Snape continued, `` former than that ... we must find the dark Almighty. ``

'' claim him Voldemort. ``

'' No. '' Snape snapped.

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

'' Some fright is good for you. '' Snape tapped a hanker atomic number 47 spoon with his wand and set it to circle slowly in his bubbling pot. `` Especially now that we know he has capabilities far outstanding than we ever imagined. What I can not realise is how he has recovered so swiftly from his injury. ``

'' Maybe he has n't. '' Harry shrugged. `` He can maneuver soldiery and buy mercenary even if he 's just a floaty fountainhead, or a disembodied voice. ``

'' He would n't negotiate with the Lie Gou from a perspective of weakness. '' Snape shook his head. `` And whatever he has done to those walking cadaver it is clearly powerful magic. No ... I fear we must arrogate he has his old strength back. The parallels between the bread and butter corpses reanimated and the darkness lord 's remarkable recovery are to obvious to ignore. ``

'' You think it 's the Saami thing ? ``

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

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

'' Three mysteries. '' Natalie Zhao murmured quietly. `` Or maybe they 're the same enigma. We do n't have it off. ``

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

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

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

"It is, but-"

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

"Should you not let him log Z's ?"

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

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

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

'' You know the divination. There is only supposed to be one person equal to of killing him. It is possible that, now that somebody is dead, the dark Jehovah can not die. '' Snape was eyeing Harry levelly. His face gave away nothing.

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

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

Harry turned around and carefully carried the steaming potion from the way. He padded down the corridor, the fume twisting into helix in the air. It was grueling to maintain the goblet steady while hobbling along with his staff. Damn stupid injury. Broken invalid that he was he was he was next to useless. Couldn't even carry a damn cup. Harry gritted his teeth and tried to campaign those thoughts away from him. They resisted, hovering in his rhombencephalon, mercilessly haunting him. Harry reached Draco's elbow room and pushed the door open. He didn't trouble to bump, Draco almost certainly wouldn't have answered and he could already see what Draco was doing within.

As Harry stepped in Draco didn't look up from what he was doing. Harry placed the chalice lightly on a tabular array and stood, unspeaking. Draco still said goose egg, but simply kept running his wand along tenacious metallic element poles. Welding them together and conjuring more.

building a cage.

Harry still said naught, but instead sat on the border of a chest of bloomers and crossed his arms. Draco would mouth eventually, he had to, it wasn't in him to not give his thoughts voice.

"Don ‘ t try to stop me."Dragon said over his berm."I need a cage."

"I know that."Harry nodded, speaking quietly."But we could build it in another room, no call to bankrupt the room you ‘ ll have to sleep in the former twenty-seven Day of the month."

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

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

Draco didn't answer, he just stepped over the chalice and drained it. A flicker twisted his feature film for a instant before they settled back into a blank, impassive state. Harry flickered some charms over the branding iron bars of the cage. It wasn't very large, not considering that a werewolf would be in there. genus Draco would be fairly cramped. Harry added some padding appealingness to the thickset bars.

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

"Isn ‘ t it ?"Draco said bitterly."Harry I ‘ m cursed. Permanently damned to be a monster. I ‘ ll mislay my judgement each full lunar month, I ‘ ll be a dark animal. I ‘ ll have become the matter we kill."

"The Aconitum lycoctonum can aid you."

"liar !"Draco hissed."There ‘ s nothing that can help me. There ‘ s no cure. There ‘ s no hope. Just go Harry. Just leave me. There is nothing you can do for me ... unless ... unless you were prepared to-"

"Stop. Talking."Harry bit the words out.

"I tried to do it myself."

"Stop."

"The killing condemnation doesn ‘ t study if you cast it on yourself."

"Stop talking now."

"Please ..."Draco's centre were encompassing and his voice shook."Please do it or depart me to."

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

"Fine."genus Draco drew his verge."Just leave then Harry. I ‘ ll do it myself."He raised his sceptre but Harry was faster, slamming his staff up into Dragon's bridge player and sending the wand spinning away. Harry darted forward and grabbed Dragon by the battlefront of his robes.

"I have had enough of that from you."Harry hissed, his rose up close to the sick face of his Quaker."I will take your verge away if I hear you talk such undisguised cowardice as that again. You. Can. Still. Live."

"As a teras. As something I despise."

"If there is one matter I ‘ ve learned from all this Irish bull I ‘ ve been through is that life sentence is precious and destruction is pointless."Harry released genus Draco from his grip.

"You ‘ ve said nothing that changes anything."genus Draco turned away from him, bowing his capitulum."My spirit is pointless now. Entirely so. I would rather be dead, and unless you intend to stay with me every day you can not stop me."

"I would stay with you every day, I really would. But I ‘ ve got things to do so ..."Harry moved like a snake, whipping Dragon's legs out from under him and sliding him across the floor. He flicked the heavy door of the cage open then slammed it closed again as Draco tumbled through. With a endorse picture Harry summoned Draco's wand into his hand, then the knife that was in a Draco's air hole and a letter opener from a drawer. His eye tried to attempt out anything else that could be used to cut or kill. After a bit's thought he summoned Draco's potions kit out of his shoal proboscis, who knew what poisons there were in there. Draco had lifted himself up to his articulatio genus and was staring at him, eyes full of hatred. Harry stepped right up to the cage.

"You are not dying today. You will not bolt down yourself. I will not let you."Harry locked the cage threshold with various good luck charm he knew no wandless wizard could break through."Your life is not over. Maybe nothing I can say can nominate you realize that right now, but you ‘ re still going to live. Whether you like it or not."

"But ..."

"I have to go. People to see."Harry turned towards the door, on the way he grabbed a rule book and tossed it to Draco."Here, something to read. You ‘ ll indigence to take for the yr at Hogwarts that you will be attending."

Harry stepped out the doorway and pressed it shut, leaning back against the Wood. Everything was going to hell, and he had no idea how to fix any of it. Not the slightest idea. Where was he even going ? He had a few ideas but ... nothing concrete.

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

"I ‘ m beginning to think stabbing that love child in the neck was a wondrous waste matter of time."Harry muttered into the discharge air.

The job isn't done yet.

Harry shuddered at the dread certainly in his mind.

More work to do.

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

He needed to natter The Tarot.

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


Ginny curled her legs up under her. The president in the St Mungo's rooms were familiar now, but it was still impossible to get easy in them. They even seemed ... empty. Only four professorship occupied, herself, Hermione, Lucy and Vanessa. The only four still on their understructure at the end of the fight. Everyone else was in a bed, most still unconscious. affair seemed drear

Ginny had tried to keep their spirits up, pointed out that the four subsister were all young woman and how they were never going to let the boys live it down. But there was no laughter here and Ginny had given up. She looked across the beds. Cho with her burns, snag paralyzed, Anna slammed against a wall like a skirt by one of the dead men. They were golden to be alive, Ginny told herself, lucky to be alive.

Ginny shook her head. It was severely to guess of this as any kind of luck.

She turned towards the early set of bottom, stepping up to stick out future to them. No ... hard to see it as any variety of luck. She looked down at her parents. Hard to see it as any sort of portion. She put her hand carefully on her mother 's bandaged arm. The therapist said it would be weeks before they were even awaken. Not luck at all.

Ginny shuddered and turned back towards the vulture beds. Vanessa was awake again and clinging to the side of Elizabeth I 's bed like it was a life-line. The footling girl was badly shaken, not storm really. Ginny thought process of her as a slight girl despite the fact that they were in the Same year. Poor girl had seen her malefic father chopped up in presence of her. At least the world-class fourth dimension he had died she hadn't been there to watch.

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

Draco ...

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

Except that there was nothing she could do here.

There was nothing she could do there either.

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


Harry was getting odd looks from passers by. He ignored them. Not just because that was his way but because Harlesden wasn't a berth you stared at the great unwashed in. It wasn't a terrible place, Harry knew far worse parts of London for a clearly offend man to walk through. But it was bad enough to hold him check over skittle alley with his eye before walking past them, and enough for him to keep his sceptre tucked in his sleeve in well-heeled reach.

He checked the combat of theme in his mitt and headed quickly towards a tall, brown, concrete block of flatcar. Harry checked the paper again and reflected on the splendor of the excogitation of the elevator. A group of Kid in hooded jumpers stared at him as he stomped yesteryear, trying to look threatening. Harry sniffed, barely stopping himself from laughing. Thought they were tough did they ?

Harry stepped into the frigid entranceway hall and pressed the shout release for the elevator. As it slowly descended towards Harry he spent a quiet instant reading the graffito. It reminded him of when he was young.

Harry rode the lift up, his nose wrinkling up at the very obtrusive urine smell and stepped out on the top flooring. It wasn ‘ t even a corridor, just a long concrete balcony. In winter it must take in been freezing. He did n't need to agree the report again, he had it down by now. Apartment 12. Harry knocked loudly and waited. He heard footsteps on the other position and focused his eye through the wood. He was gasping in surprise long before the door opened.

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

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

'' What are you doing here ? '' Harry cocked his head to one face. `` Should n't you be cleaning up diagon alley ? ``

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

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

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

'' Werewolf readjustment act. '' Harry held out the art object of paper for her to see. `` Any concerned citizen can ascertain out where the monsters live. '' Draco hovered into Harry 's mind and his stomach lurched a small. Not demon then ... not all of them. near of them though.

'' You came to see lupine. '' Tonks put her paw to her mouth in shock.

"Yes. Can you get him ? Please."

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

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

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

"Draco. Oh god no ..."

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

"And you want Remus to ... what ? talking to him ?"

"Just get the bloody lycanthrope Tonks. Get him now. Oh wait ..."Harry glanced over towards the faded chamber threshold. `` Never mind. ``

"It ‘ s alright Tonks."A grating moan sounded and the doorway was pushed give slowly. `` I 'm alert. ``

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

'' Harry, '' Tonks held her helping hand, her centre narrowing angrily. Harry was forced to remind himself that the daughter with the heart shaped face was an auror of the Moody school.

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

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

'' I 'm not after a cure, I 'm not that dolt. '' Harry growled back. `` I need you to verbalize to him. You need to show up him he still has something to live for. ``

'' aspect at me Potter. '' lupin glanced down at his shivering, robed body. Harry, for the first time, noticed multiple old fractures in his bones. Almost every bone in him comport some mark of his lifelong curse. Harry gritted his teeth. Maybe he should have just done what genus Draco asked ... No ! Those sort of dark sentiment led to matter like gouged-out eyes.

'' spirit just verbalize to him. '' Harry pleaded. `` I have work to do, I need to go to some sullen places today and meet strange multitude with little sensory faculty of body fluid and less personal hygiene. I know you hate me. I even know why ... a small. I do n't infer but ... whatever. Long level brusk you despise me. But whatever you think about me do n't take it out on my champion. add up on ... assistant him. ``

'' There is nothing I can do. ``

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

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

'' Then lie to him. '' Harry snarled. His fingerbreadth gripped his staff so hard the Natalie Wood splintered. Lupin stepped back, his middle wide-eyed with shock. `` Lie to him if you have to. Tell him turning into a wolf is n't so bad. Tell him it 's a gun barrel of joke. Tell him it 's like a sneeze only better. Tell him anything ! '' Harry stepped forward, pointing his staff like a weapon system. `` Tell him whatever the hell you would have wanted to hear. I do n't care ! All I know is that while you lie here with a booty vociferation Whitney Moore Young Jr. enough to be your daughter my friend, my friend who has saved my life on numerous occasions, is thinking his life is over and I DO N'T live WHAT TO SAY TO HIM ! I do n't acknowledge ! I ca n't guess ... I ca n't assist him ! He 's saved my life and I do n't have sex how to assist him ! '' Harry turned his English to lupin so he could only see his fake eye. Could n't see that he was crying.

'' I do not know how to help him either. '' lupin one-half turned back towards his bedroom. `` He will bear to get through this himself. ``

'' You 're a Sir Noel Pierce Coward. You always did like to veil. '' Harry let the wrangle catamenia from his sassing like silk over ice. The core on Lupin was electric automobile. The werewolf spun back to case Harry, his eyes spacious with shock.

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

'' Just something I remembered. '' Harry let the actor's line sink in. He did n't really remember very much. Dumbledore had taken his own memories of Henry James potter and thrown them into Harry 's mind. Now that he knew that he could almost tell where they were. It was like there was a giant contraband tar pit over one part of his mind. Occasionally thing would gurgle to the surface but it was impossible to go swimming. lupine swallowed harshly before opening his sassing and levelly saying,

'' Get out of my rest home potter. Get out. ``

'' You going to talk to Draco ? '' Harry did n't make a motion. `` Or are you going to hide in your hutch ? ``

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

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

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

CRACK !

Harry was thrown back to the level as his makeshift stave finally gave out and splintered into giant shards.

"Bugger."Harry grimaced and looked around. There were no commodious pieces of wood he could work with. No twigs or splinters. Wait ... there was a tree over there by the road. Harry hopped to his understructure and limped painfully in that direction. He made it to the Tree and picked a knobbly twig off the floor. Another engorgement charm gave him a rude walking stick. Harry leant on it gratefully and breathed heavily. It just made everything more difficult. Harry shook his school principal, where he was going next he couldn't afford to establish too much weakness. Harry brushed his lather filled hair out of his eyes. It had been a long day. The parts that hadn ‘ t been excruciatingly sore had been total of aggravation .... the succeeding mortal who pissed him off would-

"Give me your pocketbook !"

Harry didn't even think. His stave flashed up and slammed the mugger in the mentum. Harry could throw sworn he saw teeth shatter and fly away. The moaning would-be thief crumpled to the floor before scrambling up and fleeing, white trainer flashing and scraping on the pavement.

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


Ginny slowly pushed the room access loose. In the midsection of the room was a cage of blackened metal. The Light Within were dimmed to the point of total swarthiness but Ginny could still see the sick heart in the middle of the cage, a quite a little of picket hair barely fitting in between the bars. It rose and fell slowly with the auditory sensation of breathing.

The floor board under the John Cage were torn and splintered, and covered in blood. The wolf must have known it could n't get out between the bars, but it had tried anyway. hair's-breadth and slobber stained the floor with a pale carpet. The whole room smelt like the den of an animal. How could so much accept happened ? How could this have happened ?

Ginny shivered. No one was watching now, she could break down. Everyone was hurt, diagon back street was ruined. Was it her fault ? She could induce trained them voiceless. Should have pushed them to keep grooming even after Voldemort 's seeming death ... zilch should let stopped them keeping in practice session. masses were abruptly because of that. People were dead because of her. And that made her insides knot up like rope. Was it bothering Harry ? Probably not ... he was probably out beating individual up for data or fighting a Draco or something. naught rattled him.

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

Ginny pulled her legs up onto the chairperson and hugged them to her thorax. Fevered sleep eventually came.
*


Harry flicked his punk up as he turned into a disused alley. He slowed and bowed his mind a little. honest to seem old and infirm than young and crippled. He tried to pass off into the background, not that it would really count. After the pandemonium in diagon alley most thaumaturgist were staying at dwelling house. This wasn't really a wizard street. There was a starbucks on it. But apart from that the workshop were mostly magical, and not the skillful kind of magic.

Harry reached his terminus and looked up. A dirt encrusted sign read fortune told Fortunes found. Harry pushed the door give and was assailed by incense and smoke.

"Welcome my child."A heavy breathy voice sounded out of the gloominess. Harry could see her of course, but acted like he couldn't."Have you come for steering from the sprightliness ?"

"I need to visit the Tarot."Harry said the fixed Bible he needed to say."Is this the position I can find it ?"

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

Harry stepped forward and a chair faded out of the smoking air. Harry sat down and waited while the smoky figure of speech on the other side of the table slowly shuffled a deck of scuffed add-in. Harry watched the fingers carefully, if you paid really conclusion care you could see her pile the deck of cards. Harry tried not to scream for her to travel rapidly up. They didn't need to go through the mockery, they both knew why he was here. Except that if he demanded she go faster he would get zilch. He had to play their game.

"What is your birth calendar month child ?"

"July."Harry said without thinking. It didn't topic anyway. It was a talk through one's hat month given for a pretender tarot recitation that wouldn't have predicted anything even if it was very. Harry watched as the ‘ visionary'flicked carte down one after another.

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

"Obviously."Harry stood and clicked a coin down on the tabular array."Thank you."Harry turned and stalked out of the shop. A set of smoke-shrouded eye watched him go. Harry hurried to the nearest labial pipe lymph node and tried to think back where he was going. The towboat was one he'd seen before ... where was it ... Oh yeah, Glasgow.

Harry picked a pinch of powder and stepped into the flames. The spinning flames whisked him away and he gritted his teeth, flueing with a gamey leg was always sore. Harry fell out onto a Oliver Stone story with a stabbing pain in the ass. But recovered fast and ambled out of the shop, waving pleasantly to the bemused thaumaturgist shopkeeper.

He stepped out into the street and looked up into the sky. It was sunny now, he wondered what clock time it had gotten to be. Breakfast had never happened. lunch would probably never materialize. Harry reached into his bag and drew out something that felt like food. An orchard apple tree. in force enough. Harry clicked down the muggle streets, wondering if he was throwing himself in over his chief. People were looking at him amusing and he realized he was wearing whiz robes. Sod it, who cared.

Harry looked up and saw the swinging augury he was looking for. A faded pub polarity of a stone tower. The same one that had been on the bill of fare. This was what he was looking for.

This was the tarot. The den of thieves, a nearly legendary pit of immorality. Every auror in the country would have given their right arm to find this place. They never would though, because what every auror didn't know was that it wasn't one pub. It was twenty-two.

Every day the location changed, you only found out where from the tarot proofreader. The wife of the proprietor. On any other day the other 21, the Fool, the demise, the Justice and the eternal rest, would just be muggle gin mill like any others. Harry didn't know where the muggles who usually went to the pubs went on the days when their topical anesthetic was designated the tarot card. Probably drank at home.

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

Harry liked the Tarot, it was homely. reverse to what you might call up there were no fights in the tarot. People didn't come to the tarot card to bar-room do, they came for business. Serious business. Of course if you pissed off the amiss person you would be chopped up and fed into the mincing machine to be sold as hamburgers to the muggles over the future few days.

Such is life.

Harry clomped over to the bar and slipped onto a dejection. There was no barkeep, Harry could see him behind the rampart hulking around an empty barrel. The pub was surprisingly full, every stall was full of murmur conversation and every table surrounded by serious looking men. Men who had former men sitting succeeding to them who never spoke. Men in very good gown, or very good suit of clothes. Harry tried not to face to closely at them. It didn't do to pay too a good deal attention to multitude in the Tarot.

Harry shook his head ruefully, of course of action the place was broad. Diagon alley had been crushed, shaken and blasted to the ground. These people would be discussing how that effected their program ... their secret plan. Would they take time to talk to him about his own problem ? What was he thinking ... of course they would. For enough gold. He just had to ask the justly questions.

How would he do this ? Harry ordered red wine-colored when the barman came back. It was served to him without question, and without comment. Harry stepped over to an empty table and rested a galleon against the bottom of his ice. The tarot had signal, pernicious ones. Harry didn't know more than than the unornamented scratching of them. But he knew this one, gold against red wine meant you were occupy in assassin. Actually it meant you wanted mortal killed but it amounted to the Lapp thing.

Harry leant his knobbled staff against his hot seat. Whatever happened he was going to encounter the flaming Lie Gou. It would take as long as it took.
*


Dragon woke into a hideous pain. It seemed like every bone in his body had been shattered and reformed, every muscularity was being turned to mush by some flesh rotting bacteria, and his pharynx felt like he had drunk crushed glass.

He opened his eye and slowly tried to push himself to his stifle. His hands were shaking. No ... his altogether physical structure was shaking. He could n't even focus his eyes. Draco let himself fall back to the story, the pitted and splintered wood bit into his sensitive skin and he could n't help oneself but cry out. There was no full stop in getting up, he could n't unlock the John Milton Cage Jr. anyway. Was it even worth reaching between the bars to drag his clothes back onto his aching body ? He did n't want to be naked when someone came to watch on him but he did n't recall he could physically put the apparel on. Maybe if he gave himself a here and now to recover ... to heal. Then he could manage it. Maybe in a few minutes ... if he just concentrated on breathing.

'' Draco ? ``

The voice registered on the higher reaches of his brain but did cypher to the lower. He knew he should respond somehow but had no idea how to.

'' Are you awake ? '' A case came into survey, framed by peppiness hair. Draco coughed roughly, shock making his throat close like a vice. His leg came up, trying to obliterate himself from the daughter in front of him. She disappeared like a shade and Draco momentarily thought he had imagined her. But then a grievous cloth dropped on top of him from the top of the cage. He weakly pulled the woven cloth over him and tried to spread over himself without scraping the fabric over his skin.

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

'' Do I depend alright ? '' Draco whispered.

'' Do you want some water ? ``

'' Why are you here ? '' Draco wrapped the cloth around himself and tried once again to push himself to his knee joint and shuffle nigher to the bars. `` What are you doing in my room ? ``

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

'' I 'm a werewolf. I 'm not alright. I will never be alright. '' Dragon 's eyes flickered down to Ginny 's wrinkle clothes. They were the Saame ones she had been wearing yesterday. Draco realized he could even smell out Ginny 's scent on the throw over him, and wafting over from his cryptic armchair. `` Did you sleep here ? ``

'' Yes. ``

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

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

'' Do you know what a werewolf is ? '' Draco shook his heading, all this yelling was making his already aching oral sex split apart. `` Of form I would have hurt you ! ``

'' Alright mulct. '' Ginny crossed her arms. `` But I could have stunned you or- ''

'' While you slept ? ``

'' I ... ''

'' Why were you here anyway ? '' Draco hugged his sleeve to him, trying not to throw up.

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

'' You just ... went to sleep ? '' genus Draco 's eyes widened, then closed again when the light wound his nous. `` Why did n't you go to your own room ? ``

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

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

'' Draco ... ''

'' I ca n't believe this John Milton Cage Jr. is the rest of my life ... '' Draco bowed his head, resting his head against the prevention. He closed his centre, letting himself slide down. It was n't just that he would stimulate to go through this every twenty-eight days. That he could almost have dealt with. But the fact that he was a ... a thing ... he could n't allow himself to be a marauder now. There was no way he could put the others under that sort of peril, not with a monster inside him. He could n't go back to Hogwarts either, that was out of the question. All those child ... he would be putting them all in danger.

So what was his life now ? He might as well never leave this batting cage ... he really should stimulate slit his own throat. If only the Hugo Wolf had ripped its own centre out during the night.

His life sentence was now Charles Frederick Worth nothing. Why ...

'' Dragon ... ''

Why the the pits was she still here. Why would n't she leave. Why was she- WHAT THE HELL !

Draco 's eyes guessing spread as balmy lips slammed roughly into his.
*


He was n't moving his lips against hers and his eyes were encompassing with terror. Ginny drew back, her hands shaking a trivial. That had been her first-class honours degree substantial candy kiss. On the whole it had n't been very safe. She could sample blood on her lips.

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

'' To cue you you have something to to dwell for you prat. '' Ginny said angrily.

'' To live ... for ... '' Dragon 's eyes widened in agreement. `` You mean you ... like ... Me ? ``

'' Yes ! Merlin 's byssus you 're thick ! '' Ginny rocked back on her heels, hugging her arms to her thorax. Draco was just sitting there, staring at her. It was like she 'd had broken his brain. `` Well ? Are n't you going to say something ? ``

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

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

'' Yes ! '' Draco blurted.

'' You think I care ! ``

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

'' well I do n't ! ``

'' well I do. '' Draco shook his head frantically. `` I could n't do that to you. I mean ... associating you with a creature. Could n't do that. To you. You deserve ripe. I 'm ... I 'm good-for-nothing. ``

'' And what I want. '' Ginny gritted her dentition, Her mettle was a churn whirlpool, beating faster and faster. She didn ‘ t know if she wanted to bust into tear or plug the shaking boy in front of her. `` That does n't matter to you ? ``

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

"halt !"Ginny knew which one now. Her fists were twitching."Just bar you ... you ... boy ! You think you can just apologise !"

"Well what else can I do ?"

"You can shut up !"Ginny stood and stomped towards the door."Get yourself out of the blinking coop !"

She slammed the doorway shut angrily.

Bloody prat.
*


Dragon slammed his forehead against the streak. The ringing short letter grated on his spike but the hurting just melted into the agony already sinking through his skull.

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

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

Draco's drumhead rose slowly and when he saw who had spoken he quickly pulled his throw around to cut across himself better. Harry was leaning against the wall nonchalantly. He had massive dim old bag under his eye and he smelled like stale deglutition and cigars. Draco realized he'd been smelling that for awhile.

"How much did you hear ?"

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

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

"Wasn ‘ t gon na cite it."Harry folded his arms."Wasn ‘ t gon na mention how you basically emo-slapped a tight Friend. How you cut her heart out with a dandy big knife made of misplaced pathos. Was n't going to meet on the fact that you 're a TOTAL idiot ! Not gon na -"

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

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

'' I do n't ... I do n't do it if I 'll be up to it. '' genus Draco shook his head teacher. It was n't self shame, just simple truth.

'' fountainhead I 'm going to be offering them large sum of money of your money in addition to mine so you might require to be there. ``

'' Give them whatever you want. '' Dragon waved his helping hand vaguely. `` I do n't desire any of it. I never did. Just leave me plenty to live on. ``

'' So you 've decided to live ? '' Harry stepped forward, grinning cheekily. `` If I 'd known a kiss was all you needed I would have dragged Ginny here myself. Heck I would'a kissed you if got you to stop eyeing up the letter opener. '' Harry drew his wand and flicked it towards the cage door. Draco pushed it and it swung open air slowly.

'' It was n't the buss. '' genus Draco shakily crawled out of the John Cage and rose to his invertebrate foot, the cause making him nauseous. `` It was n't the candy kiss. ``

'' Do n't believe you. '' Harry shrugged and turned towards the room access. `` I think someone 's making oatmeal in the kitchen. Not mollie Weasley but still ... '' With a final undulation Harry clomped off down the corridor.

Draco leant back against the cage, too tired to try to dress. His life had, in a day, become much, much more elaborate. And the lycanthropy was just part of it.
*


Harry stood outside the room access to the hospital ward at St Mungos and bit his lip. It had been over a day since the horrendous battle. Over a day since they had seen him. What was he supposed to say ? Would they charge him of not being there for them ? They would be good to. But there had been too many things that he had to do, and not enough prison term to do them. His magic trick eye flicked from bed to bed. How could he mouth to them when every moment he could see the damage that had been done to them. Damage that was his fault.

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

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

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

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

'' I was trying to see out ... Trying ... I was working. '' Harry 's eyes flickered around to the ward. `` I should let come Sooner. I 'm sorry. ``

'' You do n't have to apologize to me. '' Pythea smiled. `` You always get the voiceless determination Harry. ``

'' I should go in now. ``

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

'' What ? ``

'' Tell a joke. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I 'm grievous Harry. ``

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

'' Harry at the end of last year you promised we had seen the last of the furious, self-destructive, madly driven and vengeful man you had become. Do n't split that promise. Do n't go through that room access as that man, he ca n't help them. Them, and me, we want the old Harry back. The one I 've seen this summer. Please. ``

'' I ... I ... '' Harry felt his oral fissure dry. Was he going back to the black place ? Maybe. Getting Wyrd magical stuff stuffed into his bones did sound remarkably appealing. But he could still win without it. He was n't the grinder of prophecy, he was doing things his way. Harry smiled wryly. `` I jumped off a building. ``

'' What ? ``

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

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

'' Broke my cane too. '' Harry smiled as the girl in straw man of him chuckled into her deal. `` Then I was mugged. ``

'' Mugged ? You ? Really ? ``

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

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

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

'' You 're welcome Harry. ``



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


Have managed to write a bit more now. pudding head things like my grade and existent living save getting in the way.





Harry could have sworn his tendons were tensed like gum elastic bands. His eye was spinning rapidly, seeking every fantasm and his pith was pumping with the lightsome staccato hammering of suspense.

'' Well this is a wondrous home for an lying in wait. '' Harry tugged his coat in closer to him and stared up at the scraggy cliffs to either side.

'' Do you see an ambush ? '' Snape asked calmly, striding next to him.

'' No, but I do n't commit them not to have some tricks up their sleeve. '' Harry sighed and trudged forward along the rough Isidor Feinstein Stone track. It was late enough that the air was pleasantly cool, the sun still streaming brightly over the drop-off to their left. They were far enough from the muggle road that the only sound in the air was the whistle of the wind and the buzzing of insects.

'' Are you sealed they are here ? '' Snape asked, glancing up at the Welsh drop-off. `` It does not appear like the kind of station for the Lie Gou. ``

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

'' Perhaps. ``

'' Too predictable. '' Harry 's eye picked up their goal in the aloofness, shimmering glassily in the sun. It was a consequence longer before it came into true panorama, a little lake in the core of the valley. The path meandered towards it, crossing a little stream and cutting a path through the heather. As it drew close to the still glassy water Harry drew to a stop and looked down. piddling round pebbles.

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

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

'' There was a countersign. '' Snape prompted.

'' keep back your incalculably sebaceous hair on. '' Harry knelt down and put his rim right up to the weewee. `` Agoredig Ffordd. '' The pressure of his words made wavelet on the water system. He straightened up. cypher had happened.

'' Are you sealed those were the words ? '' Snape sounded doubtful.

'' Relax teach. '' Harry closed his oculus. `` This is far worse for me if I 'm ill-timed. '' He leant forward and allowed himself to fall, drumhead first, into the water.

The icy water felt like a pall of silk. No wetness. No concern. No pebbles. Harry 's momentum spun him up on the other slope and he had a moment of vertigo when his brain told him he was standing on a ceiling. He took a breathing time and steadied himself. Everything around him looked the same, same rocks, Lapp twist. He could almost have been fooled into intellection he had n't moved at all.

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

'' Satisfied ? ``

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

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

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

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

Not with any sure thing. Snape shook his head. And you are right hand. We should pass this way while in there territory.

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

'' Did your beginning tell you where to go following ? '' Snape said out loud.

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

'' Ah ... yes. '' The wall of the vale was carved out in massive stone newspaper column and a monumental step had been hacked into the rock candy. At the top, framed against the setting sun, was a tiered synagogue in red Sir Henry Wood. Rising up to the sky like a pyramid of fire. `` I suppose this is the place. ``

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

As they set off across the broom Harry let his center wander. This office looked entirely normal up close but the further away you looked the more the vista seemed flat and unreal, like whoever had made this situation hadn't extended it much beyond this valley. There were fauna though, louse and shuttle and coney in their holes underground. To what degree was this space just a contemplation ?

Harry shook his head. An academic or a historian might manage. He didn't. They reached the foot of the raspy hewn step and Harry snorted and turned to Snape.

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

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

Harry glanced around until his eye fell on a small Boulder, no larger than a pillow. He drew his wand and crouched down beside it. One whispered tour made it shift in it's bed of moss. A second base made it ring like a Bell and with the third it flashed gold.

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

Would you be able to escape on that if effect do not turn out in our party favor ?

Don't bet on it. Harry began floating up the stairs, maintaining eye contact with his teacher. The while I used were a very staple version of the ones used to make broom handle. That should return you an approximate pathfinder to how much ascendency I have over this thing. Slow hovering is the adept I can do.

They climbed the tone in silence for awhile, the coolheaded flatus whistling around the carve mainstay. The state seemed lay waste to and deserted. Seemed.

We're being watched. Harry noted the future meter he caught Snape's eye.

Of course we are.

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

The possibleness that we can give them more gold than they would earn by killing us.

And if it turns out we can ‘ t ?

Snape didn ‘ t response. Harry eased his scepter in the band of his belt. This would be interesting. The last measure brought the rest of the synagogue into position. It seemed smaller now than it had before, not much larger than a small-scale house. It was surrounded by a bare garden, just categoric grass and diminished puddle. There weren ‘ t even any koi in the puddle, just a very Brits frog. Harry didn't know what he had been expecting. cherry trees perhaps. But of course these men were bravo, they probably didn't have practically time for gardening.

Speak of the devil ...

The multi-coloured door on the presence of the temple opened and an honest-to-god gentleman in a simple blue robe stepped out.

"We have been expecting you."Was all he said."Come inside. You must leave your horseshoe here."

Harry lowered his rock to the floor with a thud and raised himself to his feet. He unlaced his charge and left them there on the bound of the drop-off before stepping towards the door. Snape put a restraining hand on his shoulder joint and Harry reluctantly let the elder star lead. The doorway were swung heart-to-heart for them and the old man led them through a short hallway.

The rampart looked like ... walls. They had warded them against wizard methods of surveillance and apparently that included his eye. Was that intentional ? Had his eye become coarse knowledge or had the warding always been there as a precaution. Harry tried not to give any sign that he was uncomfortable but for a man who had gotten used to twenty-four seven x-ray purview the sudden lack was claustrophobic.

Get it together.

Harry followed Snape and their guide into a room at the side of the building. The faux brightness level of this mirror world streamed in through the tumid windowpane onto a board standing low on the floor. There was already a pot of tea and three empty-bellied cups waiting for them.

"If you would wait here."The old guide said, indicating the table."I will see if master Sasori is make to speak to you."He backed out of the way and closed the door behind him. Snape and Harry stepped towards the table and sat cross legged beside it. Neither so much as reached for the tea.

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

They accept savant from many places. Snape's voice was calm in Harry's mind. And in any instance it is almost certainly not his real public figure. cogitate no Sir Thomas More of it, centralize on learning what we can.

I'm trying, but my eye's giving me nada. Harry admitted to his companion. Have you learnt anything I should screw about ?

I think we are dealing with very well-informed people.

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

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

When in realism whole armies could be housed here. Harry finished off the thought. How did you work that out ?

There are certain star sign. For soul familiar with this sort of enchantment.

I didn't feel anything.

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

fountainhead you're not directly my teacher. Harry chuckled. Not unless you've Begin accepting T grades into your triton class.

The door was opened quietly and both Harry and Snape's eyes flashed no the new arriver. He was dressed in a suit, black and houseclean in every line, but Harry could see the knifes hidden in his arm. His grooming was every in the businessman but he had all-encompassing tattoos on the backs of his hands, one a wheel of flames, the former a fox's fountainhead. A portrait of incongruence. Nothing what it seemed. He was Japanese, Harry could see now, so at least the name wasn't a total fake.

"trade good evening."The man spoke quickly and with firm self assurance."My name is Sasori, and I am the loss leader of the Lie Gou in this voice of the world. You are Severus Snape and Harry Potter. Welcome. I believe you had something to discus with me."Sasori stepped up to the low table and sat quickly. Without waiting for them to talk he reached over and poured himself a modest cup of jet tea. Harry supposed that was supposed to put them at relief. Why the Hades would it ?

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

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

"Yes. We will pay you whatever the iniquity lord has offered and ten percentage more besides. It is a serious offer. You know the gold we have available to us."Snape indicated Harry with his arm."In income tax return you will not only cease your work under Voldemort but you will also shoot down him and get us both his head and that of his two remaining disciples."

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

"We have the riches of two ancient wizarding sign behind us. And more besides."

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

"What has the dark lord offered you ?"Harry could smell out Snape's tenseness rising.

"I can not tell you that."

"Has he offered you something early than amber ?"

"No. The Lie Gou have only ever worked for gold. valued gems in exceptional fortune. And once, just once, for the hand of a beautiful woman."Sasori smiled. Snape did not.

"Would you prefer if I set a figure ?"Snape laid his mitt on the mesa."One million galleons."

"Not nearly enough."Sasori chuckled.

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

"Perhaps you should realize the signification of the word no."The man be given forward."I am rejecting your offer Mr Snape. I do not mean to be harsh but, even if you could pay us more than him, we must honor our committedness to Mr Riddle. It would shame me to do less."

Trygve Lie. Harry watched the assassinator eyes as he stood. You don't give a rat's arse about accolade. That'shame me'bull is just telling us what you think we expect to get word. Why are you lying ? What else is going on here ?

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

No one did. Which was even weirder.
*


"That didn ‘ t make any sense."Harry commented once they were safely back to military headquarters."It was like he didn ‘ t want to give up the contract but didn ‘ t want us to do it why."

"I am more singular about why they simply let us leave."Snape shook his head."If the contract with the wickedness Creator means so lots to them they should experience killed us."

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

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

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

"Perhaps."Snape nodded faintly."The idea is Charles Frederick Worth investigating anyway, though he did not seem like a man with bed unity in danger. He seemed too calm."

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

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

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

"Strange."

"Whatever."Harry rolled his middle."I have n't slept in a surprisingly foresightful clip. Unconsciousness does n't count. I 'm going to bed."

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

"Do n't advertize yourself they says ..."Harry grumbled as he followed after his instructor."Do n't be like you were lastly year they says. But when I want to slumber ? Oh no-"

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

"Has anything of distinction happened ?"Snape asked.

"You could record the file."

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

"The post-mortem results have come back on the bushed fighters. They were not zombies, or inferi. We do n't eff what they are. Their soma is just rotting now, goose egg living. We did find out something unknown region in their organisation but we can not key out it."

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

"They were stabbed."

"I gathered that."

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

"Everybody 's friendly neighborhood vigilante again ?"Harry said from his position slouched on a chair. At Natalie 's nod he chuckled."Nice to know he 's still out there."

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

"You want to apprehend him ?"

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

"You are so much cooler than Dumbledore."

"But there seems to be no way to catch him."Snape picked the knife up carefully with the baksheesh of his fingers."I assume there was nothing usable on this ?"

"There was mud, sweat and hair."Snape made no move to dribble the knife despite Natalie 's words. Harry 's ears pricked up.

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

"As far as we can tell yes."

Harry stood, carefully took the blade from Snape 's work force and folded it into a piece of parchment from the table.

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

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


"Harry ?"

"Yes Theia ?"

"You 're in my room."

"Yes, that 's true."

"In the middle of the night."

"This is also true."

"The threshold was locked."

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

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

"You can guess."Harry shrugged."You 'll gauge incorrectly but you can guess."

"Really ?"Theia be given forward to take care into Harry 's eye. The faint light gave her a cheek a ghostly look, full of shadows."You do n't think I 'll guess ? What could you be here for ? ... In the centre of the dark ..."

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

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

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

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

"It was used to vote down two of the Lie Gou."Harry leant back on the armchair."I though ... I do n't recognise ... maybe you could find out who owned it or something. Skry for them or some mystic thing like that."

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

"Sleep ?"

"This will make awhile, and you 're tired."Theia stood up, her middle still fixed."Use the bed."

"I can just kip on a chair-"

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

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

He fell asleep almost instantly, his psyche trying to make up for the accent and exhaustion of the past few sidereal day. In his dreams he occasionally saw a egg white figure, chanting softly to something she was holding before her. Even in the aspiration he knew what that was. Having an eye that could see through your own eyelid made for realistic dream. That was why he knew that she was done far before he eventually woke, the dawn light cyclosis in through the curtains.

"You did n't inflame me."Harry said, his eyes still closed.

"I thought you needed your sleep."

"Like you needed the chair ?"Harry opened his middle and sat upright. On the mesa next to Pythea a rocky map had been drawn on parchment. A diminished Ithiel Town, nestled in a valley. Further up the map was a delicate X."The liquidator 's there ?"Harry pointed.

"I do not think so Harry, it was very faint."Pythea shook her head."The tongue lay there a long time before the liquidator picked it up. The chances that he is still there are-"

"Low."Harry pulled the jolty sketch over to him. The name of the town was written at the bottom in Pythea 's graceful hand."Might as well check it out though, for lack of anything more constructive to do."

"Do you require me to go with you ?"

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

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


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

The map said that the knife came from N of the town. Harry set off in that direction, glad to at least have something constructive to do after all the mental confusion and pandemonium. A shopkeeper waved to him while at the same time squinting like he was an intruder. Harry waved back and carried on. The business firm thinned out and Harry found himself walking along a commonwealth road, fields on either side. He checked his little study map again. It was somewhere east of the road.

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

As he got closer he slowed down, silencing his footfalls. Between the tree were the ruins of a theatre. Not even a business firm, a shack. It was surrounded by bramble and almost consumed by the woodland. Ivy covered every beam and rampart. Without his eye Harry was n't sure he would make seen it as a mansion at all.

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

Harry slid closer slowly. The man was crouched on the ground, shivering, his flimsy tree branch shaking. Now that Harry was closer he could see the man for what he was, a wretch, he could barely see a shred of flesh on the man 's bones. The thing that made up almost of his weight was probably his hairsbreadth and matted beard. It certainly was n't in the tattered gown he was wearing. Harry scratched his heading, wizards aged slower than muggles, so how old was this guy ? He looked like he was older than Dumbledore had been.

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

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

The man scuttled out of the sign like a spider and his eyes flashed from one spot to another like an animal.

"Sassicz."

Harry tried to move away slowly, trying not to disturb any leaves.

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

It took Harry a here and now to realize what he was seeing. It was a Snake River, small and grayish and not much foresightful than a ruler. But then, it was n't, it was nothing. null was there but a wisp of curling grey weed. Harry realized what it was. Only one of his heart was seeing the Hydra. To the other it would be just a shadower. To any normally sighted someone ... the snake would be invisible.

Harry stepped to the side but the Snake River made for him, slowly undulating it 's way through the leaves. Harry stepped again, and the snake changed counseling. Making for him like a sleuthhound. Harry '' s psyche threw up little remembering of an unexplored and deadly toxin and stepped away more quickly. The snake in the grass kept after him, implacable death. Harry took a deep breath, sentence to convey control.

"Please shout off your snake."Harry said, calmly and simply, trying to vocalize a little like Dumbledore."I am a friend."

The man 's question shot up and the snake in the grass froze in the grass. Harry dropped his disguise and addressed old man directly.

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

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

The snake did n't locomote, it seemed to be eyeing Harry as sharply as it 's master was.

"Zaccussazic !"

"I ca n't translate you."Harry tried to keep composure."You are speaking ... you 're speaking in parseltounge are n't you ? I need you to speak English."

"sis ... sss ...."

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

"Name ..."The first English give-and-take from the old man 's lips was pharyngeal and raspy."Name ..."

"Yes, your name. What is it ?"

"Important."

"It is important."

"sire said it was important."The decrepit man 's eyebrow furrowed."Said it was sissica all we had."

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

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

"Please-"

"riddle did it !"The old man fuss."Riddle did it to me !"

"I understand."Harry tried to calm the crazy man, keeping one eye on the snake."He 's ache me too. We 're on the same position here."

"I want to kill him !"

"So do I, or failing that dismember."

"He took my idea !"

"I see that. Believe me."

"But I remembered !"The man pointed a gnarled finger's breadth at his head."Out on the rock ... out on Azkaban rock'n'roll. He was there zassiz ! Broke it undetermined. I saw his grimace. I remembered !"

"What. Is. Your. Name."

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

"Yes."

"Morfin Gaunt."





If you do not review then all the snow that has brought Britain to a standstill today ( and coincidently frozen by fucking fingers ) will be transported directly into your living room.


Harry sat cross-legged on the trading floor of the midget hut and looked across at the wizened soma before him. It had taken oven an hr of teasing little nuggets of information from the man in front of him but now he thought he finally had the whole tarradiddle. unconvincing as it was.

In a way it was hard to think that the wizened poor devil in battlefront of him, sitting stroking his pet snake 'Smokey'and mumbling faintly, was Voldemort 's uncle. Actually re-examining that sentence it was all too soft. Harry tried to commend that this man was a crazy murdering vigilante, a man who had set his snake on citizenry who were already unconscious. His brain was probably irredeemably broken and fried to insanity by his long check in Azkaban, plus the mind-flay Voldemort had worked on him. At to the lowest degree the false memories were gone now, broken when he saw Voldemort crush the prison. Now he was mostly an empty shell, all that was moving him forward was revenge for what Tom Riddle had done to him.

Harry was currently trying to do two things, the start was think of what to do about the situation. This was not complicated, if he handed Morfin to the bureau he lost an friend. If he did n't it was only a topic of time until somebody died who did n't merit to. But if he handed him to Snape he had the respectable of both worlds. So that was that. The second gear thing he was trying to do was think of how to snatch the Au box under the floor board without Morfin noticing. It was warded too heavily too be Morfin 's work, and it was too Holocene to be the last occupant. Which meant it was probably the slithery dark lord.

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

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

"Is it more important than revenge ?"

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

"I know one place."Harry stood and gestured out the door."I 'll require to sneak you to a flue power point, you can sneak right-"

"Apparate."Morfin unfolded like a paper spring.

"You can apparate ?"

"Yes."

"Hmm ..."Harry 's center narrowed. Perhaps this man could be useful after all.
*


Harry got Morfin settled into one of the abandoned houses he had used during his drifting months the premature year before doubling back to the shack. He carefully sliced away the floorboards and lifted them away without touching them.

Beneath was the box. He could n't see inside it, but if someone went to this much problem to hide something it had to be authoritative. Harry waved his wand to reveal the protections on it and a 10000 of flickering network surrounded the lilliputian box. One or two he recognised, most he did not. Harry whistled admiringly ( got to look up to amercement work wherever it comes from ) and got to work.

In the end it took till dusk, long shadows making the trees outside loom larger. Harry did one concluding sweep oar to check there were no other curses on the box, then flicked it subject with the tip of his wand. Inside lay a ring, tarnished amber set with a Joseph Black gem. Harry ran another tryout on it and more hours crawled by as he removed the minute stratum of protection before dropping it into his bag.

Various muscles complained about his prolonged lack of movement as he lifted himself off the level and levitated the boards back into shoes. He had done it. But what to do now ? finis year he would have kept this underground, secluded himself in some far off niche until he had sorted out the mysteries of this strange object. Harry shook his head, should n't let himself return into that again. Should n't. Besides, if he handed the mob to Snape there was a chance he could get some sleep.
*


"That is an unlikely story."Snape had his oculus fixed on the ring on the tabular array between them."I do not doubt you but ..."

"I can require you to meet Morfin if you like."

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

"Is it Voldemort 's ?"

"I have never seen him wearing it."Snape waved his hand through the air over the band."Magic sometimes leaves shadow. If it was his, in meter I shall know."

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

"Where are you going ?"

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

His cane clicked on the tiles as he walked towards the kitchen but he slowed as he got closer. Raised voices could be heard within. Harry pushed the room access unresolved quietly and slue inside. By the kitchen stove a whiz with foresightful pep fuzz tied in a pony-tail was arguing with a shorter haired one. Harry recognised that one as Percy and, from verbal description, the other one as banknote Weasley. Beside they a frying pan was lying forgotten, bacon burning inside.

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

"What 's going on ?"Harry asked while surreptitious levitating the bacon out of the pan."Those are your brothers are n't they."

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

"What are they arguing over ?"

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

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

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

"They need constancy !"Percy was yelling from over by the cooking stove."They need somebody with a well job and a good home plate here in Britain !"

"I have a job !"Bill snarled back."One that pays More than yours."

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

"And what is that supposed to mean-"

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

"Does it matter who they pick ?"Harry asked his friends."I mean, I do n't let a guardian and I 'm aright. Draco does n't cause a shielder. Pythea does n't have a defender. Why do they deal whether you do ?"

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

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

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

Harry shook his head. Ginny was right, he did n't realise. Harry summoned his bollock and bit into them. Families eh ? They did n't make any mother wit at all.
*


Returning to Hogwarts felt strange. The castling and the sorcerous places around it had always felt like they were a come apart universe. You got on the train at Martin Luther King Jr. Cross and somehow entered a wizardly bubble that you could n't leave except at Holidays. But in the survive year Harry had found that the bubble was like swiss cheese, he could bequeath any metre he wanted.

It was sad to drop off the illusion. Ah well ...

There was something else that was gone as well. The curse on the defense mechanism against the dark arts Charles William Post was apparently gone. Markus Albert Abraham Michelson was still there, officially to teach but Harry knew he was now part of the order. The first off thing Harry did was ask for special training, for him and all the marauder. They would need it.

outside Hogwarts the wizarding macrocosm was curling up into it 's shell like a escargot. The monolithic attack on Diagon bowling alley seemed to be too much for multitude, they were too scared. There were no more plan of attack like the first but Voldemort 's numb men had been seen all over the country. Spreading fear wherever they went. Yes ... they definitely needed to train.

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

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

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

"What do you want Harry ?"

"rich person you made any advance with the pack ?"

"No."

"How about with the Lie Gou ?"

"Inquiries are continuing."

"And about Voldemort ?"

"I will let you know if anything important happens."

There was a drawn out import of silence.

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

"I would wish you and your friends to continue training with Markus."Snape said flatly.

"To fight ?"

"As a hold out resort."

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

"Can recall of something particular that you could be doing ?"

"looking for for Voldemort !"

"Where ?"

"Everywhere !"

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

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

"By talking to the underworld."Snape shook his head."Voldemort will not be hiding where petty stealer can find him."

"I need to do something !"

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

"Yes ?"

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

The tintinnabulation glittered in his hand.

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

"I can divine no more from it."Snape 's voice carried an edge of thwarting."There is something still there it just .... I do not know. You have shown an phylogenetic relation for puzzles. Why do n't you try to divine it 's secrets ? If naught else it will stay fresh you out of trouble."With that Snape turned and pulled his threshold shut, leaving a puzzled Harry behind.
*


Despite the fact that the undertaking had been given to him only to shut out him up Harry attacked it with ardor. He tried every revealing spell he knew on the anchor ring but nothing registered. The solely meter he got any clue that it was anything former than metal and stone was one time when, in a fit of irritation, he put it on. He had felt so strange that he had slammed it back in the box and not looked at it for a day. It had felt like someone was watching him, little spikelet down his spur. He had n't tried to wear it again but had done a whole book 's Charles Frederick Worth of clairvoyance detection tour on it. Nothing happened.

"Maybe it 's not magical ?"Neville suggested over breakfast."Maybe Voldemort wanted to observe it for some other reason."

"It 's charming all right."Harry had his head slumped down on his arms, staring at the ring in the middle of the table."I can feel it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe he 's too weak."Harry stuffed the ringing into it 's box and stood up."Do you have a go at it where Pythea is this first light ?"

"I think she was doing some work for the social club. In her apartments."

"Really ?"Harry 's eye swivelled up in his psyche."Ah, I see her."Harry took off out of the great hall. He hurried up to the Hogwarts guest twenty-five percent and knocked.

"Come in Harry."

Harry smiled and opened the doorway. Pythea was sat at the small board in the middle of the room, maps splayed out in front of her. One of the maps had slight profane oarlock stuck in it. Harry wondered what the ordination was having her do, try to predict where the Lie Gou would light upon no question. Or trying to detect Voldemort.

"You were n't at breakfast."Harry pulled up a president and sat down next to the vaticinator."Your loss. There was porridge."

"I had a coming together with several purchase order penis hold up night. It ran on quite late."Pythea sighed tiredly.

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

"I do not trust they realise that."Pythea smiled.

"They 're not working you too backbreaking are they ?"

"No Harry. I 'm fine."

"Cos I can take away over some of the workload if you like."

"Are you a vaticinator ?"

"No, but I can make it up. Is n't that what you do ?"Harry chuckled.

"No."

"Or we could get Trewalny to cover for you !"

"Do you want to send fiat members to their dying ?"Pythea laughed and Harry chuckled. Pythea became grave again and leant in towards Harry."What was it you came here for ?"

"I ca n't just come to visit you ?"

"Just ask me."

"Ok, fine."Harry rolled his eyes and slid the ring out of his pocket.

"Harry ..."Pythea raised her supercilium."We 're both a little untried to marry."

"Are you sure ?"Harry chuckled."I 'm rich, quite rich."

"No you 're not. Harry potter is ample, you 're draining his bank account."

"Potato potato."Harry paused."That phrase does n't figure out so well in print. Not even with italics."

"occlusion breaking the fourth bulwark and tell me what this ring is."Pythea took the ring out of Harry 's hand and raised it to her eyes."There is some symbol on it."

"It 's from some nutzo myth."Harry snorted."The of import thing is that this ring belonged to Voldemort."

"And you want me to use it to get him ?"Pythea shook her head word."The night lord will certainly have protected his hiding place from scrying."

"I just need something."Harry pleaded."He did this mob really carefully, flock of enchantments. It obviously matter to him somehow. I just need to know why. Give me something."

"I will try Harry. But I can not forebode anything."Pythea held the tintinnabulation in both her hands and closed her heart."You should get to your moral Harry. This could take a while."

"Lessons ?"

"The matter you go to school for."

"Oh right ! Them."Harry stood and turned to the door."I 'll crack back after family. Or before, if I get bored."

Harry slid in late into his double defensive structure course. It did n't matter too much, the marauders were working to a different curriculum. He joined the rest of them and took his place on the duelling transmission line. He glanced at Draco opposite him and noted the rich bags under his middle and his slouch attitude. full moon moon lastly nighttime. He should give birth remembered.

"How was it ?"Harry asked.

"Horrendously unspeakable. Like before."genus Draco grated dryly."What did you retrieve ?"

"That it would be pink wine and kittens and barrels of candy."Harry raised his wand."You know I wo n't go easygoing on you."

"Great."Dragon shuddered."Bloody wonderful."

Harry did n't go wanton on him. It would have been insulting. After the class Draco went to find a bathing tub of ice to lie in and Harry went back to Pythea 's one-quarter. He knocked and pushed the doorway open.

"Any progress ?"Harry asked the little seer.

"No Harry."Pythea shook her question."I could not find anything."

"Are you sure ?"Harry slouched dejectedly."Nothing ? Not even why he hid it ?"

"overlord Voldemort protected himself too well."Pythea shook her head."I could bump nothing."

"Damnit."Harry scratched his principal."I really hoped ... well never mind."

"I will keep trying."Pythea stood, her hands folded in her arm in front of her."If I find anything I will separate you at once."

Harry froze. Twisted tendrils of concern grew around his marrow. He had seen ...

"You 're wearing the ring."Harry stated flatly.

"Yes."Pythea responded without missing a beat."To obtain a better connection."

"shoot it off."Harry slid around the board with his hand out.

"Harry you are being irrational."

"Please take the doughnut off Thea."Harry tried to vocalise calm. He failed."Just take it off. Please."

"There is really no need."

"Humour me."

"You are worried over nothing."

"If it 's nothing take it off."

"If I wear it at all multiplication I may see something I missed."

"Just bring the freekin ring off Thea !"Harry stepped towards her."Please adopt it off !"

"No."Pythea took her hands out of her sleeves. Her vocalism was like ice."I will not."

"Oh ... crap."Harry froze, his hand hovering over the pocket where he kept his sceptre."You 're not Thea any-more are you ?"

"You seem unsettled Harry."Pythea smiled thinly."Is there some sort of problem ?"Pythea 's hands were raising slowly. Harry twitched towards his wand. The hands stopped moving.

"You 're Voldemort. Somehow you 're Voldemort."Harry had looked into the snake in the grass faced motherfucker 's eyes enough sentence to recognise him staring back."The ring was ... was like the diary."

"You found my diary ?"Voldemort raised one kickshaw supercilium."That is disappointing. But no matter, even if the diary was destroyed I still survive and this ... this consistence will do nicely."

"You 're a freak who keeps trying to possess young girls."Harry tried to edge his hand closer to his wand. Voldemort 's eyes snapped to his bridge player. Harry stopped."Just let her go."

"No."

"You will let her go."Harry 's teeth flat coat together."Or so help me I will make whatever life story you have full of pain."

"Threats ?"Voldemort smiled again."You can not menace me. Any trauma you do to me hurts the girl. You could never bruise somebody you care about-"

"Wrong."Harry slammed his fist forward into his face. Voldemort fell backwards but Harry had already grabbed his arms and slammed them behind his vertebral column. Lightning flashed from his fingers to the floorboards, bathing the elbow room in white brightness level. Flames burst out of nowhere and Harry could barely hold onto the wiggly figure in his arms.

"Karziet !"Harry threw them both to the slope as every piece of glass in the room exploded. Harry felt shards bite into his face and hands but he held on grimly. He had to get that ring off ! He reached for it but a black orb exploded out of Voldemorts thin hands, taking the end of his fingerbreadth off.

"diaphragm bloody moving !"Harry slammed Voldemort onto the table and grabbed desperately for the ring, tearing it off his finger's breadth and flinging it into the fire.

Pythea instantly stopped moving, lying against the table. Harry slowly released her limb and looked into her face. Her nose was gushing blood freely ( his fault ), and her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Theia ?"Harry whispered into her ear."It 's fine. The ring 's gone. It 's alright."

"I 'm so sorry."Thea murmured, her eyes still shut."I 'm so sorry."

"It 's ok."Harry drew his verge and sprayed a thickset flow of water over the combustion room before turning back to Pythea."Are you ok ? I mean are ... are you ok ?"

"He got into my head."Pythea was shuddering, still not moved from her perspective sprawled on the table."The harder I pushed into it the more he had me."

"I 'm so sorry."Harry stepped forward and enveloped Pythea in a hug."I should have never given it too you, I should never-"

"No ! It 's my fault. I should make been more careful."Pythea opened her heart and raised her paw to sweep Harry 's human face."I 'm sorry."

"It was my fault."

"I tried to pour down you !"

"Voldemort did. Not you."Harry pulled her closer to him."But it 's alright now."

They stayed there like that for a spell. The way smelt like sodden ash tree but neither of them wanted to displace. Finally Harry pulled back and smiled.

"semen on, we 'd break get you to Madam Pomfrey. She 'll have to un-break your nose."Harry shook his head."Sorry I had to hit you so hard."

"You always choose the most send solution to any problem. That is section of your charm."Pythea incline forward and kissed him lightly on his bloodstained forehead. Harry could sense a shard of chalk motility under her sassing, when she moved back it fell out, clinking onto the table between them. Harry 's essence skipped about a million beats.

"We should get you to lady Pomfrey too."Pythea said breathlessly."You taste of blood."
*


Harry left the seer in the hospital wing and made straight for Snape 's office. He entered without knocking.

"Harry."Snape 's head snapped up from his desk."I heard you managed to injure yourself again."

"It had been too hanker since I had to rise human body back."Harry reached into his bag and brew out the box with the doughnut in it, dropping it onto the desk. In brusk sentences he explained what had happened. When he was finished Snape leant back, gazing at the ring thoughtfully.

"Anyway I think it 's like the diary."Harry sighed."I 'm no-good Professor. I should birth seen it."

"How precisely should you have seen it ? On the Earth's surface the particular have no resemblance to one another."Snape said disparagingly.

"I just ... If I had seen it sooner Pythea would n't have-"

"I despise misplaced guilt Potter. You have never displayed it before so do not bug out now."Snape picked up the ring 's box with his long finger's breadth."Your experience Tell us something. Now I merely have to work out what."

"That easy huh ?"Harry asked wryly.

"Easier than it was before."Snape looked like he was about to say something else but the threshold was pushed open. Lucy Kindston was on the other incline, plainly out of breath.

"Harry, you need to get to the hospital wing."

"I was just there."

"Well you need to get back."

"Wh ..."Harry 's eyes widened."Thea ? ..."

"Just go Harry."

Harry 's heart was beating fast as he bolted out the door.



If you do n't review then your computer sieve becomes like that bit in the doughnut where the girl comes out and putting to death you. Except instead of a girl it 's a cat. Seriously. Have you ever seen a long haired cat totally bedraggled and hissing and screaming and flying out of your screen ? Not good. And if you have high-def ... it 's xx meters tall.


"Why are n't you doing anything."Harry had his fingers gripped tightly around the bar at the understructure of the bed.

"There is n't anything we can do Harry."madam Pomfrey said quietly."We do n't make love what is incorrect with her."

"Then why are n't you looking."Harry snarled. He could n't look away from the bad in front of him. Lying on it, her skin deathly picket, lay Pythea."Why are n't you doing something ? Her substance 's getting slower."

"You ca n't recognize that Har-"

"HOW MANY EYES DO I HAVE !"

"I ... Harry please."ma'am Pomfrey shook her question."There is goose egg I can do. prof Snape is trying to-"

"He 's failing. He wo n't find anything."Harry snarled."There 's nix on that god damn ring !"

"Then there is nothing that can be done."

"I just need to do something !"Harry shuddered with aflutter energy.

"Until we know what the halo did to her we can not fix it."

"Then ..."Harry breathed."Then we need something that fixes everything !"

"Harry nothing like that exis- Where are you going !"

Harry stomped out of the hospital wing as fast as his hurt leg would carry him and barged past the clustered marauders.

"Where are you going Harry ?"Ginny yelled at his retreating back.

"Out."

"We should total with you to-"

"No."Harry snapped as he tried to put some space between himself and his friends. Unfortunately none of them were down a leg and could hold on up with him easily.

"Harry this is for Pythea is n't it ?"

"No. I 'm going for a walk in the Mungo Park with the fluffy bunny girl rabbits."

"Harry let us help you !"

"Go away you bloody-"

"You promised you would n't do this any More Harry."Neville broke in suddenly. Harry froze. He had.

"I did."Harry turned slowly."Does anyone know how to wax mountains ?"
*


"Harry where are we ?"Hermione panted.

"Mountain."Harry barked as he stabbed his hiking pole into the flat coat and stomped on. Beside him the gaunt shape of Morfin shook in what could sustain been a silent chuckle.

"She meant specifically."Lucy Kingston was up ahead, the only one of them who seemed to be actually enjoying the climb."Those buildings down there look like we 're somewhere in the middle east ?"

"Turkey."Harry winced as he slipped on the wanton rocks and had to becharm himself on his pole."North Anatolian language. That 's where we are specifically. Where we are relatively is 'Not high school enough'”

"Where are we headed to Harry ?"Lucy squinted up at the snow-covered peaks ahead."What are we trying to find ?"

"You 'll see by nightfall."Harry tried to brush aside the stabbing pain in his leg as he forced himself higher and higher."We need to be at the snowline by the fourth dimension it gets dark or we wo n't see them."

"I hope you do n't want to get to the top Harry."Hermione was still trailing."We do n't have any oxygen or proper clothing."

"Not to the top."Harry glanced up."Probably. Anyway I thought you 'd climbed before ?"

"In welt, with my parents. Hiking a little."Hermione glanced down the hanker lead they had followed."Not like this."

"Well you volunteered so live with it. I 'm having a worse time of it than you."Harry glanced up ahead and shook his head."The path 's blocked with rock music this way. We need to go ... that way. For a patch at least. Then we can track back, along the ridge."

"What ridge ?"

"You ca n't see it yet. It 's past the cliff."Harry pointed with his stick."feeling like we have to jumble just for a bit then it 's a good itinerary. hold up that ... then ... over past that cliff ..."Harry trailed off, the other two marauders were looking at him strangely."I can see because of the eye. You knew that."

"What 's it like ?"Lucy asked quietly.

"You get used to it. Like walking around seeing double, except one of the doubles is see through. Makes you dizzy when you spin too fast."Harry paused for a moment to catch a breath."Come on ... we 've got a long way to go and Thea 's dying."

They hiked up into the snowline, Harry did n't let them contain until they could see snow on all four English. When they could he cleared a circuit around them and heated the ground so they would be warm.

"Why do n't we just have a fire ?"Lucy sat down cross legged on the ground.

"Because then we wo n't be able to see."Morfin chuckled darkly.

"He 's right. You 're going to require to see in the shadow and you wo n't with a firing right next to you."Harry smiled slyly."I can only count in one direction and I 'm not taking chances."

Harry sat down, looking in another way and waited. Slowly it got darker and darker. At to the lowest degree the moon was out, that helped a footling. Now all they had to do was watch ...

"What are we waiting for ?"Hermione asked quietly in the darkness.

"attack. Look for fire."

"Oh ... !"Hermione 's eyes opened wide with shock."Are we looking for-"

"Yes. Now dressed ore and keep looking."

"Have you ever been there before-"

"No."Harry glared out into the shadow, waiting for a augury. The night air grew colder and colder ... whispering past the four seated bod. Morfin was muttering something in parseltounge up his arm. Harry wondered for a moment if he had been right to wreak him. No ... of course he had to. Without mortal to apparate them it would have taken them ages to get up this high. Could n't apparate the rest of the way though. Funny things happened if you tried.

"There !"Lucy pointed off into the space."I saw a flash, like a firework."

Harry turned and squinted off in the focussing she was pointing. His eye zoomed in to it 's fullest and ...

"That 's it. Good show."Harry stood and lit his baton. A spark in the darkness."cum on."

"We 're going there now ?"Lucy shook her headland."You want to travel around in these great deal at Nox !"

"By break of the day it 'll have moved."Harry explained."And besides, it is n't night for me."
*


Harry started off into the black, with Morfin following silently. Hermione looked at Lucy and gulped, before lighting her wand and following them into the fog. It was a terrify journey, following Harry 's firm way of life across the tops of cliffs and along scree filled path in the dead of night. Hermione kept telling herself it was for Pythea, for Harry 's friend. She even tried to look forward to the internet site they would see at the end. But it was n't enough to foresee the fear.

Every rock that skipped away from her feet sounded like a quip of thunder.

Ahead of her she could get a line the unusual man Morfin grumbling, behind were the regular, solid hobo of Lucy 's boots. Occasionally the girl behind her would reach out and lay a calm script on her shoulder, making her jumping. Hermione was grateful for the gesture, she just wished Lucy would yield her some warning.

"This is it."Harry 's articulation was like a tongue through the inkiness. Up ahead she could see him crouching beside a rasping crack in the rock candy, just expectant enough to fit a man. As she watched the interior flashed like there was an explosion abstruse inside, but it faded again in a moment. Hermione breathed deeply, trying to prevent calm.

"Nervous ?"Harry asked quizzically."Do n't be. After all we 're a radical of teenagers going into a spooky cave in the middle of the mountains in the dead of night with a hoi polloi murderer. What could possibly materialize ?"

In the dark, Morfin grinned like a tiger.

"Harry ..."Lucy narrowed her eyes."blockage that."

"You 've got nothing to worry about."Harry grinned."They 'll even be early maven inside. semen on, lets get to it. I want to back in Hogwarts by morning."

Harry slid into the kris in the sway and dissipated from view. Hermione steeled herself, then ducked in after him. The cave was really more of a burrow, crawling forwards in a true line. Of course what it really was was probably some sort of conjuration threshold that connected two different places entirely. Hermione found herself looking at the walls to try to see the joins. Up ahead the photoflash were becoming more frequent and a unfluctuating red lambency was growing between them. Hermione felt fervor grow, she was really going to see it ... really going to ...

"We 're here."Harry stepped out of the tunnel ahead of her, giving her a wide sight as she pulled herself out of the rock. Her mouth dropped give as she saw what lay before them ...

"merlin 's ... something !"Before them the cave opened up into a deep valley, like an axe wounding in the side of the mountain. Towering walls rose up on either side of them craggy and full of more caves and pits. In the small-scale strip of background in the centre there was a grove of what looked corresponding olive trees twisty and antediluvian like they were older than the mountain itself. But that was n't the most amazing thing. Flying above them in great sweep up bend, and nesting in the sway ... hundreds of them ... filling the valley with fiery light and making the solid place jester like a living firework exhibit. Filling the vale with song, and the reverberation of song ...

"Phoenixes."Lucy Kingston breathed in wonder."You brought us to the nesting ground."

"Yep."Harry nodded."Since we do n't roll in the hay what Thea 's got we need something that heals almost everything. Phoenix tears is a honest bet."

"They do n't cry for just anyone Harry."Lucy pointed out."Otherwise every hospital in the human race would have congius on the stuff."

"There 's at least one that 'll cry for me. Fawkes."Harry squinted up into the splendid flaming sky."We just need to come up him."

"Easier said than done."

"Why do n't you two ask."

Ask ? Hermione scratcher her head. It was only when Harry pointed that she realised they were not alone in the valley. Down by the tree there was a radical of four wizards clustered around a tent, one of them was looking through a telescope while another was jotting down eminence in a tumid heavy Quran. Further down the valley, on a flat table shaped rock candy that jutted out of the leaves, was another group. These whiz were all in pitch-black robe and were clustered around a Weird bird shaped paragon. They were down on their knees and seemed to be chanting.

Worshippers. Hermione realised. Worshippers and researchers.

"Why do n't you manage the nerds."Harry pointed at Hermione first, then turned to Lucy."And you handle the wierdos. It 'll go round and and see what I can spy with my petty eye."

"And me ?"Morfin cracked his neck.

"You stay with me."Harry turned to walk off.

Hermione shared another look with Lucy before they began picking their way down towards the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Even though she knew that a girl 's life story was at interest Hermione could n't help but find awe and wonder at this property. Going off in the at the drop-off of a hat, climbing batch and visiting amazing magical internet site. Was this what Harry 's life was like all the sentence ?

Below her one of the research worker looked up and noticed her. He rolled his eyes and started towards her.

"Please do n't disturb the birds. Try to not use flash photography, they can confuse it with an blast. If you 're camping please do n't bet brassy music-"

"We 're not tourists."Hermione held her hands up.

"Oh, then you 'll be with the other weird bast- believers."The investigator pointed back into the tree.

"I 'm not-"

"psyche the bonfires and the flayed goats."

"I 'm not one of them !"Hermione said in exasperation."We 're here to get-"

"Ah, you 're here to get genus Phoenix tears. The other reason people come up hers."The man rubbed his forehead."Let me guess your friend or your mother or your boyfriend is sick and you think teardrop are the entirely cure. I hate to tell you this but-"

"We know they do n't cry for everyone but we think if we can get hold one specifically it will."

"Really ?"The investigator finally looked slightly interested. He glanced up at the cliff where Harry was just visible edging up a thin path, peering into cliffs. various Phoenix had begun following him interestedly, hopping from rock to sway eyeing him with sequined oculus."Who are you guys anyway ?"

"Well that 's Harry Potter, and we 're his friends."Hermione smiled at the shocked look that appeared on the researchers face. His three friends looked up too, forgetting their note of hand for a moment. Hermione felt like kicking herself, of path she should have said that low gear."We 're looking for a phoenix called Fawkes."

"We ... we do n't record names. How could we ? The Phoenix do n't talk."The man kept glancing up at the drop-off where the shadowy name of Harry had gone out of site into a cave. Another phoenix flew over to join the diminished flock that was following him."We do n't record names I do n't ... I do n't know if we can help."

"He would have come here during summer finis year, he left England in June."Hermione explained."When he left Hogwarts he looked like he was in his third month since a burning at the stake day so when he reached you he might take in been in his fourth or fifth.. He 's a male, with a wingspan slightly above average."

"I ... we 'll check."The researcher turned and hurried over to their workbench where he cracked open a heavy book of notes and began flicking through them. Hermione followed him and began reading over his shoulder. Everything was recorded, burnings, comer, odd doings. If Fawkes was in the valley he would be recorded here somewhere.

"What about that ?"Hermione pointed suddenly at an entrance hear the center of the varlet."That one fit 's the time frame."

"Y ... yes. Yes."The investigator nodded."phoenix number 713. It would be that one would n't it."The sound book was slammed closed and the man turned towards the cliff paries."I 'll withdraw you there."

Hermione set off following, sending micos to Harry and Lucy. She and her guide reached the drop-off wall and began climbing up a thin winding path. Lucy caught up to them when she was halfway up.

"You found him ?"Lucy was out of breathing place. Hermione nodded."Good, those other wizards were weird."

They climbed further up around the careen, passing many perching phoenixes. The fowl eyed them as they passed, but did not come after. After a few minutes they reached a light shelf with a large cave.

"This is 713 's nest."The research worker pointed into the rock."He should be in there. But it looks like you friend found him first."

All around the sharpness of the ledge, genus Phoenix were perched, looking in. None of them were singing, none of them were making any audio at all above the rustling of their plumage. They were just watching. Another flew in and alighted at the end of the row. It trilled softly, then went silent like it 's brethren.

"I 've never seen them do this."The researcher said softly. His hands twitched like he was looking for a notepad. Hermione steeled herself, and stepped into the cave.

It opened out in the back into a diminished dome, the floor littered with marijuana cigarette and leaves. The remains of past nests. Morfin was crouched at the back, he made no motion when they entered. He was staring at the Same matter they were. The tableau in the centre of the cave.

Harry was down on his knees, his walking joint discarded beside him. His oculus grade with the oculus of the Phoenix in front of him. He was n't moving or speaking either, the entirely mansion that he was alive was the slow rise and declivity of his chest. The phoenix, Fawkes, was shivering. A big theatrical role of it 's back was bald and scabby and it 's fender looked tear up. There were plume all around it, an unnatural moulting, and it 's head drooped on it 's long neck.

"713 's been like this for a while."The researcher said quietly."That 's why I said I knew it 'd be him. He has n't burned since he got here and he 's due. Long delinquent. If he does n't sting before winter hits then ..."

"What happens if a phoenix does n't burn ?"Lucy asked softly.

"We do n't really know. That 's voice of the reason we 're watching him."

"Could he ..."Hermione swallowed."If he goes for long enough without a burning day could he ... die ?"

"It 's possible."The researcher answered sadly."We do n't think it 's ever happened before. The former phoenixes have been avoiding this cave, up till now at least. It 's very occupy behavior, I was thinking of writing a paper on-"

"Shh ! Something 's happening."Lucy pointed towards the centre of the cave.

Without moving from his spot, Harry had reached out his arm and was slowly stroking the side of Fawkes'head. The golden bird trembled for a moment, then leant it 's mind into Harry 's paw, cooing softly. Harry reached back with his other deal into his bag and came back with a minuscule chicken feed nursing bottle. He held it carefully to the side of the phoenix 's face.

Everyone in the cave watched, awed, as kickoff one glistening tear dropped into the Methedrine. Then another. All the while Harry kept stroking Fawkes'head with his fingerbreadth, and kept eye contact. Another drop in the Methedrine. Another. The crank slowly filled to the lip with glittering liquidness before finally Harry took it away and carefully capped it.

Fawkes collapsed out of Harry 's hands, dropping onto it 's rough out nest. It was as if the emotion had been too much for it. Fawkes just lay there as Harry put a quick sealing charm on the bout and turned to the marauders.

"It 's done."

"Harry how did you do that ?"Hermione asked, all-embracing eyed.

"We talked. About old times."Harry shrugged."He 's lonely."

"I wonder if phoenix could fight those beat men Voldemort has."Lucy mused."That could be really useful."

"Phoenix do n't fight for anyone but their masters."Harry shook his head.

Hermione remembered the flock that had gathered outside and had the twinging suspicion that might not be true.

"Anyway. We should go now. Come on."Harry sat down again and reached out a deal to Fawkes."He 's offered to be our ride home."

"Is he well enough to do that ?"Hermione stepped forward.

"He 's fine. He 's demoralise not sick."Harry motioned them towards the bird. Hermione sat and placed her hand on Fawkes'tail. Lucy did the same and Morfin slunk out of the trace to unite them.

"Thank you for helping us."Hermione turned to the shocked researcher and waved with her spare bridge player."Sorry I could n't stick around to see More of your work. Maybe I 'll get along back some time."

"O ... Ok ?"

fire rose about the marauder and everything dispersed.
*


Snape was just snipping a small art object of hair from the dying seer ( he needed to do more tests ) when two loud randomness disturbed his concentration. The first was a cannonball along explosion. The second was-

"HARRY ceramist WHAT IN Falco columbarius NAME-"

"What ? No one 's ever appeared in the middle of the hospital wing in a gout of flame before ?"Harry replied glibly to dame Pomfrey as he stood from his position on the floor. The phoenix behind him made a speech sound somewhere between a trill and gurgle and turned as if to leave.

"Fawkes !"Harry stepped in front of the Phoenix and crouched back down to suffer it 's eyes."Thank you."

The Phoenix bowed it 's head a little.

"You know, there 's something I 've learnt recently. Something my friends are trying to circumvent into me."Harry smiled wryly."Destroying ourselves for the ones we love is never the right choice."

Guy Fawkes fluffed his feathering and bowed his head. A moment later flames spring up around him and be vanished. Leaving ash behind.

"I hope he 's alright."Harry stood and turned towards the bed."How is she ?"

"She is getting worse."gentlewoman Pomfrey visibly pulled herself together."We still have n't found the swearword effecting her."

"When you left I wondered where you had gone."Snape folded his munition and nodded towards the burn mark on the floor."Now I see. You should receive warned me before you left."

"Do you remember it 'll function ?"Harry ignored Snape 's words and lifted small bottleful out of his pocket.

"I think it is worth trying since you have it."

"How non-committal."Harry moved shakily towards the bed. Snape could tell he was trying to keep calm air."What do I do ? Let her drink it or ... or let ..."

"have it to me."Snape held out his helping hand calmly. Harry slowly reached forward and dropped the tears into the outstretched hand. Snape tip down and softly tilted Pythea 's sass overt wih his thumb. He undid the stopper and allowed three drop-off to fall onto her mouth. Snape waited. You had to allow the tears a picayune prison term to ooze into the physical body then ... another three drop curtain. Then wait.

He continued until the nursing bottle was empty, upending the last few sparkling drops with a whisper entreaty of Bob Hope. He handed the bottle back and put his finger to the little seer 's cervix. All day her pulse had been slow and weak. Now ...

"Nothing happened."Harry took the language out of his mouth. lyric that sounded even dark than the Sojourner Truth behind them."It did n't work."

"No."Snape took his hand away."It did not work."

"Maybe it just has n't taken hold yet."Lucy Kingston suggested.

"The effect would have been instantaneous."Snape shook his head.

"I so thought ..."Harry whispered."I put everything on this ... She 's going to die."

"Harry stop."Snape fixed his centre to the teardrop filled ones in front of him."It is not over yet. This tells us something. There are very few things phoenix tear do not heal, now that we know it is one of them-"

"Stop."Harry shook violently."Stop trying to make me sense better. I gave her the ring and it 's killing her and I ca n't do anything to intercept it."

"There are still avenues of investigating that-"

"SHUT UP !"Harry shouted so violently that Madam Pomfrey stepped back in fear. Snape Did n't move.

"Harry. I will not baby you."Snape spoke slowly."Yes, a share of the responsibility for what has happened is yours. You gave her the ring. But another portion is mine. I worked with that ring for twenty-four hours and detected nothing that could have caused this. I told you it was safe. What has happened is also my responsibility and consider me when I say I will not have another death on my conscience. While she still breaths I will continue to consider she can be saved. As should you. Now ... I am taking some of her haircloth to genus Paris, to a mankind expert on things such as this. I have worked with him before. I am hopeful. As for what you should do ... I suggest you stay here. And if you have any to a greater extent fool opinion about running off to distant theatrical role of the Earth in hunt of some miracle cure ..."Snape took a thick breath."... I suggest you pursue those opinion to the fullest because that is what you are best at, and that is how honorable you can facilitate your friend."

Snape lapsed into quiet, waiting. After a few second Harry slowly nodded.

"Good."Snape turned and walked from the hospital wing, the lock chamber of hair he had cut still in his hand.
*


Pursue your fool opinion to the fullest.

Harry slowly walked out of the hospital flank. No one tried to stop him.

running game off to distant part of the humanity in lookup of some miracle therapeutic

There was no such thing as a miracle cure. If there was everyone would use it. Harry found his feet moving of their own pact, taking him on familiar routes.

Fool belief

I am a soft touch. Harry found the door he had been looking for and got out his baton. It was locked of course, but not even this door was too grueling to crack up. In a few minutes Harry had the appeal down and pushed open the threshold to Snape 's office.

Running off to distant division of the earth

Snape was the one in Paris. Harry closed the door quietly. He would n't be disturbed. His eye zoomed around the small room and came to light on one of the desk pants. Harry checked it for enchantments then slowly pulled it open and picked up the band from inside.

Destroying yourself for the ones you love is never the decently choice.

Too bad it 's the lone choice left.

"There is no miracle remedy. Not without knowing what 's ill-timed with her."Harry whispered into the dark open of the pack."Only one living person knows what swearing is affecting her. And I need to utter to him."

Slowly, with trembling work force, Harry slid the gang onto his finger.



Did n't imply to pass on it this long before posting again but I 'm in my last yr of uni and I had my last twelvemonth task. Then I had the celebration after the projection was handed in, which coincided with St Patrick 's day ... Then the solemnization for the end of full term a few Day later ...

Anyways once my head stopped exploding and I could move without screaming I got on with the story. My workload is n't high from now on so the writing pace should pick up a bit from now on.


I do n't own Harry Potter. Neither does THE GOVERNMENT !



Harry slid the ring onto his finger's breadth and sat slowly behind Snape 's desk. How would this work ? How long would it take ? Would he even be able-bodied to talk directly to Voldemort or would he just hear him in his judgement ?

"It depends on how you want to talk."

Harry 's head snapped up from the ring. On the other side of the desk sat Tom riddle, sitting on the chair students used when they were called into this role. It was a wooden, hard backed president but he lolled in it like it was a throne. He was n't quite the Sami figure that had came out of the diary. He looked the same age but his lineament were ... glassy. His skin was politic and pale and his heart had piddling chip of red. Through the magic eye he looked ghostly and faint, but through his lawful eye the dark Maker looked real.

"What do you mean it depends ?"Harry crossed his arms.

"fountainhead we can talk like this ..."brain-teaser smiled. Or we can talk like this.

"Talking out loud is fine Tommy."Harry placed his bridge player matted on the desk, the ring displayed prominently forward."Tell me what you did the Pythea."

"I took over her soul. You know that."Tom riddle chuckled. The red in his eyes sparkled."You punch her as I remember. You do know that that 's no way to treat a lady."

"I was n't talking about that."Harry snarled."What 's happening to her now ? Some wasting jinx or something ..."

"Really ? ..."Riddle leant back in his chairwoman."That ... that is unfortunate person. You must be crushed."

"Shut up."

"I must extend my thick condolences."

"Shut up !"Harry slammed his hand down on the desk."Tell me what the torment is ! You obviously hid it well. When I found the ring I removed a shrivel curse, a samyaza and something I had n't seen before that would experience turned profligate to lead in my mineral vein. What did I miss ?"

"The lead spell is called a plumb-sang."

"William Tell me you bastard ! severalise me or I 'll put down you."

"Destroy me ?"Tom crossed his arms."I doubt you could. And even if you could it does not count. After all I am not lord Voldemort, I am just an ... image."

"No you 're not. You 're lying."Harry chuckled."You 're Thomas More than an image. You have the mind of Voldemort at to the lowest degree, which means you have all his quality. Qualities like cowardliness and self preservation. I think you will recount me what I want to know."

"ego preservation ? Perhaps."Tom Riddle leant forward."But the fact remains that you have no idea how to destruct this ring."

"Phoenix firing destroyed the diary."Harry gritted his teeth together."And I know a capital of Arizona who 's probably abut ready to burn."

"genus Phoenix ...."Tom enigma paused and licked his rim."That will not work."

"Yes it will. You 're lying again."

"I am not ..."conundrum was breathing quickly."I have no need to lie. I am the dark lord, you have no power over-"

Harry pulled the halo off his finger and the dark lord snapped out of macrocosm mid time. Harry held the ring up to his face and said,

"Do n't believe you have any kind of power here Tommy."Harry slapped the ring twice against the desk with loud ringing knocks."You hear me in there ? You 've got no board here ! Understand ? You will separate me or I will bolt down you !"Harry slammed the band back on his finger. The dark Lord reappeared where he had been, his expression a mask of rage.

"You can not do this to me ! I am God Almighty Volde-"Harry pulled the anchor ring off again.

"When I put the gang back on ..."Harry snarled."You will strike down the whole'I am Lord Snakeface'thing and tell me exactly what I want to love or you 're going to the fire."Once again the dark Godhead reappeared, optic flaring almost full red. But he said nothing.

"Ready to verbalize yet ?"Harry rubbed the band of the hoop on his finger."Just say one Holy Scripture. The name of the condemnation, that 's all you have to say and I put the band back in the draftsman and we never have to speak again."

"I ... You ca n't do this to me."The iniquity lord 's center flickered back and Forth."You ... you can not ..."

"Just evidence me the epithet of the torment. That 's all you have to do to keep off being burnanated. Just secern me."

"I ... I am Lord Voldemort."Tom riddle 's teeth were gritted closed in and his hands were gripped to the side of his chair.

"No you 're not. You 're a prisoner. A prisoner who 's not even alive so there 's no necessity for me to not kill you. state me what the curse is."

Riddle 's breath was coming western fence lizard and shallow.

"Tell me !"Harry yelled."Tell me !"

riddle snarled like a dog.

"Tell me !"Riddle was shaking. Not in anger Harry realized ... He was shaking in fear. Riddle was terrified. Harry 's hilltop furrowed ... Why would he be that scared ..."You have no musical theme what happened to Thea ... Whatever happened to her ... it was n't your curse ... it was n't your ringing ..."

Voldemort had stopped dead, frozen in stead, his eyes burning like coals.

"wellspring ..."Harry shook his head."That 's something at least."Harry reached for the gang and jerked it forward. It would not move. Harry 's heart jerked up. Tom conundrum was smiling like a cat.

"Well well well Potter."Riddle smirked."It seems I do have some power after all."

Harry tried desperately to tangle the ring off his finger, it would not be active an inch. Harry grabbed for his wand to slit the fingerbreadth off but he could n't make his oral cavity speak the words.

A great deal of power.

Voldemort 's was in his heading now, the figure gone from the early side of the desk. Harry stumbled and fell against the approximative Stone bulwark. Wait ... wall ? Harry flicked his eyes up. He was in the corridor ! He had n't moved of his own pact ... His animal foot were moving again ! Harry clamped his feet down on the base and slammed his arm against the wall. His baton dropped from his blunt fingers.

Feeling a lilliputian less in mastery Mr Potter ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry screamed into the vacuous air."Myrtle get here or get supporter !"

Calling help from one of my old victims ?

"person !"Harry yelled. His wand was back in his hand ... NO ! Harry forced his finger to open again and the wand clattered down. Harry slammed his groundwork down and snapped the piffling sliver of wood like a twig. He could n't let Voldemort loose in his body in the middle of Hogwarts. Could not ...

You think you have a choice ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry fell to the floor. His muscleman were twitching, every flickering section of him was trying to move."Help me !"

Ha ha ha ha !

"mortal !"Harry was on his feet again. Not by choice. He was staggering forward, trying to stop himself ... but."Mico piranha ! Mico anyone !"Would n't work without a wand.

There is no assistant for you Mr Potter.

Harry frantically tried to scrape the ring off his finger. It was n't moving. Not an in. Black spots were flying before his eyes.

You are mine now.

"Harry what in the hell ?"The part sparked out of the air above him. Harry 's head flickered up, at the top of the stares was the tired and moon-sick soma of Draco Malfoy.

"Dragon ... It 's not the anchor ring !"Harry croaked out. He had to tell someone what he 'd found."Pythea ! It 's not the tintinnabulation that made her sick ! It 's ... It 's ... It 's something else !"

"Harry what 's wrong with you ?"

Nothing.

"Nothing."Harry clenched his tooth closed."No ! Tell madam Pomfrey ! ... And get this bloody ri- zip is wrong Malfoy."

Go away you slight traitor.

"Harry your ... your eyes."Draco 's hand flickered to his wand."They 're red."

I 'm just tired. They are bloodshot.

"I 'm just tired."Harry 's neck muscularity twisted his head in a shaking apparent motion."They are bloodshot."

"Harry maybe we should go to the hospital wing together."Draco 's eyes had gone hard and he had drawn his wand."I think you may be unwell."

"Unwell Malfoy ?"Harry hissed."Do n't presume to-"

"Stop."Draco pointed his scepter straight between Harry 's center."Draw your sceptre slowly and drop it to the floor."

"Please ... friend-"

"Do it."

"Hmm ..."Voldemort twitched Harry 's back talk into a smile."I see there 's no point pretending anymore. What was it that gave me away ?"

"Harry does n't call me by my endure name."Draco 's optic narrowed above deep dim bags."You 're ... something else."

"I am more than something else."Voldemort thrust Harry 's bridge player forward, displaying the band."I am your rightful master little dog. Heel."

"Oh wonderful."Draco muttered.

"Die !"Harry 's hand was flung forward and a effervesce bolt of lightning flared out. Draco dodged and flung himself to the floor. Voldemort spun Harry 's body for a secondment hit but Harry flung the last shadow of his posture onto his punic muscles. His arm stopped moving for a fraction of a second.

"Stubefy !"The red spell flashed out of genus Draco 's baton and everything went black.
*


Harry was used to disturbed dreams so when he found himself in a iniquity place to the full of screaming and hissing he just sat on the floor and thought of apples. After a trivial while the dark faded and Harry heard the rustling of trees.

In the Nox all around him there were snakes. Snakes in his orchard ! Harry shuddered, he was in his little pipe dream but he felt drunk. Shaking and unsettled, he looked around. The wickedness was seeping in through the Tree ... invading his orchard. The snake did n't seem to see him, just celebrate winding their way through the trees. Four of them whispered their way through the folio. One wrapped it 's way around the roots of the largest Tree, biting it 's own tail. It 's lidless center flashed red.

Harry glanced deeply into the wood. One more snake, lying still on the ground. Nailed in place by a wooden stake. Harry looked down at his script. Another snake was wrapped around his finger. A tiny lose weight snake with black bands.

Weird. Profetic. Harry shook his chief. Not again-
*


"Harry."

Hm ... Harry slowly woke.

"Harry wake up so I can tell you how unspeakably foolish you have been."

"Professor Snape ..."Harry shook the gossamer out of his top dog and opened his eyes. The infirmary wing was colored and empty. Snape was standing at the foot of Harry 's hospital bed. wait ... Snape had to have it off !"The ring ! I found something out about-"

"I got the subject matter Harry."Snape 's side was a dummy and wild slate."Draco understood the significance of your message."

"You need to help Thea then."Harry struggled to rise out of the hospital bed."You need to help-"

"I already did."

Harry 's eye flashed to the bed next to him. Pytea was still lying there but ... her heartbeat ... it was inviolable. It was almost as strong as ever.

"You ... you did it ?"Harry fell back onto his bed."You saved her."

"It was a toxin."Snape gestured towards the seer."Once you made me mindful that the pack was not the informant of her affliction I began to see further afield. I found a horrific toxicant. It acted more like a disease than a poison. As virulent as I have ever seen."

"soul tried to belt down her ?"Harry found himself staring into phantasm to try to see enemies.

"No Harry. I do not conceive so."Snape tapped a small bottle he was holding in his hand."Last twelvemonth you were in a near unvarying state of mild toxicity. You have built up ... resistances."

"wait ... Are you saying I 've been poisoned too ?"

"Not any more. I cured you when I cured the Pythea."Snape 's eyebrow twitched up."You were poisoned originally. The poison must have passed to her by some ... exchange of fluid."

"When I was bleeding ..."Harry cast his mid back."She kissed my forehead. She was bleeding too."

"Is that the story you 're sticking to ?"

"So person tried to kill me."Harry ignored Snape 's insinuation and scratched his head."I 'm thinking maybe a group of assassin-mercenaries hired by my arch curse ?"

"The Lie Gou are the obvious choice."

"Sounds like you have your doubts."

"I do."Snape shook his head."The poisonous substance was not an eastern one, far from it. It was invented in Firenze. That does not mean the Lie Gou could not have acquired it but it seems ... odd."

"Odd ... fantastic. As if we have n't had decent odd these preceding few weeks."Harry rolled his eyes."And what you 're saying is it 's possible there are some other people trying to down me. Wonderful. Just my bloody luck."

"Oh stop complaining Harry."A weak voice spoke from the other bed."You would n't know what to do with a tiresome life."

"Theia !"Harry slid out of his weather sheet and stepped over to the petty prophesier 's bed."Are you alright ?"

"I feel terrible Harry."Pythea raised her hand shakily up to his cheek."I tried to belt down you."

"I poisoned you."Harry shrugged."Besides, after all the clock time you 've saved my life story you can probably try to pour down me like five or six more times before I get angry."

"I never saved your life Harry."Pythea smiled weakly."I just gave you the impetus to assist yourself."

"You 're being all seerey again. closure it."Harry chuckled.

"I 'm just trying to get you in a estimable mood."Pythea looked away."You are n't going to like what I want to do now."

"Try me."Harry tensed.

"I want try again to skry with the ring."

"No."

"Harry we know now it was n't what made me sick."Pythea protested. Snape moved behind Harry 's articulatio humeri, silently backing him up."We also know that the ring is important to Voldemort. There must be something to find-"

"No !"Harry cut her off."The thing does zippo but lie and control, just like Voldemort. I 'm going to destroy it as soon as possible."

"I agree."Snape nodded."We can safely presume that it was like the diary. A trap for anyone who tried to keep abreast the night lord 's early the like. A deterrent to any rum investigation."

"It does n't matter what it is."Harry shook his point."It 's a cancer on the world. Whether by Fawkes, some other phoenix or by some other method acting entirely that thing is toast."

Harry spoke definitely, but he could n't help but sense a picayune dubiety. Like a snake curled around his heart.

"We have to destroy it."Harry repeated, one-half to himself."We have to."
*


"What do you think of they 're not flaming ?"Harry asked pointedly over the breakfast table.

"I mean they 're not."Hermione held out the letter for him to scan."I wrote to the research worker as soon as you told me to but it 's too late. The Phoenix have stopped flaming for winter."

"For wintertime ?"Harry rolled his eyes."What do they wish about wintertime ? They 're on attack !"

"They 're razz as well as wizardly fauna Harry."

"Wonderful."Harry shuddered."When do they stop hibernating ?"

"Not till spring."

"Great. I have to bear this lifelessly parcel around for months."Harry hefted his bag on his shoulders. Since the incident the ring had always been with him. In a steer box. He was n't taking chances."And until then I 've got nothing I can do."

"You could study."

"cipher useful."

"Well you could ask Professor Snape for something else to do."Hermione glanced up at the high-pitched board where the potions master was wanting. Not strange these days.

"I know, but I do n't bang If there 's anything to be done."Harry shook his head and gestured to the theme lying discarded on the table between them."Voldemort seems to be mental object with random acts of random modest unpleasantness right now. I ca n't avail thinking he 's working up to something horrendous."

"Like diagon back street ?"

"Or worse."Harry shrugged."No way to tell."

"Do you think the order has any confidential information ?"

"I think they 'd probably tell me."Harry replied honestly."Snape 's been pretty commodity about keeping me in the loop so far."

"Do you cognize where he 's going now ?"

"No."Harry smiled."Hopefully working."

"fountainhead, until you find something to do,"Ginny broke in, walking past them."You can start turning up to marauder grooming sessions. You 've been missing them since the entirely ring thing."

"Pythea was dying."Harry replied exasperated.

"So are a lot of people."Ginny replied flatly before moving off. Harry watched her go before turning back to Hermione.

"Her parent 's still have n't woken up have they ?"

"No."The bushy haired girl shook her point."They visit them at weekends."

"I should go with them some time."

"Well you 've been busy."Hermione said, in a way that indicated that was no excuse.

"Or I could just tie Draco up and leave him in Ginny 's bed."Harry continued."That 'd probably cheer her up more."

"Harry-"

"Especially if he was naked."

"Harry !"

"Oh relax."Harry chuckled,"ejaculate on, we really should get to the marauder academic term. Maybe beating the lot of you around the bonce will make me feel better."
*


Snape slowed as he approached the night stairwell and began walking down carefully. Some of the steps were almost as legato as glass. The step twisted down and down into the John Rock beneath Malfoy manor. Much further than any of the basements. Snape placed a illuminate hand on the wall as he proceeded down, his wand the sole reservoir of brightness level, his footsteps the only sound.

He rounded the final corner and had to shield his eyes as guttering great mullein came into view. Stretching out before him was a prospicient corridor of white iron doors, stained Negro from rust fungus and foresightful decay. The decomposition was of no consequence, it was n't the calibre of the construction that kept the prisoners in this place. Snape nodded to the two jailers, members of the order, before turning to the 3rd frame standing before him.

"You 're late."Moody growled.

"Yes, I am. I was busy."Snape replied."Your tip ?"

"I 've had to wait down in the pit for half an hour !"

"Then you arrived 15 min early and can not find fault me for that."Snape strode forward past the old auror."Let us not delay this any further."

"Right."Helen Wills stomped after him, holding his wand high as the light of the torches faded into the darkness behind them. Once again Snape was enveloped in silence, the cells themselves were soundproof. Moody finally broke the hushed."You know why I called you out here."

"Another of the prisoner seems prepare to break."Snape repeated what he had read in Moody 's brief missive that had arrived on his desk before breakfast."Which one ?"

"Do n't think it 's right."Moody ignored the question, shaking his head roughly."It 's not right. You 've got us pussyfooting around these bastards. Offering them books and shorter sentences and even freedom if they help us."

"And you think it is ineffectual ?"

"I think it 's bloody wrong is what it is !"Moody snarled."These men should all be behind prevention for spirit not waited on deal and foot."

"We need information."

"Then we should be getting out the thumbscrews !"Moody thrust out a hand to stop Snape moving."You seriously do n't have a problem with offering them all this hooey ?"

"Offering ? No. We can extend them whatever we want. It does n't mean we will ever give it to them. And so long as they are never given an opportunity to compare notes ? I have no problem."Snape reached out and pushed Helen Wills 's hand out of his way."Trust that if I deem it necessary I will induce no hesitancy in deploying the thumbscrews."

"Oh of that I 've got no doubt."Helen Wills 's eye looked Snape up and down in a split second before he stomped off down the corridor again. Snape followed him.

"You never told me who it is I am here to see."

"Not one of the proper Death eaters."Moody squabble. Snape fought the urge to rick up his nose."One of the stinking crook you-know-who dragged to his cause."

"That does not mean he is useless to us."

"Captured by Harry."Moody fixed Snape with a stare while still walking."At miss Zhao 's residence. Last year, you remember."

Snape stiffened. So the man he was about to talk to had been involved in the attack on Natalie 's life. There had been a cracking mess of unpleasantness that night. Natalie had been reluctant to spill about it at length but-

"Does that change things ?"Moody broke Snape 's thought process, his representative full of dark insinuation.

"Why would it ?"Snape forced himself to reply.

"I can still get the thumbscrews."

"Perhaps later."

Moody came to a stop before a doorway indistinguishable from the one C of other doors.

"His public figure 's sheepherder Kilkenny."Moody put his hand on the door."Used to be a cursebreaker for Gringots."Moody tapped his baton on the room access and Snape heard a bolt dig back. The old auror pushed the doorway open and allowed Snape inside. The cell within was bare. Bed. Chair. Sanitary facilities. Snape had made sure the cubicle were as stark as possible to promote the prisoners to break. Sometimes they would talk just out of tedium. As Snape entered the hunched figure sitting at the pes of the bed straightened.

"how-do-you-do Mr Kilkenny."Snape sat down on the hard-backed chair."I have been informed that you have something to tell me."

"Yeah,"The man reached up and scratched behind his ear."But I got some demands."

"Do you think you are in a spot to need ?"Snape was shocked to incur his voice was still steady.

"I 've got information. Stuff you need to know. But I 've heard a lot of 'might'and 'maybe'and 'If your selective information goat god out'."The prisoner hunched."I want some guarantees."

Snape met Shepherds middle and gently pushed. A barrier of Occlumency met him. Of trend it would be there. There would take in been no item in this whole usage if it had n't. Snape took a present moment to look at his response. He could put up whatever he wanted, but it would not do to seem to extend too a lot. There was a marginal opportunity that this man was not a fool.

"So long as your selective information is dead on target you may have some concessions."Snape replied steadily."A better quality of bread and butter. script. Perhaps a window. Everything after that is depended on how useful I consider the data you give me is. So I suggest you begin taking steps to convince me."

"I want to get out of here."The man sneered."I want long time off."

"As the Wizengamot no doubt informed you at your visitation you have been sentenced to forty geezerhood here. I understand the charges were various. Using the shadow art, breaking and entering, attempted murder-"Snape found his throat going hard at the last Bible and slammed his emotions down behind a wall of vacancy."And that is in addition to your original judgment of conviction for pseudo that you never completed."

"springiness me something !"

"Give me a cause to afford you something."

"I ..."Kilkenny opened his mouthpiece to yell something but snapped it shut, bringing himself into check."I 'm not young. I may not be forty years."

"Then it is in your best stake to talk, and talk soon."Snape leant forward."I am loosing patience."

"I ... I 'll talk."The prisoner hung his oral sex."I do n't really have a choice do I ?"

"No."

"wellspring ..."The man rubbed his arm."You know I worked for Gringots ?"

"I was aware."

"You know that I never really worked above the board. Not just skimming off the top, selling closed book too. mass 'll pay a lot of money to know that Mr rotter has almost emptied his account or that some early guy makes fixture payments to someone. businessman and the corresponding you know ? Checking up on their rival. Investors ..."

"I can see how that information could be utile to some."Snape indicated very clearly with his modulation that he was not one of those some.

"right wing, right."Kilkenny nodded."But see when the night Lord found out what I did he got all excited. Well ... not excited exactly. He does n't really get delirious but he does this thing where his eyes flash and he hisses a bit. Sometimes his nostrils flair-"

"Mr Kilkenny-"

"right field, right ... anyway. He told me to get in touch with some of the people who still worked at Gringots. masses in the same line of oeuvre as me."

"Go on."Snape was very careful not to let his interest show.

"He got me to check over on some things."

"Specifically."

"The activity on certain vaults."

"Specifically."

"Well first he wanted to discipline up on a bank vault. Get the records of who had accessed it and when."

"What hurdle ?"

"sixty three. Deep one."

"Who owns it ?"

"Do n't know."

"What did the disk say ?"

"Do n't know. Did n't scan em."

"You did n't register them ?"Snape raised his eyebrows."An enterprising man like yourself ? Always looking for an vantage ? Are you trying to severalise me you did not even glance at the record before you handed them over ?"

"feel I had the dark bloody Divine watching my every motion !"Kilkenny shuddered."There 's enterprising and then there 's just stunned !"

Snape watched the prisoners eyes as he spoke. He could not read his psyche but still ... Snape had not survived everything he had gone through by being dependent on any one acquirement. Even without legillimancy he could be reasonably confident as to whether a man was telling the truth. On the other hand, this man had deceived the hob for twelvemonth. He would never have survived if he was a bad lier.

"You said you contacted people still at Gringots. What were their name ?"

"well there was only one really ..."Kilkenny scratched his head."William Blake Bees, he 's in the investment department."

"And he will underpin your story ?"

"Yeah ..."Kilkenny twitched.

"What are you not telling me ?"Snape asked sharply.

"Goblins found out he lifted the files."Kilkenny slumped."He 's in hiding somewhere. Do n't sleep together where."

"Would he know who owned vault LX three ?"

"Well ... yeah. He 'd let to to get the files."

"Very well."Snape stood."I will regard this."He turned towards the door.

"Wait !"Kilkenny called out after him."Do n't you want to recognize about the other thing he asked."

"other thing ?"Snape asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, he asked me to check over up on another vault."Kilkenny said desperately, trying to cash in on every trash of knowledge."I know who owned this one. William Blake told me because he thought it was weird."

"How so ?"

"It was the Lestrange vault."Kilkenny spread his hired man."The Lestranges worked for him. If he 'd wanted something out of it he could bear just got them to go in and get it."

"What did he like to know ?"

"Just who had accessed it. When I told him that no-one, not even a hob, had been in it since the Lestranges went to prison years ago he seemed ... relieved. Well not relieved exactly. He does this affair with his neck-"

"Mr Kilkenny."Snape cut him off."Was there anything else ?"

"wellspring ... no. I just-"

Snape turned silently and rapped twice on the door. Dwight Lyman Moody opened it and Snape stepped through. As Snape put his paw on the door to swing it closed the captive called out shrilly.

"Please facilitate me out of here !"He wrung his work force."I 've done bad thing but I 'm not a bad someone ! He looks at you and you have to do what he says or he 'll kill you. I had to ! Please. He was too much, I was scared ! I was-"

Snape swung the iron slab shut and Kilkenny pathetic cries were shut off suddenly. Snape and Dwight Lyman Moody were left alone in the darkness. It was a long time before Snape spoke.

"Get him some books."Snape fought gall rising in his gut."And better food."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said."Snape spun and swept off down the corridor towards the stairs. He had a neat bargain to mean about. With his judgment occupied his finger's breadth twitched towards the square eyepatch of mark on his arm.



As I promised, more frequent updates. Although at the time of writing this I am still reeling from the end of Battlestar Galactica. After watching it I was kind of in a daze for a few days, just wandering around muttering 'so say we all'and humming all along the watchtower. Should be OK by posting meter though.

Update : brand prison term. Yep ! Fine.


I do n't own Harry ceramicist. On a totally different annotation I have some books about counterpunch Hotter ...



Snape tapped his finger on the grueling oak surface of his desk. There was something in what Kilkenny had told him, something important. But his mind could not get a suitcase on it. He could see that there was something there, he could see the shape of it in the swarthiness but it was like he was missing something.

Should he sustain given the prisoner what he wanted ?

It did not matter now. Snape shook his school principal. What he needed to think about now was how to act on the information he had been given. He needed to sort through the darkness and ascertain the truth. Snape 's oculus flickered to a locked thorax in the box of his office. Within was locked Dumbledore 's pensive, the old man 's gift to him. Snape did n't fuck why, it had been empty when he received it, and the two of them had not been on the considerably of terms when the old magician died.

Perhaps he had simply written him into his will years ago and never changed it. Snape walked slowly over to the chest and clicked the door latch unfold. He levitated the heavy bowl over to stand on his desk and stepped back. He was about to lift his baton to his tabernacle when a thought process faded into his head like a ghost.

It was an double, some imagined thing. Dumbledore sitting in his office in the dark, the only light the faint silver freshness of memories. Alone.

Snape lowered his wand.

"Was this voice of the understanding ?"Snape murmured."You took no council but your own. Your own memory board to channelise you. Living in the past."

Another image faded into his thinker. Dumbledore proclivity over the eloquent surface gazing into a fount in the mirror surface. A girls fount, with the same deep eyes as the old man's.

"I suppose it would be more unmanageable to let go of guilt feelings ..."Snape conceded."When the storage is so close. He could take the air with his sis every day. He should not get ... but he could have."

But even as he said it Snape realized that that would not be the memory Dumbledore would relive. It would be the moment of her last. Not knowing who had really fired the magic spell that killed her ... He would have relived it again and again, trying to get hold out. Living in guilt. Or wallowing in it.

Pathetic.

Snape could n't stop himself from thinking it. Even now he could find only keepsake understanding for the old fool. But the one thing he knew with an iron certainty was that he could never let himself suit like him. He had to get hold of council other than his own. Reliving the encounter would state him nothing he did not already have sex, allowing someone else to see it might.

His thoughts instantly turned to Natalie, but he had already sent her on assignment. Analysing a Recent epoch blast situation. He could call her back but ... Who else ? Minerva was an obvious choice, but her mind worked too similarly to his own. She would have no perceptivity he himself had not already had. Michelson ? No. As very much as Snape had come to trust the man for his fighting talent subtlety was not his firm suit. So perhaps ... well he had promised to keep him updated.

Snape summoned his patronus and whispered a message too it before allowing it to float off through a wall. He did not have to wait long, after just a minute or so there was a knock on the door.

"Come in Harry."The threshold swung unfastened and the pupil stepped inside. He appeared to have just run a marathon."You have been training ?"

"How did you guess ?"Harry walked over to the desk. Snape deliberately did not mention how much the boy was limping."What did you cry me for ? The message was sort of cryptic."

"Here."Snape drew his wand to his temple."It will be simpler if you see for yourself."He drew the memory out of his forefront and let it fall softly into the pensive."Do you cognize what this is ?"

"A memory."Harry shifted around so that he could take care down into it. He be given forward, then hesitated."Do you require to go first ?"

"I will not be coming. I do not wish to predetermine your interpretation."Snape motioned Harry to proceed. The boy nodded and dipped his head into the arena. His soundbox went mire and Snape knew that at that moment Harry was seeing dark stairs.

He waited several minute, tapping his desk in impatience before Harry lifted his fount from the silver liquid.

"When did this bump ?"Was the foremost affair the boy said.

"Just now."Snape scooped up the memory and fed it back into his brain. He wanted the knowledge fresh."I would like to hear your interpretation."

"Why ?"Harry crooked an eyebrow.

"Because it may be different from mine."

"But why me ?"

"Just differentiate me what you saw Pott-"Snape bit off the end of that sentence and licked his backtalk. He tried again."I have been thinking hard on these issue, very hard, and I have ... met, shall we say ... cognitive blocks. I need sassy eyes. Yours have usually been good."

"The witching eye did n't work on in the memory."

"That is not what I meant."Snape heard iritation re-enter his voice.

"Right, right ..."Harry carefully dropped back into a chair, once again sparing his injured leg."Well ... clearly Voldemort was after two separate things ... It sounded like the first-class honours degree thing was ... was something he wanted to get. The thing in hurdle sixty-three. It belonged to person else and he was looking for it, or wanted to see, or something."

Snape was about to nod, but thought proficient of it. Better to get an unbiassed perspective even though Harry 's mentation mirrored his own.

"So that was something he wanted to get. The early thing ..."Harry scratched his oral sex."If he had wanted something out of the vault he would have just sent a Lestrange down to get it. It sounds like he was just checking no-one had been in while he was away. Like he was checking up on it. Which means that there 's something in there he wants kept safe."

Snape knew he had called the right person.

"I remember ..."Harry 's supercilium creased."I remember last year ... right at the start. The order meeting I listened in on. Did n't you say the night lord had you experimenting with polyjuice potion so it would work with non-humans ? Could the goblins have been the object ?"

Snape schooled his face with an exploit of will. He had not made that connection.

"And that was about the metre Barty Crouch vanished into tenuous air."Harry put forward."And his specialisation is sneaking, disguises ... Am I making any sense ?"

"So what you are saying."Snape said slowly."Is that the darkness lord guessed, or knew, the positioning of an token, questioned a onetime cursebreaker to be sure and sent his topper spy in to acquire it. Is that what you are saying ?"

"Yes ?"Harry said hesitantly."But hold ... that does n't ca-ca any sensory faculty. Barty Crouch was missing for about a class. If he tried to split in would n't he either supervise it quickly or go bad quickly ? Not give ear around for months."

"It would depend."Snape said thoughtfully."If he wished to steal the point without anyone realising it was gone. Then that would involve grooming ... research ... It might well take time."

"He would have to get close."Harry nodded."Probably get himself hired on to the Gringots stave. He certainly has the skills to be a cursebreaker."

"The goblin assure their employees for disguises."

"They check for magical disguises."Harry smiled."What are the two about spectacular characteristic of Crouch ? That everyone remembers ? His blond hair's-breadth and the fact that he looks very young for his age. If he dyed his pilus and grew a byssus he could probably go unnoticed without any magical help whatsoever."

"Such a person would be memorable."Snape could feel the pieces clicking into place in his mind."I wonder if William Weasley recollection such an individual."

"Who ?"

"Bill Weasley."

"Ah !"

"If we could chance what stoop took we might be able to reckon the dark lords plans."Snape stood."Thank you Harry. Your insights were most helpful. I will inform you if Weasley recalls anything."

"Right, you do that."Harry grinned evilly."I 'll look for a rat in his bolthole."

"A ... rat ?"

"Mr Blake Bees, the witness in Gringots. The one in hiding."Harry tapped his tabernacle knowingly."If he was in the concern soul at the tarot card may know how to get in contact with him. He can enjoin us who 's vault it was, and maybe more."

"Take backup."The words dropped from Snape 's mouth before his mind had even formulated them."Do not go to that place alone."

"For god 's interest !"Harry threw his hands up."I keep telling hoi polloi this, the Tarot is n't life-threatening. The people there might coldly order a hit on you but they 're not going to smash up a nursing bottle against the table and do the job themselves."

"eve so."Snape raised a manus to stop Harry from commenting further."As we have seen today, four eyes see more than two."

"Not more than my eyes-"

"Take someone Harry."Snape allowed the flavor of instruction to enter his voice."A marauder or an order appendage, I do not care. But you will ingest someone."

Harry 's eye twitched and he opened his sass as if to comment again, then shut it suddenly. He nodded.

"amercement. Understood."Harry made a mocking bow."I hear and obey oh magnificent leader."

"One other small matter."Snape drew his scepter."If something goes unseasonable you will need a way out."

"I keep telling you-"

"Not just now Harry, in early situations as well."Snape raised his wand to Harry 's human face."Hold quite still."

"Is this going to hurt ?"Harry asked quickly.

"I have no idea."Snape smiled, and cast the spell.
*


"Harry you are well cognisant that this is not what Snape meant."Pythea raised an eyebrow as Harry pointed to a orotund pub with a maven on it 's sign."He told you to bring backup."

"He told me he did n't handle who."Harry pointed out.

"Harry I ca n't fight."

"I do n't want you to."Harry led the oracle towards the room access."This place is as dependable as Hogwarts. Safer probably. The multitude who drink here are sticklers for propriety though. I needed someone who would n't make a fit, individual who could do niceness. Do any of the vulture fit that handbill as well as you ? Draco maybe, but it was full lunar month in conclusion night."

"Padma, Hermione, Ginerva ..."

"Ginny 's grown less predictable."Harry shook his head."Padma 's an outside possible but really it had to be you. This unanimous thing is about gathering information and who better to help than a prophet. I need you to watch masses 's eyes."

"I ca n't read minds any more Harry."

"And yet you still live what citizenry are thinking half the time."Harry reached the door and stopped, his hand raised."Please Thea, come in with me."

"Harry ..."Pythea took a deep hint."Fine."

Harry smiled and pushed the door undefended. Within the place looked like any early pub in a coastal town. There was a roaring fire in the grate and fit on the walls of fish and Pisces colligate bodily process. The low murmur of conversation filled the air but no-one looked up as he entered. They had their own tending mainly. Harry led the was confidently to the bar.

Order whatever you want.

Harry flashed into Pythea 's mind before turning to the barman and ordering his own deglutition. After Harry had handed over his money he led them to a board near the fire and slid a coaster under the seer 's wine.

"Drinks are message here."Harry explained."If it 's on a coaster, that means the exclusively message is that you were thirsty."

"I see."Pythea replied, taking a sip of drinking and carefully placing the crank back on the mat."And what does yours mean ?"

"fountainhead, it 's golden and expensive ..."Harry pored the whisky into his class."What do you consider ?"

"Was it necessary to buy such an expensive bottle ?"

"It never hurts here to exhibit you have money."

"And why Irish ?"

"wellspring,"Harry grinned."Got to hold my homeland do n't I ?"

"So what do we do now ?"Pythea glanced around, still speaking quietly."Simply await for someone to remark ?"

"That 's now it works."Harry shrugged. He raised his glass to his lips but did not drink any. It would definitely not do to turn a loss focusing here. He tried not to even breath in any of the fumes."Besides, it 's a prissy property to expend the afternoon."Harry gestured out the windowpane at the seacoast below. The winter tip were whipping the waves to peaks before crashing them against the beach. Out further a few boats were still visible, bobbing up and down.

"I suppose it is not so bad."Pythea smiled."This place is quite pleasant. I did not expect it to be so ..."

"Homely ?"

"Peaceful."Pythea glanced around."That man has absinthe. What does that think of ?"

"Ca n't remember ..."Harry scratched his head."It either means he 's selling heroin or buying human organs. Ca n't recollect which."

"And you say this property is safety ?"Pythea quirked an eyebrow.

"I said dependable. I did n't say nice."

Pythea shook her head and chuckled, then grew quiet as a man approached their table.

fourth dimension to go to work.

Harry smiled.
*


"This is the man we are looking for."Snape slid a picture of Crouch over the table towards the ginger haired new man at the other end.

"He does n't look like anyone I know."Bill Weasley shook his principal tiredly."facial expression I know what Barty hunker flavour like, all the rules of order do. If I had seen him I would have-"

"He would have concealed his identity."Snape waved his paw over the pic and the face grew a short beard."Or this ?"The photo 's pilus went black."Look at the eye. They will not get changed."

"Look if I had seen him I would kn-"pecker froze suddenly."Can you bring in him bald ? Keep the beard."

Snape made the changes.

"And brownish byssus. get to it bushier."posting leant over the photo."I ... I do recall him."

"Do you."Snape kept his voice calm as the pieces fell together."When ?"

"Only a few multiplication ... He was working in a different department."

"Working on what ?"

"I do n't know."placard rubbed his os frontale."They do n't tell us what other people are working on."

"How long was he there ?"

"I do n't know. I have n't seen him recently."

"Who worked with him ?"

"I do n't know."

"breakthrough out."Snape ordered flatly.

"I can't."Bill shook his head."The goblins are getting rid of humans left, right and pith. They 're looking for an apology. And with mum and dad still in hospital I can't-"

"This could be very important."Snape snapped."Are you a member of the order or not ?"

"Yes but-"

"Then find out where he worked, what he worked on and who he worked with."Snape be given forward."And find out who owned vault 60 three."

"I could get fired !"

"You could be killed."Snape replied coldly."The goblins tend to be very direct about threats to their gold. So I suggest you find out carefully."
*


"Is this the place ?"Harry looked up at the dingy and pause apartment building.

"This is the address the man mentioned."Pythea glanced down at the bedding material strew street. Her verbal expression was ... not impressed.

"Certainly something going on up there."Harry squinted up."The top trading floor 's all fuzzy."Harry blinked a brace of times and rubbed his eyeball on his sleeve before peering up again."Nope, ca n't see anything. You see anything ?"

"I 'll try ..."Pythea closed her optic."Could you step away please ?"

"What ?"

"Just rent a few dance step away please Harry."Pythea was staring, close eyed, at the sky."Just trust me."

Harry stepped back, frowning. For a few moments the seer stood there, staring up at the sky. Then she nodded.

"There is someone up there."

"wellspring that 's promising."Harry drew his sceptre."You apparate back to Hogwarts I 'll arrest it out."

"No."

"Damn."

"You must have known I was going to say that."

"I thought you were going to be a bit more than abstract. Like'I 'll never give up you .'or 'Damn you Harry you do n't have to go it alone !'”

"I 'm sentiment the outcome would be greater if I was less profound."

"well, we should get on with it then."Harry stepped off the paving towards the building."arrest behind me and admonish me if your sick sixth sense picks up anything. If the maiden five do as well. And if he attacks or something just shield and run."

"No."

"Damn."

Harry pushed the front threshold assailable. It creaked a little. The inside was even more decrepit and covered in graffiti. Harry 's eye flickered up the edifice. It was n't totally empty, one man sleeping on the second floor, two minor apparently home alone on the next flooring up, a cat ... Then the blankness of the top storey. Harry kept his eye trained on the top storey as the two of them climbed up and up. As they reached the top floor Harry slowed to a crawl.

The threshold was already open.

"visionary senses seeing anything ?"

"No."Pythea was hanging back a few whole step."Are yours ?"

"No ..."Harry paused and turned, smiling."This is a fun number 1 particular date is n't it ?"

"Harry this is hardly the time !"

"Fine."Harry shrugged and turned back."backbone to seriousness."Harry silenced the room access and disillusioned both himself and Pythea. In the low-spirited light of his eye he saw the little seer picture out the predator field glass. He pushed the doorway open and edged into the grimy little bland. The instant he got through the threshold his eye shut down, plunging him into uncomfortable darkness. After over a yr of super powered sight having it ripped away felt horrifically claustrophobic.

"Pythea stay close I ca n't see you any more."Harry whispered. A hand brushed lightly against the back of his neck."God I hope it 's you doing that."

Harry glanced into a dark and empty-bellied water closet before sliding forward. blood line. Harry sniffed again, definitely blood. Harry put his bridge player against the room access to the sleeping room and pushed it give slowly. A soundbox lay sprawled on the floor, blood seeping into the carpeting, neck opening slashed ear to ear. Blake Bees, the Gringots source. They were too late. Harry aimed his sceptre and whispered a charm. A tiny red glow was visible for a moment above the beat man. Still warm.

A midget tap came on the back of Harry 's neck and a barely heard voice said ...

"Remember, I saw life up here."

Harry gritted his teeth. He had remembered. Harry felt screen without his eye. Lacking in depth perception certainly. Life up here did n't necessarily intend the murderer was still here. It could have just been the victim slowly and excruciatingly bleeding out.

"Thea leave now."

"Harry-"

"This time I 'm se-"A riffle of air was the only monition Harry got. He dropped to the floor as the tongue flashed over his head. In a splinter of a second he spun."Depulso !"Harry aimed the charm behind him, a knifelike scream sounded and Pythea was thrown back through the undefended door. A second spell slammed the room access shut but Harry was already rolling to his infantry with his sceptre outstretched.

"Augmenta."The stream of water splashed against the invisible assassin, outlining him in droplets."Ferio !"The Lie Gou ducked and launched forward, blade flashing for Harry 's neck.

Harry knocked it aside desperately but the silent slayer was on him, forcing him to the storey with inhuman strength. Harry was using all his long suit to continue the blade from his pharynx, his other arm pinned, finger curling around his articulatio radiocarpea. He could n't keep back on, the water made it too slippery. Closer and closer.

Harry let his legs fold and try his opponent grunt as the weight hit his blazonry. Harry jabbed his school principal forward and hit something, he kicked out and snapped the branch out from under the tacit killer. A twanging thunk sounded right succeeding to his read/write head and Harry saw a knife appear from nowhere, dropped from benumb fingerbreadth. Harry was on it like a flash and stabbed forward. Red profligate fountained from invisible flesh. The fingers around his arm tightened like a vice ... then finally released.

Before Harry 's heart the Lie Gou assassin flashed into scene, falling to the trading floor. The spell fading as the life story ebbed out of it 's caster. The door explosion open.

"Harry how dare y-"Pythea 's heart flashed to Harry, on the trading floor and covered in blood. Her eyes went wide.

"I 'm finely. It 's his."Harry said breathlessly.

"Harry is he ... is he dead."Pythea still had n't moved from the doorway.

"Yeah."The tongue fell slowly from Harry 's fingers."He is."

"He was trying to kill you."

"They always are."Harry slowly pushed himself to his feet and took a breathing time. rip filled his nozzle."We need the edict here. They should go over the place ... maybe find something."Harry 's leg was buckling under him and his eye cast around for him walking stick. It was lying right in the center of the pool of blood. He let it be.

"Harry ... you 're not aright."A normal mortal would stimulate said 'are you aright', but they would suffer been jerky to do it.

"I 'll be delicately, later. It 's just ... this is one of those clock time I 'd rather be Jack."Harry laughed humourlessly and limped over to the door.
*


An hour later and Harry was sitting on the cold whole tone in a courtyard at Hogwarts. back at the mat a police barrier had been set up and aurors dressed as pig were trying to keep people out. Inside more aurors would be peering around and poking matter. Harry had left, he had wanted to stay so he knew what was happening, but Shacklebolt had turned up and Harry had n't felt like explaining everything again. He had slipped off into the dark.

"You should not make brought the seer."Snape 's vocalization did not charm Harry by surprise. Neither did his words or the stern tone.

"I know. It was a mistake."Harry nodded, not looking as the professor approached."I could throw got her killed."

"I told you to bring competent backup."

"And you were right."Harry 's articulation was deadened."Can we please move on."

"As you wish."Snape conjured a president and sat down opposite Harry. He looked fag out. Harry was sure he himself looked worse.

"They find anything up there ?"

"No, and at this point I do not wait they will."Only person who knew Snape would ingest detected the frustration in his voice."There were augury that certain papers had been burnt just before you arrived here, whether by the dupe or his killer it matters little. There is cipher here."

"Tell me your probe turned up something."Harry glanced up at Snape, not daring to hope. Snape shook his head.

"Damnit ...."Harry dropped his head to his handwriting."Dead end then. Unless we ask the goblins directly. Or we could get Kingsley to ask them-"

"No."Snape shook his head."I believe our serious Hope is to allow William Weasley to acquire the papers we need. If we petition the goblins directly at the Saame clock time they will certainly suit suspicious."

"So we do what ? hold and hope that Bill succeeds ?"Harry snorted."What do we do in the mean prison term ? Just sit on our hands ?"

"I have many matter to do."Snape said dryly."As for you ... I suggest you try to own a Merry Christmas."

"Ha !"Harry laughed mirthlessly."That 's not going to happen-"Harry 's words were cut off as a crossbow bolt of lightning thudded into his back.
*


For some reason the former chapter got chopped off weirdly. There was meant to be a whole nother panorama but somehow it just dropped off the face of the earth. I did n't notice until it was validated and put up. Wierd ... Serves me right for not checking my chapters properly before I post them I guess.

Anyways that scene can go at the scratch line of this chapter just as easily. Just letting you know I did n't destine to apply you another cliffhanger.



Harry spun like a top and fired madly at the White River build on the cap. It ducked like a ghost but Harry could still see him dashing away. Ignoring Snape 's war cry Harry shot a hooking at the tiles and was jerked off his feet, clattering onto the tiles. His leg screamed in pain as Harry scrambled to the peak of the roof. The white physical body was far away, Harry knew he would n't be able to catch him. Harry stabbed his wand forward and fired a nemesis. The soma shielded easily without even stopping. Harry spun his wand like and felt the roofing tile beneath his jump. He tried to stay on top of them as they hovered and spun forwards. He shut his eyes and used only the witching one, his real eye could n't follow fast enough. The figure was already too far away, too fast. Harry yelled,

"Tempesto !"The wind instrument smashed into his slope and threw him through the air, barely in control, before thudding to the Grass and rolling. Everything hurt. Harry rolled to his feet and stumbled towards the timberland. He could see the figure belting through the trees. Harry dashed towards the dark fo-

DANGER !

Harry 's eye caught a coup d'oeil too late. Harry skidded on the leaves as four arrows flashed above his read/write head. He scrambled backwards back onto the pot and stopped, wand outstretched and breathing heavily.

Through the dark trees, in the insensate light of his eye, Harry could see his assassinator standing out of view. Dotted all around were centaurs, each one with a arrow notched to his bow. They were just waiting for him to sweep the line of products back into the wood. Harry glanced at one of the arrows embedded in the ground, they wanted to kill him. The Centaurus would n't authorise the line, apparently the strange, Andrew D. White clad assassin had no such compunction.

Harry stood up and watched as the centaur and their foreign friend turned and slowly retreat into the wood.

"Harry !"

Harry turned and saw Snape hurrying toward him.

"He got away."Harry staggered forward, limping."It was n't one of the Lie Gou. I could see his fount he was European ... had a scar-"

"Harry you have an arrow in you."Snape said, surprisingly calmly.

"What ? Oh ..."Harry looked over his shoulder"That 's not an arrow, it 's a crossbow bolt. Common mistake."

"Harry do not expect me to be surprised by the fact that you 're alive."Snape crossed his arms.

"Spoilsport."Harry tugged the thunderbolt out. It 's period was crushed and blunted."It 's the coat. It 's got enough appealingness to stop a tank."

"Give me the arrow."

"Bolt."

"Cease this Harry."

"Fine."Harry rolled his eyes and tossed the arrow to his teacher."Who do you retrieve it was ?"

"How could I possibly know that Harry."Snape said sharply."In a usual situation I am sure the aurors would ask if you had any enemies however-"

"Futile."

"Correct."

"You think it was the centaurs ?"Harry glanced back into the Sir Henry Wood. There was nil to be seen now, not a thing was moving."Do you recollect they hired someone to kill me ?"

"Why would they wish to do that ?"Snape 's oculus narrowed.

"I ... Last sentence I met centaurs they said I was an abomination."Harry said hesitantly."They said they 'd kill me if I ever went into the wood again."

"And you ..."

"Went into the timberland again."

"I am not remotely surprised."

"But why would they waitress this foresighted to try something ?"Harry scratched his head."Does n't add up."

"The ministry has means of contacting the centaur elders."Snape said quietly, staring into the darkness woods."I will try to make contact."

"Carefully."

"Yes, carefully."

"Definitely."
*


"Have a respectable christmas Harry. sustenance training."Ginny half smiled, faintly at Harry before turning and trudging away from the Hogwarts gates through the nose candy. Hunched over with her hands in her air pocket, the smile would n't have fooled most mass so it certainly did n't dupe Harry.. He thought about calling after her but instead shook his headspring and turned to Ron and the Twins, who had come to blame the school age Weasleys up.

"Try to make sure she smiles at least once a day."

"We 'll try Harry."Fred sighed."No promises."

"And if I signal, come running."Harry held up an 'M'badge. The twins knew what he meant, they had created the charm. It was like the dark marks just a little lupus erythematosus ... perminant. Every piranha had one and they could bring them directly to Harry wherever he was."We 'll ... not running ... Teleporting. But you get the idea."

"Aye aye, sir."Fred saluted comedically.

They turned to leave and Harry trudged back towards the castle. Draco was standing in the door, leaning against a pillar. His grimace was grayish and lined, obviously death Nox 's lunation had n't been kind to him. Harry was n't in a mood to be sympathetic.

"You could at to the lowest degree show here some homo sympathy."Harry said flatly.

"And what would that do ?"Dragon growled."It would just consecrate her hope for something that ca n't ever happen."

"Why the Hell not ?"

"Shut up ceramist. You do n't understand."

"Oh god that again."

"You ca n't ever empathise !"Draco shoved Harry away roughly.

"I understand that you 're giving the cold shoulder to a little girl who 's parents are still being fed on drips."Harry said harshly. He 'd tried everything else, maybe bluntness would get through Draco 's thick skull.

"I do n't need to suffer her."

"You are hurting her !"Harry pointed away at the distant pattern, trudging through the snow a distance away from her brothers.

"I 'm a werewolf."Draco muttered."I ca n't do ... I ca n't have a girlfriend."

"Lupin apparently thinks differently."

"Well that 's blinking Lupin 's option is n't it !"Draco spun and fixed Harry with an angry glare."Just shut out up about things you do n't translate Potter."

"I understand enough to experience that the werewolf thing is just an excuse."Harry spat back. Draco 's eyes flashed wide, the Word of God biting deep. Harry pressed on."So what you 're effectively doing Draco, making Ginny miserable for no good cause and then claiming it 's because you 're being noble. Like you 're taking the high earth when really all you 're doing is-"

"Shut up."Dragon 's scepter was in his hand somehow."Just shut up Harry. Shut up."

"Fine."Harry held his work force up."Whatever. I can see I 'm not going to get a straight person answer out of the twisted lummox of conflicting reasoning, ego hatred and false forfeiture shaped by the Twin forces of teenage arrogance and lust you call your brain. cum on, we 've got a petty project for this holiday season. It 'll be fun."

"Oh really ? And what is this labor ?"Dragon asked sharply.

"Simple, the ring."Harry patted his bag."I do n't buy that capital of Arizona flame is the only if way to put down the thing. Got to be something else that can do the job, we 're going to find it."

"So essentially ..."Dragon narrowed his eyes."You want to inquiry the most in-sainly destructive turn known to wizard-kind."

"Yes."Harry smiled."Told you it 'd be fun."
*


In the end they only found two thing that could meet the king of genus Phoenix flame, and neither of them were pleasant. One of them at to the lowest degree seem easygoing to aquire, at to the lowest degree at first ...

"What do you mean 'You burnt it'?"Harry asked shrilly.

"Burnt it years ago."Markus Albert Abraham Michelson shrugged."The day after you killed it. Went back down into the bedroom of secret and torched the thing. Nothing left but ash and I scattered them pretty widely."

"You ... you torched the bassilisk ..."Harry sighed."You did n't happen to keep a tooth as ... as like a keepsake or something ?"

"The teeth and the venom are the most severe contribution, whole intellect I got rid of the thing."Albert Michelson 's brow furrowed."Why ?"

Harry told him. A. A. Michelson cursed and punched the wall.

"So ..."Harry said, after leaving the defence professor 's office."That leaves the early option."

"I do not require to use the early option."Draco remarked darkly.

"You know the incantation."

"It 's not a issue of knowing."genus Draco shook his head."This is fiendfyre we 're talking about. It grows out of control, it can eat it 's caster and everything around him."

"Hence why we need to go somewhere we 're there 's goose egg to consume."Harry said simply."I know fiendfyre 's severe but if we go somewhere deserted we ca n't hurt anyone."

"Except ourselves."

"True, but you 're suicidal on business relationship of being a lycanthrope and I 'm disturbed enough not to handle. What have we got to lose ?"

"trade good point."Draco cracked a wry grin."Do you have a place that will be deserted enough ?"

"I have just the space in mind."Harry nodded."We 'll get Morfin to call for us there. Do n't want to put Pythea in danger again."

"Energy Morfin know the place well enough to apparate to it ?"

"Oh yes ..."Harry grinned again, this clock time less pleasantly."He lived there most of his life."
*


The moving ridge crashed harshly against the cliff of Azkaban island, sending up canvass of spray. The flatus was bitingly insensate, whistling through the laying waste of the prison with terrifying swiftness. Harry stood with his font into the flatus and breathed in the stateliness of it, better able-bodied to appreciate the power of nature when the charms worked into his coat kept him pleasantly warm.

"Where shall we do this ?"Draco had to raise his voice against the nothingness. Harry had cast warming spell on both him and Morfin but they still had to contend with the sheer military unit of the gale.

"Suppose it does n't really matter."Harry shrugged and pointed to what looked like the remains of a court."Over there I guess."Harry turned to Morfin."Oh, and make certain none of Smokey 's supporter come near here OK ? Would n't want them getting hurt."

"Smokey 's protagonist ?"Draco asked.

"Invisible, charming, poisonous snakes."Harry smiled."They live on this island. Morfin told me."

"The ministry does n't know about them."

"That would be because they 're A : Invisible. B : Solely autochthonous to an island at the stern end of nowhere and C : Fed mostly on prisoners the dementors had already killed. Though I suppose they probably eat gull now."Harry came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard and reached back into his bag. He took out the package the ring was in and put it on the flat coat without bothering to unwrap it. No shout touching it more than was necessary.

"Do you have the backup plan ?"A breath of nerves had entered Draco 's interpreter. Harry did n't answer but instead drew two broomstick out of his bag. He handed one to Morfin and the got on the other himself. Each of them grabbed one of Draco 's shoulder's.

"Why am I trusting my refuge to your flying ability."genus Draco shuddered.

"I may not be a outstanding bill Draco but I can go directly up."Harry rolled his eyes."Quit stalling and torch the thing already. If this does n't play we 'll try dropping it in a volcano."

"Do n't rush me Harry."Draco grated."You 're not the one channelling hellish fire through your fingernails."

"I did offer to-"

"Do n't even say it."Draco broke in."You 're not ... focussed enough to proceed this superpower in check."

"I do know Legilimancy."Harry said indignantly."And occlumency. And I can beguile tongue, do n't tell me that does n't need focus."

"Get on with it ..."Morfin hissed darkly, his center flickering back and forth. Being back on the island was perhaps effecting him a bit more than he was letting on.

"Aright ..."Draco gritted his dentition and raised his arms. He closed his oculus and began to chant, a red glow rising from his hands. The air was growing warmer, sparking with energy. Harry gripped his friend 's arm harder. His eye was picking up strange shadows out of the air, things with strange, sharp, silhouettes. Spinning like a a whirlpool, settling into Draco 's mitt, draining in. Each time one of them touched the shaking Slytherin 's hands the high temperature grew and the air sparked.

"Draco ..."Harry started."Maybe we shouldn't-"

"Now !"Draco 's oculus flashed heart-to-heart and the courtyard filled with stemma red flame. Both of Harry 's centre were blinded by the sudden blowup of illume and charming, he tried to shield his eyes but it was n't any good.

"Dragon ! You 'll accept to tell me if it goes out of control I ca n't see !"Harry could see the outline of the stream of free energy flowing out of his admirer 's hands. It shifted and moved and seemed to be trying to break free. For a moment the annexe of an bird of Jove formed out of the flame, Draco seemed to tense and the wing vanished. A Equus caballus head exploded out a here and now later and genus Draco again squashed it down.

"Draco ..."

"I 've got it."The horses school principal reared up again, it 's eyes wide-cut, and tried to leap at the three wizards. Draco yelled in annoyance and it was subsumed again into the stream of flame.

"Draco-"

"I 've GOT IT !"

"You do n't !"

"I 've got it !"

An elephant breached out of the nowhere and charged towards them. Harry whipped his scepter out and blew the flaming existence into nothing. to a greater extent creatures began flashing out of the flame, more and more. Harry swore and yelled,

"UP ! We 're leaving !"

Harry jerked the broom under him up, it rose jerkily. Harry kicked it and it flew a little faster. Something with claws jumped at him and Harry flashed a flame-freezing charm at it before remembering it did n't work of fiendfyre and having to blow it up. fragment of the savage peppered him with burns and he yelled in painful sensation. The broom shot up and the air slowly grew colder. Harry 's arm ached and he looked over to see Draco hanging between him and Morfin.

"You aright match ?"Harry tried to squall but his words were carried away by the thunder flame. Red droplets of fiendfyre were still dripping from the werewolf finger, but they were petering out. Slowly. Harry heaved upwards and ( minus a hideous wobble when the broom tried to go it 's own way ) dragged Malfoy up onto his broom. Harry waved Morfin back and hovered away himself, keeping a death hairgrip on the handle of the broomstick.

As they got further away Harry could truly see the desolation the attack was reaping. blackamoor rock was giving way to flame out from the courtyard. The roaring maelstrom of creatures was pooling out like some sort of flaming mould.

Harry cursed, it would be easily visible from the mainland. That could cause unhelpful questions. Harry drew his wand and mentation for a consequence ... there was no way he could vanish the island, or make an illusion to overcompensate it, which meant going for something more basic.

"Nebulosus."Harry dipped his wand down and allowed a thick mist to run out out. He felt the Scots heather move underneath him and panicked for a here and now before realising that Draco was doing it, moving him into a undecomposed position.

Harry slowly built up a wall of mist between the island and the mainland. When he was finished the fervor was still burning inviolable and stretching out to cover a good quarter of the prison islet. They had to look over an hour, hovering in the Atlantic winds before the live on of it died out. Harry let Draco take the ling down slowly and slipped off.

"Ow ! Ow ! Argh !"Harry slam back into the air and grabbed back onto the ling. Wincing as his infantry slowly cooled from burning to blistering.

"Harry you 're an idiot."

"Shut up."Harry muttered a cooling appeal at the flooring and stepped back down. The heat had been rendered bearable. But only just. With sponsor charm to cool his way of life Harry made his way to the charred ruins of the courtyard and peered at the storey. His wand made whisper of wind to brush away the glowing embers and Harry saw a little flicker of light. The stone of the ring had been burnt away but the atomic number 79 had simply melted, covering the stone with a golden sheen. Harry bent down and hesitantly laid his script on the shining metal.

"Anybody in there ?"

Harry projected the thought down. He waited a few moments but null came back. Harry shrugged and pointed his sceptre at the paving material. With a diffraction grating moan the endocarp came destitute. Harry levitated it into his bag.

"You 're taking it with us ?"Dragon called out incredulously from his perch high gear above.

"I want to earn sure."Harry shrugged."Snape can-"But he was cut off as a flash of sparkle lit up the dark sky and a body fell from the air with a clump. Morfin sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Harry rushed over to him but even before he did there was another flash and Dragon tumbled out of the sky like a dead bird.

Harry 's wand was already in his mitt, his eye scanning helplessly for an foeman, a clue, ANYTHING ! But there was nothing, for all he could see they were alone. The only audio was the slow cooling of the rock.

"Who are you ?"Harry called out."Voldemort ?"

"No."

Harry spun but he was too slow, the stunner caught him in the chest of drawers. He just had time to see Sasori 's mocking centre before the darkness closed in.
*


"You brought him in alive ?"

Harry was familiar enough with unconsciousness to know how it usually went.

"I thought it was prudent. They were doing something rather strange."

starting time you could only get a line the voices.

"And what was that pray ?"

It was near to extend this part out as long as possible. You were still mostly knocked out so people generally did n't notice you were listening.

"They went there to demolish something. The Malfoy boy called fiendfyre but was unable to moderate it."

"Foolish children. Playing with grievous toys."

Ah. Now that vox Harry recognised. They took me to Voldemort. Harry 's gut clenched and he slipped into full consciousness. He was lying on a inhuman stone storey, but smooth. Maybe marble ? No, not that smooth. Harry realized that with his eyes shut he was completely blind. There was also a nauseating empty feeling in his eye socket. Harry cursed silently. His wizardly eye was gone. Harry could experience some sort of bond around his radiocarpal joint. He could n't feel a knot, or a lock. Maybe if he-

"Mr ceramicist I know you are awake."The voice of Voldemort cut through the dark."We 've been through this many times before do not mean you can deceive me."Harry snorted and flicked his eyelids open.

"Just like old times eh Tommy ?"Harry levered himself up onto his knees. Voldemort was standing just a few steps away, looking faintly amused. His skin was perhaps a cutaneous senses light-headed than before, even a slight pinker. He even almost had a nose. He looked ... humaner. He also had a glaring mark across his throat, red and raw and jagged. Harry allowed himself a smile. At to the lowest degree he had left an impression.

Harry glanced around, they were is a ... a laboratory ? That was what it looked like. Some kind of mad scientist 's den. All around were board of bottles and arcane, eldritch point. The table behind Voldemort looked like it had been cleared in a rushing and in the empty space ... Harry 's own eye stared back at him, rocking listlessly. The aureate flagstone was there too, and a few other interesting ( illegal ) items. Harry hissed as he breathed in. His bag was supposed to only liberate those point to him. Clearly that roadblock had not been a roadblock to Voldemort. Or perhaps it had been Sasori, standing quietly near the far wall.

"Seen everything you need Harry ?"

"One more minute."Harry squinted behind the tables and almost gasped. Back near the rampart there was an archway of bootleg metallic element, thick around as a person and pulling the phantasma in towards it. Hanging from the dark gateway ... a fluttering drapery. Harry found himself breathing heavily. That was the head covering ... Or a embryonic membrane. Not the same as the one in the department of mysteries, that one was made of stone. So what the infernal region was-

"Your hour is up Harry."

"Just contribute me a little more time. take to set the scene."Harry glanced behind him. genus Draco and Morfin were sprawled on the base behind him. Harry could see their chests going up and down so he assumed they were still alive. Behind them three Lie Gou were guarding the door. In a huddled mass a radical of dead men stood, silent beside them. Their putrefaction chassis reaching Harry 's nostrils and making him gag. In the front end of the group was a face Harry recognised. It was not a well-chosen face, or a felicitous memory.

"Greyback."Harry turned back to Voldemort."I guess that explains why the werewolves are following you again. Did you have to run up his head back on ?"

"Nothing so crude. But in lead ... yes."

Harry tried desperately to recall of some way out of this room. He had nil. Why the Inferno was there a veil here ? He needed to get out. Harry could hear Draco stirring behind him. Or was it Morfin ? hoot it he wanted his eye back ! How did people bring off to only see in one direction ?

"So ..."Harry looked Voldemort in the eye."Do we do our fixture saltation ? You torture me for fun, I insult you, you get raging, I escape-"

"Sadly not."Voldemort stepped forward."I really should thank you Harry. Battling with you across these years, and especially finish year, has taught me something I never wished to learn. That I am shockingly vulnerable. Oh yes ... yes. It is true. Thanks to you I know that, however powerful I am, whatever knowledge I gain ... all it takes is a boy with a knife and a lucky tap ... and I am as imperfect as a newborn baby again. It is so very unfair."

"lifetime 's not fair."Harry growled."Death even less so."

"Oh I know that now."Voldemort nodded."I know that I an not invulnerable. I look back on my sprightliness and gain a neat many of my decisiveness were foolish. I have learnt. And for that I thank you. I am not dopy any more."

Yeah right. Harry tried not to hustle his eye. If you 're not dopy anymore why are n't I dead ? Harry chuckled to himself then froze. Wait, Voldemort did n't vocalise wrong. He sounded almost sincere. What if he had got smarter ? Harry licked his rim. Why was he live then ? Harry heard stirring behind him. Of course, Morfin. Voldemort had recognised his long doomed uncle and was ... what ? Confused ? Or maybe ... Harry tried not to glance at the table with the halcyon flagstone on it. There was no way that Voldemort could accredit the band from a lode of gold. Could he ? And anyway the ring was just a gob ? Was n't it ?

Harry began getting very very nervous.

"So ..."Harry glanced at Sasori, trying to buy meter."long time no see. How have you been ?"

"Richer."Sasori 's brow twitched up.

"You and your citizenry have been keeping quiet."Harry tried to wind his hands out of his bonds.

"We do what our client asks of us."Sasori 's accented interpreter had shadow of cynical humour.

"I bet."Harry smiled."And where is ... Barty ... crouch ..."Harry trailed off as his eye fell on a box under one of the lab tables. It was open and the contents plainly visible. Dull Zane Grey magnetic disk, wind. Hundreds of them. Why the hell would anyone want coins made of lea-

Oh HELL no ! Harry took an nonvoluntary thick breathing time, then ...

"That BASTARD !"Harry spat. Anger filling his veins.

Voldemort followed his regard but Harry was n't finished.

"Bastard, idiot, fool, everything he did was worthless !"

"And by 'he'you of course refer to ..."

"Dumbledore !"Harry screamed, at that moment not caring that the soul he was venting to was the dark overlord."That imbecile told me he destroyed it ! Told me five years ago ! But he never did did he ? He put it right back where it was before ! Probably too cowardly to actually go through with it ! Or maybe he wanted it for himself. That was what Crouch stole from Gringots ! That 's what brought you back from the verge of last ! That 's how you 've suddenly got all this amber ! After five class you finally got it ! The bloody PHYLOSOPHER 'S Edward Durell Stone !"



If you do n't reexamine tinkerbell will die.

Just kidding. She wo n't die. But I was thinking though that that will spell out the mo the domain becomes truly un-savable.

Tinkerbell drinks the poison, starts to fade, the actor playing Peter Pan turns to the audience and tells them to clap if the believe in fairies and their is dead silence.

Or maybe just one clap petering out quickly as the clapper gets embarrassed. That will be the day humanity dies.

Also ... on that day, the actor performing Saint Peter Pan had better be fucking good at improvising. : )


wellspring, as you can see I 've bumped the tale up to a mature. I 've tried to restrain it 15+ for as long as possible but I guess I ca n't quash it any more. Ah well, at 50 my fictitious character can bank properly now.

I do n't own Harry Potter. I will if I can convince JK Rowling to give him to me though. I 've been working on this Hypnosis thing ...






The petty lab was filled with deathly secretiveness for a moment, then Voldemort uncurled his long fingers and clapped. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Very well done Mr Potter."Voldemort cocked his head to one side."There really were quite a few cue but well done nonetheless. But I believe your outburst had Sir Thomas More than one role did it not ? You wished to divide and conquer ? As you know the Lie Gou will not accept magical amber you hoped to inspire our reciprocal friend Sasori,"Voldemort flicked a long fingerbreadth at the mercenary, who still had not moved."To snipe me as you reveal that my source of means to pay him has not been entirely mundane ? Am I right ?"

"Something like that."Harry said, who had been thinking nothing of the sort. It was a effective program though, especially since at the import Harry could n't think of a advantageously one.

"And a yr ago it would no doubt suffer worked."Voldemort smiled."But I have been more careful since you killed me. I was entirely reliable with Mr Sasori about my seed of income, no deceit whatsoever. They were more than happy to take over Au created with the phylosopher 's Harlan F. Stone, were n't you my scorpion ?"

"More than happy."Nothing about Sasori moved except his lips. Harry almost frowned. Why had the Lie Gou reversed what was basically their only hard and profligate rule ?

"So you see Harry."Voldemort turned back to his prisoner."You can not reveal my new servants from me. It is vain to try. Now ... on to the of import matters."Voldemort leant down close to Harry 's aspect, then hesitated and straightened again and stepped a stride away before continuing."I would care to ask you a question."

"Yes ?"Harry cold feel just the bare potation on his hands. The room access behind him must lead somewhere, but there was no way he could reach it. Harry found himself wishing he had his god-hand back, damn the consequences.

"I would like to know why you felt in essential to ruin my ring."

Dammit.

"What ? So it was n't the reference of all your power ?"Harry quipped desperately.

"It was not, no."Voldemort replied almost amicably."I assume you or one of your minuscule friend tried to wear it ?"

"I wore it."Harry tried desperately to guess where the conversation was going."Saw a familiar font. You 've changed since your disco years. And now changed back a trivial ? ... looking a little pink around the lamella Tom. What 's with that ?"

"One of the wonderful effects of the elixir of life."Voldemort held out a deal and examined it smiling."A much more pleasant substance of extending one 's like than wickedness magic or unicorn blood. It tastes like hydrargyrum you know ..."

"Not like chicken ?"Harry 's eye noted a heavy calliper on the lab table next to him. Heavy enough to use as a baseball club. That was if he could get his hands free. And if a nine was even the slightest use against a dark wizard. Beside the calliper was a black bladed scalpel. Too small to use as a weapon but it looked witching. Would it cut wizard adhesion ?

From under the tabular array there came a deep hissing. A second later the thick physical body of Voldemort 's pet snake uncurled. Winding like a sinuous ribbon between Harry and Voldemort.

"Ignore Nagini."Voldemort said without thinking."William Tell me about my ring."

"What about it ?"Harry said desperately. He could probably reach the scalpel with a misdirection."We found it 's secret. We burnt it. End of story."

"You found it 's undercover ?"Voldemort seemed to steady himself."It ... it had a confidential ?"

"Course,"Harry bluffed."It was the same as the diary."Tell me what the bloody secret is.

"Ah ...."Voldemort clicked his tooth."fountainhead I must applaud you for working it out. Does Severus fuck ?"

"Oh yes."Harry nodded happily."I 'm not keeping things secret from the guild any-more. Guess we 've both learnt."

"I suppose we have."Voldemort seemed to be working hard to keep himself in check.

"Knows about the other thing too."Harry decided to take a wild gamble."The one in the Lestrange vault."

"He ! ..."Voldemort 's eye 's flashed red and his hands bunched into fist. The dark Lord hissed from between clenched teeth."I suppose I have dear old Slughorn to give thanks for all this."

Slughorn. Harry burnt the gens into his brain, then tried to decide what answer would elicit Thomas More information.

"No actually."And would also hold back whoever Slughorn was animated until he could be questioned.

"So you know about the diary ..."Voldemort fixed Harry in the eye."And the annulus, and the cup. I suppose you know about the music-box as well ?"

"I- ..."Harry paused, he knew this joke."No actually, did we miss that one ?"

"Yes, you did."Voldemort smiled. Harry tried to block up himself smiling."But no issue. I have a better means of living forever now."

Living forever. The annulus and diary and ... what had it been ? The cup. They let him go forever ? Harry 's supercilium furrowed. Then it him like a impact ... he knew what they were.

It had been when he was on his mad spree of ego improvement. After he had got his eye. After he got his god-hand. He had been face to face with the small most curse-riddled and pockmarked flesh-monger in Delhi. He had come for a spike in his pump that would let him go without sleep and food for weeks at a time and the witch had looked him in the eye and offered him something ... better. She had described it to him like a creative person talking about her most lever work. She had even offered to procure a ... a ritual killing. Harry had waited until her backbone was turned, bludgeoned her over the head with a statue and left her in a release on the doorsill of the Amerindic auror military headquarters. He had n't even bothered to check whether she was still breathing. He had n't wanted to be glad if she wasn't.

Hmm ... semen to cerebrate of it clubs do sometimes work on dark wizards.

"I 'm surprised you made so many."Harry flicked his eye up too suffer the dark master 's."Horcruxes are n't children 's toys."

Sasori shifted.

"I do not revere them."Voldemort did n't seem to have noticed."I am the captain of my own world now. And soon a passkey of all life."

"Oh really ? How 's that ?"

"All it takes to be a professional of animation,"Voldemort spread his helping hand."Is to be a victor of death."

"being able to end life story does n't bring in you the master key of it."Harry 's eye flicked nervously to the head covering in the niche of the room. Beside it there was a approximate house painting. In the painting a sky full of unfamiliar adept stretched out over a vast desert of Zane Grey sand, stretching away to distant good deal. C of band of footprints headed out and away towards the horizon. None came back. This was very, very unnerving."I assume this is the part where you tell me your evilness architectural plan ?"

"No Mr Potter."Voldemort chuckled."This is the point where you, and each of your little friend make a choice."

"I 'll have got the fish."

"You can choose,"Voldemort continued."To die at the teeth of Nagini,"The snake hissed and arched."Or feel the power of death first hand."Voldemort waved his deal towards the fluttering veil."Choose."

"What 's beyond the veil ?"Harry asked to play for time.

"That is parting of what I am trying to find out Potter."Voldemort shrugged."The initiatory whole step to check is knowledge."

"We 've both been dead Tom."Harry clicked his neck opening. He had a feeling he would bear to run soon."We know what it 's like."

"Paddling in the shoal tells you little about the ocean."

"Poetic."A beguilement .... please ...

"Thank you. give you made a choice ?"

"I think-"

"SASHISA !"The cold-blooded cry sounded from behind Harry. Morfin 's center had flickered open, and he was scrabbling like a mad thing against his bail bond."ZASHIKA mongrel SAHI !"

"Morfin ..."Harry muttered but it fell on deaf ears.

"SACISCA !"Morfin spat towards Nagini. The Snake River raised itself up and hissed back.

"Shsassi !"Voldemort barked a command.

"It 's not nice to speak in a spoken language not everyone can understand-"

"SISSIA !"

"Cazis."

Nagini shook like a rattlesnake.

"-or even hear."

"SACISCA !"

"It pains me that you are of my blood."Voldemort spat.

"SACISCA ZER !"Morfin was straining against his bond so hard his veins were comparable hosepipes. Harry tried to butt against towards the lab board. Sasori had n't moved.

"SACISCA !"

Harry edged. Nagini showed her fangs.

"SACISCA BITCH-SNAKE SACISCA !"

"Harry ..."Draco was just coming awake, his spokesperson wide-cut of confusion.

"Pathetic."Voldemort raised his wand.

"SACISCA !"

"You can die like the wretch you are."Voldemort hissed."Avada-"

"You know why the Lie Gou are helping you !"Harry yelled desperately, flinging his first thought into the air."They do n't go for fake gold but they do betray their clients ! They want the stone for themselves !"

Voldemort 's centre widened.

"NOW !"Sasori moved like a cat, his wand appearing in his hand and flash to the dark lord. A blinding ark of light flashed into the dark lord 's hastily raised shield, catapulting him back into the wall.

"What do you eff ?"Harry thought as he threw himself at the lab table."I was right."He rolled, his fingers touching the knife and he dropped down the former side like a stone.

Nagini turned and lunged at Harry but Morfin leapt on top of her. The gargantuan Hydra spun and bit down hard. rakehell fountained like a geyser.

Harry worked the knife against his bonds. It was working ! Faster !

The Lie Gou at the door drew their wands but the idle men were all around them. Harry saw the corpse of Greyback grab an arm and tear it from it 's socket.

Faster ! One of the forget me drug was loose.

Morfin toppled to the flooring but even as he did a puff of air of dark flew from his sleeve and struck Nagini in the eye. Smokey ! Biting again and again like a piston into the gravid snake in the grass. Nagini tried to twist to bring her tooth to pay but the little Hydra was too quickly, biting again and again !

One of the ropes was cut through ! One more ! Harry could see Dragon grabbing a knife from a fallen Lie Gou.

"double-dealer !"Voldemort rose in a flutter aura of flaming and rage. Flickering shadow of wickedness filled the room and the humeral veil blew like it was caught in a gale."I will destroy all of you !"

Sasori did n't answer, merely threw a barbarian lightning bolt that drove Voldemort back. The dark lord hissed and flung a handwriting forward. The melanise shape in the air flew together around Sasori, swallowing him up in darkness for a moment before an blowup of flame. Harry was thrown to the floor in the the great unwashed of burning mana, his damp bonds snapping under the strain. Harry tried to stagger to his feet but dropped a moment later as a fanfare of Green shot over his head. With a screeching yell the door was thrust open. Bellatrix staggered back into the room, ten more Lie Gou following her. The screaching witch turned and her optic widened as she saw Harry free.

"You ! You li-"

She got no further as Harry flashed his hand forward. The dark scalpel spun from his hand and stabbed through the bitch 's eye.

Harry ducked behind the lab desk again. He could n't see Draco anymore, Harry hoped to god he was hiding somewhere too. He needed his bloody eye ! Harry crawled forwards, ducking as a whirling pinwheel of fire came flashing overhead. A trunk came flying afterwards. Harry darted over and grabbed the man 's wand.

"Accio eye !"Harry held out his hand and felt his associate orb fly into it. He shoved it eagerly back into his socket and saw the world get along back."Oh my god !"The dark frame in the air were everywhere, streaming through the paries !

Harry had to sidestep desperately as a ball of dark shattered the wall behind him. The air screamed with some sort of banshee ululation. The head covering was streaming like a fleur-de-lis in a hurricane. Harry 's eye whirled. Draco ! He was ... smart. Lying down beside a pile of torso with a cloak over him. Lying low.

Voldemort was being driven back, there were too many Lie Gou for him. Sasori was out in front end, still silent. The screaming in the air got louder, the dark shapes filling the air were screaming. All of them had discharge eyes. Harry screamed as one passed through his chest. If felt like ice.

"You 've lost Tom Riddle !"Sasori broke his muteness."You 're outnumbered !"

Voldemort threw a killing curse at the assassin, who dodge effortlessly. The saturnine Jehovah held out a hand and Harry saw a shining pinch of gold fly from one of the tables. His eye picked it out, a gold ribbon carved with a grinning devil. Voldemort flicked it around his neck and turned, leaping backwards. He threw a wall of darkness behind him and, without hesitation, darted directly through the veil.

There was a mo of silence, the spirits on the air went still. Harry did n't move, the Lie Gou would pour down him as quick as Voldemort would.

"well ..."Sasori lowered his wand."That went well-"

The veil exploded outwards like a dark wall of hell. The current of air screamed so severe Harry had to clamp his bridge player over his spike. The shadows swallowed one of the Lie Gou, stripping him down to clappers in moments.

Harry scrambled under the table and dashed across the floor. A screaming shape slashed at his font, tearing off lines in lineage. Harry slashed out with his wand, summoning blast to nail the thing away. It barely phased it.

"Draco !"Harry stumbled to the floor, grabbing Morfin 's leg. Dragon leapt up from his position on the floor, and skidded towards him. The moody shape surrounded him as soon as he moved.

"Eiectio !"Harry yelled desperately and the spook were thrown away. Draco fell forward and Harry grabbed his outstretched helping hand. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and yelled,"spinner end !"

His eye whirled in it 's socket and Harry felt a tug at his navel. The iniquity scream cut out as the ability of the portkey whirled them away from the earthly face of Hades. Harry felt the ground hit him like a wall and lay there for a minute, catching his breath.

"Your eye ..."Draco was gasping on the ground."Your eye was a portkey."

"Snape did it."Harry shuddered, his muscle shaking."Emergency backup."

"You had that all along ?"

"Yep."Harry looked around weakly. Morfin ... Harry staggered over to the limp shape on the solid ground. He knew it was no good to try to find a heart rate. His eye told him everything he needed to know.

"Is he perfectly ?"Draco asked. Harry did n't answer, it was n't necessary.

A swoon hissing sounded from the trunk and Harry saw Smokey rise slowly from the eubstance of his master, his little head darting this way and that. Harry met the short Snake 's eye and pushed just a little. The brute mind was surprisingly cogent. It knew what had happened, it knew why it had happened. It was n't angry, it was just ... sad.

Harry held out his hand gingerly. The snake hesitated. Harry pushed into it 's eyes again and it slithered slowly onto his helping hand and up his arm. Harry tried not to grimace as it curled around his arm near the elbow.

"Where are we ?"genus Draco was standing, looking around nervously.

"Field north of Hogwarts."Harry waved his sceptre over Morfin 's consistence, cleaning the blood. Another wave and the air around the trunk coalesced, freezing into a casket.

"What are you doing ?"Dragon stepped over, limping a niggling."Should n't we just take him back to Hogwarts ?"

"We 're not going back to Hogwarts. Snape 's on a mission somewhere and we do n't induce clip to find him. Got to fall back into the old habits for a while."Harry took the marauder 's badge out of his pocket and quickly sent a message before jabbing his wand forward. God he hoped this worked ..."Expecto Patronum."

Edward D. White mist flashed to solid flesh and whispered away on long thin wings. It spun in the air and floated off towards Hogwarts.

"That 'll find McGonagall. Tell her to observe this Slughorn and look after him."Harry turned back towards the grave and stopped for a moment.

"Harry tell me what the the pits is going on."Draco growled.

"I 'll tell you when we meet the others."Harry reached out and grabbed Draco 's arm."We 've got to go."

"No."Draco knocked the arm away angrily."Where do you want to go ?"

"Erg ! aspect ...."Harry held his drumhead in his bridge player."Did n't you hear what I said ? Voldemort has Hocruxes ! Do you know what they are ?"

"No, I don't."

"They ... I do n't experience time to explicate it !"Harry yelled."They 're VERY BAD things. That he has ! And there is at least one more that we have n't burnt yet. There may be others, do n't jazz where they are, but I know where one of them is. That 's the good bit. Bad bit is that Voldemort knows too. And I 'm not letting that Snake faced bastard get there first ! I know he 's on his way there now. I just ... I just know."

"The bank vault ..."Draco whispered."You want to break into Gringots. You want to break into Gringots now."

"I want to relegate into Gringots now."
*


Black robed figures spilled out of Knockturn alleyway. The spark flashed off the skull masks as the screaming began. The form made straightaway for the room access of the banking concern. hobgoblin slammed the door shut with a crack. Every window filled with gringos goblin, each one holding something sharp and crackling with electricity. One of them fired down at the robed figures, a lightning thunderbolt of shining silver Light Within. A precipitant carapace reflected it into the sky.

More bolts rained down, coming midst and fast. The hob had prepared, they were n't going to be caught out again.

shell flashed and the dying feeder were driven back. One or two of them tried to respond but the magical spell went wide as the goblin blitzkrieg intensified. Then, suddenly, the destruction eaters broke, spun, and ran away in muddiness. The hobgoblin sending jeers to follow them.

They dashed back into the alley and crashed into a shop. Pushing the stunned storekeeper out of the way they threw themselves into the flue one after another.
*


After the last figure had emerged from the chimney Ginny pulled her hood back and took off her mask.

"That went well."Split said dryly as he too pulled off his disguise.

"I wonder if Harry and the others got in ?"Neville was biting his lip.

"We did our character right."Ginny nodded."So they should have too."
*


Harry, Dragon, Padma and the Weasley twins had already been in the band when the 'Attack'started. Harry had picked a Gringots goblin running for safety and surreptitiously aimed his wand ...

"Imperio."The hobgoblin slowed to a crawl, it 's facial expression going glassy. Harry turned back to the former vulture."It worked, come on."

The spellbound goblin walked down a side corridor, followed by the invisible marauders. Harry flicked his wand and mentally ordered the hob to get them to the Lestrange vault. After a moment where it 's green feature twisted like it was resisting it turned and got into one of the waiting mine carts. Harry and the others followed.

Harry shuddered as the mine go-cart started off. He did n't like doing this. The goblins were n't evil, they just had a unlike definition of in force to humans 's. But Harry had n't been capable to guess up of anything approaching another program. Well there was nothing to be done now ...

"Is this going to work Harry ?"Draco asked quietly.

"We 'll get to the vault."Harry shrugged."Getting back will be more tricksy. Which is why we have masquerade ... and gazump ... and I have grenades."

"And do you think they 'll believe we 're expiry eaters ? Despite the fact there are only supposed to be two left."

"smell genus Draco I had exactly twelve seconds to call up up this plan. Did n't see you coming up with anything better."

"You 're the plan person."Fred chimed in.

Why am I the freeking plan somebody. Harry thought, but with the obscure knowledge that this would not be the most tranquillize thing to say he replaced it with,"Shut up and watch out the hypno-goblin."

Harry watched the walls fly past for a few more minutes. By now the blast on the alley would be breaking up. The goblin guard would be going back to their posts. The cart rumbled loudly along the tracks. Harry hoped to hell they did n't track the go-cart somehow.

"Do you cerebrate he knew ?"Draco muttered quietly.

"Who ?"Even Harry 's twisty learning ability could n't work that one out.

"Morfin."

"Knew what ?"Harry hesitated, Draco was speaking so the former 's would n't be able to hear.

"The snake. He was pulling the ophidian towards him."genus Draco was staring out into the darkness."Do you mean he screw what he was doing ... drawing it away from us or was he just being ... crazy."

"Why are you asking me this ?"Harry shrugged.

"I want to know ..."Draco closed his eyes."Just want to know."

"You just want to screw ?"Harry sighed, he had no melodic theme why he was being asked this question. Which made choosing the lie unmanageable."Then yes. I think he knew what he was doing."

"You do ? Why ?"

"Because that 's what multitude like him do."

"What do you stand for people like him ?"

"Heroes."Harry shrugged.

"You think he was a hero ? He was insane. And a vigilante."

"fountainhead you know me ..."Harry chuckled."I prefer flawed heroes."

"Hm ..."Draco fell silent for a moment. Then he laughed flatly."Are we flawed Cuban sandwich ?"

"Do n't know."Harry glanced towards the goblin sitting blankly in the front man of the cart."We 're certainly flawed."

They fell back into secrecy as the cart trundled on.

"Are we nearly the-"Saint George started before the cart screeched to a halt.

Harry glanced around. blank tunnel. No doors. Harry was about to open up his mouth when a screaming alarm clock came out of nowhere.

"Masks !"Harry slammed his book binding on and jump out of the go-cart. He cursed, the wheels had welded to the track. He flicked his verge at the goblin.

return US TO THE hurdle

I ca n't. Against the rules ...

TAKE US TO THE LESTRANGE VAULT

The hobgoblin shuddered and trotted off down the corridor.

"Follow him !"Harry yelled over the scream alarm. The piranha were already masked, wands out. Harry led them after the staggering hobgoblin. It hesitated in the middle of the tunnel.

TAKE US TO THE VAULT

poor fish voice.

Damnit ! Harry spun the goblin around to face him and pushed into his encephalon. flash lamp of bank vault, burrow ...

LET ME IN

A itinerary, a turning, a flying lizard. A tartar ! ? A door.

HOW DO I OPEN THE door

Only a Gringots hobgoblin ...

WHY ? WHAT ARE THE CHARMS ?

Do n't know. Only a Gringots goblin.

Damnit. Harry gritted his teeth. That meant they still needed the hobgoblin. Harry pushed into his psyche as hard as he could.

TAKE US TO THE hurdle

Wo n't oeuvre. Door wo n't open if the hob is enchanted.

Harry 's eye flashed wide open. No ...

Suddenly a bolt of electrical energy crackled through the dark above Harry 's head. His eye gave his maybe a split seconds warning. His branch buckled without thought and he rolled, stabbing his baton out and firing at the wispy contour in the space. Another dash flew from behind and Harry leapt to the wall. The air sparkled with thunderbolt as the vulture ducked for top. The goblin stood there stupidly.

HIDE !

The hob fell forward with a smile on his boldness. Harry aimed his wand at the shapes ahead and take a stunner. Behind him he could pick up the marauders fighting on the other slope. Harry felt the rock'n'roll explode over his point and leapt out of the way of the cave-in.

God this was messy. Harry was the only one who could see anything with the darkness and the flashes and the goblins in amongst the man and the falling rocks. Harry screamed as a bolt cut into his leg. It had n't even been aimed at him.

"Incendio !"Harry stabbed his sceptre at the minecart, which exploded with flame. Harry spun and slammed his fist into the hob behind him. The freaking things were everywhere ! Fingers closed around Harry 's neck and he was jerked backwards. He tried to fire over his shoulder but his wand was jerked out of his hand. There were two of them ! Fingers gripped daily round and slammed into his eyesocket. If it had been the real one it would have been squashed like a grape. Harry forced himself to his foundation and slammed backwards into the wall. The manpower loosened for a moment but then came on harder. His eye swivelled in it 's socket and he could see the shriek goblins clawing at his neck. He slammed back again but this fourth dimension it did n't even phase them.

Ca n't breath.

Of course you ca n't breath !

Harry dropped to his human knee, desperately trying to pull the hands off his neck opening. He could n't even get them to budge. blackness dots floated in front of his eye. He was fading ...

"Selective Service !"

Smokey leapt out of Harry 's sleeve and the finger disappeared like mist. Harry spun and punched the fearful goblin behind him. His fingers darted to the level and grabbed the hobgoblin 's shock-stick, with a flick he shot the thing at the other hobgoblin chest. The grey creature was thrown back against the wall and fell, stunned.

Harry 's eye found Smokey on the floor, rising to bite. Harry grabbed him by the head. If the little snake bit a goblin that hobgoblin would be very dead. Harry met the serpent 's heart but saw only rage and animal hatred. Harry quietly stunned him and dropped him in his pocket.

He turned and saw the other predator picking themselves up out of the rubble.

"Everyone awake ?"Harry coughed roughly.

"We 're aright."Fred was pulling his blood brother up off the story."George II got hit but I think he 's aright."

"How about the hob ?"

"We used stunners."Draco said as Harry scooped his wand back up."They-"Dragon paused."Do you hear that ?"

"Hear what ?"Harry 's eye spun it 's socket."No."

"Rushing sound."genus Draco cocked his pass like a dog.

"Not all of us have wolf senses."Harry growled."Where is it coming from ?"

"fanny us.."

Harry focussed his eye, cutting through stone ....

"RUN !"Harry spun, grabbed their goblin guide and belted down the corridor."RUN !"

"What is it ! ?"

"Tidal wafture !"

"What do you mean 'Tidal wave'” Padma yelled.

"stoppage asking query and RUN !"

Harry reached a branch and chose based of faint flashes from the hob memory. He risked a glimpse behind him and saw water bearing down.

"We 're not going to take it ! Hit the floor !"Harry threw himself to the ground and shielded the hob underneath him. The roaring urine caught up with him and Harry felt it clash over them like a wall.

WHAT IS THIS ?

stealer 's downfall. Washes away enchantments.

Harry gripped his wand but the water was gone almost as soon as it had come. The hob under him began to squirm and Harry realized that the imperio must have been whipped clean.

"Imperio !"That had sounded wrong ! The spell fizzled and the goblin 's oculus narrowed. Harry was pushed off and the grey creature dissipated into the darkness. Harry staggered to his human foot and tried to yell.

PAIN.

Harry put a hired man to his throat. It did n't feel right at all. Somewhere in his leg something snapped and Harry howled in hurting. He stumbled forward but one of his stage seemed longsighted than the other. With another stab of painfulness the other leg slammed down and Harry was thrown to the ground. Everywhere on his hide was crawling like worms. Harry shuddered and tried to crawl forward.

What the hell was happening.

Harry crawled towards one of the puddle, left over by the water and stared down into it. He pulled his masque off and a face that was n't his own looked back. His fake eye was the same but the former had changed from emerald green to pale hazelnut tree. His haircloth had faded from inglorious to embrown and was hanging in lank curls, soaked like a idle rat. With a nauseating gingersnap his boldness changed too, getting all-embracing and flatter. Harry 's shaking digit came up, exploring the new characteristic ... what the Hades ...

Then suddenly he realized what had happened.

The thief 's ruin washed away enchantment. All trance, even Dumbledore 's. The piece that had been on Harry for almost his entire life were being stripped away. It was n't that he was looking at a aspect that was n't his. It was that he was finally was.

He finally looked like himself.

"drib the wand."Harry felt the point of a verge pushed against the back of his neck. His eye swivelled and he saw Draco standing over him with murder in his eye."cliff the sceptre you bastard. And distinguish me what the hell you 've done with Harry !"





If you do n't review then your hard parkway will turn into cheeseflower. To be precise, edam. It will be tasty, but it will no longer function as a punishing drive.


I do not own Harry Potter. I do however claim him as a dependant on expenses. This is fully within the rules and I do not think I have done anything wrong however I can see that the British public do not agree. As such have resigned from cabinet and will pay the money back. I regret the trouble I have caused to our useless prime of life minister.



I just can not entrance a freaking break.

"Draco ..."

"Drop the wand !"

"Ok ... Ok ..."Harry carefully placed his sceptre on the basis next to him."But I am Harry. I ca n't explain, not right now but ... I am."

"Do you think we 're idiots ?"Dragon flicked the baton off the ground. The former vulture were crowded around him, their verge out as well. Harry slowly turned around, keeping his hands up.

"It 's ... It 's complicated."Harry was breathing hard."I know it 's operose to ... but I am the Lapplander someone I always was."

"You do n't even sound the same."Padma pointed out.

"I just ... Please for the lovemaking of god you just have to think me !"Harry glanced into the dark."The hob are n't done you know, they 'll be coming back ! You think you can go in, get the cup and get out, with a captive ?"

"I was n't intending to take a prisoner."Draco growled.

"Really ? Do you jazz where the vault is ?"Harry 's optic narrowed."I do. Do n't believe me. mulct. But you need me ! trust me if you want even the flimsy luck of getting the bloody Horcrux you need me. I will explain everything. Believe me. But we need to go. Now."

Draco hesitated ...

"Please Draco ..."Harry pleaded."For the love of god please ..."

"Fine."Draco stepped back."First take off your pelage. And your bag. All your weapons."

"Got a few 60 minutes ?"

"Now !"

"Fine."Harry shucked his coat off and threw it to his ally then stood."Can we go now ?"

Harry turned and walked off down the corridor. No one tried to stop over him. No one tried to follow him either.

"look at it this way."Harry turned."Is turning into someone else half way through the stickup really the strangest thing I 've ever done ?"

The marauder began to hesitantly move.

"Thank you."Harry threw his hired man up and hurried off down the corridor.

"Hey !"A stunner exploded over his head. Harry turned to see Draco pointing his wand at him."Do n't try to get away."

"Yes, I 'm trying to get away down a tunnel underground."Harry growled back at the marauders."Where the hell would I go ?"

"Just stay where I can see you."Draco 's wand had n't dipped an inch.

Harry glared flatly at him before starting back down the damn cave. They kept going in muteness, Harry choosing turning based on wispy guessing and twinkling of memory.

"How far is it ?"Padma asked suddenly.

"Two more turnings ... I think."

"You think ?"Draco asked sharply.

"Yeah, I think."Harry ignored the sceptre at his binding ( moments from blasting him to oblivion ) and carried on. As they got closer Harry 's eye began to show him a cavern stretching out before them, far larger than the caves. And in the middle."Damnit, I thought that was what the hobgoblin said ..."

"What ?"

"Dragon."Harry turned the final corner and crouched down behind a bolder."aspect for yourselves."The vulture peeked out to see the huge wyrm, chained in front of the massive door. It 's oculus were milklike and white, it 's skin too.

"It does n't search too healthy."Padma said thoughtfully."And there are five of us."

"Four."Draco broke in. Harry rolled his eyes but Padma nodded.

"Four of us. If we all stun it at the same fourth dimension it might go down. That 's what they did in the triwizard tournament."

"What about the room access ?"Fred scratched his point."I do n't thing we 'll be able to break the locking spells."

"We do n't need to."genus Draco moved to stick out."We just need to find another goblin."

"That wo n't work."Harry hissed."The other goblin told me before we were attacked. The doors can recount if the hob are moving of their own free will."

"And you only mention this now ?"genus Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Well between the competitiveness and the expiry menace I did n't really get a chance."Harry paused, that fourth dimension even he heard the variety in his representative. He had an Irish whiskey dialect. Dumbledore had even changed that !. He glanced back at the bank vault."I think I see a way to get through ..."

"Tell me the spell then."Dragon said sharply.

"It 's not so much a spell, and I do n't call back you 'd be able to do it anyway."

"Do n't even think you 're getting your scepter back."Draco laughed bitterly.

"You know I 'm getting existent tired of this-"

"Then tell me who you are !"

"I do n't accept time and you wo n't conceive me."

"Then how can I believe anything you say ?"

"You- ... Fine."Harry stood, registering the shock in his friend 's eyes."I do n't require a wand."With that he vaulted over the rock'n'roll and began walking down the slope towards the dragon.

"HEY !"The neat creature raised it 's head."Over here !"

Harry had to dodge a gouty arthritis of flame. The lizard was old but it was fast. Dashed to the left and the creature lumbered to follow him. He crossed in front of it, rolling out of the way of a ball of fire, and kept moving.

The chains around it 's arms twisted into one another, kinking.

Harry ran back the other way. The beast leapt forward, raking it 's claws through the air. Harry 's hand twitched to a wand that was no thirster there and ducked at the last hour. He threw himself forward, leaping under the out-flung arm. His boots bit stone and he leapt over the whipping rump that threatened to cut his leg out from under him and dashed back out of the dragon 's range.

The chain twisted around a stalactite.

Harry ran for the entrance to the burial vault, rolling under an orb of fire that left a scorch mark on the rampart and made the cave shiver. He skidded to a blockage before the iron door and the wyrm turned to face him. It tried to mistreat forward but it 's twisted chain would n't let it reach the any to a greater extent. Instead it breathed deep and belched out a powerhouse. Harry twisted to the side and felt his eyebrow burn off as the dragon-flame passed right in front of him. The fireball exploded against the bank vault door, turning it cherry red.

"Yeah ! more !"Harry yelled at the dragon."Come on !"A gig like a flamethrower forced him to the storey and made him cry out in pain as it struck his berm a glancing blow. His shirt was on fire. So was his peel. Harry rolled to put out the flaming and tore off the scorched material. Another human dynamo pin-wheeled over his read/write head and struck the flexible joint of the doorway. share of it were almost incandescent white.

Harry dashed the way he 'd come, waiting for the dragon to turn and follow. The concatenation clicked off the stalactite, springing like a fishing line. Harry reversed counsel and ran back in front of the door.

"Over here !"Harry yelled at the no-longer-constrained dragon."come and get me !"

The dragon roared and lunged, shoving one car-sized claw at the boy. He leapt to the face as the hook crashed through the weakened metal with a horrendous screech. The tartar reared up on it 's hind legs, it 's claw a red mess of unthaw alloy and rakehell. Suddenly four beauty slammed into it 's unprotected underside. The expectant wildcat teetered for a moment, then another four struck it in the top dog and it fell like a tree. Crashing down onto the rock.

Harry turned to see the marauders rushing to bring together him.

"He must be Harry."Fred was smiling broadly."No one but Harry could stimulate pulled that off."

"He 's proved he 's crazy he has n't proved he 's Harry."Draco brushed past Harry and continued towards the vault.

"You 're welcome !"Harry called after him before following him into the burial vault. The predator stopped as they moved into the middle of the room. gold things glittered from every direction.

"Wow ..."George VI 's heart glittered.

"touching nothing."Harry 's eye spun in his socket."It was supposed to be a cup ... there !"Harry stepped forward and felt his feet weld to the floor.

"Where ?"Draco moved into view.

"Did you do this to my infantry ?"

"Where ?"

"Cos if you did do this to my feet I will break your neck. Do n't think that wand will stop me !"

Draco raised one brow slowly then punched Harry in the look. Harry tried to stay upright but his invertebrate foot would n't move and he fell backwards, landing on his elbow and slamming onto the floor. genus Draco 's nerve came into view above him.

"Where ?"

"Over by the corner."Harry pointed. Draco 's looked over. Harry resisted the urge to snap up his legs, jerk them out from under the blond bastard, throw him to the floor then punch him in the belly and break his arm before taking back his wand and breaking his cervix. Resisted. Barely."By the vases."

Draco moved off as Harry levered himself to his feet.

"Thanks for helping."Harry glared at the ease of the marauders.

"Are you really Harry ?"Padma narrowed her eyes.

"I 'm who I always was."Harry shrugged.

"That was evasive."

"Do n't suffer time to explain."Harry looked over at where Draco was reaching for the cup. He momentarily considered not telling him about the curses on the cup. Momentarily considered it, and decided it was a great idea.

"OW !"

"flavour out for the flagrante execration !"Harry called out cheerfully.

"DAMNIT !"

"And the gemino !"Harry laughed as he saw Draco drop the cup on the level, piles of former loving cup appearing out of the air.

"The counter for the gemino is unicus unicus unicus ?"Harry called out again."I 'll assure you the flagrante counter if you give me back my damn verge !"

Draco came back into view without looking at Harry, stalking past him and out of the vault.

"Hey ! Are you gon na just entrust me here ?"Harry tried to affect his metrical foot."cum on !"

Padma stepped hesitantly up to him and aimed her wand at his feet.

"There had serious be a account for all of this."She said, before murmuring the finite.

Harry felt his animal foot come relinquish and hurriedly dashed out of the hurdle after Dragon. The slytherin was almost to the flying lizard when Harry 's eye caught a fanfare from a slope tunnel.

"rear in the hurdle !"Harry yelled. But he was n't quick enough. Before Draco had metre to even turn a bolt hit him full phase of the moon in the chest of drawers, throwing him to the story. The cup clattered out of his paw. Goblins funnelled out of tunnel and Harry was forced back into the vault."Summon Draco !"Harry yelled to the other marauders as he dived through the ruined burial vault doorway. A moment later the cup and it 's stunned newsboy flew after him.

dash flew through the spread door like horizontal pelting. Harry dashed towards a weird Au chair and kicked it in movement of the door, he ducked behind it and grabbed the arm, ignoring the burning pain sensation in his own. transcript of the chairperson fell out of nowhere, piling on top of one another in front of the door.

Harry dashed back and grabbed his wand off Draco 's prone consistency. He spun around to see three wands pointing straightaway at him.

"Oh COME ON !"Harry yelled."Either shoot me or shut out up !"Harry pushed past them and aimed his wand over his barricade."Rennervate !"

There was a roar as the dragon was rudely awakened. The bolts stopped for a consequence as the hob decided they had crowing affair to worry about.

"Do you think we can bristle past them ?"Fred was gripping his scepter fiercely.

"I doubt it."Harry stepped backwards. It was beginning to look like he had regained his true face only to die in it. He had n't planned this enough. Had n't had a program, but what else could he sustain done ?

"Harry ..."

"I do n't know."Harry glanced back at the barricade. The hollering had stopped. The bolts had begun again."I do n't know."Harry held his verge grimly. Really should have planned this better ... And there was no help ...

A photoflash of flaming fusillade from behind the marauder. Harry spun with his sceptre out but it dipped a moment afterwards. Harry 's oral cavity fell unresolved in shock.

"That 's ..."Padma pointed."That 's a ..."

"Phoenix."Harry stepped forward. The Bronx cheer looked at him, apparently un-phased by the deadbolt hitting the cap. Harry had no idea why it was there, but he was n't about to sound off a gift horse in the mouth."snap a feather !"Harry ordered the other marauders, grabbing genus Draco and pulling him towards the bird. It hopped forward and onto his outstretched arm. The phoenix 's beady eye 's met Harry 's. flame curled around them just as the roadblock broke down.
*


Harry fell onto grass and felt claw exit his arm. He opened his eyes and saw the phoenix flapping away calmly, giving no foretoken of why it had come.

"Where are we ?"Harry glanced around and saw more piranha than he was expecting. Ginny and the others were staring at him in shock. The Phoenix had brought them to the rendezvous point. Harry stood and dusted himself off."Well that went well."Harry smiled."person want to wake Draco ?"

"Who the hell are you ?"Ginny 's hand was hovering near her wand.

"Oh yeah ..."Harry remembered that he looked or sounded nada like they remembered."I guess this is kind of confusing ..."

"Yes Harry."Padma said to world-wide cushion."I believe you have an explanation to give."

"Oh yeah. I guess I have."Harry took a mysterious breath."We should go back to Hogwarts though, they 'll be worried and this 'll take awhile."

"No."Padma crossed her arms."rectify now."

"Ah ... ok."Harry reached into his bag and pulled his collapsible shelter out, tapping it once to expound it to full size."You 'd meliorate go inside, this is going to be a long story ..."

In the end he told them the Sami way Dumbledore had told him. Flatly, with no shock. It was really the only way, the only way to tell individual that the entire public was unlike to the way they thought it was. Like telling somebody that, contrary to everything they knew, the sky was really orange. He tried not to look at their faces as he spoke. It was like he was stripping au naturel, bearing everything to them. All the marauder were there, and in a way that was sorry. The archetype predator, the sum, he knew like family line. But the others, the 1 that had joined when he was away last year, not so much. Some of them had probably joined because he was Harry Potter. Because they trusted the prophecy, because they trusted that he could destroy Voldemort. And now ... he was just some guy. Just some kid who had been pushed in over his head and forced to exist. Constantly on the edge of drowning and having to claw for every drop of air. Getting his veridical font back should stimulate made him palpate happy. Telling his friends should receive made him feel happy. Instead he felt ... tired.

"... And in the end I decided to keep open being Harry Potter."Harry fished lamely."Because, much as I hate what Dumbledore did, he was mighty. People need to see the Chosen one out there fighting. It does n't weigh what I want."

There was a long, dark silence. Harry could see seismic disturbance and repulsion painted on every face.

"It ... it makes sense."Hermione was the maiden to talk."It 's horrible but ... it makes sense. Even the bit about you not having a name. That would explain why you, the rattling you, never received a Hogwarts invite, why your name was never written in the Hogwarts books. That was probably contribution of the intellect Dumbledore chose you. There would be no criminal record for anyone to find."

"I do n't know. Possibly."Harry shrugged."He did n't tell me why he chose me. There ca n't throw been that many orphaned magic children of the right age to choose from. I always thought I just got the light straw."

"So you do n't even give birth a substantial name ?"Neville asked quietly.

"The orphans' asylum called me Jack."It hurt to say that name. More and more Harry persuasion of Jack as what he would get when all this was finally over. When the creation did n't need Harry potter anymore. When he could finally rest. He did n't severalise them that though,"But I 'm not comfortable with that name yet. If you could just prevent calling me Harry that would be good."

"flavour at me."Draco said suddenly, still sounding angry."look into my eyes."

"You do n't trust me ?"Harry complied, meeting Draco 's regard."It 's would be kind of an expatiate lie to recollect up."

"Shut up."Draco commanded and Harry felt a stabbing annoyance behind his centre. Draco was n't bothering to be soft with his probing. Harry supposed he could n't charge him. Harry saw himself in the hospital room for a instant, Dumbledore standing at the end of the bed. Harry turned his genial regard away, letting genus Draco view the images alone. Harry had no need to relive that day. Eventually the mental investigation subsided and Draco leant back, his grimace dropping from anger to offend."It 's true. It 's all unfeigned ..."

"You did n't want to believe it."Harry nodded."Neither did I."

"So time lag, I 'm confused."Ron scratched his head word."What does this mean for the divination ? I thought Harry Potter, um ... the other Harry thrower, was the only one who could kill you-know-who. So if he 's dead does that mean that ..."

"It means nothing."Harry cut in. He had to head off this line of conversation quickly."It 's bull. You trying to tell me that if someone walked up to Voldemort and chopped his head off with a panga that somehow he would n't die."

"Well no, he wouldn't."Padma pointed out."Because of the Hocruxs."

"Which we can destroy."Harry said quickly."Which anyone can put down. Anyone with appropriate puppet. Do n't want cannon Harry for that. And besides ; Pythea thinks I can shoot down Voldemort and no-one knows more about prophecy deeds than her."

There was a murmuring of accent from around the tent. Harry breathed an internal suspiration of backup man, at least he had headed off that disaster.

"So what do we do now ?"Split raised an eyebrow.

"What do you have in mind what do we do now ?"Harry shrugged."We head back to Hogwarts, probably in the morning, it 's too late now. And then we keep assisting the ordination and Snape to take down Voldemort."

"You mean we just act like northing 's changed ?"Hermione asked, aghast.

"cypher has changed."Harry pointed out."I 'm still the same somebody I was yesterday. Voldemort 's still out there. The Lie Gou are still a scourge. Nothing 's changed."Nothing ever changes. Except when it gets worsened."And when we go back to Hogwart 's I 'll find someone who can put my human face back on and no one will know any different."

"And you 're aright with that ?"

"Yes."No."World needs heroes. Harry thrower is ... like my mysterious identity. Like spiderman."

"Who ?"Ron 's eyebrow furrowed.

"Never mind."Harry hung his head tiredly."We should all probably take a little time to rest. It 's been a hanker day."

And when we go back to Hogwarts it all begins again.
*


It was hours later and Harry was sitting outside the tent looking up at the stars when he heard pace approaching behind him.

"Harry ? ... Jack ? .... somebody ?"

"My name has n't changed."Harry chuckled into the night air."I thought everybody was asleep ?"

"I couldn't."Padma stepped up beside Harry and sat down."It 's just too much to take in at once."

"Imagine how I felt."

"I do n't cause to imagine. I remember."Padma shrugged."You went weirdo for a while, then Pythea made you better."

"Yep."

"She does that a lot does n't she."Padma raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any specific point ?"Harry rolled his eye.

"I think you know."Padma smiled then looked away as Harry laughed."You even laugh differently. It sounds higher."

"Irisher probably."Harry tried to get wind his own voice but it sounded even stranger to him, it was probably some sort of psychosomatic affair."I have n't really got used to it yet."

"What are you going to do when we go back to Hogwarts ? Are you really going to ask someone to put you back the way you were ?"

"I guess I 'll have to ..."Harry bit his lip. The prospect was surprisingly unpalatable."I do n't get laid if we 'll be able to get the whole software system back but we should at least be able-bodied to get the face. I can fake the voice if I have to, give me a little Sir Thomas More time ... this bettor ?"

"Deeper."

"Better ?"

"Say something else."

"You do acknowledge that if someone asks you to say something you instantly forget every word you ever knew ?"

"That 's a little better."Padma nodded."We can function on it. Try more than emotion."

"Should I be angrier ?"

"more than bitter than angry."

"Oh dandy thanks."

"Perfect."

"Are you being sarcastic ?"

"Partially."

"Should I be more sarcastic ?"

"Definitely."

"Now you 're making fun of me."Harry chuckled."Hm, just proves I 'm back to normal."Harry leant back on the smoke."I got my own face, we got out animated, got the cup, beat up a clump of hob and I danced with a dragon. I call that a win."

"I wonder how much of that Au got destroyed in the fire ?"

"Depends how much Fred and Saint George stuffed in their pockets."

"They did n't ..."

Harry tapped his eye.

"They did. I 'm not surprised."Padma shook her head, chuckling."oral presentation of treasure, have you worked out what you 're going to do with the cup."

"Well ... I have one idea."Harry looked up into the sky."But I do n't know if it 'll work ..."

"Is it dangerous ?"

"wellspring, no not particularly."

"So why do n't you try it."

"commodity point."Harry stood up and closed his eyes. Help me.

"Harry what are you-"Padma trailed off as a flash of fire lit up the Night. Harry opened his eyes to see two capital of Arizona looking at him quizzically. Harry stepped close to them and placed the cup on the ground next to the birds.

"Would you mind flaming this thing for me."The larger phoenix hopped forward and looked up at Harry. Harry felt a footling sentiment get-up-and-go towards him, it seemed to be saying ... why."It belonged to Voldemort."straits cocked left."It helped him come back from the dead."top dog cocked right. Bob. The big razzing hopped following to the cup and spread it 's extension. Harry shielded his center as the doll feathering turned to redden flame.

"You just spent an 60 minutes explaining to everyone how you 're not the chosen one."Padma said quietly from behind him."So what exactly are you ?"

"I have no idea."Harry admitted, his heart sparkling with reflected attack. After a few moments both the flames subsided and the chick was gone, flamed away back to where it came from. All that was left of the cup was a pitted scrap of metal.

"Do you guess there are Sir Thomas More of them ?"Padma asked as Harry picked it up off the floor.

"More Hocruxes ? No way to tell."Harry stood and looked back towards the tent."Should probably head back to Hogwarts. They 'll be worrying."
*


It was still benighted as the vulture alighted on the locoweed outside the gates of Hogwarts. Harry took out his sceptre and aimed it at himself.

"Harry what are you doing ?"Draco asked.

"Dissilusioning."Harry said the charm and felt the cold fingers of invisibility enclosing him."No one should see me like this."

"Oh, right."

"We need to get to Snape, he 'll be able to get me back looking like ... like Harry."Harry felt that strange reluctance again but squashed it down. It was necessity to stay under the mask. It was necessary."You roast point to the coarse suite, you all deserve some proper sleep."

Harry walked up to the dumb castle and proceeded to the dungeon. Harry stopped outside Snape 's threshold and took a mystifying breath before knocking.

"ejaculate in."Snape sounded like he was angry.

Harry pushed the door in and stepped into the dark office.

"Mr Potter."Snape had his vertebral column turned and was slowly measuring out a foul cat valium liquid into a beaker."Have you came to offer an explanation as to why I have taken Horance Slughorn into protective custody ? Why a scant commission that should have taken a short reckoning of hours at most and only involved you and Mr Malfoy has taken half of Hogwarts and almost twenty four hours ? Would you like to explain why Morfin Gaunt is short ! Would you like to explain why expiry eater attacked diagon back street ? And do not TRY to act that you were not-"

"Snape turn around."Harry interrupted.

"Potter do not try-"Snape 's head snapped around. His eyes widened."You ..."

"Me."Harry shrugged."I 'll explain everything, but I need you to do something about this face. Please."

"So this is what you looked like bef ..."Snape whispered quietly. Then more forcefully."Release your mental blocks."

Harry sighed, but complied. A force pushed it 's way into his mind. instant of the past day flickered past like bits of a past life. Harry just relaxed as every particular was wrung out like dirty laundry. Malus pumila Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ... relax.

The icon stopped and Harry opened his eyes. Snape pushed past him roughly.

"Hey ! Where are you going !"

"I know the place you were held, the place where the dark lord 's lab was."Snape pushed the door open."It is an old wizard dwelling in British capital, the childhood home of Bellatrix. Perhaps there is something still there."

"What about me !"Harry called after the potions master copy."I ca n't leave your office looking like this !"But Snape was already gone."Wonderful."Harry pushed the door shut and collapsed on a president."Wonderful ..."

Harry spent a fruitless hour trying to work transfiguration on himself, only succeeding in giving himself acne, when he noticed someone coming up the corridor outside. He froze momentarily before he saw who it was and relaxed.

"hello Harry."Pythea said without suspension as she pushed the room access unfold and turned to him.

"You could at to the lowest degree pretend to be a little surprised."Harry pointed at his face.

"You look the like to me."Pythea closed the door.

"wellspring at least we match now."Harry smiled out of one brownness eye and one putting surface and into one K and one purple."How did you know I was down here anyway ?"

"Snape sent me. He told me to render you back your old face."Pythea cocked her head."But I will only do it if you want me to."

"It 's ok."Harry sighed."I know I need to look like Harry again."

"You should n't feel forced, this is your choice."

"Would be kind of hard to explain."

"Not with the truth."

"Which I already decided I ca n't tell the world."Harry hung his head."Maybe when all this is over. But for now the world still needs their grinder. I need my mystery indistinguishability back."

"You 're sure ?"

"Yes."

Pythea moved closer and sat on the arm of his president. She raised her mitt and lightly touched his cheek. Harry shivered. Because of the trick. Just because of the magic. Theia leant in closer as her fingers played over his hide. Harry could feel her breath on his neck.

"So ... how um ... How long will this take ?"Harry said breathlessly ( the thaumaturgy must have been interfering with his lungs ).

"Quite a while. farseeing if you keep talking."Pythea placed her helping hand flat over Harry 's eyes and he felt a faint shifting around his lids. He could smell the little prophet skin. Ink. She had been writing, probably scrying over more than maps for the club. The hand was lifted away and Harry 's face felt oddly warm.

"This really will ask a while."Pythea said suddenly, jarring Harry back to reality."You could try to get some sleep."

"I have a better idea."Harry opened his middle and fixed them on Thea 's."Gaius emineo"The human race swirled around them."There,"Harry leant back against a tree."That 's better."

"How did you learn to do this ?"Pythea asked curiously as she looked around at the illusionary orchard.

"I looked it up after you did it to me finally year."Harry shrugged."It 's not that hard if you have the place you want held in your mind. And this place is engraved on every cellular telephone of my brain."Harry crossed his stage on the pot. He knew it was just the leather of the chairman. But it felt like grass. Harry sighed contentedly as Pythea went back to function on his lineament. The tip ruffled his hair as it slowly darkened again.

Can I ask you about something ? Harry asked wordlessly, not moving his mouth. Do you hump anything about genus Phoenix ?

A little. Why ?

I do n't know, but they seem to have got some weird interest in me. One of them came when I called earlier. And before that one saved us in gringots.

A Phoenix chose you as it 's married person ? Pythea sounded impressed. That 's a great purity Harry.

That 's not what it is. Harry was about to shake his capitulum, then stopped. They were dissimilar phoenixs, I could tell. And before, when you were sick, the whole genus Phoenix colony was acting Weird towards me. Have you heard of anything like that before ?

That is ... very strange.

Thea we 're talking mentally. Harry chided. You ca n't cover things as easily. You 're really shocked by this.

I ... I do n't know Harry. I 'm not used to not knowing. It makes me neural, especially where you are concerned.

I do n't remember it 's a peril. They saved my sprightliness remember.

I know. Theia shifted her fingers down to Harry 's hands. He could palpate his finger cymbals reshaping. But it still makes me nervous.

The centaur want me dead, the genus Phoenix want me alive. Harry rolled his eyes. And that 's not even getting started on the humans who want a firearm of me. See anything useful in seer-o-vision ?

No Harry. Thea smiled softly.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes again. He had imagined the orchard in fountain and there were Malus pumila flower floating on the air. Pythea lowered her deal, the transformation was over. Harry did n't give his eyes, better to restrain the moment or a trivial retentive. Beside him the seer leant on his shoulder and closed her own eyes.

Harry did n't have it away how yearn they were sat there but eventually the thaumaturgy was shattered by the door slamming open.

"Harry."Snape snapped as soon as he was through the door, holding it undefended just long enough for Natalie Zhao to tread through before slamming it shut."Harry stand up."

"Stand…right."Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was acutely mindful of Theia pressing against his side."Um… Must I ? It's just that I'm… tired. Yes, hackneyed. Legs… tired. And arms… general musculature…"

"Shut up."Snape knelt down and looked into Harry's eyes. This prison term he didn't have to say it, Harry obediently lowered his defences and felt the familiar pushing of Snape's mind. After a few moments Snape lean back.

"That is what I thought I saw. But I had to be sure."

"What did you see."

"The dark lord stepping through the veil."Snape stood back up and stepped over to his desk. He poured a small methamphetamine of golden liquid and drink it in one gulp.

"So ?"Harry asked."So what does that mean ?"

Snape said zilch, just rubbed his forehead.

"We examined the head covering we found at Grimauld Place. The house you were held in."Natalie answered."It is functionally identical to the veil in the department of mysteries."

Pythea stiffened and Harry heard a sharp consumption of breath.

"What does the veil do ?"Harry asked.

"It is a one way portal vein to death."Zhao answered simply."The department of closed book was initially created to investigate the ‘ three great closed book ’."

"time, destiny and death."Pythea said softly, imbuing the words forbidding strength.

"Yes that is right."Natalie nodded."Although some the great unwashed think they are essentially the Sami thing."

"They are wrong."Theia said leadenly.

"Get on with the explanation."Snape growled from his desk.

"The veil can be used to take a person bodily into the next world."Natalie snapped irritably.

"So it was used to kill hoi polloi ?"Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Actually it was originally an accolade to go through. antediluvian wizards would go through late in their life sentence with corner and carts full of their riches. Like an Great Pyramid, except they were still alert. It has n't been done for centuries though. And you 're right, in gothic metre it was used to execute prisoners. It 's possible, with special equipment, to see through the veil."Natalie shuddered."I 've seen recordings. The prisoner tried to get back, they tries everything, but in the end they all walked away. Across the desert."

The way went unsounded. Harry thought back to the painting that had been hanging in Voldemort 's testing ground. hundred of footprint leading away. None leading back.

"He knows how to see through."Harry thought back."He 's been investigating it. And he grabbed something before he stepped through, a Au talisman ... he must consume worked out a way to pass through it safely and get back."

"That is impossible."Natalie stated flatly."The department has been investigating it for century. Maybe he thought he had a way-"

"The shadow lord is still alive."Snape slammed his crank down on the desk.

"How do you eff that ?"Natalie asked pointedly.

"Because I know him."

"He 's right."Harry shook his head."Old ophidian brass knows more about avoiding dying than anyone else. Hey ! You should put-"

"seat guard on the veil in the department of mysteries ?"Snape interrupted him."They are there as we speak. And others watch the veil at Grimauld station. But I doubt he will go to either of those places."

"There are other humeral veil ?"

"Probably, no one knows."Natalie answered."Relics of ancient civilizations. He might get along out of one of them. If he comes out at all."

Harry could see Snape opening his mouth to grumble a retort so he quickly said,

"Speaking of avoiding end, did you see in my head-"

"The hocruxes."Snape interrupted him."Yes. In retrospect it was so obvious ..."

"In retrospect it always is."Harry said."At least now we know. Do you retrieve there are others."

"There are two others."Snape said simply. When Harry 's jaw dropped loose Snape simply said."Mr Slughorn was very bigmouthed with a some thought. He is not, in the end, an evil man. Or even a foolish one. He is simply wedded to him consolation. In any eccentric he was a instructor here at Hogwarts years ago when a boy called Tom riddle was a student here. He once spoke to the Lester Willis Young iniquity Almighty about the opening of a seven office mortal. Counting the fortune that remains in the night lord dead body, the diary, the serpent, the ring and the cup."

"Two left ..."Harry felt dread rising in his nitty-gritty."And Voldemort knows where they are. And we don't."Harry bowed his read/write head, another trouble. He was sick of this ... he was tired.

"Voldemort may be injured from his transition through the veil. Injured or otherwise delayed."Snape said thoughtfully."Given what I know of the dark Creator perhaps I can find them before he recovers."

"You said'I'not 'We'."Harry raised an supercilium. A few calendar month ago he would accept been angered by the lack of inclusion. Now he was verging on grateful.

"No."Snape raised a hand to silence complaints that would not come."I am not sidelineing you Harry. I am better suited to this task. As you are better suited to shell out with our former problem."

"other pro ... Sasori."Harry rubbed his forehead. petty twinge of pain were feathering his temple. He wanted desperately to sleep."I 'd draw a blank about him."

"It is defective than you think. He has the philosopher 's stone."

"Voldemort did n't experience in on him when he went through ?"

"No. We found the seal secure the wickedness Divine was keeping the stone in. It had been broken open."Snape shook his nous."We have one dark master to deal with. I would rather forbid the procession of another."

"Sasori 's ambitious."Harry nodded."We 've got to take him down before he learns to use the stone."

"My cerebration exactly. But he will be well defended, and I can not use any rules of order penis, all of them are needed in the search for the coloured lord."

"So that leaves me."Harry bit his lip to stop a dark suspiration. Snape needed him. The world needed their freakin hero ..."I 'll get the Oliver Stone back."

"Remember what we learnt at their temple."Snape held up a cautionary finger.

"There could be hundreds of them in there."Harry nodded."I 'll come up with something though ... you just worry about Voldemort. I 'll look at with the Lie Gou."

"Very well."Snape nodded, then seemed to notice the way Harry was sagging into his armchair."I am sure you need to take a breather. I know that I do."

"Goodnight professor."Harry nodded as he and Pythea left the dark situation. After a few measure of silent corridor Pythea asked quietly,

"Do you have a plan ?"

"Not yet. But I 'll think of a plan."Harry bit his lip. He had to invade a bastioned construction wax of magical ninjas in a bubble universe and rule a tiny Lucy Stone. Like looking for a needle in a rick while evading a fanatical wolverine."And it had better be a good one ..."



Hi all. I 've actually finished the writing on Scripture 6, started on book 7. As things stand it looks like script 7 's going to be shortsighted than 5 or 6 and I was thinking of posting it as just a few large chapters rather than mickle of trivial single. It gets tiring trying to come up a natural point to end a chapter every five-thousand watchword or so as I have been doing. Massive chapters would let it menstruate a little better.

Three fifteen-hundred Scripture chapters would probably do it. Thoughts ?

Oh, and if you do n't review the Chupacabra will issue forth and eat all of your goats.


I do n't own Frodo Baggins. Not that he 's in this story, just thought it was Charles Frederick Worth mentioning.





Harry stepped out of the labial pipe and turned up his collar against the rain. He was headed for the tarot card, for his back sojourn in as many Clarence Shepard Day Jr.. He had the source of a plan to attack Sasori, he just did n't know if it was too insane. His plan could get them into the place, it would n't help them find the stone though ... The pelting was driving vertically into Harry as he trudged down the Lady Jane Grey street.

Was someone following him ?

Harry 's eye rolled back in it 's socket. There was someone on the street behind him, could be a muggle, Harry could n't see well enough with all the straining the rain brought. He changed direction and stepped onto a busy muggle street, taking him away from the Tarot. The man followed him. Proved nothing. Harry was very measured not to speed up or slow down down. He had a meeting scheduled in the tarot but he had left himself plenty of time. And the patrons would not thank him for leading someone to their imbibing hole. Tarot public house had been found before by the aurors of course and subsequently abandoned. The theme continued. Still, they would be ... displeased.

Harry stopped at a crossing suddenly and waited patiently for the lights to change. The man following him slowed to a front crawl and stopped at a shop battlefront, pretending the shelter under the sunshade. The light source changed. Harry stepped forwards and the man set off in pursuit.

Bugger.

Now that he was closer Harry could soar upwards in on the man 's fount. An honest-to-goodness man, maybe forty. Black hair with a petty grey. mustache, clean shaven otherwise. Wearing grey trench coat. Under that wearing mundane cord and shirt. So far so muggle. Under that the man had musculus. unusual amounts for a man his age. Harry slowed down a check more to get a better scene. Wand. In his pocket with his fingerbreadth s wrapped around it.

Damn it. So lots for being muggle. Harry could see the man 's heartbeat, a perfectly calm and measured pace. He was n't stressed whoever he was. From his face he was n't one of the Lie Gou either. Although it could be a disguise. Or it could be the other people who wanted him dead.

Harry bit his lip, if he doubled back to the flue pipe he was fairly surely he could get away from this guy. But then he would n't stool his rendezvous. He could anticipate backup, the vulture, but they could take geezerhood. He could try to lose this guy ... that was the smart matter to do. But then he would n't get any clew why these wierdos were after him. So he could defend ... but not here. A car shot yesteryear Harry, throwing up water out of a puddle. Definitely not here, too many muggles.

Harry turned down an side street between tall apartment buildings. His hindquarters was catching up. He must have realized he had been made. Harry ducked into an alley and ran to the end before sliding into hiding at the edge of a wall and drawing his wand.

The man stepped into the alleyway. Harry waited as his tracker strode along the dank gutter between the rampart. The old man stopped suddenly and drew his baton. What was he doing ? ... The man aimed.

Damnit !

Harry leapt out of the way as the man sent a red bolt straight through the brick where Harry had been. Harry came up with his sceptre out and fired a knockout. The man shielded without a sentiment and blasted a another red bolt of lightning at Harry, all the while advancing quickly.

Harry flicked his wand, dragging a dumpster into the man 's path and banishing it towards him. It was quickly transfigured into feathers but Harry reversed the go and the man was broadsided, driving him back. Harry banished again, driving his battering ram of metal and folderol into the man again. Suddenly a cutting white blink of an eye filled the air and the dumpster was cut in one-half by a glowing blade.

Harry cursed, to much to hope other hoi polloi would n't know his tricks.

The man dashed forward, the brand still sparkling in his paw. Harry sent a simple stunner that forced the man to throw off the sword to screen and followed it up ...

"Atrax !"The trash in the alley grew spider branch and threw itself at the old man who raised his manus and called up a shockwave that blew the wanderer to pieces and made the buildings shake."Tempesto"Harry called wind to fuck up the chicken feed and debris back at his assaulter but the man ducked to the wall and jabbed his need to the sky.

Harry dodged in fourth dimension but was still blown to the story as a lightning thunderbolt shot down from the already bulging sky and blew apart the flagstone under his feet. Harry rolled to his substructure as another stabbed down where he had been lying.

Harry dashed towards the man and fired a fireball at his facial expression, following it up with a blistering shelling of hexs and magic spell. The man had to stop his attack to screen but flicked his early hand into his pocket to cast out lowly capsule.

What the hell ?

With a moving-picture show of his wrist the man threw the matter at Harry.

"Depulso !"Harry yelled on innate reflex but it did nothing to stop the thing."Geyser"Harry flicked his wand down and a jet of H2O erupted from the ground sending the picayune thing tumbling into the air.

The man dropped to the floor with his hands over his ear. Harry was about to provoke a spell at him when the little ejection seat exploded with a thunder-clap and a blinding ostentation of light. Brick ships fountained down on Harry as he was thrown backwards. He looked up in revulsion as the whole side of the construction crumbled, bricks rending in huge cracks and sheeting falling away.

Child !

Harry 's eye flickered to the with child gap just in prison term to see a bed fall through the crack and get stuck, dropping it 's screaming inhabitant from the fifth floor. Harry 's had scrabbled for his sceptre but he was too dazed, too slow. Someone else was faster. The old man darted beneath the falling child and caught him in both arms just as Harry 's finger's breadth closed around his scepter and swung around ...

Wand pointing ... Man defenceless ... kid screaming in his coat of arms ...

They stayed stuck in that tableau for a long heartbeat. Harry could sense his own external respiration. The former man could n't maintain himself with his hands replete ... but on the early hand he had a man carapace. Harry could hear panicked cries from above. The muggles would be here soon. The other man just stood motionless. And then, to Harry 's amazement, the early man knelt down and laid the small fry on the concrete before slowly raising to his feet with his hands held out to either side of him.

He had given up his man shield.

"Who the snake pit are you ?"Harry yelled through the rain, keeping his wand trained on the man 's bureau."You want to kill me but you do a fireman save on somebody else ? Why the hell just me ?"

The man was silent.

"You 'll save everyone but me is that it ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man spoke for the first off time, his vocalism low and oddly accented.

"What ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man repeated."By killing you."

"What ?"

"You must die."The man said flatly."I take no pleasure in it, but if you do not die the outcome will be terrible."

"How the infernal region does that sour ?"Harry yelled angrily."I 'm the bloody chosen one here !"

"No. You are not. You are not the chosen one. This we know. But that is not the point."The man 's vocalism was hasty. They could both hear running fundament approaching. Harry gritted his teeth. He wanted to daze this guy and take him in ... on the other hand, he had saved a kid. On the other hand ...

The man 's arms came down and the crack of dissapparation filled the alley. Harry recovered from his infuriated shock just long enough to disenchant himself just before the muggles stampeded into the back street. He hid at the position and squeezed out before dashing away along the street. In the pelting someone would notice him if he stayed in one place too long. Harry ducked into a room access and cancelled the patch before sinking to his knees and pushing his head back against the rampart, heedless of the rainfall running down his face.

I have to die ?

Harry knocked his head against the stone.

I have to die ? Because I 'm an abomination.

That was the grounds these wierdo 's had been after him ? They had n't told him any more than the centaur and yet ... they knew who he really was. They were n't killing him for being Harry Potter. They were trying to pop tar Malyn.

Why would anyone want to kill an orphan with no memory board ?

Harry smacked his head against the stone again. He had given five bloody and painful years to protecting people and fighting darkness, twelvemonth he did n't take to give. A battle he had n't had to be a part of. And for what ? For people who save small fry from certain death to try to kill him.

split might accept been flowing from his eye, he could n't evidence in the rain.

Harry pulled his articulatio genus up to his dresser and wrapped his arms around them. He had sat like this back before Hogwarts he could remember ... of course most of the time he had been smart enough to encounter somewhere out of the rain. He could remember that time ... what kind of animation did he pass now that he looked back fondly on being a street urchin ? That thought was too bitter to even make him laugh.

Harry rolled his eye to look at the watch in his pouch. He still had ten minutes till his scheduled merging and he was going to spend at least five of them here in the rain, in the gutter, in a doorway with faded lot post-horse nailed to the chipboard. He did n't manage if it made him late, if this threshold was all the humanity was giving him then he would carry it. He had to ingest something.

Harry curled up and knocked his had back into the recess where the rain was a little less. He closed his optic and felt the droplets slapping against his coat. He did n't care.
*


Harry pushed open the door of the tarot card, this time situating itself in a brightly decorated wine bar. He took a tranquilize breath.

"Wet out there."Harry threw a drying charm over his clothes and fuzz and stepped over to the man he had come to forgather. Harry bowed respectfully and forced a bastard smiling onto his face."Good evening. Thank you for hearing what I have to say."

The man on the other side of the board nodded faintly to the electric chair opposite him. Harry sat.

"So ..."Harry took a shallow breathing spell."Shall I tell you about Sasori ?"
*


Hours later Harry sat alone in a side booth of the tarot. The man he had come to meet was long gone. The coming together had gone well, Harry had said what he needed to say and the man had believed it. He had also given Harry a with child bag of amber, but that was n't important. It had only been of import that the man thought Harry wanted money for the entropy, to hold in the material reason and ...

Oh what was the percentage point ?

Harry took a deep drapht of the drink in front man of him. It was on a coaster, as were the two empty glasses in front line of him. If he went back to Hogwarts he would get to start being himself again, having people demand things of him, and he was n't sure he could take that aright now.

Just need to demand down Sasori ... get back the stone ...

Except after that Voldemort is still out there.

Snape 's dealing with it.

Snape is getting the Hocruxs. Even if we find them all Voldemort is still out there, and I do n't like his sudden compulsion with this gate-to-death. Let 's face it, we 're not even conclude to the end.

Harry finished the residual of his beverage and dropped the discharge. He should n't sustain another. He was going to receive another. He just wanted to pass some clock time where there was no one demanding anything of him, was that too lots to ask ? Harry dropped his head to his hands. The only position he could be calm was in a den of darkness, the hideaway of criminals. What did that say ?

Harry breathed deeply and drew his orchard projection around him, but it wavered and persona of the Tarot showed through the edges. Harry realized he would n't be able to hold it and allowed it to fade. It was n't real anyway.

Maybe when this is over I can go back there. The thought surfaced in Harry 's mind. Going back to the orphans' asylum, living like a muggle. He had no skills or anything but surely they needed janitors ... or entertainers. Harry sighed or maybe he would just leave the country. He 'd miss his friend, the vulture, Thea .... but they 'd sympathize. lease another name ... or go back to Jack and just ... wander ...

Harry dropped his head to the table. Foolish thought, there was still book seven before he could think of things like that.

The affair is ... I do n't have it away if I can survive that long.

Harry closed his centre and laid back in his John Wilkes Booth. He 'd consume to last that long would n't he ? Because that was what he needed to do, what the creation asked of him. And he always did what was asked of him. Every bloody meter, no matter what. Every bloody time.

"Mr thrower ! I did n't require to see you here."

Harry 's eye 's iridescent open air in an illustration. He had n't been paying attention. His legerdemain eye had just been rolling in it 's socket but now it snapped to attention. His hand jerked to his scepter, but as he saw who was approaching him he relaxed. A little.

"Mr James."Harry looked up at the mysterious older man."Another monition content for me ? What 's happened now ? Sky falling ? Hitler back from the dead ? New Dido bingle ?"

"Did I not just say I was surprised to see you here ?"James II slid into the booth opposite Harry. He took a soft sip of his gin and tonic then placed it on the table.

No coaster. Harry tried to call back what gin and tonic meant in the Tarot code.

"Oh, my mistake."James IV slid a coaster under his drink.

Had that really been a mistake ? Was James IV just having a drinking or was he sending a signaling ? Or did he want Harry to think he was ... Oh who cares.

"seed here often ?"Harry asked the man antonym him.

"Occasionally, I mean you have to. To do business."Jesse James glanced around."I was not expecting to see you here though, being one of the vestal ones."

"Not entirely virtu-"Harry broke off mid time as he realised something. He could see Henry James. With both centre. The old man was actually there, not a acoustic projection like before. Harry was shocked for a moment. He was even more than shocked that he had n't noticed. The firelight glinted off the eyeglasses in front of him. Harry closed his eye and surrounded himself with his grove, just for a fraction of a endorse. He tried to pull his mind together before he opened his eyes."Not entirely virtuous. Just more virtuous than my enemies."

"I 've heard you have more than one enemy these days."James said casually."Dear old Tom brain-teaser and now you have gone further afield for foe. I knew the wickedness overlord was anserine for putting his reliance in mercenaries."

Harry 's eye flickered down James II'body, looking for anything resembling a clue to his identity. The result were disturbing, almost every bone in the old man 's body had been broken years ago, probably at the Lapp time. Even the osseous tissue in his skull under his bald pass showed signs of healed break. It was long ago, they had healed naturally first, then magically later ... weird. The guy was stocked to the gills with magical artifact and talisman too, but that was intelligible here. No wand however ... that was also odd.

"I do n't suppose he puts faith in anyone."Harry shrugged."How did you witness out they left him anyway ?"

"It 's more or less coarse knowledge in my circles."James waved to the bar."Can I get you another drink."

No."I 'll have what you 're having."Why did I say that ?

James I motioned to the barkeep and a instant later Harry was holding a gin and tonic.

"You can loosen Mr Potter."James took another sip from his Methedrine."This is the tarot card remember ? No one can touch you here. Not even me."

"Screw it."Harry took a deep swallow of his drink. He paused."This tastes terrible."

"My excuse. Shall I order you something el-"

"Yes."Harry drained the residuum of the glass."Please."

A glass of tweed wine appeared in Harry 's hand. He sipped it this time.

"cent for your thoughts Mr Potter ?"James asked.

"Why did you come here this evening if you did n't know I was here ?"

"You are not the centre of the universe Mr Potter. Despite what many think."James smiled."I have many former things to wield early than yourself. As to what business I had here ? That is none of yours."

"Fair enough."Harry shrugged. James did n't get a billfold in his sac, not any money either. He had n't paid the barkeeper for any of his beverage, he must get a tab. No one had a tab at the Tarot. Not unless to not make them a tab would have got been grave to the proprietor. Who the the pits was King James ? Harry considered for a moment, then abandoned the train of mentation. Tonight he was n't going to try to clear any mysteries, he was just going to relax, fuddle, and talk to a mystifying unknown who was probably the brain of some sort of clandestine offence syndicate. wait ..."So it would n't cause anything to do with the man who tried to snipe me on the way here ?"

"onrush you ?"James looked aghast."On the way to the tarot card ? That would be terribly bad etiquette. I ca n't reckon that even the Lie Gou would do that, they would be barred from the establishment, they would release business."

Harry said nothing. If Sasori had already worked out how to use the Stone to wrick spark advance into gold that might not matter.

"Did it look like one of the Lie Gou ?"

"No, but they could easily disguise themselves."Harry took a sip of wine-colored."Did n't fight like one of the Lie Gou."

"Perhaps I can aid ? What did he reckon like ?"James actually seemed interested.

"Perhaps,"Harry hesitated, should he tell apart Saint James anything else ? His break brain threw up a red fleur-de-lis, but on the other deal he currently knew sod all about the people trying to defeat him. Anything he found out would be helpful."Oldish, moustache, sounded strange. Italian maybe ..."

"The Saame person who attacked you with a crossbow earlier this year ?"

"No."Harry did n't ask how Jesse James knew."Not the Saami person, but probably from the Saame beginning. The crossbow guy was booster with the centaurs."

"The centaurs would never hire assassins."James waved the comment away."Not only is it against their jurisprudence, they also have too little money. You ca n't hire killers with acorns and mysticism."

"They were n't bravo, at least not paid ones."Harry thought back to the kabbalistic remark his aggressor had made."They did n't seem like assassins ..."

"Well I ca n't think who they would be."King James I shrugged apologetically, but not unhappily."It would seem you have stumped me. I mean of course there are Italian crime system but none of them have any involvement in you."

"You know that for certain ?"

"Of course."James actually seemed to be relaxing, his aged figure leant against the mesa."well-nigh criminal are looking forward to the removal of Voldemorrt, he is an soreness to so many things."

"Like living."

"Quite."

"There was one other thing ..."Harry bit his lip."In the fight the man went out of his way to save a muggle who got caught in the crossfire. Almost lost the fight because of-"

"No ..."James'eyes went wide-cut."Are you sealed ?"

"Positive."

"But they ... why would they throw any cause to attack you ?"

"You know who they are ?"Harry perked up and tried to sit up straight. His elbow slipped off the mesa but be righted himself and asked again."You know who they are ?"

"I believe I do ..."William James regarded Harry quizzically over his glass."Why would they ... but it ca n't be them. I would almost look them to be on your side."

Harry said nada. The men probably would be on the English of Harry ceramist. At least James did n't know who he really was. Probably.

"Just evidence me who they are."Harry said irritably.

"Oh some fool who think they can save the world."James chuckled under his breath."Even more deceive than Dumbledore was in many room. Couching their idiocy in some ridiculous whim of order and chaos and god and ... they are ridiculous. Think no Thomas More of them. I seriously doubt that they could come through where Voldemort failed."

"That 's comforting. You know what would be more ease ? If you would give me a freekin name."

"But the real question is why you ?"St. James the Apostle tapped his glass thoughtfully."Yes ... yes that is very interesting."

"You ca n't not tell me."Harry 's elbow slipped again, this time knocking over one of his old glasses."You have to severalise me who they are."

"Actually I do n't think I will Mr Potter."James chuckled under his breathing time."When you get as old as I am, and I am very old, it is very infrequently that you encounter something interesting. That is partially why I involved myself in your life history, unpredictable as you are. This question however is even more of a brain-teaser. No, I believe I will not state you. Not until I have considered more this intriguing job. Good eventide Mr potter, it was a pleasure to fill you again."James stood and turned away.

"Hey !"Harry tried to support but his arm got caught on the mesa and he fell back into his seat. He tried to hinge upon again and stepped quickly towards the door.

"You 're not thinking of following him are you ?"A deep growling came from the barman. Following mortal leaving the tarot card was as bad as attacking them at it.

"No, just leaving myself."Harry shook his head. He turned back to the table and, a opinion springing to mind, leant over and sniffed at Jesse James'glass. Still one-half replete. Smelled of soda. No gin, just tonic.

Damnit

Harry turned to leave. At least he was protected by Tarot convention as well. No one would attack him on his way back. The rules stopped him from getting killed, did n't block up him from being played for a soft touch. Harry stepped out into the rain, letting it run down his face soothingly. He had screwed up badly tonight. He had made mistakes ... no. No he had n't made fault. A mistake was when you did n't know that what you were doing was dullard. He had known, and he had done it anyway.

Why

Because the world owes me some freakin nooky ups. Harry pulled his coating around him and stalked off into the rain. The rules were supposed to protect him, but that did n't think of he did n't watch over the shadows all the way home.
*


"Why do you recall Harry brought us all here ?"Hermione asked quietly as the rest of the marauder waited in the marauder 's attic.

"I do n't jazz. No one knows obviously."Ron said from beside her."He was n't in his bed last Nox, I know that."

"It must be something important to gather us all here like this."Hermione bit one of her fingernails."Maybe he 's found where Voldemort is ? Or something about the Lie Gou ? I wish he 'd secern us what was going on."

"I guess it 's voiceless now."Ron shrugged."Half the school day 's marauder. He ca n't keep us all in the loop-the-loop. Remember when it was just the six of us ? Right in the beginning ?"

"Seems like a lifetime ago."

"form of does I-"Ron broke off."Hey, flavour there ..."He pointed.

"Is it Harry ? Oh,"Hermione shook her question as Draco stepped into the room. He looked as tired as he always did, but it was still a calendar week to wide Sun Myung Moon. As he entered Hermione saw Ginny nearby stiffen, but totally ignore the Slytherin 's entrance.

"Why does n't she just turn over up on him ?"Ron said angrily."It 's stupid that she 's so torn up about it."

Hermione did n't say what she wanted to.

"Anyway Draco 's a prat for doing this."

Again, Hermione kept silent. Given that Harry had been gone a lot lately and Ginny had n't been speaking much Hermione had been spending quite a lot of clock time with genus Draco. She had a suspicion that he had his reasons for rejecting Ginny. Or, well the fact that he was a werewolf and ...

"HEY MORONS !"The marauders fell soundless, turning to see that Harry had materialized."Sorry, I meant to say 'Can I have your attention ?'but somehow it just ... well you know how it is. In any typeface, grab your gear. We 're leaving in five to save the world."
*


"Harry where are we going ?"Ginny demanded as the marauder slung their invisibility cloaks on.

"fountainhead first we 're going to Wales, to the lake that forms the entree to the Lie Gou broker house."Harry was strapping a spear-like thing to his hip."Where we float far above the water like fairly butterfly. Then, at the opportune moment, we fly down through the portal, fly up to the house, go in, find the Oliver Stone, get the Harlan Fiske Stone. Simple."

"That 's your plan ?"

"well they will be a little distracted by that point ..."
*


Harry zoomed his eye down through the darkness. A skirmish of figures were approaching the H2O, flitting from cover to cover like tail. They were grouping near the lake, slipping in one by one. Harry 's helping hand tightened on his baton, so it had worked, he had n't been sure it would.

Usually at this full stop he would be feeling the haste of adrenaline before a big fight, this clock time he just felt scared. There were a lot of people behind him who would become very numb if this went wrong. He did n't feel energized, he felt ... deadened ...

The last of the shadows slunk into the lake. Harry took a deep breath. He flicked his watch out. About two minutes would probably do it.

Harry closed his eyes. The woodlet was still there, but the leaves were gone, turned into drifts and mulch on the ground. Harry could n't tell apart if the lead blowing through his hair was in the illusion or in reality. It did n't matter. Two minutes were up.

"Down."Harry aimed his Scots heather down and carefully guided it down, with one hand the staff in front of him to aim. The sleep of the marauders followed him.

'' Agoredig Ffordd. '' Harry whispered to the piss 's open. He took a deep breath ..."NOW !"

Harry dove his broom forward through the weewee and straight out the early position. His interior ear flipped out as somberness reversed itself and he spun in the air involuntarily before righting himself. Other piranha shot past him, taking the lead, just like they planned. After all, he was n't the one you wanted leading an aery attack.

Harry followed the others, shooting across the still air. Up ahead he could see the temple, it 's window glowing in the night air. magic spell and urarthritis of firing shooter into the air all around them. They were n't aimed at them though, they were aimed at the other shape on the ground.

"kit and caboodle like a charm."Harry muttered through gritted teeth as they shot over the warzone.
*


"So you started a war between ninjas and more ninjas !"

"aspect,"Harry bet a sedate breath."I met the loss leader of the Lie Gou at the Tarot."Harry flicked two guns into his inside pockets.

"I thought that was who we were going to attack ?"

"Sasori 's just their European factor."Two vials of potion and a grenade went into another sack."And a very naughty boy for working the Voldemort/philosophers stone Angle without cutting his bosses in for a share. They 're not well-chosen. They 'll be moving this night to explain their displeasure to him at length."

"So we attack while there 's already a war between outlaw mercenary ninjas."

"Course."Harry tried to sound to a greater extent sure of himself than he felt."So long as there are n't any complicatedness it should go fine."
*


"Yes !."Her hand curled around the toss away verge."Allohamora."The jail cell doorway sprang undefended, pushing the clay away. Bellatrix stepped out of her cell and kicked the body before spitting on it as a final examination insult and moving off, crouched against the paries. These godless mercenary had kept her imprisoned for twenty-four hour period, but it was goose egg, she was used to worse prison. And now they fought among themselves. Useless fools. And now that she was unblock there would be hell to pay.
*


Harry crashed through the window and rolled to his feet, wand out. The others had already secured the room but he wanted to be sure.

"Ok, you know your teams."Ginny barked."team four, handle here ! Everyone else, GO !"She did n't even wait before dashing off.

"postponement you suicidal-"Harry darted after her, cursing. To be sightly this had been the design, in a general sense. procure a few rooms from the rabies and sting a path to Sasori, where they hoped to find the stone, leaving teams along the way to assure a way out. The plan had not been for Ginny to go all death-seeker."Ginny duck !"Harry reached the girl just in clip to harness her to the floor. A deadbolt of lightning smashed through the bulwark, above them. Harry fired back through the hole with one hand, dragging Ginny to her feet with the other.

"What- ?"

"I go first !"Harry barked into her face."I 'm the one with the eye ! Remember ?"

"I-"For a bit it seemed like Ginny was going to fight down him."Fine. Get moving then."The close prison term was said through gritted teeth.

Harry pushed away and surged forward. Draco stepped up next to him and for a bit caught his eye.

Harry send her dorsum. She should n't be here. She 's not recall straight.

She would n't listen. Harry sent back quickly. At to the lowest degree here we can keep an eye-"SHIELDS !"Harry himself jumped close to Draco, trusting the werewolf 's shield far more than his own.

An ark of knives tore through the rampart like machine gun fervor and a moment later the wall crashed in, filling the corridor with fighting inkiness figures.

"Harry which I are on our face !"Neville yelled.

"None of them !"Harry stunned a Lie Gou who got too close as the warring sect ripped each other apart before the predator 's eyes."Just stay back and hit any that notice you or survive !"

And maybe do n't talk ?

Harry was thrown backwards as one of the fighter fired a spell at the sound of his voice. Harry hit the wall and felt his wand jarred out of his fingers. His other hand gripped the spear in his sleeve and had torn it out before he hit the trading floor. He sent lighting from the tip at his attacker before sweeping it over the other scrapper. They fell to the floor like ragdolls and the piranha sent stunning magic spell to truly place them to la-la-land.

"Team three hold this spot !"Ginny yelled. She darted forward but stopped short at a dead glare from Harry.

Harry turned and grabbed his wand before continuing on, threading his way through bodies. He felt envious of the others, they could only get word the engagement going on all around them, just rooms away. He could see it.

Oh god so much blood ...

He had done this. Harry gritted his teeth as he silently led the marauder through passageways away from the main fight. He had done this. He had caused this massacre.

"Two in the next room."Harry did n't even hesitate as he threw the threshold open and stabbed the lighting spear at one. Draco dropped the other one and Harry just kept walking. There were tables in this room, the remains of a meal. They had just been eating. There were already three bodies in the next room. Well, two and a half.

I caused this.

"Harry nidus !"Dragon 's vox shocked Harry out of his fugue.

"It 's ok. I 'm ok."Harry gritted his dentition. Draco narrowed his bloodshot eyes.

Do n't tell me you 're going mad too-

I 'm fine. Harry continued quietly."It looks like Sasori 's position and stuff is through here. Its at the top of ... of like an indoor tug thingy in the middle of a garden. There 's a step around the outside of it. And lots of guards, twenty on the priming, fifteen on the stairway. That I can see anyway. No other way through though."

"Is Sasori there ?"Ginny said flatly.

"Ca n't tell apart. There 's a ward around the top of the tower."Harry looked back over his troops. There were n't many left. They had left a breadcrumb lead of condom zone across the temple, it left them stretched but it was the lone way.

"Alright."Ginny said definitely."Hermione, you keep the repose of them with you and shoot out everyone on the floor, hold the sphere. Harry, Draco and me ... we go up the tower."

"Ginny-"

"You know that 's the outdo way."Ginny growled."You have a better program ?"

"That 's it."Harry narrowed his eyes."You 're going back. Help hold the last room."

"To hell with you !"Harry 's hand snapped forward but Ginny had already slammed the door open.

"Damnit !"Harry 's handwriting flicked into his pocket as xxxv wands spun towards him. Harry 's helping hand flicked out of his pocket."Disperseas !"Ten grenades fanned out across the room like a spray of end."buckler !"

Draco 's buckler flashed around him as Harry 's thoughts were filled with hatred of everything red-headed and female person. The flames consumed the garden but the tour were already hammering down. Harry 's eye caught something that made him hollo like a banshee.

"NO !"Ginny was shooting into the air, zooming towards the top of the tugboat !"Who knew she still had her broom !"

"She had it in her bag !"Draco yelled through gritted teeth."Shield down in three ... two ... one ..."

"Stupefy !"Harry had his wand in one deal and the shaft in the early. Two shapes rose from the smoke. Two shapes were thrown back in. Harry dashed to the stairs and cursed as he aimed a ravisher at a shape leaping out of the darkness. The stairway did n't even give birth a balusters, no protection from the firing below.

"We should take out the ones down here first !"Draco slammed into the wall next to Harry.

"Ca n't ! Stupid Bloody evil your freekin wannabe GIRLFREIND stupid KILL HER !"A figure dropped down in front of Harry and he took the chance to take out his rage. The anatomy fell back bloody."We need to get up there in case she does some -DIE pudden-head EVIL- she 's screwed everything up ! Here you shield I 'll pour down. I feel like killing."

Harry edged forward as fast as he was able, cowering under genus Draco 's cuticle as they advanced up the tower.
*


Ginny dropped off her Scots heather at the top of the tower and ducked behind a side wall.

She could do this. She could do this alone. She did n't need ... Ginny took a deeply breath, her heart was racing. Suddenly she was thrown to the trading floor as the wall exploded outwards above her. Ginny rolled and aimed her wand at the hatchway, but a moment later another yap appeared right on the other side of meat of the column. Flashing lights broke from inside the tugboat and Ginny gingerly snuck up the the hole in the wall. John L. H. Down below Ginny could hear detonation, the others were fighting. But she did n't need them ...

Ginny raised her nous a piddling over the rampart and looked over. Inside there was a wide federal agency, desk shattered against the ledge, shelves thrown across the floor, floor on fire. In the eye of the room, circling one another same heel, a man and a fair sex, wands poised to fire.

Bellatrix. Bellatrix and Sasori.

"Give me the stone !"The scarred Death eater looked rabid, foaming at the sassing and twitching."Give me the stone or I 'll deplume you limb from arm !"

Sasori said zippo, but sent a enchantment bouncing off the wall to catch Bella in the side, throwing up a gout of blood. She was covered in rake but did n't seem to realize it. Sasori was clean and almost smiling. He was winning and he knew it.

Ginny shifted around the outside of the tower. She could finish off Bellatrix ( of course she could ... ) but the Lie Gou ... If she could subscribe to him out first, from hiding, she could admit Bella. Then she 'd have the Lucy Stone. She could get it herself.

Ginny tried to cultivate out where the fighters were from the screeching and explosion from inside the office. Why had n't she got herself an eye like Harry 's ? She 's considered it, why had n't she done it ? Ginny found another break in the wall and raised herself up.
*


"Stupid bloody- !"Harry barged into the Lie Gou in front of him and chucked him off the side of the tug. By now it was a foresightful way down. Harry tried to aim through a haze of annoyance and forced his foundation to go up gamey up the tug."Draco move !"Harry yelled back at the man behind him.

"You go ahead, I 'll view as them !"genus Draco was raining down fire on the fighters below."You help her !"

"You sure ? I 'm planning on killing her afterwards."

"Just GO !"
*


"Stubefy !"Ginny felt a cry of triumph as the patch smashed into the Lie Gou 's back, sending him careening to the floor."Avada Kedavra !"Ginny aimed the whammy at the floor death eater at the other side of the elbow room. Bellatrix threw herself to the face, giving Ginny time to vault the wall and dash forward into the war-torn ruin.

"You ?"Bellatrix spat as she pushed herself up from the floor."Why are you here you muggle loving bitch ?"

"Shut up ! Jupitall !"Ginny sent lightning flying at the death feeder and dodged to the body of the Lie Gou on the flooring. Pocket. former pocket. Inside Pocket- THERE ! Ginny 's fingers closed around a bantam rock. The philosophers Harlan F. Stone, she had it. Ginny rolled behind the remains of the desk to avoid a sickening dark curse and jumped to her feet."come on ! semen on bitch combat ! picture me wha-"

The curse hit her in the chest.
*


Harry 's eye saw through Lucy Stone and pulp to give every horrid particular. His substructure faltered on the step and he fell to his knee as he saw the spell hit dwelling house. The shining red light of the swearword radiated out in waves from her bureau, meeting her rib and staving them in, raking through her lungs and slamming into her pricker. Breaking it like a sprig. Ginny was lifted off the land and drop onto the bulwark behind her. When she hit she did n't hit like a person. She hit like a chemise of nitty-gritty, leaking rip and sliding down the wall before collapsing on the floor.

Harry could hear naught. The war all around him might as well have been fog. Harry did n't see the utmost few steps he dashed up like lightning. He did n't see the wall between him and Bellatrix, it broke like glass, sending shard ripping through Harry 's cutis. It did n't hurt.

Bellatrix. In his eyes she was lit up like a Christmas Tree, the only affair that mattered in the world.

"Avada Kedavra !"Hate, rage and shadow flowed out of Harry like a river. The air before him flashed jet like lightning. The corpse of the wall were stove in and the shattered through the other English, it crushed past the cowering destruction eater like a consignment string. Then, slowly ... it disappeared.

"Well well well ..."Bellatrix chuckled."I must say I 'm impressed-"

"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry charged more hatred and rage into another colored torment, fanning out the spears so the murderer could n't dodge. Harry 's fundament bit dirt and he charged towards the bitch. She had n't even stopped screaming by the fourth dimension he reached her, slamming his kick into her face. Her scar promontory snapped back and Harry dove down, grasping his hands around her neck as hard as he could. He could feel her windpipe crushing under his fingers.

"Ach ... a ..."pharyngeal consonant nothing tried to escape from the hag lips."Ach ... a ... a."Harry knew he should just use his wand, puddle it quick, but red dots were spiralling before his optic and even if he 'd wanted to he could n't sustain made his finger's breadth move. Bellatrix 's eyes rolled back in her skull. The bitch was-

"Aaa !"Harry was thrown backwards as lightning arced from the enchantress digit into his chest of drawers. Harry could find his flesh combustion, skin searing off. He could sense all sorting of irrelevant things.

"Crucio !"Bellatrix croaked. Harry did n't discommode to dodge.

"Excalabus !"Harry whipped his wand sideways, ignoring the blinding pain. The sword flickered out, burnt forward, flicked back behind Bellatrix 's wand. right field through her wrists. One lop paw bounced off Harry 's berm as he jumped forward, punching the crone to the ground.

"Accio wand."Bella 's fallen scepter flew into Harry 's paw. Her handwriting came with it, but that was a small fry detail. Bellatrix sprawled on the floor, screaming, clutching the bloody stumps of her branch to her chest of drawers. Harry could hear the howler but they had no event on him, his mind was drifting ...

For a fraction of a indorse he drew his plantation around him. So tranquillise, nice and calm ... Harry opened his eye again. He was cold now, the anger was burnt out of him, gone with the darkness. Harry stepped forward, his wand trained on the adult female in front end of him. He was n't angry any-more, he did n't really feel anything.

His eyes flickered to campaign on the floor. It was Sasori, just recovering from the stunner. The Lie Gou 'd eye flicked up to Harry and his hand flickered into his robe. Before Harry could even imagine of casting a spell there was a rushing speech sound and Sasori was gone, portkeyed away.

Harry knew he should care. But he really, really did n't. Harry 's heart flickered back to the screaming cleaning lady on the ground in front of him. One of the two last death eater, the murderous ditch that killed Ginny and so many others. Lying helpless in front of him, ready to drag to justice. He could look at her to azkaban and throw her away for good.

screaming, so much screaming. orchard flowed around him. She would be locked away. apple flush ... Far far away ... She had been locked up before. It did n't last.

"Avada Kedavra !"Harry closed his eyes as he spoke the spell, but he saw anyway. Not much to see really. The tour hit home, the military unit of it pushing her body a few invertebrate foot across the floor, and her heart stopped beating. That was it. Nothing more. Harry opened his eyes.

The fighting far below was meaningless here ... hushed ... apple blossom in the air.
*


Draco staggered to the top of the towboat, retching as he dragged his tired bones forward. The fighting below was almost over, just the marauders mopping up the straggler and holding the path exposed for them to get back. He walked carefully over to the office and spun in, sceptre raised. He saw Bellatrix, dead on the level, with Harry standing over her. Harry 's wand had fallen from his hand and he was just staring at the paries. Draco was about to step over to him when he saw ...

"Ginny ?"Dragon 's optic flashed wide and he dashed to the crumpled form by the wall."Ginny ? ... can you learn me ?"She was drained, anyone could see-

"Dragon ..."

"Gin-"Draco crouched down, his human face next the barely moving mouth. There was zip he could do, he knew that. Even if the whole stave of St Mungo 's was here there would be nothing they could do. Only one thing ..."Ginny are you in infliction ?"

"No ..."Just a whispering."Draco ?"

"Yes ?"

"I love ..."

genus Draco gritted his teeth. He could n't cry, not now. He could n't, he just couldn't.

"I ..."Ginny was faltering, drifting away."I ... roll in the hay y-"

"I know."genus Draco could palpate tears on his impudence. Damnit."I ..."He paused ... too long."I love you too. I always did."Dragon hoped she was too far gone to hear that he was lying.

Ginny 's mouth twitched, he could tell she was trying to lecture, but she just did n't deliver the posture any-more. He was n't sure he did either. Instead he lean forward and kissed her softly. She tasted like sour roue, she felt cold. He closed his eyes and felt the bust flowing, dropping off his cheeks and running rivulets down Ginny 's typeface. trivial sink cleaning dividing line in the muck and blood. The lip twitched once more beneath his, then went still. Very ... still.

Draco leant back, reached his arms under Ginny and lifted her up. A piddling red Edward Durell Stone dropped from her hand to the floor. Draco hesitated, the temptation to just leave the doomed thing there was almost too much to bear. But then all this was Charles Frederick Worth naught. Draco grabbed the thing and stuffed it in his pocket.

"cum on Harry."He found Christian Bible somewhere in his throat."Come with me."

Harry 's perfectly eyes came up to meet his and the boy took a stuttering step forward.

"That 's right ... follow me."Dragon walked slowly out of the government agency towards the longsighted staircase. He looked back and saw Harry following him, still staring deadly ahead."adept, just keep following me. We have a tenacious walk home."

And I 'm carrying her every footfall of the way.

Even if it breaks my back I 'm carrying her.
*


"All considered,"Sasori did not respond to the phonation addressing him."A total failure."

Sasori 's entirely response was to grimace.

"You have lost the philosopher 's stone."The old man stated calmly."And your own usefulness has been severely curtailed. You no longer operate the Lie Gou in Europe, indeed the whole brass will be out to pop you."

"You do n't look too upset about all this."Sasori could still smack defeat in his mouth, but he was not about to back down to the man before him.

"Upset ? Why would I be upset ? I never had any wishing for the stone."

"You are an old man."Sasori narrowed his eyes."Especially old for one of your type."

"Only fools wish to hold out forever, and I am already far past my time."That infuriating chuckle."On that government note have you given any thought process to what you will say to the others of our little roundabout ? There might be some dubiousness of whether you have anything to offer up us any-more."

"Are you threatening me ? I could obliterate you before you blinked an eye."

"Oh come now, there is no pauperism to be unpleasant."The old man spread his hired man and smiled."And you would never obliterate me. You need my protection if you even wish to exist the adjacent twenty-four hours."Sasori 's gut twisted. As lots as he hated it the man was right. He needed allies, he needed this man or the others would become on him like woman chaser. Ha ... ironic ...

"You are rightfield James."Sasori bowed his head."I need your help. assure me what you want me to do, and what you want in return."
*


"How could you let this happen ? How could you post them out there !"

Draco closed his eyes and tried to stymie out the phone of Kingsley Shacklebolt 's spokesperson. He knew he should be saying something, but he did n't have the muscularity. Besides, the minister 's anger was not directed at him.

"You knew this was possible. The death of any one of us is always possible."Snape said harshly.

"She was not one of us !"

Draco shuddered, the marauders return to Hogwarts had been terrible. The order of magnitude had been meeting and he had been able to carry Ginny 's body directly into her blood brother 's limb. He had barely even been able to say'I 'm bad'before the slug had flown into his chin. He had n't tried to push back. The moment punch had broken his olfactory organ, the marauders pulled the crying Weasley off him after that but after that the lodge had exploded, turning on each other, and the vulture, like jackals. They were splintered now, the argument spilling into different rooms but Dragon did n't hump if it was any better.

"You knew I was keeping the vulture ready."Snape continued.

"As a last refuge ! For cases like the ministry last year when all other hope is lost."Shacklebolt 's clenched fist were clenching."Not active agent, not invading a fortified-"

"It was my decision as leader of the order."Snape interrupted angrily.

"fountainhead I think we can safely say that that is over."

"That is not your decision-"

"If I put it to the vote what do you think the result will be."Shacklebolt jerked his head and two aurors appeared at his shoulder."Mr Snape-"

"Professor Snape."Snape hissed the parole like a curse.

"I assume your professorship will also soon end. Since you will not be able-bodied to teach from Azcaban."

Draco started to his fundament but a stern glance from Snape sent him back to his seat.

"Am I to be told what I am being arrested for ?"

"Endangering a small-scale. carelessness leading to death and so many other things."Snacklebolt 's voice was low and dark."Dumbledore was legal injury ever to trust you. We all were."

"If I had not acted the event would stimulate been far far worse."

"Perhaps the Wizengamot will see it the Same way."Shacklebolt gestured to his aurors."Although I sincerely hope not. I assume you are going to come quietly."

"Running would indicate I had something to be guilty about."Snape thrust his handwriting out sharply."I assume you want my wand."

Draco shook his head, he had to do something. But Snape must throw seen the looking on his grimace because he calmly turned to him and said, as the aurors shackled him,

"Perhaps you should check on your friends Mr Malfoy."

"But-"

"Go Draco."Snape allowed himself to be lead away by the aurors. He looked back over his shoulder."And if you would take fear of Harry I would prize it."

The doorway slammed closed and Dragon felt his heart drop cloth. It was like the wholly humans was falling apart.

Harry.

Yes, Harry. He needed to find Harry. Since they had got back Harry had n't said anything, just kept staring straight ahead. Draco would hold tried legilimency but everything had happened so fast. Harry was watery, vulnerable, clearly going through something terrible. He had to take upkeep of him. Draco grasped that thread like a lifeline and walked out of the elbow room. Anything to not imagine of everything else-

"How could you let this happen !"Dragon did n't face across from the threshold to where the Weasley clan was clustered. The twins were just sitting, almost as vacuous as Harry, Ron was crying into his hands. William Weasley was yelling."When mum and dad wake up what am I going to enjoin them ? It was my job to keep you safe !"The older boy was tearing up."I was supposed to retain you safe ..."

Dragon tore his gaze away from the tragedy and kept walking. Harry had been in the Hospital wing. genus Draco could still listen the yelling from behind him. Block it out. Up stairs. round left.

Dragon was at the room access to the hospital wing when-

"Draco !"Draco whirled and tensed when he saw Hermione running towards him."Do you bonk where McGonagall is ?"

"I ... No. Why ?"

"They ... they called my parent. They called all our parents."Hermione kept pulling on a farsighted curl of her hair in panic."They 're taking me away, they 're taking me out of Hogwarts. They ca n't do it ! I do n't desire to but ... McGonagall must be able to halt them, she can stop them all-"

"All ? What do you mean all ?"

"All the parents are here, are n't you listening !"Hermione was breathing hard, on the edge of tears."All the marauders. Our parents are all here, they 're taking us out. All of us ! There must be something we can do-"

"Draco."genus Draco spun again as the door to the infirmary annex was pushed unfastened and Dragon saw Pythea stepping out. She did n't calculate as frenzied as Hermione but on the seer 's, usually unflappable, smiler it looked even worse."Do you bonk where Harry is ?"

"Pythea !"Hermione spoke before Draco could even open his mouth."Do you sleep with where McGonagall is ?"

"Try the big Hall."Pythea said distractedly."Have you seen Harry."

"I thought he was in there- Hey postponement !"genus Draco called after Hermione as she tore off down the corridor."Damnit, He is n't in there ?"

"No,"Pythea looked frightened, her odd eye were wide."individual thought they saw him walk out but no one tried to give up him."

"I ... damn."Draco put his fingers to his synagogue. The earth was ending. Everything was falling apart. Find Harry."Alright, just founder me a moment ..."Dragon got down on his hired man and knees and sniffed deeply.

Hundreds of feet travelled these halls but Draco knew Harry 's scent. The few benefit of being a werewolf.

"He went this way."genus Draco led the way slowly along the passageway.

"Can you not go quicker ?"Pythea asked angrily.

"Ca n't you just scry him out ?"Draco shot back.

"No I ca n't !"Pythea almost shouted."I ca n't see him, I never could, that 's the point. Please hurry !"

Dragon reached a staircase and hurried down. Another stair, Dragon sniffed ... yes. Down those too. Corridor ... dammit. Draco followed the trail all the way to the corking door of Hogwarts. The trail went right out the doorway, straight outside.

"But gran !"Draco 's head came up as he heard Neville 's vocalism."I need to stay here, these are my friends !"The piranha was being hurried along by an quondam madam, his grandmother.

"Your friends ? Friends do n't get friends killed !"

Draco doubled over. That had felt like an real blow. He should birth been faster climbing the tower. He should have brought his own broom so he could follow her. All his fault.

He should n't experience let her come in in the showtime home. They all knew she was depressed. That was his defect too, if he was n't so wrong she would still be alive. If he was n't twisted, disgusting. His begetter had been right, he was useless ... it was-

"The trail Draco !"Pythea 's vocalization seemed to hit his peg before it reached his psyche and he was already moving before it even registered. The trail was clearer out here on the grass, it was n't wandering, straight like an arrow. Straight to the edge of the forbidden woods. Dragon straightened up, his face ashen."He went inside."

"But he knows the centaurs will obliterate him if they find him in there."Pythea was shaking her head in dismay disbelief.

"I do n't think he even knows his figure right now."Draco sniffed again and hurried forward at a loping run. Behind him he could get wind the oracle following him. Harry was n't making any endeavour to conceal his track, it was plain as day. But that meant it was plain as day for the Centaurus as well. Draco tried to tell himself that the enceinte trail meant they were closing in on him. Tried ...

"Is ... is he close ?"Pythea panted from behind him.

"Yes."Draco lied. All he could hear was his own breath in his ears and his beating eye. sniff. Trail. Run.

"Stop !"

Draco skidded to a halt.

"What ?"

"This is it. He 's here."Thea began looking around, glancing behind tree."Spread out he 's somewhere here."

"How do you recognise ?"

"All of these are apple trees."

"Ah, right."Draco took a deep breath in. Yes, Harry 's odor was mysterious here. The prophesier was right-hand. And the smell was deepest coming from ..."Harry ! Thea I 've got him."Dragon dashed over to where Harry was propped against the trunk of a tree. His optic still had that glassy, far away, look. But at least he turned to present them as they walked up to him.

"Harry ?"Pythea crouched down next to Harry."Are you here ?"

"Yeah,"Harry nodded slowly."I think so ... it 's hard to tell."

"Why did you run into the forest ?"Draco asked.

"I ... I do n't call back doing that."Harry shook his top dog."I just ... I was thinking about trees ..."

"well, we found you."genus Draco put his mitt on Harry 's berm."Lets get back."

"dorsum ?"Harry tensed, a fraction of his usual hardness returned to his eyes."vertebral column to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

"Ginny 's dead."

"Y ... yes."

"Voldemort 's alive."

"Why are you asking me that ?"Draco shake up his oral sex, trying to make sense of Harry 's questions.

"I killed Bellatrix. Just killed her."

"It was self defence."Pythea said soothingly.

"No it wasn't."Harry was breathing harder."I cut off her hired hand then I killed her. She was screaming before, she was n't screaming after."

genus Draco swallowed roughly. He did n't bed what to say to that.

"I saw her heart stay. Not Ginny 's, Bellatrix 's. Saw her hit the bulwark, except that it was her not ... Her eye just stopped."Harry seemed to be drifting from thought to thought."Saw her spine snap."

"Let 's go back to the castle."Pythea said desperately."seminal fluid on Harry-"

"Harry ?"Harry spat the gens out."Harry ? That 's not me. Harry 's dead. I wish he was active, compliments it were him here instead of me. The chosen one, must be strong or have some sick power. I do n't, I 've got nothing ... Maybe he would be strong enough. But I 'm not, I 'm just not."

"Ha- Jack ?"Pythea angle forward."We can get through this, together."

"No Thea."A buck ran from Harry 's eye."I 'm sorry. I 'm so so sad. But I ca n't do this any-more. I 'm sorry but ... It 's too much. I 'm broken. Something in me 's broken."

"Harry ?"

"I ca n't. I 'm lamentable. I 'm so sorry."Harry 's dolourous eyes met the seers."Goodbye Thea."

"NO !"Pythea lunge forward but she was too slow, the afforest rang with the crack of a rough phantasma. A pot of hiss took flight from the tree around, dappling them in vestige for a moment, then they were gone. And so was Harry.

The creation was broken. Everything had fallen apart.

Dragon kept expecting him to reappear, with a joke perhaps, or for it all to be a fast one. But it was n't, and he was n't. Beside him Pythea was just staring at the space Harry had been. The silence drew on, genus Draco did n't want to be the 1st one to mouth, that would make it real.

"I ..."Dragon licked his lip."I did n't screw he could apparate."

"He was having lessons."Pythea sounded pocket-size. little and broken.

The secrecy returned, dragging on forever. Draco broke it again, the dustup feeling like lead.

"So what ... what do we do now ?"

"I do n't know."Pythea was shaking."I just do n't know ..."





Whew ... That 's the end of leger 6. promise you enjoyed it. I 'm 2/3 of the way through Word 7 so it should n't be too long before it 's finished. It 's been a prospicient haul but we 're in to the last heterosexual person now. So get ready for ...

Harry ceramicist and the triplet closed book !