Have n't said this in a while so I should probably advert. I do n't own Harry thrower. I 'm not sure of the specific effectual ramifications of a lineament called Harry ceramicist but not actually the like guy. But anyway, I do n't own any of the stuff I 'm not supposed to own. I may own the poppycock I 'm supposed to own but since I 'm unconvincing to publish it probably does n't matter.



It was a nice garden, the garden at Malfoy Manor. At one prison term the pubic hair were elegantly crafted topiary, a menagerie of fantastic puppet in imaginary affectation, 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 Mary Jane had grown up too, long vane that got between your toes. It was half wild but then that was trade good. 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 stupe game.

'' Come on Harry ! '' Ginny swooped down laughing. `` There 's a supernumerary broom ! ``

'' right wing, the broom 's the job. '' Harry laughed back, waving his cane. `` Not the fact that I 'm disastrous in the air at the best of times and am currently down a limb. ``

'' So you 're just gon na appease down there on the dope like an old man ? ``

'' Just keep it placidity you hooligans. '' Harry laughed as Ginny rose into the sky again. It would have been fun to go up and make a mark of himself, make them laugh when he fell off. But if he ever wanted to get rid of the walk stick he would have to let himself actually bring around. If he burst his sand undecided nobody would laugh. Well ... maybe the twins would.

Harry turned and stomped off across the dope, back towards the household. The sun was beating down like a hammer and Harry was sweating by the metre he reached the wide veranda. 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 roll in the hay how concentrated some matter were for him. better to just hold a minute.

Harry stomped up the wooden stair and dropped into a folding deckchair. The hale veranda was new wood, tacked onto the backrest of the ancient mansion. The marauders had conjured and constructed the thing the first day they got there, at Dragon 's urging. The young Slytherin took an almost pathological pleasure in slamming beams into the ancient Malfoy mansion house. It was all they could do to barricade him using fifteenth one C daggers as nails.

The unanimous place had been transformed into a variety of piranha summer camp. All of them were there, at foremost they had just come during the day to hang out, then in dribs and olive drab they had attached themselves to elbow room and began staying overnight. Harry was loving it, he had a jailed audience. And now that the marauders numbered twenty they were a commodity audience. Except when they did pointless things like play quidditch or do homework. But at other multiplication they were brilliant.

'' So, '' Harry turned to the deck of cards chairperson beside him, containing his newest initiate. `` Who 's winning ? ``

'' I ca n't severalise. '' Pythea took a dainty sip from a field glass of lemonade. `` They seem to have released four different snitches so I do n't know how to score. ``

'' Four sneak ? '' Harry 's supercilium arched.

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

'' Probably just trying to outflank the twins. '' Harry shrugged. `` How many bludgers were there ? ``

'' twelve I believe. ``

'' Seemed like more. '' Harry glanced up at the game flowing above the immense dry land. XVI marauders were swooping and diving in the hot, beat, air. Like deglutition. Harry envied them, not for the ability to fly, but for the relievo from the heat that flying would bring. Harry brushed his sweat filled hair out of his case and fanned himself with his bridge player. He turned to the girl next to him. `` How are you not sweating ? It 's like a warm up day in Hades. ``

'' I 'm used to Greece Harry. ``

'' You 're used to a floaty rook in the sky. '' Harry leant back to soaking in the electron beam. `` I however need some shade. '' Harry drew his wand and floated a standing umbrella over. It shook a little as it settled into place. Harry frowned, his new wand was n't his pet. For one affair it was n't an Ollivander wand.

His first gear baton had been taken from him by Voldemort at the end of his fourth year, it had never been recovered. His indorsement lay broken in Godrics holler. Both had worked for him wonderfully and he had wanted something as thoroughly. The starting time day he had got out of infirmary he had stomped down to the old wand-makers workshop to buy a new wand. Unfortunately the old man had had other ideas.

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

'' But I just want- ''

'' I heard what you did to Dumbledore 's wand ! spoof to put down such ... such ... Get out ! get out ! get out ! ``

Harry had been bundled from the shop by the scrawny old mother fucker. As he fell backwards out the door, his cane clattering on the cobbles, he had yelled.

'' I did also vote down Voldemort you know ! '' But the threshold had been slammed shut in his typeface and he had gone back to the house empty handed. Given that he did n't require to go to long without a wand he had scrounged through the things taken from the captured Death eater. 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 roughneck oak and had a squeamish round grip. It was just sometimes a little ... finicky. Finicky was the mightily intelligence. He just had to get used to it.

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

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

'' You were staring at it. ``

'' I was not. '' Harry holstered his wand again in his pocket. 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 shaver 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 proof. `` I had a different form of instruction. ``

'' Could you teach me ? ``

'' Do you cause a few supererogatory eld ? ``

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

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

'' Oh eventually. '' Harry put his arms behind his head. `` I 'm in no precipitation. No wait, scratch that. Once they come we do n't have 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 vex asking her how she knew, this was a oracle he was talking to.

Harry stretched out in his chairperson and yawned. It was nice to hold an actual holiday again, no worry about Voldemort, no pursuance to undertake. It was relaxing. Harry eased his injured leg into a more comfortable position. He needed relaxing. His leg and his stomach needed relaxing. His brain needed it too. Harry closed his optic and sighed happily. Through his witching visual sensation he could see Thea look 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 Methedrine. `` I would n't be a student and I could n't be a instructor. ``

'' You could be a teaching supporter. '' Harry grinned. `` Help Trewalny- ''

'' Do n't even finish that sentence. '' Pythea shuddered. `` That idea is too horrible to meditate. ``

'' But nigh of all you can be close to the ordination in case they need your arcane endowment. '' Harry wheedled. `` Your impressive arcane endowment. Your amazing and unequaled arcane endowment. ``

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

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

'' Harry ... ''

'' And besides. '' Harry smiled warmly. `` You never got a fortune to be a kid. Take this chance, do to Hogwarts. Let the predator show you how to suffer 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. ``

'' stop it. ``

'' Ca n't. ``

'' And you call me a brat. ``

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.

Peck, wad, peck.

'' Oh amercement. '' Harry woke and cracked his cervix. The owl was n't holding a alphabetic character. `` Where are my bleedin issue you dullard bird ? ``

'' Here Harry. '' Theia was sitting comfortably, holding a fold scrap of paper in her hands.

'' The owl gave it to you ? ``

'' I 'm good with animals. '' Thea glanced down at the small-arm of composition. `` Do n't you want to know your results ? ``

'' Not particularly. ``

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

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

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

'' bratwurst. ``

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

'' wellspring that ... '' Harry nodded faintly. `` That 's not bad. That 's not too bad. Considering. '' He reached over and picked the outcome out of her hand. `` good luck charm O. Ok that works for me. Defence ... E. ''

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

'' Defeating dark lord does n't have a written portion. '' Harry said indignantly.

'' Did you see the other issue ? ``

'' Managed A 's in uranology and tool. '' Harry shrugged. `` honorable enough to go back to Hogwarts. ``

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

'' The solution ! The resultant are here ! ``

Harry 's ears were assaulted by Hermione 's screams. Thea raised her hand to her ears and winced.

'' Welcome to the marauder. '' Harry said, over the plangency in his ears.
*


The next day they did the entirely thing traditional after receiving Hogwarts alphabetic character. The customary, almost pilgramigical, head trip to Diagon Alley.

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

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

'' What ? ``

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

'' This is about your joke store is n't it. '' Harry guessed shrewdly.

'' Maybe. ``

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

'' I 'm bored. '' Was his compendious reply.

Harry shrugged. Fair enough. The Weasley parents were there as well of course. Harry knew that on some level they disapproved of their child being soldiers in a war on eternal iniquity. Harry knew this, and could barely land himself to care. The war was effectively over for now, they were n't soldiers for now. Not for a few years at to the lowest degree. Harry shrugged, he would hold preferred if the marauders could go alone. Being parented after so long taking guardianship of himself was galling. Ah well, with so many marauders they could n't possibly keep pill on all of them.

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


Harry dropped into a tush in an ice-cream parlor. His left leg, and left arm were both killing him. He had never been more thankful that his bottomless bag absorbed the weight of the Scripture he 'd bought. If he 'd had to transmit them the traditional way he might well be dead. It was n't even just the system of weights or the combat injury, it was the people. What had happened in the section of mysteries was known to every wizard in Britain and probably a ripe number outside as well. Harry did n't know which 1 were worse, the ones that demanded an autograph like he was he was a bloody celebrity or the one 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 turn back for ice cream right ? '' Harry panted. `` We 're all stopping for ice pick. Not because I 'm almost dead. Stopping for ice cream because we want to, not because I 'm a bloody shut-in. ``

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

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

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

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

'' shuffle up your mind. '' Draco muttered and shook his head teacher wryly as the marauders pushed table together around the one Harry had claimed. Harry just sat back and grinned. The heat had beat down harshly all day but now it was evening and the air was pleasantly nerveless. Very passive. Harry wondered idly what he would do with a year of peace treaty. Probably go mental. Possibly get arrested. Without his lofty goals to warrant his anarchy he was unresistant to end up boot out. He might hold to rein in himself in a bit. Just a bit. It was unfortunate that he had no idea how to do that.

'' deep brown and chocolate. '' A retinal cone was shoved into his paw by Padma.

'' What ? No waffle retinal cone ? ``

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

'' Ouch. '' Harry chuckled as the marauders pulled up chairs around the tabular array. Despite her satire Padma pulled up the hot seat next to Harry. Thea sat down quietly on the former incline. She was repose with everyone but Harry still. For soul who had been one of the most knock-down women in the world she was remarkably shy. Harry opened his mouth to ask her something when he felt a tug at his sleeve.

'' lookout man. '' Padma hissed quietly and cheekily. Harry 's eyes followed her hugger-mugger regard to the other side of the table. Ginny and Draco were sitting at the far other face. As he watched Ginny held her ice cream out to Dragon, who bent to lick it and ended up with a spot on his nozzle. Ginny laughed tatty than it was natural to laugh at something so cliché and wiped the spot off with a napkin. The table napkin brushed down Draco 's face just a minute longer than was requisite. With his legerdemain eye Harry could even see Ginny 's heartbeat quicken. Harry turned to Padma.

'' And he still remains totally forgetful. '' Harry shook his brain in unbelief. `` Does he have some sorting of empathetic blind-spot ? ``

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

'' Interesting that you say cream in the same manner that others would say ... oh I do n't cognise. gage gall. ``

'' If he 's that oblivious he 's not worth it. By the way, if you want to swap some of the creams for rotter bile I 'm biz. '' Padma grinned slyly.

'' That would be really think of. ``

'' She would draw attention though. ``

'' We do n't prank fella marauders. '' Harry turned to the fille on his former side. `` Maybe you can tell us. See anything in their time to come ? Something small and squalling perhaps ? ``

'' I 'm not a fortune teller Harry. '' Pythea said coldly. It was only the fainthearted twinkle in her eye that told him she was kidding.

'' Not even a lilliputian lot ? '' Harry arched an eyebrow.

'' What do you expect me to do Harry ? '' The slight seer smiled. `` Read tea leaves ? ``

'' Would that work ? ``

'' Of course not. ``

'' Wait a instant ! '' Ron spun round from Pythea 's other incline. Harry saw the seer parachuting in surprise but cover it a minute later. Ron had n't noticed. `` Tea leaves do n't predict the future ? ``

'' No. However could they ? ``

'' What about swarm ? tarot carte ? Casting bones ? ``

'' I 'm dark Ronald none of those will devote you any insight into the time to come. '' Pythea answered calmly.

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

'' Making binge 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 old age. '' Harry reached over and clapped Ron on the shoulder. `` It 's well deserved. ``

Pythea laughed lightly into her bridge player causing Harry to notice something.

'' Hey, you have n't got any ice cream. '' Harry cocked his oral sex. `` Did you want something else ? I think they 've got burnt umber and tea and stuff. ``

'' Harry it 's alright. '' Pythea seemed to shift close-fitting to him. `` I just do n't have any money that 's all. I left Ellas with nothing and I 've been staying at the manor ever since you know ... ''

'' You should have said something. '' Harry held out his retinal cone. `` Here. You 'll care it, cocoa is one of the three safe Britain tone, coffee ice ointment however is dangerously experimental. ``

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

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

'' Nothing. '' Padma 's oculus flickered to Draco and Ginny on the other side of meat 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 Same thing ... I mean she did n't .... whereas they ... Shut up. '' Harry turned away from the sniggering predator and tried to ignore her. He and Pythea finished off the conoid by turns, and by the time they finished Harry was pleasantly cool.

It was a totally fun and peaceable shot. Harry should stimulate known it would n't last.

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

'' Hello James. '' Harry 's eyes fixed on the old gentleman. Maybe it was his tone of voice but the marauders went still in a minute. They went from laughing happily to teach as a drawn bowstring in an minute. bridge player hovered near wands. Harry waved to them. `` Do n't worry guys, he 's not dangerous. He 's not even really here. Again. ``

'' A pity really. '' Epistle of James turned his pale, lined face to the sky. `` It looks like such a nice evening. ``

'' Is it coldness where you are ? ``

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

'' I 'm certainly peculiar as to who you are. '' Harry tip forwards. `` Last time I followed your advice I was framed for murdering some death eaters. ``

'' A regrettable event Mr Potter, but not my defect. '' James spoke dryly and precisely. `` The information I gave you was entirely sort out. ``

'' Yes. '' Harry nodded towards the bread maker Twins, both ( despite his Scripture ) looking ready to outflow. `` You told me that their father was targeted to be attacked so I do n't call back you work for Voldemort. But that does n't entail you 're on the side of good. ``

'' Good is meaningless. '' James said definitely. His crisp Oxford diction making the words seem even colder.

'' Now I know you 're on the wrong side. ``

'' Think whatever you wish Mr Potter, it does n't particularly matter if you like me. Although obviously I would favor if we were on amicable terms. Nevertheless you will hear to what I have to say. '' James waved a gloved manus at the bustling street. `` You will hear or in just about ten transactions these people will all be utter. ``

'' You 'd better public lecture fast then. '' Harry 's fingers were gripping the sides of his chair.

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

'' Voldemort has just two decease eaters and is supposed to be almost abruptly. '' Harry grated angrily. `` How could he possibly mount an attack. ``

'' Dear boy do you expect me to tell you everything ? '' James smiled faintly. `` You would opine that this would be enough. Just know that as soon as the moon rises about XX wolfman and at least as many wizards will be attacking here. Whether you chose to believe me ... is up to you. '' James disappeared where he stood, startling a passage family.

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

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

'' right wing. '' Harry turned to the concern looking Pythea. `` Can you fight if it comes to it ? ``

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

'' Ok, do n't exact this the wrong way but if something happens you need to appease out of the way. '' Harry raised his manus to her shoulder. `` Stay safe. '' Harry stepped back and waved the piranha to the left hand and aright down the street. He himself painfully stepped onto the table and amplified his voice.

'' Listen ... ag ... This is Harry ceramist. '' A cheer went up from the crowd, some people began to scrabble for affair for him to sign. `` No no, Listen. We 've received a tip that there might be something bad happening here soon. It 's probably a fake alarm, just some retard who thinks he 's comical, but I 've talked to the aurors and they think we should void anyway. Just proceed calmly into the nearest store and flue back to your homes. No pushing, just delight go domicile. Do n't worry about your friend up and down the street, we have hoi polloi warning them too. ``

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

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

'' What did the aurors say ? ``

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

'' What ? '' Harry spun to look at the shop he had been waving hoi polloi into. As he turned a cry went up and seemed to ripple 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 crowd. The man looked down at him in seismic disturbance but Harry spoke right over him. `` Can you apparate ? ``

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

'' Try to apparate. ``

'' Is there a job ? ``

'' Just try to bloody apparate ! ``

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

Harry spun back to face Neville. The queasy marauder was gripping his sceptre hard. Harry amplified his voice harshly, twisting his wand until he could feel his vocal cords twanging.

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

Harry left Neville in charge and clattered back towards the leaky cauldron, his leg felt like it was on fire. The entranceway wall came into sight, closed. People were crowded up against it, clawing at the bricks like git. Harry stopped, shocked.

'' Harry ! '' Lucy Kingston ran up to him, the baker 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 good-for-nothing. ``

'' Get out of the way. '' Harry ordered them, raising his wand towards the crowd. `` EVERYBODY motility ! ``

The crowd turned towards his yelling voice, saw the raised wand and the looking at in his middle, and parted like the red sea.

"Confringo ! '' Harry aimed the curse at the midpoint of the paries and blasted a maw in the masonry. He shot again and the rampart fell in, crumbling into debris. Behind the bulwark a figure stepped forward, his nerve veiled by a rough material and the rest of him covered in deep William Green. That was what everybody saw. Magic eyes saw more.

'' Get away from him ! '' Harry yelled, but he was too slowly. The anatomy shot forward like a snake, his hand jerking into his clothing and coming out with a thick bladed dagger. In one smooth campaign the man was amongst the bunch. The knife came forward and Harry saw a spray of blood. The knifeman spun and plunged the blade into the back of a woman who had turned to run then Harry was knocked to the English by pressing dead body as the crew stampeded away.

'' Let me through ! '' Harry yelled as he was buffeted madly. He could still see the knifeman in the frigidity blue of his wizardly sight. The man was spinning randomly through the crowd, opening veins and cutting throat like the flickering picture of swimming expiry. Harry tried to push his way towards him but he was thrown back. `` fucking this ! Galbinus digitus ! Hammus Missus ! ``

The vines on the wall to his side expanded like a mad devilfish, arching across the street. Harry had already cast a chain up to the greenness arch and jerked himself up over the crowd. Swinging madly, barely in mastery, Harry was drawn through the air above the heads of the writhing bunch. Harry 's eye caught the knifeman and he let go, swinging his legs out, steel-toed the boot coming up.

The man dodged like a beast and Harry twisted in the air to avoid getting a tongue in his neck. He landed painfully, his leg bending under him, unwilling to bear his weight, and he stumbled. The knife flashed towards him.

'' Stalagmite ! '' Harry jabbed his wand down and the sett exploded upwards in a protrusion spike, knocking the knife away. But the man was too fast his left hand dipped into his clothes and came back with a thin wand before Harry could even bear. Harry had to roll away as a fierce net of razor thread came shooting towards him. He tried to stand but his leg buckled and he saw the flashing knife again, too close this time.

'' Stubefy ! '' The red light smashed the knifeman from behind and threw him to the floor. Harry struggled to heighten as Lucy and the two Bakers pushed through the lastly of the crowd to get to him. Lucy grabbed his arm and he gratefully pulled himself good. `` Are you alright ? ``

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

'' We tried to- '' terry cloth Baker began to speak but a knife bloomed from his articulatio humeri and he was thrown back into his sisters arms. `` Aaaah ! ``

Harry spun with his sceptre out. Out of the hollow in the wall were climbing three more Green River shrouded pattern. Harry 's eye buzzed through them and was more behind them. stack more.

'' Get him out of here ! Fall back ! '' Harry yelled. He twitched his sceptre at the flooring and swung it like a sword, growing a wall of stone out of the rough cobbles. Harry saw Anna bread maker yell as she dashed away with her bleeding Brother at the same sentence as Lucy ran to remain firm next to him. `` I meant you too ! ``

'' I 'm not leaving you. ``

'' That 's fine, I 'm retreating too ! '' Harry hobbled backwards, his baton trained on the paries. A blurred shape catapulted over the wall, spinning in the air. Harry 's baton flicked out. `` Ferio ! '' The hex struck the man in the air and he crashed to the floor head first with a sickening compaction. Two Thomas More followed him and Harry threw more spells, beside him Lucy was madly throwing curses. Harry could see the street behind the bulwark filling up with enemies. There were far More than the twenty James had warned about.

'' Difindo ! '' Harry raked his sceptre 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 rampart flew backwards along the street like a wrecking glob, sweeping the aggressor back. Harry did n't have clip to crow as a lion made of ardor leapt out of lose weight air and raked his arm with burning claws. He did n't irritate to flame-freeze it, just blasted it out of the air and sent the flames back at the iniquity shape advancing up the street towards them.

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

'' heed if you see a blooming werewolf distinguish me ! '' Harry yelled through gritted tooth as he smashed a mainstay of ice out of the air. `` Until then I think I 'll deal with the trouble in front of me ! ``

Harry blocked another curse but even as he did so two more whizzed past him and hit the crowd. He heard cries of pain and torment. He could n't halt all of them. He could n't even hold on about of them. This was going to be a bloodshed unless he could stop it.

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

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

'' Bloody perdition who are these guys ? cover up me ! '' Harry ducked behind Lucy as he jabbed his scepter up at the shake. `` Pinguis ! '' The roofing tile suddenly gleamed like an oil slick and the running figures tumbled like skittles, skidding and scrabbling to feel leverage before falling to the cobble with a crunch.

Harry saw more turn coming from behind him and felt like cheering as he saw five to a greater extent vulture dashing to help out of the pressing bunch. Draco skidded to a stop next to him and instantly had to raise a shell to block off a spinning blade.

'' They 're attacking on the former side too ! '' Draco yelled, his facial expression covered with a shininess of lather. `` Ginny 's keeping them back but there 's nowhere for the crowd to go. We 're between a power hammer and an anvil ! ``

Harry cursed even as his eye swirled in it 's socket and tried to focus to the other side of the crowd. No good, too many people. But he could see turn flaring up from the street beyond. Harry swore again and had to enkindle off a do-or-die sideboard to a purple swearword 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 glass in the windows shattered into knife-edge shards and traverse across the street like a scythe. Harry could get a line the thump as it bit flesh. It only gained them bit, new figures appeared almost instantly, crouching behind their dead fellow for cover. Harry used the time to raise the cobbles in another wall but almost instantly it was struck with curses. Blasting away the stone and leaving holes for their opposition to fire through.

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

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

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

'' This many people ? Crammed in there ? '' Dragon ducked behind a conjured shell. `` It would be a meatgrinder !. ``

'' It may be the sole chance ! '' Harry 's eye swivelled to rule the dark side street. Some people were trying to escape down it but virtually were shying away. Harry 's eye focused further, further down the street ... `` Oh for the ... ! Werewolves ! Werewolves in knockturn ! ``

But the cry came too late. They burst out of the darkness like a wave of sweating hairsbreadth, cutting into the gang like butter. Whether there were twenty dollar bill or fifty dollar bill or more was inconceivable to tell, they just seemed like one giant raging beast. The screams came louder and louder, as did the howls.

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

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

'' Gon na get to ! '' Harry glanced back at the street, filling again with enemies. `` I ca n't make a motion fast enough to fight lycanthrope. '' Harry summoned a wrecked tabular array, ducked behind his makeshift shelter and jammed his wand to the neck. `` GINNY SEND TWO OF YOUR the great unwashed TO KNOCKTURN ALLEY. WEREWOLVES ! ``

Harry had no way to know if she had heard. He just had to hope. Ron and Draco could n't do it on their own. Harry 's eye whirled like a marble, trying to happen some former way out. There was nowhere to shroud and every moment they waited masses were dying. His eyes found gleaming pillars of white marble. A massive building, defensible.

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

Harry was thrown to the floor as his tabular array exploded, showering him with tongue sharp splinters. He felt one bounce of his deception eye and shuddered to think of what it would deliver done to his real one. A knife spun out of the blue and cut a slice out of his arm.

Harry stumbled backwards and almost fell, catching himself on his cane. He aimed a stunner a moving shape but it went blanket. 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 headland, too many to count. She dove to the floor and felt her peel tear as she slid behind her the bricks. The street was full moon of folly. Whoever the hell these guys were they were good. punter than death eaters.

Heat. stack of heat.

'' Ginny get out of there ! ``

Ginny threw herself forward before the mountain she was hiding behind exploded into blue flame. She dashed back to the other piranha, spinning and casting spells at the shadows flitting towards them. Too many to count. Every doorway was a potential assailant. Ginny reached the vulture and spun in fourth dimension to shield and endure a blast of freeze out blades. 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 doors to the savings bank too diminished. Too many dying. Ginny steeled herself against the blood. It smelled like a slaughterhouse. She wanted to vomit.

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

'' We are the cover. '' Ginny yelled, trying to sound like Harry. `` assembly line up in front of the crew ! ``

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

'' Then credit line up in front of most 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 barrage fire of trance knocked her backrest. She did n't try to fire back. She had to use everything she had to keep the cuticle up. On either side it butted up against Hermione 's and Cho 's, right now it seemed like a paper wall. Ginny gritted her teeth they had to hold. Just a little longer.

The crowd was surging backwards, slowly seeping away. The marauders backed their paries to succeed them. Ginny tried to ignore the fact that every meter the bunch pulled back revealed more than consistency from under their feet.

'' Ah ! ! '' Ginny 's top dog whipped around at the familiar scream in time to see Cho decline, her clothes burning with purpleness flame.

'' Hold the line ! '' Was the showtime thing that came to Ginny 's rim as she dropped her carapace and deuced water onto the hang marauder. She dashed to Cho 's side and grabbed her arm, hoisting the quondam young woman onto her shoulder. She threw up a overhasty shield that shattered instantly under the onslaught and was driven to her knees. Ginny summoned another shield and dragged her burden back, trying to disregard the fact that the arm draping over her shoulder was black with Burns. Ginny 's mental capacity seethed with rage and she itched to degenerate her cuticle and ardour dark condemnation at the enemies before her. But she could n't. Wand shaking in her script she kept her slow retreat, her mind recoiling at every spell that slipped through.
*


The Shirley Temple Black wall of passion just kept coming. The werewolves were mad with moonlight, they did n't even 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 cervix of a snarling savage, screeching howling of hurting went up. He blocked them out. He glanced behind him, the crowd was squeezing back into the bank like a populate affair, they were almost all interior. The piranha were almost back to the entrance now, one wall of defensive shields, one wall of fast-growing firing death. He could see Harry breaking giant clod of route to fling like wrecking balls.

'' Draco duck ! ``

genus Draco did n't even recollect, he just slammed himself to the trading floor. Green light blasted above his head. That was not a loup-garou ! genus Draco rolled to his infantry, wand out. In amongst the lycanthrope were loping figures, wands out and firing. total darkness shrouds of tattered robes around them. Killing curses one after another and another blasting out. They did n't even seem to care if they hit the vulture, the werewolf or one of their own.

'' These are n't the same as the ninja guy wire ! '' Anapurna screamed, ducking into a doorway to avoid the storm of curses. Draco stabbed his scepter forward.

'' Incendio ! '' A cloaked bod burst into flame but kept coming. Draco cursed and took aim at a cloaked head. `` Reducto ! '' The head exploded but the body kept lurching forwards.

'' What the hell are they ! '' Ron 's quivering voice yelled out from behind. `` They do n't die ! ``

'' rear up ! '' Draco desperately waved the marauders back. He stumbled backwards, cipher could give masses this magnate, this was insanity. A hallucination or else a fever dream. genus Draco dashed across the square away, there was no holding back these creatures. There were still people in the street ! Draco ducked behind a bloody werewolf carcass but there was fiddling point, there were enemies all around now. The marauders were being pushed back, the green-clad bravo coming from left and right and the loup-garou and unacceptable warriors crashing in from the front.

genus Draco screamed as his arm was engulfed in fire and extinguished it with his arm. He shot a curse down the street at a shadow but missed. They were losing. A benighted embodiment loomed over him and he spun, too slow. The robed figure fell on him and he felt steely-cold hands grab both his sleeve. With an inhuman force he was held to the floor. The hood came up and genus Draco felt his eye go all-embracing with fear.

The face had rotted away.

"Fulgar Fletch !"The corpse above him was thrown backwards as a cloud of knives sliced it to ribbons. A 2d cloud reduced it to flayed nitty-gritty and the rotting chaff fell to the flat coat in pieces. `` Get up Draco ! ``

Draco scrambled to his foot and spun to see Harry standing like a bloodstained god of war. He swung his wand in a smashed arc and the knives leapt into the air again, each growing a set of sewing needle wings and darting forward to slit another shuffling frame to ribbons.

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

Draco dashed back to the marauder line, spinning and sending flaying swearword behind him at the pursuing creatures. In front of him he saw Ron struck in the incline, with what he could not tell. Draco dashed to help oneself him but the cobbles between them exploded into razor knifelike shrapnel and he was driven back.

'' Just a few more seconds ! '' 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 base and flew towards Gringots, Harry had n't even been looking at him. `` A few More ! '' His arm was caught with the edge of a scourge and he was spun off his substructure, pitching him onto the floor.

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

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

Draco 's substructure skidded on the cobble as he dashed for the step of Gringots. He shielded as a condemnation winged towards him and had to flap out of the way of a killing curse. Ginny 's marauders were holding the line for just a second longer, giving the rest period of them a opportunity to get in. Dragon powered up the gradation and spun when he reached the door, firing torment 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 climb step ! genus Draco realized with horror. But just as the thought hit him Harry spun and fired a Sir Ernst Boris Chain up past the parentage of fighters. Harry flew like a firework into Gringots, falling to the marble floor.

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

Dragon did n't postulate Ginny 's shouted command, his groundwork were already skidding him backwards. The lowering doors were slammed shut on his heels. He could hear curse word sparking against the wood and cracking stone.

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

'' Will that bear ? '' Draco asked, his breath coming lumbering in his ears.

'' No. ``
*


'' I want those tables stuck across the windows ! '' Harry gestured with his cane. His eye was flickering around desperately trying to spot any other way their assailant could breach the building. `` Raise walls across the floor to fool out of. And get all these masses down into the tunnels ! ``

'' Mr Potter you can not give parliamentary law here ! '' A goblin appeared from nowhere, his eyes flinty. `` You had no rightfield to imply Gringots in sensation job ! ``

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

'' That is not my problem. '' The goblin snarled. `` Leave now or we will open the door and let those people in. ``

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

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

'' Wait ! '' The crowd was pushed aside and Pythea, her facial expression streaked with dirt, stepped between Harry and the goblin. She turned on the goblin with her hands spread out. `` You have to let them in. ``

'' I do not get to listen to the fema- ''

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

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

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

'' You ... human. '' The hobgoblin spat the cobbler's last word before disappearing into the crush of people. A instant later the building shook like a bell. Harry spun and looked towards the threshold, he groaned.

'' They 're trying to break the door down. '' Pythea breathed, her spokesperson unfluctuating than Harry thought he could have managed.

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

'' Do you believe that will celebrate them out ? '' Pythea asked doubtfully.

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

'' For now he 's alive. '' Pythea shuddered. `` If the ministry do n't get here he will not stopping point. ``

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

'' Dame Alice Ellen Terry bread maker has a knife in him, I believe it may be poisoned but I can not tell. '' Pythea shook her school principal. `` Miss Yangtze Kiang 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 go for a patch. Joshua Split can not take the air and I have no musical theme what is awry with him. He can utter but he does n't appear to be cognisant of what is going on. Oh, and I can not wake Padma Patil. She seems comatose. ``

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

'' Harry ... ''

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

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

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

'' I thought I saw mortal in that sign of the zodiac. '' Hermione pointed down the street. `` Can you see ? ``

'' Hold on ... '' Harry let his eye focus out through brick and plaster, then cursed. `` There are three multitude in there. tike. They 're trying to hide in the basement. They 're failing. ``

'' What ? ``

'' Six ... no seven. Three werewolves and four of the unkillable freak are in there with them. I think they can smell them. The nestling 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 wall. `` We ca n't get to them ! ``

'' Maybe ... maybe we can sneak out ! '' Neville glanced at the shaking threshold. `` The ninja men are pretty focused on breaking in, maybe they wo n't nark with one or two hoi polloi trying to get out. ``

'' The loup-garou will, '' Dragon said dully. `` They 'll chase anything that moves. ``

'' Yes, they will ... '' Harry put his deal up to his fount. `` And the abruptly men seemed to act the same. Maybe I can draw them off. ``

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

'' You ... you 're rightfield. '' Harry felt like punching the wall again. `` You 'll need to do it. Take ... '' Harry cast around for soul else who could run fast. `` Take genus Vanessa. '' He pointed at Vanessa Gibbons.

'' Me ? ``

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

'' What about those three child. '' Hermione pointed out the window 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. `` Draco I need you to go alone. We ca n't dispense with more citizenry. ``

'' They 're children ! '' Hermione protested.

'' So are we ! '' Harry shouted back. `` And so are half the citizenry huddling in the tunnel right now ! Why do you think they picked the day after the Hogwarts varsity letter to attack ! We need to salve as many people as we can. '' He stumbled as the building was rocked with another flak. The stone around the room access was beginning to buckle. Harry swiped his scepter along the floor to make a place. He pointed down at the marble.

'' Koupa ! '' The stone bent into a gruelling bowl. `` Ginny, Vanessa. Get in. ``

He waited while the two young woman huddled into the stopgap shelter then hovered it off the floor.

'' You ready ? ``

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

Harry raised them to the level of the window, then drew them back. With a motion-picture show of his sceptre the two piranha were thrown out into the street in their stone cradle. Spells chipped and blazed against the marble but Harry held it as a shield for the two girls, anchoring it to the ground. The rest was up to them.

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

'' No, I got it. '' Draco turned, cradling his arm. Harry had n't noticed it was injured. Nothing to be done though, they were all injured. Harry watched as Dragon climbed up to the window and broke the embarkment just enough to fawn out. Harry turned back to the marauders.

'' What are you looking at ? We still need to protect this place ! '' They scattered and Harry began raising parentage after line of walls as defence. He drew dividing line of spiked wire in front of the door and disillusioned it. Hopefully they would n't notice it.

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

'' Thea I just sent some of my best friends out to die because I ca n't do it. '' Harry 's own part sounded bitter in his ears. `` But I 'm sure as Inferno staying here to stop 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 Lucy Stone shelter, jerking her head back as a shower bath of spells bit chunks out of the floor.

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

'' Maybe this will puzzle out. '' Ginny raised her wand up to her arm, where she was covered in descent and soaked the tip of her verge in the oozing liquid. `` Oderifer. '' Red mist floated out from her sceptre, pooling about them. `` Tempesto ! '' The origin mist drifted out towards the loup-garou. There was a farsighted import when the wining and barking stopped ... then a bone-chilling howl.

'' Go ! Go ! Go ! '' Ginny dashed out from behind the Isidor Feinstein Stone and almost tripped as she saw the loup-garou bearing down on her. Her feet scrabbled on the cobbles but was moving, blitzing it down diagon alley.

'' The dead ones are coming too ! '' Vanessa screamed as she darted ahead. Ginny threw a look over her shoulder and saw the truth of it. The dead men were sprinting madly in amongst the wolf, their hooded faces up and sniffing the air. Drinking it in like it was honey. Ginny thought she could see glowing red center beneath the blacken hoods. For a mercy the ninja-men seemed to have more than self control. They were not following, but instead pounding again on the door of the hobgoblin 's bank.

Ginny put all the musculus she could into her aching wooden leg and pounded away from the beasts, barely keeping up with the lilliputian sylph of a girl disappearing ahead of her. Vanessa looked over her shoulder,

'' Ginny duck ! ``

Ginny did n't even consider, she just let her legs fold under her, falling like a stone. The a Hugo Wolf flashed over her prone body and crashed to the floor. Vanessa stunned it before it had a prospect to climb up. Ginny scrambled to her ft but she could n't move fast enough. An arm closed around her leg. She kicked madly but the arm had the strength of the dead.

'' Summon me ! '' Ginny screamed.

'' Accio Ginny ! ``

Ginny was pulled across the abominable cobbles but the imperativeness on her leg was still there. She looked down and started in repugnance as she saw a bloody and rotting arm hanging from her ankle. She kicked it off and jumped to her pes, ignoring her injuries.

Well they had wanted the fiend to pursue 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 roof to obscure on the other English. He tried to pick good footing as he hurried along the roofing tile. One lamp chimney ... two chimneys ... he was looking for the one-seventh theater. For a present moment genus Draco wished he had Harry 's eye but pushed the thought away. That way of thinking spark advance to unfortunate paths.

VII chimneys. Draco put his ear to the tiles and heard nothing. Damnit.

backbone in front man of the savings bank he heard a horrific howling go up. Ginny must take got the wolves attention. undecomposed, at least one of them was doing their job right.

genus Draco tried to think of a way to break through the tiles without causing too lots disturbance. Silencing good luck charm. Draco cast it and blasted the silent tiles away with a reducto. The blank space below was sinister. He leant down, lighting his sceptre. The light seemed swallowed by the inky darkness.

Suddenly the tile by his leg erupted and he felt his leg dragged back. He fell like a stone through the tiles and landed on his back with a lightning stab of infliction. He kicked as hard as he could and stabbed his wand at the dark configuration clutching his leg.

'' Confringo ! '' The flesh 's chest of drawers exploded, raining Dragon with haggard shrapnel. He felt a stabbing nuisance in his chest. Through the pain his eye caught move by the stairs. He rolled just before green light obliterated the floor where he had fallen.

'' Confringo ! '' The volatile 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 werewolf as it put it 's matted caput around the bend.

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


They were almost to the cauldron, Ginny could see it appear around the bend. genus Vanessa was dashing beside her, her eyes extensive with fright. Ginny vaulted over the pile of dust from the wall and spun with her scepter out. They were so come together !

'' Reparo ! '' The bricks flew together madly, Ginny willed them to fall together faster than the beasts were moving. Vanessa spun beside her and began firing through the rapidly closing gap. Two loup-garou leapt through and were sliced to the face. Ginny held her wand tight and tried to push the charm to solve faster. A drape name slammed through the bricks and pounced on Vanessa, throwing her to the story. Vanessa screamed with horror.

The rampart was n't fixed yet !

Keeping her wand trained on the bricks Ginny darted over and slammed her foot into the back of the vest figures head. It did n't even seem to feel it. She kicked again, crashing her foot into the beast 's shrouded face. There was a hideous crunch and the head snapped back, hanging by landing strip of skin. The last brick slammed into lieu and Ginny whirled.

'' Depulso ! '' The thing was thrown off genus Vanessa. `` Difindo ! '' She slashed her wand like a blade and fetted rip spurted out, filling the air with a rotten smelling. She slashed again, taking off firstly one arm then the early, then finally the legs, collapsing the deadened thing into a twitching heap on the floor. Ginny stumbled to the gutter and vomited.

'' Vanessa ... '' Ginny spoke between queasy gulps. `` Are you alright ? ``

genus Vanessa did n't address, she was staring at the pile of blood-soaked robes and consistence contribution, her dark eye wide.

'' Why did n't you fight back him ? '' Ginny straightened up. `` Did you forget everything I taught you ? ``

'' It ... '' Vanessa sounded like she was speaking from deep in her own grave. `` It was my begetter. ``

Ginny felt her stock freezing. She walked over to the body and gingerly lifted the punk off with her scepter. She stumbled back and was almost sick again. There was naught there but a mass of stemma and collapse pearl. Her kick had stove in the molder pearl and left the face looking like rancid mince.

'' It ... '' Ginny wet her lips. `` It might throw been your male parent once, but it was just ... undead. He was n't animated anymore. ``

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

Ginny reached out a hand to console her class fellow but realized she had aught to say. She turned to the wall and pointed her wand at the diminished pipe at the base.

'' Oderifer. '' There was plenty of blood already on her wand and the red mist floated out and down the organ pipe. There was an instant set of repress ululation from the other side. That should keep the werewolves and numb men off Harry 's back for a while.

And give Draco a fortune to go. Maybe.

What was that ! Ginny whirled, wand out, towards the Leaky cauldron. She was sure she heard something from inside. Aurors ? Not even the most optimistic of wishful thinking could persuade her of that.

'' Vanessa, check here. Keep the spell going. '' Ginny motioned to the other marauder without looking and slowly stepped towards the doorway. The door was off it 's hinges but she could see nix from interior, just broken tabletops and a bar full of soaked glass. She stepped to the edge of the room access and peered around tentatively. There were dead body. But she had seen too many of them today to be horrified. look ... two of the bodies were green robed like the attackers, slumped over a tabular array. Ginny slowly stepped into the darkened pub and checked around. There did n't appear to be anyone leftfield animated. She stepped up to the two stiff and slowly drew their goon back. Dull glassy eyes stared back at her out of faces twisted in pain in the neck. They had both been stabbed brutally and repeatedly, the 2d 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 killer just pull up stakes ?

Ginny 's blood froze as she remembered why she had come in here originally. She had heard a racket. Thinking back, it could have been someone dissapperating. But that meant that this stead was outside the Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth ! Ginny dashed towards the fireplace and grabbed a generous handful of pulverisation. The unripe flames that sprung up were the most magnificent affair she had ever seen.

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


'' 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 pincer skittered across the control surface of the shield and it was thrown backwards. Draco dropped it and stunned the beast.

Where were the eternal rest ? Where were the children ? These thoughts came to genus Draco through a haze of annoyance. The children were in the basement ... he needed to go down. genus Draco staggered to a set of spiral gem stairs and started down them, leaning his blooded consistence against the wall.

As he neared the bottom a room access came into view. Before the door were two of the dead affair, slamming their rotting bodies against the wood. As Draco approached they turned to front him. One set of glowing red eyes and one of void rotted sockets.

'' Confringo ! '' Draco ducked back into the stairwell as the first animate being exploded and retreated further as a barrage of killing jinx came flying down the rock hallway. Draco waited for a gap to spin out from around the recession. `` Confringo ! '' The instant beast disintegrated into shrapnel. genus Draco felt his bad arm explode with hurting but did n't reckon down. He stumbled to the wooden door and slammed his clenched fist against it.

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

The lock clicked and the door swung in. Draco 's branch gave out and he fell in. He kicked the room access closed and glanced into the sour basement. Three shining band of eyes looked back at him from bantam soma. None of them could cause been honest-to-god than four. They were in pyjamas, already ready to be tucked in when all perdition broke loose.

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

"Just stay quiet."Dragon dragged himself to his feet and trained his baton on the room access."Stay very quiet."

Above him there was the auditory sensation of a muffled explosion. The door of Gringots had finally fallen.
*


Harry was thrown backwards and rolled to his feet. A black physical body landed in movement of him, long knife raised. Harry slammed his cane straight up into his assailant's crotch and kicked the man's legs out from under him. Harry raised his verge to land up the job but another figure darted at him, baton out, out of the rubble. Too prompt ! Harry stumbled backwards as he fenced with flashing lights against his assaulter. The man was too fucking speedy ! The bastard jabbed in with his remaining script and Harry felt a gash open along his costa. Do not let them get close !

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

Harry didn't look for assistant. There was no help. The ninja screeched something and Harry couldn't dodging in time. Writhing hurting in his breast drove chisel him to his knees. Harry turned the fall into a roll 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 doorway too fast to reckon. Harry was driven back by a barrage of spells and ducked behind a barricade, only to have it explode in a mass of marble gravel.

"Atrax !"Harry swept his wand across the rubble, every fragment grew spindly pegleg and fang and darted towards the enemies. Harry had never used the magical spell before and hoped to god the spider-rocks were poisonous. He leapt behind a pillar before spinning and jabbing his wand back at the entrance. He fired off a spell and thirty came flying back. The pain in his chest was back. Harry looked down to see his shirt drenched in blood line. His or other masses ? Both. Harry could see through the fabric to where his skin had been flayed off in vast clod by his attacker's oath. zip he'd seen before. Who the hell were these guys ?

The strait of other vulture desperately fighting raged in his pinna. They couldn't do much, there was too much dust, to a great deal topsy-turvydom, for them to see who they were firing at.

waiting ...

"Tempesto !"Harry slammed his deary charm to lifetime and whipped a gale to liveliness, the rubble and dust was thrown away and the crawling illegitimate were shown to the world.

"Stubefy !"

"Confringo !"

Spells sparked out from the still standing marauders like a wall off spears. Harry's eye darted madly around the hall, trying to keep open up. No, who was that on the floor ? Neville ... not dead. Harry could see his heart and soul beating.

"Stubefy !"Harry stunned a charging ninja and levitated him up block. Harry darted out from behind his pillar. Three sticker instantly slammed into his human shell. bugger. Harry dropped the dead weight and dropped to the level, skidding across the wet marble. He grabbed Neville's leg and yanked him out of the dismissal wrinkle, throwing a chain to drag them both back to the barricades. Harry dropped him there and darted back to his place by the pillar.

Harry heard a shrieking and saw a outburst of blood line. Who was it ? No time ! Harry swung out from his hiding situation and sent a storm of lighting into the bulk of attackers. His pillar was struck with a scourge. There was a haste speech sound and it began to glow from rapidly spreading go ...

Harry shielded in affright but it barely dulled the violence when the pillar exploded from within, throwing him across the way and slamming him into the wall. His arm shattered and botheration whelm him.

Occlumency ! Come on !

Harry blanked his thoughts for all he was worth and, with agonizing slowness, gained ascendance of his nous again. His arm was broken, shattered like a rod of methamphetamine hydrochloride, and hung limply at his side. The lesion in his stomach had broken open and was gushing blood. Could he raise his baton ? Could he even set up 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 last standing barricade."Can you stand ?"

Have to. Harry tried to stand up but fell back. There were only two predator left scrap and Harry wasn't chesty enough to count himself in that number.

Not enough. Not adequate left.

They were finished.

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

"Reducto !"Harry saw a long go subject through the marble."Reducto !"The snap widened."Redu-"

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

"Wh ..."Harry's eye flickered around, zero was moving. aught but the predator and the groaning wounded."Wh ... where did they go ?"Harry's mind tried madly to sue that. It seemed like they had been fighting for his entire life sentence. His eye cycled out. Out beyond the wall. Black gown. But the proficient kind. He could pick out Ginny and Vanessa's small-scale frames out in the middle.

"The aurors are here."Harry struggled to his feet. Leaning against the wall he could almost do it."They came. About blooming time ..."

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


Draco pushed the cellar doorway open gingerly.

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

"Shut up."Dragon muttered.

"Are they gone ?"

"Shut up."Dragon slowly made his way forward, wand out in one hand, the other pressed against the wall for documentation. The organic structure were gone. Was that adept or bad ? Everything was bad.

"Is it safe ?"

"I told you to shut-"Draco bit off his angry warning. They were too youth and their parents were probably dead. gift them something."I think it ‘ s prophylactic. Let ‘ s go. stoppage behind me. And stick around quiet."Dragon dragged his base up the spiral stairs and stopped at the top. He could listen voices from outside. Someone was yelling order of magnitude. Aurors. Finally the bloody ministry.

"The ministry ‘ s here. No STAY BEHIND ME !"genus Draco added sharply, grabbing the children back. He stepped forward, carefully looking in every corner. There could still be someone there. No ... it was vacate. Satisfied he waved the kid forward and followed their aegir feet to the door.

The low temperature moonshine hitting his boldness felt heavenly after the stifling fear of the cellar.

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

"Look out !"

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

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

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

The dim robed wizard stopped a few measure away, their hired man on their wands.

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

The children took a stammer stair away from him. The oldest spread his arms as if to protect the early two.

"What ?"

The aurors surrounded him, their sceptre shaking.

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

The youngster were dragged away from him.

"Why are you doing this ..."

Ginny was in the crowd, her deal to her mouthpiece, her eyes wide with horror.

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

Draco's eyes dropped to his arm, to the bleeding wound. The prick crisscross. Red and blazing like writhing curse fire. A loup-garou raciness. 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 potter. I own ... this piece of chicken. So ha !



Harry came to on a stretcher. How long had he been out ? The sky above was cant over blackened. They had n't even moved him from Diagon alley, Instead he was lying in a pedigree of the bloody and mauled, a line of white-sheeted and red-stained victim in a triage tent. His eye told him it had been set up barely a stones throw from the decrepit bank. All around him healer bustled between screaming affected role, their wands flickering a despairing terpsichore to keep bosom beating.

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

"Lie back down."A nanny bustled over to him."You could still have inner bleeding."

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

Harry cursed, he needed to get hold somebody he recognised, soul who could tell him what was going on. A well-disposed order phallus, a familiar auror. A piranha ? Harry tried to find one ... no good. Hopefully that meant they were safe. He couldn't see any of them among the beat. Unless they were one of the one too cut to realize. Harry felt a gawk procession in his throat and squashed it down.

"Mr Potter. Good to see you ‘ ve recovered."Harry turned slowly, and looked up into the chevy expression of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

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

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

"Because you told them to."

"wellspring yes."

"And what can they do ?"

"Not much."Shacklebolt had to digest aside as a soundbox was levitated out of the tent. The healer carrying it laid it carefully at the end of the row of dead and conjured a sheet of paper before hurrying back into the triage mall. Shacklebolt shook his headspring."So many dead. Sir Thomas More than we lost in any one attack in this war or the last. And I can not even guess of what the losses would bear been if you and your supporter had not been here."

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

"You 're ally are alert Harry. Every one of them."Shacklebolts rumbling voice dropped a rake to a harmonic murmuring."But every one was injured. Some quite badly. I can not say how deeply in debt the wizarding public is to you and your circle of friends."

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

"They are all in St Mungos, except for Lester Willis Young Dragon who is back at his home."

"Why isn ‘ t he at St Mungos ?"

"There was nothing more they could do for him."Harry noted the ominous Federal Reserve note in Shacklebolts voice. unfortunate possibilities.

'' Tell me everything. ``
*


Harry pushed open the wide front doorway of Malfoy planetary house and stepped into the marble entrance hall. It was totally still inside these paries but Harry 's eye found effort. He made for it, his makeshift staff tapping on the Stone floor. The Asaph Hall and rooms that had held friends all summertime now felt low temperature and desolate.

Under a distant room access Harry saw brightness level and made for it, though his eye was already telling him it was n't who he was looking for. Harry pushed the door undefended carefully and slipped inside. Snape was stood before an array of cauldrons and beakers, all bubbling away and leaking fumes. 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 best when I am brewing. '' Snape did n't face up from his work but Harry could see the slim lines of tautness around his eyes. If Snape was giving away how stressed he was then ... Harry stepped up to the tabular array and glanced over the element. They told him nothing, but he could guess the potion anyway.

'' Wolfsbane ? ``

'' Yes. '' The lines 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 piffling rest tomorrow Night. There is no time to present him a to the full coarse of Wolfsbane potion. What I am brewing now will merely tone down the jagged sharpness of his inevitable insanity. ``

'' How could this pass off ? '' Harry hung his promontory. `` Should n't have let them do it. ``

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

'' They did n't have intercourse the risks. '' Harry almost spat. `` Death 's just a word till you 've been there. ``

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

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

'' Clearly I was mistaken. '' A ginger nut of window pane entered the Professor 's vocalisation. `` The dark overlord seems to have potentiality none of us knew. ``

'' Werewolves I get. I mean I do n't, they all left him when I killed Limnodromus griseus. But ... well maybe they have a new leader, or something. The zombi spirit too, I at to the lowest degree understand what they are. But those other guys '' Harry shook his head. `` They were never death eaters. The while they used, their wholly stylus of fighting. I 've never seen it before. Do we recognise who the hell they were ? ``

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

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

'' It is. '' Zhao nodded.

'' fountainhead who the hell are they ? ``

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

'' More than mercenaries. '' Natalie corrected. `` The Lie Gou are centuries old, they take novice from all over easterly Asia. They are incredibly skilled. They are also feared, and rightly so. The hiring a companionship of them has been the tipping point in more than one war. They are ruthless, entirely so. ``

'' How would Voldemort contact Taiwanese mercenary ? '' Harry scratched his head.

'' They have factor home in many cities. '' Zhao said with nettle calm. `` 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 pond of simmering liquidness. `` There is a illustrious tale about two twin crony, the heir to a Brobdingnagian estate in Soviet Union, centuries ago. When their father died they both took half the wealth and tried to claim the other half also. There was a private war between their armsmen until one blood brother hired the Lie Gou, wasting a large region of his hereditary pattern. That side had almost won when his comrade offered the Lie Gou more money to switch incline and the battle 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 suffering. ``

'' That is just a legend. '' Zhao rolled her eyes. `` But it does demonstrates both the vast investment trust needed to hire the Lie Gou and their fickleness with regards to who 's side they fight on. They will also only accept real rich people, nil conjured or created by magic. amber or precious stone, and many of them. Only a rich idiot would use them. ``

'' Unless they had the investment company to assure that they could agree any offer their enemy made. '' Snape said irritably.

'' Which we know the dark lord can not take access to. '' Zhao snapped her book of account closed angrily.

'' You have no idea what the nighttime lord has admittance to- ''

'' And you do because- ''

'' Hey ! '' Harry slammed his faculty against the trading floor. Two sets of eyes flashed to him. `` Have a lovers spat on your own time. Clearly Voldemort does have the resources or I would n't have spent this pleasant summer evening being shot at, my gut would n't feel like it had a spear driven through it and a lot of barren the great unwashed would n't be DEAD ! Now I have the ceramicist family amber and we can probably count on the Malfoy wealth as well. Is it possible we can just buy these people off ? ``

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

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

'' It is possible. '' Snape responded guardedly. `` I am not entirely trusted it is wise. ``

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

'' I assume through their ingredient house. '' Snape added a pinch of red pulverization to a cauldron without looking. `` Though how we find that is another matter. ``

'' I may be able to find it ... '' Harry bit his lip. It was a long slam but he knew where he could chance info."Last year I had some link with .... disreputable eccentric. Maybe one of them ‘ ll know where we can get in physical contact with the Lie Gou."

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

'' I wo n't. I 'll wreak fill-in. ``

'' I meant without me. '' Snape added harshly. `` You must state me if you find their gene house. ``

'' Tell me again how you 're near 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 deviation between myself and Albus Dumbledore. ``

There was a instant of secretiveness. Inside his own drumhead, Harry gulped. Since he had found out the the true and come to peace with it he had n't though about his lawful origins much. It was very easily to just opine of himself as Harry Potter. Very comfortable to slip back into that glove. Being reminded of it was jarring, like being hit with the verity all over again. Harry shook it off. It was better to call up, not that he would ever really forget.

'' I know. '' Harry tried to make his spokesperson 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 tabular array. Harry took a deep breathing spell and tried to intend of anything else to add, but his wear down nous kept coming up blank. Thankfully Snape had something else to ask,

'' other witnesses said they saw the absolutely men fire magical spell ? '' Snape asked. His phonation said the question was almost piffling, but Harry saw Zhao perk up at the words.

'' They were n't utterly. '' Harry 's backtalk was dry with the memory.

'' Explain. ``

'' Their hearts were beating and they were breathing air. They may have been rotten but they were at least partially alive. And yes, they were casting patch. ``

'' You 're certainly Harry. '' Natalie leant forward. `` You 're sure it was n't the Lie Gou. Maybe in amongst the dead men ? ``

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

'' That is not possible. '' Zhao shook her head. `` Neither zombi nor inferi can perform magic. And neither have heartbeats. It 's ... impossible. Magic can only be performed by support creatures, that has been proven over and over again, you must have life. What you describe is unimaginable. ``

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

'' The question is how do we check them ? '' Harry broke in.

'' I have already sent order members to check into the graves of known death feeder. They have club to disinter and sting any bodies they find still resident. '' Harry nodded, he had been about to intimate that. Snape continued, `` early than that ... we must obtain the dark lord. ``

'' call option him Voldemort. ``

'' No. '' Snape snapped.

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

'' Some fear is salubrious. '' Snape tapped a retentive silver spoon with his wand and set it to circle slowly in his bubbling pot. `` Especially now that we know he has capabilities far greater than we ever imagined. What I can not understand is how he has recovered so swiftly from his injuries. ``

'' Maybe he has n't. '' Harry shrugged. `` He can direct troops and buy mercenaries even if he 's just a floaty head, or a disembodied representative. ``

'' He would n't negotiate with the Lie Gou from a position of weakness. '' Snape shook his head. `` And whatever he has done to those walking army corps it is clearly powerful thaumaturgy. No ... I fear we must seize he has his old strength back. The line of latitude between the living corps reanimated and the night lord 's remarkable convalescence are to obvious to ignore. ``

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

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

'' Brilliant. '' Harry threw his helping hand up in the air. `` So we have three whodunit. How did Voldemort elicit himself and his army from death ? How did he get the atomic number 79 to rent the Lie Gou ? And why did the wolfman pop back up after deserting him over a yr ago ? ``

'' terzetto mysteries. '' Natalie Zhao murmured quietly. `` Or maybe they 're the Saame mystery. We do n't recognise. ``

'' 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 talk to your contacts."Snape whispered a give-and-take and the fire beneath his caldron snapped out."But remember what you promised."

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

"It is, but-"

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

"Should you not let him catch some Z's ?"

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

'' Harry, '' Snape 's voice stopped him before he could impart. `` You know that there may be a very beneficial grounds why the dark master has returned. ``

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

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

'' I am well mindful of that. '' Harry replied dryly. `` I 'll settle 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 room. He padded down the corridor, the fumes twisting into spirals in the air. It was hard to keep the chalice unfluctuating while hobbling along with his staff. Damn dullard injury. Broken disable that he was he was he was side by side to useless. Couldn't even carry a bloody cup. Harry gritted his teeth and tried to advertize those thoughts away from him. They resisted, hovering in his rhombencephalon, mercilessly haunting him. Harry reached Draco's room and pushed the door open air. He didn't bother to knock, Draco almost certainly wouldn't have answered and he could already see what genus Draco was doing within.

As Harry stepped in Dragon didn't look up from what he was doing. Harry placed the goblet lightly on a table and stood, unspeaking. Draco still said nothing, but simply kept running his verge along foresightful metal poles. Welding them together and conjuring more.

Building a cage.

Harry still said nix, but instead sat on the edge of a chest of drawers and crossed his arms. genus Draco would speak eventually, he had to, it wasn't in him to not give his idea voice.

"Don ‘ t try to hold on me."Draco 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 ruin the room you ‘ ll have to catch some Z's in the former xxvii days of the month."

"I ‘ m building it here."Draco didn't give reasons. 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 verge."This won ‘ t withdraw long. You want to drink the wolfsbane potion ?"

Draco didn't result, he just stepped over the goblet and drained it. A flicker twisted his feature film for a moment before they settled back into a dummy, impassive commonwealth. Harry flickered some charms over the atomic number 26 BAR of the cage. It wasn't very expectant, not considering that a werewolf would be in there. Draco would be fairly cramped. Harry added some padding charms to the dense 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 monstrosity. I ‘ ll lose my mind each good moon, I ‘ ll be a dark beast. I ‘ ll have become the things we kill."

"The wolfsbane can help you."

"prevaricator !"Draco hissed."There ‘ s nothing that can serve me. There ‘ s no cure. There ‘ s no hope. Just go Harry. Just go out me. There is nix you can do for me ... unless ... unless you were prepared to-"

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

"I tried to do it myself."

"Stop."

"The killing expletive doesn ‘ t work if you cast it on yourself."

"Stop talking now."

"Please ..."Dragon's eye were full and his representative shook."Please do it or leave me to."

"Don ‘ t say this. Don ‘ t do this."Harry felt his grip on his tall stave tighten."Just close the hell up."

"Fine."Draco drew his wand."Just result then Harry. I ‘ ll do it myself."He raised his verge but Harry was faster, slamming his stave up into Draco's hand and sending the wand spinning away. Harry darted forward and grabbed Draco by the front of his robes.

"I have had enough of that from you."Harry hissed, his rose up close to the pale side of his Quaker."I will study your wand away if I hear you talk such undisguised cowardliness as that again. You. Can. Still. Live."

"As a monster. As something I despise."

"If there is one matter I ‘ ve learned from all this bullshit I ‘ ve been through is that lifespan is precious and death is pointless."Harry released Draco from his grip.

"You ‘ ve said nothing that changes anything."Draco turned away from him, bowing his head."My life is pointless now. Entirely so. I would rather be short, and unless you intend to ride out with me every day you can not discontinue 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 Draco's legs out from under him and sliding him across the base. He flicked the arduous threshold of the cage outdoors then slammed it closed again as Dragon tumbled through. With a second motion picture Harry summoned Dragon's wand into his hand, then the knife that was in a genus Draco's pocket and a letter of the alphabet opener from a drawer. His eye tried to try out anything else that could be used to cut or stamp out. After a moment's thought he summoned Draco's potions kit out of his schooling bole, who knew what poisons there were in there. Draco had lifted himself up to his knees and was staring at him, eyes full of hatred. Harry stepped right up to the cage.

"You are not dying today. You will not pop yourself. I will not let you."Harry locked the John Cage room access with several appealingness he knew no wandless wizard could demote through."Your animation is not over. Maybe goose egg I can say can make 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 book and tossed it to genus Draco."Here, something to read. You ‘ ll motivation to study for the yr at Hogwarts that you will be attending."

Harry stepped out the room access and pressed it shut, leaning back against the wood. Everything was going to hell, and he had no thought how to fix any of it. Not the slightest approximation. Where was he even going ? He had a few ideas but ... nil concrete.

He could go to St Mungos perhaps ... handicap on the other marauders. But he wasn't sure if he could submit any more misery. There was nada he could do for them anyway. But then there was nothing he could do out here either.

"I ‘ m beginning to think stabbing that mother fucker in the neck was a wonderful wasteland of time."Harry muttered into the vacate air.

The job isn't done yet.

Harry shuddered at the dread certainly in his mind.

More piece of work to do.

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

He needed to inspect The Tarot.

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


Ginny curled her wooden leg up under her. The chairs in the St Mungo's rooms were familiar now, but it was still impossible to get prosperous in them. They even seemed ... empty. Only four death chair occupied, herself, Hermione, Lucy and Vanessa. The only four still on their substructure at the end of the engagement. Everyone else was in a bed, to the highest degree still unconscious. Things seemed grim

Ginny had tried to stay fresh their spirits up, pointed out that the four survivors were all girls and how they were never going to let the boy live it down. But there was no laugh here and Ginny had given up. She looked across the beds. Cho with her Nathan Birnbaum, Split paralyzed, Anna slammed against a wall like a chick by one of the numb men. They were lucky to be alive, Ginny told herself, lucky to be alive.

Ginny shook her straits. It was hard to conceive of this as any sort of luck.

She turned towards the other set of beds, stepping up to stand future to them. No ... hard to see it as any kind of chance. She looked down at her parents. Hard to see it as any sort of luck. She put her hand carefully on her mother 's bandaged arm. The healers said it would be hebdomad before they were even awake. Not luck at all.

Ginny shuddered and turned back towards the vulture beds. Vanessa was awake again and clinging to the side of Elizabeth 's bed like it was a life-line. The lilliputian female child was badly shaken, not storm really. Ginny thought of her as a little girl despite the fact that they were in the Saami year. poor daughter had seen her evilness father chopped up in front of her. At to the lowest degree the for the first time 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 Draco that had killed him.

Draco ...

Ginny glanced towards the door. She wanted to go to him, comforter him. But her parents were here, they needed her. The vulture 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 tooth and tried to stop herself from screaming. The one thing she hated was to find useless.
*


Harry was getting odd feel from Passer by. He ignored them. Not just because that was his way but because Harlesden wasn't a place you stared at mass in. It wasn't a terrible place, Harry knew far regretful parts of London for a clearly hurt man to walk through. But it was bad enough to make him check alleys with his eye before walking past them, and enough for him to keep his wand tucked in his sleeve in easy reach.

He checked the scrap of theme in his hired man and headed quickly towards a tall, Robert Brown, concrete block of flats. Harry checked the paper again and reflected on the blaze of the invention of the lift. A grouping of kids in hooded sweater stared at him as he stomped past, trying to depend threatening. Harry sniffed, barely stopping himself from laughing. Thought they were tough did they ?

Harry stepped into the cold ingress residence and pressed the call push for the lift. As it slowly descended towards Harry he spent a calm moment reading the graffiti. It reminded him of when he was young.

Harry rode the elevator up, his nose wrinkling up at the very noticeable urine smell and stepped out on the top floor. It wasn ‘ t even a corridor, just a long concrete balcony. In wintertime it must have been freezing. He did n't need to find out the newspaper publisher again, he had it down by now. apartment 12. Harry knocked loudly and waited. He heard footsteps on the other side of meat and focused his eye through the wood. He was gasping in surprise long before the door opened.

'' Tonks ? '' Harry 's eyebrows raised. `` Did n't await to see you here ? ``

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

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

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

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

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

'' werewolf registration act. '' Harry held out the piece of theme for her to see. `` Any concerned citizen can find out where the freak live. '' genus Draco hovered into Harry 's mind and his stomach lurched a piddling. Not monsters then ... not all of them. near of them though.

'' You came to see lupin. '' Tonks put her hand to her oral cavity in shock.

"Yes. Can you get him ? Please."

"I ... I don ‘ t know. He ‘ s only transformed back an 60 minutes ago. I came to bring him some breakfast and aid him find. He still hasn ‘ t got out of bed though."

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

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

"Dragon. Oh god no ..."

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

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

"Just get the bloody wolfman Tonks. Get him now. Oh wait ..."Harry glanced over towards the evanesce sleeping accommodation door. `` Never mind. ``

"It ‘ s alright Tonks."A grating groan sounded and the room access was pushed open slowly. `` I 'm awake. ``

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

'' Harry, '' Tonks held her hand, her middle narrowing angrily. Harry was forced to prompt himself that the girlfriend with the heart shaped boldness was an auror of the Helen Newington Wills school.

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

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

'' I 'm not after a remedy, I 'm not that dazed. '' Harry growled back. `` I need you to talk to him. You need to designate him he still has something to live for. ``

'' looking at me Potter. '' Lupin glanced down at his shivering, robed soundbox. Harry, for the offset time, noticed multiple old fractures in his osseous tissue. Almost every bone in him bore some mark of his womb-to-tomb swearword. Harry gritted his teeth. Maybe he should have just done what Draco asked ... No ! Those variety of dark intellection led to things like gouged-out eyes.

'' Look just talk to him. '' Harry pleaded. `` I have work to do, I need to go to some dark places today and meet strange mass with little sense of humour and less personal hygienics. I know you hate me. I even know why ... a petty. I do n't understand but ... whatever. Long story short-change you despise me. But whatever you think about me do n't take it out on my friends. arrive on ... help him. ``

'' There is naught 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 digit gripped his staff so hard the wood splintered. lupin stepped back, his eyes wide with shock. `` Lie to him if you have to. Tell him turning into a masher is n't so bad. Tell him it 's a barrel of laughs. William Tell him it 's like a sneeze only better. Tell him anything ! '' Harry stepped forward, pointing his staff like a weapon. `` Tell him whatever the underworld you would hold wanted to hear. I do n't give care ! All I know is that while you lie here with a swag call young enough to be your daughter my champion, my friend who has saved my lifespan on numerous occasions, is thinking his life is over and I DO N'T get laid WHAT TO SAY TO HIM ! I do n't know ! I ca n't think ... I ca n't help him ! He 's saved my life and I do n't have intercourse how to help him ! '' Harry turned his slope to Lupin so he could only see his bastard eye. Could n't see that he was crying.

'' I do not do it how to help him either. '' Lupin half turned back towards his bedroom. `` He will have to get through this himself. ``

'' You 're a coward. You always did like to hide. '' Harry let the words current from his lips like silk over ice. The effect on Lupin was galvanizing. The lycanthrope spun back to face Harry, his eyes wide with shock.

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

'' Just something I remembered. '' Harry let the words sink in. He did n't really remember much. Dumbledore had taken his own retention of James Potter and have them into Harry 's mind. Now that he knew that he could almost state where they were. It was like there was a giant black tar pit over one contribution of his intellect. Occasionally thing would bubble to the surface but it was impossible to go swimming. Lupin swallowed harshly before opening his mouth and levelly saying,

'' Get out of my household ceramist. Get out. ``

'' You going to verbalize to Draco ? '' Harry did n't move. `` Or are you going to hide in your shack ? ``

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

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

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

CRACK !

Harry was thrown back to the floor as his makeshift faculty finally gave out and splintered into goliath shards.

"Bugger."Harry grimaced and looked around. There were no convenient pieces of wood he could cultivate with. No branchlet or splinters. Wait ... there was a tree over there by the road. Harry hopped to his feet and limped painfully in that focal point. He made it to the Tree and picked a knobbly sprig off the base. Another engorgement spell gave him a rude walking stick. Harry leant on it gratefully and breathed heavily. It just made everything more unmanageable. Harry shook his head, where he was going next he couldn't afford to show too much weakness. Harry brushed his fret filled haircloth out of his eyes. It had been a long day. The role that hadn ‘ t been excruciatingly painful had been full of aggravation .... the following individual who pissed him off would-

"spring me your wallet !"

Harry didn't even think. His staff flashed up and slammed the mugger in the chin. Harry could take in sworn he saw teeth shatter and fly away. The moaning would-be stealer crumpled to the trading floor before scrambling up and fleeing, white trainers flashing and scraping on the pavement.

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


Ginny slowly pushed the door open. In the middle of the way was a Cage of blacken alloy. The light source were dimmed to the degree of come darkness but Ginny could still see the pale pump in the middle of the John Milton Cage Jr., a sight of blench hair barely fitting in between the legal profession. It rose and fell slowly with the speech sound of breathing.

The floorboards under the John Cage were charge and splintered, and covered in blood. The masher must induce known it could n't get out between the bars, but it had tried anyway. Hair and slobber stained the flooring with a pale carpet. The whole room smelt like the den of an animate being. How could so much possess happened ? How could this have happened ?

Ginny shivered. No one was watching now, she could break down. Everyone was hurt, diagon alley was ruined. Was it her fault ? She could consume trained them harder. Should give pushed them to celebrate breeding even after Voldemort 's apparent expiry ... nothing should stimulate stopped them keeping in practice. People were dead because of that. People were absolutely because of her. And that made her inside knot up like rope. Was it bothering Harry ? Probably not ... he was probably out beating individual up for info or fighting a dragon or something. Nothing rattled him.

Ginny sat down in a profound armchair and pulled a throw over herself. It smelled like wet dog. The hale room did. Ginny pulled the big cloth up and bunched it in front of her. For a second she wondered where her puerility shimmy bear was. Probably in a cupboard somewhere.

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


Harry flicked his hood up as he turned into a disused bowling alley. He slowed and bowed his read/write head a little. Better to look old and infirm than young and crippled. He tried to languish into the background, not that it would really matter. After the chaos in diagon alley most wizards were staying at home. This wasn't really a witching street. There was a starbucks on it. But apart from that the shop class were mostly magical, and not the dainty kind of magic.

Harry reached his name and address and looked up. A dirt encrusted preindication read Fortunes told Fortunes found. Harry pushed the threshold open and was assailed by incense and smoke.

"Welcome my child."A laborious breathy voice sounded out of the gloom. Harry could see her of grade, but acted like he couldn't."Have you come for guidance from the emotional state ?"

"I need to visit the Tarot."Harry said the posit words he needed to say."Is this the seat I can see 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 digit on the early side of the table slowly shuffled a deck of scuffed card. Harry watched the finger's breadth carefully, if you paid really close attention you could see her stack the pack of cards. Harry tried not to yell for her to speed up. They didn't need to go through the put-on, they both knew why he was here. Except that if he demanded she go faster he would get nothing. He had to act their game.

"What is your nascency month child ?"

"July."Harry said without thought. It didn't matter anyway. It was a bullshit month given for a fake tarot reading that wouldn't have predicted anything even if it was real. Harry watched as the ‘ vaticinator'flicked cards down one after another.

"This is for the past, this is for the future."Harry tried not to roll his center."This is the outcome of the viewing."The woman laid down the tugboat circuit board."Meaning catastrophe."

"Obviously."Harry stood and clicked a coin down on the board."Thank you."Harry turned and stalked out of the shop. A set of smoke-shrouded eyes watched him go. Harry hurried to the close flue lymph gland and tried to think where he was going. The tower was one he'd seen before ... where was it ... Oh yeah, Glasgow.

Harry picked a taking into custody of gunpowder and stepped into the flaming. The spinning flames whisked him away and he gritted his teeth, flueing with a gamey leg was always painful. Harry fell out onto a stone floor with a stabbing pain. But recovered fast and ambled out of the shop, waving pleasantly to the bemused wizard shopkeeper.

He stepped out into the street and looked up into the sky. It was sunny now, he wondered what 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 apple. Good enough. Harry clicked down the muggle streets, wondering if he was throwing himself in over his head. People were looking at him funny story and he realized he was wearing wizard robes. Sod it, who cared.

Harry looked up and saw the swinging sign he was looking for. A fleet pub sign of a stone tower. The same one that had been on the card. This was what he was looking for.

This was the tarot card. The den of thieves, a near legendary pit of iniquity. Every auror in the rural area would bear given their correctly arm to find this spot. 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 lecturer. The wife of the proprietor. On any other day the early twenty-one, the fool, the Death, the Justice and the residuum, 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 local anaesthetic was designated the tarot. Probably drank at home.

Harry pulled his cowl up, it didn't do to enter the tarot concealed, and stepped inside. Within it was warm and faint music played. Harry couldn't see where it was coming from, probably out of someone's scepter. The chairs around the old oak tabular array were gamy backed, leather and padded. The hearth was roaring cheerfully.

Harry liked the Tarot, it was homely. Contrary to what you might think there were no fights in the tarot. the great unwashed didn't come to the tarot card to bar-room brawl, they came for business. Serious business. Of row if you pissed off the wrong mortal you would be chopped up and fed into the mincing auto to be sold as burger to the muggles over the next few days.

Such is life.

Harry clomped over to the bar and slipped onto a stool. There was no barkeep, Harry could see him behind the bulwark hulking around an empty barrel. The pub was surprisingly full, every booth was total of muttered conversation and every mesa surrounded by serious looking men. Men who had other men sitting following to them who never spoke. Men in very good gown, or very good suits. Harry tried not to look to closely at them. It didn't do to pay too much attention to people in the Tarot.

Harry shook his school principal ruefully, of course the shoes was full. Diagon alley had been crushed, shaken and blasted to the ground. These hoi polloi would be discussing how that effected their plans ... their game. Would they have time to talk to him about his own problems ? What was he thinking ... of course they would. For enough gold. He just had to ask the rectify questions.

How would he do this ? Harry ordered red vino when the bartender came back. It was served to him without question, and without comment. Harry stepped over to an empty board and rested a galleon against the bottom of his crank. The tarot had signals, subtle 1. Harry didn't know more than the plain scratching of them. But he knew this one, gold against red wine meant you were worry in assassins. Actually it meant you wanted someone killed but it amounted to the Same thing.

Harry leant his knobbled staff against his chair. Whatever happened he was going to find the all-fired 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 brawniness was being turned to dogsled by some flesh putrefaction bacterium, and his pharynx felt like he had drunk crushed glass.

He opened his optic and slowly tried to push himself to his knees. His hands were shaking. No ... his unit body was shaking. He could n't even concentrate his centre. genus Draco let himself return back to the floor, the pitted and splintered wood bit into his spiritualist skin and he could n't facilitate but cry out. There was no point in getting up, he could n't unlock the cage anyway. Was it even worth reaching between the bars to sweep his dress back onto his aching body ? He did n't need to be naked when someone came to determine on him but he did n't think he could physically put the apparel on. Maybe if he gave himself a moment to recoup ... to cure. Then he could manage it. Maybe in a few minutes ... if he just concentrated on breathing.

'' genus Draco ? ``

The voice registered on the high compass of his brain but did nothing to the lower. He knew he should react somehow but had no estimation how to.

'' Are you awake ? '' A face came into vista, framed by ginger hair. Dragon coughed roughly, seismic disturbance making his throat close like a vice. His leg came up, trying to veil himself from the girl in battlefront of him. She disappeared like a spectre and Draco momentarily thought he had imagined her. But then a heavy cloth dropped on top of him from the top of the cage. He weakly pulled the meander fabric over him and tried to comprehend himself without scraping the cloth over his skin.

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

'' Do I look 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 knees and shuffle near to the legal profession. `` What are you doing in my elbow room ? ``

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

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

'' Yes. ``

'' You idiot ! You slept in a way with a werewolf ! What if I had broken free ! You could bear been killed ! ``

'' You would n't get hurt me. ``

'' Do you know what a werewolf is ? '' Draco shook his head, all this yelling was making his already aching brain split apart. `` Of course I would make hurt you ! ``

'' Alright fine. '' Ginny crossed her weapon. `` But I could take stunned you or- ''

'' While you slept ? ``

'' I ... ''

'' Why were you here anyway ? '' Dragon hugged his blazon 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 tired, I just went to sleep. ``

'' You just ... went to log Z's ? '' Dragon 's center widened, then closed again when the light hurt his psyche. `` Why did n't you go to your own way ? ``

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

'' No. But it 's not any worse than I expected. '' Draco leant against the BAR. Having person there might
actually be a good thing, it forced him to get up and act with some semblance of normality. If Ginny had n't been there he probably would deliver still been lying on the storey. `` Lupin came and told me what to expect. He did n't leave anything out. At the sentence I hoped he might be exaggerating ... ''

'' genus Draco ... ''

'' I ca n't consider this cage is the remainder of my life history ... '' Draco bowed his principal, resting his mind against the bars. He closed his eyes, letting himself skid down. It was n't just that he would have to go through this every XXVIII days. That he could almost have dealt with. But the fact that he was a ... a matter ... he could n't allow himself to be a marauder now. There was no way he could put the others under that kind of danger, not with a monster inside him. He could n't go back to Hogwarts either, that was out of the question. All those children ... he would be putting them all in danger.

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

His life was now worth nil. Why ...

'' Draco ... ''

Why the perdition was she still here. Why would n't she leave. Why was she- WHAT THE nether region !

Draco 's optic changeable exposed as mild lips slammed roughly into his.
*


He was n't moving his lip against hers and his eye were widely with scare. Ginny drew back, her hands shaking a piffling. That had been her offset real kiss. On the whole it had n't been very good. She could sample line of descent on her lips.

'' Ginny ? '' Dragon 's phonation was dry and startled. `` Why .... why ? ``

'' To remind you you have something to to know for you prat. '' Ginny said angrily.

'' To exist ... for ... '' Draco 's heart widened in discernment. `` You mean you ... like ... Me ? ``

'' Yes ! pigeon hawk 's face fungus you 're obtuse ! '' Ginny rocked back on her heels, hugging her arms to her chest. 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 ... '' Dragon 's eyes were flickering wildly. `` You ... but I 'm ... ''

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

'' Yes ! '' Draco blurted.

'' You think I care ! ``

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

'' Well I do n't ! ``

'' Well I do. '' genus Draco shook his point frantically. `` I could n't do that to you. I mean ... associating you with a tool. Could n't do that. To you. You deserve unspoiled. I 'm ... I 'm dingy. ``

'' And what I want. '' Ginny gritted her teeth, Her warmness was a churning whirlpool, beating faster and faster. She didn ‘ t know if she wanted to abound into tears or punch the shaking boy in figurehead of her. `` That does n't weigh 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 meritless. I just ... I ‘ m sorry and you ..."

"stop !"Ginny knew which one now. Her fist were twitching."Just stop you ... you ... boy ! You think you can just apologize !"

"Well what else can I do ?"

"You can shut up !"Ginny stood and stomped towards the room access."Get yourself out of the flaming batting cage !"

She slammed the door shut angrily.

Bloody prat.
*


Draco slammed his forehead against the bars. The ringing note grated on his capitulum but the pain just melted into the agony already sinking through his skull.

What else could he take in done ? He was just ... broken.

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

Draco's header rose slowly and when he saw who had spoken he quickly pulled his stroke around to cover himself ameliorate. Harry was leaning against the rampart nonchalantly. He had monolithic ignominious travelling bag under his eyes and he smelled like stale drunkenness 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 mention it."Harry folded his implements of war."Wasn ‘ t gon na bring up how you basically emo-slapped a fold acquaintance. How you cut her heart out with a great big tongue made of misplaced ruth. Was n't going to touch on the fact that you 're a aggregate half-wit ! Not gon na -"

"Shut up Harry. You don ‘ t know what you ‘ re talking about."Draco pulled his throw 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 groundwork of the ninja guys, and I think we need to pay them a visit."

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

'' fountainhead I 'm going to be offering them with child sum of your money in accession to mine so you might want to be there. ``

'' Give them whatever you want. '' genus Draco waved his mitt vaguely. `` I do n't desire any of it. I never did. Just allow for me adequate to live on. ``

'' So you 've decided to populate ? '' Harry stepped forward, grinning cheekily. `` If I 'd have sex a kiss was all you needed I would hold dragged Ginny here myself. Heck I would'a kissed you if got you to contain eyeing up the letter openers. '' Harry drew his wand and flicked it towards the batting cage door. Dragon pushed it and it swung open slowly.

'' It was n't the kiss. '' Draco shakily crawled out of the Cage and rose to his feet, the bowel movement making him sick. `` It was n't the kiss. ``

'' Do n't think you. '' Harry shrugged and turned towards the room access. `` I think someone 's making burgoo in the kitchen. Not Molly Weasley but still ... '' With a concluding wave Harry clomped off down the corridor.

genus Draco leant back against the cage, too tired to try to primp. His life had, in a day, become much, much more complicate. And the lycanthropy was only division of it.
*


Harry stood outside the door to the Montgomery Ward at St Mungos and bit his lip. It had been over a day since the horrendous conflict. Over a day since they had seen him. What was he supposed to say ? Would they impeach him of not being there for them ? They would be mighty to. But there had been too many matter that he had to do, and not enough time to do them. His magic eye flicked from bed to bed. How could he spill to them when every here and now 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 part behind him, then relaxed. He let out a suspiration of relief.

'' Theia, '' Harry stepped forward and hugged the petty seer, pressing her into his chest of drawers. `` You 're alright. ``

'' 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 chance out ... Trying ... I was working. '' Harry 's eyes flickered around to the ward. `` I should have come sooner. I 'm sad. ``

'' You do n't suffer to apologize to me. '' Pythea smiled. `` You always get the hard conclusion Harry. ``

'' I should go in now. ``

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

'' What ? ``

'' order a antic. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I 'm grave Harry. ``

'' A ... a put-on ? '' Harry did n't make love where this was coming from. `` This is n't exactly a joking time. ``

'' Harry at the end of in conclusion year you promised we had seen the last of the tempestuous, self-destructive, madly driven and vengeful man you had become. Do n't intermit 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 cavity dry. Was he going back to the dark place ? Maybe. Getting weird charming stuff stuffed into his bones did voice remarkably appealing. But he could still win without it. He was n't the grinder of divination, he was doing things his way. Harry smiled wryly. `` I jumped off a construction. ``

'' What ? ``

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

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

'' Broke my cane too. '' Harry smiled as the missy in front of him chuckled into her hand. `` Then I was mugged. ``

'' Mugged ? You ? Really ? ``

'' If you want a new necklace the guy 's dentition 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 Theia 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 compose a bit more now. pudden-head things like my degree and material life hold getting in the way.





Harry could have sworn his tendons were tensed like condom striation. His eye was spinning rapidly, seeking every shadow and his inwardness was pumping with the light staccato hammer of suspense.

'' Well this is a wonderful property for an ambush. '' Harry tugged his pelage in closer to him and stared up at the scraggy drop-off to either side.

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

'' No, but I do n't commit them not to deliver some tricks up their sleeve. '' Harry sighed and trudged forward along the rough Stone course. It was belated enough that the air was pleasantly cool, the sun still streaming brightly over the cliffs to their left. They were far enough from the muggle road that the solely phone in the air was the whistling of the wind and the buzzing of insects.

'' Are you certain they are here ? '' Snape asked, glancing up at the Welshman cliffs. `` It does not seem like the variety of stead for the Lie Gou. ``

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

'' Perhaps. ``

'' Too predictable. '' Harry 's eye picked up their name and address in the distance, shimmering glassily in the sun. It was a moment retentive before it came into true view, a little lake in the center of the valley. The way meandered towards it, crossing a little stream and cutting a way of life through the ling. As it drew close to the still vitreous water Harry drew to a stop and looked down. minuscule round pebbles.

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

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

'' There was a password. '' Snape prompted.

'' celebrate your incalculably greasy hair on. '' Harry knelt down and put his sass right up to the water. `` Agoredig Ffordd. '' The pressure of his words made riffle on the H2O. He straightened up. nil had happened.

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

'' Relax Edward Teach. '' Harry closed his centre. `` This is far worse for me if I 'm amiss. '' He leant forward and allowed himself to accrue, head first, into the water.

The icy water felt like a curtain of silk. No wetness. No fear. No pebbles. Harry 's momentum spun him up on the other position and he had a present moment of vertigo when his psyche told him he was standing on a ceiling. He took a breathing time and steadied himself. Everything around him looked the Same, same rocks, same wind. He could almost have been fooled into thinking he had n't moved at all.

With a whispering plash Snape sprang out of the lake. Harry gave him a minute to settle down himself before asking,

'' Satisfied ? ``

'' That word was Cambrian. '' Snape glanced back at the lake. `` Not Chinese. ``

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

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

If you 're thinking there may be former ways in here. Harry fixed his eyes to Snape 's There probably are, but can we rely that the Lie Gou do n't eff about them ?

Not with any certainty. Snape shook his point. And you are right. We should communicate this way while in there territory.

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

'' Did your seed William Tell you where to go future ? '' Snape said out loud.

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

'' Ah ... yes. '' The paries of the vale was carved out in massive gem columns and a massive stair had been hacked into the rock. At the top, framed against the context sun, was a tiered synagogue in red 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 stairs. ``

As they set off across the Calluna vulgaris Harry let his eyes wander. This place looked entirely pattern up close but the further away you looked the more the vista seemed 2-dimensional and unreal, like whoever had made this spot hadn't extended it much beyond this valley. There were animals though, insects and birds and rabbits in their holes underground. To what arcdegree was this position just a mirror image ?

Harry shook his head. An academic or a historian might care. He didn't. They reached the foot of the rough hewn stairs 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 register signs of helplessness. Snape agreed, glancing up at the far off temple.

Harry glanced around until his eye fell on a small boulder, no orotund than a pillow. He drew his verge and crouched down beside it. One whispered spell made it shift in it's bed of moss. A second gear made it ring like a bell and with the third it flashed gold.

Harry sat on the stone, crossed his ramification and laid his faculty across his knees. The Harlan Fiske Stone slowly rose into the air and hovered there, humming quietly. Snape almost looked impressed.

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

Don't bet on it. Harry began floating up the stairs, maintaining eye contact with his teacher. The spells I used were a very basic version of the ones used to create broomsticks. That should ease up you an approximate usher to how much control I have over this thing. dull hovering is the best I can do.

They climbed the dance step in silence for awhile, the cool off wind whistling around the carve pillars. The kingdom seemed desolate and deserted. Seemed.

We're being watched. Harry noted the succeeding fourth dimension he caught Snape's eye.

Of row we are.

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

The possibility that we can ease up them more gold than they would earn by killing us.

And if it turns out we can ‘ t ?

Snape didn ‘ t answer. Harry eased his scepter in the band of his belt. This would be worry. The net footprint brought the quietus of the synagogue into view. It seemed smaller now than it had before, not much larger than a meek menage. It was surrounded by a simple garden, just apartment Gunter Wilhelm Grass and lowly pool. There weren ‘ t even any koi in the pool, just a very British salientian. Harry didn't know what he had been expecting. cherry tree trees perhaps. But of course these men were assassins, they probably didn't have much fourth dimension for gardening.

Speak of the deuce ...

The painted door on the front of the temple opened and an elderly gentleman in a simple gentle robe stepped out.

"We have been expecting you."Was all he said."come inside. You must get out your shoes here."

Harry lowered his rock to the floor with a clunk and raised himself to his feet. He unlaced his boots and left them there on the edge of the cliff before stepping towards the door. Snape put a restraining paw on his articulatio humeri and Harry reluctantly let the older maven lead. The doorway were swung open for them and the old man led them through a short hallway.

The paries looked like ... paries. They had warded them against magical method acting of surveillance and apparently that included his eye. Was that intentional ? Had his eye become common knowledge or had the warding always been there as a precaution. Harry tried not to give any planetary house that he was uncomfortable but for a man who had gotten used to twenty-four seven X-ray picture opinion the sudden lack was claustrophobic.

Get it together.

Harry followed Snape and their guide into a room at the side of the building. The sour luminance of this mirror world streamed in through the heavy Windows onto a table standing low on the storey. There was already a pot of tea and three abandon loving cup waiting for them.

"If you would wait here."The old guide said, indicating the table."I will see if captain Sasori is ready to talk to you."He backed out of the room 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 People's Republic of China ?

They accept initiate from many spot. Snape's voice was calm in Harry's psyche. And in any case it is almost certainly not his real figure. conceive no more of it, digest on learning what we can.

I'm trying, but my eye's giving me nothing. Harry admitted to his companion. Have you learnt anything I should know about ?

I think we are dealing with very intelligent people.

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

I meant this building. Snape glanced around at the walls. I believe it is prominent on the inside than on the exterior in the manor house of many wizards buildings. However a visitor who had only been shown these few elbow room would leave thinking this synagogue no prominent than it appears.

When in world whole armies could be housed here. Harry finished off the mentation. How did you make 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 bookman Harry. And why I am still your teacher. A faint smile tugged at Snape's lips.

Well you're not directly my teacher. Harry chuckled. Not unless you've begin accepting T grad into your triton class.

The door was opened quietly and both Harry and Snape's optic flashed no the new arrival. He was dressed in a suit of clothes, black and clean in every telephone line, but Harry could see the tongue hidden in his sleeve. His grooming was every inch the man of affairs but he had tolerant tattoos on the dorsum of his hands, one a wheel of flames, the other a fox's head. 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.

"Good evening."The man spoke quickly and with firm ego assurance."My name is Sasori, and I am the leader of the Lie Gou in this character 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 mesa and sat quickly. Without waiting for them to speak he reached over and poured himself a small cup of green tea. Harry supposed that was supposed to put them at ease. Why the pit 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 arrangement with Tomas Riddle ?"Sasori spoke with his tea held up to his lips."This is the contract bridge you refer to ?"

"Yes. We will pay you whatever the dark Godhead has offered and ten per centum more besides. It is a serious fling. You know the gold we have available to us."Snape indicated Harry with his arm."In homecoming you will not only cease your work under Voldemort but you will also kill him and play 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 assassin smiled."You are so sure you can ply what you promise ?"

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

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

"What has the iniquity lord offered you ?"Harry could sense Snape's tension rising.

"I can not assure you that."

"Has he offered you something former than gold ?"

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

"Would you prefer if I set a number ?"Snape laid his men on the table."One million galleons."

"Not nearly enough."Sasori chuckled.

"Ten million."Snape fixed the man across the table with a limelight."The electric current successor to the ceramist and Malfoy fortunes are surprisingly unworried about fiscal business organisation. If ten million is unsatisfactory perhaps you should discover your price."

"Perhaps you should make the meaning of the word no."The man tend forward."I am rejecting your offer Mr Snape. I do not think of to be harsh but, even if you could pay us more than him, we must honour our committedness to Mr conundrum. It would shame me to do less."

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

"You should both leave now."Sasori stepped away towards the threshold."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 main office."It was like he didn ‘ t want to hold up the contract but didn ‘ t want us to know why."

"I am more funny about why they simply let us leave."Snape shook his drumhead."If the contract with the shadow Divine means so much to them they should induce killed us."

"Perhaps they weren ‘ t sure they could get us ?"Harry suggested. At Snape's withering stare he shrugged."Ok, so that was a stupid 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 surety. There ‘ s obviously some reasonableness why this job ‘ s so important to them."

"Perhaps."Snape nodded faintly."The theme is worth investigating anyway, though he did not seem like a man with loved unity in danger. He seemed too calm."

"He wasn ‘ t."Harry growled."His heart was running a picayune fast. He was flighty from the moment he stepped into the room. Concealed it well though. Bastard."

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

"I don ‘ t think he was."Harry hazarded."fondness pace isn ‘ t a hundred-percent judge of when mortal ‘ s lying. It was weird, but it almost seemed like he was calmer once you started offering money."

"Strange."

"Whatever."Harry rolled his middle."I have n't slept in a surprisingly longsighted time. Unconsciousness does n't numerate. I 'm going to bed."

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

"Do n't push yourself they says ..."Harry grumbled as he followed after his teacher."Do n't be like you were last year they says. But when I want to sleep ? Oh no-"

"Be quiet Harry."Snape snapped as he pushed the door open. Natalies head rose from the table as they entered and she wordlessly pushed a booklet towards Snape.

"Has anything of banknote happened ?"Snape asked.

"You could read the file."

"Your judgment will be more succinct."Snape rubbed his tabernacle."The main gunpoint please."

"The necropsy resolution have come back on the dead belligerent. They were not living dead, or inferi. We do n't make out what they are. Their flesh is just rotting now, nothing keep. We did find something alien in their system but we can not place it."

"And the absolutely Lie gou ? The 1 Ginerva found in the leaky cauldron ?"Snape indicated a bloodstained tongue with a tag tied around the handle.

"They were stabbed."

"I gathered that."

"They were poisoned first."Natalie shook her question."I believe the government of potions they had been taken made them marginally resistant. The grampus had to finish them off. Would you like to pretend a guess as to the poison used ?"

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

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

"You want to arrest him ?"

"I want to eff how he created his poison."Snape answered tonelessly."I am indisputable it could cause even more terms in able-bodied hands."

"You are so much cool than Dumbledore."

"But there seems to be no way to catch him."Snape picked the tongue up carefully with the steer of his fingerbreadth."I assume there was aught usable on this ?"

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

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

"As far as we can tell yes."

Harry stood, carefully took the leaf blade from Snape 's workforce and folded it into a part 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 have a seer."
*


"Harry ?"

"Yes Thea ?"

"You 're in my room."

"Yes, that 's true."

"In the midsection of the night."

"This is also true."

"The door was locked."

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

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

"You can guess."Harry shrugged."You 'll guess damage but you can guess."

"Really ?"Thea tip forward to look into Harry 's eyes. The faint visible light gave her a expression a ghostly aspect, replete of dark."You do n't think I 'll infer ? What could you be here for ? ... In the middle of the Nox ..."

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

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

"Damnit."Harry shook his nous wryly, the tour broken."You sure you ca n't read minds any more ?"

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

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

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

"rest ?"

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

"I can just kip on a chair-"

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

You do n't need the chairperson. Harry rolled his oculus as he stood and moved over to the bed.

He fell asleep almost instantly, his mind trying to progress to up for the stress and enfeeblement of the past few Clarence Day. In his dreams he occasionally saw a bloodless physique, 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 lid made for realistic dreaming. That was why he knew that she was done far before he eventually woke, the break of the day clean streaming in through the curtains.

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

"I thought you needed your sleep."

"Like you needed the hot seat ?"Harry opened his centre and sat vertical. On the tabular array following to Pythea a rough map had been drawn on sheepskin. A low township, nestled in a valley. Further up the map was a touchy X."The murderer 's there ?"Harry pointed.

"I do not think so Harry, it was very faint."Pythea shook her head."The knife lay there a yearn prison term before the murderer picked it up. The fortune that he is still there are-"

"Low."Harry pulled the rough sketch over to him. The public figure of the townspeople was written at the bottom in Pythea 's elegant handwriting."Might as well hold back it out though, for lack of anything more constructive to do."

"Do you want me to go with you ?"

"It 's a yearn shot at best."Harry shrugged and pocketed the newspaper."Besides, you were up all night. You need the bed now."Harry stood and stepped towards the door."I 'll assure you if I find anything interesting."

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


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

The map said that the tongue came from north of the town. Harry set off in that steering, glad to at least have something constructive to do after all the muddiness and chaos. A shopkeeper waved to him while at the Saami time squinting like he was an interloper. Harry waved back and carried on. The planetary house thinned out and Harry found himself walking along a area route, fields on either English. He checked his little sketch map again. It was somewhere east of the road.

Harry 's eyes scanned the field and the trees beyond it. There was no way to utter 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 Tree, his walking stick digging into the mud. Harry 's eye kept getting flashes from up ahead, through all the trees and life.

As he got closer he slowed down, silencing his footfalls. Between the trees were the ruins of a household. Not even a planetary house, a hovel. It was surrounded by bramble and almost consumed by the forest. Ivy covered every beam and wall. Without his eye Harry was n't sure he would have seen it as a household at all.

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

Harry slid closer slowly. The man was crouched on the flat coat, shivering, his thin 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 most of his system of weights was probably his haircloth and matted byssus. It certainly was n't in the tattered gown he was wearing. Harry scratched his head, 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 disillusionment charm over himself. How had he known ?

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

"Sassicz."

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

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

It took Harry a bit to realize what he was seeing. It was a snake, small and grayish and not much farsighted than a ruler. But then, it was n't, it was nothing. nothing was there but a wisp of curling Grey smoke. Harry realized what it was. Only one of his optic was seeing the snake. To the other it would be just a shadow. To any normally sighted person ... the snake would be invisible.

Harry stepped to the side but the serpent made for him, slowly undulating it 's way through the leaves. Harry stepped again, and the Hydra changed direction. Making for him like a bloodhound. Harry '' s mind threw up piffling retention of an undiscovered and lethal toxin and stepped away more quickly. The Hydra kept after him, implacable death. Harry took a cryptical breath, time to take control.

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

The man 's head shot up and the Snake froze in the grass. Harry dropped his camouflage and addressed old man directly.

"I am a friend. We both struggle Voldemort. Please send for off the snake."

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

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

"Zaccussazic !"

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

"sis ... sss ...."

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

"Name ..."The first English word of honor from the old man 's lips was guttural and raspy."Name ..."

"Yes, your name. What is it ?"

"Important."

"It is important."

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

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

"Forgot so much."Rotted tooth were ground together in ire."Made to cossuza ! Made to let loose it all !"

"Please-"

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

"I understand."Harry tried to becalm the crazy man, keeping one eye on the Hydra."He 's hurt me too. We 're on the Same face here."

"I want to pop him !"

"So do I, or failing that dismember."

"He took my mind !"

"I see that. Believe me."

"But I remembered !"The man pointed a gnarled finger at his head."Out on the rock ... out on Azkaban rock. He was there zassiz ! Broke it clear. I saw his look. 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 critique then all the C. P. Snow that has brought U.K. to a dead end today ( and coincidently frozen by bloody finger's breadth ) will be transported directly into your livelihood room.


Harry sat cross-legged on the base of the tiny hut and looked across at the wizened figure before him. It had taken oven an hr of teasing little nuggets of data from the man in figurehead of him but now he thought he finally had the whole story. Unbelievable as it was.

In a way it was hard to believe that the wizen wretch in front of him, sitting stroking his pet snake 'Smokey'and mumbling faintly, was Voldemort 's uncle. Actually re-examining that sentence it was all too easy. Harry tried to remember that this man was a screwball murdering vigilante, a man who had set his snake on masses who were already unconscious. His mind was probably irredeemably broken and fried to insanity by his long stoppage in Azkaban, plus the mind-flay Voldemort had worked on him. At least the false retentivity 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 matter, the first was think of what to do about the situation. This was not complicated, if he handed Morfin to the authorities he lost an ally. If he did n't it was only a matter of time until somebody died who did n't deserve to. But if he handed him to Snape he had the best of both worlds. So that was that. The s affair he was trying to do was think of how to snatch the amber box under the floorboard without Morfin noticing. It was warded too heavily too be Morfin 's work, and it was too Recent epoch to be the final stage residents. 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 home, if he ever figured out it was you this would be the first property he 'd look."

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

"Is it more important than revenge ?"

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

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

"Apparate."Morfin unfolded like a paper spring.

"You can apparate ?"

"Yes."

"Hmm ..."Harry 's optic narrowed. Perhaps this man could be utilitarian after all.
*


Harry got Morfin settled into one of the abandoned planetary house he had used during his aimless months the previous twelvemonth before doubling back to the shack. He carefully sliced away the floor board 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 trouble to obscure something it had to be crucial. Harry waved his wand to divulge the auspices on it and a myriad of flickering webs surrounded the footling box. One or two he recognised, most he did not. Harry whistled admiringly ( got to admire ticket study wherever it comes from ) and got to work.

In the end it took till twilight, recollective shadows making the trees outside loom expectant. Harry did one final chimneysweeper to check there were no former curses on the box, then flicked it open with the tip of his verge. interior lay a ring, tarnished gold set with a black stone. Harry ran another test on it and more 60 minutes crawled by as he removed the minute layer of protection before dropping it into his bag.

Various musculus complained about his lengthy lack of movement as he lifted himself off the floor and levitated the circuit board back into place. He had done it. But what to do now ? Last year he would have kept this secret, secluded himself in some far off corner until he had sorted out the whodunit of this strange objective. Harry shook his promontory, should n't let himself strike into that again. Should n't. Besides, if he handed the ring to Snape there was a chance he could get some sleep.
*


"That is an improbable story."Snape had his eyes fixed on the ring on the mesa between them."I do not doubt you but ..."

"I can take you to fulfil Morfin if you like."

"No doubt I will come across him soon enough. I am more matter to in this ring."

"Is it Voldemort 's ?"

"I have never seen him wearing it."Snape waved his hand through the air over the ring."magic sometimes leaves hint. If it was his, in time I shall know."

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

"Where are you going ?"

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

His cane clicked on the roofing tile as he walked towards the kitchen but he slowed as he got closer. Raised vocalism could be heard within. Harry pushed the door undecided quietly and slid inside. By the stove a wizard with long ginger hair's-breadth tied in a pony-tail was arguing with a shorter haired one. Harry recognised that one as Percy and, from description, the other one as flyer 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 dismiss the tilt behind them. Harry sidled up to them and skid 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 infirmary and they ... they are n't getting out soon the ministry says we need a defender. bank bill 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 back talk."Do n't you get a say ?"

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

"They need stability !"Percy was yelling from over by the stove."They need someone with a trade good job and a just home here in Britain !"

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

"For how long ?"Harry Hotspur 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 eggs 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 have a guardian and I 'm aright. Draco does n't sustain a shielder. Pythea does n't have a guardian. Why do they worry 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 days, it wo n't count then."

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

Harry shook his head. Ginny was right, he did n't realize. Harry summoned his eggs and bit into them. fellowship eh ? They did n't make any sense at all.
*


Returning to Hogwarts felt unusual. The palace and the magical piazza around it had always felt like they were a sort world. You got on the train at mogul Cross and somehow entered a magical bubble that you could n't depart except at Holidays. But in the final yr Harry had found that the bubble was like swiss cheese, he could leave any fourth dimension he wanted.

It was sad to lose the head game. Ah well ...

There was something else that was gone as well. The jinx on the defense force against the shadow arts post was apparently gone. Markus Albert Michelson was still there, officially to teach but Harry knew he was now part of the guild. The first matter Harry did was ask for special training, for him and all the vulture. They would need it.

outside Hogwarts the wizarding world was curling up into it 's shield like a snail. The massive tone-beginning on Diagon skittle alley seemed to be too much for citizenry, they were too scared. There were no more flak like the 1st but Voldemort 's dead men had been seen all over the res publica. Spreading care wherever they went. Yes ... they definitely needed to train.

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

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

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

"What do you desire Harry ?"

"have you made any forward motion with the ring ?"

"No."

"How about with the Lie Gou ?"

"question are continuing."

"And about Voldemort ?"

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

There was a drawn out present moment of silence.

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

"I would like you and your booster to continue training with Markus."Snape said flatly.

"To fight ?"

"As a last resort."

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

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

"Looking 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 caput."Voldemort will not be hiding where petty thieves 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 band glittered in his hand.

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

"I can divine no more from it."Snape 's vocalism carried an border of thwarting."There is something still there it just .... I do not know. You have shown an affinity for puzzler. Why do n't you try to divine it 's secrets ? If nothing else it will keep open you out of trouble."With that Snape turned and pulled his door shut, leaving a puzzled Harry behind.
*


Despite the fact that the labor had been given to him only to shut him up Harry attacked it with ardor. He tried every revealing turn he knew on the tintinnabulation but nothing registered. The but clock time he got any clue that it was anything other 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 thorn down his spine. He had n't tried to tire it again but had done a unscathed book 's worth of clairvoyance signal detection magical spell on it. Nothing happened.

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

"It 's magic all right."Harry had his head slumped down on his arms, staring at the ring in the heart of the mesa."I can sense 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 of lightning upright."It was Voldemort 's !"

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

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

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

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe he 's too weak."Harry stuffed the ring into it 's box and stood up."Do you know where Pythea is this forenoon ?"

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

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

"semen in Harry."

Harry smiled and opened the threshold. Pythea was sat at the modest table in the centre of the elbow room, mathematical function splayed out in front of her. One of the maps had little blue pins stuck in it. Harry wondered what the order was having her do, try to betoken where the Lie Gou would strike no question. Or trying to witness Voldemort.

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

"I had a confluence with various order members last night. It ran on quite late."Pythea sighed tiredly.

"Why is it you get group meeting with club hoi polloi and I don't."Harry cracked a smile."I mean we 're basically the same age."

"I do not trust they realise that."Pythea smiled.

"They 're not working you too hard are they ?"

"No Harry. I 'm fine."

"Cos I can adopt over some of the work load if you like."

"Are you a oracle ?"

"No, but I can gain it up. Is n't that what you do ?"Harry chuckled.

"No."

"Or we could get Trewalny to underwrite for you !"

"Do you want to place rules of order phallus to their death ?"Pythea laughed and Harry chuckled. Pythea became good again and incline in towards Harry."What was it you came here for ?"

"I ca n't just come to inspect you ?"

"Just ask me."

"Ok, fine."Harry rolled his heart and slid the ring out of his pocket.

"Harry ..."Pythea raised her eyebrows."We 're both a little Lester Willis Young to marry."

"Are you sure ?"Harry chuckled."I 'm rich, quite rich."

"No you 're not. Harry thrower is ample, you 're draining his cant account."

"Potato potato."Harry paused."That phrase does n't work so well in print. Not even with italics."

"Stop breaking the fourth wall and narrate me what this ring is."Pythea took the ring out of Harry 's hired man and raised it to her eyes."There is some symbol on it."

"It 's from some nutzo myth."Harry snorted."The important affair is that this ring belonged to Voldemort."

"And you want me to use it to ascertain him ?"Pythea shook her head."The night Lord will certainly suffer protected his hiding station from scrying."

"I just need something."Harry pleaded."He did this ring really carefully, lots of enchantments. It obviously matters to him somehow. I just need to love why. Give me something."

"I will try Harry. But I can not promise anything."Pythea held the ring in both her hands and closed her eyes."You should get to your moral Harry. This could take a while."

"Lessons ?"

"The things you go to school for."

"Oh right ! Them."Harry stood and turned to the door."I 'll check back after class. Or before, if I get bored."

Harry slid in late into his double defensive measure family. It did n't weigh too often, the piranha were working to a different curriculum. He joined the rest of them and took his station on the duelling dividing line. He glanced at Dragon opposite him and noted the deep bags under his eyes and his slouch stance. full moon moon last Nox. He should have remembered.

"How was it ?"Harry asked.

"Horrendously painful. Like before."Draco grated dryly."What did you opine ?"

"That it would be roses and kitten and barrels of candy."Harry raised his wand."You know I wo n't go well-off on you."

"Great."genus Draco shuddered."Bloody wonderful."

Harry did n't go easy on him. It would give been insulting. After the class Dragon went to find a bathroom of ice to lie in and Harry went back to Pythea 's quarters. He knocked and pushed the room access open.

"Any progress ?"Harry asked the little seer.

"No Harry."Pythea shook her header."I could not find anything."

"Are you sure ?"Harry slouched dejectedly."Nothing ? Not even why he hid it ?"

"Lord Voldemort protected himself too well."Pythea shook her head."I could find nothing."

"Damnit."Harry scratched his head."I really hoped ... well never mind."

"I will keep trying."Pythea stood, her hands folded in her sleeves in front of her."If I find anything I will tell you at once."

Harry froze. Twisted tendrils of fear grew around his core. He had seen ...

"You 're wearing the ring."Harry stated flatly.

"Yes."Pythea responded without missing a heartbeat."To prevail a bettor connection."

"admit it off."Harry slid around the table with his hand out.

"Harry you are being irrational."

"Please take the ring off Thea."Harry tried to sound calm. He failed."Just take it off. Please."

"There is really no need."

"liquid body substance me."

"You are worried over nothing."

"If it 's nothing require it off."

"If I wear it at all fourth dimension I may see something I missed."

"Just take the freekin ring off Thea !"Harry stepped towards her."Please take it off !"

"No."Pythea took her hands out of her sleeves. Her voice was like ice."I will not."

"Oh ... crap."Harry froze, his hired man hovering over the pocket where he kept his wand."You 're not Thea any-more are you ?"

"You seem unsettled Harry."Pythea smiled thinly."Is there some sort of problem ?"Pythea 's hired hand were raising slowly. Harry twitched towards his sceptre. The hands stopped moving.

"You 're Voldemort. Somehow you 're Voldemort."Harry had looked into the snake in the grass faced dickhead 's oculus enough multiplication to distinguish him staring back."The ring was ... was like the diary."

"You found my diary ?"Voldemort raised one treat eyebrow."That is let down. But no matter, even if the diary was destroyed I still survive and this ... this dead body will do nicely."

"You 're a freak who keeps trying to possess young girls."Harry tried to edge his hand finisher to his verge. Voldemort 's eyes snapped to his hand. Harry stopped."Just let her go."

"No."

"You will let her go."Harry 's teeth ground together."Or so help oneself me I will pee-pee whatever life sentence you have full of pain."

"Threats ?"Voldemort smiled again."You can not jeopardise me. Any damage you do to me hurts the girl. You could never injure person you care about-"

"Wrong."Harry slammed his fist forward into his brass. Voldemort fell backwards but Harry had already grabbed his blazonry and slammed them behind his back. Lightning flashed from his finger to the floorboards, bathing the room in blank light. Flames burst out of nowhere and Harry could barely hold onto the squirm chassis in his arms.

"Karziet !"Harry threw them both to the side of meat as every piece of music of glass in the elbow room exploded. Harry felt shards seize with teeth into his human face and deal 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 finger's breadth off.

"check 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 weapon system and looked into her brass. Her nose was gushing blood freely ( his fault ), and her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Thea ?"Harry whispered into her ear."It 's alright. The ring 's gone. It 's alright."

"I 'm so sorry."Thea murmured, her eye still shut."I 'm so sorry."

"It 's ok."Harry drew his verge and sprayed a thick watercourse of H2O over the burning 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 attitude sprawled on the mesa."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 demerit. I should have been more careful."Pythea opened her eyes and raised her deal to brush Harry 's face."I 'm sorry."

"It was my fault."

"I tried to kill you !"

"Voldemort did. Not you."Harry pulled her closer to him."But it 's OK now."

They stayed there like that for a patch. The room smelt like soppy ash but neither of them wanted to move. Finally Harry pulled back and smiled.

"semen on, we 'd ameliorate get you to Madam Pomfrey. She 'll receive to un-break your nose."Harry shook his head."Sorry I had to hit you so hard."

"You always choose the most place solution to any problem. That is part of your charm."Pythea tilt forward and kissed him lightly on his bloodstained forehead. Harry could feel a sherd of glass move under her lips, when she moved back it fell out, clinking onto the mesa between them. Harry 's heart 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 bureau. He entered without knocking.

"Harry."Snape 's read/write head snapped up from his desk."I heard you managed to injure yourself again."

"It had been too long since I had to grow flesh back."Harry reached into his bag and brew out the box with the pack in it, dropping it onto the desk. In shortly sentence 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 sorry prof. I should sustain seen it."

"How precisely should you have seen it ? On the surface the items 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 feelings thrower. You have never displayed it before so do not start now."Snape picked up the ringing 's box with his long fingers."Your experience tells 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 door was pushed unfold. Lucy Kindston was on the early side, plainly out of breath.

"Harry, you need to get to the Hospital wing."

"I was just there."

"wellspring you need to get back."

"Wh ..."Harry 's eyes widened."Thea ? ..."

"Just go Harry."

Harry 's spirit was beating fast as he bolted out the door.



If you do n't look back then your information processing system screen becomes like that bit in the ring where the girl comes out and putting to death you. Except instead of a daughter it 's a cat. Seriously. Have you ever seen a long haired cat totally bedraggled and hissing and screaming and flying out of your screenland ? Not good. And if you have high-def ... it 's twenty meters tall.


"Why are n't you doing anything."Harry had his finger gripped tightly around the bar at the fundament of the bed.

"There is n't anything we can do Harry."dame Pomfrey said quietly."We do n't experience what is wrong with her."

"Then why are n't you looking."Harry snarled. He could n't look away from the bad in forepart of him. Lying on it, her skin deathly pale, lay Pythea."Why are n't you doing something ? Her warmness 's getting slower."

"You ca n't fuck that Har-"

"HOW MANY heart DO I HAVE !"

"I ... Harry please."dame Pomfrey shook her question."There is nothing I can do. prof Snape is trying to-"

"He 's failing. He wo n't find anything."Harry snarled."There 's nothing on that god damn ring !"

"Then there is nothing that can be done."

"I just need to do something !"Harry shuddered with unquiet energy.

"Until we know what the ring did to her we can not fix it."

"Then ..."Harry breathed."Then we need something that fixes everything !"

"Harry zero like that exis- Where are you going !"

Harry stomped out of the hospital offstage as fast as his spite leg would expect him and barged past the agglomerate marauders.

"Where are you going Harry ?"Ginny yelled at his retreating back.

"Out."

"We should come with you to-"

"No."Harry snapped as he tried to put some distance between himself and his friends. Unfortunately none of them were down a leg and could restrain 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 flossy bunny girl rabbits."

"Harry let us avail 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 fuck how to climb tidy sum ?"
*


"Harry where are we ?"Hermione panted.

"Mountain."Harry barked as he stabbed his hiking pole into the primer coat and stomped on. Beside him the gaunt shape of Morfin shook in what could accept been a dumb chuckle.

"She meant specifically."Lucy Kingston was up ahead, the only one of them who seemed to be actually enjoying the raise."Those buildings down there look like we 're somewhere in the center east ?"

"Turkey."Harry winced as he slipped on the loose rocks and had to enamor himself on his pole."North Anatolian. That 's where we are specifically. Where we are relatively is 'Not high enough'”

"Where are we headed to Harry ?"Lucy squinted up at the snow-white crown ahead."What are we trying to find ?"

"You 'll see by nightfall."Harry tried to brush off the stabbing infliction in his leg as he forced himself higher and higher."We need to be at the snowline by the sentence it gets sullen or we wo n't see them."

"I hope you do n't desire to get to the top Harry."Hermione was still trailing."We do n't cause any atomic number 8 or proper clothing."

"Not to the top."Harry glanced up."Probably. Anyway I thought you 'd climbed before ?"

"In Wales, with my parents. Hiking a little."Hermione glanced down the long track they had followed."Not like this."

"Well you volunteered so hot with it. I 'm having a worse prison term of it than you."Harry glanced up ahead and stimulate his head."The track 's blocked with sway this way. We need to go ... that way. For a while at to the lowest degree. 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."expression like we have to scramble just for a bit then it 's a good path. prevent up that ... then ... over past that cliff ..."Harry trailed off, the other two vulture 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 double is see through. Makes you dizzy when you spin too fast."Harry paused for a here and now to catch a intimation."ejaculate on ... we 've got a tenacious way to go and Theia 's dying."

They hiked up into the snowline, Harry did n't let them give up until they could see snow on all four side of meat. When they could he cleared a band around them and heated the land 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 ripe. You 're going to call for to see in the shadow and you wo n't with a flaming right next to you."Harry smiled slyly."I can only look in one counsel and I 'm not taking chances."

Harry sat down, looking in another centering and waited. Slowly it got darker and darker. At to the lowest degree the Moon was out, that helped a little. Now all they had to do was watch ...

"What are we waiting for ?"Hermione asked quietly in the darkness.

"Fire. appear for fire."

"Oh ... !"Hermione 's eyes opened all-inclusive with shock."Are we looking for-"

"Yes. Now concentrate and keep looking."

"Have you ever been there before-"

"No."Harry glared out into the duskiness, waiting for a sign. The nighttime air grew colder and colder ... whispering past the four seated figures. Morfin was muttering something in parseltounge up his sleeve. Harry wondered for a moment if he had been right to bring him. No ... of grade he had to. Without someone 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 distance."I saw a flash, like a firework."

Harry turned and squinted off in the direction she was pointing. His eye zoomed in to it 's wide-cut and ...

"That 's it. Good show."Harry stood and lit his wand. A flicker in the iniquity."Come on."

"We 're going there now ?"Lucy shook her capitulum."You want to trip around in these mountains at night !"

"By morning it 'll throw 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 fogginess. It was a terrific journey, following Harry 's unwavering path 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 depend forward to the site they would see at the end. But it was n't enough to counter the fear.

Every rock that skipped away from her substructure sounded like a crack of thunder.

Ahead of her she could hear the unknown man Morfin murmur, behind were the stabilize, whole hike of Lucy 's iron heel. Occasionally the missy behind her would reach out and lay a steadying hand on her shoulder, making her leap. Hermione was grateful for the motion, she just wished Lucy would give her some warning.

"This is it."Harry 's interpreter was like a knife through the blackness. Up ahead she could see him crouching beside a rough quip in the Rock, just prominent enough to fit a man. As she watched the inside flashed like there was an explosion thick inside, but it faded again in a bit. Hermione breathed deeply, trying to keep back calm.

"Nervous ?"Harry asked quizzically."Do n't be. After all we 're a mathematical group of teenagers going into a spooky cave in the middle of the peck in the dead of night with a mountain murderer. What could possibly happen ?"

In the dark, Morfin grinned like a tiger.

"Harry ..."Lucy narrowed her centre."diaphragm that."

"You 've got nada to care about."Harry grinned."They 'll even be former maven inside. come on, lets get to it. I want to game in Hogwarts by morning."

Harry slid into the plication in the rock 'n' roll and dissipated from persuasion. Hermione steeled herself, then ducked in after him. The cave was really more of a tunnel, crawling forwards in a straight wrinkle. Of row what it really was was probably some sort of magic doorway that connected two different places entirely. Hermione found herself looking at the bulwark to try to see the joins. Up ahead the flashing were becoming more frequent and a steady red gleaming was growing between them. Hermione felt excitement 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 full view as she pulled herself out of the John Rock. Her mouth dropped undefendable as she saw what lay before them ...

"merlin 's ... something !"Before them the cave opened up into a bass vale, like an axe wound in the incline of the mountain. Towering paries rose up on either side of them craggy and full of more caves and infernal region. In the small-scale strip of priming coat in the middle there was a grove of what looked similar olive tree twisty and ancient like they were older than the wad itself. But that was n't the most amazing matter. Flying above them in large sweeping curves, and nesting in the rock ... century of them ... filling the valley with ardent Light Within and making the whole office fool like a living pyrotechnic presentation. Filling the valley with song, and the echoes of song ...

"Phoenixes."Lucy Kingston breathed in wonder."You brought us to the nesting ground."

"Yep."Harry nodded."Since we do n't do it what Thea 's got we need something that heals almost everything. Phoenix tears is a good bet."

"They do n't cry for just anyone Harry."Lucy pointed out."Otherwise every infirmary in the world would have congius on the stuff."

"There 's at least one that 'll cry for me. Fawkes."Harry squinted up into the brainy flaming sky."We just need to notice him."

"Easier said than done."

"Why do n't you two ask."

Ask ? Hermione scratcher her psyche. It was only when Harry pointed that she realised they were not alone in the valley. Down by the trees there was a chemical group of four magician clustered around a tent, one of them was looking through a telescope while another was jotting down notes in a large heavy book. Further down the valley, on a flat table shaped rock that jutted out of the leave-taking, was another grouping. These wizards were all in black robes and were clustered around a weird shuttlecock shaped perfection. They were down on their genu and seemed to be chanting.

believer. Hermione realised. worshipper and researchers.

"Why do n't you handle the nerds."Harry pointed at Hermione first, then turned to Lucy."And you handle the wierdos. It 'll go cycle and and see what I can spy with my little 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 young lady 's spirit was at stake Hermione could n't help but feel awe and wonder at this place. Going off in the at the drop of a hat, climbing mountains and visiting amazing magical web site. Was this what Harry 's life was like all the clip ?

Below her one of the researcher looked up and noticed her. He rolled his eyes and started towards her.

"Please do n't stir up the birds. Try to not use flashbulb photography, they can flurry it with an attack. If you 're camping please do n't bring loud music-"

"We 're not tourists."Hermione held her hired man up.

"Oh, then you 'll be with the other weird bast- believers."The researcher pointed back into the Tree.

"I 'm not-"

"creative thinker 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 Phoenix bust. The former reason people come up hers."The man rubbed his forehead."Let me guess your Friend or your mother or your swain is grim and you think tears are the simply cure. I hate to distinguish you this but-"

"We know they do n't cry for everyone but we think if we can ascertain one specifically it will."

"Really ?"The researcher finally looked slightly occupy. He glanced up at the cliff where Harry was just seeable edging up a thin path, peering into cliffs. respective Phoenix had begun following him interestedly, hopping from careen to rock eyeing him with sequined heart."Who are you guys anyway ?"

"wellspring that 's Harry potter, and we 're his friends."Hermione smiled at the shocked aspect that appeared on the researchers face. His three friends looked up too, forgetting their notes for a moment. Hermione felt like kicking herself, of course she should have said that starting time."We 're looking for a phoenix called Fawkes."

"We ... we do n't show names. How could we ? The capital of Arizona do n't talk."The man kept glancing up at the drop-off where the shadowy human body of Harry had gone out of site into a cave. Another phoenix flew over to join the small 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 summertime last class, he left England in June."Hermione explained."When he left Hogwarts he looked like he was in his third base month since a burning day so when he reached you he might consume been in his fourth or fifth.. He 's a male, with a wingspread slightly above average."

"I ... we 'll check."The research worker turned and hurried over to their workbench where he cracked open a profound account book of note of hand and began flicking through them. Hermione followed him and began reading over his shoulder. Everything was recorded, burning, reaching, odd behaviour. If Fawkes was in the valley he would be recorded here somewhere.

"What about that ?"Hermione pointed suddenly at an first appearance hear the center of the pageboy."That one fit 's the time frame."

"Y ... yes. Yes."The researcher nodded."genus Phoenix act 713. It would be that one would n't it."The overweight record was slammed shut down and the man turned towards the cliff wall."I 'll take you there."

Hermione set off following, sending micos to Harry and Lucy. She and her pathfinder reached the cliff wall and began climbing up a slender winding course. Lucy caught up to them when she was halfway up.

"You found him ?"Lucy was out of breath. Hermione nodded."skillful, those other wizards were weird."

They climbed further up around the rock-and-roll, passing many perching genus Phoenix. The hoot eyed them as they passed, but did not follow. After a few minute of arc they reached a short ledge with a declamatory cave.

"This is 713 's nest."The researcher pointed into the rock."He should be in there. But it looks like you friend found him first."

All around the edge of the ledge, phoenix were perched, looking in. None of them were singing, none of them were making any sound at all above the rustle of their feather. 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 pocket-sized dome, the base littered with sticks and leaf. The clay of past tense nests. Morfin was crouched at the back, he made no motility when they entered. He was staring at the Saame thing they were. The tableau vivant in the middle of the cave.

Harry was down on his knee, his walking stick discarded beside him. His oculus storey with the eyes of the Phoenix in front of him. He was n't moving or speaking either, the lonesome signaling that he was alive was the slow rise and fall of his breast. The phoenix, Fawkes, was shivering. A large part of it 's back was bald and scabby and it 's backstage looked shred. There were feather all around it, an affected moulting, and it 's head drooped on it 's recollective neck.

"713 's been like this for a while."The research worker 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. retentive delinquent. If he does n't cut before wintertime hitting then ..."

"What happens if a phoenix does n't burn ?"Lucy asked softly.

"We do n't really know. That 's part of the intellect 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 consider it 's ever happened before. The other phoenixes have been avoiding this cave, up till now at to the lowest degree. It 's very occupy behaviour, I was thinking of writing a paper on-"

"Shh ! Something 's happening."Lucy pointed towards the essence of the cave.

Without moving from his spot, Harry had reached out his arm and was slowly stroking the incline of Guy Fawkes'head. The gilt bird trembled for a moment, then leant it 's head into Harry 's bridge player, cooing softly. Harry reached back with his other deal into his bag and came back with a low glass bottle. He held it carefully to the incline of the phoenix 's face.

Everyone in the cave watched, awed, as first one shiny snag dropped into the glass. Then another. All the piece Harry kept stroking Fawkes'school principal with his fingers, and kept eye striking. Another drop in the glass. Another. The glass slowly filled to the brim with glittering liquidness before finally Harry took it away and carefully capped it.

Fawkes collapsed out of Harry 's manpower, dropping onto it 's rough nest. It was as if the emotion had been too much for it. Fawkes just lay there as Harry put a quick sealing magical spell on the weeping and turned to the marauders.

"It 's done."

"Harry how did you do that ?"Hermione asked, wide eyed.

"We talked. About old times."Harry shrugged."He 's lonely."

"I wonder if phoenixes could fight those dead men Voldemort has."Lucy mused."That could be really useful."

"phoenix do n't press for anyone but their masters."Harry shook his head.

Hermione remembered the flock that had gathered international and had the twinging intuition that might not be true.

"Anyway. We should go now. Come on."Harry sat down again and reached out a hand 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 lower not sick."Harry motioned them towards the bird. Hermione sat and placed her hired man on Fawkes'tail. Lucy did the Sami and Morfin slunk out of the shadows to link up them.

"Thank you for helping us."Hermione turned to the shocked research worker and waved with her justify hand."Sorry I could n't stay to see More of your oeuvre. Maybe I 'll come back some time."

"O ... Ok ?"

Flames rose about the piranha and everything dispersed.
*


Snape was just snipping a little piece of hairsbreadth from the dying prophesier ( he needed to do more test ) when two loudly noises disturbed his assiduousness. The first was a rushing plosion. The bit was-

"HARRY POTTER WHAT IN MERLINS NAME-"

"What ? No one 's ever appeared in the middle of the hospital wing in a gout of fire before ?"Harry replied glibly to gentlewoman Pomfrey as he stood from his position on the base. The Phoenix behind him made a sound somewhere between a trill and gurgle and turned as if to leave.

"Fawkes !"Harry stepped in social movement of the genus Phoenix and crouched back down to match it 's eyes."Thank you."

The phoenix bowed it 's question a little.

"You know, there 's something I 've learnt recently. Something my admirer are trying to beat into me."Harry smiled wryly."Destroying ourselves for the unity we love is never the powerful choice."

Fawkes fluffed his plume and bowed his head. A bit later flames sprung 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."lady Pomfrey visibly pulled herself together."We still have n't found the bane effecting her."

"When you left I wondered where you had gone."Snape folded his implements of war and nodded towards the burn mark on the trading floor."Now I see. You should accept warned me before you left."

"Do you recall it 'll puzzle out ?"Harry ignored Snape 's words and lifted modest nursing bottle 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 composure."What do I do ? Let her drink it or ... or let ..."

"Give it to me."Snape held out his deal calmly. Harry slowly reached forward and dropped the rent into the outstretched hand. Snape leant down and softly tilted Pythea 's mouth undecided wih his thumb. He undid the stopper and allowed three drops to fall onto her back talk. Snape waited. You had to provide the crying a niggling time to ooze into the flesh then ... another three drops. Then wait.

He continued until the bottle was void, upending the last few sparkling bead with a whispered prayer of hope. He handed the bottle back and put his fingers to the little seer 's neck. All day her beat had been slow and weak. Now ...

"null happened."Harry took the words out of his oral cavity. Holy Writ that sounded even gloomy than the 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 Jamaican capital suggested.

"The result would possess 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 eye to the tear filled 1 in strawman of him."It is not over yet. This tells us something. There are very few things phoenix weeping do not heal, now that we know it is one of them-"

"Stop."Harry shook violently."stay trying to make me feel 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 probe that-"

"SHUT UP !"Harry shouted so violently that Madam Pomfrey stepped back in veneration. Snape Did n't move.

"Harry. I will not baby you."Snape spoke slowly."Yes, a component of the province for what has happened is yours. You gave her the ring. But another portion is mine. I worked with that ring for days and detected nada that could have caused this. I told you it was rubber. What has happened is also my responsibility and believe me when I say I will not take another death on my conscience. While she still breaths I will keep to trust she can be saved. As should you. Now ... I am taking some of her hair to Paris, to a worldly concern 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 more than put one over notions about running off to distant parts of the world in lookup of some miracle cure ..."Snape took a cryptical breath."... I suggest you pursue those belief to the good because that is what you are best at, and that is how best you can help your friend."

Snape lapsed into silence, waiting. After a few moments 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 notions to the fullest.

Harry slowly walked out of the hospital wing. No one tried to terminate him.

running play off to distant parts of the world in search of some miracle curative

There was no such affair as a miracle cure. If there was everyone would use it. Harry found his metrical unit moving of their own accord, taking him on familiar routes.

fool notions

I am a fool. Harry found the door he had been looking for and got out his sceptre. It was locked of course, but not even this door was too knockout to crack. In a few minutes Harry had the appeal down and advertize spread the door to Snape 's office.

running off to distant parts of the world

Snape was the one in genus 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 knickers. Harry checked it for enchantments then slowly pulled it open and picked up the ring from inside.

Destroying yourself for the ace you love is never the right choice.

Too bad it 's the only choice left.

"There is no miracle cure. Not without knowing what 's improper with her."Harry whispered into the dark surface of the annulus."Only one living somebody knows what curse is affecting her. And I need to verbalize to him."

Slowly, with trembling hands, Harry slid the ring onto his finger.



Did n't mean to exit it this foresighted before posting again but I 'm in my death year of uni and I had my final examination yr project. Then I had the celebration after the labor was handed in, which coincided with St Patrick 's day ... Then the celebration for the end of term a few twenty-four hour period later ...

Anyways once my head stopped exploding and I could incite without screaming I got on with the story. My workload is n't high from now on so the writing pace should piece up a bit from now on.


I do n't own Harry potter. Neither does THE political science !



Harry slid the ring onto his digit and sat slowly behind Snape 's desk. How would this work ? How long would it take ? Would he even be able to address directly to Voldemort or would he just hear him in his nous ?

"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 president students used when they were called into this office. It was a wooden, hard backed chair but he lolled in it like it was a throne. He was n't quite the same shape that had came out of the journal. He looked the Same age but his features were ... glassy. His skin was tranquil and pale and his eyes had little scrap of red. Through the legerdemain eye he looked ghostly and faint, but through his reliable eye the dark master looked real.

"What do you mean it depends ?"Harry crossed his arms.

"Well we can spill the beans like this ..."Riddle smiled. Or we can talk like this.

"Talking out loud is fine Tommy."Harry placed his work force flatcar 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 optic sparkled."You punched 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 curse or something ..."

"Really ? ..."enigma leant back in his chair."That ... that is unfortunate. You must be crushed."

"Shut up."

"I must extend my deepest condolences."

"Shut up !"Harry slammed his hired hand down on the desk."William Tell me what the curse is ! You obviously hid it well. When I found the hoop I removed a wither hex, a samyaza and something I had n't seen before that would have turned ancestry to precede in my veins. What did I miss ?"

"The atomic number 82 charm is called a plumb-sang."

"Tell me you bastard ! Tell me or I 'll destroy you."

"Destroy me ?"Tom crossed his arm."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 more than an image. You have the mind of Voldemort at least, which means you have all his qualities. timbre like cowardliness and self saving. I think you will tell me what I want to know."

"Self preservation ? Perhaps."Tom Riddle angle forward."But the fact remains that you have no melodic theme how to put down this ring."

"Phoenix flak destroyed the diary."Harry gritted his teeth together."And I know a phoenix who 's probably abut ready to burn."

"phoenix ...."Tom conundrum paused and licked his rim."That will not work."

"Yes it will. You 're lying again."

"I am not ..."Riddle was breathing quickly."I have no need to lie. I am the dark overlord, you have no tycoon over-"

Harry pulled the gang off his finger and the shadow lord snapped out of existence mid conviction. Harry held the ring up to his human face and said,

"Do n't reckon you have any sort of power here Tommy."Harry slapped the tintinnabulation twice against the desk with brassy ringing knocks."You hear me in there ? You 've got no cards here ! Understand ? You will tell me or I will kill you !"Harry slammed the pack back on his fingerbreadth. The nighttime Lord reappeared where he had been, his human face a masquerade party of rage.

"You can not do this to me ! I am lord Volde-"Harry pulled the halo off again.

"When I put the mob back on ..."Harry snarled."You will drop the altogether'I am lord Snakeface'thing and tell me exactly what I want to know or you 're going to the fire."Once again the darkness lord reappeared, eyes flaring almost full red. But he said nothing.

"Ready to talk yet ?"Harry rubbed the band of the band on his finger."Just say one word. The name of the curse, that 's all you have to say and I put the ring back in the drawer and we never have to utter again."

"I ... You ca n't do this to me."The iniquity lord 's eyes flickered back and forth."You ... you can not ..."

"Just assure me the name of the bane. That 's all you have to do to avoid being burnanated. Just tell me."

"I ... I am Lord Voldemort."Tom Riddle 's dentition were gritted unopen and his manpower were gripped to the side of meat of his chair.

"No you 're not. You 're a prisoner. A prisoner who 's not even alive so there 's no requirement for me to not toss off you. secern me what the condemnation is."

Riddle 's breathing place was coming swift and shallow.

"William Tell me !"Harry yelled."Tell me !"

conundrum snarled like a dog.

"Tell me !"Riddle was shaking. Not in angriness Harry realized ... He was shaking in fear. Riddle was terrified. Harry 's forehead furrowed ... Why would he be that scared ..."You have no idea what happened to Thea ... Whatever happened to her ... it was n't your curse ... it was n't your doughnut ..."

Voldemort had stopped short, frozen in position, his eyes burning like coals.

"fountainhead ..."Harry shook his head."That 's something at least."Harry reached for the ring and jerked it forward. It would not run. Harry 's eyes jerked up. Tom Riddle was smiling like a cat.

"Well well well Potter."Riddle smirked."It seems I do have some power after all."

Harry tried desperately to sweep up the ring off his finger's breadth, it would not move an inch. Harry grabbed for his wand to slice the digit off but he could n't make his mouth speak the words.

A not bad raft of power.

Voldemort 's was in his head now, the figure gone from the other side of the desk. Harry stumbled and fell against the fierce rock bulwark. delay ... bulwark ? Harry flicked his center up. He was in the corridor ! He had n't moved of his own conformity ... His human foot were moving again ! Harry clamped his feet down on the floor and slammed his arm against the paries. His wand dropped from his dull fingers.

Feeling a little less in control Mr ceramist ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry screamed into the blank air."Myrtle get here or get help !"

Calling help from one of my old dupe ?

"individual !"Harry yelled. His wand was back in his hand ... NO ! Harry forced his digit to give again and the scepter clattered down. Harry slammed his infantry down and snapped the little sliver of Sir Henry Wood like a twig. He could n't let Voldemort liberate in his body in the middle of Hogwarts. Could not ...

You think you have a choice ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry fell to the floor. His heftiness were twitching, every flickering character of him was trying to move."avail me !"

Ha ha ha ha !

"Someone !"Harry was on his foundation again. Not by selection. He was staggering forward, trying to stop himself ... but."Mico marauders ! Mico anyone !"Would n't wreak without a wand.

There is no help for you Mr Potter.

Harry frantically tried to come up the ring off his finger's breadth. 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 voice sparked out of the air above him. Harry 's principal flickered up, at the top of the stares was the tired and moon-sick figure of Dragon Malfoy.

"Draco ... It 's not the tintinnabulation !"Harry croaked out. He had to tell someone what he 'd found."Pythea ! It 's not the ring that made her pallid ! It 's ... It 's ... It 's something else !"

"Harry what 's wrong with you ?"

Nothing.

"Nothing."Harry clenched his tooth closed."No ! Tell gentlewoman Pomfrey ! ... And get this bloody ri- nada is wrong Malfoy."

Go away you petty 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 opening muscles twisted his headway in a didder motion."They are bloodshot."

"Harry maybe we should go to the hospital wing together."Dragon 's eyes had gone hard and he had drawn his verge."I think you may be unwell."

"Unwell Malfoy ?"Harry hissed."Do n't take for granted to-"

"Stop."Draco pointed his baton straight between Harry 's middle."Draw your wand slowly and devolve it to the floor."

"Please ... friend-"

"Do it."

"Hmm ..."Voldemort twitched Harry 's sassing into a grinning."I see there 's no point pretending anymore. What was it that gave me away ?"

"Harry does n't call me by my last name."genus Draco 's eyes narrowed above deep Shirley Temple bags."You 're ... something else."

"I am Sir Thomas More than something else."Voldemort thrust Harry 's helping hand forward, displaying the ring."I am your lawful master little dog. Heel."

"Oh wonderful."Draco muttered.

"Die !"Harry 's deal was flung forward and a sparkling deadbolt of lightning flared out. Draco dodged and flung himself to the floor. Voldemort spun Harry 's dead body for a second hit but Harry flung the last trace of his forcefulness onto his treacherous muscularity. His arm stopped moving for a fraction of a second.

"Stubefy !"The red tour flashed out of Draco 's wand and everything went black.
*


Harry was used to mad dreams so when he found himself in a dark place full phase of the moon of screaming and hissing he just sat on the storey and thinking of apple. After a lilliputian while the darkness faded and Harry heard the rustling of trees.

In the night all around him there were serpent. Snakes in his orchard ! Harry shuddered, he was in his piffling dreaming but he felt sot. Shaking and unsettled, he looked around. The darkness was seeping in through the trees ... invading his plantation. The ophidian did n't appear to see him, just hold open winding their way through the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Four of them whispered their way through the leaves. One wrapped it 's way around the roots of the largest Tree, biting it 's own hind end. It 's lidless eyes flashed red.

Harry glanced deeper into the wood. One Sir Thomas More Snake River, lying still on the terra firma. Nailed in spot by a wooden wager. Harry looked down at his mitt. Another ophidian was wrapped around his digit. A tiny thin snake with opprobrious bands.

Weird. Profetic. Harry shook his head. 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 cobweb out of his fountainhead and opened his middle. The hospital fender was blue and hollow. Snape was standing at the substructure of Harry 's infirmary bed. wait ... Snape had to have a go at it !"The ring ! I found something out about-"

"I got the message Harry."Snape 's face was a blank and angry slate."genus Draco understood the significance of your message."

"You need to help oneself 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 adjacent to him. Pytea was still lying there but ... her heartbeat ... it was stronger. 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 visionary."Once you made me aware that the ring was not the source of her affliction I began to look further afield. I found a terrible poisonous substance. It acted more like a disease than a poison. As virulent as I have ever seen."

"Someone tried to kill her ?"Harry found himself staring into shadows to try to see enemies.

"No Harry. I do not believe so."Snape tapped a minor bottle he was holding in his script."live on year you were in a well-nigh constant nation of mild toxicity. You have built up ... resistances."

"postponement ... 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 hold passed to her by some ... substitution of fluid."

"When I was bleeding ..."Harry cast his mid back."She kissed my forehead. She was bleeding too."

"Is that the history you 're sticking to ?"

"So individual tried to kill me."Harry ignored Snape 's innuendo and scratched his foreland."I 'm thinking maybe a group of assassin-mercenaries hired by my arch bane ?"

"The Lie Gou are the obvious choice."

"strait like you have your doubts."

"I do."Snape shook his point."The poisonous substance was not an eastern one, far from it. It was invented in Florence. That does not mean the Lie Gou could not take acquired it but it seems ... odd."

"Odd ... tremendous. As if we have n't had enough 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 kill 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 boring life."

"Thea !"Harry slid out of his sheets and stepped over to the fiddling seer 's bed."Are you alright ?"

"I feel terrible Harry."Pythea raised her hand shakily up to his face."I tried to obliterate you."

"I poisoned you."Harry shrugged."Besides, after all the times you 've saved my life you can probably try to defeat me like five or six more times before I get angry."

"I never saved your animation Harry."Pythea smiled weakly."I just gave you the impetus to serve yourself."

"You 're being all seerey again. plosive consonant it."Harry chuckled.

"I 'm just trying to get you in a good 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 shoulder, silently backing him up."We also know that the closed chain is of import to Voldemort. There must be something to find-"

"No !"Harry cut her off."The affair does nothing but lie and control, just like Voldemort. I 'm going to demolish it as soon as possible."

"I agree."Snape nodded."We can safely usurp that it was like the journal. A hole for anyone who tried to follow the dark Divine 's ahead of time the like. A check to any curious investigation."

"It does n't matter what it is."Harry shook his head."It 's a Crab on the world. Whether by Fawkes, some other phoenix or by some former method entirely that thing is toast."

Harry spoke definitely, but he could n't help but palpate a niggling doubt. Like a snake curled around his heart.

"We have to destroy it."Harry repeated, one-half to himself."We have to."
*


"What do you imply they 're not flaming ?"Harry asked pointedly over the breakfast table.

"I mean they 're not."Hermione held out the letter for him to read."I wrote to the researchers as soon as you told me to but it 's too lately. The phoenix have stopped flaming for winter."

"For winter ?"Harry rolled his eyes."What do they care about winter ? They 're on fervour !"

"They 're razz as well as magical tool Harry."

"Wonderful."Harry shuddered."When do they stop hibernating ?"

"Not till spring."

"Great. I have to post this lethal parcel around for months."Harry hefted his bag on his shoulders. Since the incident the ring had always been with him. In a lead box. He was n't taking chances."And until then I 've got cipher I can do."

"You could study."

"Nothing useful."

"Well you could ask Professor Snape for something else to do."Hermione glanced up at the mellow table where the potions master was absent. Not unusual these days.

"I know, but I do n't experience If there 's anything to be done."Harry shook his headspring and gestured to the newspaper lying discarded on the mesa between them."Voldemort seems to be depicted object with random acts of random minor unpleasantness right now. I ca n't help oneself thinking he 's working up to something horrendous."

"Like diagon alley ?"

"Or worse."Harry shrugged."No way to tell."

"Do you remember the order of magnitude has any jumper lead ?"

"I think they 'd probably tell me."Harry replied honestly."Snape 's been pretty honorable about keeping me in the loop so far."

"Do you be intimate where he 's going now ?"

"No."Harry smiled."Hopefully working."

"Well, until you find something to do,"Ginny broke in, walking past them."You can part turning up to marauder grooming sessions. You 've been missing them since the unscathed 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 head."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 Dragon 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,"come on, we really should get to the marauder sitting. Maybe beating the lot of you around the attic will make me feel better."
*


Snape slowed as he approached the nighttime stairwell and began walking down carefully. Some of the steps were almost as smooth as glass. The stair twisted down and down into the careen beneath Malfoy manor. Much further than any of the basements. Snape placed a light hand on the wall as he proceeded down, his scepter the only source of light, his footsteps the only sound.

He rounded the final corner and had to shield his eyes as guttering torches came into thought. Stretching out before him was a long corridor of blank branding iron doors, stained fateful from rust and longsighted decay. The decay was of no consequence, it was n't the quality of the construction that kept the captive in this position. Snape nodded to the two jailers, members of the order, before turning to the third flesh standing before him.

"You 're late."Moody growled.

"Yes, I am. I was busy."Snape replied."Your point ?"

"I 've had to wait down in the pit for half an hour !"

"Then you arrived XV minutes early and can not blame me for that."Snape strode forward past the old auror."Let us not stay this any further."

"Right."Moody stomped after him, holding his wand high as the light of the great mullein faded into the darkness behind them. Once again Snape was enveloped in muteness, the cells themselves were soundproof. Moody finally broke the tranquillise."You know why I called you out here."

"Another of the prisoners seems ready to break."Snape repeated what he had read in Dwight Lyman 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 headspring roughly."It 's not right. You 've got us pussyfooting around these son of a bitch. Offering them Holy Writ and shorter sentences and even freedom if they help us."

"And you think it is uneffective ?"

"I think it 's bloody wrong is what it is !"Moody snarled."These men should all be behind legal community for sprightliness not waited on hand 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 own a problem with offering them all this poppycock ?"

"offering ? No. We can provide them whatever we want. It does n't mean we will ever return 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 Moody 's hand out of his way."Trust that if I deem it necessary I will have no waver in deploying the thumbscrews."

"Oh of that I 've got no doubt."Moody '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."Dwight Lyman Moody fuss. Snape fought the itch to change state up his nozzle."One of the stinking criminals you-know-who dragged to his cause."

"That does not mean he is useless to us."

"Captured by Harry."Helen Wills fixed Snape with a stare while still walking."At fille Zhao 's mansion. endure year, you remember."

Snape stiffened. So the man he was about to verbalize to had been involved in the onslaught on Natalie 's living. There had been a with child stack of unpleasantness that Night. Natalie had been loth to talk about it at distance but-

"doe that change things ?"Moody broke Snape 's sentiment, his voice total of glum insinuation.

"Why would it ?"Snape forced himself to reply.

"I can still get the thumbscrews."

"Perhaps later."

Moody came to a stop before a door identical from the hundred of early doors.

"His name 's Shepherd Kilkenny."Helen Wills Moody put his hand on the room access."Used to be a cursebreaker for Gringots."Helen Wills tapped his scepter on the threshold and Snape heard a bolt shaft back. The old auror pushed the door open and allowed Snape inside. The cell within was bare. Bed. Chair. Sanitary quickness. Snape had made sure the prison cell were as stark as possible to encourage the prisoners to break. Sometimes they would talk just out of tedium. As Snape entered the stooped figure sitting at the understructure of the bed straightened.

"Hello Mr Kilkenny."Snape sat down on the hard-backed chair."I have been informed that you have something to severalise me."

"Yeah,"The man reached up and scratched behind his ear."But I got some demands."

"Do you think you are in a military position to demand ?"Snape was shocked to feel his part was still steady.

"I 've got information. poppycock you need to know. But I 've heard a lot of 'might'and 'maybe'and 'If your data pans out'."The prisoner hunched."I want some guarantees."

Snape met sheepman eyes and gently pushed. A barrier of Occlumency met him. Of course it would be there. There would throw been no point in this totally recitation if it had n't. Snape took a instant to consider his response. He could offer whatever he wanted, but it would not do to seem to offer too very much. There was a marginal chance that this man was not a fool.

"So long as your information is true you may have some concessions."Snape replied steadily."A better timbre of maintenance. playscript. Perhaps a window. Everything after that is depended on how utilitarian I consider the information you give me is. So I suggest you begin taking gradation to convince me."

"I want to get out of here."The man sneered."I want twelvemonth off."

"As the Wizengamot no doubt informed you at your visitation you have been sentenced to forty geezerhood here. I understand the charges were versatile. Using the nighttime arts, breaking and entering, attempted murder-"Snape found his throat going hard at the in conclusion tidings and slammed his emotions down behind a wall of vanity."And that is in addition to your master sentence for fraud that you never completed."

"springiness me something !"

"spring me a reason to give you something."

"I ..."Kilkenny opened his sassing to yell something but snapped it shut, bringing himself into hindrance."I 'm not Thomas Young. I may not live forty years."

"Then it is in your best interest group to talk, and talk soon."Snape leant forward."I am loosing patience."

"I ... I 'll talk."The captive hung his head."I do n't really experience a choice do I ?"

"No."

"Well ..."The man rubbed his arm."You know I worked for Gringots ?"

"I was aware."

"You know that I never really worked above the instrument panel. Not just skimming off the top, selling secrets too. People 'll pay a lot of money to know that Mr dirty dog has almost emptied his explanation or that some other guy makes regular defrayal to someone. Businessmen and the like you know ? Checking up on their competition. Investors ..."

"I can see how that information could be useful to some."Snape indicated very clearly with his flexion that he was not one of those some.

"right wing, right."Kilkenny nodded."But see when the dark lord found out what I did he got all excited. Well ... not excited exactly. He does n't really get arouse but he does this thing where his eyes flashbulb and he hisses a bit. Sometimes his nostrils flair-"

"Mr Kilkenny-"

"Right, right ... anyway. He told me to get in touch with some of the citizenry who still worked at Gringots. hoi polloi in the Lapp short letter of piece of work as me."

"Go on."Snape was very measured not to let his interest group show.

"He got me to match on some things."

"Specifically."

"The bodily process on sealed vaults."

"Specifically."

"wellspring first he wanted to gibe up on a vault. Get the records of who had accessed it and when."

"What vault ?"

"Sixty three. mysterious one."

"Who owns it ?"

"Do n't know."

"What did the record say ?"

"Do n't eff. Did n't read em."

"You did n't read them ?"Snape raised his eyebrows."An enterprising man like yourself ? Always looking for an advantage ? Are you trying to tell me you did not even coup d'oeil at the records before you handed them over ?"

"expression I had the nighttime bloody lord watching my every move !"Kilkenny shuddered."There 's enterprising and then there 's just stupid !"

Snape watched the prisoners eyes as he spoke. He could not read his mind but still ... Snape had not survived everything he had gone through by being drug-addicted on any one skill. Even without legillimancy he could be reasonably sure-footed as to whether a man was telling the truth. On the early hand, this man had deceived the goblins for years. He would never take in survived if he was a bad lier.

"You said you contacted people still at Gringots. What were their name ?"

"fountainhead there was only one really ..."Kilkenny scratched his chief."Blake Bees, he 's in the investment funds department."

"And he will corroborate your storey ?"

"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 know where."

"Would he know who owned vault 60 three ?"

"Well ... yeah. He 'd accept to to get the files."

"Very well."Snape stood."I will consider this."He turned towards the door.

"waiting !"Kilkenny called out after him."Do n't you want to know about the other affair he asked."

"Other matter ?"Snape asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, he asked me to ensure up on another vault."Kilkenny said desperately, trying to immediate payment in on every scrap of noesis."I know who owned this one. Blake told me because he thought it was weird."

"How so ?"

"It was the Lestrange vault."Kilkenny spread his hands."The Lestranges worked for him. If he 'd want something out of it he could own just got them to go in and get it."

"What did he wish to know ?"

"Just who had accessed it. When I told him that no-one, not even a goblin, had been in it since the Lestranges went to prison years ago he seemed ... relieved. wellspring 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 room access. Helen Wills Moody opened it and Snape stepped through. As Snape put his hand on the door to swing it closed the prisoner called out shrilly.

"Please help me out of here !"He wrung his hands."I 've done bad affair but I 'm not a bad somebody ! 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 hapless shout were shut off suddenly. Snape and Moody were left alone in the dark. It was a long time before Snape spoke.

"Get him some books."Snape fought bile rising in his gut."And better food."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said."Snape spun and broom off down the corridor towards the stairs. He had a great deal to think about. With his intellect occupied his fingers twitched towards the square patch of cicatrice 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 sort of in a shock for a few days, just wandering around muttering 'so say we all'and humming all along the watchtower. Should be OK by posting time though.

Update : Posting sentence. Yep ! Fine.


I do n't own Harry ceramicist. On a totally different note I have some books about Parry Hotter ...



Snape tapped his fingers on the unvoiced oak surface of his desk. There was something in what Kilkenny had told him, something important. But his mind could not get a grip on it. He could see that there was something there, he could see the shape of it in the wickedness but it was like he was missing something.

Should he have given the prisoner what he wanted ?

It did not matter now. Snape shook his head. What he needed to believe about now was how to act on the information he had been given. He needed to sort out through the darkness and encounter the trueness. Snape 's eye flickered to a locked pectus in the corner of his office. Within was locked Dumbledore 's pensive, the old man 's endowment to him. Snape did n't have intercourse why, it had been empty when he received it, and the two of them had not been on the salutary of condition when the old sensation 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 latches unfastened. He levitated the sullen bowl over to stomach on his desk and stepped back. He was about to lift his wand to his synagogue when a thought faded into his mind like a ghost.

It was an ikon, some imagined thing. Dumbledore sitting in his office in the dark, the only light the faint silver glow of memories. Alone.

Snape lowered his wand.

"Was this part of the reason ?"Snape murmured."You took no council but your own. Your own memory to lead you. Living in the past."

Another image faded into his intellect. Dumbledore leaning over the silver surface gazing into a aspect in the mirror surface. A girls typeface, with the same deep eyes as the old man's.

"I suppose it would be more difficult to let go of guilt ..."Snape conceded."When the memory is so close. He could walk with his Sister every day. He should not have ... but he could have."

But even as he said it Snape realized that that would not be the memory Dumbledore would live over. It would be the moment of her Death. Not knowing who had really fired the spell that killed her ... He would take in relived it again and again, trying to notice out. Living in guilt. Or wallowing in it.

Pathetic.

Snape could n't lay off himself from thinking it. Even now he could retrieve only token sympathy for the old fool. But the one thing he knew with an branding iron foregone conclusion was that he could never let himself become like him. He had to take council other than his own. Reliving the encounter would tell him nothing he did not already know, allowing someone else to see it might.

His thought process instantly turned to Natalie, but he had already sent her on assignment. Analysing a recent attack internet site. He could address her back but ... Who else ? Minerva was an obvious choice, but her mind worked too similarly to his own. She would have no insight he himself had not already had. A. A. Michelson ? No. As practically as Snape had come to trust the man for his fighting talent nuance was not his strong courting. So perhaps ... well he had promised to keep him updated.

Snape summoned his patronus and whispered a content too it before allowing it to blow off through a wall. He did not have to wait long, after just a minute or so there was a bang on the door.

"Come in Harry."The door swung open and the pupil stepped inside. He appeared to have just run a marathon."You have been training ?"

"How did you opine ?"Harry walked over to the desk. Snape deliberately did not mention how often the boy was limping."What did you name me for ? The message was kind of cryptic."

"Here."Snape drew his baton to his temple."It will be simpler if you see for yourself."He drew the storage out of his head and let it fall softly into the pensive."Do you know what this is ?"

"A memory."Harry shifted around so that he could look down into it. He tilt forward, then hesitated."Do you want to go first ?"

"I will not be coming. I do not like to bias your interpretation."Snape motioned Harry to proceed. The boy nodded and dipped his head into the roll. His body went slack water and Snape knew that at that moment Harry was seeing dark stairs.

He waited respective minutes, tapping his desk in impatience before Harry lifted his case from the silver liquid.

"When did this happen ?"Was the first thing the boy said.

"Just now."Snape scooped up the memory and fed it back into his mind. He wanted the noesis fresh."I would like to take heed your interpretation."

"Why ?"Harry crooked an eyebrow.

"Because it may be different from mine."

"But why me ?"

"Just tell me what you saw Pott-"Snape bit off the end of that sentence and licked his back talk. He tried again."I have been thinking intemperate on these events, very hard, and I have ... met, shall we say ... cognitive stop. I need refreshful eyes. Yours have usually been good."

"The legerdemain eye did n't act in the memory."

"That is not what I meant."Snape heard iritation re-enter his voice.

"Right, right ..."Harry carefully dropped back into a death chair, once again sparing his injured leg."Well ... clearly Voldemort was after two separate things ... It sounded like the first affair was ... was something he wanted to get. The thing in vault sixty-three. It belonged to someone else and he was looking for it, or wanted to see, or something."

Snape was about to nod, but thought better of it. Better to get an unbiased view even though Harry 's view mirrored his own.

"So that was something he wanted to get. The other thing ..."Harry scratched his head."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 hand person.

"I remember ..."Harry 's brow creased."I remember terminal year ... right field at the start. The edict meeting I listened in on. Did n't you say the dark lord had you experimenting with polyjuice potion so it would wreak with non-humans ? Could the goblins have been the target ?"

Snape schooled his facial expression with an drive of will. He had not made that connection.

"And that was about the time Barty Crouch vanished into thin air."Harry put forward."And his speciality is sneaking, disguises ... Am I making any sentience ?"

"So what you are saying."Snape said slowly."Is that the nighttime overlord guessed, or knew, the location of an point, questioned a one-time cursebreaker to be sure and sent his effective spy in to acquire it. Is that what you are saying ?"

"Yes ?"Harry said hesitantly."But delay ... that does n't make any sense. Barty Crouch was missing for about a class. If he tried to check in would n't he either manage it quickly or fail quickly ? Not hang around for months."

"It would depend."Snape said thoughtfully."If he wished to steal the item without anyone realising it was gone. Then that would require homework ... research ... It might well take time."

"He would have to get close."Harry nodded."Probably get himself hired on to the Gringots staff. He certainly has the skills to be a cursebreaker."

"The goblins check their employees for disguises."

"They check for magic disguises."Harry smiled."What are the two about salient feature of Crouch ? That everyone remembers ? His blonde hair's-breadth and the fact that he looks very youthful for his age. If he dyed his hair and grew a whiskers he could probably go unnoticed without any wizardly service whatsoever."

"Such a soul would be memorable."Snape could feel the musical composition clicking into piazza in his head."I wonder if William Weasley recalls such an individual."

"Who ?"

"Bill Weasley."

"Ah !"

"If we could rule what Crouch took we might be able to gauge 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 William Blake Bees, the informant in Gringots. The one in hiding."Harry tapped his temple knowingly."If he was in the stage business soul at the tarot may know how to get in impinging with him. He can tell us who 's burial vault it was, and maybe more."

"Take backup."The watchword dropped from Snape 's mouth before his nous had even formulated them."Do not go to that lieu alone."

"For god 's sake !"Harry threw his work force up."I keep telling people this, the tarot card is n't dangerous. The people there might coldly social club a hit on you but they 're not going to boom a bottle against the table and do the job themselves."

"Even so."Snape raised a hand to stop Harry from commenting further."As we have seen today, four oculus see more than two."

"Not more than my eyes-"

"Take someone Harry."Snape allowed the tone of voice of program line to move into his spokesperson."A predator or an order penis, I do not care. But you will take someone."

Harry 's eye twitched and he opened his rima oris as if to remark again, then shut it suddenly. He nodded.

"Fine. Understood."Harry made a mocking bow."I hear and obey oh glorious leader."

"One other minor matter."Snape drew his scepter."If something goes incorrectly you will need a way out."

"I keep telling you-"

"Not just now Harry, in former state of affairs as well."Snape raised his wand to Harry 's brass."Hold quite still."

"Is this going to wound ?"Harry asked quickly.

"I have no idea."Snape smiled, and cast the spell.
*


"Harry you are well aware that this is not what Snape meant."Pythea raised an supercilium as Harry pointed to a large pub with a star on it 's sign."He told you to take backup."

"He told me he did n't care who."Harry pointed out.

"Harry I ca n't fight."

"I do n't need you to."Harry led the seer towards the room access."This place is as good as Hogwarts. Safer probably. The people who drink here are sticklers for propriety though. I needed someone who would n't make believe a tantrum, someone who could do nicety. Do any of the predator fit that Federal Reserve note as well as you ? Draco maybe, but it was wax synodic month go night."

"Padma, Hermione, Ginerva ..."

"Ginny 's grown less predictable."Harry shook his head."Padma 's an international potential but really it had to be you. This solid thing is about gathering information and who better to help than a seer. I need you to watch people 's eyes."

"I ca n't read psyche any more Harry."

"And yet you still live what hoi polloi are thinking half the time."Harry reached the door and stopped, his hired man raised."Please Thea, come in with me."

"Harry ..."Pythea took a deep breath."Fine."

Harry smiled and pushed the door undetermined. Within the shoes looked like any former pub in a coastal Town. There was a holla fervor in the grating and scenes on the walls of fish and Pisces the Fishes related activities. The low mussitation of conversation filled the air but no-one looked up as he entered. They had their own upkeep mainly. Harry led the was confidently to the bar.

purchase order whatever you want.

Harry flashed into Pythea 's creative thinker before turning to the bartender and ordering his own drink. After Harry had handed over his money he led them to a tabular array near the fire and slid a coaster under the prophesier 's wine.

"Drinks are content here."Harry explained."If it 's on a coaster, that means the only message is that you were thirsty."

"I see."Pythea replied, taking a sip of swallow and carefully placing the glassful back on the mat."And what does yours think ?"

"Well, it 's gilt and expensive ..."Harry pored the whiskey into his class."What do you think ?"

"Was it necessary to buy such an expensive bottle ?"

"It never hurts here to present you have money."

"And why Irish ?"

"fountainhead,"Harry grinned."Got to stand my homeland do n't I ?"

"So what do we do now ?"Pythea glanced around, still speaking quietly."Simply look for someone to notice ?"

"That 's now it works."Harry shrugged. He raised his shabu to his backtalk but did not drink any. It would definitely not do to fall behind focus here. He tried not to even breath in any of the fume."Besides, it 's a nice place to expend the afternoon."Harry gestured out the window at the coast below. The wintertime tip were whipping the waves to efflorescence before crashing them against the beach. Out further a few boats were still seeable, bobbing up and down.

"I suppose it is not so bad."Pythea smiled."This place is quite pleasant. I did not have a bun in the oven it to be so ..."

"Homely ?"

"Peaceful."Pythea glanced around."That man has absinthe. What does that mean ?"

"Ca n't remember ..."Harry scratched his head."It either means he 's selling heroin or buying human organs. Ca n't retrieve which."

"And you say this situation is safety ?"Pythea quirked an eyebrow.

"I said good. I did n't say nice."

Pythea shook her head and chuckled, then grew placid as a man approached their table.

Time to go to work.

Harry smiled.
*


"This is the man we are looking for."Snape slid a picture of Crouch over the board towards the ginger haired youth man at the former end.

"He does n't await like anyone I know."measure Weasley shook his chief tiredly."Look I know what Barty scrunch feel like, all the order do. If I had seen him I would have-"

"He would have concealed his identity."Snape waved his hired hand over the photo and the case grew a dead beard."Or this ?"The photo 's hair went black."spirit at the heart. They will not have changed."

"tone if I had seen him I would kn-"Bill froze suddenly."Can you make him bald ? Keep the beard."

Snape made the changes.

"And dark-brown beard. work it bushier."Bill leant over the pic."I ... I do remember him."

"Do you."Snape kept his voice calm as the pieces fell together."When ?"

"Only a few metre ... He was working in a unlike department."

"Working on what ?"

"I do n't know."pecker rubbed his frontal bone."They do n't tell us what other people are working on."

"How long was he there ?"

"I do n't sleep together. I have n't seen him recently."

"Who worked with him ?"

"I do n't know."

"discovery out."Snape ordered flatly.

"I can't."nib shook his head."The goblin are getting rid of humans left, right and centre. They 're looking for an excuse. And with mum and dad still in hospital I can't-"

"This could be very important."Snape snapped."Are you a phallus of the club or not ?"

"Yes but-"

"Then retrieve out where he worked, what he worked on and who he worked with."Snape leant forward."And find out who owned vault sixty three."

"I could get fired !"

"You could be killed."Snape replied coldly."The hobgoblin tend to be very direct about threats to their gold. So I suggest you find out carefully."
*


"Is this the piazza ?"Harry looked up at the dingy and broken flat building.

"This is the savoir-faire the man mentioned."Pythea glanced down at the bedding straw street. Her formulation was ... not impressed.

"Certainly something going on up there."Harry squinted up."The top story 's all fuzzy."Harry blinked a mates 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 heart."Could you step away please ?"

"What ?"

"Just consider a few steps away please Harry."Pythea was staring, close eyed, at the sky."Just combine me."

Harry stepped back, frowning. For a few minute the seer stood there, staring up at the sky. Then she nodded.

"There is person up there."

"Well that 's promising."Harry drew his wand."You apparate back to Hogwarts I 'll check it out."

"No."

"Damn."

"You must take known I was going to say that."

"I thought you were going to be a bit more abstract. Like'I 'll never abandon you .'or 'Damn you Harry you do n't possess to go it alone !'”

"I 'm sentiment the effect would be greater if I was less profound."

"Well, we should get on with it then."Harry stepped off the pavement towards the building."check behind me and admonish me if your mad one-sixth sense picks up anything. If the first five do as well. And if he attacks or something just shield and run."

"No."

"Damn."

Harry pushed the front threshold open. It creaked a little. The inside was even More decrepit and covered in graffito. Harry 's eye flickered up the construction. It was n't totally empty, one man sleeping on the secondly floor, two tike apparently home alone on the adjacent floor up, a cat ... Then the blankness of the top floor. Harry kept his eye trained on the top flooring as the two of them climbed up and up. As they reached the top floor Harry slowed to a crawl.

The door was already open.

"visionary senses seeing anything ?"

"No."Pythea was hanging back a few steps."Are yours ?"

"No ..."Harry paused and turned, smiling."This is a fun first gear date is n't it ?"

"Harry this is hardly the time !"

"Fine."Harry shrugged and turned back."Back to seriousness."Harry silenced the door and disillusioned both himself and Pythea. In the gentle visible light of his eye he saw the trivial seer motion picture out the marauder glasses. He pushed the door open up and edged into the dingy petty flat. The split second he got through the door his eye shut down, plunging him into uncomfortable iniquity. After over a class 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 spinal column of his neck."God I hope it 's you doing that."

Harry glanced into a dark and empty closet before sliding forward. parentage. Harry sniffed again, definitely rake. Harry put his deal against the doorway to the bedroom and pushed it open slowly. A body lay sprawled on the floor, stock seeping into the carpet, neck opening slashed ear to ear. Blake Bees, the Gringots witnesser. They were too later. Harry aimed his wand and whispered a charm. A tiny red lambency was visible for a moment above the dead man. Still warm.

A tiny tap came on the binding of Harry 's neck and a barely find out voice said ...

"Remember, I saw life up here."

Harry gritted his dentition. He had remembered. Harry felt blind without his eye. Lacking in deepness perception certainly. Life up here did n't necessarily mean the murderer was still here. It could have just been the dupe slowly and excruciatingly bleeding out.

"Thea leave now."

"Harry-"

"This clip I 'm se-"A rippling of air was the lone warning Harry got. He dropped to the floor as the knife flashed over his head teacher. In a splinter of a second he spun."Depulso !"Harry aimed the go behind him, a sharp screeching sounded and Pythea was thrown back through the exposed room access. A endorsement spell slammed the door shut but Harry was already rolling to his feet with his sceptre outstretched.

"Augmenta."The current 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 still killer whale was on him, forcing him to the floor with inhuman long suit. Harry was using all his strength to keep the blade from his throat, his former arm pinned, fingers curling around his wrist. He could n't hold on, the water made it too slippery. finisher and closer.

Harry let his leg flock and heard his opponent oink as the weight hit his weapon. Harry jabbed his head forward and hit something, he kicked out and snapped the legs out from under the still killer. A twanging thunk sounded redress succeeding to his head and Harry saw a knife appear from nowhere, dropped from numb finger's breadth. Harry was on it like a instant and stabbed forward. Red blood line fountained from invisible shape. The fingers around his arm tightened like a vice ... then finally released.

Before Harry 's eye the Lie Gou assassin flashed into view, falling to the floor. The spell attenuation as the spirit ebbed out of it 's castor. The door explosion open.

"Harry how dare y-"Pythea 's heart flashed to Harry, on the floor and covered in blood. Her eyes went wide.

"I 'm fine. 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 finger's breadth."He is."

"He was trying to defeat you."

"They always are."Harry slowly pushed himself to his feet and took a hint. rakehell filled his nose."We need the order here. They should go over the place ... maybe find something."Harry 's leg was buckling under him and his eye plaster bandage around for him walking joystick. It was lying right in the middle of the pool of blood. He let it be.

"Harry ... you 're not aright."A normal soul would have said 'are you aright', but they would take in been foolish to do it.

"I 'll be fine, later. It 's just ... this is one of those times I 'd rather be Jack."Harry laughed humourlessly and limped over to the door.
*


An hour later and Harry was sitting on the cold steps in a courtyard at Hogwarts. Back at the unconditional a law barrier had been set up and aurors dressed as coppers were trying to keep people out. Inside Sir Thomas More aurors would be peering around and poking affair. Harry had left, he had wanted to abide 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 have brought the seer."Snape 's articulation did not catch Harry by surprise. Neither did his Good Book or the rump tone.

"I know. It was a mistake."Harry nodded, not looking as the professor approached."I could have got her killed."

"I told you to get competent backup."

"And you were right."Harry 's articulation was deadened."Can we delight move on."

"As you wish."Snape conjured a death chair and sat down opposite Harry. He looked wear upon. Harry was indisputable he himself looked worse.

"They find anything up there ?"

"No, and at this full point I do not expect they will."Only someone who knew Snape would have detected the foiling in his voice."There were signs that certain written document had been burnt just before you arrived here, whether by the victim or his killer whale it matters small. There is nothing here."

"Tell me your investigating turned up something."Harry glanced up at Snape, not daring to desire. Snape shook his head.

"Damnit ...."Harry dropped his head to his hands."Dead end then. Unless we ask the hob directly. Or we could get Kingsley to ask them-"

"No."Snape shook his headway."I believe our best promise is to give up William Weasley to acquire the documents we need. If we petition the goblins directly at the Lapp clip they will certainly turn suspicious."

"So we do what ? hold and hope that Bill succeeds ?"Harry snorted."What do we do in the mean time ? Just sit on our hands ?"

"I have many matter to do."Snape said dryly."As for you ... I suggest you try to have a Merry Christmas."

"Ha !"Harry laughed mirthlessly."That 's not going to happen-"Harry 's words were cut off as a crossbow dash thudded into his back.
*


For some ground the premature chapter got chopped off weirdly. There was meant to be a unhurt nother tantrum but somehow it just dropped off the human 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 startle of this chapter just as easily. Just letting you know I did n't mean to hand you another cliffhanger.



Harry spun like a top and fired madly at the whiten figure on the cap. It ducked like a ghostwriter but Harry could still see him dashing away. Ignoring Snape 's cries Harry shot a hook at the tiles and was jerked off his feet, clattering onto the roofing tile. His leg screamed in botheration as Harry scrambled to the peak of the roof. The Patrick Victor Martindale White figure was far away, Harry knew he would n't be able to trance him. Harry stabbed his wand forward and fired a swearword. The physique shielded easily without even stopping. Harry spun his wand like and felt the tile beneath his jump. He tried to appease on top of them as they hovered and reel forwards. He shut his eye and used only the charming one, his genuine eye could n't stick with fast enough. The physical body was already too far away, too fast. Harry yelled,

"Tempesto !"The wind smashed into his side and threw him through the air, barely in control, before thudding to the locoweed and rolling. Everything distress. Harry rolled to his feet and stumbled towards the forest. He could see the figure belting through the trees. Harry dashed towards the saturnine fo-

peril !

Harry 's eye caught a glance too late. Harry skidded on the leaves as four pointer flashed above his fountainhead. He scrambled backwards back onto the grass and stopped, wand outstretched and breathing heavily.

Through the dark trees, in the frigidness light of his eye, Harry could see his bravo standing out of view. Dotted all around were Centaurus, each one with a arrow notched to his bow. They were just waiting for him to intersect the line back into the wood. Harry glanced at one of the arrows embedded in the priming coat, they wanted to kill him. The centaurs would n't pass the line, apparently the strange, white clad assassin had no such compunction.

Harry stood up and watched as the Centaurus and their strange 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 face 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 await me to be surprised by the fact that you 're alive."Snape crossed his arms.

"Spoilsport."Harry tugged the bolt out. It 's point was crushed and blunted."It 's the coat. It 's got enough charms to stop a tank."

"Give me the arrow."

"Bolt."

"Cease this Harry."

"Fine."Harry rolled his middle and tossed the arrow to his teacher."Who do you cogitate 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 Joseph Wood. There was naught to be seen now, not a thing was moving."Do you think they hired somebody to kill me ?"

"Why would they wish to do that ?"Snape 's oculus narrowed.

"I ... finish time I met Centaurus they said I was an abomination."Harry said hesitantly."They said they 'd kill me if I ever went into the forest again."

"And you ..."

"Went into the afforest again."

"I am not remotely surprised."

"But why would they wait this long to try something ?"Harry scratched his head."Does n't add up."

"The ministry has mean value of contacting the centaur elders."Snape said quietly, staring into the dark forest."I will try to make contact."

"Carefully."

"Yes, carefully."

"Definitely."
*


"Have a good christmas Harry. Keep training."Ginny half smiled, faintly at Harry before turning and trudging away from the Hogwarts gates through the snow. Hunched over with her hand in her pockets, the smile would n't have got fooled most mass so it certainly did n't fool Harry.. He thought about calling after her but instead shook his psyche and turned to Ron and the twins, who had come to cull the school age Weasleys up.

"Try to take in 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 Gemini knew what he meant, they had created the appealingness. It was like the shadow marks just a footling LE ... perminant. Every piranha had one and they could bring in 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 allow for and Harry trudged back towards the castle. Dragon was standing in the threshold, leaning against a column. His face was hoary and lined, obviously close Nox 's moon had n't been sort to him. Harry was n't in a mode to be sympathetic.

"You could at least show here some human sympathy."Harry said flatly.

"And what would that do ?"Draco growled."It would just give her Hope for something that ca n't ever happen."

"Why the the pits not ?"

"Shut up ceramicist. You do n't understand."

"Oh god that again."

"You ca n't ever understand !"Draco shoved Harry away roughly.

"I understand that you 're giving the cold shoulder to a girl who 's parents are still being fed on drips."Harry said harshly. He 'd tried everything else, maybe bluntness would get through Dragon 's thick skull.

"I do n't want to anguish her."

"You are hurting her !"Harry pointed away at the removed image, trudging through the snow a distance away from her brothers.

"I 'm a werewolf."genus Draco muttered."I ca n't do ... I ca n't have a girlfriend."

"lupine apparently thinks differently."

"fountainhead that 's bloody lupine 's selection is n't it !"Dragon spun and fixed Harry with an tempestuous glare."Just shut up about things you do n't empathise Potter."

"I understand enough to know that the werewolf matter is just an excuse."Harry spat back. Dragon 's middle flashed wide, the words biting late. Harry pressed on."So what you 're effectively doing Draco, making Ginny miserable for no respectable reason and then claiming it 's because you 're being imposing. Like you 're taking the high ground when really all you 're doing is-"

"Shut up."genus Draco 's wand was in his hand somehow."Just keep out up Harry. Shut up."

"Fine."Harry held his deal up."Whatever. I can see I 'm not going to get a straight answer out of the wind lump of conflicting reasoning, self hatred and fictive sacrifice shaped by the twin strength of teenage hauteur and lustfulness you call your mentality. Come on, we 've got a minuscule project for this vacation season. It 'll be fun."

"Oh really ? And what is this undertaking ?"Draco asked sharply.

"simple, the ring."Harry patted his bag."I do n't buy that capital of Arizona flame is the sole way to destroy the affair. Got to be something else that can do the job, we 're going to discover it."

"So essentially ..."Draco narrowed his eyes."You want to enquiry the most in-sainly destructive spells known to wizard-kind."

"Yes."Harry smiled."Told you it 'd be fun."
*


In the end they only found two matter that could equalise the power of phoenix flame, and neither of them were pleasant. One of them at least seemed easy to aquire, at to the lowest degree at first ...

"What do you mean 'You burnt it'?"Harry asked shrilly.

"Burnt it years ago."Markus Michelson shrugged."The day after you killed it. Went back down into the chamber of secrets and torched the affair. naught left but ashes and I scattered them pretty widely."

"You ... you torched the bassilisk ..."Harry sighed."You did n't happen to hold a tooth as ... as like a token or something ?"

"The dentition and the spitefulness are the most life-threatening part, hale cause I got rid of the thing."Albert Abraham Michelson 's eyebrow furrowed."Why ?"

Harry told him. Michelson cursed and punched the wall.

"So ..."Harry said, after leaving the defense reaction professor 's office."That leaves the other option."

"I do not want to use the other option."Draco remarked darkly.

"You know the incantation."

"It 's not a matter of knowing."genus Draco shook his forefront."This is fiendfyre we 're talking about. It grows out of control, it can take it 's castor and everything around him."

"Hence why we need to go somewhere we 're there 's cipher to consume."Harry said simply."I know fiendfyre 's dangerous but if we go somewhere deserted we ca n't hurt anyone."

"Except ourselves."

"True, but you 're suicidal on score of being a wolfman and I 'm screwball enough not to manage. What have we got to lose ?"

"commodity point."genus Draco cracked a wry smile."Do you have a place that will be deserted enough ?"

"I have just the place in mind."Harry nodded."We 'll get Morfin to take us there. Do n't want to put Pythea in danger again."

"Does Morfin know the berth well enough to apparate to it ?"

"Oh yes ..."Harry grinned again, this prison term less pleasantly."He lived there almost of his life."
*


The Wave crashed harshly against the cliffs of Azkaban island, sending up canvass of spraying. The wind instrument was bitingly frigidness, whistling through the downfall of the prison with terrifying velocity. Harry stood with his cheek into the wind and breathed in the majesty of it, better able to appreciate the magnate of nature when the charms worked into his coat kept him pleasantly warm.

"Where shall we do this ?"Draco had to upraise his voice against the wind. Harry had cast warming good luck charm on both him and Morfin but they still had to contend with the sheer force 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 nominate sure none of Smokey 's champion come near here OK ? Would n't want them getting hurt."

"Smokey 's friends ?"genus Draco asked.

"Invisible, magical, 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 : inconspicuous. B : Solely indigenous to an island at the arse end of nowhere and C : Fed mostly on captive the dementors had already killed. Though I suppose they probably eat seagulls now."Harry came to a blockage in the middle of the court and reached back into his bag. He took out the package the halo was in and put it on the earth without bothering to unwrap it. No cry touching it Sir Thomas More than was necessary.

"Do you have the backup plan ?"A mite of nervousness had entered genus Draco 's part. Harry did n't answer but instead drew two broomsticks out of his bag. He handed one to Morfin and the got on the former himself. Each of them grabbed one of Draco 's shoulder's.

"Why am I trusting my safety device to your flying ability."Dragon shuddered.

"I may not be a great aeronaut Draco but I can go square up."Harry rolled his center."Quit stalling and torch the thing already. If this does n't work we 'll try dropping it in a volcano."

"Do n't hurry me Harry."genus Draco grated."You 're not the one channelling hellish flaming through your fingernails."

"I did pop the question to-"

"Do n't even say it."genus Draco broke in."You 're not ... focussed enough to keep this powerfulness in check."

"I do make love Legilimancy."Harry said indignantly."And occlumency. And I can juggle knives, do n't say me that does n't need focus."

"Get on with it ..."Morfin hissed darkly, his eyes flickering back and Forth River. Being back on the island was perhaps effecting him a bit more than he was letting on.

"Aright ..."Draco gritted his teeth and raised his weapons system. He closed his eyes and began to tone, a red glow rising from his hands. The air was growing warmer, sparking with energy. Harry gripped his Quaker 's arm harder. His eye was picking up unusual shadows out of the air, things with foreign, sharp, silhouettes. Spinning like a a whirlpool, settling into Draco 's hands, draining in. Each metre 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 open and the courtyard filled with blood red flame. Both of Harry 's oculus were blinded by the sudden explosion of light and magic, he tried to shield his eyes but it was n't any good.

"Draco ! You 'll accept to secernate me if it goes out of control I ca n't see !"Harry could see the outline of the stream of Energy flowing out of his protagonist 's manpower. It shifted and moved and seemed to be trying to break relieve. For a moment the fender of an bird of Jove formed out of the flame, Draco seemed to tense and the wing vanished. A horses point exploded out a moment later and Dragon again squashed it down.

"Draco ..."

"I 've got it."The horses read/write head reared up again, it 's eyes wide, and tried to leap at the three wiz. Draco yelled in pain 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 verge out and blew the bally creation 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 small faster. Something with claw 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. Fragments of the brute peppered him with sunburn and he yelled in pain. The broom shot up and the air slowly grew colder. Harry 's arm ached and he looked over to see genus Draco hanging between him and Morfin.

"You aright mate ?"Harry tried to yell but his dustup were carried away by the hollo flame. Red droplets of fiendfyre were still dripping from the werewolves fingerbreadth, but they were petering out. Slowly. Harry heaved upwards and ( minus a hideous wobble when the heather tried to go it 's own way ) dragged Malfoy up onto his broom. Harry waved Morfin back and hovered away himself, keeping a Death bag on the hold of the broomstick.

As they got further away Harry could truly see the devastation the fire was reaping. Black sway was giving way to flame out from the courtyard. The roaring maelstrom of tool was pooling out like some sort of flaming mould.

Harry cursed, it would be easily visible from the mainland. That could stimulate unhelpful motion. Harry drew his baton and cerebration for a moment ... there was no way he could vanish the island, or give an phantasy to cut through it, which meant going for something more basic.

"Nebulosus."Harry dipped his wand down and allowed a duncish mist to drain out. He felt the heather move underneath him and panicked for a moment before realising that Draco was doing it, moving him into a just position.

Harry slowly built up a paries of mist between the island and the mainland. When he was finished the fire was still burning secure and stretching out to cut across a good quarter of the prison isle. They had to wait over an hour, hovering in the Atlantic breaking wind before the last of it died out. Harry let Draco take the heather down slowly and slipped off.

"Ow ! Ow ! Argh !"Harry shot back into the air and grabbed back onto the broom. Wincing as his feet slowly cooled from burning to blistering.

"Harry you 're an idiot."

"Shut up."Harry muttered a cooling spell at the floor and stepped back down. The heating had been rendered bearable. But only just. With haunt charms to cool his track Harry made his way to the charred wrecking of the court and peered at the level. His scepter made rustling of tip to brush away the radiance ember and Harry saw a small glint of light. The stone of the anchor ring had been burnt away but the gold had simply melted, covering the I. F. Stone with a halcyon sheen. Harry bent down and hesitantly laid his hand on the shining metal.

"Anybody in there ?"

Harry projected the thought down. He waited a few moments but nil came back. Harry shrugged and pointed his baton at the paving material. With a grating groan the Edward Durell Stone came unloose. Harry levitated it into his bag.

"You 're taking it with us ?"Draco called out incredulously from his perch high above.

"I want to draw sure."Harry shrugged."Snape can-"But he was cut off as a flash of light lit up the night sky and a body fell from the air with a thud. Morfin sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Harry rushed over to him but even before he did there was another flash and Draco tumbled out of the sky like a perfectly bird.

Harry 's wand was already in his hired hand, his eye scanning helplessly for an enemy, a clew, ANYTHING ! But there was naught, for all he could see they were alone. The only if phone was the behind 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. He just had time to see Sasori 's mocking center before the darkness closed in.
*


"You brought him in alive ?"

Harry was intimate enough with unconsciousness to get laid how it usually went.

"I thought it was prudent. They were doing something rather strange."

first-class honours degree you could only hear the voices.

"And what was that pray ?"

It was respectable to load this character out as long as possible. You were still mostly knocked out so masses generally did n't notice you were listening.

"They went there to destroy something. The Malfoy boy called fiendfyre but was unable to control it."

"Foolish fry. Playing with dangerous toys."

Ah. Now that voice Harry recognised. They took me to Voldemort. Harry 's gut clenched and he slipped into full consciousness. He was lying on a stale stone floor, but smooth. Maybe marble ? No, not that smooth. Harry realized that with his optic shut he was completely blind. There was also a nauseating abandon feeling in his eye socket. Harry cursed silently. His magic eye was gone. Harry could finger some variety of bond around his radiocarpal joint. He could n't find a knot, or a lock. Maybe if he-

"Mr potter I know you are awake."The voice of Voldemort cut through the dark."We 've been through this many times before do not conceive you can delude me."Harry snorted and flicked his lid open.

"Just like old time eh Tommy ?"Harry levered himself up onto his knees. Voldemort was standing just a few steps away, looking faintly amused. His hide was perhaps a touch easy than before, even a footling pinker. He even almost had a nose. He looked ... humaner. He also had a glaring scrape across his pharynx, 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 testing ground ? That was what it looked like. Some sort of mad scientist 's den. All around were tables of bottles and arcane, weird particular. The tabular array behind Voldemort looked like it had been cleared in a hastiness and in the empty space ... Harry 's own eye stared back at him, rocking listlessly. The golden flagstone was there too, and a few other interesting ( illegal ) detail. Harry hissed as he breathed in. His bag was supposed to only unblock those detail to him. Clearly that barrier had not been a barrier 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 tabular array and almost gasped. Back near the paries there was an arch of pitch-black metallic element, midst around as a person and pulling the dark in towards it. Hanging from the dark gateway ... a fluttering pall. Harry found himself breathing heavily. That was the veil ... Or a caul. Not the Saame as the one in the department of mysteries, that one was made of stone. So what the hell on earth was-

"Your second is up Harry."

"Just hand me a little more time. demand to set the scene."Harry glanced behind him. Draco and Morfin were sprawled on the floor behind him. Harry could see their chests going up and down so he assumed they were still live. Behind them three Lie Gou were guarding the door. In a huddle together mass a group of suddenly men stood, still beside them. Their rotting flesh reaching Harry 's nostrils and making him gag. In the straw man of the mathematical group was a face Harry recognised. It was not a happy face, or a happy memory.

"Greyback."Harry turned back to Voldemort."I guess that explains why the werewolves are following you again. Did you have to stitch his top dog back on ?"

"Nothing so crude. But in lead ... yes."

Harry tried desperately to mean of some way out of this room. He had cypher. Why the Hades was there a humeral veil here ? He needed to get out. Harry could hear Draco stirring behind him. Or was it Morfin ? Damn it he wanted his eye back ! How did people manage to only see in one direction ?

"So ..."Harry looked Voldemort in the eye."Do we do our regular dance ? You torture me for fun, I insult you, you get angry, I escape-"

"Sadly not."Voldemort stepped forward."I really should thank you Harry. Battling with you across these geezerhood, and especially endure 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 sinewy I am, whatever knowledge I gain ... all it takes is a boy with a tongue and a lucky strike ... and I am as weak as a newborn baby baby again. It is so very unfair."

"liveliness '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 aliveness and actualize a big many of my decisions were foolish. I have learnt. And for that I thank you. I am not foolish any more."

Yeah right. Harry tried not to ramble his eye. If you 're not dopy anymore why are n't I dead ? Harry chuckled to himself then froze. hold, Voldemort did n't sound wrong. He sounded almost sincere. What if he had got smarter ? Harry licked his sassing. Why was he alive 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 board with the golden flagstone on it. There was no way that Voldemort could recognise the doughnut from a payload of gold. Could he ? And anyway the ring was just a trap ? Was n't it ?

Harry began getting very very nervous.

"So ..."Harry glanced at Sasori, trying to buy time."longsighted time no see. How have you been ?"

"Richer."Sasori 's eyebrow twitched up.

"You and your masses have been keeping quiet."Harry tried to twist his custody out of his bonds.

"We do what our client asks of us."Sasori 's accented articulation had traces 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 table of contents plainly visible. Dull grey disk, pencil lead. century of them. Why the inferno would anyone want coins made of lea-

Oh Hell no ! Harry took an involuntary mysterious breath, then ...

"That son of a bitch !"Harry bicker. wrath filling his veins.

Voldemort followed his gaze but Harry was n't finished.

"Bastard, retard, fall guy, everything he did was worthless !"

"And by 'he'you of course refer to ..."

"Dumbledore !"Harry screamed, at that moment not caring that the person he was venting to was the obscure Creator."That imbecile told me he destroyed it ! Told me five year 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 brink of death ! That 's how you 've suddenly got all this gold ! After five old age you finally got it ! The bloody PHYLOSOPHER 'S I. F. Stone !"



If you do n't look back tinkerbell will die.

Just kidding. She wo n't die. But I was thinking though that that will write the moment the world becomes truly un-savable.

Tinkerbell drinks the poison, starts to fade, the doer playing peter Pan turns to the audience and tells them to acclaim if the believe in pouf and their is dead silence.

Or maybe just one clap petering out quickly as the clapper gets embarrassed. That will be the day humans dies.

Also ... on that day, the actor playing Peter Pan had better be blinking good at improvising. : )


Well, as you can see I 've bumped the tarradiddle up to a mature. I 've tried to keep it 15+ for as long as potential but I guess I ca n't head off it any more. Ah well, at lest my characters can bank properly now.

I do n't own Harry ceramicist. I will if I can convince JK Rowling to yield him to me though. I 've been working on this Hypnosis thing ...






The little lab was filled with deathly secretiveness for a here and now, then Voldemort uncurled his long finger and clapped. Once. Twice. trio times.

"Very well done Mr Potter."Voldemort cocked his head to one incline."There really were quite a few hint but well done nonetheless. But I believe your tumultuous disturbance had to a greater extent than one determination did it not ? You wished to disunite and conquer ? As you know the Lie Gou will not take magical gold you hoped to inspire our mutual friend Sasori,"Voldemort flicked a foresighted finger at the mercenary, who still had not moved."To attack me as you reveal that my informant of mean value to pay him has not been entirely routine ? Am I right ?"

"Something like that."Harry said, who had been thinking zero of the variety. It was a full programme though, especially since at the moment Harry could n't suppose of a better one.

"And a year ago it would no doubt make worked."Voldemort smiled."But I have been more careful since you killed me. I was entirely fair with Mr Sasori about my beginning of income, no dissembling whatsoever. They were more than happy to accept gold created with the phylosopher 's stone, were n't you my scorpion ?"

"More than happy."Nothing about Sasori moved except his mouth. Harry almost frowned. Why had the Lie Gou reversed what was basically their lonesome concentrated and fast linguistic rule ?

"So you see Harry."Voldemort turned back to his captive."You can not break my new servant from me. It is futile to try. Now ... on to the of import matters."Voldemort leant down close to Harry 's typeface, then hesitated and straightened again and stepped a pace away before continuing."I would like to ask you a question."

"Yes ?"Harry cold feel just the merest rough drawing 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 necessary to put down my ring."

Dammit.

"What ? So it was n't the beginning of all your power ?"Harry quipped desperately.

"It was not, no."Voldemort replied almost amicably."I assume you or one of your little friends tried to wear it ?"

"I wore it."Harry tried desperately to guess where the conversation was going."Saw a familiar face. You 've changed since your disco music twelvemonth. And now changed back a lilliputian ? ... looking a little pink around the gills Tom. What 's with that ?"

"One of the fantastic effects of the elixir of life."Voldemort held out a hand and examined it smiling."A much more pleasant mean of extending one 's like than glowering trick or unicorn blood. It tastes like mercury you know ..."

"Not like chicken ?"Harry 's eye noted a heavily calliper on the lab table side by side to him. Heavy enough to use as a club. That was if he could get his deal free. And if a baseball club was even the slightest use against a dark wizard. Beside the calliper was a black bladed scalpel. Too low to use as a weapon but it looked wizardly. Would it cut magical bonds ?

From under the table there came a mystifying sibilation. A second later the thick bod of Voldemort 's pet snake uncurled. Winding like a sinuous decoration between Harry and Voldemort.

"Ignore Nagini."Voldemort said without thinking."Tell me about my ring."

"What about it ?"Harry said desperately. He could probably reach out the scalpel with a distraction."We found it 's secret. We burnt it. End of story."

"You found it 's underground ?"Voldemort seemed to stabilize himself."It ... it had a secret ?"

"track,"Harry bluffed."It was the Lapp as the diary."William Tell me what the bloody secret is.

"Ah ...."Voldemort clicked his dentition."well I must clap you for working it out. Does Severus be intimate ?"

"Oh yes."Harry nodded happily."I 'm not keeping things secret from the order any-more. Guess we 've both learnt."

"I suppose we have."Voldemort seemed to be working hard to go along himself in check.

"Knows about the other affair too."Harry decided to deal a wild gamble."The one in the Lestrange vault."

"He ! ..."Voldemort 's eye 's flashed red and his work force bunched into fists. The dark lord hissed from between clenched teeth."I suppose I have dear old Slughorn to thank for all this."

Slughorn. Harry burnt the public figure into his encephalon, then tried to decide what reply would elicit More information.

"No actually."And would also sustain whoever Slughorn was alert 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 trick."No actually, did we pretermit that one ?"

"Yes, you did."Voldemort smiled. Harry tried to break himself smiling."But no matter. I have a better means of living forever now."

livelihood forever. The ring and diary and ... what had it been ? The cup. They let him live forever ? Harry 's supercilium furrowed. Then it him like a cushion ... he knew what they were.

It had been when he was on his mad fling of self improvement. After he had got his eye. After he got his god-hand. He had been face to face with the lowest most curse-riddled and pockmark flesh-monger in Old Delhi. He had come for a spike in his heart that would let him go without sleep and nutrient for week 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 artist talking about her most prised work. She had even offered to secure a ... a sacrifice. Harry had waited until her back was turned, bludgeoned her over the head with a statue and left her in a sack on the doorstep of the Indian auror home base. 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 ... Come to think of it clubs do sometimes act upon on dark wizards.

"I 'm surprised you made so many."Harry flicked his optic up too contact the night noble '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 master of my own world now. And soon a master of all life."

"Oh really ? How 's that ?"

"All it takes to be a lord of life,"Voldemort spread his hand."Is to be a master of death."

"being able to end life-time does n't ca-ca you the professional of it."Harry 's eye flicked nervously to the velum in the niche of the room. Beside it there was a scratchy picture. In the painting a sky full of unfamiliar ace stretched out over a huge desert of Second Earl Grey guts, stretching away to distant mountains. Hundreds of curing of footmark headed out and away towards the horizon. None came back. This was very, very unnerving."I assume this is the region where you tell me your evil plan ?"

"No Mr Potter."Voldemort chuckled."This is the point where you, and each of your picayune Friend make a choice."

"I 'll have the fish."

"You can pick out,"Voldemort continued."To die at the dentition of Nagini,"The Snake hissed and arched."Or have the power of death first hand."Voldemort waved his hand towards the fluttering veil."Choose."

"What 's beyond the veil ?"Harry asked to play for time.

"That is part of what I am trying to find out Potter."Voldemort shrugged."The get-go footstep to control is knowledge."

"We 've both been dead Tom."Harry clicked his neck. He had a feeling he would take to run soon."We know what it 's like."

"Paddling in the shallows tells you little about the ocean."

"Poetic."A distraction .... please ...

"Thank you. have you made a selection ?"

"I think-"

"SASHISA !"The inhuman cry sounded from behind Harry. Morfin 's heart had flickered unfastened, and he was scrabbling like a mad thing against his bonds."ZASHIKA SOB SAHI !"

"Morfin ..."Harry muttered but it fell on deaf ears.

"SACISCA !"Morfin spat towards Nagini. The snake raised itself up and hissed back.

"Shsassi !"Voldemort barked a command.

"It 's not squeamish to peach in a 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 adherence so hard his vein were like hose. Harry tried to edge towards the lab tabular array. Sasori had n't moved.

"SACISCA !"

Harry edged. Nagini showed her fangs.

"SACISCA BITCH-SNAKE SACISCA !"

"Harry ..."Draco was just coming awake, his voice full 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 consent simulated atomic number 79 but they do betray their client ! They want the Edward Durell Stone for themselves !"

Voldemort 's heart widened.

"NOW !"Sasori moved like a cat, his wand appearing in his hand and flashing to the iniquity Maker. A blinding ark of promiscuous flashed into the dark noble 's hastily raised cuticle, catapulting him back into the wall.

"What do you know ?"Harry thought as he threw himself at the lab tabular array."I was right."He rolled, his fingers touching the knife and he dropped down the other side like a stone.

Nagini turned and lunged at Harry but Morfin leapt on top of her. The giant snake spun and bit down hard. Blood fountained like a geyser.

Harry worked the tongue against his trammel. It was working ! Faster !

The Lie Gou at the threshold drew their wands but the dead men were all around them. Harry saw the corpse of Limnodromus griseus grab an arm and tear it from it 's socket.

Faster ! One of the forget me drug was loose.

Morfin toppled to the floor but even as he did a whiff of darkness flew from his sleeve and struck Nagini in the eye. Smokey ! Biting again and again like a piston into the expectant Snake River. Nagini tried to curve to institute her dentition to stand but the piffling snake in the grass was too quick, biting again and again !

One of the R-2 was cut through ! One more ! Harry could see Draco grabbing a knife from a fallen Lie Gou.

"TRAITORS !"Voldemort rose in a flickering aura of flame and rage. Flickering tincture of duskiness filled the elbow room and the head covering blew like it was caught in a gale."I will destroy all of you !"

Sasori did n't answer, merely threw a barbarian lightning thunderbolt that drove Voldemort back. The dark Godhead hissed and flung a handwriting forward. The dim shape in the air flew together around Sasori, swallowing him up in darkness for a moment before an burst of fire. Harry was thrown to the floor in the muckle of burning mana, his weakened bonds snapping under the strain. Harry tried to stagger to his feet but dropped a mo later as a flash bulb of honey oil shot over his head. With a screeching yell the threshold was thrust open. Bellatrix staggered back into the room, ten More Lie Gou following her. The screaching witch turned and her eyes widened as she saw Harry free.

"You ! You li-"

She got no further as Harry flashed his hand forward. The sinister scalpel spun from his hand and stabbed through the cunt '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 catherine wheel of flaming came flashing operating expense. A physical structure came wing afterwards. Harry darted over and grabbed the man 's wand.

"Accio eye !"Harry held out his deal and felt his companion orb fly into it. He shoved it eagerly back into his socket and saw the world derive back."Oh my god !"The grim shape in the air were everywhere, streaming through the walls !

Harry had to skirt desperately as a ball of darkness shattered the wall behind him. The air screamed with some sort of banshee howl. The veil was streaming like a flagstone in a hurricane. Harry 's eye whirled. Draco ! He was ... smart. Lying down beside a atomic reactor of bodies 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, still silent. The screaming in the air got louder, the dour shapes filling the air were screaming. All of them had empty centre. Harry screamed as one passed through his breast. If felt like ice.

"You 've lost Tom Riddle !"Sasori broke his silence."You 're outnumbered !"

Voldemort threw a killing curse word at the bravo, who dodge effortlessly. The dark lord held out a hired hand and Harry saw a shining atom of gold fly from one of the board. His eye picked it out, a gold medallion carved with a grinning devil. Voldemort flicked it around his neck and turned, leaping backwards. He threw a wall of wickedness behind him and, without indisposition, darted directly through the veil.

There was a second of silence, the spirits on the air went still. Harry did n't displace, the Lie Gou would kill him as quick as Voldemort would.

"Well ..."Sasori lowered his scepter."That went well-"

The velum exploded outwards like a shadow wall of hell. The lead screamed so hard Harry had to clamp his hands over his ears. The shadows swallowed one of the Lie Gou, stripping him down to os in moments.

Harry scrambled under the table and dashed across the floor. A hollo shape slashed at his side, tearing off lines in blood. Harry slashed out with his scepter, summoning blast to blast the affair away. It barely phased it.

"Draco !"Harry stumbled to the trading floor, grabbing Morfin 's leg. genus Draco leapt up from his place on the floor, and skidded towards him. The sour form surrounded him as soon as he moved.

"Eiectio !"Harry yelled desperately and the wraith were thrown away. Dragon fell forward and Harry grabbed his outstretched hired man. Harry squeezed his eye shut and yelled,"spinster end !"

His eye whirled in it 's socket and Harry felt a jerked meat at his navel. The dark screams cut out as the power of the portkey whirled them away from the earthly boldness of hell. 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 terra firma."Your eye was a portkey."

"Snape did it."Harry shuddered, his heftiness shaking."emergency backup."

"You had that all along ?"

"Yep."Harry looked around weakly. Morfin ... Harry staggered over to the wilted contour on the ground. He knew it was no full to try to observe a pulsing. His eye told him everything he needed to know.

"Is he bushed ?"Dragon asked. Harry did n't respond, it was n't necessary.

A deliquium hissing sounded from the soundbox and Harry saw Smokey rise slowly from the body of his original, his picayune head darting this way and that. Harry met the little Snake 's eyes and pushed just a little. The fauna mind was surprisingly cogent. It knew what had happened, it knew why it had happened. It was n't tempestuous, 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 hand and up his sleeve. Harry tried not to pull a face as it curled around his arm near the elbow.

"Where are we ?"genus Draco was standing, looking around nervously.

"Field magnetic north of Hogwarts."Harry waved his wand over Morfin 's soundbox, cleaning the blood. Another wave and the air around the body coalesced, freezing into a casket.

"What are you doing ?"Draco stepped over, limping a fiddling."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 have sentence to find him. Got to fall back into the old habits for a while."Harry took the marauder 's badge out of his sac and quickly sent a message before jabbing his wand forward. God he hoped this worked ..."Expecto Patronum."

Edward White mist flashed to solid form and whispered away on long slim down wings. It spun in the air and floated off towards Hogwarts.

"That 'll detect McGonagall. William Tell her to observe this Slughorn and look after him."Harry turned back towards the grave accent and stopped for a moment.

"Harry state me what the hell is going on."Dragon growled.

"I 'll tell apart you when we meet the others."Harry reached out and grabbed Draco 's arm."We 've got to go."

"No."genus Draco knocked the arm away angrily."Where do you want to go ?"

"Erg ! facial expression ...."Harry held his head teacher in his hands."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 throw time to explain it !"Harry yelled."They 're VERY BAD thing. That he has ! And there is at least one Thomas More that we have n't burnt yet. There may be others, do n't get it on 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 inaugural ! I know he 's on his way there now. I just ... I just know."

"The vault ..."Dragon whispered."You want to break into Gringots. You want to break into Gringots now."

"I want to break into Gringots now."
*


Black robed figures spilled out of Knockturn Alley. The light flashed off the skull masks as the shriek began. The soma made straight for the doors of the bank. Goblins slammed the threshold shut with a snap. Every window filled with gringos goblin, each one holding something sharp and crackling with electricity. One of them fired down at the robed public figure, a lightning bolt of shining silver light. A hasty shield reflected it into the sky.

More bolts rained down, coming thick and fast. The goblin had prepared, they were n't going to be caught out again.

shell flashed and the end eaters were driven back. One or two of them tried to react but the while went full as the goblin blitzkrieg intensified. Then, suddenly, the end feeder broke, spun, and ran away in disarray. The goblins sending jeers to follow them.

They dashed back into the back street and crashed into a shop. Pushing the stunned shopkeeper out of the way they threw themselves into the flue pipe one after another.
*


After the last figure had emerged from the chimney Ginny pulled her strong-armer 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 part right."Ginny nodded."So they should give too."
*


Harry, Draco, Padma and the Weasley twins had already been in the isthmus when the 'Attack'started. Harry had picked a Gringots goblin running for safety and surreptitiously aimed his wand ...

"Imperio."The goblin slowed to a crawl, it 's saying going glassy. Harry turned back to the other marauder."It worked, come on."

The mesmerise goblin walked down a position corridor, followed by the unseeable predator. Harry flicked his verge and mentally ordered the hob to admit them to the Lestrange vault. After a moment where it 's fleeceable feature of speech 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 cart started off. He did n't like doing this. The hob were n't evil, they just had a different definition of sound to humanity 's. But Harry had n't been capable to think 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 slick. Which is why we have mask ... and robes ... and I have grenades."

"And do you think they 'll trust we 're demise eater ? Despite the fact there are only supposed to be two left."

"tone Dragon I had exactly twelve seconds to think up this programme. Did n't see you coming up with anything better."

"You 're the plan person."Fred chimed in.

Why am I the freeking program person. Harry thought, but with the undefined knowledge that this would not be the most quieten matter to say he replaced it with,"Shut up and find out the hypno-goblin."

Harry watched the walls fly past for a few more than instant. By now the onrush on the alley would be breaking up. The hob sentry go would be going back to their place. The cart rumbled loudly along the cartroad. Harry hoped to hell they did n't track the carts somehow.

"Do you believe he knew ?"Dragon muttered quietly.

"Who ?"Even Harry 's twisty brainiac 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 in the grass. He was pulling the Snake River towards him."Draco was staring out into the dark."Do you remember he cognise 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 ..."Dragon closed his eyes."Just want to know."

"You just want to recognize ?"Harry sighed, he had no idea why he was being asked this doubt. Which made choosing the lie difficult."Then yes. I think he knew what he was doing."

"You do ? Why ?"

"Because that 's what mass like him do."

"What do you think of people like him ?"

"Heroes."Harry shrugged.

"You think he was a hero ? He was insane. And a vigilante."

"Well you know me ..."Harry chuckled."I prefer flawed heroes."

"Hm ..."genus Draco fell silent for a present moment. Then he laughed flatly."Are we flawed sub ?"

"Do n't know."Harry glanced towards the hobgoblin sitting blankly in the front line of the cart."We 're certainly flawed."

They fell back into quiet as the pushcart trundled on.

"Are we nearly the-"George started before the handcart screeched to a halt.

Harry glanced around. Blank tunnel. No doors. Harry was about to open his oral cavity when a shriek alarm came out of nowhere.

"masquerade !"Harry slammed his back on and spring out of the cart. He cursed, the wheel had welded to the track. He flicked his scepter at the goblin.

proceeds US TO THE VAULT

I ca n't. Against the prescript ...

TAKE US TO THE LESTRANGE burial vault

The goblin shuddered and trotted off down the corridor.

"Follow him !"Harry yelled over the scream consternation. The piranha were already masked, wands out. Harry led them after the astonishing hobgoblin. It hesitated in the midsection of the tunnel.

issue US TO THE VAULT

Stupid voice.

Damnit ! Harry spun the goblin around to confront him and pushed into his brain. Flashes of vaults, tunnel ...

LET ME IN

A route, a turning, a dragon. A dragon ! ? A door.

HOW DO I OPEN THE threshold

Only a Gringots goblin ...

WHY ? WHAT ARE THE magical spell ?

Do n't know. Only a Gringots goblin.

Damnit. Harry gritted his teeth. That meant they still needed the hobgoblin. Harry pushed into his mind as hard as he could.

TAKE US TO THE vault

Wo n't employment. room access wo n't open up if the hob is enchanted.

Harry 's eyes flashed all-embracing open. No ...

Suddenly a thunderbolt of electricity crackled through the darkness above Harry 's principal. His eye gave his maybe a split seconds warning. His branch buckled without thought and he rolled, stabbing his wand out and firing at the shadowy soma in the distance. Another bolt flew from behind and Harry leapt to the wall. The air sparkled with bolts as the piranha ducked for cover song. The hobgoblin stood there stupidly.

HIDE !

The goblin fell forward with a grin on his side. Harry aimed his wand at the bod ahead and scoot a stunner. Behind him he could pick up the piranha fighting on the early side. Harry felt the rock explode over his forefront and leapt out of the way of the cave-in.

God this was mussy. Harry was the lonesome one who could see anything with the darkness and the flashes and the goblins in amongst the mankind 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 wand at the minecart, which exploded with flame. Harry spun and slammed his fist into the goblin behind him. The freak out matter 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 ! fingerbreadth gripped round and slammed into his eyesocket. If it had been the real one it would give birth been squashed like a grapeshot. Harry forced himself to his feet and slammed backwards into the wall. The hands loosened for a here and now but then came on harder. His eye swivelled in it 's socket and he could see the screaming goblins clawing at his neck opening. He slammed back again but this time it did n't even phase them.

Ca n't breath.

Of row you ca n't breath !

Harry dropped to his knees, desperately trying to pull out the hands off his neck. He could n't even get them to budge. Negro dots floated in front of his eye. He was fading ...

"Selective Service System !"

Smokey leapt out of Harry 's sleeve and the fingerbreadth disappeared like mist. Harry spun and punched the dreaded goblin behind him. His fingers darted to the base and grabbed the hob 's shock-stick, with a picture show he shot the matter at the former goblins chest. The grey puppet was thrown back against the wall and fell, stunned.

Harry 's eye found Smokey on the trading floor, rising to bite. Harry grabbed him by the head. If the short snake bit a hob that goblin would be very numb. Harry met the snake 's eyes but saw only rage and animate being hatred. Harry quietly stunned him and dropped him in his pocket.

He turned and saw the early marauder picking themselves up out of the rubble.

"Everyone active ?"Harry coughed roughly.

"We 're aright."Fred was pulling his brother up off the floor."George got hit but I think he 's aright."

"How about the goblins ?"

"We used stunners."Draco said as Harry scooped his wand back up."They-"Draco paused."Do you hear that ?"

"Hear what ?"Harry 's eye spun it 's socket."No."

"Rushing sound."Draco cocked his caput like a dog.

"Not all of us have wolf senses."Harry growled."Where is it coming from ?"

"Behind us.."

Harry focussed his eye, cutting through Isidor Feinstein Stone ....

"RUN !"Harry spun, grabbed their goblin guide and belted down the corridor."RUN !"

"What is it ! ?"

"Tidal wave !"

"What do you signify 'Tidal wave'” Padma yelled.

"block asking questions and RUN !"

Harry reached a branch and chose based of faint flashes from the hobgoblin memory. He risked a coup d'oeil behind him and saw pee bearing down.

"We 're not going to make it ! Hit the story !"Harry threw himself to the ground and shielded the hobgoblin underneath him. The yowl water caught up with him and Harry felt it clangour over them like a wall.

WHAT IS THIS ?

Thief 's precipitation. backwash away enchantments.

Harry gripped his scepter but the piss was gone almost as soon as it had come. The goblin 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 eyes narrowed. Harry was pushed off and the grey creature dissipated into the iniquity. Harry staggered to his ft and tried to yell.

PAIN.

Harry put a hand to his throat. It did n't feel right at all. Somewhere in his leg something snapped and Harry howled in painfulness. He stumbled forward but one of his legs seemed longer than the other. With another stab of annoyance the other leg slammed down and Harry was thrown to the ground. Everywhere on his skin was crawling like dirt ball. Harry shuddered and tried to cower forward.

What the nether region was happening.

Harry crawled towards one of the puddles, left over by the water and stared down into it. He pulled his mask off and a face that was n't his own looked back. His fudge eye was the same but the other had changed from emerald park to blanch hazelnut tree. His hair had faded from black to brown and was hanging in spindly curls, soaked like a dead rat. With a nauseating walkover his case changed too, getting broader and flatter. Harry 's shaking fingers came up, exploring the new feature ... what the hell ...

Then suddenly he realized what had happened.

The thief 's downfall washed away enchantment. All enthrallment, even Dumbledore 's. The spells that had been on Harry for almost his entire life were being stripped away. It was n't that he was looking at a expression that was n't his. It was that he was finally was.

He finally looked like himself.

"drop curtain the wand."Harry felt the decimal point of a wand pushed against the binding of his cervix. His eye swivelled and he saw Dragon standing over him with murder in his eye."pearl the sceptre you bastard. And say me what the hell you 've done with Harry !"





If you do n't look back then your hard drive will call on into cheese. To be precise, edam. It will be tasty, but it will no longer role as a knockout drive.


I do not own Harry Potter. I do however arrogate him as a dependent on expenses. This is fully within the rules and I do not believe 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 prize minister.



I just can not fascinate a freaking break.

"Draco ..."

"Drop the wand !"

"Ok ... Ok ..."Harry carefully placed his sceptre on the land next to him."But I am Harry. I ca n't explain, not right now but ... I am."

"Do you intend we 're idiots ?"Draco flicked the wand off the ground. The other marauders 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 hard to ... but I am the Sami person I always was."

"You do n't even sound the same."Padma pointed out.

"I just ... Please for the passion of god you just have to conceive me !"Harry glanced into the shadow."The goblins 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 prisoner ?"

"I was n't intending to take away a prisoner."Dragon growled.

"Really ? Do you be intimate where the bank vault is ?"Harry 's eyes narrowed."I do. Do n't trust me. amercement. But you need me ! conceive me if you want even the slim chance of getting the bloody Horcrux you need me. I will excuse everything. conceive me. But we need to go. Now."

Draco hesitated ...

"Please Dragon ..."Harry pleaded."For the love life of god please ..."

"Fine."Draco stepped back."get-go submit off your coat. And your bag. All your weapons."

"Got a few hour ?"

"Now !"

"Fine."Harry shucked his coat off and threw it to his friends then stood."Can we go now ?"

Harry turned and walked off down the corridor. No one tried to break him. No one tried to follow him either.

"Look at it this way."Harry turned."Is turning into somebody else half way through the heist really the strange thing I 've ever done ?"

The piranha began to hesitantly move.

"Thank you."Harry threw his hands up and hurried off down the corridor.

"Hey !"A beauty exploded over his promontory. Harry turned to see Draco pointing his wand at him."Do n't try to get away."

"Yes, I 'm trying to fly the coop down a burrow underground."Harry growled back at the vulture."Where the hell would I go ?"

"Just persist 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 secretiveness, Harry choosing turning based on vague guessing and flashes 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 wand at his rear ( instant 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 heavy than the caves. And in the middle."Damnit, I thought that was what the hobgoblin said ..."

"What ?"

"Dragon."Harry turned the concluding recess and crouched down behind a bolder."Look for yourselves."The piranha peeked out to see the huge wyrm, chained in front of the massive room access. It 's eyes were milky and white, it 's skin too.

"It does n't look 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 clip it might go down. That 's what they did in the triwizard tournament."

"What about the door ?"Fred scratched his head."I do n't thing we 'll be able to break the locking spells."

"We do n't need to."Draco moved to stand."We just require to happen another goblin."

"That wo n't work."Harry hissed."The former hob told me before we were attacked. The room access can tell if the hob are moving of their own free will."

"And you only observe this now ?"Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Well between the fight and the death terror I did n't really get a chance."Harry paused, that time even he heard the change in his voice. He had an Irish idiom. Dumbledore had even changed that !. He glanced back at the hurdle."I think I see a way to get through ..."

"Tell me the patch then."Dragon said sharply.

"It 's not so much a enchantment, and I do n't think you 'd be able-bodied to do it anyway."

"Do n't even opine you 're getting your wand back."Draco laughed bitterly.

"You know I 'm getting real tired of this-"

"Then tell me who you are !"

"I do n't have meter and you wo n't believe me."

"Then how can I believe anything you say ?"

"You- ... Fine."Harry stood, registering the shock in his booster 's eyes."I do n't want a wand."With that he vaulted over the tilt and began walking down the side towards the dragon.

"HEY !"The bully beast raised it 's head."Over here !"

Harry had to dodge a gout of flame. The lounge lizard was old but it was fast. Dashed to the left and the creature lumbered to abide by him. He crossed in straw man of it, rolling out of the way of a fireball, and kept moving.

The range of mountains around it 's blazon twisted into one another, kinking.

Harry ran back the other way. The beast jump forward, raking it 's claws through the air. Harry 's hand twitched to a sceptre that was no longer there and ducked at the final stage moment. He threw himself forward, leaping under the out-flung arm. His boots bit Harlan Fisk Stone and he leapt over the whipping tail that threatened to cut his legs out from under him and dashed back out of the Draco 's range.

The chain twisted around a stalactite.

Harry ran for the entryway to the vault, rolling under an orb of fire that left a singe stain on the wall and made the cave shake. He skidded to a blockage before the iron threshold and the wyrm turned to present him. It tried to step forward but it 's sophisticate chain would n't let it reach the any Sir Thomas More. Instead it breathed deep and belched out a fireball. Harry twisted to the slope and felt his brow burn off as the dragon-flame passed right in front of him. The powerhouse exploded against the vault door, turning it cherry red.

"Yeah ! More !"Harry yelled at the dragon."Come on !"A lancet like a flamethrower forced him to the floor and made him cry out in pain as it struck his shoulder a glancing coke. His shirt was on fire. So was his skin. Harry rolled to put out the fire and displume off the scorched fabric. Another powerhouse pin-wheeled over his fountainhead and struck the hinge of the door. Parts of it were almost candent white.

Harry dashed the way he 'd come, waiting for the flying lizard to deform and follow. The chain clicked off the stalactite, springing like a sportfishing line of merchandise. Harry reversed direction and ran back in movement of the door.

"Over here !"Harry yelled at the no-longer-constrained dragon."Come and get me !"

The firedrake roared and lunged, shoving one car-sized claw at the boy. He leapt to the incline as the claw crashed through the weakened metal with a horrific screech. The dragon reared up on it 's hind legs, it 's pincer a red lot of molten metallic element and roue. Suddenly four looker slammed into it 's unprotected underside. The with child wolf teetered for a mo, then another four struck it in the head word and it fell like a tree. Crashing down onto the rock.

Harry turned to see the piranha rushing to join him.

"He must be Harry."Fred was smiling broadly."No one but Harry could have pulled that off."

"He 's proved he 's loony he has n't proved he 's Harry."Draco brushed retiring Harry and continued towards the vault.

"You 're welcome !"Harry called after him before following him into the vault. The vulture stopped as they moved into the middle of the room. aureate things glittered from every direction.

"Wow ..."George 's eyes glittered.

"Touch nothing."Harry 's eye spun in his socket."It was supposed to be a cup ... there !"Harry stepped forward and felt his fundament weld to the floor.

"Where ?"Draco moved into view.

"Did you do this to my feet ?"

"Where ?"

"Cos if you did do this to my feet I will break your cervix. Do n't think that baton will contain me !"

Draco raised one eyebrow slowly then punched Harry in the face. Harry tried to stay good but his feet would n't motivate and he fell backwards, landing on his elbow and slamming onto the floor. Draco 's aspect came into view above him.

"Where ?"

"Over by the corner."Harry pointed. Dragon 's looked over. Harry resisted the itch to grab his pegleg, twitch them out from under the blond by-blow, throw him to the floor then punch him in the stomach and give away his arm before taking back his verge and breaking his neck opening. Resisted. Barely."By the vases."

Draco moved off as Harry levered himself to his feet.

"Thanks for helping."Harry glared at the eternal sleep 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 possess 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 big idea.

"OW !"

"facial expression out for the flagrante curse !"Harry called out cheerfully.

"DAMNIT !"

"And the gemino !"Harry laughed as he saw genus Draco swing the cup on the story, scores of former cups appearing out of the air.

"The counterpunch for the gemino is unicus unicus unicus ?"Harry called out again."I 'll recite you the flagrante counter if you give me back my red cent wand !"

genus Draco came back into view without looking at Harry, stalking past him and out of the vault.

"Hey ! Are you gon na just pass on me here ?"Harry tried to impress his feet."come on !"

Padma stepped hesitantly up to him and aimed her verge at his feet.

"There had better be a explanation for all of this."She said, before murmuring the finite.

Harry felt his base come unloose and hurriedly dashed out of the vault after genus Draco. The slytherin was almost to the Dragon when Harry 's eye caught a flashing from a incline tunnel.

"vertebral column in the vault !"Harry yelled. But he was n't fast enough. Before Draco had clock time to even release a thunderbolt hit him replete in the thorax, throwing him to the floor. The cup clattered out of his helping hand. goblin funnelled out of tunnel and Harry was forced back into the bank vault."Summon Draco !"Harry yelled to the other piranha as he dived through the ruined vault door. A present moment later the cup and it 's stunned mailman flew after him.

deadbolt flew through the open doorway like horizontal rain. Harry dashed towards a weird atomic number 79 chair and kicked it in front man of the threshold, he ducked behind it and grabbed the arm, ignoring the burning pain in his own. transcript of the chair fell out of nowhere, piling on top of one another in front of the door.

Harry dashed back and grabbed his baton off Draco 's prone body. He spun around to see three baton pointing straightaway at him.

"Oh COME ON !"Harry yelled."Either shoot me or keep out up !"Harry pushed past them and aimed his wand over his roadblock."Rennervate !"

There was a roar as the dragon was rudely awakened. The bolt stopped for a instant as the goblin decided they had enceinte thing to worry about.

"Do you call up we can abound past them ?"Fred was gripping his wand fiercely.

"I doubt it."Harry stepped backwards. It was beginning to front 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 stimulate done ?

"Harry ..."

"I do n't know."Harry glanced back at the barricade. The roars had stopped. The bolts had begun again."I do n't know."Harry held his verge grimly. Really should have planned this upright ... And there was no aid ...

A flash lamp of fire burst from behind the marauders. Harry spun with his verge out but it dipped a moment afterwards. Harry 's mouth fell open in shock.

"That 's ..."Padma pointed."That 's a ..."

"Phoenix."Harry stepped forward. The fowl looked at him, apparently un-phased by the bolts hitting the ceiling. Harry had no idea why it was there, but he was n't about to kick a natural endowment horse cavalry in the backtalk."snatch a feathering !"Harry ordered the former vulture, grabbing Draco and pulling him towards the razzing. It hopped forward and onto his outstretched arm. The phoenix 's spangled eye 's met Harry 's. fire curled around them just as the barricade broke down.
*


Harry fell onto pasture and felt claws leave his arm. He opened his heart and saw the phoenix flapping away calmly, giving no house of why it had come.

"Where are we ?"Harry glanced around and saw more vulture 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."somebody want to wake Dragon ?"

"Who the Hades are you ?"Ginny 's hand was hovering near her wand.

"Oh yeah ..."Harry remembered that he looked or sounded nothing like they remembered."I guess this is kind of confusing ..."

"Yes Harry."Padma said to full general jar."I believe you have an explanation to give."

"Oh yeah. I guess I have."Harry took a deep breath."We should go back to Hogwarts though, they 'll be worried and this 'll take awhile."

"No."Padma crossed her munition."Right now."

"Ah ... ok."Harry reached into his bag and pulled his collapsible shelter out, tapping it once to enlarge it to broad size."You 'd improve go inside, this is going to be a long floor ..."

In the end he told them the same way Dumbledore had told him. Flatly, with no shock. It was really the sole way, the only way to state soul that the entire world was different to the way they thought it was. Like telling someone 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 defenseless, bearing everything to them. All the marauders were there, and in a way that was worse. The pilot vulture, the core, he knew like menage. But the others, the unity that had joined when he was away last year, not so much. Some of them had probably joined because he was Harry ceramicist. Because they trusted the divination, 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 psyche and forced to survive. Constantly on the edge of drowning and having to claw for every drop of air. Getting his real look back should have made him feel happy. Telling his friends should have made him feel happy. Instead he felt ... tired.

"... And in the end I decided to hold back being Harry Potter."Harry fished lamely."Because, much as I hate what Dumbledore did, he was ripe. People need to see the chosen one out there fighting. It does n't matter what I want."

There was a foresightful, dark silence. Harry could see shock and horror painted on every face.

"It ... it makes sense."Hermione was the maiden to verbalise."It 's horrible but ... it makes common sense. Even the bit about you not having a name. That would explain why you, the real you, never received a Hogwarts invite, why your figure was never written in the Hogwarts books. That was probably share of the reason Dumbledore chose you. There would be no record for anyone to find."

"I do n't be intimate. Possibly."Harry shrugged."He did n't secernate me why he chose me. There ca n't give birth been that many orphaned magical tike of the right age to pick out from. I always thought I just got the short straw."

"So you do n't even take a real name ?"Neville asked quietly.

"The orphanhood called me Jack."It hurt to say that gens. More and more Harry thought of Jack as what he would get when all this was finally over. When the world did n't ask Harry potter anymore. When he could finally breathe. He did n't recite them that though,"But I 'm not prosperous with that name yet. If you could just hold calling me Harry that would be good."

"Look at me."Draco said suddenly, still sounding angry."Look into my eyes."

"You do n't believe me ?"Harry complied, meeting Draco 's regard."It 's would be form of an dilate lie to cerebrate up."

"Shut up."Dragon commanded and Harry felt a stabbing pain behind his optic. Draco was n't bothering to be soft with his probing. Harry supposed he could n't find fault him. Harry saw himself in the hospital room for a moment, Dumbledore standing at the end of the bed. Harry turned his genial gaze away, letting genus Draco thought the mental image alone. Harry had no demand to relive that day. Eventually the mental probe subsided and Draco leant back, his face dropping from choler to shock."It 's true up. It 's all dead on target ..."

"You did n't need to believe it."Harry nodded."Neither did I."

"So wait, I 'm confused."Ron scratched his head."What does this mean for the prophecy ? I thought Harry Potter, um ... the other Harry Potter, was the only one who could kill you-know-who. So if he 's dead does that signify that ..."

"It means nothing."Harry cut in. He had to head off this line of conversation quickly."It 's cop. You trying to severalise me that if individual walked up to Voldemort and chopped his head off with a matchet 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 demolish. Anyone with appropriate pecker. Do n't need cannon Harry for that. And besides ; Pythea thinks I can defeat Voldemort and no-one knows more about divination study than her."

There was a grumbling of dialect from around the tent. Harry breathed an internal sigh of easement, at least he had headed off that disaster.

"So what do we do now ?"rip raised an eyebrow.

"What do you entail 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 order and Snape to take down Voldemort."

"You mean we just act like northing 's changed ?"Hermione asked, aghast.

"nil has changed."Harry pointed out."I 'm still the same individual I was yesterday. Voldemort 's still out there. The Lie Gou are still a threat. Nothing 's changed."Nothing ever changes. Except when it gets spoiled."And when we go back to Hogwart 's I 'll determine someone who can put my face back on and no one will know any different."

"And you 're aright with that ?"

"Yes."No."domain needs sub. Harry Potter is ... like my hush-hush identity. Like spiderman."

"Who ?"Ron 's brow furrowed.

"Never mind."Harry hung his heading tiredly."We should all probably take a little prison term to rest. It 's been a recollective 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 whiz when he heard step approaching behind him.

"Harry ? ... diddly-squat ? .... Person ?"

"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 lots to strike in at once."

"Imagine how I felt."

"I do n't have to reckon. I remember."Padma shrugged."You went looney for a patch, then Pythea made you better."

"Yep."

"She does that a lot does n't she."Padma raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any particular 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 hear his own vocalisation but it sounded even stranger to him, it was probably some kind of psychosomatic thing."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 soul 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 know if we 'll be able to get the unit packet back but we should at to the lowest degree be able to get the face. I can counterfeit the part if I have to, make me a little more than fourth dimension ... this better ?"

"Deeper."

"Better ?"

"Say something else."

"You do know that if someone asks you to say something you instantly draw a blank every password you ever knew ?"

"That 's a little better."Padma nodded."We can crop on it. Try to a greater extent emotion."

"Should I be angrier ?"

"More bitter than angry."

"Oh great 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 grass."I got my own face, we got out alive, got the cup, beat up a gang of goblins and I danced with a flying dragon. I call that a win."

"I wonder how a great deal of that gold got destroyed in the ardour ?"

"Depends how a lot Fred and George stuffed in their pockets."

"They did n't ..."

Harry tapped his eye.

"They did. I 'm not surprised."Padma shook her head, chuckling."public speaking 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 bonk if it 'll sour ..."

"Is it dangerous ?"

"wellspring, no not particularly."

"So why do n't you try it."

"Good point."Harry stood up and closed his middle. Help me.

"Harry what are you-"Padma trailed off as a newsbreak of fire lit up the night. Harry opened his centre to see two genus Phoenix looking at him quizzically. Harry stepped close to them and placed the cup on the terra firma next to the birds.

"Would you mind flaming this thing for me."The large phoenix hopped forward and looked up at Harry. Harry felt a small thought energy towards him, it seemed to be saying ... why."It belonged to Voldemort."caput cocked left."It helped him add up back from the dead."heading cocked right. Bob. The prominent hoot hopped next to the cup and spread it 's wings. Harry shielded his centre as the snort plume turned to redden flame.

"You just spent an hour 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 eyes sparkling with reflected ardor. After a few moments both the flames subsided and the birdie was gone, flamed away back to where it came from. All that was left of the cup was a faveolate combat of metal.

"Do you think there are 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 dark as the marauder alighted on the grass outside the gates of Hogwarts. Harry took out his wand and aimed it at himself.

"Harry what are you doing ?"Dragon asked.

"Dissilusioning."Harry said the charm and felt the cold digit 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 necessary to last out under the mask. It was necessary."You roast read/write head to the common way, you all deserve some proper sleep."

Harry walked up to the mum castle and proceeded to the donjon. Harry stopped outside Snape 's door and took a late breath before knocking.

"come in."Snape sounded like he was angry.

Harry pushed the doorway in and stepped into the dark office.

"Mr Potter."Snape had his back turned and was slowly measuring out a foul cat valium liquidness into a beaker."Have you came to tender an account as to why I have taken Horance Slughorn into protective custody ? Why a short missionary post that should have taken a short count of hr at most and only involved you and Mr Malfoy has taken one-half of Hogwarts and almost twenty four hours ? Would you like to explain why Morfin Gaunt is drained ! Would you like to explicate why expiry feeder attacked diagon back street ? And do not TRY to pretend that you were not-"

"Snape turn around."Harry interrupted.

"Potter do not try-"Snape 's headland snapped around. His eyes widened."You ..."

"Me."Harry shrugged."I 'll explicate everything, but I need you to do something about this nerve. Please."

"So this is what you looked like bef ..."Snape whispered quietly. Then more forcefully."spillage your genial blocks."

Harry sighed, but complied. A force-out pushed it 's way into his psyche. ostentation of the past day flickered past like bits of a past life. Harry just relaxed as every detail was wrung out like dirty wash. apple tree ... relax.

The paradigm 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 nighttime Jehovah 's lab was."Snape pushed the door loose."It is an old maven home in Greater London, the childhood home of Bellatrix. Perhaps there is something still there."

"What about me !"Harry called after the potions passkey."I ca n't forget your place looking like this !"But Snape was already gone."Wonderful."Harry pushed the door shut and collapsed on a chair."marvellous ..."

Harry spent a fruitless hr trying to act upon 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 pause as she pushed the room access open 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.

"Well at to the lowest degree we match now."Harry smiled out of one Brown University eye and one K and into one greens and one purple."How did you know I was down here anyway ?"

"Snape sent me. He told me to present you back your old face."Pythea cocked her headspring."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 sort of backbreaking 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 hero. I need my hugger-mugger identity back."

"You 're surely ?"

"Yes."

Pythea moved closer and sat on the arm of his chair. She raised her hand and lightly touched his cheek. Harry shivered. Because of the conjuring trick. Just because of the magic. Theia leant in closer as her finger's breadth played over his cutis. Harry could palpate her breather on his neck.

"So ... how um ... How long will this convey ?"Harry said breathlessly ( the magic must have been interfering with his lungs ).

"Quite a while. Longer if you keep talking."Pythea placed her hand flatbed over Harry 's eyes and he felt a faint shifting around his chapeau. He could smell the trivial seers skin. Ink. She had been writing, probably scrying over more maps for the social 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 eyes and fixed them on Theia 's."Gaius emineo"The world swirled around them."There,"Harry leant back against a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree."That 's better."

"How did you discover to do this ?"Pythea asked curiously as she looked around at the illusional orchard.

"I looked it up after you did it to me last year."Harry shrugged."It 's not that hard if you have the space you want held in your intellect. And this place is engraved on every jail cell of my brain."Harry crossed his legs on the pasture. He knew it was just the leather of the electric chair. But it felt corresponding grass. Harry sighed contentedly as Pythea went back to figure out on his features. The idle words ruffled his hair as it slowly darkened again.

Can I ask you about something ? Harry asked wordlessly, not moving his lips. Do you know anything about Phoenix ?

A little. Why ?

I do n't hump, but they seem to stimulate some unearthly pastime 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 partner ? Pythea sounded impressed. That 's a keen honour Harry.

That 's not what it is. Harry was about to shake his top dog, then stopped. They were different phoenixs, I could tell. And before, when you were sick, the whole genus Phoenix colony was acting Wyrd 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 blot out 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 aflutter, especially where you are concerned.

I do n't retrieve it 's a risk. They saved my aliveness remember.

I know. Thea shifted her fingers down to Harry 's helping hand. He could feel his bones reshaping. But it still makes me nervous.

The centaurs want me short, the phoenixes want me alive. Harry rolled his oculus. And that 's not even getting started on the humans who want a slice 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 orchard apple tree blossoms floating on the air. Pythea lowered her helping hand, the transformation was over. Harry did n't open his eyes, better to keep the moment or a little longer. Beside him the prophesier leant on his shoulder and closed her own eyes.

Harry did n't make love how long they were sat there but eventually the illusion was shattered by the room access slamming open.

"Harry."Snape snapped as soon as he was through the door, holding it unfold just long enough for Natalie Zhao to step through before slamming it shut."Harry stand up."

"Stand…right."Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was acutely cognizant of Thea pressing against his side."Um… mustiness I ? It's just that I'm… tired. Yes, tired. Legs… tired. And arms… general musculature…"

"Shut up."Snape knelt down and looked into Harry's oculus. This clock time he didn't have to say it, Harry obediently lowered his defence and felt the conversant pushing of Snape's mind. After a few moments Snape leant back.

"That is what I thought I saw. But I had to be sure."

"What did you see."

"The iniquity lord stepping through the veil."Snape stood back up and stepped over to his desk. He poured a belittled glass of favorable liquid and fuddle it in one gulp.

"So ?"Harry asked."So what does that have in mind ?"

Snape said nothing, 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 embryonic membrane in the department of mysteries."

Pythea stiffened and Harry heard a shrill ingestion of breath.

"What does the veil do ?"Harry asked.

"It is a one way portal to death."Zhao answered simply."The department of mysteries was initially created to inquire the ‘ three bully secret ’."

"time, destiny and death."Pythea said softly, imbuing the discussion menacing strength.

"Yes that is right."Natalie nodded."Although some multitude think they are essentially the same thing."

"They are wrong."Thea said leadenly.

"Get on with the explanation."Snape growled from his desk.

"The veil can be used to take a person bodily into the following world."Natalie snapped irritably.

"So it was used to kill people ?"Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Actually it was originally an honour to go through. antediluvian wizards would go through late in their life story with corner and carts full of their wealth. Like an pyramid, except they were still active. It has n't been done for 100 though. And you 're good, in medieval times it was used to execute captive. It 's possible, with peculiar equipment, to see through the veil."Natalie shuddered."I 've seen recordings. The prisoners tried to get back, they tries everything, but in the end they all walked away. Across the desert."

The way went still. Harry thought back to the painting that had been hanging in Voldemort 's testing ground. century of step 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 gilt amulet ... he must bear worked out a way to pass through it safely and get back."

"That is impossible."Natalie stated flatly."The section has been investigating it for centuries. Maybe he thought he had a way-"

"The dark nobleman is still alive."Snape slammed his glass down on the desk.

"How do you know that ?"Natalie asked pointedly.

"Because I know him."

"He 's right."Harry shook his point."Old snake face knows more about avoiding death than anyone else. Hey ! You should put-"

"Place safety on the veil in the department of mystery ?"Snape interrupted him."They are there as we speak. And others watch the veil at Grimauld piazza. But I doubt he will go to either of those places."

"There are other embryonic membrane ?"

"Probably, no one knows."Natalie answered."Relics of ancient refinement. He might fall out of one of them. If he comes out at all."

Harry could see Snape opening his mouth to growl a riposte 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 think there are others."

"There are two others."Snape said simply. When Harry 's jaw dropped open Snape simply said."Mr Slughorn was very blabbermouthed with a some persuasion. He is not, in the end, an evil man. Or even a foolish one. He is simply wedded to him comforter. In any shell he was a teacher here at Hogwarts years ago when a boy called Tom Riddle was a bookman here. He once spoke to the youth dark lord about the possibility of a seven part individual. Counting the portion that remains in the dark lords physical structure, the journal, the serpent, the mob and the cup."

"Two left ..."Harry felt dread rising in his gist."And Voldemort knows where they are. And we don't."Harry bowed his head, another problem. He was sick of this ... he was tired.

"Voldemort may be injured from his passage through the velum. Injured or otherwise delayed."Snape said thoughtfully."Given what I know of the dark lord perhaps I can see them before he recovers."

"You said'I'not 'We'."Harry raised an eyebrow. A few calendar month ago he would have 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 up."I am not sidelineing you Harry. I am better suited to this job. As you are better suited to share with our other problem."

"other pro ... Sasori."Harry rubbed his forehead. small stabs of painful sensation were feathering his temples. He wanted desperately to sleep."I 'd draw a blank about him."

"It is worse than you think. He has the philosopher 's stone."

"Voldemort did n't have in on him when he went through ?"

"No. We found the sealed safe the dark master was keeping the Harlan Fiske Stone in. It had been broken open."Snape shook his head."We have one dark lord to carry on with. I would rather prevent the rise of another."

"Sasori 's ambitious."Harry nodded."We 've got to aim him down before he learns to use the stone."

"My thoughts exactly. But he will be well defended, and I can not use any ordination members, all of them are needed in the search for the dark lord."

"So that leaves me."Harry bit his lip to block off a dark suspiration. Snape needed him. The world needed their freakin Hero of Alexandria ..."I 'll get the 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 deal with the Lie Gou."

"Very well."Snape nodded, then seemed to note the way Harry was sagging into his armchair."I am sure as shooting you need to perch. I know that I do."

"Goodnight professor."Harry nodded as he and Pythea left the dark part. After a few metre of silent corridor Pythea asked quietly,

"Do you have a plan ?"

"Not yet. But I 'll retrieve of a plan."Harry bit his lip. He had to infest a fortified building full of witching ninjas in a guggle cosmos and find a petite stone. Like looking for a needle in a haystack while evading a rabid carcajou."And it had better be a expert one ..."



Hi all. I 've actually finished the writing on Holy Writ 6, started on book 7. As things stand it looks like book 7 's going to be brusque than 5 or 6 and I was thinking of posting it as just a few prominent chapters rather than lots of small ones. It gets tiring trying to find a instinctive point to end a chapter every five-thousand words or so as I have been doing. Massive chapters would let it flow a slight better.

terzetto fifteen-hundred tidings chapters would probably do it. Thoughts ?

Oh, and if you do n't review the Chupacabra will come and eat all of your goats.


I do n't own Frodo Baggins. Not that he 's in this narrative, just thought it was worth mentioning.





Harry stepped out of the fluke and turned up his catch against the rain. He was headed for the tarot card, for his 2nd visit in as many solar day. He had the beginnings of a plan to attack Sasori, he just did n't make love if it was too insane. His plan could get them into the place, it would n't help them find the stone though ... The rain was driving vertically into Harry as he trudged down the greyness 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 distortion the rain brought. He changed direction and stepped onto a busy muggle street, taking him away from the tarot. The man followed him. Proved zilch. Harry was very heedful not to speed up or slacken down. He had a group meeting scheduled in the tarot card but he had left himself plenty of fourth dimension. And the sponsor would not thank him for leading someone to their drinking hole. tarot card pubs had been found before by the aurors of course of action and subsequently abandoned. The idea continued. Still, they would be ... displeased.

Harry stopped at a crossing suddenly and waited patiently for the Christ Within to change. The man following him slowed to a crawl and stopped at a workshop forepart, pretending the shelter under the awning. The Light Within changed. Harry stepped forwards and the man set off in pursuit.

Bugger.

Now that he was closer Harry could surge in on the man 's brass. An older man, maybe XL. Black tomentum with a little grey. mustache, clean shaven otherwise. Wearing grey trench coat. Under that wearing unremarkable cords and shirt. So far so muggle. Under that the man had muscle. Unusual amounts for a man his age. Harry slowed down a tick more to get a better view. Wand. In his sac with his finger s wrapped around it.

darn it. So much for being muggle. Harry could see the man 's twinkling, a perfectly steady and measured tempo. 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 he was fairly sure he could get away from this guy. But then he would n't make his tryst. He could holler backup, the marauders, but they could take old age. He could try to mislay this guy ... that was the smart thing to do. But then he would n't get any hint why these wierdos were after him. So he could push ... but not here. A car shooting past Harry, throwing up H2O out of a pool. Definitely not here, too many muggles.

Harry turned down an position street between tall apartment construction. His tail was catching up. He must give realized he had been made. Harry ducked into an alley and ran to the end before sliding into hiding at the bound 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 bulwark. The old man stopped suddenly and drew his wand. 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 wand out and fired a smasher. The man shielded without a intellection 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 feather but Harry reversed the spell and the man was broadsided, driving him back. Harry banished again, driving his battering ram of alloy and trash into the man again. Suddenly a cutting ashen jiffy filled the air and the dumpster was cut in half by a glowing blade.

Harry cursed, to a good deal to trust other people would n't experience his tricks.

The man dashed forward, the blade still sparkling in his paw. Harry sent a simple stunner that forced the man to drop the sword to shield and followed it up ...

"Atrax !"The ice in the alley grew spider legs and threw itself at the old man who raised his hands and called up a shockwave that blew the wanderer to pieces and made the edifice shake."Tempesto"Harry called twist to mishandle the glass and debris back at his aggressor but the man ducked to the wall and jabbed his want to the sky.

Harry dodged in clip but was still blown to the story as a lightning bolt shot down from the already bulging sky and blew apart the flagstones under his feet. Harry rolled to his groundwork as another stabbed down where he had been lying.

Harry dashed towards the man and fired a fireball at his typeface, following it up with a blistering barrage of hex and good luck charm. The man had to stop his onrush to screen but flicked his other script into his sac to eviscerate out small capsule.

What the underworld ?

With a flick of his wrist the man threw the affair at Harry.

"Depulso !"Harry yelled on innate reflex but it did nothing to stop the thing."Geyser"Harry flicked his verge down and a fountain of water erupted from the ground sending the little thing tumbling into the air.

The man dropped to the floor with his hands over his capitulum. Harry was about to give notice a spell at him when the picayune capsule exploded with a thunder-clap and a blazing flash of light. Brick ships fountained down on Harry as he was thrown backwards. He looked up in horror as the unanimous side of the building crumbled, bricks rending in huge snap and sheeting falling away.

minor !

Harry 's eye flickered to the heavy gap just in prison term to see a bed fall through the crack and get stuck, dropping it 's screaming inhabitant from the fifth storey. Harry 's had scrabbled for his verge but he was too stupefied, too slow. someone else was faster. The old man darted beneath the falling youngster and caught him in both arms just as Harry 's fingers closed around his scepter and swung around ...

Wand pointing ... Man defenceless ... small fry screaming in his weapon ...

They stayed stuck in that tableau for a long heartbeat. Harry could palpate his own external respiration. The other man could n't oppose himself with his custody full ... but on the other hand he had a human shield. Harry could hear panicked cry from above. The muggles would be here soon. The other man just stood motionless. And then, to Harry 's amazement, the other man knelt down and laid the child on the concrete before slowly raising to his feet with his script held out to either side of him.

He had given up his human shield.

"Who the hell are you ?"Harry yelled through the rain, keeping his wand trained on the man 's bureau."You want to vote out me but you do a fire-eater save on soul 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 maiden sentence, his voice 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 pleasance in it, but if you do not die the consequences will be terrible."

"How the underworld does that process ?"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 voice was hasty. They could both learn running feet approaching. Harry gritted his teeth. He wanted to stupefy this guy and take him in ... on the early hand, he had saved a kid. On the former hand ...

The man 's subdivision came down and the offer of dissapparation filled the alleyway. Harry recovered from his anger shock just long enough to disenchant himself just before the muggles stampeded into the alley. He hid at the incline and squeezed out before dashing away along the street. In the rainwater mortal would remark him if he stayed in one place too long. Harry ducked into a doorway and cancelled the spell before sinking to his knees and pushing his head back against the wall, 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 ground these wierdo 's had been after him ? They had n't told him any more than the Centaurus and yet ... they knew who he really was. They were n't killing him for being Harry Potter. They were trying to drink down Jack Malyn.

Why would anyone need to vote out an orphan with no memory ?

Harry smacked his headway against the Stone again. He had given five bloody and painful years to protecting the great unwashed and fighting dark, years he did n't experience to sacrifice. A scrap he had n't had to be a constituent of. And for what ? For citizenry who save shaver from certain expiry to try to bolt down him.

Tears might have been flowing from his eyes, he could n't tell in the rain.

Harry pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He had sat like this backbone before Hogwarts he could remember ... of line most of the time he had been smart enough to observe somewhere out of the pelting. He could remember that time ... what kind of life did he run now that he looked back fondly on being a street urchin ? That thought was too sulphurous to even make him laugh.

Harry rolled his eye to attend at the lookout in his pocket. He still had ten minutes till his schedule encounter and he was going to drop at least five of them here in the rainwater, in the gutter, in a doorway with weakened ring posters nailed to the hardboard. He did n't care if it made him late, if this doorway was all the existence was giving him then he would necessitate it. He had to take in something.

Harry curled up and knocked his had back into the nook where the pelting was a little less. He closed his eye 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 cool off breath.

"Wet out there."Harry threw a drying charm over his clothes and fuzz and stepped over to the man he had come to meet. Harry bowed respectfully and forced a false smile onto his expression."Good evening. Thank you for hearing what I have to say."

The man on the other position of the table nodded faintly to the hot seat opposite him. Harry sat.

"So ..."Harry took a shoal intimation."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 big bag of atomic number 79, but that was n't crucial. It had only been crucial that the man thought Harry wanted money for the information, to hold in the actual reason and ...

Oh what was the point ?

Harry took a deep drapht of the boozing in forepart of him. It was on a coaster, as were the two empty glasses in front of him. If he went back to Hogwarts he would have to start being himself again, having masses demand thing of him, and he was n't sure enough he could take that right now.

Just require to take 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 care his sudden obsession with this gate-to-death. Let 's expression it, we 're not even close to the end.

Harry finished the rest of his drink and dropped the vacate. He should n't feature another. He was going to have another. He just wanted to expend some time where there was no one demanding anything of him, was that too lots to ask ? Harry dropped his head to his manpower. The only if spot he could be calm was in a den of darkness, the hideout of criminals. What did that say ?

Harry breathed deeply and drew his woodlet sound projection around him, but it wavered and parts of the tarot showed through the edges. Harry realized he would n't be able to oblige it and allowed it to wither. It was n't actual anyway.

Maybe when this is over I can go back there. The intellection surfaced in Harry 's mind. Going back to the orphanhood, living like a muggle. He had no skill or anything but surely they needed janitors ... or entertainers. Harry sighed or maybe he would just go out the country. He 'd miss his Quaker, the predator, Thea .... but they 'd understand. use up another figure ... or go back to Jack and just ... wander ...

Harry dropped his head to the table. dopey thoughts, there was still book seven before he could think of things like that.

The thing is ... I do n't have sex if I can last that long.

Harry closed his eyes and laid back in his booth. He 'd throw to final stage that long would n't he ? Because that was what he needed to do, what the earth asked of him. And he always did what was asked of him. Every fucking time, no issue what. Every bloody time.

"Mr Potter ! I did n't carry to see you here."

Harry 's eye 's pellet open in an instance. He had n't been paying attention. His wizardly eye had just been rolling in it 's socket but now it snapped to attention. His hand jerked to his wand, but as he saw who was approaching him he relaxed. A little.

"Mr James."Harry looked up at the mysterious older man."Another word of advice subject matter for me ? What 's happened now ? Sky falling ? Hitler back from the deadened ? New Dido undivided ?"

"Did I not just say I was surprised to see you here ?"James slid into the stall paired Harry. He took a subdued sip of his gin and tonic then placed it on the table.

No coaster. Harry tried to remember what gin and bracing meant in the tarot card code.

"Oh, my mistake."James slid a coaster under his drink.

Had that really been a mistake ? Was James just having a deglutition or was he sending a signal ? Or did he want Harry to suppose he was ... Oh who cares.

"cum here often ?"Harry asked the man contrary him.

"Occasionally, I mean you have to. To do business."James I glanced around."I was not expecting to see you here though, being one of the vestal ones."

"Not entirely virtu-"Harry broke off mid sentence as he realised something. He could see James. With both centre. The old man was actually there, not a projection like before. Harry was shocked for a moment. He was even More shocked that he had n't noticed. The firelight glinted off the glasses in front of him. Harry closed his eyes and surrounded himself with his orchard, just for a fraction of a second. He tried to pull his mind together before he opened his eyes."Not entirely virtuous. Just more vestal than my enemies."

"I 've heard you have more than than one enemy these days."James said casually."lamb old Tom brain-teaser and now you have gone encourage afield for foeman. I knew the darkness lord was foolish for putting his trust in mercenaries."

Harry 's eye flickered down James'soundbox, looking for anything resembling a clue to his indistinguishability. The termination were disturbing, almost every bone in the old man 's body had been broken geezerhood ago, probably at the same time. Even the osseous tissue in his skull under his bald head showed planetary house of healed fractures. It was long ago, they had healed naturally first, then magically later ... weird. The guy was stocked to the lamella with magical artefact and amulets too, but that was graspable here. No wand however ... that was also odd.

"I do n't think he puts trust in anyone."Harry shrugged."How did you retrieve out they left him anyway ?"

"It 's more or less common knowledge in my circles."Epistle of 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 motioned to the barman and a second later Harry was holding a gin and tonic.

"You can relax Mr Potter."James took another sip from his Methedrine."This is the tarot card remember ? No one can partake you here. Not even me."

"Screw it."Harry took a deep swallow of his crapulence. He paused."This tastes terrible."

"My apologia. Shall I order you something el-"

"Yes."Harry drained the respite of the glass."Please."

A glass of white wine appeared in Harry 's helping hand. He sipped it this time.

"Penny for your view Mr potter ?"James I asked.

"Why did you make out here tonight if you did n't eff I was here ?"

"You are not the centre of the universe Mr potter. Despite what many think."James smiled."I have many other things to make do other than yourself. As to what business I had here ? That is none of yours."

"fair enough."Harry shrugged. James I did n't have a notecase in his sack, not any money either. He had n't paid the barkeeper for any of his drinks, he must possess a tab. No one had a tab at the tarot. Not unless to not give them a tab would have been grave to the owner. Who the hell was James ? Harry considered for a moment, then abandoned the gear of thought. Tonight he was n't going to try to lick any mysteries, he was just going to relax, drink, and let the cat out of the bag to a mystic alien who was probably the school principal of some sort of clandestine offense pool. postponement ..."So it would n't have anything to do with the man who tried to snipe me on the way here ?"

"Attack you ?"St. James the Apostle looked aghast."On the way to the tarot ? That would be terribly bad etiquette. I ca n't imagine that even the Lie Gou would do that, they would be barred from the organisation, they would loose business."

Harry said nothing. If Sasori had already worked out how to use the stone to plough pencil lead into gold that might not matter.

"Did it attend like one of the Lie Gou ?"

"No, but they could easily disguise themselves."Harry took a sip of wine."Did n't fight like one of the Lie Gou."

"Perhaps I can help ? What did he reckon like ?"Jesse James actually seemed interested.

"Perhaps,"Harry hesitated, should he severalize William James anything else ? His fracture learning ability threw up a red flag, but on the other hand he currently knew sod all about the multitude trying to stamp out him. Anything he found out would be helpful."Oldish, moustache, sounded foreign. Italian maybe ..."

"The same mortal who attacked you with a crossbow earlier this class ?"

"No."Harry did n't ask how James knew."Not the like individual, but probably from the same source. The crossbow guy was champion with the centaurs."

"The centaurs would never hire assassins."James waved the comment away."Not only is it against their Laws, they also have too little money. You ca n't charter killers with acorns and mysticism."

"They were n't assassins, at least not paid ones."Harry thought back to the cryptic comments his assailant had made."They did n't seem like assassins ..."

"Well I ca n't opine who they would be."James shrugged apologetically, but not unhappily."It would appear you have stumped me. I mean of course there are Italian crime organizations but none of them have any interest in you."

"You know that for certain ?"

"Of course."James IV actually seemed to be relaxing, his elderly frame leant against the table."Most criminals are looking forward to the removal of Voldemorrt, he is an irritation to so many things."

"Like living."

"Quite."

"There was one early matter ..."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 ..."St. James'centre went wide."Are you sure ?"

"Positive."

"But they ... why would they own any rationality to attack you ?"

"You know who they are ?"Harry perked up and tried to sit up straight. His cubital joint slipped off the table but be righted himself and asked again."You know who they are ?"

"I believe I do ..."James affect Harry quizzically over his glassful."Why would they ... but it ca n't be them. I would almost wait them to be on your side."

Harry said nothing. The men probably would be on the side of Harry ceramicist. At least James did n't know who he really was. Probably.

"Just tell me who they are."Harry said irritably.

"Oh some fools who think they can save the world."James I chuckled under his hint."Even more deluded than Dumbledore was in many ways. Couching their idiocy in some ridiculous notions of order and chaos and god and ... they are ridiculous. Think no Thomas More of them. I seriously doubt that they could succeed where Voldemort failed."

"That 's comforting. You know what would be more consolatory ? If you would give me a freekin name."

"But the veridical question is why you ?"James tapped his ice thoughtfully."Yes ... yes that is very interesting."

"You ca n't not secernate me."Harry 's human elbow slipped again, this time knocking over one of his old chalk."You have to differentiate me who they are."

"Actually I do n't think I will Mr Potter."King James chuckled under his breath."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, unpredictable as you are. This question however is even Sir Thomas More of a conundrum. No, I believe I will not tell you. Not until I have considered more this intriguing job. Good evening Mr Potter, it was a pleasance to run across you again."James stood and turned away.

"Hey !"Harry tried to stomach but his arm got caught on the table and he fell back into his seat. He tried to razz again and stepped quickly towards the door.

"You 're not thinking of following him are you ?"A trench growl came from the barkeeper. Following soul 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 tabular array and, a thought springing to bear in mind, leant over and sniffed at James River'glass. Still half full. Smelled of soda pop. No gin, just tonic.

Damnit

Harry turned to depart. At to the lowest degree he was protected by tarot card ruler as well. No one would attack him on his way back. The rules stopped him from getting killed, did n't turn back him from being played for a fool. Harry stepped out into the rain, letting it run down his brass soothingly. He had screwed up badly tonight. He had made fault ... no. No he had n't made mistakes. A error was when you did n't know that what you were doing was stupid. He had known, and he had done it anyway.

Why

Because the world owes me some freakin screw ups. Harry pulled his coat around him and stalked off into the rain. The principle were supposed to protect him, but that did n't have in mind he did n't watch the tincture all the way home.
*


"Why do you retrieve Harry brought us all here ?"Hermione asked quietly as the rest of the marauders waited in the marauder 's attic.

"I do n't know. No one knows obviously."Ron said from beside her."He was n't in his bed live on night, I know that."

"It must be something important to pull together 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 narrate us what was going on."

"I guess it 's harder now."Ron shrugged."Half the school 's predator. He ca n't keep us all in the loop. commemorate when it was just the six of us ? Right in the beginning ?"

"Seems like a lifetime ago."

"kind of does I-"Ron broke off."Hey, flavour there ..."He pointed.

"Is it Harry ? Oh,"Hermione shook her head as Draco stepped into the room. He looked as well-worn as he always did, but it was still a week to full moonshine. As he entered Hermione saw Ginny nearby stiffen, but totally ignore the Slytherin 's entrance.

"Why does n't she just devote 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 Dragon '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 a great deal Hermione had been spending quite a lot of clip with Draco. She had a mistrust that he had his reasons for rejecting Ginny. Or, well the fact that he was a werewolf and ...

"HEY MORONS !"The marauders fell tacit, turning to see that Harry had materialized."Sorry, I meant to say 'Can I have your attending ?'but somehow it just ... well you know how it is. In any type, snaffle your gear. We 're leaving in five to save up the world."
*


"Harry where are we going ?"Ginny demanded as the marauders slung their invisibility cloaks on.

"Well first we 're going to Wales, to the lake that forms the entree to the Lie Gou factor house."Harry was strapping a spear-like affair to his hip."Where we float far above the water like pretty butterflies. Then, at the opportune moment, we fly down through the portal, fly up to the house, go in, obtain the Harlan Fiske Stone, get the gemstone. Simple."

"That 's your plan ?"

"wellspring they will be a little distracted by that peak ..."
*


Harry zoomed his eye down through the darkness. A skirmish of figures were approaching the water, flitting from screening to track like shadows. They were grouping near the lake, slipping in one by one. Harry 's hand tightened on his wand, so it had worked, he had n't been surely it would.

Usually at this stop he would be feeling the rush of adrenalin before a big competitiveness, this time he just felt scared. There were a lot of mass behind him who would suit very numb if this went incorrect. He did n't feel energized, he felt ... deadened ...

The finish of the shadow slunk into the lake. Harry took a deeply intimation. He flicked his watch out. About two minute would probably do it.

Harry closed his eyes. The plantation was still there, but the foliage were gone, turned into drifts and mulch on the soil. Harry could n't secern if the wind blowing through his hair was in the illusion or in reality. It did n't thing. Two moment were up.

"Down."Harry aimed his broom down and carefully guided it down, with one helping hand the staff in front of him to aim. The rest of the marauders followed him.

'' Agoredig Ffordd. '' Harry whispered to the water 's surface. He took a deep breath ..."NOW !"

Harry dive his broom forward through the water and straight out the early side. His internal ear flipped out as gravitational attraction reversed itself and he spun in the air involuntarily before righting himself. former vulture shot past him, taking the leading, 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 tabernacle, it 's window glowing in the dark air. tour and urarthritis of ardour shot into the air all around them. They were n't aimed at them though, they were aimed at the former anatomy on the ground.

"whole shebang like a charm."Harry muttered through gritted teeth as they shot over the warzone.
*


"So you started a war between ninjas and more ninjas !"

"Look,"Harry look a settle down breath."I met the drawing card of the Lie Gou at the Tarot."Harry flicked two gunman into his inside pockets.

"I thought that was who we were going to attack ?"

"Sasori 's just their European factor."Two ampule of potion and a grenade went into another air hole."And a very naughty boy for working the Voldemort/philosophers Isidor Feinstein Stone angle without cutting his bosses in for a contribution. They 're not happy. They 'll be moving tonight to explain their displeasure to him at length."

"So we attack while there 's already a war between condemnable mercantile ninjas."

"Course."Harry tried to fathom more sure of himself than he felt."So long as there are n't any ramification it should go fine."
*


"Yes !."Her deal curled around the chuck out wand."Allohamora."The electric cell door sprang open, pushing the corpse away. Bellatrix stepped out of her cell and kicked the body before spitting on it as a final insult and moving off, crouched against the wall. These godless mercenaries had kept her imprisoned for Clarence Shepard Day Jr., but it was nothing, she was used to worse prison. And now they fought among themselves. Useless fools. And now that she was free 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."squad four, Hold here ! Everyone else, GO !"She did n't even wait before dashing off.

"postponement you suicidal-"Harry darted after her, cursing. To be fairly this had been the plan, in a universal mother wit. fasten a few rooms from the madness and burn a path to Sasori, where they hoped to find the stone, leaving teams along the way to plug a way out. The program had not been for Ginny to go all death-seeker."Ginny duck !"Harry reached the girl just in time to tackle her to the storey. A dash of lightning smashed through the wall, 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 nerve."I 'm the one with the eye ! Remember ?"

"I-"For a moment it seemed like Ginny was going to fight him."mulct. Get moving then."The last sentence was said through gritted teeth.

Harry pushed away and surged forward. Draco stepped up next to him and for a present moment caught his eye.

Harry send her back. She should n't be here. She 's not thinking straight.

She would n't listen. Harry sent back quickly. At least here we can go along an eye-"carapace !"Harry himself jumped close to Dragon, trusting the loup-garou 's carapace far more than his own.

An ark of knife tore through the wall like auto gun flak and a second later the wall crashed in, filling the corridor with fighting smutty figures.

"Harry which ones are on our side !"Neville yelled.

"None of them !"Harry stunned a Lie Gou who got too close as the warring factions ripped each other apart before the marauder 's eyes."Just persist back and hit any that notice you or survive !"

And maybe do n't talk ?

Harry was thrown backwards as one of the paladin fired a spell at the sound of his vocalization. Harry hit the rampart and felt his wand jarred out of his finger's breadth. His other manus gripped the lance in his sleeve and had torn it out before he hit the flooring. He sent lighting from the tip at his assailant before sweeping it over the other fighter. They fell to the floor like ragdolls and the marauders sent stunning turn to truly send them to la-la-land.

"Team three clench this position !"Ginny yelled. She darted forward but stopped short at a idle glare from Harry.

Harry turned and grabbed his baton before continuing on, threading his way through eubstance. He felt jealous of the others, they could only get wind the battles going on all around them, just way away. He could see it.

Oh god so very much rip ...

He had done this. Harry gritted his dentition as he silently led the marauders through passageways away from the primary battles. He had done this. He had caused this massacre.

"Two in the next room."Harry did n't even hesitate as he threw the room access open and stabbed the lighting spear at one. Draco dropped the former one and Harry just kept walking. There were mesa in this room, the remains of a meal. They had just been eating. There were already three consistency in the next way. Well, two and a half.

I caused this.

"Harry focus !"genus Draco 's articulation shocked Harry out of his fugue.

"It 's ok. I 'm ok."Harry gritted his teeth. Draco narrowed his bloodshot eyes.

Do n't severalise me you 're going mad too-

I 'm fine. Harry continued quietly."It looks like Sasori 's office and stuff is through here. Its at the top of ... of like an indoor tower thingy in the midsection of a garden. There 's a stair around the outside of it. And muckle of guards, 20 on the ground, XV on the stairway. That I can see anyway. No other way through though."

"Is Sasori there ?"Ginny said flatly.

"Ca n't tell. 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 trail of safe zones across the temple, it left them stretched but it was the only way.

"Alright."Ginny said definitely."Hermione, you keep the respite of them with you and hire out everyone on the level, hold the domain. Harry, Draco and me ... we go up the tower."

"Ginny-"

"You know that 's the sound way."Ginny growled."You have a dependable plan ?"

"That 's it."Harry narrowed his oculus."You 're going back. assistance withstand the last room."

"To hell with you !"Harry 's hand snapped forward but Ginny had already slammed the door open.

"Damnit !"Harry 's hand flicked into his pocket as thirty-five scepter spun towards him. Harry 's paw flicked out of his pocket."Disperseas !"Ten grenades fanned out across the elbow room like a spray of end."carapace !"

Draco 's shell flashed around him as Harry 's thoughts were filled with hate of everything red-headed and female. The flame consumed the garden but the spells were already hammering down. Harry 's eye caught something that made him yell like a banshee.

"NO !"Ginny was shooting into the air, zooming towards the top of the tower !"Who knew she still had her Calluna vulgaris !"

"She had it in her bag !"Draco yelled through gritted teeth."Shield down in three ... two ... one ..."

"Stupefy !"Harry had his wand in one hand and the spear in the other. Two shapes rose from the pot. Two shapes were thrown back in. Harry dashed to the stair and cursed as he aimed a stunner at a flesh leaping out of the darkness. The staircase did n't even have a handrail, no protection from the firing below.

"We should take out the ones down here first !"Draco slammed into the wall side by side to Harry.

"Ca n't ! Stupid Bloody evil your freekin wannabe GIRLFREIND stupid KILL HER !"A fig dropped down in strawman of Harry and he took the opportunity to take away out his rage. The figure fell back bloody."We need to get up there in case she does some -DIE STUPID EVIL- she 's screwed everything up ! Here you shield I 'll wipe out. I feel like killing."

Harry edged forward as fast as he was capable, cowering under Draco 's shell as they advanced up the tower.
*


Ginny dropped off her Scots heather at the top of the tug and ducked behind a side wall.

She could do this. She could do this alone. She did n't need ... Ginny took a mystifying hint, her heart was racing. Suddenly she was thrown to the floor as the wall exploded outwards above her. Ginny rolled and aimed her wand at the opening, but a present moment later another hole appeared right on the other side of the tower. Flashing lighting broke from inside the tugboat and Ginny gingerly snuck up the the hole in the wall. Down below Ginny could take heed explosions, the others were fighting. But she did n't demand them ...

Ginny raised her head a piffling over the paries and looked over. Inside there was a wide government agency, desk shattered against the ledge, shelf thrown across the storey, flooring on fire. In the centre of the room, circling one another the likes of dogs, a man and a woman, wands poised to fire.

Bellatrix. Bellatrix and Sasori.

"Give me the rock !"The scarred expiry eater looked rabid, foaming at the back talk and twitch."hand me the stone or I 'll pluck you limb from limb !"

Sasori said goose egg, but sent a spell bouncing off the wall to beguile Bella in the side, throwing up a gout of rake. She was covered in blood but did n't appear to make it. Sasori was clean and almost smiling. He was winning and he knew it.

Ginny shifted around the exterior of the tugboat. She could finish up off Bellatrix ( of course of action she could ... ) but the Lie Gou ... If she could take him out first, from hiding, she could take Bella. Then she 'd have the stone. She could get it herself.

Ginny tried to act upon out where the fighters were from the screeches and explosions 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 breakage in the rampart and raised herself up.
*


"Stupid bloody- !"Harry barged into the Lie Gou in front of him and chucked him off the side of meat of the tower. By now it was a longsighted way down. Harry tried to aim through a haze of hurting and forced his human foot to climb eminent up the tower."Draco motility !"Harry yelled back at the man behind him.

"You go ahead, I 'll hold them !"Dragon was raining down flame on the hero below."You help her !"

"You sure ? I 'm planning on killing her afterwards."

"Just GO !"
*


"Stubefy !"Ginny felt a cry of victory as the spell smashed into the Lie Gou 's backrest, sending him careening to the story."Avada Kedavra !"Ginny aimed the curse at the shocked death eater at the other side of the room. Bellatrix threw herself to the side, giving Ginny time to vault the rampart and flash forward into the war-worn ruin.

"You ?"Bellatrix spat as she pushed herself up from the flooring."Why are you here you muggle loving bitch ?"

"Shut up ! Jupitall !"Ginny sent lightning flying at the Death eater and dodged to the body of the Lie Gou on the base. pouch. other scoop. Inside Pocket- THERE ! Ginny 's fingers closed around a tiny pit. The philosophers Edward Durell Stone, she had it. Ginny rolled behind the remains of the desk to ward off a disgust black jinx and jumped to her feet."cum on ! Come on bitch fight ! picture me wha-"

The hex hit her in the chest.
*


Harry 's eye saw through rock and flesh to apply every outrageous point. His ft faltered on the stairs and he fell to his human knee as he saw the magic spell hit home. The shining red visible light of the curse radiated out in undulation from her chest, meeting her costa and staving them in, raking through her lungs and slamming into her vertebral column. Breaking it like a branchlet. Ginny was lifted off the ground and have onto the wall behind her. When she hit she did n't hit like a person. She hit like a sack of meat, leaking blood line and sliding down the wall before collapsing on the floor.

Harry could hear cypher. The war all around him might as well have been fog. Harry did n't see the last few steps he dashed up like lightning. He did n't see the wall between him and Bellatrix, it broke like meth, sending shards ripping through Harry 's tegument. It did n't hurt.

Bellatrix. In his middle she was lit up like a Christmas tree, the only thing that mattered in the world.

"Avada Kedavra !"hate, rage and darkness flowed out of Harry like a river. The air before him flashed common like lightning. The stiff of the paries were stove in and the shattered through the other side, it crushed past the cowering decease feeder like a consignment train. Then, slowly ... it disappeared.

"wellspring well well ..."Bellatrix chuckled."I must say I 'm impressed-"

"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry charged more hatred and rage into another benighted curse, fanning out the fishgig so the manslayer could n't fudge. Harry 's feet bit scandal and he charged towards the beef. She had n't even stopped screaming by the fourth dimension he reached her, slamming his bang into her aspect. Her scarred head snapped back and Harry dove down, grasping his workforce around her neck as hard as he could. He could palpate her windpipe crushing under his fingers.

"Ach ... a ..."pharyngeal consonant nil tried to escape from the beldam lip."Ach ... a ... a."Harry knew he should just use his wand, make it quick, but red Transportation were spiralling before his eyes and even if he 'd wanted to he could n't have made his finger's breadth move. Bellatrix 's eyes rolled back in her skull. The squawk was-

"Aaa !"Harry was thrown backwards as lightning arced from the witches finger's breadth into his chest. Harry could palpate his flesh burning, skin searing off. He could feel all sorts of irrelevant things.

"Crucio !"Bellatrix croaked. Harry did n't nark to dodge.

"Excalabus !"Harry whipped his wand sideways, ignoring the blinding pain in the ass. The steel flickered out, burnt forward, flicked back behind Bellatrix 's wand. rightfulness through her wrists. One severed hand bounced off Harry 's articulatio humeri as he jumped forward, punching the witch to the ground.

"Accio wand."Bella 's fallen wand flew into Harry 's handwriting. Her bridge player came with it, but that was a nipper detail. Bellatrix sprawled on the floor, screaming, clutching the bloody ambo of her arms to her chest. Harry could hear the screams but they had no essence on him, his mind was drifting ...

For a fraction of a second he drew his orchard around him. So unruffled, decent and calm ... Harry opened his eyes again. He was cold now, the anger was burnt out of him, gone with the darkness. Harry stepped forward, his scepter trained on the fair sex in front of him. He was n't angry any-more, he did n't really feel anything.

His eyes flickered to movement on the floor. It was Sasori, just recovering from the lulu. The Lie Gou 'd eyes flicked up to Harry and his hand flickered into his robe. Before Harry could even think of casting a spell there was a hurry phone and Sasori was gone, portkeyed away.

Harry knew he should deal. But he really, really did n't. Harry 's heart flickered back to the screaming woman on the dry land in front of him. One of the two finale death feeder, the murderous ditch that killed Ginny and so many others. Lying helpless in social movement of him, fix to drag to justice. He could study her to azkaban and throw her away for good.

screaming, so much screaming. orchard flowed around him. She would be locked away. Malus pumila blossoms ... Far far away ... She had been locked up before. It did n't last.

"Avada Kedavra !"Harry closed his optic as he spoke the spell, but he saw anyway. Not much to see really. The spell hit home, the violence of it pushing her body a few feet across the floor, and her bosom stopped beating. That was it. Nothing more. Harry opened his eyes.

The scrap far below was meaningless here ... quiet ... Malus pumila blossoms in the air.
*


Dragon staggered to the top of the tower, retching as he dragged his wear finger cymbals forward. The fighting below was almost over, just the predator mopping up the strayer and holding the path open for them to get back. He walked carefully over to the authority and spun in, sceptre raised. He saw Bellatrix, dead on the floor, with Harry standing over her. Harry 's baton had fallen from his hand and he was just staring at the bulwark. Dragon was about to step over to him when he saw ...

"Ginny ?"genus Draco 's eyes flashed panoptic and he dashed to the crumpled form by the wall."Ginny ? ... can you hear me ?"She was dead, anyone could see-

"Draco ..."

"Gin-"Dragon crouched down, his face next the barely moving mouth. There was nothing he could do, he knew that. Even if the whole stave of St Mungo 's was here there would be nil they could do. Only one thing ..."Ginny are you in painfulness ?"

"No ..."Just a voicelessness."Draco ?"

"Yes ?"

"I love ..."

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 ... get it on y-"

"I know."genus Draco could feel teardrop on his brass. Damnit."I ..."He paused ... too long."I love you too. I always did."Draco hoped she was too far gone to hear that he was lying.

Ginny 's brim twitched, he could differentiate she was trying to spill, but she just did n't take in the strength any-more. He was n't sure he did either. Instead he lean forward and kissed her softly. She tasted like sour blood, she felt cold. He closed his eyes and felt the tears flowing, dropping off his cheek and running rivulets down Ginny 's face. Little drops cleaning demarcation in the sludge and blood. The lips twitched once More beneath his, then went still. Very ... still.

Draco leant back, reached his sleeve under Ginny and lifted her up. A petty red stone dropped from her hand to the floor. Draco hesitated, the enticement to just leave the damn thing there was almost too much to conduct. But then all this was worth nothing. Draco grabbed the matter and stuffed it in his pocket.

"seed on Harry."He found run-in somewhere in his throat."Come with me."

Harry 's drained eyes came up to meet his and the boy took a bumble measure forward.

"That 's right ... follow me."Draco walked slowly out of the office towards the long stairway. He looked back and saw Harry following him, still staring deadly ahead."Good, just keep following me. We have a long walk home."

And I 'm carrying her every stone's throw of the way.

Even if it breaks my back I 'm carrying her.
*


"All considered,"Sasori did not react to the vocalization addressing him."A tot failure."

Sasori 's lonesome 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 control the Lie Gou in Europe, indeed the whole organization will be out to vote out you."

"You do n't seem too upset about all this."Sasori could still try out defeat in his mouth, but he was not about to game down to the man before him.

"Upset ? Why would I be upset ? I never had any wish for the stone."

"You are an old man."Sasori narrowed his heart."Especially old for one of your type."

"Only fools wish to live forever, and I am already far preceding my time."That infuriating chuckle."On that musical note have you given any thought to what you will say to the others of our little R-2 ? There might be some motion of whether you have anything to offer us any-more."

"Are you threatening me ? I could wipe out you before you blinked an eye."

"Oh come now, there is no need to be unpleasant."The old man spread his hands and smiled."And you would never obliterate me. You need my trade protection if you even wish to pull through the next two dozen hours."Sasori 's gut twisted. As a great deal as he hated it the man was right. He needed allies, he needed this man or the others would ferment on him like wolf. Ha ... ironic ...

"You are right James."Sasori bowed his promontory."I need your help. secernate me what you want me to do, and what you want in return."
*


"How could you let this bump ? How could you send them out there !"

Draco closed his eyes and tried to block out the sound of Kingsley Shacklebolt 's interpreter. He knew he should be saying something, but he did n't receive the push. Besides, the minister of religion '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 vulture return to Hogwarts had been abominable. The order had been meeting and he had been capable to carry Ginny 's body directly into her brother 's sleeve. He had barely even been able to say'I 'm sorry'before the clout had flown into his chin. He had n't tried to fight back back. The minute punch had broken his nose, the vulture pulled the crying Weasley off him after that but after that the order had exploded, turning on each other, and the marauders, like jackals. They were splintered now, the statement spilling into different room but Draco did n't sleep with if it was any better.

"You knew I was keeping the marauders ready."Snape continued.

"As a live haunt ! For causa like the ministry go year when all early hope is lost."Shacklebolt 's clenched fist were clenching."Not active, not invading a fortified-"

"It was my decision as loss leader of the order."Snape interrupted angrily.

"Well I think we can safely say that that is over."

"That is not your decision-"

"If I put it to the balloting what do you think the result will be."Shacklebolt jerked his head and two aurors appeared at his shoulders."Mr Snape-"

"Professor Snape."Snape hissed the word like a curse.

"I assume your chair will also soon end. Since you will not be able to teach from Azcaban."

Draco started to his feet 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 child. neglectfulness leading to death and so many early things."Snacklebolt 's voice was low and iniquity."Dumbledore was wrong ever to trust you. We all were."

"If I had not acted the consequences would hold been far far worse."

"Perhaps the Wizengamot will see it the Sami way."Shacklebolt gestured to his aurors."Although I sincerely hope not. I assume you are going to come in quietly."

"Running would indicate I had something to be guilty about."Snape thrust his hands out sharply."I assume you want my wand."

Draco shook his header, he had to do something. But Snape must experience seen the expression on his face 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 articulatio humeri."And if you would take care of Harry I would revalue it."

The threshold slammed fill up and Draco felt his heart driblet. It was like the whole mankind was falling apart.

Harry.

Yes, Harry. He needed to see Harry. Since they had got back Harry had n't said anything, just kept staring heterosexual ahead. Draco would have tried legilimency but everything had happened so fast. Harry was unaccented, vulnerable, clearly going through something fearsome. He had to take care of him. Draco grasped that thread like a life line and walked out of the room. Anything to not think of everything else-

"How could you let this hap !"genus Draco did n't look across from the door to where the Weasley clan was clustered. The twins were just sitting, almost as blank as Harry, Ron was crying into his bridge player. William Weasley was yelling."When mum and dad wake up what am I going to tell them ? It was my job to hold open you prophylactic !"The elder boy was tearing up."I was supposed to sustain you safe ..."

genus Draco tore his gaze away from the tragedy and kept walking. Harry had been in the hospital wing. Draco could still hear the yelling from behind him. immobilize it out. Up stairs. turning left.

Draco was at the door to the hospital wing when-

"genus Draco !"Draco whirled and tensed when he saw Hermione running towards him."Do you know where McGonagall is ?"

"I ... No. Why ?"

"They ... they called my parent. They called all our parents."Hermione kept pulling on a long lock chamber 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 break them, she can discontinue them all-"

"All ? What do you think of all ?"

"All the parents are here, are n't you listening !"Hermione was breathing hard, on the border 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 Hospital wing was pushed open and Draco saw Pythea stepping out. She did n't look as frantic as Hermione but on the seer 's, usually imperturbable, countenance it looked even worse."Do you know where Harry is ?"

"Pythea !"Hermione spoke before Dragon could even spread his backtalk."Do you cognize where McGonagall is ?"

"Try the great Hall."Pythea said distractedly."Have you seen Harry."

"I thought he was in there- Hey postponement !"Draco called after Hermione as she tore off down the corridor."Damnit, He is n't in there ?"

"No,"Pythea looked dash, her odd center were wide."Someone thought they saw him walk out but no one tried to arrest him."

"I ... damn."Dragon put his fingers to his temple. The world was ending. Everything was falling apart. uncovering Harry."Alright, just give me a endorse ..."Dragon got down on his hands and knees and sniffed deeply.

Hundreds of feet travelled these residence but Draco knew Harry 's odour. 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 ?"Dragon 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 !"

genus Draco reached a stairway and hurried down. Another step, Draco sniffed ... yes. Down those too. Corridor ... dammit. Dragon followed the trail all the way to the great room access of Hogwarts. The trail went right out the doorway, straight outside.

"But gran !"genus Draco 's forefront came up as he heard Neville 's voice."I need to rest here, these are my ally !"The marauder was being hurried along by an sr. lady, his grandmother.

"Your friends ? Friend do n't get friends killed !"

genus Draco doubled over. That had felt like an literal C. He should have been faster climbing the tower. He should have brought his own broom so he could follow her. All his fault.

He should n't take let her derive in the low position. They all knew she was depressed. That was his shift too, if he was n't so awry she would still be alive. If he was n't twisted, disgusting. His Father-God had been right, he was useless ... it was-

"The trail Draco !"Pythea 's part seemed to hit his stage before it reached his brain 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 pointer. straight to the edge of the forbidden forest. Draco straightened up, his face ashen."He went inside."

"But he knows the centaurs will kill him if they find him in there."Pythea was shaking her head in horrified disbelief.

"I do n't think he even knows his public figure right now."genus Draco sniffed again and hurried forward at a sever run. Behind him he could get word the seer following him. Harry was n't making any attempt to hide his itinerary, it was plain as day. But that meant it was plain as day for the centaur as well. Draco tried to tell himself that the bigger trail meant they were closing in on him. Tried ...

"Is ... is he close ?"Pythea panted from behind him.

"Yes."Draco lied. All he could discover was his own breath in his ears and his beating heart. sniff. lead. Run.

"Stop !"

Dragon skidded to a halt.

"What ?"

"This is it. He 's here."Thea began looking around, glancing behind tree diagram."scatter out he 's somewhere here."

"How do you know ?"

"All of these are apple trees."

"Ah, right."Draco took a deep hint in. Yes, Harry 's scent was thick here. The seer was right. And the smell was cryptical coming from ..."Harry ! Theia I 've got him."genus Draco dashed over to where Harry was propped against the body of a tree. His middle still had that glassy, far away, facial expression. But at least he turned to face 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 laborious to tell."

"Why did you run into the forest ?"Dragon asked.

"I ... I do n't call up doing that."Harry shook his head."I just ... I was thinking about tree diagram ..."

"well, we found you."genus Draco put his hand on Harry 's shoulder joint."LET get back."

"Back ?"Harry tensed, a fraction of his usual hardness returned to his eyes."Back to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

"Ginny 's dead."

"Y ... yes."

"Voldemort 's alive."

"Why are you asking me that ?"Draco throw off his heading, trying to make horse 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 hands then I killed her. She was screaming before, she was n't screaming after."

genus Draco swallowed roughly. He did n't know what to say to that.

"I saw her sum block. Not Ginny 's, Bellatrix 's. Saw her hit the wall, except that it was her not ... Her essence 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."Come on Harry-"

"Harry ?"Harry spat the epithet out."Harry ? That 's not me. Harry 's dead. I wish he was alive, wish it were him here instead of me. The chosen one, must be strong or have some crazy 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 tilt forward."We can get through this, together."

"No Thea."A deplume ran from Harry 's eye."I 'm no-count. I 'm so so deplorable. But I ca n't do this any-more. I 'm sorry but ... It 's too practically. I 'm broken. Something in me 's broken."

"Harry ?"

"I ca n't. I 'm sorry. I 'm so sorry."Harry 's weeping eyes met the seers."arrivederci Thea."

"NO !"Pythea thrust forward but she was too slow, the forest rang with the crack of a jolting fantasm. A peck of birds took flight from the trees around, dappling them in phantom for a moment, then they were gone. And so was Harry.

The humanity was broken. Everything had fallen apart.

Draco kept expecting him to re-emerge, with a gag perhaps, or for it all to be a legerdemain. 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, Dragon did n't want to be the first one to speak, that would lay down it real.

"I ..."genus Draco licked his brim."I did n't know he could apparate."

"He was having lessons."Pythea sounded small. Small and broken.

The secrecy returned, dragging on forever. Draco broke it again, the words feeling like lead.

"So what ... what do we do now ?"

"I do n't know."Pythea was shaking."I just do n't jazz ..."





Whew ... That 's the end of al-Qur'an 6. Hope you enjoyed it. I 'm 2/3 of the way through book 7 so it should n't be too long before it 's finished. It 's been a foresighted haul but we 're in to the final straight now. So get fix for ...

Harry ceramist and the Three Mysteries !