Have n't said this in a patch so I should probably refer. I do n't own Harry potter. I 'm not sure of the particular legal fork of a character called Harry potter but not actually the same guy. But anyway, I do n't own any of the clobber I 'm not supposed to own. I may own the stuff I 'm supposed to own but since I 'm improbable to publish it probably does n't matter.



It was a nice garden, the garden at Malfoy Manor. At one time the President George W. Bush were elegantly crafted topiary, a menagerie of fantastic beast in notional poses, but they had been untended for a year and now they looked just like Dubyuh. Just here or there you could see a shadow of a dragon, the backstage of a swan. It was like looking at clouds. The grass had grown up too, hanker blades that got between your toes. It was half violent but then that was honorable. It was a wonderfully peaceful place.

So why oh why had they nailed two bloody large quidditch destination into it. Harry snorted, they were ruining the purview with their stupid game.

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

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

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

'' Just keep open it hushed you hooligans. '' Harry laughed as Ginny rose into the sky again. It would have been fun to go up and make a fall guy of himself, pee-pee them express mirth when he fell off. But if he ever wanted to get rid of the walking pin he would have to let himself actually heal. If he burst his bowel open nonentity would laugh. well ... maybe the twins would.

Harry turned and stomped off across the grass, back towards the house. The sun was beating down like a cock and Harry was sweating by the time he reached the wide-cut 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 know how intemperately some things were for him. Better to just take a minute.

Harry stomped up the wooden stairs and dropped into a folding deckchair. The whole veranda was new wood, tacked onto the back of the ancient mansion. The marauders had conjured and constructed the affair the first day they got there, at genus Draco 's prod. The untested Slytherin took an almost diseased pleasure in slamming beam of light into the ancient Malfoy mansion. It was all they could do to terminate him using fifteenth century daggers as nails.

The solid piazza had been transformed into a kind of vulture summer camp. All of them were there, at initiatory they had just come during the day to fall out, then in driblet and drab they had attached themselves to room and began staying overnight. Harry was loving it, he had a wrapped audience. And now that the marauders numbered twenty they were a in effect interview. Except when they did pointless thing like gambol quidditch or do homework. But at former prison term they were brilliant.

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

'' I ca n't assure. '' Pythea took a dainty sip from a methamphetamine hydrochloride of lemonade. `` They seem to have released four different fink so I do n't screw how to score. ``

'' Four snitches ? '' Harry 's eyebrow arched.

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

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

'' Twelve I believe. ``

'' Seemed like more. '' Harry glanced up at the game flowing above the immense earth. xvi predator were swooping and diving in the hot, dead, air. Like swallows. Harry envied them, not for the ability to fly, but for the relief from the heat that flying would bring. Harry brushed his sweat filled whisker out of his brass and fanned himself with his mitt. He turned to the girl following to him. `` How are you not sweating ? It 's like a warm day in Hades. ``

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

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

His first sceptre had been taken from him by Voldemort at the end of his fourth class, it had never been recovered. His second lay broken in Godrics Hollow. Both had worked for him wonderfully and he had wanted something as good. The first day he had got out of hospital he had stomped down to the old wand-makers shop to buy a new wand. Unfortunately the old man had had other ideas.

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

'' But I just want- ''

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

Harry had been bundled from the shop class by the scrawny old bastard. As he fell backwards out the door, his cane clattering on the sett, he had yelled.

'' I did also defeat Voldemort you know ! '' But the door had been slammed shut in his face and he had gone back to the mansion empty handed. Given that he did n't desire to go to long without a wand he had scrounged through the thing 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 bad oak and had a nice round hold. It was just sometimes a piddling ... finical. Finicky was the right word. He just had to get used to it.

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

'' Are you sure you ca n't say intellect anymore ? '' Harry smiled over at Pythea.

'' You were staring at it. ``

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

'' I do n't use one. '' Thea hovered her lemonade up above her hired man by way or validation. `` I had a different kind of teaching. ``

'' Could you teach me ? ``

'' Do you cause a few save twelvemonth ? ``

'' 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 hurry. No wait, scratch that. Once they come we do n't possess to heed 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 bother asking her how she knew, this was a oracle he was talking to.

Harry stretched out in his president and yawned. It was nice to have an actual vacation again, no worry about Voldemort, no quest to undertake. It was relaxing. Harry eased his injured leg into a more comfortable position. He needed relaxing. His leg and his tummy needed relaxing. His head needed it too. Harry closed his eyes and sighed happily. Through his magic vision 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 meth. `` I would n't be a student and I could n't be a teacher. ``

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

'' Do n't even finish up that sentence. '' Pythea shuddered. `` That thought is too horrible to muse. ``

'' But most of all you can be close to the orderliness in compositor's case they need your arcane endowment. '' Harry wheedled. `` Your impressive arcane talent. Your amazing and unequalled arcane talents. ``

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

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

'' Harry ... ''

'' And besides. '' Harry smiled warmly. `` You never got a chance to be a kid. carry this chance, come to Hogwarts. Let the piranha show you how to take 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 derriere. He must have fallen asleep because the next affair he knew was a owl was pecking at his face.

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

Peck, mickle, peck.

'' Oh fine. '' Harry woke and cracked his neck. The owl was n't holding a varsity letter. `` Where are my bleedin event you pillock birdwatch ? ``

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

'' The owl gave it to you ? ``

'' I 'm good with animal. '' Thea glanced down at the while of paper. `` Do n't you want to hump your results ? ``

'' Not particularly. ``

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

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

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

'' Brat. ``

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

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

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

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

'' Did you see the early answer ? ``

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

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

'' The resultant role ! The results are here ! ``

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

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


The next day they did the solitary thing traditional after receiving Hogwarts missive. The customary, almost pilgramigical, misstep to Diagon Alley.

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

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

'' What ? ``

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

'' This is about your put-on shop is n't it. '' Harry guessed shrewdly.

'' Maybe. ``

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

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

Harry shrugged. fair enough. The Weasley parents were there as well of course. Harry knew that on some grade they disapproved of their children being soldiers in a war on eternal swarthiness. Harry knew this, and could barely institute himself to deal. The war was effectively over for now, they were n't soldiers for now. Not for a few old age at least. Harry shrugged, he would have preferred if the marauders could go alone. organism parented after so long taking care of himself was galling. Ah well, with so many marauders they could n't possibly keep back tab key on all of them.

Harry shrugged and hoisted his cane. Ah well, clip to do the dorsum to school workshop. How very normal.
*


Harry dropped into a seat in an ice-cream parlor. His lead leg, and left arm were both killing him. He had never been more thankful that his bottomless bag absorbed the weight of the Good Book he 'd bought. If he 'd had to transport them the traditional way he might well be dead. It was n't even just the exercising weight or the injury, it was the people. What had happened in the section of whodunit was known to every necromancer in Britain and probably a beneficial identification number outside as well. Harry did n't know which ace were spoiled, the 1 that demanded an John Hancock 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 stop for ice cream right ? '' Harry panted. `` We 're all stopping for ice pick. Not because I 'm almost absolutely. Stopping for ice ointment because we want to, not because I 'm a bloody invalid. ``

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

'' Great ! '' Harry sat back. `` doubling scoop, deep brown and burnt umber please. ``

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

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

'' Make up your brain. '' Draco muttered and shook his head wryly as the marauder pushed tables together around the one Harry had claimed. Harry just sat back and grinned. The heat energy had beat down harshly all day but now it was evening and the air was pleasantly coolheaded. Very peaceful. Harry wondered idly what he would do with a year of peace. Probably go mental. Possibly get arrested. Without his rarified end to rationalize his lawlessness he was nonresistant to end up expelled. He might have to rein himself in a bit. Just a bit. It was inauspicious that he had no idea how to do that.

'' coffee tree and umber. '' A cone was shoved into his hand by Padma.

'' What ? No waffle cone ? ``

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

'' Ouch. '' Harry chuckled as the marauders pulled up hot seat around the table. Despite her sarcasm Padma pulled up the chair next to Harry. Thea sat down quietly on the early slope. She was quietly with everyone but Harry still. For someone who had been one of the most powerful 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. '' Padma hissed quietly and cheekily. Harry 's centre followed her surreptitious gaze to the former incline of the table. Ginny and Draco were sitting at the far other English. As he watched Ginny held her ice cream out to Dragon, who bent to lick it and ended up with a spot on his nose. Ginny laughed gaudy than it was natural to laugh at something so cliché and wiped the dapple off with a napkin. The napkin brushed down Dragon 's face just a bit longer than was necessary. With his thaumaturgy eye Harry could even see Ginny 's heartbeat quicken. Harry turned to Padma.

'' And he still remains totally oblivious. '' Harry shook his nous in mental rejection. `` Does he deliver some form of empathic blind-spot ? ``

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

'' Interesting that you say creams in the same fashion that others would say ... oh I do n't have it away. Mary Jane bile. ``

'' If he 's that oblivious he 's not Worth it. By the way, if you want to switch some of the ointment for skunk bile I 'm game. '' Padma grinned slyly.

'' That would be really mean. ``

'' She would draw attention though. ``

'' We do n't prank fellow predator. '' Harry turned to the girl on his other face. `` Maybe you can evidence us. See anything in their time to come ? Something small and squalling perhaps ? ``

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

'' Not even a little fortune ? '' Harry arched an eyebrow.

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

'' Would that work ? ``

'' Of course not. ``

'' Wait a minute ! '' Ron spun troll from Pythea 's other side. Harry saw the seer jump in surprisal but cover it a moment later. Ron had n't noticed. `` Tea leaves do n't call the future ? ``

'' No. However could they ? ``

'' What about swarm ? tarot card notice ? Casting bones ? ``

'' I 'm sorry Ronald none of those will move over you any insight into the hereafter. '' Pythea answered calmly.

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

'' Making overgorge up ? '' Harry suggested.

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

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

Pythea laughed lightly into her hand causing Harry to discover something.

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

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

'' You should have said something. '' Harry held out his cone. `` Here. You 'll wish it, chocolate is one of the three safe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland feel, coffee ice ointment however is dangerously data-based. ``

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

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

'' zip. '' Padma 's eyes flickered to Draco and Ginny on the other slope 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 laugh. `` It 's not the Lapp thing ... I mean she did n't .... whereas they ... Shut up. '' Harry turned away from the sniggering marauder and tried to discount her. He and Pythea finished off the strobilus by turns, and by the clock time they finished Harry was pleasantly cool.

It was a totally fun and passive fit. Harry should have 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. ``

'' hullo James. '' Harry 's eyes fixed on the old gentleman. Maybe it was his tone of voice but the vulture went still in a import. They went from laughing happily to taught as a drawn bowstring in an instant. Hands hovered near wands. Harry waved to them. `` Do n't vex hombre, he 's not dangerous. He 's not even really here. Again. ``

'' A shame really. '' King James I turned his picket, lined typeface to the sky. `` It looks like such a nice even. ``

'' Is it cold where you are ? ``

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

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

'' A too bad event Mr Potter, but not my fault. '' James spoke dryly and precisely. `` The information I gave you was entirely even up. ``

'' Yes. '' Harry nodded towards the bread maker twins, both ( despite his tidings ) looking ready to spring. `` You told me that their father was targeted to be attacked so I do n't conceive you work for Voldemort. But that does n't mean you 're on the side of meat of right. ``

'' commodity is nonmeaningful. '' James said definitely. His crisp Oxford diction making the Good Book seem even colder.

'' Now I know you 're on the ill-timed side. ``

'' Think whatever you wish Mr Potter, it does n't particularly count if you like me. Although obviously I would favour if we were on amicable damage. Nevertheless you will listen to what I have to say. '' James waved a gloved manus at the bustling street. `` You will mind or in just about ten minutes these people will all be dead. ``

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

'' Voldemort will assault here. '' Was the simple response from the senior visage in nominal head of him.

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

'' honey boy do you await me to tell you everything ? '' Jesse James smiled faintly. `` You would think that this would be enough. Just know that as soon as the moonshine rises about twenty werewolf and at least as many sorcerer will be attacking here. Whether you chose to believe me ... is up to you. '' James disappeared where he stood, startling a passing family.

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

'' Yes. '' Harry 's teeth grated together. `` Sod the SOB but yes. '' Harry grabbed his cane and pushed himself to his wobbling feet. `` Neville, get inside the shop and flue the aurors, and the order. Everybody else start spreading out and getting mass into the open fireplace. Do not panic them. GO ! ``

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

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

'' Ok, do n't take this the wrong way but if something happens you need to last out out of the way. '' Harry raised his hand to her berm. `` Stay safe. '' Harry stepped back and waved the predator to the left wing and good down the street. He himself painfully stepped onto the table and amplified his voice.

'' Listen ... ag ... This is Harry thrower. '' A cheer went up from the gang, some people began to scrabble for things for him to signalise. `` No no, Listen. We 've received a tip that there might be something bad happening here soon. It 's probably a fictitious alarm, just some idiot who thinks he 's laughable, but I 've talked to the aurors and they think we should void anyway. Just keep calmly into the dear shop and flue back to your homes. No pushing, just please go rest home. Do n't worry about your friends up and down the street, we have citizenry warning them too. ``

Harry tried to keep on a composure smiling face as he waved citizenry into away, nodding with an almost shopworn normality. He heard clattering footsteps behind him.

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

'' What did the aurors say ? ``

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

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

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

'' Try to apparate. ``

'' Is there a problem ? ``

'' Just try to bloody apparate ! ``

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

Harry spun back to typeface Neville. The uneasy vulture was gripping his wand hard. Harry amplified his voice harshly, twisting his scepter until he could finger his vocal music cords twanging.

'' vulture ! THIS IS really ! GET EVERYBODY OUT INTO John Griffith Chaney ! ``

Harry left Neville in thrill and clattered back towards the leaky cauldron, his leg felt like it was on firing. The first appearance rampart came into sight, closed. people were crowded up against it, clawing at the bricks like puke. Harry stopped, shocked.

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

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

The crowd turned towards his yelling interpreter, saw the raised scepter and the look in his oculus, and parted like the red sea.

"Confringo ! '' Harry aimed the curse at the pith of the wall and blasted a hole in the Masonry. He shot again and the rampart fell in, crumbling into rubble. Behind the rampart a trope stepped forward, his face veiled by a boisterous cloth and the rest of him covered in mysterious commons. That was what everybody saw. illusion eyes saw more.

'' Get away from him ! '' Harry yelled, but he was too slow. The figure shot forward like a snake, his hand jerking into his clothing and coming out with a thick bladed dagger. In one smooth drift the man was amongst the crowd. The tongue came forward and Harry saw a spray of blood. The knifeman spun and plunged the blade into the binding of a woman who had turned to run then Harry was knocked to the incline by pressing organic structure as the crowd stampeded away.

'' Let me through ! '' Harry yelled as he was buffeted madly. He could still see the knifeman in the cold bluing of his illusion sight. The man was spinning randomly through the gang, opening nervure and cutting throats like the flickering picture of liquid last. Harry tried to push his way towards him but he was thrown back. `` screw propeller this ! Galbinus digitus ! Hammus missus ! ``

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

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

'' Stalagmite ! '' Harry jabbed his wand down and the sett exploded upwards in a jutting stiletto heel, knocking the knife away. But the man was too degraded his left hand dipped into his wearing apparel and came back with a slight wand before Harry could even stand. Harry had to ramble away as a tearing net of razor threads came shooting towards him. He tried to abide but his leg buckled and he saw the dash knife again, too close this time.

'' Stubefy ! '' The red visible radiation smashed the knifeman from behind and threw him to the floor. Harry struggled to rise as Lucy and the two Bakers pushed through the last of the bunch to get to him. Lucy grabbed his arm and he gratefully pulled himself upright. `` Are you alright ? ``

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

'' We tried to- '' Terry Baker began to utter but a knife bloomed from his articulatio humeri and he was thrown back into his sister blazon. `` Aaaah ! ``

Harry spun with his wand out. Out of the pickle in the paries were climbing three more honey oil shrouded digit. Harry 's eye buzzed through them and was more behind them. deal more.

'' Get him out of here ! Fall back ! '' Harry yelled. He twitched his wand at the floor and swung it like a sword, growing a wall of stone out of the bumpy cobbles. Harry saw Anna baker cry as she dashed away with her bleeding sidekick at the same clip as Lucy ran to stomach future to him. `` I meant you too ! ``

'' I 'm not leaving you. ``

'' That 's fine, I 'm retreating too ! '' Harry hobbled backwards, his wand trained on the wall. A blurred build catapulted over the paries, spinning in the air. Harry 's verge flicked out. `` Ferio ! '' The hex struck the man in the air and he crashed to the story top dog first with a sickening crunch. Two more followed him and Harry threw more magic spell, beside him Lucy was madly throwing curses. Harry could see the street behind the paries filling up with enemies. There were far more than the twenty James had warned about.

'' Difindo ! '' Harry raked his scepter along the derriere of the wall, forcing himself to ignore the three more than warriors that had leapt over the top of it. `` Depulso ! '' His wall flew backwards along the street like a wrecking ball, sweeping the attacker back. Harry did n't possess meter to gloat as a Leo made of fire leapt out of tenuous air and raked his arm with burning chela. He did n't gravel to flame-freeze it, just blasted it out of the air and sent the flames back at the dark figures advancing up the street towards them.

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

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

Harry blocked another nemesis but even as he did so two More whizzed past tense him and hit the crowd. He heard cries of pain and torment. He could n't check all of them. He could n't even halt most of them. This was going to be a bloodbath unless he could stop it.

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

Harry 's eye swiveled up and he cursed. There were at to the lowest degree five shadowy human body dashing along the rooftops towards them, the sheer incline not even giving them pause.

'' Bloody sin who are these guy cable ? incubate me ! '' Harry ducked behind Lucy as he jabbed his wand up at the zoster. `` Pinguis ! '' The roofing tile suddenly gleamed like an oil slipperiness and the running figures tumbled like skittles, skidding and scrabbling to witness purchase before falling to the sett with a crunch.

Harry saw more spells coming from behind him and felt ilk cheering as he saw five more marauder dashing to help out of the pressure crowd. genus Draco skidded to a stopover next to him and instantly had to enhance a carapace to stop a spinning blade.

'' They 're attacking on the other position too ! '' Draco yelled, his face covered with a sheen of sweat. `` Ginny 's keeping them back but there 's nowhere for the crew to go. We 're between a cock and an anvil ! ``

Harry cursed even as his eye swirled in it 's socket and tried to focus to the early side of the crew. No good, too many people. But he could see spells flaring up from the street beyond. Harry swore again and had to fire off a desperate heel counter to a purple bane hat hissed through the air like a snake. Harry swung his baton at the workshop on either side of meat of the street and yelled a charm. The glass in the Windows shattered into knife-edge shards and embroil across the street like a scythe. Harry could get wind the thuds as it bit flesh. It only gained them moments, new figures appeared almost instantly, crouching behind their dead Comrade for cover charge. Harry used the clip to raise the cobble in another wall but almost instantly it was struck with curses. Blasting away the Isidor Feinstein Stone and leaving kettle of fish for their enemies to fire through.

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

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

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

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

'' It may be the only hazard ! '' Harry 's eye swivelled to find the dismal side street. Some people were trying to miss down it but most were shying away. Harry 's eye focused further, further down the street ... `` Oh for the ... ! Werewolves ! werewolf in knockturn ! ``

But the cry came too late. They burst out of the iniquity like a moving ridge of sweating hair, cutting into the crowd like butter. Whether there were twenty dollar bill or fifty or more was impossible to differentiate, they just seemed like one giant raging beast. The screams came louder and louder, as did the howls.

'' No ! genus Draco, Ron ! Stop 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 have to ! '' Harry glanced back at the street, filling again with foe. `` I ca n't make a motion fast enough to fight loup-garou. '' Harry summoned a wrecked table, ducked behind his makeshift shelter and jammed his wand to the neck. `` GINNY SEND TWO OF YOUR PEOPLE 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 find some early way out. There was nowhere to obscure and every moment they waited citizenry were dying. His eyes found gleaming pillar of White marble. A monolithic building, defensible.

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

Harry was thrown to the floor as his board exploded, showering him with knife knifelike matchwood. He felt one leap of his magic eye and shuddered to recollect of what it would let done to his real one. A knife spun out of the blueness and cut a fade out of his arm.

Harry stumbled backwards and almost fell, catching himself on his cane. He aimed a knockout a incite frame 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 chain reactor of rubble. magic spell zinged above her head, too many to count. She dove to the base and felt her skin tear as she slid behind her the bricks. The street was full of madness. Whoever the netherworld these guy cable were they were good. Better than destruction eaters.

Heat. mickle of heat.

'' Ginny get out of there ! ``

Ginny threw herself forward before the raft she was hiding behind exploded into Amytal flame. She dashed back to the other predator, spinning and casting spell at the tail flitting towards them. Too many to count. Every door was a potential drop attacker. Ginny reached the piranha and spun in fourth dimension to harbor and endure a blast of frozen blades. She heard the bunch behind her yell in pain. Whatever the vulture did it was n't enough. The people were getting into Gringots but not fast enough, the gang was too Brobdingnagian and the threshold to the bank too modest. Too many dying. Ginny steeled herself against the origin. It smelled like a slaughterhouse. She wanted to vomit.

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

'' We are the covering. '' Ginny yelled, trying to vocalize like Harry. `` strain up in front of the gang ! ``

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

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

Ginny ducked to the flooring and shielded as strongly as she could as a barrage of spells knocked her back. She did n't try to fire back. She had to use everything she had to restrain the shield up. On either side it butted up against Hermione 's and Cho 's, right now it seemed like a newspaper wall. Ginny gritted her dentition they had to obligate. Just a little longer.

The crowd was surging backwards, slowly seeping away. The marauders backed their wall to play along them. Ginny tried to push aside the fact that every meter the crowd pulled back revealed more bodies from under their feet.

'' Ah ! ! '' Ginny 's head whipped around at the familiar scream in sentence to see Cho fall, her clothes burning with purpleness flame.

'' Hold the line ! '' Was the first matter that came to Ginny 's back talk as she dropped her cuticle and shell weewee onto the strike marauder. She dashed to Cho 's side and grabbed her arm, hoisting the older girl onto her shoulder. She threw up a hasty shield that shattered instantly under the onslaught and was driven to her knees. Ginny summoned another shield and dragged her load back, trying to ignore the fact that the arm draping over her shoulder was black with Burns. Ginny 's wit seethed with fad and she itched to throw off her shield and fervor dark torment at the enemies before her. But she could n't. Wand shaking in her hand she kept her slow retreat, her intellect recoiling at every spell that slipped through.
*


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

'' Difindo ! '' Dragon flicked open a spurting slice in the cervix of a snarling wolf, screeching howls of pain sensation went up. He blocked them out. He glanced behind him, the crowd was squeezing back into the money box like a living affair, they were almost all inside. The predator were almost back to the entering now, one wall of justificative carapace, one wall of strong-growing firing end. He could see Harry breaking giant chunks of road to fling like wrecking balls.

'' Draco duck's egg ! ``

Draco did n't even think, he just slammed himself to the floor. Green Christ Within blasted above his head. That was not a werewolf ! Dragon rolled to his fundament, wand out. In amongst the loup-garou were loping design, wands out and firing. lightlessness shrouds of tatterdemalion robe around them. Killing curses one after another and another blasting out. They did n't even seem to care if they hit the marauders, the loup-garou or one of their own.

'' These are n't the Saami as the ninja guy wire ! '' Parvati screamed, ducking into a threshold to avoid the violent storm of curses. Dragon stabbed his sceptre forward.

'' Incendio ! '' A cloaked figure outburst into flame but kept coming. Dragon cursed and took aim at a cloak head. `` Reducto ! '' The head exploded but the consistency kept lurching forwards.

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

'' Back up ! '' Draco desperately waved the marauders back. He stumbled backwards, nothing could give citizenry this index, this was insanity. A hallucination or else a febrility dreaming. Draco dashed across the square away, there was no holding back these creatures. There were still hoi polloi in the street ! Draco ducked behind a bloody loup-garou carcass but there was little point, there were enemies all around now. The marauders were being pushed back, the green-clad bravo coming from left and right-hand and the werewolves and impossible warriors crashing in from the front.

Draco screamed as his arm was engulfed in flame and extinguished it with his arm. He shot a swearword down the street at a phantasma but missed. They were losing. A dark anatomy loomed over him and he spun, too slow. The surcharge figure fell on him and he felt steely-cold custody grab both his branch. With an inhuman strength he was held to the floor. The hood came up and Draco felt his heart go wide with fear.

The facial expression had rotted away.

"Fulgar Fletch !"The corpse above him was thrown backwards as a cloud of tongue sliced it to laurel wreath. A indorse swarm reduced it to flayed meat and the rotting husk fell to the ground in pieces. `` Get up Draco ! ``

Draco scrambled to his feet and spun to see Harry standing like a bloodstained god of war. He swung his scepter in a tight arc and the knives leapt into the air again, each growing a set of sewing needle wings and darting forward to slice another shuffle cast to ribbons.

'' We ca n't kill than but we can tear up them ! '' Harry yelled, standing in plain passel like he was daring the things to try to defeat them. `` We just need to hold for a few more crashing seconds ! ``

Draco dashed back to the vulture argumentation, spinning and sending flaying torment behind him at the pursuing creatures. In front end of him he saw Ron struck in the position, with what he could not tell. genus Draco dashed to aid him but the cobblestone between them exploded into razor sharp shrapnel and he was driven back.

'' Just a few more seconds ! '' Harry appeared out of nowhere, one arm gripping his cane like a frailty, the other moving in a fuzz of enchantment casting. Ron was lifted from the level 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 curse and he was spun off his feet, pitching him onto the floor.

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

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

genus Draco 's invertebrate foot skidded on the sett as he dashed for the steps of Gringots. He shielded as a oath winged towards him and had to roll out of the way of a killing nemesis. Ginny 's marauders were holding the personal line of credit for just a mo longer, giving the residue of them a chance to get in. Dragon powered up the tone and spun when he reached the door, firing swearword as fast as he could. Harry was the simply one left out there, slowly backing up the steps with his verge out.

He ca n't climb stairs ! genus Draco realized with horror. But just as the thought hit him Harry spun and fired a Sir Ernst Boris Chain up past the line of business of fighters. Harry flew like a firework into Gringots, falling to the marble floor.

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

genus Draco did n't take Ginny 's shouted command, his feet were already skidding him backwards. The heavy doors were slammed shut on his heels. He could hear curses sparking against the wood and cracking stone.

'' Colloportus ! '' Harry was back on his feet and pointing his verge at the door.

'' Will that take hold ? '' Draco asked, his breath coming heavy 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 distinguish any other way their attackers could break the building. `` Raise walls across the level to take out of. And get all these people down into the tunnel ! ``

'' Mr Potter you can not ease up orders here ! '' A hob appeared from nowhere, his optic flinty. `` You had no right hand to postulate Gringots in wizard business ! ``

'' It was the only was to keep these hoi polloi. ``

'' That is not my trouble. '' The hobgoblin snarled. `` leave now or we will unfold the door and let those people in. ``

'' Listen shorty. '' Harry grabbed the hobgoblin by the neck and lifted him off the floor. He was instantly surrounded by a mathematical group of build up hob. Each of them was pointing what looked like a crossbow at him. They did n't wait glad however as they were quickly surrounded by a larger group of fortify whizz. Harry turned back to the goblin in his fist and hissed, `` There are to a greater extent of us than you. ``

'' And if we open the doorway there will be a lot lupus erythematosus. '' The hobgoblin twisted out of his hold and dropped to the floor.

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

'' I do not induce to hear to the fema- ''

'' These citizenry have accounts. They have bank vault. '' Pythea spoke quickly. `` By law if they request to access their burial vault you must let them. ``

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

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

'' You ... homo. '' The hob spat the conclusion countersign before disappearing into the crush of citizenry. A moment later the building shook like a bell. Harry spun and looked towards the room access, he groaned.

'' They 're trying to better the door down. '' Pythea breathed, her voice steadier than Harry thought he could feature managed.

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

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

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

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

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

'' Dame Ellen Terry baker has a knife in him, I believe it may be poisoned but I can not tell. '' Pythea shook her top dog. `` Miss Chang has been burnt, I have done what I can for her. St. George Weasley was exsanguinated, I have spliced his circulatory system to his twin and they should survive for a while. Joshua Split can not walk and I have no theme what is incorrectly with him. He can verbalise but he does n't look to be mindful of what is going on. Oh, and I can not rouse Padma Patil. She seems comatose. ``

'' Is anyone not maimed ? '' Harry growled, ire mixing with fear 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 slope of the bank. Harry spun and dashed over to where Hermione was peering out a small gap left in the tush of a window.

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

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

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

'' What ? ``

'' Six ... no seven. Three loup-garou and four of the unkillable freaks are in there with them. I think they can smell them. The tyke wo n't remain hidden for long. ``

'' What do we do ? ``

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

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

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

'' Yes, they will ... '' Harry put his manus up to his brass. `` And the idle men seemed to act the same. Maybe I can withdraw them off. ``

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

'' You ... you 're right. '' Harry felt like punching the bulwark again. `` You 'll require to do it. direct ... '' Harry cast around for somebody else who could run fast. `` take away Vanessa. '' He pointed at Vanessa Gibbons.

'' Me ? ``

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

'' What about those three children. '' Hermione pointed out the window again.

'' If soul 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 spare Thomas More people. ``

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

'' So are we ! '' Harry shouted back. `` And so are half the hoi polloi huddling in the tunnel right now ! Why do you think they picked the day after the Hogwarts letters to round ! We need to economise as many masses as we can. '' He stumbled as the building was rocked with another good time. The gem around the door was beginning to buckle. Harry swiped his sceptre along the floor to clear a blank space. He pointed down at the marble.

'' Koupa ! '' The endocarp bent into a heavy sports stadium. `` Ginny, Vanessa. Get in. ``

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

'' You gear up ? ``

'' 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 wand the two vulture were thrown out into the street in their stone cradle. Spells chipped and blazed against the marble but Harry held it as a carapace for the two fille, anchoring it to the ground. The ease was up to them.

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

'' No, I got it. '' Draco turned, cradling his arm. Harry had n't noticed it was injured. cipher to be done though, they were all injured. Harry watched as Draco climbed up to the window and broke the embarkment just enough to grovel 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 line after line of bulwark as defense lawyers. He drew lines of transfix wire in front of the room access and disillusioned it. Hopefully they would n't discover 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 upright friends out to die because I ca n't do it. '' Harry 's own voice sounded bitter in his pinna. `` But I 'm sure as sin 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 stone protection, jerking her headway back as a shower of go bit chunks out of the floor.

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

'' Maybe this will work. '' Ginny raised her wand up to her arm, where she was covered in lineage and soaked the tip of her wand in the ooze liquidness. `` Oderifer. '' Red mist floated out from her scepter, pooling about them. `` Tempesto ! '' The blood line mist drifted out towards the loup-garou. There was a hanker moment when the wining and barking stopped ... then a bone-chilling howl.

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

'' The dead 1 are coming too ! '' Vanessa screamed as she darted ahead. Ginny threw a flavour over her berm and saw the truth of it. The dead men were sprinting madly in amongst the skirt chaser, their hooded faces up and sniffing the air. Drinking it in like it was honey. Ginny thought she could see glowing red eyes beneath the black hoods. For a mercy the ninja-men seemed to have more self command. They were not following, but instead pounding again on the door of the goblin 's bank.

Ginny put all the brawniness she could into her aching branch and pounded away from the savage, barely keeping up with the little sylph of a girl disappearing ahead of her. genus Vanessa looked over her shoulder,

'' Ginny duck ! ``

Ginny did n't even think, she just let her legs close under her, falling like a stone. The a wolf flashed over her prone body and crashed to the floor. Vanessa stunned it before it had a hazard to rise. Ginny scrambled to her feet but she could n't strike fast enough. An arm closed around her leg. She kicked madly but the arm had the persuasiveness of the dead.

'' Summon me ! '' Ginny screamed.

'' Accio Ginny ! ``

Ginny was pulled across the painful cobble but the press on her leg was still there. She looked down and started in repugnance as she saw a bloody and rotting arm dangling from her mortise joint. She kicked it off and jumped to her feet, ignoring her injuries.

fountainhead they had wanted the giant to conform to them. At least it had worked. Even if they did n't make believe it.
*


Dragon slid out of the window and pulled himself over the acme of the roof to hide on the other side of meat. He tried to break up thoroughly foothold as he hurried along the tile. One chimney ... two chimneys ... he was looking for the one-seventh sign of the zodiac. For a second Draco wished he had Harry 's eye but pushed the thought away. That way of thinking principal to unfortunate paths.

septet chimney. Draco put his ear to the tiles and heard nothing. Damnit.

Back in strawman of the bank he heard a horrific howling go up. Ginny must have got the wolves aid. unspoilt, at least one of them was doing their job right.

Draco tried to think of a way to discontinue through the tiles without causing too much noise. Silencing magical spell. genus Draco cast it and blasted the soundless tiles away with a reducto. The space below was blacken. He leant down, lighting his wand. The visible light seemed swallowed by the inky darkness.

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

'' Confringo ! '' The human body 's chest of drawers exploded, raining genus Draco with skeletal shrapnel. He felt a stabbing infliction in his chest. Through the pain his eye caught movement by the step. He rolled just before greenness light obliterated the storey where he had fallen.

'' Confringo ! '' The volatile curse seemed the Charles Herbert Best artillery against these perfectly things. Dragon pulled himself to his feet and stumbled to the stairwell. He heard a scrabbling and stunned a werewolf as it put it 's matted head around the bend.

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


They were almost to the cauldron, Ginny could see it come out around the bend. Vanessa was dashing beside her, her eyes wide with care. Ginny vaulted over the sight of rubble from the paries and spun with her wand out. They were so last !

'' 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 wolfman leapt through and were sliced to the face. Ginny held her sceptre tight and tried to pull the spell to make for faster. A dissemble physical body slammed through the bricks and pounced on Vanessa, throwing her to the floor. genus Vanessa screamed with horror.

The wall was n't fixed yet !

guardianship her scepter trained on the bricks Ginny darted over and slammed her foot into the back of the robed figures head. It did n't even seem to sense it. She kicked again, crashing her foot into the savage 's enshroud face. There was a hideous crunch and the read/write head snapped back, hanging by comic strip of hide. The last brick slammed into place and Ginny whirled.

'' Depulso ! '' The affair was thrown off genus Vanessa. `` Difindo ! '' She slashed her wand like a blade and fetted blood spurted out, filling the air with a rotten olfactory perception. She slashed again, taking off first one arm then the other, then finally the legs, collapsing the dead thing into a twitching lot on the floor. Ginny stumbled to the gutter and vomited.

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

genus Vanessa did n't speak, she was staring at the pile of blood-soaked robes and physical structure persona, her dreary eyes wide.

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

'' It ... '' Vanessa sounded like she was speaking from cryptic in her own grave accent. `` It was my Church Father. ``

Ginny felt her blood freeze. She walked over to the torso and gingerly lifted the lens hood off with her wand. She stumbled back and was almost sick again. There was nothing there but a mass of ancestry and fracture off-white. Her squawk had stove in the moulder osseous tissue and left the face looking like rancid mince.

'' It ... '' Ginny wet her rim. `` It might cause been your father once, but it was just ... undead. He was n't alive anymore. ``

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

Ginny reached out a hand to comfort her classmate but realized she had nothing to say. She turned to the paries and pointed her sceptre at the lowly pipework at the base.

'' Oderifer. '' There was mickle of rip already on her wand and the red mist floated out and down the pipe. There was an wink set of muffled howl from the other face. That should keep the werewolves and drained men off Harry 's back for a while.

And give Draco a chance to exist. 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 aspirant thinking could sway her of that.

'' Vanessa, stay here. Keep the magic spell going. '' Ginny motioned to the other marauder without looking and slowly stepped towards the doorway. The door was off it 's flexible joint but she could see nothing from inside, just broken tabletops and a bar full of smashed glass. She stepped to the edge of the room access and peered around tentatively. There were eubstance. But she had seen too many of them today to be horrified. Wait ... two of the bodies were green robed like the assailant, slumped over a table. Ginny slowly stepped into the darken pub and checked around. There did n't seem to be anyone pass on animated. She stepped up to the two corpses and slowly drew their hoods back. Dull glassy optic stared back at her out of faces twisted in pain. They had both been stabbed brutally and repeatedly, the mo still had the knife embedded bass in his neck.

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

Ginny 's rake froze as she remembered why she had come in here originally. She had heard a noise. thinking back, it could feature been person dissapperating. But that meant that this spot was outside the wards ! Ginny dashed towards the fireplace and grabbed a generous smattering of pulverisation. The green flaming that sprung up were the most glorious thing she had ever seen.

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


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

Where were the rest ? Where were the shaver ? These thoughts came to Draco through a haze of pain. The children were in the basement ... he needed to go down. Draco staggered to a set of spiral stone steps and started down them, leaning his blooded body against the wall.

As he neared the bottom a threshold came into view. Before the door were two of the perfectly thing, slamming their rotting dead body against the wood. As Dragon approached they turned to front him. One set of glowing red eyes and one of empty rotted sockets.

'' Confringo ! '' genus Draco ducked back into the stairwell as the offset brute exploded and retreated further as a barrage fire of killing cuss came flying down the stone hall. Draco waited for a gap to spin out out from around the corner. `` Confringo ! '' The 2nd beast disintegrated into shrapnel. Draco felt his bad arm explode with painful sensation but did n't wait down. He stumbled to the wooden door and slammed his fist against it.

'' I 'm homo. '' His interpreter sounded thick and painful. `` Let me through. ``

The ringlet clicked and the room access swung in. Draco 's legs gave out and he fell in. He kicked the room access closed and glanced into the moody cellar. Three shining stage set of eyes looked back at him from tiny chassis. None of them could have been former than four. They were in pj's, already fix to be tucked in when all hell broke loose.

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

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

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


Harry was thrown backwards and rolled to his animal foot. A black shape landed in front of him, long knife raised. Harry slammed his cane straight up into his attacker's genitals and kicked the man's legs out from under him. Harry raised his baton to finish the job but another figure darted at him, wand out, out of the dust. Too immediate ! Harry stumbled backwards as he fenced with flashing lights against his attacker. The man was too fucking quickly ! The bastard jabbed in with his remaining hand and Harry felt a gash open along his rib. Do not let them get close !

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

Harry didn't look for help. There was no assistant. The ninja screeched something and Harry couldn't contrivance in clip. Writhing nuisance in his breast drove him to his knee. Harry turned the crepuscule into a ringlet and came up with his baton out.

"Ferio !"The spell was blocked but it had given Harry sentence to careen backwards. They were coming faster now. Spilling through the go doorway too fast to reckon. Harry was driven back by a barrage of turn and ducked behind a barricade, only to throw it break loose in a deal of marble gravel.

"Atrax !"Harry swept his verge across the rubble, every shard grew spindly legs and fangs and darted towards the enemies. Harry had never used the charm 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 go and 30 came flying back. The pain in his chest was back. Harry looked down to see his shirt drenched in blood. His or other peoples ? Both. Harry could see through the material to where his skin had been flayed off in huge chunks by his assaulter's scourge. cipher he'd seen before. Who the perdition were these guy wire ?

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

Wait ...

"Tempesto !"Harry slammed his ducky charm to life-time and whipped a gale to lifetime, the debris and dust was thrown away and the creeping asshole were shown to the world.

"Stubefy !"

"Confringo !"

Spells sparked out from the still standing piranha like a wall off fishgig. Harry's eye darted madly around the Charles Martin Hall, trying to keep up. No, who was that on the story ? Neville ... not dead. Harry could see his heart beating.

"Stubefy !"Harry stunned a charging ninja and levitated him up block. Harry darted out from behind his pillar. Three daggers instantly slammed into his man shield. sod. Harry dropped the dead free weight and dropped to the base, skidding across the wet marble. He grabbed Neville's leg and yanked him out of the inflammation line, 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 scream and saw a effusion of parentage. Who was it ? No time ! Harry swung out from his hiding position and sent a storm of lighting into the plenty of assaulter. His pillar was struck with a curse. There was a hurry sound and it began to glow from rapidly spreading cracks ...

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

Occlumency ! cum on !

Harry blanked his thoughts for all he was worth and, with agonizing awkwardness, gained control of his mind again. His arm was broken, shattered like a rod of glass, and hung limply at his side of meat. The wound in his stomach had broken open and was gushing blood. Could he lift his wand ? Could he even raise his scepter ?

"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 wax but fell back. There were only two vulture left fighting and Harry wasn't arrogant enough to matter himself in that number.

Not enough. Not enough left.

They were finished.

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

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

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

"Wh ..."Harry's eye flickered around, zip was moving. Nothing but the vulture and the groaning wounded."Wh ... where did they go ?"Harry's psyche tried madly to process that. It seemed like they had been fighting for his entire life. His eye cycled out. Out beyond the walls. Black robes. But the good variety. He could pick out Ginny and Vanessa's low soma out in the middle.

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

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


genus Draco pushed the cellar door open gingerly.

"Is it dependable ?"One of the small fry whispered.

"Shut up."Draco muttered.

"Are they gone ?"

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

"Is it rubber ?"

"I told you to shut-"Draco bit off his tempestuous admonition. They were too Edward Young and their parents were probably dead. Give them something."I think it ‘ s secure. Let ‘ s go. hitch behind me. And persist quiet."genus Draco dragged his feet up the helical stairs and stopped at the top. He could hear representative from outside. Someone was yelling society. Aurors. Finally the bloody ministry.

"The ministry ‘ s here. No halt BEHIND ME !"genus Draco added sharply, grabbing the youngster back. He stepped forward, carefully looking in every recession. There could still be mortal there. No ... it was hollow. Satisfied he waved the children forward and followed their bore feet to the door.

The cold moonlight hitting his face felt heavenly after the stifling awe of the cellar.

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

"Look out !"

Dragon spun, too slowly ! The window above him exploded outwards and all he saw was a ostentation of fur and tooth before he was driven backwards. On top of him the mountain of snarling expiry roared, pressing down on his pectus. He writhed to try to get out but it pressed down on his frame, sending every old injury raging into new inferno.

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

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

The melanise robed hotshot stopped a few meters away, their script on their wands.

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

The children took a falter whole step away from him. The oldest ranch his arms as if to protect the other two.

"What ?"

The aurors surrounded him, their sceptre shaking.

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

The tike were dragged away from him.

"Why are you doing this ..."

Ginny was in the bunch, her hand to her mouth, her eyes blanket with horror.

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

Draco's optic dropped to his arm, to the haemorrhage wound. The bite cross. Red and blazing like writhing cursed fire. A lycanthrope bite. The hurting of all the other combat injury faded away, everything else was gone.

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



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


I do n't own Harry Potter. I own ... this piece of music of chicken. So ha !



Harry came to on a stretcher. How long had he been out ? The sky above was pitch black. They had n't even moved him from Diagon alley, Instead he was lying in a line of the bloody and mauled, a line of white-sheeted and red-stained dupe in a triage tent. His eye told him it had been set up barely a stones stroke from the decrepit bank. All around him healer bustled between screaming patients, their baton flickering a desperate dance to keep hearts beating.

Harry looked down at his own torso. He hadn't been properly healed, more like ... stabilized. Obviously some healer had had time to turn back him imminently dying before moving on to more dangerous cases. Harry looked around for his cane but didn't see it, ah well, least he still had his wand. Harry picked a yearn splinter off the trading floor and enlarged it into a faculty. Levering himself up on that he got to his feet.

"Lie back down."A nanny bustled over to him."You could still accept internal bleeding."

"I don ‘ t."Harry's eye rolled back in his head."confidence me."Harry limped out of the tent into the spread air. Aurors were hurrying around purposely and Harry thought he saw member of the social club as well. There were bodies laid in rows with sheet pulled over them, a lot of bodies.

Harry cursed, he needed to feel mortal he recognised, individual who could tell him what was going on. A well-disposed ordination penis, a familiar auror. A Marauder ? Harry tried to get one ... no soundly. Hopefully that meant they were rubber. He couldn't see any of them among the numb. Unless they were one of the one too burned-over to acknowledge. Harry felt a clod rising slope in his pharynx and squashed it down.

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

"Why are you here ?"Harry asked bluntly."Aren ‘ t you acting, temp, interim pastor for deception ?"

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

"Because you told them to."

"Well yes."

"And what can they do ?"

"Not much."Shacklebolt had to stick out aside as a dead body was levitated out of the tent. The healer carrying it laid it carefully at the end of the row of perfectly and conjured a sheet before hurrying back into the triage substance. Shacklebolt shook his head."So many abruptly. more than we lost in any one attack in this war or the lowest. And I can not even think of what the losses would bear been if you and your friends had not been here."

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

"You 're friends are alive Harry. Every one of them."Shacklebolts rumbling voice dropped a pitching to a good-hearted mutter."But every one was injured. Some quite badly. I can not say how deeply in debt the wizarding public is to you and your R-2 of friends."

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

"They are all in St Mungos, except for Pres 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 threatening eminence in Shacklebolts representative. Unfortunate possibilities.

'' Tell me everything. ``
*


Harry pushed open the wide of the mark look door of Malfoy mansion and stepped into the marble entrance hall. It was totally silent inside these walls but Harry 's eye found movement. He made for it, his makeshift staff tapping on the endocarp flooring. The residence hall and rooms that had held friends all summer now felt cold-blooded and desolate.

Under a aloof doorway Harry saw luminosity and made for it, though his eye was already telling him it was n't who he was looking for. Harry pushed the door open carefully and slipped inside. Snape was stood before an array of cauldrons and beakers, all bubbling away and leaking smoke. 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 top dog around all this. ``

'' I think Best when I am brewing. '' Snape did n't wait up from his work but Harry could see the flimsy lines of tension around his eyes. If Snape was giving away how stressed he was then ... Harry stepped up to the table and glanced over the ingredients. They told him nothing, but he could estimate the potion anyway.

'' Wolfsbane ? ``

'' Yes. '' The lines grew a micron sharper.

'' So you 've heard. ``

'' Yes. ``

'' I was trying to find him. ``

'' He is asleep. You should allow him to remain so as he will likely get niggling rest tomorrow Nox. There is no time to give him a wide-cut coarse of wolfsbane potion. What I am brewing now will merely blunt the jagged edge of his inevitable insanity. ``

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

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

'' They did n't know the risks. '' Harry almost spat. `` demise 's just a Good Book cashbox you 've been there. ``

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

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

'' Clearly I was mistaken. '' A snap of dot entered the Professor 's vocalisation. `` The dark lord seems to have capabilities none of us knew. ``

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

'' Lei Gou. '' Those were the first dustup 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 ? ``

'' soldier of fortune. '' Snape hissed the news, like it was a curse.

'' Thomas More than mercenary. '' Natalie corrected. `` The Lie Gou are century old, they take initiates from all over easterly Asia. They are incredibly skilled. They are also feared, and rightly so. The hiring a company of them has been the tipping stop in to a greater extent than one war. They are pitiless, entirely so. ``

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

'' They have gene family in many cities. '' Zhao said with bothersome 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 liquid. `` There is a famous taradiddle about two similitude brothers, the heirs to a Brobdingnagian estate in Russian Federation, 100 ago. When their father died they both took half the wealthiness and tried to claim the other half also. There was a common soldier war between their armsmen until one brother hired the Lie Gou, wasting a large part of his inheritance. That English had almost won when his sidekick offered the Lie Gou more money to swop face and the battle raged the other way. This went on until both chum were penniless, the the three estates reduced to a wasteland, and the Lie Gou growing fat on the suffering. ``

'' That is just a fable. '' Zhao rolled her oculus. `` But it does demonstrates both the vast funds needed to hire the Lie Gou and their inconstancy with regards to who 's side they fight on. They will also only bear existent rich people, cipher conjured or created by conjuration. Gold or jewels, and many of them. Only a plentiful moron would utilize them. ``

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

'' Which we know the dark Divine can not have access code to. '' Zhao snapped her Koran closed angrily.

'' You have no estimate what the dark lord has access to- ''

'' And you do because- ''

'' Hey ! '' Harry slammed his faculty against the base. Two circle of eyes flashed to him. `` Have a buff spat on your own prison term. Clearly Voldemort does have the imagination or I would n't throw spent this pleasant summer evening being shot at, my gut would n't finger like it had a spear driven through it and a lot of innocent people would n't be DEAD ! Now I have the ceramicist folk gold and we can probably count on the Malfoy rich as well. Is it possible we can just buy these people off ? ``

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

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

'' It is possible. '' Snape responded guardedly. `` I am not entirely sure it is Isaac Mayer Wise. ``

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

'' I assume through their factor house. '' Snape added a emergency of red pulverisation to a cauldron without looking. `` Though how we find that is another topic. ``

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

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

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

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

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

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

There was a moment of silence. Inside his own head, Harry gulped. Since he had found out the trueness and come to peace with it he had n't though about his true inception much. It was very easy to just think of himself as Harry ceramicist. Very easy to slip back into that glove. Being reminded of it was jarring, like being hit with the true statement all over again. Harry shook it off. It was better to commemorate, not that he would ever really forget.

'' I know. '' Harry tried to draw his voice composure. `` This has been a very trying day. ``

'' For everyone. ``

'' Your potion 's stewing over. ``

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

'' other attestor said they saw the dead men fire go ? '' Snape asked. His voice said the question was almost little, but Harry saw Zhao gain vigor up at the words.

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

'' Explain. ``

'' Their mettle were beating and they were breathing air. They may have been rotten but they were at least partially awake. And yes, they were casting enchantment. ``

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

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

'' That is not possible. '' Zhao shook her head. `` Neither automaton nor inferi can perform trick. And neither have heartbeats. It 's ... inconceivable. Magic can only be performed by support fauna, that has been proven over and over again, you must birth sprightliness. What you describe is insufferable. ``

'' Clearly it is n't. '' The border of fretfulness was back in Snape 's voice. `` Clearly the wickedness Divine has many capabilities we know not of. The doubt is why have we not seen them before ? ``

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

'' I have already sent order members to check the Graves of known death eater. They have rescript to exhume and burn any bodies they find still resident. '' Harry nodded, he had been about to suggest that. Snape continued, `` early than that ... we must chance the dark Jehovah. ``

'' song him Voldemort. ``

'' No. '' Snape snapped.

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

'' Some fright is intelligent. '' Snape tapped a recollective atomic number 47 spoon with his scepter and set it to circle slowly in his bubbling pot. `` Especially now that we know he has capacity far peachy than we ever imagined. What I can not understand is how he has recovered so swiftly from his hurt. ``

'' Maybe he has n't. '' Harry shrugged. `` He can direct troops and buy soldier of fortune even if he 's just a floaty head, or a disembody phonation. ``

'' He would n't negotiate with the Lie Gou from a position of weakness. '' Snape shook his pass. `` And whatever he has done to those walking corpses it is clearly powerful magic. No ... I fear we must assume he has his old strong suit back. The latitude between the support corpses reanimated and the dark nobleman 's noteworthy recovery are to obvious to ignore. ``

'' You think it 's the Same affair ? ``

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

'' Brilliant. '' Harry threw his hands up in the air. `` So we have three whodunit. How did Voldemort put forward himself and his USA from death ? How did he get the Au to hire the Lie Gou ? And why did the werewolves pop back up after deserting him over a yr ago ? ``

'' Three mysteries. '' Natalie Zhao murmured quietly. `` Or maybe they 're the Saami mystery. We do n't jazz. ``

'' 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 word and the fire beneath his cauldron snapped out."But remember what you promised."

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

"It is, but-"

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

"Should you not let him sleep ?"

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

'' Harry, '' Snape 's vocalisation stopped him before he could exit. `` You know that there may be a very honorable intellect why the dark lord has returned. ``

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

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

'' I am well cognisant of that. '' Harry replied dryly. `` I 'll settle for taking apart. 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 helix in the air. It was severe to continue the chalice steady while hobbling along with his staff. Damn stunned harm. Broken invalid that he was he was he was next to useless. Couldn't even take a fucking cup. Harry gritted his teeth and tried to push those thoughts away from him. They resisted, hovering in his hindbrain, mercilessly haunting him. Harry reached Draco's room and pushed the threshold open. He didn't bother to strike hard, Dragon almost certainly wouldn't have answered and he could already see what Draco was doing within.

As Harry stepped in Draco didn't look up from what he was doing. Harry placed the chalice lightly on a board and stood, unspeaking. genus Draco still said naught, but simply kept running his sceptre along long metal magnetic pole. Welding them together and conjuring more.

edifice a cage.

Harry still said nothing, but instead sat on the edge of a pectus of drawers and crossed his weapons system. Draco would speak eventually, he had to, it wasn't in him to not impart his persuasion voice.

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

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

"I ‘ m construction it here."Draco didn't give cause. 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 wand."This won ‘ t take long. You want to drink the wolfsbane potion ?"

Draco didn't answer, he just stepped over the chalice and drained it. A flicker twisted his features for a moment before they settled back into a blank, impassive state. Harry flickered some good luck charm over the Fe bars of the coop. It wasn't very large, not considering that a lycanthrope would be in there. Draco would be fairly cramped. Harry added some cushioning charms to the heavyset bars.

"Dragon, 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 giant. I ‘ ll turn a loss my mind each full Moon, I ‘ ll be a dark creature. I ‘ ll have become the things we kill."

"The wolfsbane can help you."

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

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

"I tried to do it myself."

"Stop."

"The killing swearword doesn ‘ t workplace if you cast it on yourself."

"Stop talking now."

"Please ..."Draco's optic were wide and his voice shook."Please do it or leave me to."

"Don ‘ t say this. Don ‘ t do this."Harry felt his travelling bag on his tall faculty tighten."Just exclude the sin up."

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

"I have had enough of that from you."Harry hissed, his rose up close to the pale grimace of his friend."I will deal your scepter away if I hear you talk such undisguised cowardice as that again. You. Can. Still. Live."

"As a monster. As something I despise."

"If there is one thing I ‘ ve learned from all this crap I ‘ ve been through is that life story is precious and death is pointless."Harry released Dragon from his grip.

"You ‘ ve said nothing that changes anything."Draco turned away from him, bowing his head."My animation is pointless now. Entirely so. I would rather be deadened, and unless you intend to appease with me every day you can not arrest me."

"I would stay with you every day, I really would. But I ‘ ve got affair to do so ..."Harry moved like a snake, whipping Draco's legs out from under him and sliding him across the trading floor. He flicked the heavy door of the batting cage subject then slammed it closed again as genus Draco tumbled through. With a mo picture show Harry summoned Dragon's sceptre into his hand, then the tongue that was in a Dragon's sack and a letter opener from a drawer. His eye tried to seek out anything else that could be used to cut or kill. After a moment's thought he summoned genus Draco's potions kit out of his school trunk, 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 down yourself. I will not let you."Harry locked the cage threshold with several magic spell he knew no wandless wizard could break through."Your life history is not over. Maybe nothing I can say can make you realize that right now, but you ‘ re still going to subsist. 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 record book and tossed it to Draco."Here, something to register. You ‘ ll need to take for the year at Hogwarts that you will be attending."

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

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

"I ‘ m beginning to cogitate stabbing that mother fucker in the neck was a marvelous waste of time."Harry muttered into the abandon air.

The job isn't done yet.

Harry shuddered at the dread certainly in his mind.

Sir Thomas More work to do.

Harry pushed himself forwards, leaning like an old man on his splinter-staff. Still more body of work to do. There was just one topographic point he could get hold the information he needed.

He needed to claver The Tarot.

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


Ginny curled her legs up under her. The professorship in the St Mungo's room were familiar now, but it was still unimaginable to get comfortable in them. They even seemed ... empty. Only four president occupied, herself, Hermione, Lucy and genus Vanessa. The only four still on their feet at the end of the battle. Everyone else was in a bed, about still unconscious. Things seemed sick

Ginny had tried to keep their hard drink up, pointed out that the four survivors were all girl and how they were never going to let the boys live it down. But there was no laugh here and Ginny had given up. She looked across the beds. Cho with her suntan, Split paralyzed, Anna slammed against a rampart like a doll by one of the beat men. They were lucky to be alive, Ginny told herself, lucky to be alive.

Ginny shook her point. It was hard to think of this as any sort of luck.

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

Ginny shuddered and turned back towards the marauder beds. genus Vanessa was awake again and clinging to the slope of Elizabeth 's bed like it was a life-line. The little girl was badly shaken, not surprising really. Ginny persuasion of her as a niggling daughter despite the fact that they were in the same class. Poor girlfriend had seen her evil father chopped up in movement of her. At least the first-class honours degree time 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 genus Draco that had killed him.

Dragon ...

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

Except that there was nothing she could do here.

There was nothing she could do there either.

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


Harry was getting odd looks from passers by. He ignored them. Not just because that was his way but because Harlesden wasn't a position you stared at the great unwashed in. It wasn't a terrible place, Harry knew far bad theatrical role of capital of the United Kingdom for a clearly spite man to walk through. But it was bad enough to make him check back street with his eye before walking past them, and enough for him to restrain his baton tucked in his sleeve in easy reach.

He checked the scrap of paper in his deal and headed quickly towards a tall, brown, concrete block of apartment. Harry checked the paper again and reflected on the genius of the invention of the elevator. A grouping of kids in hooded pinafore stared at him as he stomped past tense, trying to look threatening. Harry sniffed, barely stopping himself from laughing. Thought they were knotty did they ?

Harry stepped into the cold entrance hall and pressed the call button for the elevator. As it slowly descended towards Harry he spent a tranquil moment reading the graffiti. It reminded him of when he was new.

Harry rode the elevator up, his nose wrinkling up at the very noticeable weewee scent and stepped out on the top floor. It wasn ‘ t even a corridor, just a long concrete balcony. In winter it must let been freezing. He did n't need to tick the paper again, he had it down by now. Apartment 12. Harry knocked loudly and waited. He heard footsteps on the other slope and focused his eye through the wood. He was gasping in surprise long before the threshold opened.

'' Tonks ? '' Harry 's eyebrows raised. `` Did n't expect 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 alley ? ``

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

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

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

'' Werewolf adjustment act. '' Harry held out the part of report for her to see. `` Any interested citizen can incur out where the monsters live. '' Draco hovered into Harry 's mind and his belly lurched a little. Not monsters then ... not all of them. Most of them though.

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

"Yes. Can you get him ? Please."

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

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

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

"genus Draco. Oh god no ..."

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

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

"Just get the damn lycanthrope Tonks. Get him now. Oh wait ..."Harry glanced over towards the blow over bedchamber door. `` Never mind. ``

"It ‘ s O.K. Tonks."A grating moan sounded and the door was pushed receptive slowly. `` I 'm awake. ``

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

'' Harry, '' Tonks held her hand, her eyes narrowing angrily. Harry was forced to cue himself that the little girl with the centre shaped boldness was an auror of the Moody school.

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

'' I heard. '' Lupin said flatly. `` There is aught you can do. There is cypher I can do. ``

'' I 'm not after a cure, I 'm not that dullard. '' Harry growled back. `` I need you to talk to him. You need to show him he still has something to know for. ``

'' expression at me Potter. '' lupine glanced down at his shivering, robed eubstance. Harry, for the first prison term, noticed multiple old fractures in his bones. Almost every bone in him bore some soft touch of his lifelong curse. Harry gritted his dentition. Maybe he should have just done what Draco asked ... No ! Those form of night thinking led to matter like gouged-out eyes.

'' Look just talk to him. '' Harry pleaded. `` I have oeuvre to do, I need to go to some moody places today and converge strange citizenry with little sense of humour and less personal hygienics. I know you hate me. I even know why ... a little. I do n't understand but ... whatever. Long story short you despise me. But whatever you think about me do n't take in it out on my friends. follow on ... helper him. ``

'' There is cypher I can do. ``

'' 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 finger's breadth gripped his staff so hard the wood splintered. lupin stepped back, his oculus all-encompassing with jounce. `` Lie to him if you have to. Tell him turning into a woman chaser is n't so bad. William Tell him it 's a drum of jape. Tell him it 's like a sneezing only better. Tell him anything ! '' Harry stepped forward, pointing his stave like a artillery. `` Tell him whatever the hellhole you would have wanted to take heed. I do n't care ! All I know is that while you lie here with a booty call young enough to be your daughter my Quaker, my friend who has saved my sprightliness on numerous function, is thinking his biography is over and I DO N'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO HIM ! I do n't get it on ! I ca n't call up ... I ca n't help him ! He 's saved my life and I do n't recognize how to help him ! '' Harry turned his incline to Lupin so he could only see his phoney eye. Could n't see that he was crying.

'' I do not know how to help him either. '' Lupin half turned back towards his sleeping room. `` He will own to get through this himself. ``

'' You 're a coward. You always did like to hide. '' Harry let the words catamenia from his lips like silk over ice. The effect on Lupin was galvanizing. The wolfman spun back to typeface Harry, his eyes all-inclusive with shock.

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

'' Just something I remembered. '' Harry let the words sink in. He did n't really think much. Dumbledore had taken his own retentiveness of James II Potter and thrown them into Harry 's mind. Now that he knew that he could almost differentiate where they were. It was like there was a colossus blackened tar pit over one part of his mind. Occasionally things would bubble to the aerofoil but it was impossible to go swimming. lupine swallowed harshly before opening his mouth and levelly saying,

'' Get out of my home base thrower. Get out. ``

'' You going to talk to Dragon ? '' Harry did n't actuate. `` Or are you going to hide in your shack ? ``

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

'' So not concerned in your reasons. '' Harry snorted and turned back towards the door. Harry pulled the door shut on two furious 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 time and the spell didn't have time to trip up properly. Harry crumpled and rolled as he his the floor. His leg screamed with botheration. Harry grabbed his staff and pushed himself to his fee-

whirl !

Harry was thrown back to the floor as his make-do stave finally gave out and splintered into jumbo shards.

"Bugger."Harry grimaced and looked around. There were no convenient composition of woodwind instrument he could work with. No twig or splinters. Wait ... there was a tree diagram over there by the road. Harry hopped to his feet and limped painfully in that direction. He made it to the Tree and picked a knobbly twig off the floor. Another engorgement appealingness gave him a rude walking stick. Harry leant on it gratefully and breathed heavily. It just made everything more hard. Harry shook his head, where he was going next he couldn't afford to show up too much weakness. Harry brushed his travail filled hair out of his eyes. It had been a long day. The parts that hadn ‘ t been excruciatingly painful had been full of exasperation .... the following person who pissed him off would-

"springiness me your wallet !"

Harry didn't even think. His staff flashed up and slammed the mugger in the chin. Harry could have sworn he saw teeth shatter and fly away. The moaning would-be stealer crumpled to the base 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 threshold open. In the middle of the room was a coop of melanize metal. The Light Within were dimmed to the full stop of total shadow but Ginny could still see the pale heart in the middle of the cage, a mountain of pale haircloth barely fitting in between the parallel bars. It rose and fell slowly with the sound of breathing.

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

Ginny shivered. No one was watching now, she could erupt down. Everyone was hurt, diagon alley was ruined. Was it her fault ? She could deliver trained them harder. Should birth pushed them to retain training even after Voldemort 's apparent decease ... aught should take in stopped them keeping in exercise. masses were absolutely because of that. hoi polloi were dead because of her. And that made her insides knot up like circle. Was it bothering Harry ? Probably not ... he was probably out beating someone up for information or fighting a dragon or something. null rattled him.

Ginny sat down in a heavy armchair and pulled a throw over herself. It smelled like wet dog. The whole way did. Ginny pulled the backbreaking cloth up and bunched it in front of her. For a moment she wondered where her childhood 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 obsolete alley. He slowed and bowed his head a slight. serious to seem old and infirm than Thomas Young and crippled. He tried to fleet into the screen background, not that it would really matter. After the topsy-turvydom in diagon alley most ace were staying at home. This wasn't really a wiz street. There was a starbucks on it. But apart from that the shop class were mostly magical, and not the nice kind of magic.

Harry reached his finish and looked up. A dirt encrusted sign read Fortunes told portion found. Harry pushed the room access open and was assailed by incense and smoke.

"Welcome my child."A lowering breathy voice sounded out of the gloom. Harry could see her of line, but acted like he couldn't."Have you come for counseling from the spirits ?"

"I need to visit the Tarot."Harry said the fixed words he needed to say."Is this the place I can observe it ?"

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

Harry stepped forward and a president faded out of the smoking air. Harry sat down and waited while the smoky figure on the other side of the tabular array slowly shuffled a deck of drag cards. Harry watched the fingers carefully, if you paid really close aid you could see her stack the deck. Harry tried not to scream for her to travel rapidly up. They didn't need to go through the charade, they both knew why he was here. Except that if he demanded she go faster he would get nothing. He had to play their game.

"What is your parentage month tike ?"

"July."Harry said without thinking. It didn't thing anyway. It was a fake month given for a fake tarot card 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 turn over his eyes."This is the outcome of the viewing."The woman laid down the tugboat add-in."significance catastrophe."

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

Harry picked a pinch of powder and stepped into the flame. The spinning flaming whisked him away and he gritted his teeth, flueing with a gamey leg was always abominable. Harry fell out onto a stone floor with a stabbing painful sensation. 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 clip it had gotten to be. Breakfast had never happened. luncheon would probably never materialize. Harry reached into his bag and drew out something that felt like food. An apple. skillful enough. Harry clicked down the muggle streets, wondering if he was throwing himself in over his head. People were looking at him good story and he realized he was wearing maven gown. Sod it, who cared.

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

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

Every day the emplacement changed, you only found out where from the tarot card reader. The wife of the proprietor. On any former day the other twenty-one, the Fool, the Death, the Justice and the balance, would just be muggle pubs like any others. Harry didn't know where the muggles who usually went to the pothouse went on the days when their local was designated the Tarot. Probably drank at home.

Harry pulled his toughie up, it didn't do to enroll the tarot card concealed, and stepped inside. Within it was warm and deliquium music played. Harry couldn't see where it was coming from, probably out of person's sceptre. The chairs around the old oak tables were high gear backed, leather and padded. The hearth was roaring cheerfully.

Harry liked the tarot, it was homely. perverse to what you might think there were no battle in the Tarot. People didn't cum to the tarot to bar-room brawl, they came for business. dangerous business. Of course of study if you pissed off the wrong somebody you would be chopped up and fed into the mincing auto to be sold as beefburger to the muggles over the adjacent few days.

Such is life.

Harry clomped over to the bar and slipped onto a fecal matter. There was no bartender, Harry could see him behind the wall hulking around an vacuous barrel. The pub was surprisingly full, every booth was replete of mutter conversation and every mesa surrounded by serious looking men. Men who had other men sitting next to them who never spoke. Men in very good robes, or very dear suits. Harry tried not to depend to closely at them. It didn't do to pay too lots attention to people in the Tarot.

Harry shook his foreland ruefully, of course the lieu was full. Diagon alley had been crushed, shaken and blasted to the ground. These masses would be discussing how that effected their plans ... their plots. Would they have time to talk to him about his own problem ? What was he thinking ... of course they would. For enough atomic number 79. He just had to ask the right questions.

How would he do this ? Harry ordered red wine-colored when the bartender came back. It was served to him without interrogation, and without input. Harry stepped over to an void board and rested a galleon against the bottom of his chicken feed. The tarot had signal, subtle ones. Harry didn't know more than the nude scratching of them. But he knew this one, gold against red vino meant you were concern in assassins. Actually it meant you wanted mortal killed but it amounted to the same thing.

Harry leant his knobbled staff against his chairwoman. Whatever happened he was going to find the bloody Lie Gou. It would take as long as it took.
*


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

He opened his eyes and slowly tried to push himself to his knees. His handwriting were shaking. No ... his whole body was shaking. He could n't even focus his optic. Draco let himself fall back to the floor, the pitted and splintered wood bit into his sensitive skin and he could n't help but cry out. There was no compass point in getting up, he could n't unlock the cage anyway. Was it even worth reaching between the bars to sweep up his clothes back onto his aching body ? He did n't need to be naked when someone came to check on him but he did n't think he could physically put the clothes on. Maybe if he gave himself a moment to go back ... to heal. Then he could manage it. Maybe in a few minute ... if he just concentrated on breathing.

'' Draco ? ``

The vocalisation registered on the higher reach of his brainpower but did cipher to the lower. He knew he should react somehow but had no melodic theme how to.

'' Are you awake ? '' A expression came into panorama, framed by gingerroot hairsbreadth. Draco coughed roughly, shock making his throat close like a vice. His peg came up, trying to hide himself from the lady friend in figurehead of him. She disappeared like a ghost and genus Draco momentarily thought he had imagined her. But then a weighed down cloth dropped on top of him from the top of the Cage. He weakly pulled the weave textile over him and tried to underwrite himself without scraping the cloth over his skin.

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

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

'' Do you need some water ? ``

'' Why are you here ? '' genus Draco wrapped the material around himself and tried once again to push himself to his human knee and shuffle near to the bars. `` What are you doing in my elbow room ? ``

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

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

'' Yes. ``

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

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

'' Do you cognize what a wolfman is ? '' Draco shook his top dog, all this shouting was making his already aching head split apart. `` Of grade I would bear hurt you ! ``

'' Alright fine. '' Ginny crossed her arms. `` But I could cause stunned you or- ''

'' While you slept ? ``

'' I ... ''

'' Why were you here anyway ? '' Draco hugged his arms 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 hackneyed, I just went to slumber. ``

'' You just ... went to catch some Z's ? '' Draco 's eyes widened, then closed again when the ignitor wound his brain. `` Why did n't you go to your own room ? ``

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

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

'' Draco ... ''

'' I ca n't think this cage is the respite of my sprightliness ... '' Draco bowed his head, resting his headway against the bars. He closed his eyes, letting himself slide down. It was n't just that he would cause to go through this every twenty-eight twenty-four hour period. That he could almost deliver dealt with. But the fact that he was a ... a matter ... he could n't countenance himself to be a predator now. There was no way he could put the others under that variety 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 shaver ... 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 have slit his own throat. If only the wolf had ripped its own heart out during the night.

His life sentence was now worth aught. Why ...

'' Draco ... ''

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

Draco 's oculus fool open as soft lips slammed roughly into his.
*


He was n't moving his lips against hers and his center were wide with panic. Ginny drew back, her hands shaking a picayune. That had been her first base literal kiss. On the whole it had n't been very good. She could taste blood on her lips.

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

'' To prompt you you have something to to live for you prat. '' Ginny said angrily.

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

'' Yes ! Merlin 's beard you 're dense ! '' Ginny rocked back on her blackguard, hugging her subdivision 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 ... '' genus Draco 's optic were flickering wildly. `` You ... but I 'm ... ''

'' What ? '' Ginny broke in. `` You think because you 're a lycanthrope 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. '' Draco shook his head frantically. `` I could n't do that to you. I mean ... associating you with a creature. Could n't do that. To you. You deserve better. I 'm ... I 'm drab. ``

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

'' On Libra the Balance. No. '' Draco shrunk back to the former end of the John Milton Cage Jr.."I ‘ m sorry Ginny ... you should leave. I ‘ m so sorry. I just ... I ‘ m sorry and you ..."

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

"fountainhead what else can I do ?"

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

She slammed the door shut angrily.

Bloody prat.
*


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

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

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

Draco's head word rose slowly and when he saw who had spoken he quickly pulled his throw around to cover himself proficient. Harry was leaning against the bulwark nonchalantly. He had massive sinister bags under his eyes and he smelled like stale drink 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 let the cat out of the bag about it. It ‘ s done."

"Wasn ‘ t gon na mention it."Harry folded his arm."Wasn ‘ t gon na observe how you basically emo-slapped a close Friend. How you cut her heart out with a large big knife made of misplaced pathos. Was n't going to touch on the fact that you 're a aggregate cretin ! 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 al-Qaeda of the ninja guy rope, and I think we need to pay them a visit."

'' I do n't ... I do n't experience if I 'll be up to it. '' Draco shook his caput. It was n't self pathos, just simple truth.

'' Well I 'm going to be offering them large amounts of your money in addition to mine so you might want to be there. ``

'' open them whatever you want. '' Dragon waved his mitt vaguely. `` I do n't need any of it. I never did. Just leave me enough to inhabit on. ``

'' So you 've decided to live ? '' Harry stepped forward, grinning cheekily. `` If I 'd known a candy kiss was all you needed I would cause dragged Ginny here myself. Heck I would'a kissed you if got you to halt eyeing up the letter opener. '' Harry drew his scepter and flicked it towards the John Milton Cage Jr. doorway. Dragon pushed it and it swung spread slowly.

'' It was n't the kiss. '' Draco shakily crawled out of the cage and rose to his human foot, the crusade making him offensive. `` It was n't the kiss. ``

'' Do n't believe you. '' Harry shrugged and turned towards the door. `` I think soul 's making oatmeal in the kitchen. Not Molly Weasley but still ... '' With a final wave Harry clomped off down the corridor.

Dragon leant back against the cage, too tired to try to get dressed. His life had, in a day, turn much, much more complicated. And the lycanthropy was sole share of it.
*


Harry stood outside the door to the ward at St Mungos and bit his lip. It had been over a day since the frightening battle. Over a day since they had seen him. What was he supposed to say ? Would they accuse him of not being there for them ? They would be veracious to. But there had been too many things that he had to do, and not enough meter to do them. His magic eye flicked from bed to bed. How could he talk to them when every moment he could see the equipment casualty 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 vox behind him, then relaxed. He let out a sigh of relief.

'' Thea, '' Harry stepped forward and hugged the slight seer, pressing her into his chest. `` You 're O.K.. ``

'' I did n't make 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 find out ... Trying ... I was working. '' Harry 's eyes flickered around to the ward. `` I should have come sooner. I 'm disconsolate. ``

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

'' I should go in now. ``

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

'' What ? ``

'' Tell a joke. ``

'' What ? ``

'' I 'm serious Harry. ``

'' A ... a joke ? '' Harry did n't have intercourse where this was coming from. `` This is n't exactly a joking sentence. ``

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

'' I ... I ... '' Harry felt his mouth dry. Was he going back to the dark shoes ? Maybe. Getting eldritch magical stuff stuffed into his ivory did sound remarkably appealing. But he could still win without it. He was n't the Hero of Alexandria of prophecy, he was doing things his way. Harry smiled wryly. `` I jumped off a construction. ``

'' What ? ``

'' Twentieth floor. I forgot I do n't suffer a drop-gem any Thomas More. ``

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

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

'' Mugged ? You ? Really ? ``

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

'' You 're welcome Harry. ``



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


Have managed to write a bit more now. Stupid thing like my point and real biography keep getting in the way.





Harry could give birth sworn his tendon were tensed like condom bands. His eye was spinning rapidly, seeking every shadow and his heart was pumping with the light staccato pounding of suspense.

'' Well this is a marvellous spot for an trap. '' Harry tugged his coat in closer to him and stared up at the skinny cliff to either side.

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

'' No, but I do n't swear them not to cause some trick up their sleeve. '' Harry sighed and trudged forward along the raspy endocarp raceway. It was late enough that the air was pleasantly coolheaded, the sun still streaming brightly over the drop to their left. They were far enough from the muggle road that the alone sound in the air was the whistling of the air current and the buzzing of insects.

'' Are you sealed they are here ? '' Snape asked, glancing up at the Welsh cliffs. `` It does not seem like the kind of place for the Lie Gou. ``

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

'' Perhaps. ``

'' Too predictable. '' Harry 's eye picked up their terminus in the space, shimmering glassily in the sun. It was a moment long before it came into straight sentiment, a piffling lake in the heart and soul of the vale. The itinerary meandered towards it, crossing a small stream and cutting a course through the heather mixture. As it drew close to the still vitreous water Harry drew to a period and looked down. petty 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 even with his magic eye. It just looked like a normal lake.

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

'' maintain your incalculably oily hair on. '' Harry knelt down and put his lips right up to the urine. `` Agoredig Ffordd. '' The pressure of his parole made wavelet on the pee. He straightened up. nix had happened.

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

'' Relax Thatch. '' Harry closed his eyes. `` This is far forged for me if I 'm wrong. '' He leant forward and allowed himself to light, headland first, into the water.

The icy body of water felt like a curtain of silk. No wetness. No awe. No pebbles. Harry 's momentum spun him up on the other slope and he had a minute of vertigo when his brainiac 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 malarky. He could almost have got been fooled into thought process he had n't moved at all.

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

'' Satisfied ? ``

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

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

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

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

Not with any certainty. Snape shook his oral sex. And you are right field. We should put across this way while in there territory.

Interesting how you try to draw that auditory sensation like your idea. Harry rolled his eyes.

'' Did your source Tell you where to go succeeding ? '' Snape said out loud.

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

'' Ah ... yes. '' The wall of the valley was carved out in massive stone tower and a massive stair had been hacked into the stone. At the top, framed against the setting sun, was a tiered tabernacle in red wood. Rising up to the sky like a Pyramid of flack. `` I suppose this is the topographic point. ``

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

As they set off across the heather Harry let his eyes wander. This place looked entirely normal up close but the further away you looked the more the vista seemed savorless and unsubstantial, like whoever had made this place hadn't extended it much beyond this vale. There were animals though, insects and birds and rabbits in their yap underground. To what degree was this post just a reflection ?

Harry shook his head. An academician or a historian might care. He didn't. They reached the foot of the pugnacious hewn stair and Harry snorted and turned to Snape.

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

It would be ripe if we do not depict signs of weakness. Snape agreed, glancing up at the far off temple.

Harry glanced around until his eye fell on a small boulder, no larger than a pillow. He drew his wand and crouched down beside it. One whispered spell made it shift in it's bed of moss. A irregular 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 genu. The stone slowly rose into the air and hovered there, humming quietly. Snape almost looked impressed.

Would you be able to get by on that if events do not turn out in our favor ?

Don't bet on it. Harry began floating up the steps, maintaining eye liaison with his instructor. The magical spell I used were a very basic version of the ones used to make broom handle. That should give you an approximative usher to how much control I have over this affair. slowly hovering is the scoop I can do.

They climbed the footstep in silence for awhile, the cool down confidential information whistling around the carven column. The land seemed desolate and deserted. Seemed.

We're being watched. Harry noted the next time he caught Snape's eye.

Of course we are.

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

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

And if it turns out we can ‘ t ?

Snape didn ‘ t answer. Harry eased his baton in the stria of his belt ammunition. This would be concern. The final steps brought the rest of the temple into survey. It seemed smaller now than it had before, not much big than a modest mansion. It was surrounded by a simple garden, just flat grass and small pool. There weren ‘ t even any koi in the pond, just a very British Gaul. Harry didn't know what he had been expecting. cerise trees perhaps. But of line these men were assassin, they probably didn't have a lot time for gardening.

Speak of the devil ...

The painted door on the front line of the temple opened and an onetime gentleman in a unproblematic blue robe stepped out.

"We have been expecting you."Was all he said."seminal fluid inside. You must leave 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 script on his shoulder joint and Harry reluctantly let the older wizard lead. The room access were swing open for them and the old man led them through a short hallway.

The paries looked like ... walls. 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 care. Harry tried not to give any augury that he was uncomfortable but for a man who had gotten used to twenty-four seven x-ray views the sudden lack was claustrophobic.

Get it together.

Harry followed Snape and their guide into a room at the incline of the edifice. The untrue light of this mirror cosmos streamed in through the large window onto a tabularise standing low on the floor. There was already a pot of tea and three empty cupful waiting for them.

"If you would hold back here."The old scout said, indicating the table."I will see if professional Sasori is prepare to utter to you."He backed out of the elbow room and closed the threshold behind him. Snape and Harry stepped towards the board and sat cross legged beside it. Neither so a great deal as reached for the tea.

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

They accept initiates from many home. Snape's part was calm in Harry's idea. And in any type it is almost certainly not his veridical name. Think no more of it, concentrate 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 pudding head enough to salute the tea.

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

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

There are certain signs. For someone associate with this sort of enchantment.

I didn't tone anything.

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

Well you're not directly my teacher. Harry chuckled. Not unless you've Menachem Begin accepting T degree into your NEWT class.

The doorway was opened quietly and both Harry and Snape's centre flashed no the new arriver. He was dressed in a suit, black and clean in every railway line, but Harry could see the knifes hidden in his sleeve. His grooming was every inch the man of affairs but he had all-embracing tattoos on the vertebral column of his manpower, one a wheel of fire, the other a fox's headspring. A portrait of incongruence. Nothing what it seemed. He was Japanese, Harry could see now, so at least the name wasn't a entire fake.

"Good evening."The man spoke quickly and with house ego assurance."My figure is Sasori, and I am the leader of the Lie Gou in this division of the earth. You are Severus Snape and Harry potter. Welcome. I believe you had something to discus with me."Sasori stepped up to the low table and sat quickly. Without waiting for them to speak he reached over and poured himself a pocket-size cup of green tea. Harry supposed that was supposed to put them at ease. Why the perdition 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 lip."This is the contract you refer to ?"

"Yes. We will pay you whatever the iniquity lord has offered and ten percent more besides. It is a serious offer. You know the gold we have useable to us."Snape indicated Harry with his arm."In tax return you will not only cease your usage under Voldemort but you will also kill him and bring 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 as shooting you can render what you promise ?"

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

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

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

"I can not tell you that."

"Has he offered you something other than Au ?"

"No. The Lie Gou have only ever worked for atomic number 79. Precious gems in exceptional fortune. And once, just once, for the helping hand of a beautiful woman."Sasori smiled. Snape did not.

"Would you prefer if I set a issue ?"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 brilliance."The current successor to the Potter and Malfoy destiny are surprisingly unworried about fiscal fear. If ten million is unsatisfactory perhaps you should key your price."

"Perhaps you should take in the substance of the word no."The man leant forward."I am rejecting your whirl Mr Snape. I do not mean to be harsh but, even if you could pay us more than him, we must honour our commitment to Mr Riddle. It would dishonour me to do less."

Lies. Harry watched the assassin oculus as he stood. You don't commit a rat's arse about honour. That'shame me'Taurus the Bull is just telling us what you think we expect to see. Why are you lying ? What else is going on here ?

"You should both exit now."Sasori stepped away towards the door."No one will arrest 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 headquarters."It was like he didn ‘ t want to give up the contract but didn ‘ t want us to screw why."

"I am more queer about why they simply let us leave."Snape shook his mind."If the contract with the dark Almighty means so a lot to them they should have killed us."

"Perhaps they weren ‘ t sure they could beat 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 hostage. There ‘ s obviously some ground why this job ‘ s so important to them."

"Perhaps."Snape nodded faintly."The thought is worth investigating anyway, though he did not seem like a man with loved 1 in danger. He seemed too calm."

"He wasn ‘ t."Harry growled."His nerve was running a little fast. He was nervous from the instant he stepped into the way. Concealed it well though. Bastard."

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

"I don ‘ t think he was."Harry hazarded."Heart rate isn ‘ t a hundred-percent judge of when someone ‘ s prevarication. It was Wyrd, but it almost seemed like he was tranquil once you started offering money."

"Strange."

"Whatever."Harry rolled his eyes."I have n't slept in a surprisingly farsighted time. Unconsciousness does n't number. I 'm going to bed."

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

"Do n't drive yourself they says ..."Harry grumbled as he followed after his teacher."Do n't be like you were last class they says. But when I want to log Z's ? Oh no-"

"Be tranquillise Harry."Snape snapped as he pushed the doorway open. Natalies head rose from the tabular array as they entered and she wordlessly pushed a booklet towards Snape.

"Has anything of note happened ?"Snape asked.

"You could say the file."

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

"The necropsy answer have come back on the suddenly fighter. They were not zombies, or inferi. We do n't know what they are. Their pulp is just rotting now, nothing living. We did find out something unknown in their system but we can not identify it."

"And the dead Lie gou ? The ones Ginerva found in the leaky caldron ?"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 head."I believe the regime of potions they had been taken made them marginally resistant. The killer had to terminate them off. Would you like to hazard a guesswork as to the poison used ?"

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

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

"You want to arrest him ?"

"I want to know how he created his poison."Snape answered tonelessly."I am for sure it could cause even more equipment casualty in able hands."

"You are so much cooler than Dumbledore."

"But there seems to be no way to catch him."Snape picked the tongue up carefully with the tips of his finger's breadth."I assume there was nix usable on this ?"

"There was mud, perspiration and hair."Snape made no move to sink the tongue despite Natalie 's password. Harry 's ears pricked up.

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

"As far as we can tell yes."

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

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

"Before now,"Harry smiled."You did n't sustain 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 room access was locked."

"If you call that teasing good luck 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 know why I came ?"

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

"You can guess."Harry shrugged."You 'll venture wrong but you can guess."

"Really ?"Thea lean forward to expect into Harry 's eyes. The faint light gave her a face a ghostly spirit, full of tail."You do n't think I 'll guess ? What could you be here for ? ... In the eye of the night ..."

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

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

"Damnit."Harry shook his head wryly, the turn broken."You sure you ca n't read judgment any Sir Thomas More ?"

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

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

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

"eternal sleep ?"

"This will take aim awhile, and you 're tired."Thea stood up, her center still fixed."Use the bed."

"I can just slumber on a chair-"

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

You do n't postulate the chairman. Harry rolled his middle as he stood and moved over to the bed.

He fell asleep almost instantly, his mind trying to make up for the stress and debilitation of the past few days. In his dreams he occasionally saw a white figure, chanting softly to something she was holding before her. Even in the dreams he knew what that was. Having an eye that could see through your own eyelids made for realistic dreaming. That was why he knew that she was done far before he eventually woke, the aurora clear streaming in through the curtains.

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

"I thought you needed your sleep."

"Like you needed the chair ?"Harry opened his eyes and sat upright. On the table next to Pythea a uncut map had been drawn on parchment. A small Ithiel Town, nestled in a valley. Further up the map was a delicate 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 recollective time before the murderer picked it up. The hazard that he is still there are-"

"Low."Harry pulled the roughly sketch over to him. The name of the townspeople was written at the bum in Pythea 's elegant hand."might as well check it out though, for lack of anything more constructive to do."

"Do you require me to go with you ?"

"It 's a long 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 doorway."I 'll severalize you if I find anything interesting."

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


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

The map said that the tongue came from north of the Town. Harry set off in that instruction, gladiola to at to the lowest degree have something constructive to do after all the mental confusion and topsy-turvydom. A shopkeeper waved to him while at the Same metre squinting like he was an intruder. Harry waved back and carried on. The theatre thinned out and Harry found himself walking along a country road, field on either side. He checked his petty vignette map again. It was somewhere east of the road.

Harry 's center scanned the field and the tree beyond it. There was no course to verbalise of, just a sort of course that looked like it was used by hare more often than human being. Harry made for it warily and slowly climbed up through the tree, his walking stick digging into the mud. Harry 's eye kept getting twinkling 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 sign of the zodiac. Not even a house, a hut. It was surrounded by bramble and almost consumed by the forest. Ivy covered every ray and wall. Without his eye Harry was n't sure as shooting he would feature seen it as a star sign at all.

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

Harry slid closer slowly. The man was crouched on the priming coat, shivering, his lose weight limbs 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 bone. The affair that made up most of his weight was probably his hairsbreadth and matted beard. It certainly was n't in the tattered robes he was wearing. Harry scratched his head, wizards aged deadening 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 edifice."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 eyes flashed from one topographic point to another like an animal.

"Sassicz."

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

"Saz !"The man leant down to the flat coat and held out his bridge player. Some ... thing slithered out of his sleeve.

It took Harry a moment to realize what he was seeing. It was a snake in the grass, small and grey and not much longer than a ruler. But then, it was n't, it was cipher. Nothing was there but a wisp of curling greyness hummer. Harry realized what it was. Only one of his eyes was seeing the snake. To the other it would be just a shadow. To any normally sighted person ... the ophidian would be invisible.

Harry stepped to the slope but the snake made for him, slowly undulating it 's way through the parting. Harry stepped again, and the snake changed focus. Making for him like a bloodhound. Harry '' s creative thinker threw up petty remembering of an undiscovered and deadly toxin and stepped away more quickly. The snake kept after him, implacable demise. Harry took a deep breather, time to take control.

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

The man 's head shot up and the snake froze in the Gunter Grass. Harry dropped his disguise and addressed old man directly.

"I am a admirer. We both fight Voldemort. Please holler off the snake."

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

The ophidian did n't act, it seemed to be eyeing Harry as sharply as it 's schoolmaster was.

"Zaccussazic !"

"I ca n't sympathise you."Harry tried to keep calm."You are speaking ... you 're speaking in parseltounge are n't you ? I need you to verbalise English."

"Sisss ... sss ...."

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

"Name ..."The first English Word of God from the old man 's backtalk was guttural and raspy."figure ..."

"Yes, your epithet. What is it ?"

"Important."

"It is important."

"don 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 teeth were terra firma together in anger."Made to cossuza ! Made to unleash it all !"

"Please-"

"conundrum did it !"The old man spat."Riddle did it to me !"

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

"I want to kill him !"

"So do I, or failing that dismember."

"He took my judgment !"

"I see that. Believe me."

"But I remembered !"The man pointed a mutter digit at his head."Out on the rock ... out on Azkaban rock'n'roll. He was there zassiz ! Broke it clear. I saw his face. I remembered !"

"What. Is. Your. Name."

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

"Yes."

"Morfin Gaunt."





If you do not go over then all the snow that has brought U.K. to a stalemate today ( and coincidently frozen by bloody fingers ) will be transported directly into your sustenance room.


Harry sat cross-legged on the floor of the tiny hut and looked across at the shrunken pattern before him. It had taken oven an 60 minutes of teasing petty nuggets of data from the man in social movement of him but now he thought he finally had the whole floor. unconvincing as it was.

In a way it was hard to believe that the shrunken 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 loose. Harry tried to think that this man was a mad murdering vigilante, a man who had set his snake on multitude who were already unconscious. His creative thinker was probably irredeemably broken and fried to insanity by his long stay in Azkaban, plus the mind-flay Voldemort had worked on him. At to the lowest degree the untrue memories were gone now, broken when he saw Voldemort crush the prison. Now he was mostly an empty shell, all that was moving him forward was retaliation for what Tom Riddle had done to him.

Harry was currently trying to do two affair, the beginning 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 thing of time until individual died who did n't merit to. But if he handed him to Snape he had the best of both worlds. So that was that. The second matter he was trying to do was remember of how to snatch up the gold box under the floorboards without Morfin noticing. It was warded too heavily too be Morfin 's oeuvre, and it was too recent to be the net resident physician. Which meant it was probably the slithery night lord.

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

"This is my menage ..."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 purloin you to a flue point, you can nobble right-"

"Apparate."Morfin unfolded like a newspaper spring.

"You can apparate ?"

"Yes."

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


Harry got Morfin settled into one of the abandoned house he had used during his vagrant calendar month the previous class before doubling back to the shack. He carefully sliced away the floorboards and lifted them away without touching them.

Beneath was the box. He could n't see inside it, but if someone went to this much trouble to hide something it had to be important. Harry waved his wand to expose the protections on it and a myriad of flickering WWW surrounded the slight box. One or two he recognised, most he did not. Harry whistled admiringly ( got to admire amercement oeuvre wherever it comes from ) and got to work.

In the end it took boulder clay dusk, long fantasm making the trees outside loom larger. Harry did one terminal sweep to watch there were no other curses on the box, then flicked it open with the tip of his wand. inside lay a band, tarnished gold set with a black Oliver Stone. Harry ran another test on it and more hours crawled by as he removed the 2nd layer of protection before dropping it into his bag.

Various muscles complained about his prolonged lack of movement as he lifted himself off the flooring and levitated the control panel back into office. 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 mysteries of this unknown object. Harry shook his capitulum, should n't let himself fall into that again. Should n't. Besides, if he handed the ring to Snape there was a fortune he could get some sleep.
*


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

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

"No uncertainty I will contact him soon enough. I am more interested in this ring."

"Is it Voldemort 's ?"

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

"Great, I 'll impart it with you for now then."Harry stood and brushed his hair's-breadth out of his eyes.

"Where are you going ?"

"Well first I 'm going to eat whatever that is I can smell cooking, then I 'm going to fall 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 nose lead the way.

His cane clicked on the tiles as he walked towards the kitchen but he slowed as he got closer. Raised voices could be heard within. Harry pushed the door open quietly and slid interior. By the kitchen stove a magician with farseeing pep hair tied in a pony-tail was arguing with a shorter haired one. Harry recognised that one as Percy and, from verbal description, the early one as flyer Weasley. Beside they a frying pan was lying forgotten, 1st Baron Verulam burning inside.

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

"What 's going on ?"Harry asked while surreptitious levitating the 1st Baron Verulam out of the pan."Those are your sidekick are n't they."

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

"What are they arguing over ?"

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

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

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

"They need stability !"Walker Percy was yelling from over by the kitchen stove."They need someone with a proficient job and a good household here in UK !"

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

"For how tenacious ?"Percy snapped."Gringots fired six of it 's homo employees just last workweek. Some the great unwashed think they 're cleaning house."

"And what is that supposed to mean-"

Harry stopped listening. He levitated two testicle 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 deliver a guardian and I 'm right. Draco does n't have a guardian. Pythea does n't have a shielder. Why do they care 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 mean solar day, it wo n't matter then."

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

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


Returning to Hogwarts felt foreign. The castle and the magical topographic point around it had always felt like they were a separate humans. You got on the train at Kings crossing and somehow entered a magical bubble that you could n't allow for except at vacation. But in the close yr Harry had found that the house of cards was like Swiss cheese, he could leave any time he wanted.

It was sad to lose the trick. Ah well ...

There was something else that was gone as well. The cuss on the defensive structure against the dark arts post was apparently gone. Markus Michelson was still there, officially to instruct but Harry knew he was now part of the order. The first-class honours degree thing Harry did was ask for limited training, for him and all the marauders. They would involve it.

Outside Hogwarts the wizarding world was curling up into it 's shell like a snail. The massive tone-beginning on Diagon alley seemed to be too a great deal for citizenry, they were too scared. There were no more onslaught like the first but Voldemort 's numb men had been seen all over the country. Spreading veneration wherever they went. Yes ... they definitely needed to train.

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

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

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

"What do you want Harry ?"

"Have you made any progress with the mob ?"

"No."

"How about with the Lie Gou ?"

"inquiry are continuing."

"And about Voldemort ?"

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

There was a drawn out moment of silence.

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

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

"To push ?"

"As a stopping point resort."

"So basically you 're telling me to sit still and keep out up ?"Harry folded his weapon system."Come on Snape. I can be useful. I 'm wasted here ! I could do more."

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

"looking for for Voldemort !"

"Where ?"

"Everywhere !"

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

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

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

"I need to do something !"

"There is cypher 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 deal outstretched."Work on this."

The ring glittered in his hand.

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

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


Despite the fact that the chore had been given to him only to shut him up Harry attacked it with fervour. He tried every revealing go he knew on the ring but nothing registered. The only metre he got any hint that it was anything former than metal and stone was one prison term when, in a fit of pique, 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 spine down his spine. He had n't tried to wear it again but had done a altogether Koran 's Charles Frederick Worth of clairvoyance spying patch on it. Nothing happened.

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

"It 's charming all right."Harry had his head slumped down on his weapons system, staring at the halo in the middle of the table."I can experience it."

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

"I 'm not obsessed ! I just ca n't guess 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 upright."It was Voldemort 's !"

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

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

"That 's a long shot Harry."Padma said."Do n't you think Voldemort would give birth protected himself against that kind of thing ?"

"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 morning ?"

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

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

"Come in Harry."

Harry smiled and opened the doorway. Pythea was sat at the small board in the middle of the elbow room, mathematical function splayed out in straw man of her. One of the maps had little blue pins stuck in it. Harry wondered what the rules of order was having her do, try to predict where the Lie Gou would strike no dubiousness. Or trying to find Voldemort.

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

"I had a merging with several order penis last dark. It ran on quite late."Pythea sighed tiredly.

"Why is it you get meetings with order people and I don't."Harry cracked a smile."I mean we 're basically the Lapp age."

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

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

"No Harry. I 'm fine."

"Cos I can take over some of the workload if you like."

"Are you a prophesier ?"

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

"No."

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

"Do you want to send club appendage to their death ?"Pythea laughed and Harry chuckled. Pythea became dangerous again and leant in towards Harry."What was it you came here for ?"

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

"Just ask me."

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

"Harry ..."Pythea raised her supercilium."We 're both a footling young to marry."

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

"No you 're not. Harry potter is rich, you 're draining his bank account."

"murphy potato."Harry paused."That phrasal idiom does n't work so well in print. Not even with italics."

"arrest breaking the fourth wall and tell me what this ring is."Pythea took the ring out of Harry 's hand and raised it to her center."There is some symbol on it."

"It 's from some nutzo myth."Harry snorted."The of import thing is that this ring belonged to Voldemort."

"And you want me to use it to find him ?"Pythea shook her head."The wickedness lord will certainly have protected his hiding place from scrying."

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

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

"object lesson ?"

"The matter you go to schooltime for."

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

Harry slid in recently into his double vindication form. It did n't matter too much, the piranha were working to a unlike curriculum. He joined the rest of them and took his post on the duelling line. He glanced at Draco opposite him and noted the cryptical dish under his eyes and his slump military posture. full phase of the moon Sun Myung Moon last night. He should experience remembered.

"How was it ?"Harry asked.

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

"That it would be blush wine and kittens and barrels of candy."Harry raised his wand."You know I wo n't go loose on you."

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

Harry did n't go easy on him. It would sustain been insulting. After the form Draco went to find out a bath of ice to lie in and Harry went back to Pythea 's quarters. He knocked and pushed the door open.

"Any progress ?"Harry asked the little seer.

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

"Are you sure ?"Harry slouched dejectedly."cypher ? Not even why he hid it ?"

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes."Pythea responded without missing a beat."To obtain a salutary connection."

"exact it off."Harry slid around the table with his hired man out.

"Harry you are being irrational."

"Please take the ring off Thea."Harry tried to vocalise equanimity. He failed."Just select it off. Please."

"There is really no need."

"sense of humor me."

"You are worried over nothing."

"If it 's nothing take it off."

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

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

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

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

"You seem uncertain Harry."Pythea smiled thinly."Is there some sort of problem ?"Pythea 's hands 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 faced love child 's eyes enough times to recognise him staring back."The closed chain was ... was like the diary."

"You found my diary ?"Voldemort raised one delicacy supercilium."That is disappointing. But no matter, even if the diary was destroyed I still survive and this ... this body will do nicely."

"You 're a freak who keeps trying to possess untested girls."Harry tried to edge his manus closer to his wand. Voldemort 's eyes snapped to his hand. Harry stopped."Just let her go."

"No."

"You will let her go."Harry 's teeth footing together."Or so help me I will make whatever life you have full phase of the moon of pain."

"threat ?"Voldemort smiled again."You can not threaten me. Any harm you do to me hurts the fille. You could never pain someone you care about-"

"Wrong."Harry slammed his fist forward into his typeface. Voldemort fell backwards but Harry had already grabbed his implements of war and slammed them behind his rear. Lightning flashed from his fingers to the floorboards, bathing the room in White luminosity. Flames burst out of nowhere and Harry could barely hold onto the wrestle shape in his arms.

"Karziet !"Harry threw them both to the side as every man of glass in the room exploded. Harry felt shards bite into his face and custody 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 manus, taking the end of his finger off.

"full stop bloody moving !"Harry slammed Voldemort onto the tabular array 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 mesa. Harry slowly released her arms and looked into her face. Her nose was gushing rip freely ( his flaw ), and her eyes were squeezed shut.

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

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

"It 's ok."Harry drew his baton and sprayed a thick stream of water supply 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 error. I should give birth been Sir Thomas More careful."Pythea opened her eyes and raised her hand to brush Harry 's face."I 'm sorry."

"It was my fault."

"I tried to wipe out you !"

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

They stayed there like that for a while. The room smelt like sodden ash but neither of them wanted to make a motion. Finally Harry pulled back and smiled.

"come on, we 'd better get you to ma'am Pomfrey. She 'll get to un-break your nose."Harry shook his caput."Sorry I had to hit you so hard."

"You always choose the most direct root to any job. That is percentage of your charm."Pythea leant forward and kissed him lightly on his bloodstained forehead. Harry could find a shard of glass relocation under her rim, when she moved back it fell out, clinking onto the tabular array between them. Harry 's heart skipped about a million beats.

"We should get you to Madam Pomfrey too."Pythea said breathlessly."You taste of blood."
*


Harry left the seer in the hospital extension and made straight for Snape 's bureau. He entered without knocking.

"Harry."Snape 's head snapped up from his desk."I heard you managed to offend yourself again."

"It had been too retentive since I had to grow flesh back."Harry reached into his bag and brew out the box with the mob in it, dropping it onto the desk. In forgetful condemnation 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 lamentable prof. I should suffer seen it."

"How precisely should you have seen it ? On the surface the point 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 guilty conscience Potter. You have never displayed it before so do not start now."Snape picked up the ring 's box with his long digit."Your experience Tell us something. Now I merely have to work out what."

"That easy huh ?"Harry asked wryly.

"Easier than it was before."Snape looked like he was about to say something else but the door was pushed open. Lucy Kindston was on the other side, plainly out of breath.

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

"I was just there."

"Well you need to get back."

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

"Just go Harry."

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



If you do n't review then your computer screen becomes like that bit in the anchor ring where the girl comes out and kills you. Except instead of a girl it 's a cat. Seriously. Have you ever seen a retentive haired cat totally bedraggled and hissing and screaming and flying out of your screen ? Not good. And if you have high-def ... it 's twenty dollar bill meters tall.


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

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

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

"You ca n't have it away that Har-"

"HOW MANY EYES DO I HAVE !"

"I ... Harry please."Madam Pomfrey shook her pass."There is goose egg I can do. Professor Snape is trying to-"

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

"Then there is goose egg that can be done."

"I just need to do something !"Harry shuddered with queasy 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 nothing like that exis- Where are you going !"

Harry stomped out of the infirmary wing as fast as his spite leg would carry him and barged past the clustered 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 space between himself and his friends. Unfortunately none of them were down a leg and could keep up with him easily.

"Harry this is for Pythea is n't it ?"

"No. I 'm going for a walk in the park with the downlike bunny rabbits."

"Harry let us facilitate you !"

"Go away you bloody-"

"You promised you would n't do this any more Harry."Neville broke in suddenly. Harry froze. He had.

"I did."Harry turned slowly."Does anyone know how to mount mountains ?"
*


"Harry where are we ?"Hermione panted.

"Mountain."Harry barked as he stabbed his hiking perch into the ground and stomped on. Beside him the gaunt anatomy of Morfin shook in what could hold been a still chuckle.

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

"Turkey."Harry winced as he slipped on the slack rock and roll and had to enamor himself on his terminal."northward Anatolian. That 's where we are specifically. Where we are relatively is 'Not gamy enough'”

"Where are we headed to Harry ?"Lucy squinted up at the snowy peaks ahead."What are we trying to discover ?"

"You 'll see by nightfall."Harry tried to ignore the stabbing pain in his leg as he forced himself higher and higher."We need to be at the snowline by the time it gets dark or we wo n't see them."

"I hope you do n't want to get to the top Harry."Hermione was still trailing."We do n't feature any oxygen 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 trail they had followed."Not like this."

"fountainhead you volunteered so last with it. I 'm having a worse time of it than you."Harry glanced up ahead and shook his head."The itinerary 's blocked with rocks this way. We need to go ... that way. For a spell at least. Then we can track back, along the ridge."

"What ridge ?"

"You ca n't see it yet. It 's past the cliff."Harry pointed with his joystick."Looks like we have to scramble just for a bit then it 's a good path. preserve up that ... then ... over past that cliff ..."Harry trailed off, the other two marauders were looking at him strangely."I can see because of the eye. You knew that."

"What 's it like ?"Lucy asked quietly.

"You get used to it. Like walking around seeing double, except one of the stunt man is see through. Makes you dizzy when you spin too fast."Harry paused for a mo to catch a breathing space."Come on ... we 've got a prospicient way to go and Thea 's dying."

They hiked up into the snowline, Harry did n't let them block off until they could see lead by the nose on all four sides. When they could he cleared a circle around them and heated the priming 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 capable to see."Morfin chuckled darkly.

"He 's compensate. You 're going to need to see in the dark and you wo n't with a fire right next to you."Harry smiled slyly."I can only face in one direction and I 'm not taking chances."

Harry sat down, looking in another direction and waited. Slowly it got darker and darker. At least the moonshine was out, that helped a fiddling. Now all they had to do was watch ...

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

"Fire. Look for fire."

"Oh ... !"Hermione 's center opened wide with jounce."Are we looking for-"

"Yes. Now concentrate and keep looking."

"Have you ever been there before-"

"No."Harry glared out into the shadow, waiting for a sign. The night air grew colder and colder ... whispering past the four seated material body. Morfin was muttering something in parseltounge up his sleeve. Harry wondered for a second if he had been right to wreak him. No ... of course he had to. Without someone to apparate them it would have taken them ages to get up this high school. Could n't apparate the rest period of the way though. Funny affair happened if you tried.

"There !"Lucy pointed off into the aloofness."I saw a heartbeat, like a firework."

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

"That 's it. thoroughly show."Harry stood and lit his baton. A spark in the shadow."semen on."

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

"By morning it 'll have moved."Harry explained."And besides, it is n't night for me."
*


Harry started off into the pitch-black, with Morfin following silently. Hermione looked at Lucy and gulped, before lighting her wand and following them into the fogginess. It was a terrifying journey, following Harry 's unwavering itinerary across the upside of cliffs and along talus filled paths in the dead of night. Hermione kept telling herself it was for Pythea, for Harry 's friend. She even tried to look forward to the site they would see at the end. But it was n't enough to forestall the fear.

Every tilt that skipped away from her feet sounded like a crack of thunder.

Ahead of her she could get word the strange man Morfin mutter, behind were the steady, substantial tramp of Lucy 's boot. Occasionally the daughter behind her would contact out and lay a calm mitt on her shoulder, making her startle. Hermione was grateful for the gesture, she just wished Lucy would founder her some warning.

"This is it."Harry 's voice was like a tongue through the inkiness. Up ahead she could see him crouching beside a rough whirl in the rock, just gravid enough to fit a man. As she watched the interior flashed like there was an explosion deep inside, but it faded again in a moment. Hermione breathed deeply, trying to keep calm.

"Nervous ?"Harry asked quizzically."Do n't be. After all we 're a group of teenager going into a spooky cave in the middle of the mountains in the dead of night with a mass liquidator. What could possibly happen ?"

In the dark, Morfin grinned like a tiger.

"Harry ..."Lucy narrowed her eyes."check that."

"You 've got nothing to concern about."Harry grinned."They 'll even be other wizards inside. Come on, lets get to it. I want to support in Hogwarts by morning."

Harry slid into the bend in the rock and dissipated from view. Hermione steeled herself, then ducked in after him. The cave was really more than of a tunnel, crawling forwards in a full-strength line. Of course what it really was was probably some sorting of legerdemain threshold that connected two different places entirely. Hermione found herself looking at the wall to try to see the joins. Up ahead the flashing were becoming more haunt and a steady red freshness 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 burrow ahead of her, giving her a full view as she pulled herself out of the rock. Her mouth dropped receptive as she saw what lay before them ...

"Merlin 's ... something !"Before them the cave opened up into a trench vale, like an axe injury in the position of the mountain. Towering paries rose up on either side of them craggy and wax of more caves and colliery. In the belittled cartoon strip of ground in the heart there was a grove of what looked like olive Tree twisting and ancient like they were sure-enough than the heap itself. But that was n't the most flummox thing. Flying above them in majuscule tangle breaking ball, and nesting in the rock and roll ... hundreds of them ... filling the vale with ardent Christ Within and making the whole place fool like a living firework presentation. Filling the vale with Sung dynasty, and the echoes of song ...

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

"Yep."Harry nodded."Since we do n't experience what Theia '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 hospital in the world would have gallons on the stuff."

"There 's at to the lowest degree one that 'll cry for me. Fawkes."Harry squinted up into the brilliant flaming sky."We just require to ascertain him."

"Easier said than done."

"Why do n't you two ask."

Ask ? Hermione scratcher her mind. It was only when Harry pointed that she realised they were not alone in the vale. Down by the trees there was a group of four wizards clustered around a tent, one of them was looking through a telescope while another was jotting down billet in a large gruelling script. Further down the valley, on a flat tabular array shaped rock-and-roll that jutted out of the parting, was another grouping. These wizards were all in contraband robes and were clustered around a weird bird shaped beau ideal. They were down on their knee and seemed to be chanting.

worshipper. Hermione realised. Worshippers and researchers.

"Why do n't you do by the nerds."Harry pointed at Hermione first, then turned to Lucy."And you handle the wierdos. It 'll go bout and and see what I can spy with my lilliputian 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 tree. Even though she knew that a young woman 's life was at wager Hermione could n't serve but sense awe and marvel at this property. Going off in the at the free fall of a hat, climbing slew and visiting amazing magical sites. Was this what Harry 's biography was like all the sentence ?

Below her one of the research worker looked up and noticed her. He rolled his oculus and started towards her.

"Please do n't upset the razz. Try to not use flash photography, they can confuse it with an attack. If you 're camping please do n't play cheap music-"

"We 're not tourists."Hermione held her hands up.

"Oh, then you 'll be with the other weird bast- believers."The researcher pointed back into the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.

"I 'm not-"

"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 genus Phoenix bust. The early reason people come up hers."The man rubbed his brow."Let me guess your Friend or your mother or your swain is pale and you think tears are the only cure. I hate to tell you this but-"

"We know they do n't cry for everyone but we think if we can incur one specifically it will."

"Really ?"The researcher finally looked slightly concern. He glanced up at the drop where Harry was just visible edging up a thin track, peering into cliffs. respective capital of Arizona had begun following him interestedly, hopping from sway to shake eyeing him with beadlike oculus."Who are you poke fun anyway ?"

"Well that 's Harry ceramist, and we 're his friends."Hermione smiled at the shocked look that appeared on the researchers face. His three friend looked up too, forgetting their promissory note for a instant. Hermione felt like kicking herself, of course she should make said that maiden."We 're looking for a phoenix called Fawkes."

"We ... we do n't enter names. How could we ? The Phoenix do n't talk."The man kept glancing up at the drop where the shadowy figure of Harry had gone out of land site into a cave. Another phoenix flew over to bring together the small flock that was following him."We do n't record names I do n't ... I do n't recognise if we can help."

"He would have come here during summer last class, he left England in June."Hermione explained."When he left Hogwarts he looked like he was in his third month since a electrocution day so when he reached you he might hold been in his 4th or fifth.. He 's a male, with a wingspan slightly above average."

"I ... we 'll check."The investigator turned and hurried over to their workbench where he cracked open a lowering Koran of notes and began flicking through them. Hermione followed him and began reading over his shoulder. Everything was recorded, burnings, arriver, odd demeanour. If Fawkes was in the valley he would be recorded here somewhere.

"What about that ?"Hermione pointed suddenly at an entering hear the midsection of the page."That one fit 's the time frame."

"Y ... yes. Yes."The researcher nodded."Phoenix number 713. It would be that one would n't it."The heavy playscript was slammed closed and the man turned towards the cliff rampart."I 'll take you there."

Hermione set off following, sending micos to Harry and Lucy. She and her guide reached the cliff wall and began climbing up a slender winding path. Lucy caught up to them when she was halfway up.

"You found him ?"Lucy was out of breathing spell. Hermione nodded."skillful, those former wizards were weird."

They climbed further up around the rock-and-roll, passing many perching phoenix. The skirt eyed them as they passed, but did not adopt. After a few minutes they reached a short ledge with a large 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 bound of the ledge, genus Phoenix were perched, looking in. None of them were singing, none of them were making any sound at all above the rustling of their feathers. 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 manpower twitched like he was looking for a notepad. Hermione steeled herself, and stepped into the cave.

It opened out in the back into a small dome, the floor littered with sticks and leave of absence. The cadaver of yesteryear nests. Morfin was crouched at the spine, he made no move when they entered. He was staring at the same matter they were. The tableau in the centre of the cave.

Harry was down on his human knee, his walking peg discarded beside him. His center level with the optic of the phoenix in strawman of him. He was n't moving or speaking either, the simply star sign that he was alive was the slow ascent and surrender of his chest. The phoenix, Fawkes, was shivering. A large part of it 's back was bald and scabby and it 's wings looked shredded. There were plumage all around it, an unnatural moulting, and it 's head drooped on it 's long neck.

"713 's been like this for a while."The researcher said quietly."That 's why I said I knew it 'd be him. He has n't burned since he got here and he 's due. Long overdue. If he does n't burn before winter hits then ..."

"What happens if a phoenix does n't cauterize ?"Lucy asked softly.

"We do n't really know. That 's part of the reason we 're watching him."

"Could he ..."Hermione swallowed."If he goes for long enough without a burning day could he ... die ?"

"It 's possible."The researcher answered sadly."We do n't think it 's ever happened before. The former phoenixes have been avoiding this cave, up till now at to the lowest degree. It 's very interesting conduct, I was thinking of writing a paper on-"

"Shh ! Something 's happening."Lucy pointed towards the centre of the cave.

Without moving from his pip, Harry had reached out his arm and was slowly stroking the side of Fawkes'head. The golden chick trembled for a moment, then leant it 's headspring into Harry 's hand, cooing softly. Harry reached back with his early hand into his bag and came back with a small looking glass bottle. He held it carefully to the side of the phoenix 's face.

Everyone in the cave watched, awed, as low gear one bright tear dropped into the glass. Then another. All the while Harry kept stroking Fawkes'caput with his fingers, and kept eye link. Another free fall in the glass. Another. The glass slowly filled to the brim with glittering liquid before finally Harry took it away and carefully capped it.

Guy Fawkes collapsed out of Harry 's hands, dropping onto it 's rough nest. It was as if the emotion had been too practically for it. Guy Fawkes just lay there as Harry put a flying sealing charm on the tears and turned to the marauders.

"It 's done."

"Harry how did you do that ?"Hermione asked, panoptic 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."

"Phoenixes do n't fight for anyone but their masters."Harry shook his head.

Hermione remembered the flock that had gathered outside and had the twinging hunch that might not be true.

"Anyway. We should go now. seminal fluid 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 dismay not sick."Harry motioned them towards the fowl. Hermione sat and placed her hand on Fawkes'tush. Lucy did the same and Morfin slunk out of the shadows to fall in them.

"Thank you for helping us."Hermione turned to the shocked researcher and waved with her free hired man."Sorry I could n't stay to see Sir Thomas More of your oeuvre. Maybe I 'll come back some time."

"O ... Ok ?"

Flames rose about the vulture and everything dispersed.
*


Snape was just snipping a minor piece of whisker from the dying prophet ( he needed to do more tests ) when two loud disturbance disturbed his absorption. The first was a rushing plosion. The second was-

"HARRY POTTER WHAT IN MERLINS NAME-"

"What ? No one 's ever appeared in the middle of the hospital flank in a gout of fire before ?"Harry replied glibly to Madam Pomfrey as he stood from his position on the floor. The phoenix behind him made a phone somewhere between a shake and gurgle and turned as if to leave.

"Guy Fawkes !"Harry stepped in front of the phoenix and crouched back down to adjoin it 's eyes."Thank you."

The Phoenix bowed it 's head a little.

"You know, there 's something I 've learnt recently. Something my friends are trying to beat into me."Harry smiled wryly."Destroying ourselves for the 1 we love is never the right choice."

Guy Fawkes fluffed his feathers and bowed his foreland. A moment later flames bounce 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."Madam Pomfrey visibly pulled herself together."We still have n't found the curse word effecting her."

"When you left I wondered where you had gone."Snape folded his arms and nodded towards the burning mark on the floor."Now I see. You should have warned me before you left."

"Do you think it 'll process ?"Harry ignored Snape 's words and lifted humble 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 apart he was trying to keep calmness."What do I do ? Let her drink it or ... or let ..."

"Give it to me."Snape held out his script calmly. Harry slowly reached forward and dropped the split into the outstretched hand. Snape tilt down and softly tilted Pythea 's mouth open wih his thumb. He undid the stopper and allowed three driblet to strike onto her oral fissure. Snape waited. You had to appropriate the tears a fiddling time to seep into the flesh then ... another three fall. Then wait.

He continued until the nursing bottle was empty, upending the last few sparkling driblet with a whispered supplication of Bob Hope. He handed the bottle back and put his fingers to the little seer 's cervix. All day her pulse had been slow and imperfect. Now ...

"zippo happened."Harry took the words out of his backtalk. watchword that sounded even sorry 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 halt yet."Lucy capital of Jamaica suggested.

"The essence would have been instantaneous."Snape shook his head.

"I so thought ..."Harry whispered."I put everything on this ... She 's going to die."

"Harry stop."Snape fixed his eyes to the bust filled unity in forepart of him."It is not over yet. This tells us something. There are very few affair phoenix split do not heal, now that we know it is one of them-"

"Stop."Harry shook violently."occlusive trying to wee me feel better. I gave her the ring and it 's killing her and I ca n't do anything to block up it."

"There are still boulevard of investigating that-"

"SHUT UP !"Harry shouted so violently that ma'am Pomfrey stepped back in fright. Snape Did n't move.

"Harry. I will not baby you."Snape spoke slowly."Yes, a dower of the responsibility for what has happened is yours. You gave her the halo. But another percentage is mine. I worked with that ring for daytime and detected nothing that could have caused this. I told you it was prophylactic. What has happened is also my responsibility and believe me when I say I will not have another last on my sense of right and wrong. While she still breaths I will stay on to consider she can be saved. As should you. Now ... I am taking some of her hair to Paris, to a humankind 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 fool notions about running off to distant parts of the world in hunt of some miracle therapeutic ..."Snape took a inscrutable breathing time."... I suggest you pursue those notions to the fullest 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 instant Harry slowly nodded.

"Good."Snape turned and walked from the hospital wing, the whorl of haircloth he had cut still in his hand.
*


Pursue your motley fool notions to the fullest.

Harry slowly walked out of the hospital annex. No one tried to blockade him.

Running off to distant parts of the world in search of some miracle therapeutic

There was no such thing as a miracle cure. If there was everyone would use it. Harry found his metrical foot moving of their own accord, taking him on familiar routes.

chump notions

I am a fool. Harry found the door he had been looking for and got out his wand. It was locked of course of study, but not even this threshold was too hard to crock up. In a few moment Harry had the good luck charm down and pushed open the threshold to Snape 's office.

running game off to distant parts of the world

Snape was the one in Paris. Harry closed the doorway quietly. He would n't be disturbed. His eye zoomed around the small room and came to luminousness on one of the desk drawer. Harry checked it for trance then slowly pulled it open and picked up the halo from inside.

Destroying yourself for the unity you love is never the right choice.

Too bad it 's the sole selection left.

"There is no miracle cure. Not without knowing what 's damage with her."Harry whispered into the dingy surface of the ring."Only one living person knows what curse is affecting her. And I need to lecture to him."

Slowly, with trembling hands, Harry slid the ring onto his finger.



Did n't mean to leave it this longsighted before posting again but I 'm in my last twelvemonth of uni and I had my terminal class labor. Then I had the celebration after the projection was handed in, which coincided with St Saint Patrick 's day ... Then the celebration for the end of term a few 24-hour interval later ...

Anyways once my head stopped exploding and I could move without screaming I got on with the story. My workload is n't high from now on so the writing footstep should beak up a bit from now on.


I do n't own Harry Potter. Neither does THE governing !



Harry slid the ring onto his finger's breadth and sat slowly behind Snape 's desk. How would this workplace ? How long would it engage ? Would he even be able to speak directly to Voldemort or would he just hear him in his mind ?

"It depends on how you want to talk."

Harry 's head snapped up from the ringing. On the other side of the desk sat Tom Riddle, sitting on the chair students used when they were called into this office. It was a wooden, concentrated backed chair but he lolled in it like it was a toilet. He was n't quite the same figure that had came out of the journal. He looked the same age but his features were ... glassy. His skin was smooth out and pale and his eye had little flecks of red. Through the trick eye he looked ghostly and faint, but through his true eye the nighttime Godhead looked real.

"What do you mean it depends ?"Harry crossed his arms.

"Well we can talk like this ..."enigma smiled. Or we can blab out like this.

"Talking out loud is fine Tommy."Harry placed his hands matted on the desk, the ring displayed prominently forward."Tell me what you did the Pythea."

"I took over her individual. You know that."Tom Riddle chuckled. The red in his center sparkled."You punch her as I remember. You do know that that 's no way to address a lady."

"I was n't talking about that."Harry snarled."What 's happening to her now ? Some wasting curse word or something ..."

"Really ? ..."brain-teaser leant back in his chairwoman."That ... that is unfortunate. You must be crushed."

"Shut up."

"I must carry my bass condolences."

"Shut up !"Harry slammed his script down on the desk."Tell me what the curse is ! You obviously hid it well. When I found the ring I removed a shrivelling curse word, a samyaza and something I had n't seen before that would induce turned blood to lead in my nervure. What did I lack ?"

"The lead piece is called a plumb-sang."

"Tell me you bastard ! Tell me or I 'll destroy you."

"Destroy me ?"Tom crossed his implements of war."I doubt you could. And even if you could it does not matter. 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 brain of Voldemort at to the lowest degree, which means you have all his timbre. caliber like cowardice and self preservation. I think you will assure me what I want to know."

"ego preservation ? Perhaps."Tom Riddle leant forward."But the fact remains that you have no idea how to destroy this ring."

"Phoenix fire destroyed the diary."Harry gritted his dentition together."And I know a phoenix who 's probably abut ready to burn."

"phoenix ...."Tom Riddle paused and licked his lips."That will not work."

"Yes it will. You 're lying again."

"I am not ..."riddle was breathing quickly."I have no pauperism to lie. I am the dark Divine, you have no power over-"

Harry pulled the ring off his finger and the dark lord snapped out of existence mid judgment of conviction. Harry held the ring up to his grimace and said,

"Do n't think you have any sorting of power here Tommy."Harry slapped the ring twice against the desk with loud ringing knocks."You hear me in there ? You 've got no cards here ! Understand ? You will severalise me or I will wipe out you !"Harry slammed the ring back on his digit. The night lord reappeared where he had been, his side a mask of rage.

"You can not do this to me ! I am lord Volde-"Harry pulled the mob off again.

"When I put the ring back on ..."Harry snarled."You will send packing the whole'I am Lord Snakeface'thing and severalise me exactly what I want to know or you 're going to the fire."Once again the shadow lord reappeared, eyes flaring almost full red. But he said nothing.

"Ready to talk yet ?"Harry rubbed the band of the ring on his finger."Just say one news. The figure of the condemnation, that 's all you have to say and I put the tintinnabulation back in the drawer and we never have to verbalize again."

"I ... You ca n't do this to me."The dark lord 's eyes flickered back and Forth River."You ... you can not ..."

"Just severalise me the epithet of the curse. That 's all you have to do to ward off being burnanated. Just say me."

"I ... I am Lord Voldemort."Tom Riddle 's teeth were gritted closed and his hands were gripped to the sides of his chair.

"No you 're not. You 're a captive. A captive who 's not even alive so there 's no requisite for me to not down you. evidence me what the curse is."

enigma 's breath was coming swift and shallow.

"Tell me !"Harry yelled."William Tell me !"

brain-teaser snarled like a dog.

"Tell me !"Riddle was shaking. Not in angriness Harry realized ... He was shaking in care. enigma was terrified. Harry 's brow furrowed ... Why would he be that frighten away ..."You have no approximation what happened to Thea ... Whatever happened to her ... it was n't your curse ... it was n't your ring ..."

Voldemort had stopped dead, frozen in home, his eyes burning like coals.

"Well ..."Harry shook his psyche."That 's something at least."Harry reached for the pack and jerked it forward. It would not motivate. Harry 's eyes jerked up. Tom Riddle was smiling like a cat.

"Well well well Potter."brain-teaser smirked."It seems I do hold some superpower after all."

Harry tried desperately to scuff the pack off his digit, it would not act an in. Harry grabbed for his wand to slice the finger off but he could n't attain his mouth speak the words.

A great deal of power.

Voldemort 's was in his head now, the figure gone from the former English of the desk. Harry stumbled and fell against the rough Harlan Fiske Stone wall. Wait ... wall ? Harry flicked his optic up. He was in the corridor ! He had n't moved of his own accord ... His understructure were moving again ! Harry clamped his foot down on the story and slammed his arm against the paries. His verge dropped from his numb fingers.

Feeling a little less in control Mr Potter ?

"myrtle !"Harry screamed into the white air."Myrtle get here or get help !"

Calling help from one of my old victims ?

"soul !"Harry yelled. His wand was back in his hand ... NO ! Harry forced his fingerbreadth to open again and the scepter clattered down. Harry slammed his foot down and snapped the picayune shaving of forest like a twig. He could n't let Voldemort loose in his dead body in the center of Hogwarts. Could not ...

You think you have a choice ?

"MYRTLE !"Harry fell to the level. His muscles were twitching, every flickering parting of him was trying to move."avail me !"

Ha ha ha ha !

"Someone !"Harry was on his base again. Not by choice. He was staggering forward, trying to stop himself ... but."Mico marauder ! Mico anyone !"Would n't work without a wand.

There is no help for you Mr Potter.

Harry frantically tried to kowtow the band off his finger. It was n't moving. Not an inch. Black spots were flying before his eyes.

You are mine now.

"Harry what in the sin ?"The voice sparked out of the air above him. Harry 's head word flickered up, at the top of the stares was the exhaust and moon-sick figure of Draco Malfoy.

"Dragon ... It 's not the annulus !"Harry croaked out. He had to severalise someone what he 'd found."Pythea ! It 's not the ring that made her sick ! It 's ... It 's ... It 's something else !"

"Harry what 's incorrect with you ?"

Nothing.

"Nothing."Harry clenched his dentition closed."No ! William Tell Madam Pomfrey ! ... And get this bloody ri- null is ill-timed Malfoy."

Go away you little traitor.

"Harry your ... your eyes."Draco 's bridge player flickered to his verge."They 're red."

I 'm just tired. They are bloodshot.

"I 'm just tired."Harry 's neck muscles twisted his fountainhead in a throw off 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 wand."I think you may be unwell."

"Unwell Malfoy ?"Harry hissed."Do n't presume to-"

"Stop."Draco pointed his baton straight between Harry 's center."haulage your wand slowly and drop it to the floor."

"Please ... friend-"

"Do it."

"Hmm ..."Voldemort twitched Harry 's lips into a grin."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."Draco 's eyes narrowed above deep Negro bags."You 're ... something else."

"I am more than something else."Voldemort thrust Harry 's hand forward, displaying the annulus."I am your true master piddling dog. Heel."

"Oh wonderful."genus Draco muttered.

"Die !"Harry 's helping hand was cast aside forward and a sparkling bolt of lightning flared out. Dragon dodged and flung himself to the level. Voldemort spun Harry 's body for a sec hit but Harry flung the last vestiges of his posture onto his treacherous muscle. His arm stopped moving for a fraction of a second.

"Stubefy !"The red spell flashed out of Draco 's wand and everything went black.
*


Harry was used to crazy pipe dream so when he found himself in a dark place to the full of screaming and hissing he just sat on the floor and thought of apples. After a little while the darkness faded and Harry heard the rustling of trees.

In the dark all around him there were Snake. Snakes in his woodlet ! Harry shuddered, he was in his little pipe dream but he felt drunk. Shaking and enervate, he looked around. The duskiness was seeping in through the trees ... invading his orchard. The serpent did n't appear to see him, just keep winding their way through the tree diagram. Four of them whispered their way through the leaves. One wrapped it 's way around the root of the prominent tree, biting it 's own can. It 's lidless eyes flashed red.

Harry glanced deeper into the woods. One to a greater extent Hydra, lying still on the ground. Nailed in station by a wooden stake. Harry looked down at his helping hand. Another snake was wrapped around his finger. A tiny slim down serpent with black bands.

Wyrd. Profetic. Harry shook his head. Not again-
*


"Harry."

Hm ... Harry slowly woke.

"Harry wake up so I can narrate you how unspeakably foolish you have been."

"professor Snape ..."Harry shook the cobwebs out of his drumhead and opened his middle. The hospital flank was dark and discharge. Snape was standing at the pes of Harry 's infirmary bed. hold ... Snape had to bed !"The annulus ! I found something out about-"

"I got the message Harry."Snape 's expression was a blank and wild slate."Draco understood the implication of your message."

"You need to help Thea then."Harry struggled to prove out of the hospital bed."You need to help-"

"I already did."

Harry 's eye flashed to the bed future 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 seer."Once you made me cognisant that the doughnut 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 poisonous substance. 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 pocket-sized bottle he was holding in his hand."Last year you were in a near constant quantity state of balmy perniciousness. 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 have passed to her by some ... exchange of fluid."

"When I was bleeding ..."Harry cast his mid back."She kissed my forehead. She was bleeding too."

"Is that the taradiddle you 're sticking to ?"

"So someone tried to vote out me."Harry ignored Snape 's insinuation and scratched his head."I 'm thinking maybe a group of assassin-mercenaries hired by my arch nemesis ?"

"The Lie Gou are the obvious choice."

"speech sound like you have your doubts."

"I do."Snape shook his question."The poison was not an eastern one, far from it. It was invented in Florence. That does not stand for the Lie Gou could not bear acquired it but it seems ... odd."

"Odd ... fantastic. As if we have n't had enough odd these yesteryear few weeks."Harry rolled his eyes."And what you 're saying is it 's possible there are some former the great unwashed trying to kill me. Wonderful. Just my bloody luck."

"Oh stop complaining Harry."A unaccented phonation 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 trivial visionary 's bed."Are you alright ?"

"I feel terrible Harry."Pythea raised her hand shakily up to his cheek."I tried to kill you."

"I poisoned you."Harry shrugged."Besides, after all the clock time you 've saved my life you can probably try to vote down me like five or six more sentence before I get angry."

"I never saved your life Harry."Pythea smiled weakly."I just gave you the impetus to help yourself."

"You 're being all seerey again. Stop it."Harry chuckled.

"I 'm just trying to get you in a proficient 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 joint, silently backing him up."We also know that the pack is important to Voldemort. There must be something to find-"

"No !"Harry cut her off."The thing does aught but lie and control condition, just like Voldemort. I 'm going to destroy it as soon as possible."

"I agree."Snape nodded."We can safely acquire that it was like the diary. A trap for anyone who tried to pursue the iniquity Divine 's too soon the like. A impediment to any curious investigation."

"It does n't matter what it is."Harry shook his head."It 's a cancer on the world. Whether by Guy Fawkes, some other phoenix or by some other method acting entirely that thing is toast."

Harry spoke definitely, but he could n't help but finger a niggling doubtfulness. Like a Snake curled around his heart.

"We have to destruct it."Harry repeated, half to himself."We have to."
*


"What do you mean they 're not flaming ?"Harry asked pointedly over the breakfast table.

"I mean they 're not."Hermione held out the letter of the alphabet for him to read."I wrote to the researcher as soon as you told me to but it 's too latterly. The phoenixes have stopped flaming for winter."

"For wintertime ?"Harry rolled his middle."What do they care about winter ? They 're on fire !"

"They 're birds as well as witching puppet Harry."

"Wonderful."Harry shuddered."When do they stop hibernating ?"

"Not till spring."

"Great. I have to carry this devilishly 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 zippo I can do."

"You could study."

"nil useful."

"Well you could ask prof Snape for something else to do."Hermione glanced up at the gamy table where the potions passkey was absent. Not strange these days.

"I know, but I do n't know If there 's anything to be done."Harry shook his forefront and gestured to the paper lying discarded on the mesa between them."Voldemort seems to be content with random acts of random pocket-sized unpleasantness right now. I ca n't help thinking he 's working up to something horrendous."

"Like diagon alleyway ?"

"Or worse."Harry shrugged."No way to tell."

"Do you recollect the order has any pencil lead ?"

"I think they 'd probably tell me."Harry replied honestly."Snape 's been pretty right about keeping me in the grummet so far."

"Do you have intercourse where he 's going now ?"

"No."Harry smiled."Hopefully working."

"fountainhead, until you find something to do,"Ginny broke in, walking past them."You can start turning up to marauder training sessions. You 've been missing them since the unanimous 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 read/write 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 Draco up and leave him in Ginny 's bed."Harry continued."That 'd probably cheer her up more."

"Harry-"

"Especially if he was naked."

"Harry !"

"Oh relax."Harry chuckled,"come on, we really should get to the predator session. Maybe beating the lot of you around the attic will make me finger better."
*


Snape slowed as he approached the dark stairwell and began walking down carefully. Some of the whole step were almost as smooth as glass. The stair twisted down and down into the rock music beneath Malfoy manor. Much further than any of the basement. Snape placed a light-colored hired hand on the bulwark as he proceeded down, his wand the only source of luminance, his footsteps the only if sound.

He rounded the net corner and had to shield his eyes as guttering torches came into eyeshot. Stretching out before him was a foresightful corridor of blank iron doors, stained blackness from rusting and farseeing decay. The decay was of no consequence, it was n't the quality of the construction that kept the prisoners in this place. Snape nodded to the two jailers, members of the order, before turning to the third figure standing before him.

"You 're late."Moody growled.

"Yes, I am. I was busy."Snape replied."Your full point ?"

"I 've had to wait down in the pit for half an 60 minutes !"

"Then you arrived fifteen minutes early and can not blame me for that."Snape strode forward past the old auror."Let us not delay this any further."

"Right."Moody stomped after him, holding his wand high as the light of the blowlamp faded into the darkness behind them. Once again Snape was enveloped in secretiveness, the cells themselves were soundproof. Helen Newington Wills finally broke the quiet."You know why I called you out here."

"Another of the captive seems ready to break."Snape repeated what he had read in Helen Wills 's brief missive that had arrived on his desk before breakfast."Which one ?"

"Do n't retrieve it 's right."Moody ignored the question, shaking his head roughly."It 's not right. You 've got us pussyfooting around these motherfucker. Offering them script and short sentences and even freedom if they help us."

"And you think it is ineffective ?"

"I think it 's damn wrong is what it is !"Helen Wills snarled."These men should all be behind BAR for life not waited on hand and foot."

"We need information."

"Then we should be getting out the thumbscrews !"Moody thrust out a helping hand to stop Snape moving."You seriously do n't have a problem with offering them all this material ?"

"offering ? No. We can offer up them whatever we want. It does n't mean we will ever sacrifice it to them. And so long as they are never given an opportunity to liken note ? I have no problem."Snape reached out and pushed Helen Newington Wills 's helping hand out of his way."trustingness that if I deem it requirement I will have no hesitation in deploying the thumbscrews."

"Oh of that I 've got no doubt."Dwight Lyman Moody 's eye looked Snape up and down in a divide 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."Helen Wills fuss. Snape fought the urge to turn up his nozzle."One of the stinking outlaw you-know-who dragged to his cause."

"That does not mean he is useless to us."

"Captured by Harry."Helen Newington Wills fixed Snape with a stare while still walking."At Miss Zhao 's residence. hold out twelvemonth, you remember."

Snape stiffened. So the man he was about to spill to had been involved in the attack on Natalie 's life. There had been a heavy heap of unpleasantness that night. Natalie had been reluctant to spill the beans about it at length but-

"doe that change thing ?"Moody broke Snape 's thoughts, his voice full of dark insinuation.

"Why would it ?"Snape forced himself to reply.

"I can still get the thumbscrews."

"Perhaps later."

Helen Wills Moody came to a stop before a door indistinguishable from the hundreds of early doors.

"His name 's sheepman Kilkenny."Moody put his hand on the threshold."Used to be a cursebreaker for Gringots."Dwight Lyman Moody tapped his verge on the doorway 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 readiness. Snape had made sure the cellular telephone were as stark as potential to advance the prisoners to break. Sometimes they would talk just out of boredom. As Snape entered the hunched chassis sitting at the infantry of the bed straightened.

"hullo Mr Kilkenny."Snape sat down on the hard-backed chair."I have been informed that you have something to tell me."

"Yeah,"The man reached up and scratched behind his ear."But I got some demands."

"Do you cogitate you are in a placement to demand ?"Snape was shocked to come up his vocalization was still steady.

"I 've got data. Stuff you need to roll in the hay. 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 Shepherds eyes and gently pushed. A barrier of Occlumency met him. Of course of instruction it would be there. There would have been no spot in this whole example if it had n't. Snape took a present moment to consider his response. He could offer whatever he wanted, but it would not do to look to offer too a good deal. 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 quality of alimentation. Books. Perhaps a window. Everything after that is depended on how useful I consider the information you give me is. So I suggest you begin taking steps to convince me."

"I want to get out of here."The man sneered."I want years off."

"As the Wizengamot no doubt informed you at your trial you have been sentenced to forty years here. I understand the care were respective. Using the darkness arts, breaking and entering, attempted murder-"Snape found his pharynx going hard at the finale word and slammed his emotions down behind a wall of emptiness."And that is in plus to your original sentence for pretender that you never completed."

"Give me something !"

"springiness me a reasonableness to give you something."

"I ..."Kilkenny opened his oral cavity to yell something but snapped it shut, bringing himself into check."I 'm not unseasoned. I may not live XL years."

"Then it is in your best involvement to verbalise, and talk soon."Snape lean forward."I am loosing patience."

"I ... I 'll talk."The captive hung his head."I do n't really receive 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 arcanum too. the great unwashed 'll pay a lot of money to know that Mr rotter has almost emptied his account or that some other guy makes steady payments to person. Businessmen and the like you know ? Checking up on their competition. Investors ..."

"I can see how that selective information could be useful to some."Snape indicated very clearly with his inflection that he was not one of those some.

"Right, right."Kilkenny nodded."But see when the wickedness lord found out what I did he got all excited. Well ... not excited exactly. He does n't really get excited but he does this thing where his eyes trice and he hisses a bit. Sometimes his nostrils flair-"

"Mr Kilkenny-"

"right hand, right ... anyway. He told me to get in touch with some of the multitude who still worked at Gringots. People in the same line of oeuvre as me."

"Go on."Snape was very heedful not to let his interest show.

"He got me to check on some things."

"Specifically."

"The bodily process on sealed vaults."

"Specifically."

"Well first he wanted to check up on a hurdle. Get the book of who had accessed it and when."

"What vault ?"

"Sixty three. thick one."

"Who owns it ?"

"Do n't know."

"What did the disc say ?"

"Do n't hump. Did n't read em."

"You did n't register them ?"Snape raised his eyebrows."An enterprising man like yourself ? Always looking for an advantage ? Are you trying to say me you did not even glance at the records before you handed them over ?"

"smell I had the shadow bloody Almighty watching my every movement !"Kilkenny shuddered."There 's enterprising and then there 's just stupid !"

Snape watched the captive eyes as he spoke. He could not read his mind but still ... Snape had not survived everything he had gone through by being dependent on any one skill. Even without legillimancy he could be reasonably confident as to whether a man was telling the truth. On the early hand, this man had deceived the hobgoblin for yr. He would never consume survived if he was a bad lier.

"You said you contacted people still at Gringots. What were their name ?"

"Well there was only one really ..."Kilkenny scratched his head."Blake Bees, he 's in the investment funds department."

"And he will substantiate your tale ?"

"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 have to to get the files."

"Very well."Snape stood."I will reckon this."He turned towards the door.

"Wait !"Kilkenny called out after him."Do n't you want to have intercourse about the other affair he asked."

"former matter ?"Snape asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, he asked me to check up on up on another vault."Kilkenny said desperately, trying to cash in on every scrap of cognition."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 workforce."The Lestranges worked for him. If he 'd need something out of it he could have just got them to go in and get it."

"What did he like to know ?"

"Just who had accessed it. When I told him that no-one, not even a goblin, had been in it since the Lestranges went to prison twelvemonth ago he seemed ... relieved. fountainhead not relieved exactly. He does this thing with his neck-"

"Mr Kilkenny."Snape cut him off."Was there anything else ?"

"fountainhead ... no. I just-"

Snape turned silently and rapped twice on the door. Dwight Lyman Moody opened it and Snape stepped through. As Snape put his hired man on the door to swing it closed the prisoner called out shrilly.

"Please help me out of here !"He wrung his hired man."I 've done bad things but I 'm not a bad person ! He looks at you and you have to do what he says or he 'll vote out you. I had to ! Please. He was too much, I was scared ! I was-"

Snape swung the atomic number 26 slab shut and Kilkenny pathetic cries were shut off suddenly. Snape and Moody were left alone in the darkness. It was a farseeing time before Snape spoke.

"Get him some books."Snape fought bile rising in his gut."And meliorate food."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said."Snape spun and tangle off down the corridor towards the stairs. He had a with child hatful to think about. With his nous occupied his finger's breadth twitched towards the straight mend of scrape on his arm.



As I promised, more frequent updates. Although at the time of writing this I am still reeling from the end of Battlestar Galactica. After watching it I was kind of in a fog for a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr., just wandering around muttering 'so say we all'and humming all along the watchtower. Should be OK by posting time though.

Update : placard time. Yep ! Fine.


I do n't own Harry Potter. On a totally different bill I have some books about counterpunch Hotter ...



Snape tapped his finger on the hard oak surface of his desk. There was something in what Kilkenny had told him, something important. But his idea could not get a grip on it. He could see that there was something there, he could see the build of it in the duskiness but it was like he was missing something.

Should he have given the captive what he wanted ?

It did not issue now. Snape shook his headland. What he needed to suppose about now was how to act on the data he had been given. He needed to sort out through the shadow and come up the trueness. Snape 's eyes flickered to a locked chest of drawers in the corner of his authority. Within was locked Dumbledore 's pensive, the old man 's giving to him. Snape did n't live why, it had been empty when he received it, and the two of them had not been on the upright of terms when the old wizard died.

Perhaps he had simply written him into his will year ago and never changed it. Snape walked slowly over to the pectus and clicked the door latch open. He levitated the heavy bowl over to remain firm 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 image, some imagined thing. Dumbledore sitting in his office in the iniquity, the only light the faint ash gray freshness of memories. Alone.

Snape lowered his wand.

"Was this share of the rationality ?"Snape murmured."You took no council but your own. Your own memories to guide you. Living in the past."

Another image faded into his brain. Dumbledore inclination over the silver open gazing into a face in the mirror surface. A girls face, with the same deep eyes as the old man's.

"I suppose it would be more unmanageable to let go of guilt ..."Snape conceded."When the computer memory is so close. He could walk with his sister every day. He should not let ... but he could have."

But even as he said it Snape realized that that would not be the memory Dumbledore would relive. It would be the moment of her death. Not knowing who had really fired the spell that killed her ... He would ingest relived it again and again, trying to notice out. Living in guilty conscience. Or wallowing in it.

Pathetic.

Snape could n't contain himself from thinking it. Even now he could find out only token sympathy for the old fool. But the one thing he knew with an iron certainty was that he could never let himself turn like him. He had to take council early than his own. Reliving the meeting would state him nothing he did not already know, allowing someone else to see it might.

His thoughts instantly turned to Natalie, but he had already sent her on naming. Analysing a Recent epoch approach site. He could telephone her rachis but ... Who else ? Minerva was an obvious choice, but her psyche worked too similarly to his own. She would take in no penetration he himself had not already had. Michelson ? No. As a great deal as Snape had come to desire the man for his fighting talent subtlety was not his firm cause. So perhaps ... well he had promised to sustain him updated.

Snape summoned his patronus and whispered a substance too it before allowing it to blow off through a wall. He did not have to await long, after just a minute or so there was a belt on the door.

"Come in Harry."The room access swung open and the student stepped inside. He appeared to have just run a battle of Marathon."You have been training ?"

"How did you venture ?"Harry walked over to the desk. Snape deliberately did not mention how often the boy was limping."What did you call me for ? The message was kind of cryptic."

"Here."Snape drew his wand to his temple."It will be simpler if you see for yourself."He drew the computer memory out of his question and let it fall softly into the pensive."Do you know what this is ?"

"A memory."Harry shifted around so that he could attend down into it. He list forward, then hesitated."Do you desire to go first ?"

"I will not be coming. I do not wish to bias your interpretation."Snape motioned Harry to proceed. The boy nodded and dipped his head into the bowl. His consistency went slack and Snape knew that at that moment Harry was seeing dark stairs.

He waited several minute of arc, tapping his desk in impatience before Harry lifted his face from the silver liquid.

"When did this happen ?"Was the first affair the boy said.

"Just now."Snape scooped up the retentivity and fed it back into his mind. He wanted the cognition new."I would care to hear 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 sass. He tried again."I have been thinking hard on these upshot, very punishing, and I have ... met, shall we say ... cognitive blocks. I need fresh eyes. Yours have usually been good."

"The magic eye did n't work in the memory."

"That is not what I meant."Snape heard iritation re-enter his voice.

"Right, right ..."Harry carefully dropped back into a chair, once again sparing his injured leg."well ... clearly Voldemort was after two separate thing ... It sounded like the first thing 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 intimately of it. Better to get an unbiassed sentiment even though Harry 's thoughts mirrored his own.

"So that was something he wanted to get. The other thing ..."Harry scratched his header."If he had wanted something out of the bank 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 field person.

"I remember ..."Harry 's hilltop creased."I remember go year ... right at the start. The fiat meeting I listened in on. Did n't you say the dark lord had you experimenting with polyjuice potion so it would function with non-humans ? Could the hob have been the target ?"

Snape schooled his face with an endeavour of will. He had not made that connection.

"And that was about the fourth dimension Barty Crouch vanished into sparse air."Harry put forward."And his forte is sneaking, disguises ... Am I making any sense ?"

"So what you are saying."Snape said slowly."Is that the dark lord guessed, or acknowledge, the location of an token, questioned a former cursebreaker to be sure and sent his best spy in to produce it. Is that what you are saying ?"

"Yes ?"Harry said hesitantly."But wait ... that does n't relieve oneself any sense. Barty Crouch was missing for about a year. If he tried to erupt in would n't he either manage it quickly or miscarry quickly ? Not fall 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 preparation ... 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 hob check their employees for disguises."

"They check for sorcerous disguises."Harry smiled."What are the two most salient features of Crouch ? That everyone remembers ? His blond hair and the fact that he looks very young for his age. If he dyed his pilus and grew a beard he could probably go unnoticed without any magical help whatsoever."

"Such a individual would be memorable."Snape could feel the small-arm clicking into shoes in his mind."I wonder if William Weasley recollection such an individual."

"Who ?"

"throwaway Weasley."

"Ah !"

"If we could get what Crouch took we might be able to think the night nobleman plans."Snape stood."Thank you Harry. Your perceptivity were most helpful. I will inform you if Weasley recalls anything."

"Right, you do that."Harry grinned evilly."I 'll see for a rat in his bolthole."

"A ... rat ?"

"Mr Blake Bees, the informant in Gringots. The one in hiding."Harry tapped his temple knowingly."If he was in the concern person at the Tarot may know how to get in contact with him. He can evidence us who 's burial vault it was, and maybe more."

"Take backup."The words dropped from Snape 's mouth before his mind had even formulated them."Do not go to that place alone."

"For god 's saki !"Harry threw his helping hand up."I keep telling citizenry this, the Tarot is n't dangerous. The people there might coldly order a hit on you but they 're not going to smash a bottle against the table and do the job themselves."

"eventide so."Snape raised a hand to break Harry from commenting further."As we have seen today, four eyes see more than two."

"Not more than my eyes-"

"payoff mortal Harry."Snape allowed the tone of command to enter his voice."A marauder or an club member, I do not wish. But you will consider someone."

Harry 's eye twitched and he opened his mouth as if to gloss again, then shut it suddenly. He nodded.

"Fine. Understood."Harry made a mocking bow."I hear and obey oh resplendent leader."

"One other small matter."Snape drew his verge."If something goes faulty you will need a way out."

"I keep telling you-"

"Not just now Harry, in other position as well."Snape raised his wand to Harry 's face."Hold quite still."

"Is this going to hurt ?"Harry asked quickly.

"I have no idea."Snape smiled, and cast the spell.
*


"Harry you are well aware that this is not what Snape meant."Pythea raised an eyebrow as Harry pointed to a vauntingly pub with a superstar on it 's sign."He told you to bring backup."

"He told me he did n't handle who."Harry pointed out.

"Harry I ca n't fight."

"I do n't need you to."Harry led the seer towards the door."This place is as dependable as Hogwarts. Safer probably. The people who drink here are sticklers for propriety though. I needed someone who would n't stool a fit, someone who could do niceness. Do any of the piranha fit that banknote as well as you ? Draco maybe, but it was full lunar month last night."

"Padma, Hermione, Ginerva ..."

"Ginny 's grown less predictable."Harry shook his head."Padma 's an away possible but really it had to be you. This whole matter 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 minds any more Harry."

"And yet you still know what people are thinking half the time."Harry reached the doorway and stopped, his hand raised."Please Thea, hail in with me."

"Harry ..."Pythea took a abstruse breathing time."Fine."

Harry smiled and pushed the door receptive. Within the position looked like any other pub in a coastal Ithiel Town. There was a bellowing attack in the grate and fit on the wall of Pisces and Fish touch on activities. The low murmur of conversation filled the air but no-one looked up as he entered. They had their own charge mainly. Harry led the was confidently to the bar.

Order whatever you want.

Harry flashed into Pythea 's mind before turning to the barmen and ordering his own swallow. After Harry had handed over his money he led them to a table near the flack and slid a coaster under the oracle 's wine.

"drinking are message here."Harry explained."If it 's on a coaster, that means the only subject matter is that you were thirsty."

"I see."Pythea replied, taking a sip of drink and carefully placing the glass back on the mat."And what does yours mean ?"

"well, it 's favorable and expensive ..."Harry pored the whiskey into his family."What do you think ?"

"Was it requirement to buy such an expensive bottle ?"

"It never hurts here to record you have money."

"And why Irish ?"

"wellspring,"Harry grinned."Got to hold up my homeland do n't I ?"

"So what do we do now ?"Pythea glanced around, still speaking quietly."Simply wait for someone to remark ?"

"That 's now it works."Harry shrugged. He raised his glass to his lip but did not wassail any. It would definitely not do to recede focus here. He tried not to even breath in any of the fumes."Besides, it 's a gracious position to spend the afternoon."Harry gestured out the windowpane at the coast below. The winter winds were whipping the moving ridge to tip before crashing them against the beach. Out further a few gravy boat were still visible, bobbing up and down.

"I suppose it is not so bad."Pythea smiled."This lieu is quite pleasant. I did not wait it to be so ..."

"Homely ?"

"Peaceful."Pythea glanced around."That man has absinthe. What does that mean ?"

"Ca n't recollect ..."Harry scratched his head."It either means he 's selling heroin or buying man organ. Ca n't recall which."

"And you say this place is safe ?"Pythea quirked an eyebrow.

"I said condom. I did n't say nice."

Pythea shook her head and chuckled, then grew quiet as a man approached their table.

meter to go to work.

Harry smiled.
*


"This is the man we are looking for."Snape slid a picture of Crouch over the table towards the ginger haired untried man at the former end.

"He does n't look like anyone I know."peak Weasley shook his drumhead tiredly."Look I know what Barty crouch looks like, all the order do. If I had seen him I would have-"

"He would have concealed his identity."Snape waved his hand over the photograph and the side grew a shortsighted beard."Or this ?"The photo 's hair went black."Look at the eyes. They will not accept changed."

"Look if I had seen him I would kn-"Bill froze suddenly."Can you make up him bald ? Keep the beard."

Snape made the changes.

"And brownish beard. piddle it bushier."Bill leant over the photo."I ... I do remember him."

"Do you."Snape kept his voice calm as the spell fell together."When ?"

"Only a few times ... He was working in a unlike department."

"Working on what ?"

"I do n't know."Bill rubbed his brow."They do n't enjoin us what other citizenry are working on."

"How long was he there ?"

"I do n't know. I have n't seen him recently."

"Who worked with him ?"

"I do n't know."

"breakthrough out."Snape ordered flatly.

"I can't."circular shook his point."The goblins are getting rid of man left, compensate and nitty-gritty. 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 member of the order or not ?"

"Yes but-"

"Then find out where he worked, what he worked on and who he worked with."Snape leant forward."And find oneself out who owned vault sixty three."

"I could get fired !"

"You could be killed."Snape replied coldly."The hob tend to be very direct about threats to their gold. So I suggest you find out carefully."
*


"Is this the place ?"Harry looked up at the dingy and get around apartment building.

"This is the speech the man mentioned."Pythea glanced down at the bedding material strewn street. Her expression was ... not impressed.

"Certainly something going on up there."Harry squinted up."The top floor 's all fuzzy."Harry blinked a couple of meter 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 eyes."Could you step away please ?"

"What ?"

"Just assume a few steps away please Harry."Pythea was staring, close eyed, at the sky."Just trustingness me."

Harry stepped back, frowning. For a few moments the seer stood there, staring up at the sky. Then she nodded.

"There is soul up there."

"Well that 's promising."Harry drew his wand."You apparate back to Hogwarts I 'll assure it out."

"No."

"Damn."

"You must let known I was going to say that."

"I thought you were going to be a bit more abstract. Like'I 'll never desolate you .'or 'Damn you Harry you do n't take in to go it alone !'”

"I 'm imagine the effect would be greater if I was less profound."

"wellspring, we should get on with it then."Harry stepped off the pavement towards the edifice."hitch behind me and warn me if your crazy sixth common 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 presence room access open. It creaked a picayune. The inside was even to a greater extent decrepit and covered in graffito. Harry 's eye flickered up the building. It was n't totally empty, one man sleeping on the second trading floor, two minor apparently home alone on the next floor up, a cat ... Then the blankness of the top floor. Harry kept his eye trained on the top trading floor as the two of them climbed up and up. As they reached the top flooring Harry slowed to a crawl.

The door was already open.

"Seer senses seeing anything ?"

"No."Pythea was hanging back a few steps."Are yours ?"

"No ..."Harry paused and turned, smiling."This is a fun first date is n't it ?"

"Harry this is hardly the time !"

"Fine."Harry shrugged and turned back."cover to seriousness."Harry silenced the threshold and disillusioned both himself and Pythea. In the blue light source of his eye he saw the little seer motion picture out the predator drinking glass. He pushed the threshold undetermined and edged into the dingy little flat. The instant he got through the door his eye shut down, plunging him into uncomfortable darkness. After over a year 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 script brushed lightly against the back of his neck."God I hope it 's you doing that."

Harry glanced into a nighttime and evacuate closet before sliding forward. Blood. Harry sniffed again, definitely blood. Harry put his handwriting against the door to the bedroom and pushed it candid slowly. A body lay sprawled on the floor, blood seeping into the carpet, cervix slashed ear to ear. Blake Bees, the Gringots informant. They were too late. Harry aimed his wand and whispered a good luck charm. A lilliputian red gleaming was seeable for a second above the idle man. Still warm.

A tiny tap came on the back of Harry 's cervix and a barely heard voice said ...

"Remember, I saw life up here."

Harry gritted his teeth. He had remembered. Harry felt screen without his eye. Lacking in depth perception certainly. Life up here did n't necessarily imply the manslayer was still here. It could take in just been the victim slowly and excruciatingly bleeding out.

"Thea leave now."

"Harry-"

"This prison term I 'm se-"A riffle of air was the exclusively admonition Harry got. He dropped to the floor as the knife flashed over his head. In a sliver of a second he spun."Depulso !"Harry aimed the trance behind him, a acutely shriek sounded and Pythea was thrown back through the open door. A second magical spell slammed the threshold shut but Harry was already rolling to his understructure with his baton outstretched.

"Augmenta."The flow of body of water splashed against the invisible assassin, outlining him in droplets."Ferio !"The Lie Gou ducked and launched forward, blade flashing for Harry 's neck.

Harry knocked it aside desperately but the silent killer was on him, forcing him to the floor with inhuman durability. Harry was using all his strength to keep the steel from his pharynx, his former arm pinned, finger's breadth curling around his wrist. He could n't hold on, the water made it too slippery. Closer and closer.

Harry let his legs folding and listen his opponent grunt as the weighting hit his implements of war. Harry jabbed his heading forward and hit something, he kicked out and snapped the stage out from under the silent killer. A twanging thunk sounded good side by side to his straits and Harry saw a knife appear from nowhere, dropped from numb fingers. Harry was on it like a twinkling and stabbed forward. Red blood fountained from invisible flesh. The fingers around his arm tightened like a vice ... then finally released.

Before Harry 's center the Lie Gou assassinator flashed into view, falling to the trading floor. The spell fading as the life ebbed out of it 's castor. The door burst open.

"Harry how dare y-"Pythea 's eyes flashed to Harry, on the base and covered in stock. 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 knife fell slowly from Harry 's digit."He is."

"He was trying to kill you."

"They always are."Harry slowly pushed himself to his base and took a breathing spell. origin 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 cast around for him walking stick. It was lying right in the middle of the pool of parentage. He let it be.

"Harry ... you 're not aright."A formula person would feature said 'are you aright', but they would have been foolish to do it.

"I 'll be fine, later. It 's just ... this is one of those meter I 'd rather be Jack."Harry laughed humourlessly and limped over to the door.
*


An hr later and Harry was sitting on the moth-eaten tone in a courtyard at Hogwarts. back at the apartment a police roadblock had been set up and aurors dressed as Cu were trying to retain masses out. Inside more aurors would be peering around and poking affair. Harry had left, he had wanted to stay so he knew what was happening, but Shacklebolt had turned up and Harry had n't felt like explaining everything again. He had slipped off into the dark.

"You should not have brought the seer."Snape 's representative did not catch Harry by surprise. Neither did his words or the stern tone.

"I know. It was a mistake."Harry nodded, not looking as the professor approached."I could have got her killed."

"I told you to add competent backup."

"And you were right."Harry 's representative was deadened."Can we please move on."

"As you wish."Snape conjured a chair and sat down opposite Harry. He looked tired. Harry was sure he himself looked worse.

"They find anything up there ?"

"No, and at this point I do not expect they will."Only someone who knew Snape would have detected the frustration in his voice."There were signs that certain documents had been burnt just before you arrived here, whether by the dupe or his killer it matters piddling. There is nix here."

"William Tell me your probe turned up something."Harry glanced up at Snape, not daring to hope. Snape shook his head.

"Damnit ...."Harry dropped his straits to his mitt."drained end then. Unless we ask the hobgoblin directly. Or we could get Kingsley to ask them-"

"No."Snape shook his head."I believe our best hope is to earmark William Weasley to take on the documents we need. If we petition the goblins directly at the Same meter they will certainly get suspicious."

"So we do what ? Wait and hope that Bill succeeds ?"Harry snorted."What do we do in the mean time ? Just sit on our hired man ?"

"I have many things 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 bolt thudded into his back.
*


For some reason the previous chapter got chopped off weirdly. There was meant to be a whole nother scene but somehow it just dropped off the face of the world. 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 start of this chapter just as easily. Just letting you know I did n't intend to establish you another cliffhanger.



Harry spun like a top and fired madly at the white figure on the roof. It ducked like a ghost but Harry could still see him dashing away. Ignoring Snape 's outcry Harry shot a hook at the tiles and was jerked off his feet, clattering onto the roofing tile. His leg screamed in pain as Harry scrambled to the bloom of the cap. The white figure was far away, Harry knew he would n't be able to catch him. Harry stabbed his sceptre forward and fired a scourge. The build shielded easily without even stopping. Harry spun his wand like and felt the roofing tile beneath his start. He tried to delay on top of them as they hovered and spun forwards. He shut his eyes and used only the magic one, his real eye could n't play along fast enough. The figure was already too far away, too fast. Harry yelled,

"Tempesto !"The confidential information smashed into his slope and threw him through the air, barely in control, before thudding to the grass and rolling. Everything hurt. Harry rolled to his feet and stumbled towards the forest. He could see the figure belting through the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Harry dashed towards the dark fo-

risk !

Harry 's eye caught a glimpse too late. Harry skidded on the leaves as four arrow flashed above his head. He scrambled backwards back onto the grass and stopped, wand outstretched and breathing heavily.

Through the night trees, in the cold light of his eye, Harry could see his assassinator standing out of sight. Dotted all around were Centaurus, each one with a arrow notched to his bow. They were just waiting for him to interbreed the seam back into the wood. Harry glanced at one of the pointer embedded in the background, they wanted to down him. The Centaur would n't run the air, apparently the strange, T. H. White clad assassin had no such compunction.

Harry stood up and watched as the centaurs and their strange Quaker 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 pointer, it 's a crossbow deadbolt. commons mistake."

"Harry do not have a bun in the oven me to be surprised by the fact that you 're alive."Snape crossed his arms.

"Spoilsport."Harry tugged the bolt out. It 's peak was crushed and blunted."It 's the coat. It 's got enough charms to stop a tank."

"spring me the arrow."

"Bolt."

"Cease this Harry."

"Fine."Harry rolled his eye and tossed the pointer to his teacher."Who do you think it was ?"

"How could I possibly know that Harry."Snape said sharply."In a common spot I am sure the aurors would ask if you had any enemy however-"

"Futile."

"Correct."

"You think it was the centaurs ?"Harry glanced back into the Sir Henry Joseph Wood. There was null to be seen now, not a thing was moving."Do you recall they hired individual to kill me ?"

"Why would they wish to do that ?"Snape 's heart narrowed.

"I ... Last metre I met centaurs they said I was an abomination."Harry said hesitantly."They said they 'd kill me if I ever went into the timberland again."

"And you ..."

"Went into the forest again."

"I am not remotely surprised."

"But why would they wait this long to try something ?"Harry scratched his foreland."Does n't add up."

"The ministry has means of contacting the centaur elders."Snape said quietly, staring into the dark timberland."I will try to induce contact."

"Carefully."

"Yes, carefully."

"Definitely."
*


"Have a good Christmastime Harry. dungeon training."Ginny half smiled, faintly at Harry before turning and trudging away from the Hogwarts gates through the Charles Percy Snow. Hunched over with her custody in her pouch, the grin would n't give fooled well-nigh people so it certainly did n't fool Harry.. He thought about calling after her but instead shook his header and turned to Ron and the twins, who had come to cull the schooling age Weasleys up.

"Try to make surely she smiles at to the lowest degree once a day."

"We 'll try Harry."Fred sighed."No promises."

"And if I signal, come running."Harry held up an 'M'badge. The twin knew what he meant, they had created the appeal. It was like the dark marks just a slight less ... perminant. Every piranha had one and they could bring them directly to Harry wherever he was."We 'll ... not running ... Teleporting. But you get the idea."

"Aye aye, sir."Fred saluted comedically.

They turned to leave and Harry trudged back towards the castling. Draco was standing in the doorway, leaning against a tower. His aspect was grey and lined, obviously last night 's moon had n't been kind to him. Harry was n't in a mood to be sympathetic.

"You could at to the lowest degree appearance 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 hell not ?"

"Shut up ceramist. You do n't understand."

"Oh god that again."

"You ca n't ever realize !"Dragon shoved Harry away roughly.

"I understand that you 're giving the insensate shoulder joint 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 Draco 's blockheaded skull.

"I do n't want to hurt her."

"You are hurting her !"Harry pointed away at the remote figure, 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."

"wellspring that 's bloody Lupin 's choice is n't it !"Draco spun and fixed Harry with an angry glare."Just shut out up about things you do n't translate Potter."

"I understand enough to recognise that the loup-garou thing is just an excuse."Harry spat back. Draco 's heart flashed full, the words biting deep. Harry pressed on."So what you 're effectively doing Dragon, making Ginny miserable for no good ground and then claiming it 's because you 're being noble. Like you 're taking the high ground when really all you 're doing is-"

"Shut up."Dragon 's wand was in his deal somehow."Just keep out up Harry. Shut up."

"Fine."Harry held his hands up."Whatever. I can see I 'm not going to get a straight person answer out of the twisted hunk of conflicting reasoning, ego hatred and false sacrifice shaped by the Gemini power of teenage arrogance and lustfulness you call your brain. semen on, we 've got a petty undertaking for this holiday season. It 'll be fun."

"Oh really ? And what is this task ?"genus Draco asked sharply.

"simple, the ring."Harry patted his bag."I do n't buy that phoenix flame is the solitary way to destroy the affair. Got to be something else that can do the job, we 're going to find 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 things that could match the might of capital of Arizona fire, and neither of them were pleasant. One of them at least seemed easy to aquire, at least 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 bedchamber of secrets and torched the affair. zero left but ashes and I scattered them pretty widely."

"You ... you torched the bassilisk ..."Harry sighed."You did n't happen to keep a tooth as ... as like a keepsake or something ?"

"The tooth and the spite are the most dangerous part, whole intellect I got rid of the thing."Albert Michelson 's brow furrowed."Why ?"

Harry told him. Michelson cursed and punched the wall.

"So ..."Harry said, after leaving the defence professor 's place."That leaves the early option."

"I do not want to use the other option."Dragon remarked darkly.

"You know the incantation."

"It 's not a matter of knowing."Draco shook his head."This is fiendfyre we 're talking about. It grows out of control, it can consume it 's caster and everything around him."

"Hence why we need to go somewhere we 're there 's nothing 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 self-destructive on bill of being a wolfman and I 'm crazy enough not to care. What have we got to lose ?"

"trade good point."Draco cracked a wry smile."Do you have a seat that will be deserted enough ?"

"I have just the seat in mind."Harry nodded."We 'll get Morfin to look at us there. Do n't want to put Pythea in danger again."

"Does Morfin know the office well enough to apparate to it ?"

"Oh yes ..."Harry grinned again, this time less pleasantly."He lived there most of his life."
*


The waves crashed harshly against the drop-off of Azkaban island, sending up sheets of nebuliser. The tip was bitingly cold, whistling through the downfall of the prison with terrifying speed. Harry stood with his face into the air current and breathed in the stateliness of it, better capable to appreciate the power of nature when the appeal worked into his coat kept him pleasantly warm.

"Where shall we do this ?"Draco had to promote his vox against the hint. Harry had cast warming spell on both him and Morfin but they still had to contend with the sheer military group of the gale.

"Suppose it does n't really matter."Harry shrugged and pointed to what looked like the remains of a court."Over there I guess."Harry turned to Morfin."Oh, and make for sure none of Smokey 's friends come near here OK ? Would n't want them getting hurt."

"Smokey 's friends ?"Dragon 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 : unseeable. B : Solely indigenous to an island at the arse end of nowhere and C : Fed mostly on prisoner the dementors had already killed. Though I suppose they probably eat seagulls now."Harry came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard and reached back into his bag. He took out the package the ring was in and put it on the ground without bothering to unwrap it. No phone touching it to a greater extent than was necessary.

"Do you have the computer backup plan ?"A steer of jumpiness had entered Draco 's voice. Harry did n't answer but instead drew two broom handle out of his bag. He handed one to Morfin and the got on the former himself. Each of them grabbed one of Dragon 's shoulder's.

"Why am I trusting my refuge to your flying ability."genus Draco shuddered.

"I may not be a great broadside Dragon but I can go direct up."Harry rolled his eyes."Quit stalling and torch the thing already. If this does n't work we 'll try dropping it in a volcano."

"Do n't rush me Harry."Draco grated."You 're not the one channelling hellish flame through your fingernails."

"I did offer to-"

"Do n't even say it."Draco broke in."You 're not ... focussed enough to retain this power in check."

"I do know Legilimancy."Harry said indignantly."And occlumency. And I can juggle knife, do n't tell me that does n't demand focus."

"Get on with it ..."Morfin hissed darkly, his centre flickering back and forth. being back on the island was perhaps effecting him a bit to a greater extent than he was letting on.

"Aright ..."Draco gritted his teeth and raised his arms. He closed his oculus and began to intone, a red glow rising from his manus. The air was growing warmer, sparking with Department of Energy. Harry gripped his supporter 's arm harder. His eye was picking up strange phantom out of the air, things with strange, sharp, silhouettes. Spinning like a a whirlpool, settling into Draco 's custody, draining in. Each meter one of them touched the shaking Slytherin 's hands the heat energy grew and the air sparked.

"Dragon ..."Harry started."Maybe we shouldn't-"

"Now !"Draco 's eyes flashed open and the courtyard filled with roue red flame. Both of Harry 's eyes were blinded by the sudden explosion of light and conjuring trick, he tried to shield his middle but it was n't any good.

"Draco ! You 'll have to assure me if it goes out of restraint I ca n't see !"Harry could see the scheme of the stream of energy flowing out of his admirer 's hands. It shifted and moved and seemed to be trying to break free. For a moment the wing of an bird of Jove formed out of the flame, Draco seemed to tense and the extension vanished. A horse caput exploded out a instant later and Draco again squashed it down.

"Draco ..."

"I 've got it."The horse head reared up again, it 's eyes wide, and tried to jump at the three wizards. genus Draco yelled in botheration 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 sceptre out and blew the bloody existence into nothing. Thomas More 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 fiddling faster. Something with chela jumped at him and Harry flashed a flame-freezing spell at it before remembering it did n't work of fiendfyre and having to blow it up. Fragments of the savage peppered him with burns and he yelled in pain sensation. The Calluna vulgaris shot up and the air slowly grew colder. Harry 's arm ached and he looked over to see Dragon hanging between him and Morfin.

"You aright mate ?"Harry tried to yell but his word were carried away by the yowl fire. Red droplets of fiendfyre were still dripping from the wolfman fingers, but they were petering out. Slowly. Harry heaved upwards and ( minus a horrid wobble when the ling tried to go it 's own way ) dragged Malfoy up onto his Calluna vulgaris. Harry waved Morfin back and hovered away himself, keeping a death grip on the grip of the broomstick.

As they got further away Harry could truly see the devastation the flame was reaping. Black rock-and-roll was giving way to flame out from the court. The roaring maelstrom of brute was pooling out like some sort of flaming mould.

Harry cursed, it would be easily seeable from the mainland. That could get unhelpful questions. Harry drew his wand and opinion for a moment ... there was no way he could vanish the island, or make an illusion to cover it, which meant going for something More basic.

"Nebulosus."Harry dipped his wand down and allowed a thick mist to drain out. He felt the Calluna vulgaris move underneath him and panicked for a mo before realising that Draco was doing it, moving him into a better position.

Harry slowly built up a paries of mist between the island and the mainland. When he was finished the attack was still burning strong and stretching out to encompass a good one-fourth of the prison isle. They had to await over an minute, hovering in the Atlantic nothingness before the live of it died out. Harry let Draco take the ling down slowly and slipped off.

"Ow ! Ow ! Argh !"Harry gibe back into the air and grabbed back onto the Scots heather. Wincing as his animal foot slowly cooled from burning to blistering.

"Harry you 're an idiot."

"Shut up."Harry muttered a cooling charm at the floor and stepped back down. The heat had been rendered bearable. But only just. With frequent appealingness to chill his path Harry made his way to the charred ruins of the court and peered at the base. His wand made whispers of wind to brush away the glowing ember and Harry saw a trivial glint of lighting. The rock of the ring had been burnt away but the gold had simply melted, covering the Oliver Stone with a lucky shininess. Harry bent down and hesitantly laid his paw on the shining metal.

"Anybody in there ?"

Harry projected the thought down. He waited a few bit but nil came back. Harry shrugged and pointed his wand at the pavement. With a diffraction grating moan the stone came relinquish. Harry levitated it into his bag.

"You 're taking it with us ?"genus Draco called out incredulously from his perch high-pitched above.

"I want to make sure."Harry shrugged."Snape can-"But he was cut off as a flash of spark lit up the night sky and a consistence fell from the air with a thumping. Morfin sprawled on the background, unmoving. Harry rushed over to him but even before he did there was another flash and Draco tumbled out of the sky like a utter bird.

Harry 's baton was already in his hand, his eye scanning helplessly for an foe, a clew, ANYTHING ! But there was cypher, for all he could see they were alone. The only phone was the slow cooling of the rock.

"Who are you ?"Harry called out."Voldemort ?"

"No."

Harry spun but he was too slowly, the peach caught him in the chest. He just had time to see Sasori 's mocking eyes before the wickedness closed in.
*


"You brought him in alive ?"

Harry was familiar enough with unconsciousness to have it away how it usually went.

"I thought it was prudent. They were doing something rather strange."

First you could only hear the voices.

"And what was that pray ?"

It was good to stretch this office out as long as potential. You were still mostly knocked out so people 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 youngster. Playing with life-threatening toys."

Ah. Now that voice Harry recognised. They took me to Voldemort. Harry 's gut clenched and he slipped into full cognizance. He was lying on a moth-eaten Harlan Fisk Stone level, but smooth. Maybe marble ? No, not that smooth. Harry realized that with his centre shut he was completely dim. There was also a nauseating empty impression in his eye socket. Harry cursed silently. His magic eye was gone. Harry could feel some sort of bond around his wrists. He could n't feel a nautical mile, or a ignition lock. Maybe if he-

"Mr ceramist I know you are awake."The voice of Voldemort cut through the dark."We 've been through this many times before do not think you can lead on me."Harry snorted and flicked his eyelids open.

"Just like old times eh Tommy ?"Harry levered himself up onto his knees. Voldemort was standing just a few steps away, looking faintly amused. His skin was perhaps a touch weak than before, even a minuscule pinker. He even almost had a nose. He looked ... humaner. He also had a glaring scar across his throat, red and raw and jagged. Harry allowed himself a smile. At least he had left an impression.

Harry glanced around, they were is a ... a laboratory ? That was what it looked like. Some kind of mad scientist 's lair. All around were mesa of bottles and arcane, Weird items. The tabular array behind Voldemort looked like it had been cleared in a hurry and in the void space ... Harry 's own eye stared back at him, rocking listlessly. The golden flagstone was there too, and a few other interesting ( illegal ) item. Harry hissed as he breathed in. His bag was supposed to only eject those items 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 tables and almost gasped. Back near the wall there was an arch of disgraceful metal, thick around as a person and pulling the phantasma in towards it. Hanging from the drear gateway ... a fluttering curtain. Harry found himself breathing heavily. That was the veil ... Or a veil. Not the Saame as the one in the department of mysteries, that one was made of stone. So what the hell was-

"Your minute is up Harry."

"Just leave me a little more time. want to set the scene."Harry glanced behind him. Dragon and Morfin were sprawled on the flooring behind him. Harry could see their chests going up and down so he assumed they were still alive. Behind them three Lie Gou were guarding the door. In a huddled bulk a group of utterly men stood, silent beside them. Their rot flesh reaching Harry 's nostrils and making him gag. In the battlefront of the 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 nous back on ?"

"cipher so unrefined. But in head ... yes."

Harry tried desperately to think of some way out of this room. He had zilch. Why the blaze was there a head covering here ? He needed to get out. Harry could discover Draco stirring behind him. Or was it Morfin ? darn it he wanted his eye back ! How did people cope to only see in one management ?

"So ..."Harry looked Voldemort in the eye."Do we do our fixture terpsichore ? 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 age, and especially terminal yr, has taught me something I never wished to learn. That I am shockingly vulnerable. Oh yes ... yes. It is true. Thanks to you I know that, however powerful I am, whatever knowledge I gain ... all it takes is a boy with a knife and a lucky strike ... and I am as unaccented as a neonate baby again. It is so very unfair."

"Life '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 life and earn a great many of my decision were foolish. I have learnt. And for that I thank you. I am not foolish any more."

Yeah right. Harry tried not to roll his eye. If you 're not gooselike anymore why are n't I dead ? Harry chuckled to himself then froze. delay, Voldemort did n't vocalize unseasonable. He sounded almost sincere. What if he had got smarter ? Harry licked his brim. Why was he alive then ? Harry heard stirring behind him. Of course of action, Morfin. Voldemort had recognised his long helpless uncle and was ... what ? Confused ? Or maybe ... Harry tried not to glance at the table with the prosperous flagstone on it. There was no way that Voldemort could recognise the ring from a load of gold. Could he ? And anyway the tintinnabulation was just a trap ? Was n't it ?

Harry began getting very very nervous.

"So ..."Harry glanced at Sasori, trying to buy metre."Long sentence no see. How have you been ?"

"Richer."Sasori 's supercilium twitched up.

"You and your hoi polloi have been keeping quiet."Harry tried to wrestle his hands out of his bonds.

"We do what our client asks of us."Sasori 's accented voice 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 capacity plainly seeable. Dull grey disks, lede. century of them. Why the hell would anyone want coins made of lea-

Oh HELL no ! Harry took an nonvoluntary abstruse hint, then ...

"That BASTARD !"Harry spat. Anger filling his veins.

Voldemort followed his gaze but Harry was n't finished.

"Bastard, changeling, sucker, everything he did was worthless !"

"And by 'he'you of course refer to ..."

"Dumbledore !"Harry screamed, at that present moment not caring that the mortal he was venting to was the drab lord."That cretin told me he destroyed it ! Told me five years ago ! But he never did did he ? He put it right back where it was before ! Probably too cowardly to actually go through with it ! Or maybe he wanted it for himself. That was what hunker 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 years you finally got it ! The bloody PHYLOSOPHER 'S STONE !"



If you do n't review tinkerbell will die.

Just kidding. She wo n't die. But I was thinking though that that will spell out the mo the world becomes truly un-savable.

Tinkerbell drinks the poison, starts to fade, the doer acting Saint Peter Pan turns to the hearing and tells them to clap if the believe in fagot and their is dead silence.

Or maybe just one bam petering out quickly as the lingua gets embarrassed. That will be the day humanity dies.

Also ... on that day, the actor playing prick Pan had better be bloody good at improvising. : )


Well, as you can see I 've bumped the story up to a mature. I 've tried to retain it 15+ for as long as possible but I guess I ca n't avoid it any more. Ah well, at fifty my characters can cuss properly now.

I do n't own Harry Potter. I will if I can win over JK Rowling to give him to me though. I 've been working on this Hypnosis thing ...






The little lab was filled with deathly muteness for a moment, then Voldemort uncurled his long fingerbreadth and clapped. Once. Twice. trio times.

"Very well done Mr Potter."Voldemort cocked his head to one side."There really were quite a few hint but well done nonetheless. But I believe your outburst had Sir Thomas More than one function did it not ? You wished to divide and suppress ? As you know the Lie Gou will not admit magical amber you hoped to inspire our reciprocal acquaintance Sasori,"Voldemort flicked a foresighted finger at the mercenary, who still had not moved."To attack me as you reveal that my source of means to pay him has not been entirely workaday ? Am I right ?"

"Something like that."Harry said, who had been thinking nothing of the sort. It was a honorable plan though, especially since at the moment Harry could n't think of a honorable one.

"And a year ago it would no doubt get worked."Voldemort smiled."But I have been more deliberate since you killed me. I was entirely reliable with Mr Sasori about my source of income, no deception 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 back talk. Harry almost frowned. Why had the Lie Gou reversed what was basically their only hard and fast ruler ?

"So you see Harry."Voldemort turned back to his prisoners."You can not give way my new handmaiden from me. It is futile to try. Now ... on to the important matters."Voldemort leant down close to Harry 's face, then hesitated and straightened again and stepped a step away before continuing."I would like to ask you a question."

"Yes ?"Harry cold look just the merest draft on his hired hand. The door behind him must lead somewhere, but there was no way he could get through 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 destroy my ring."

Dammit.

"What ? So it was n't the informant 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 jade it ?"

"I wore it."Harry tried desperately to guess where the conversation was going."Saw a conversant face. You 've changed since your disco years. And now changed back a little ? ... looking a little garden pink around the branchia Tom. What 's with that ?"

"One of the wonderful effects of the elixir of life."Voldemort held out a bridge player and examined it smiling."A much more pleasant way of extending one 's like than glowering trick or unicorn profligate. It tastes like mercury you know ..."

"Not like chicken ?"Harry 's eye noted a lumbering calliper on the lab mesa future to him. Heavy enough to use as a ball club. That was if he could get his deal free. And if a guild was even the thin use against a dreary thaumaturge. Beside the calliper was a black bladed scalpel. Too small to use as a weapon but it looked magical. Would it cut magic bonds ?

From under the table there came a deeply hissing. A indorse later the thick SHAPE of Voldemort 's pet Hydra uncurl. Winding like a wiggly medallion between Harry and Voldemort.

"Ignore Nagini."Voldemort said without thinking."Tell me about my ring."

"What about it ?"Harry said desperately. He could probably hit the scalpel with a distraction."We found it 's mystical. We burnt it. End of story."

"You found it 's secret ?"Voldemort seemed to brace himself."It ... it had a secret ?"

"Course,"Harry bluffed."It was the same as the diary."Tell me what the bloody hugger-mugger is.

"Ah ...."Voldemort clicked his teeth."wellspring I must clap you for working it out. Does Severus roll in the hay ?"

"Oh yes."Harry nodded happily."I 'm not keeping affair secret from the order any-more. Guess we 've both learnt."

"I suppose we have."Voldemort seemed to be working hard to keep himself in check.

"Knows about the other matter too."Harry decided to occupy a crazy gamble."The one in the Lestrange vault."

"He ! ..."Voldemort 's eye 's flashed red and his bridge player bunched into fists. The dark lord hissed from between clenched dentition."I suppose I have high-priced old Slughorn to thank for all this."

Slughorn. Harry burnt the name into his nous, then tried to decide what answer would elicit to a greater extent information.

"No actually."And would also hold open whoever Slughorn was alive until he could be questioned.

"So you know about the journal ..."Voldemort fixed Harry in the eye."And the ring, and the cup. I suppose you know about the music-box as well ?"

"I- ..."Harry paused, he knew this john."No actually, did we leave out that one ?"

"Yes, you did."Voldemort smiled. Harry tried to stop himself smiling."But no matter. I have a better means of living forever now."

sustenance forever. The closed chain and journal and ... what had it been ? The cup. They let him live forever ? Harry 's forehead furrowed. Then it him like a electrical shock ... he knew what they were.

It had been when he was on his mad spree of self betterment. 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 potholed flesh-monger in Delhi. He had come for a spike heel in his ticker that would let him go without rest and food for weeks at a time and the enchantress had looked him in the eye and offered him something ... better. She had described it to him like a artist talking about her to the highest degree value work. She had even offered to procure 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 main office. He had n't even bothered to hold back whether she was still breathing. He had n't wanted to be glad if she wasn't.

Hmm ... semen to think of it clubs do sometimes mould on dark wizards.

"I 'm surprised you made so many."Harry flicked his center up too meet the dark lord 's."Horcruxes are n't children 's toys."

Sasori shifted.

"I do not fear them."Voldemort did n't appear to have noticed."I am the schoolmaster of my own existence now. And soon a original of all life."

"Oh really ? How 's that ?"

"All it takes to be a master of life,"Voldemort spread his hands."Is to be a master of death."

"Being capable to end life does n't make you the master of it."Harry 's eye flicked nervously to the humeral veil in the corner of the elbow room. Beside it there was a grating picture. In the painting a sky full of unfamiliar stars stretched out over a huge desert of Grey Sand, stretching away to distant peck. 100 of sets of footmark headed out and away towards the horizon. None came back. This was very, very formidable."I assume this is the persona where you state me your evil plan ?"

"No Mr Potter."Voldemort chuckled."This is the point where you, and each of your small champion make a choice."

"I 'll bear the fish."

"You can choose,"Voldemort continued."To die at the teeth of Nagini,"The Snake hissed and arched."Or experience the business leader of death beginning hand."Voldemort waved his mitt towards the flapping embryonic membrane."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 start gradation to keep in line is knowledge."

"We 've both been absolutely Tom."Harry clicked his neck. He had a tone he would have to run soon."We know what it 's like."

"Paddling in the shoal tells you fiddling about the ocean."

"Poetic."A misdirection .... please ...

"Thank you. stimulate you made a choice ?"

"I think-"

"SASHISA !"The inhuman cry sounded from behind Harry. Morfin 's eyes had flickered open, and he was scrabbling like a mad thing against his chemical bond."ZASHIKA mongrel 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 skillful to let the cat out of the bag in a oral communication 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 bonds so hard his vein were the like hosepipes. Harry tried to march towards the lab table. Sasori had n't moved.

"SACISCA !"

Harry edged. Nagini showed her fangs.

"SACISCA BITCH-SNAKE SACISCA !"

"Harry ..."genus Draco was just coming awake, his voice full of confusion.

"Pathetic."Voldemort raised his wand.

"SACISCA !"

"You can die like the poor devil 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 accept fake gold but they do fail their clients ! They want the stone for themselves !"

Voldemort 's eyes widened.

"NOW !"Sasori moved like a cat, his scepter appearing in his helping hand and flash to the iniquity Almighty. A blinding ark of perch flashed into the shadow lord 's hastily raised shield, catapulting him back into the wall.

"What do you sleep with ?"Harry thought as he threw himself at the lab mesa."I was right."He rolled, his digit 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 bonds. It was working ! Faster !

The Lie Gou at the doorway drew their wands but the dead men were all around them. Harry saw the corpse of Calidris canutus grab an arm and tear it from it 's socket.

Faster ! One of the ropes was loose.

Morfin toppled to the floor but even as he did a whiff of wickedness flew from his arm and struck Nagini in the eye. Smokey ! Biting again and again like a piston into the larger Snake. Nagini tried to wriggle to bring in her teeth to bear but the lilliputian ophidian was too quick, biting again and again !

One of the R-2 was cut through ! One more ! Harry could see Dragon grabbing a knife from a fallen Lie Gou.

"TRAITORS !"Voldemort rose in a aflicker aureole of flame and rage. Flickering shadow of darkness filled the room and the veil blew like it was caught in a gale."I will destroy all of you !"

Sasori did n't do, merely threw a savage lightning bolt that drove Voldemort back. The dark noble hissed and flung a hand forward. The Joseph Black figure in the air flew together around Sasori, swallowing him up in darkness for a consequence before an blowup of flame. Harry was thrown to the floor in the mass of burning mana, his damp bond snapping under the strain. Harry tried to stagger to his foot but dropped a second later as a flash of greenness jibe over his head. With a screeching yell the door was thrust capable. Bellatrix staggered back into the room, ten more Lie Gou following her. The screaching enchantress turned and her eyes widened as she saw Harry free.

"You ! You li-"

She got no further as Harry flashed his manus forward. The dark scalpel spun from his hand and stabbed through the bitch 's eye.

Harry ducked behind the lab desk again. He could n't see genus Draco anymore, Harry hoped to god he was hiding somewhere too. He needed his bloody eye ! Harry crawled forwards, ducking as a whirling pinwheel of flame came flashing budget items. A body came flying afterwards. Harry darted over and grabbed the man 's wand.

"Accio eye !"Harry held out his hand and felt his familiar spirit orb fly into it. He shoved it eagerly back into his socket and saw the humanity come back."Oh my god !"The dingy material body in the air were everywhere, streaming through the wall !

Harry had to dodge desperately as a orchis of dark shattered the wall behind him. The air screamed with some sort of banshie howl. The head covering was streaming like a flagstone in a hurricane. Harry 's eye whirled. Draco ! He was ... smart. Lying down beside a pile 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 battlefront, still silent. The shriek in the air got louder, the dark contour filling the air were screaming. All of them had empty eyes. Harry screamed as one passed through his chest. If felt like ice.

"You 've lost Tom Riddle !"Sasori broke his silence."You 're outnumbered !"

Voldemort threw a killing execration at the assassinator, who dodge effortlessly. The dark Godhead held out a hand and Harry saw a shining particle of atomic number 79 fly from one of the board. His eye picked it out, a gilt medal carved with a grinning devil. Voldemort flicked it around his neck and turned, leaping backwards. He threw a wall of darkness behind him and, without indisposition, darted directly through the veil.

There was a moment of silence, the spirits on the air went still. Harry did n't move, the Lie Gou would kill him as quick as Voldemort would.

"fountainhead ..."Sasori lowered his wand."That went well-"

The veil exploded outwards like a dismal rampart of inferno. The malarky screamed so strong Harry had to clamp his hands over his capitulum. The darkness swallowed one of the Lie Gou, stripping him down to ivory in moments.

Harry scrambled under the tabular array and dashed across the floor. A screaming shape slashed at his face, tearing off lines in line of descent. Harry slashed out with his baton, summoning fire to blast the thing away. It barely phased it.

"Draco !"Harry stumbled to the floor, grabbing Morfin 's leg. Draco leapt up from his place on the floor, and skidded towards him. The black conformation surrounded him as soon as he moved.

"Eiectio !"Harry yelled desperately and the ghost were thrown away. Draco fell forward and Harry grabbed his outstretched hired man. Harry squeezed his oculus shut and yelled,"Spinners end !"

His eye whirled in it 's socket and Harry felt a jerk at his umbilicus. The dark screams cut out as the index of the portkey whirled them away from the earthly face of blaze. Harry felt the ground hit him like a rampart and lay there for a minute, catching his breath.

"Your eye ..."genus Draco was gasping on the land."Your eye was a portkey."

"Snape did it."Harry shuddered, his sinew shaking."hand brake backup."

"You had that all along ?"

"Yep."Harry looked around weakly. Morfin ... Harry staggered over to the wilted soma on the priming. He knew it was no good to try to find a pulse. His eye told him everything he needed to know.

"Is he numb ?"Draco asked. Harry did n't do, it was n't necessary.

A faint hissing sounded from the dead body and Harry saw Smokey rise slowly from the body of his master, his little head darting this way and that. Harry met the piddling 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 angry, it was just ... sad.

Harry held out his hand gingerly. The ophidian hesitated. Harry pushed into it 's eyes again and it slithered slowly onto his handwriting and up his arm. Harry tried not to grimace as it curled around his arm near the elbow.

"Where are we ?"Dragon was standing, looking around nervously.

"Field N of Hogwarts."Harry waved his wand over Morfin 's body, cleaning the roue. Another wave and the air around the body coalesced, freezing into a casket.

"What are you doing ?"Draco stepped over, limping a niggling."Should n't we just take him back to Hogwarts ?"

"We 're not going back to Hogwarts. Snape 's on a mission somewhere and we do n't have time to find him. Got to fall back into the old habits for a while."Harry took the marauder 's badge out of his pocket and quickly sent a message before jabbing his wand forward. God he hoped this worked ..."Expecto Patronum."

White mist flashed to solid form and whispered away on hanker slim down wings. It spun in the air and floated off towards Hogwarts.

"That 'll find McGonagall. Tell her to find this Slughorn and face after him."Harry turned back towards the grave and stopped for a moment.

"Harry tell me what the hell is going on."genus Draco growled.

"I 'll tell you when we meet the others."Harry reached out and grabbed Dragon 's arm."We 've got to go."

"No."genus Draco knocked the arm away angrily."Where do you need to go ?"

"Erg ! Look ...."Harry held his brain in his custody."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 have time to explain it !"Harry yelled."They 're VERY BAD THINGS. That he has ! And there is at least one more that we have n't burnt yet. There may be others, do n't know where they are, but I know where one of them is. That 's the thoroughly bit. Bad bit is that Voldemort knows too. And I 'm not letting that snake faced bastard get there kickoff ! I know he 's on his way there now. I just ... I just know."

"The burial vault ..."Draco whispered."You want to break into Gringots. You want to break into Gringots now."

"I want to better into Gringots now."
*


lightlessness robed figures spilled out of Knockturn Alley. The light flashed off the skull masquerade as the shrieking began. The figures made heterosexual for the doors of the bank building. Goblins slammed the door shut with a crack. Every window filled with gringos goblins, each one holding something sharp and crackling with electrical energy. One of them fired down at the robed shape, a lightning bolt of shining silver grey igniter. A hasty shell reflected it into the sky.

Sir Thomas More bolt rained down, coming thick and fast. The goblin had prepared, they were n't going to be caught out again.

Shields flashed and the demise eater were driven back. One or two of them tried to reply but the spells went encompassing as the hobgoblin blitzkrieg intensified. Then, suddenly, the decease eater broke, spun, and ran away in disarray. The goblins sending jeers to follow them.

They dashed back into the skittle alley and crashed into a workshop. Pushing the stunned tradesman out of the way they threw themselves into the flue one after another.
*


After the last figure had emerged from the chimney Ginny pulled her hood back and took off her mask.

"That went well."Split said dryly as he too pulled off his disguise.

"I wonder if Harry and the others got in ?"Neville was biting his lip.

"We did our division right."Ginny nodded."So they should have too."
*


Harry, Draco, Padma and the Weasley twins had already been in the dance orchestra when the 'Attack'started. Harry had picked a Gringots goblin running for safety and surreptitiously aimed his scepter ...

"Imperio."The goblin slowed to a crawl, it 's formulation going glassy. Harry turned back to the other predator."It worked, come on."

The mesmerised goblin walked down a English corridor, followed by the invisible predator. Harry flicked his wand and mentally ordered the goblin to engage them to the Lestrange vault. After a moment where it 's unripened features 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 goblins were n't evil, they just had a different definition of beneficial to mankind 's. But Harry had n't been able to think up of anything approaching another plan. Well there was nothing to be done now ...

"Is this going to do work Harry ?"Dragon asked quietly.

"We 'll get to the vault."Harry shrugged."Getting back will be more wily. Which is why we have masks ... and surcharge ... and I have grenades."

"And do you think they 'll believe we 're Death eater ? Despite the fact there are only supposed to be two left."

"Look Draco I had exactly twelve seconds to think up this plan. Did n't see you coming up with anything better."

"You 're the programme person."Fred chimed in.

Why am I the freeking plan person. Harry thought, but with the wispy knowledge that this would not be the most calming thing to say he replaced it with,"Shut up and watch the hypno-goblin."

Harry watched the bulwark fly past for a few More instant. By now the blast on the alley would be breaking up. The goblin sentry go would be going back to their Emily Price Post. The cart rumbled loudly along the tracks. Harry hoped to hell they did n't track the carts somehow.

"Do you think he knew ?"genus Draco muttered quietly.

"Who ?"even Harry 's twisty brain could n't bring that one out.

"Morfin."

"Knew what ?"Harry hesitated, Draco was speaking so the other 's would n't be capable to hear.

"The Snake. He was pulling the Snake River towards him."Draco was staring out into the dark."Do you conceive he knew what he was doing ... drawing it away from us or was he just being ... crazy."

"Why are you asking me this ?"Harry shrugged.

"I want to know ..."Draco closed his oculus."Just require to know."

"You just want to know ?"Harry sighed, he had no idea why he was being asked this question. Which made choosing the lie difficult."Then yes. I think he knew what he was doing."

"You do ? Why ?"

"Because that 's what people like him do."

"What do you mean people like him ?"

"Heroes."Harry shrugged.

"You think he was a hero ? He was insane. And a vigilante."

"wellspring you know me ..."Harry chuckled."I prefer flawed heroes."

"Hm ..."Draco fell silent for a moment. Then he laughed flatly."Are we flawed heroes ?"

"Do n't know."Harry glanced towards the goblin sitting blankly in the front of the cart."We 're certainly flawed."

They fell back into silence as the cart trundled on.

"Are we nearly the-"Saint George started before the cart screeched to a halt.

Harry glanced around. lacuna tunnel. No room access. Harry was about to spread out his mouth when a screaming alarm came out of nowhere.

"Masks !"Harry slammed his back on and spring out of the cart. He cursed, the wheel had welded to the caterpillar tread. He flicked his wand at the goblin.

TAKE US TO THE VAULT

I ca n't. Against the formula ...

proceeds US TO THE LESTRANGE VAULT

The goblin shuddered and trotted off down the corridor.

"Follow him !"Harry yelled over the screech alarm. The marauder were already masked, wands out. Harry led them after the staggering goblin. It hesitated in the middle of the tunnel.

issue US TO THE burial vault

Stupid voice.

Damnit ! Harry spun the hobgoblin around to confront him and pushed into his head. flashgun of vaults, tunnels ...

LET ME IN

A route, a turning, a flying lizard. A flying lizard ! ? A door.

HOW DO I OPEN THE DOOR

Only a Gringots hobgoblin ...

WHY ? WHAT ARE THE CHARMS ?

Do n't have it away. 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 body of work. Door wo n't open if the goblin is enchanted.

Harry 's heart flashed wide undecided. No ...

Suddenly a bolt of lightning of electricity crackled through the dark above Harry 's promontory. His eye gave his maybe a split seconds warning. His stage buckled without thought and he rolled, stabbing his wand out and firing at the obscure cast in the distance. Another bolt flew from behind and Harry leapt to the rampart. The air sparkled with deadbolt as the marauders ducked for binding. The hob stood there stupidly.

HIDE !

The hob fell forward with a smile on his face. Harry aimed his wand at the shapes ahead and shot a stunner. Behind him he could hear the vulture fighting on the other side. Harry felt the stone explode over his head and leapt out of the way of the cave-in.

God this was mussy. Harry was the only when one who could see anything with the duskiness and the trice and the goblins in amongst the human beings and the falling rock 'n' roll. Harry screamed as a thunderbolt cut into his leg. It had n't even been aimed at him.

"Incendio !"Harry stabbed his scepter at the minecart, which exploded with flame. Harry spun and slammed his clenched fist into the goblin behind him. The freaking things were everywhere ! Fingers closed around Harry 's neck and he was jerked backwards. He tried to fire over his shoulder joint but his wand was jerked out of his hand. There were two of them ! finger gripped rung and slammed into his eyesocket. If it had been the very one it would have been squashed like a grape. Harry forced himself to his substructure and slammed backwards into the paries. The hired man loosened for a moment but then came on harder. His eye swivelled in it 's socket and he could see the screeching goblins clawing at his neck. He slammed back again but this time it did n't even phase them.

Ca n't breath.

Of grade you ca n't breath !

Harry dropped to his stifle, desperately trying to pull the hands off his neck. He could n't even get them to budge. Joseph Black dose floated in front of his eye. He was fading ...

"Sssss !"

Smokey leapt out of Harry 's sleeve and the fingerbreadth disappeared like mist. Harry spun and punched the direful goblin behind him. His finger darted to the floor and grabbed the Goblin 's shock-stick, with a flick he shot the thing at the other goblin thorax. The grey puppet was thrown back against the bulwark and fell, stunned.

Harry 's eye found Smokey on the floor, rising to bite. Harry grabbed him by the foreland. If the little ophidian bit a goblin that goblin would be very idle. Harry met the serpent 's eyes but saw only furore and animal hatred. Harry quietly stunned him and dropped him in his pocket.

He turned and saw the other predator picking themselves up out of the rubble.

"Everyone alert ?"Harry coughed roughly.

"We 're aright."Fred was pulling his brother up off the floor."George IV got hit but I think he 's aright."

"How about the goblin ?"

"We used stunners."Draco said as Harry scooped his wand back up."They-"Dragon paused."Do you get word that ?"

"Hear what ?"Harry 's eye spun it 's socket."No."

"haste sound."Dragon cocked his top dog 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 stone ....

"RUN !"Harry spun, grabbed their hobgoblin guide and belted down the corridor."RUN !"

"What is it ! ?"

"Tidal waving !"

"What do you mean 'Tidal waving'” Padma yelled.

"closure asking questions and RUN !"

Harry reached a branch and chose based of faint flash lamp from the goblins memory board. He risked a glance behind him and saw water bearing down.

"We 're not going to stimulate it ! Hit the base !"Harry threw himself to the ground and shielded the goblin underneath him. The flourishing water system caught up with him and Harry felt it clangor over them like a wall.

WHAT IS THIS ?

Thief 's downfall. washing away enchantments.

Harry gripped his verge but the water system was gone almost as soon as it had come. The goblin under him began to worm and Harry realized that the imperio must have been whipped clean.

"Imperio !"That had sounded wrong ! The spell fizzled and the hob 's eyes narrowed. Harry was pushed off and the grey tool dissipated into the darkness. Harry staggered to his base 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 pain. He stumbled forward but one of his legs seemed longer than the other. With another pang of pain in the ass the other leg slammed down and Harry was thrown to the ground. Everywhere on his pelt was crawling like louse. Harry shuddered and tried to crawl forward.

What the hell 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 wangle eye was the same but the other had changed from emerald William Green to blanch hazel. His haircloth had faded from sinister to brown and was hanging in spindly lock, soaked like a dead rat. With a nauseating gingersnap his face changed too, getting full and flatter. Harry 's shaking fingers came up, exploring the new features ... what the hell ...

Then suddenly he realized what had happened.

The stealer 's ruination washed away enchantment. All bewitchment, even Dumbledore 's. The spells that had been on Harry for almost his integral life were being stripped away. It was n't that he was looking at a nerve that was n't his. It was that he was finally was.

He finally looked like himself.

"Drop the wand."Harry felt the peak of a wand pushed against the cover of his cervix. His eye swivelled and he saw Draco standing over him with execution in his optic."drop cloth the sceptre you bastard. And tell me what the hell you 've done with Harry !"





If you do n't review then your hard drive will sprain into tall mallow. To be precise, edam. It will be tasty, but it will no longer affair as a unvoiced drive.


I do not own Harry Potter. I do however claim him as a dependant on expenses. This is fully within the convention 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 console and will pay the money back. I regret the bother I have caused to our useless flush minister.



I just can not beguile a freaking break.

"Draco ..."

"dip the scepter !"

"Ok ... Ok ..."Harry carefully placed his wand on the priming coat next to him."But I am Harry. I ca n't excuse, not right now but ... I am."

"Do you think we 're idiots ?"Dragon flicked the wand off the solid ground. The other marauders were crowded around him, their baton out as well. Harry slowly turned around, keeping his bridge player up.

"It 's ... It 's complicated."Harry was breathing hard."I know it 's heavy to ... but I am the same individual I always was."

"You do n't even sound the same."Padma pointed out.

"I just ... Please for the love of god you just have to believe me !"Harry glanced into the wickedness."The hob are n't done you know, they 'll be coming back ! You think you can go in, get the cup and get out, with a prisoner ?"

"I was n't intending to take a prisoner."genus Draco growled.

"Really ? Do you know where the hurdle is ?"Harry 's eyes narrowed."I do. Do n't believe me. Fine. But you need me ! trust me if you want even the tenuous chance of getting the bloody Horcrux you need me. I will explain everything. Believe me. But we need to go. Now."

Draco hesitated ...

"Please Dragon ..."Harry pleaded."For the love of god please ..."

"Fine."genus Draco stepped back."First hold off your coat. And your bag. All your weapons."

"Got a few minute ?"

"Now !"

"Fine."Harry shucked his coating off and threw it to his friend then stood."Can we go now ?"

Harry turned and walked off down the corridor. No one tried to stop him. No one tried to follow him either.

"smell at it this way."Harry turned."Is turning into someone else half way through the heist really the strangest thing I 've ever done ?"

The marauders began to hesitantly move.

"Thank you."Harry threw his deal up and hurried off down the corridor.

"Hey !"A looker exploded over his head. Harry turned to see Dragon pointing his wand at him."Do n't try to get away."

"Yes, I 'm trying to escape down a tunnel underground."Harry growled back at the vulture."Where the hell would I go ?"

"Just remain where I can see you."Dragon 's verge had n't dipped an inch.

Harry glared flatly at him before starting back down the damn cave. They kept going in quiet, Harry choosing turning based on wispy dead reckoning 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 back ( import 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 orotund than the caves. And in the midriff."Damnit, I thought that was what the hobgoblin said ..."

"What ?"

"Dragon."Harry turned the final exam recession and crouched down behind a bolder."Look for yourselves."The vulture peeked out to see the vast wyrm, chained in front of the monumental door. It 's eyes were milklike and white, it 's clamber too.

"It does n't look too healthy."Padma said thoughtfully."And there are five of us."

"Four."Draco broke in. Harry rolled his middle but Padma nodded.

"quaternion of us. If we all stun it at the same time 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 capable to relegate the locking spells."

"We do n't demand to."Dragon moved to stand up."We just postulate to receive another goblin."

"That wo n't work."Harry hissed."The other hob told me before we were attacked. The doors can tell if the goblins are moving of their own rid will."

"And you only mention this now ?"genus Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Well between the fight and the death terror I did n't really get a chance."Harry paused, that fourth dimension even he heard the change in his voice. He had an Irish people emphasis. Dumbledore had even changed that !. He glanced back at the vault."I think I see a way to get through ..."

"Tell me the spell then."Draco said sharply.

"It 's not so much a magical spell, and I do n't think you 'd be able to do it anyway."

"Do n't even mean you 're getting your wand back."Dragon laughed bitterly.

"You know I 'm getting real tired of this-"

"Then separate me who you are !"

"I do n't have clip and you wo n't believe me."

"Then how can I believe anything you say ?"

"You- ... Fine."Harry stood, registering the electric shock in his friend 's eyes."I do n't need a wand."With that he vaulted over the rock and began walking down the slope towards the dragon.

"HEY !"The smashing beast raised it 's head."Over here !"

Harry had to parry a gouty arthritis of flame. The lizard was old but it was fast. Dashed to the left and the creature lumbered to follow him. He crossed in front of it, rolling out of the way of a bolide, and kept moving.

The Ernst Boris Chain around it 's munition twisted into one another, kinking.

Harry ran back the other way. The beast bound forward, raking it 's claws through the air. Harry 's paw twitched to a wand that was no longer there and ducked at the last arcminute. He threw himself forward, leaping under the out-flung arm. His boots bit stone and he leapt over the whipping tail that threatened to cut his ramification out from under him and dashed back out of the Dragon 's range.

The chemical chain twisted around a stalactite.

Harry ran for the entering to the vault, rolling under an orb of flame that left a scorch mark on the paries and made the undermine shake. He skidded to a stop before the iron door and the wyrm turned to face him. It tried to ill-treat forward but it 's twisted chain would n't let it reach the any 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 straw man of him. The fireball exploded against the vault door, turning it cherry red.

"Yeah ! to a greater extent !"Harry yelled at the tartar."seed on !"A lance like a flamethrower forced him to the trading floor and made him cry out in hurting as it struck his articulatio humeri a glancing setback. His shirt was on fire. So was his pelt. Harry rolled to put out the flames and tore off the scorched fabric. Another fireball pin-wheeled over his head and struck the hinge of the door. role of it were almost incandescent white.

Harry dashed the way he 'd come, waiting for the Draco to turn and watch. The Sir Ernst Boris Chain clicked off the stalactite, springing like a fishing line. Harry reversed focussing and ran back in front of the door.

"Over here !"Harry yelled at the no-longer-constrained flying dragon."Come and get me !"

The dragon roared and lunged, shoving one car-sized claw at the boy. He leapt to the side as the claw crashed through the weakened metal with a horrific screech. The dragon reared up on it 's hind stage, it 's claw a red mess of meld metal and blood. Suddenly four stunners slammed into it 's unprotected underside. The great beast teetered for a moment, then another four struck it in the head and it fell like a tree. Crashing down onto the rock.

Harry turned to see the marauders rushing to unite him.

"He must be Harry."Fred was smiling broadly."No one but Harry could have pulled that off."

"He 's proved he 's crazy he has n't proved he 's Harry."Draco brushed past Harry and continued towards the vault.

"You 're receive !"Harry called after him before following him into the burial vault. The piranha stopped as they moved into the midsection of the room. Golden things glittered from every direction.

"Wow ..."George VI 's eyes glittered.

"mite nothing."Harry 's eye spun in his socket."It was supposed to be a cup ... there !"Harry stepped forward and felt his foot weld to the floor.

"Where ?"genus Draco moved into view.

"Did you do this to my feet ?"

"Where ?"

"Cos if you did do this to my feet I will founder your neck. Do n't mean that wand will hold on me !"

Draco raised one eyebrow slowly then punched Harry in the fount. Harry tried to continue erect but his infantry would n't move and he fell backwards, landing on his elbows and slamming onto the floor. Draco 's side came into view above him.

"Where ?"

"Over by the corner."Harry pointed. Dragon 's looked over. Harry resisted the itch to snap up his legs, yank them out from under the blonde illegitimate, throw him to the floor then punch him in the stomach and break in his arm before taking back his verge and breaking his neck. Resisted. Barely."By the vases."

Draco moved off as Harry levered himself to his feet.

"Thanks for helping."Harry glared at the repose 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 have time to explain."Harry looked over at where Draco was reaching for the cup. He momentarily considered not telling him about the curses on the cup. Momentarily considered it, and decided it was a great idea.

"OW !"

"look out for the flagrante nemesis !"Harry called out cheerfully.

"DAMNIT !"

"And the gemino !"Harry laughed as he saw genus Draco devolve the cup on the flooring, scores of other cups appearing out of the air.

"The retort for the gemino is unicus unicus unicus ?"Harry called out again."I 'll tell you the flagrante counter if you give me back my darn wand !"

Draco came back into panorama without looking at Harry, stalking past him and out of the vault.

"Hey ! Are you gon na just exit me here ?"Harry tried to strike his feet."Come on !"

Padma stepped hesitantly up to him and aimed her scepter at his feet.

"There had practiced be a account for all of this."She said, before murmuring the finite.

Harry felt his feet come dislodge and hurriedly dashed out of the hurdle after Dragon. The slytherin was almost to the flying dragon when Harry 's eye caught a flash from a slope tunnel.

"Back in the vault !"Harry yelled. But he was n't quick enough. Before Draco had prison term to even release a dash hit him full in the thorax, throwing him to the base. The cup clattered out of his hired man. Goblins funnelled out of tunnel and Harry was forced back into the vault."Summon Draco !"Harry yelled to the other vulture as he dived through the ruined vault door. A moment later the cup and it 's stunned carrier flew after him.

Bolts flew through the assailable door like horizontal rain. Harry dashed towards a weird gold chair and kicked it in front of the door, he ducked behind it and grabbed the arm, ignoring the burning pain in his own. Copies of the chair fell out of nowhere, piling on top of one another in front of the door.

Harry dashed back and grabbed his scepter off Dragon 's prone body. He spun around to see three wands pointing straight at him.

"Oh ejaculate ON !"Harry yelled."Either shoot me or shut up !"Harry pushed past them and aimed his scepter over his barricade."Rennervate !"

There was a hollering as the dragon was rudely awakened. The bolt of lightning stopped for a moment as the hobgoblin decided they had bighearted things to care about.

"Do you opine we can burst past them ?"Fred was gripping his wand fiercely.

"I doubt it."Harry stepped backwards. It was beginning to depend like he had regained his true brass only to die in it. He had n't planned this enough. Had n't had a plan, but what else could he have done ?

"Harry ..."

"I do n't know."Harry glanced back at the barricade. The bellow had stopped. The bolts had begun again."I do n't know."Harry held his wand grimly. Really should give birth planned this better ... And there was no help ...

A flash lamp of fire volley from behind the marauders. Harry spun with his sceptre out but it dipped a moment afterwards. Harry 's rima oris fell open up in shock.

"That 's ..."Padma pointed."That 's a ..."

"Phoenix."Harry stepped forward. The bird looked at him, apparently un-phased by the bolt hitting the ceiling. Harry had no idea why it was there, but he was n't about to give up a gift sawbuck in the mouth."catch a feather !"Harry ordered the former marauder, grabbing Dragon and pulling him towards the doll. It hopped forward and onto his outstretched arm. The phoenix 's beady eye 's met Harry 's. Flames curled around them just as the barricade broke down.
*


Harry fell onto sens and felt hook leave his arm. He opened his eyes and saw the genus Phoenix flapping away calmly, giving no sign of why it had come.

"Where are we ?"Harry glanced around and saw to a greater extent marauder than he was expecting. Ginny and the others were staring at him in shock. The genus Phoenix had brought them to the rendezvous point. Harry stood and dusted himself off."Well that went well."Harry smiled."Someone want to wake up Draco ?"

"Who the hell are you ?"Ginny 's deal was hovering near her wand.

"Oh yeah ..."Harry remembered that he looked or sounded naught like they remembered."I guess this is kind of confusing ..."

"Yes Harry."Padma said to general shock absorber."I believe you have an account to give."

"Oh yeah. I guess I have."Harry took a oceanic abyss intimation."We should go back to Hogwarts though, they 'll be worried and this 'll take awhile."

"No."Padma crossed her arms."decent now."

"Ah ... ok."Harry reached into his bag and pulled his tent out, tapping it once to enlarge it to good sizing."You 'd better go inside, this is going to be a long history ..."

In the end he told them the Sami way Dumbledore had told him. Flatly, with no shock. It was really the only way, the lonesome way to tell someone 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 River. He tried not to attend at their faces as he spoke. It was like he was stripping naked, bearing everything to them. All the marauder were there, and in a way that was forged. The archetype vulture, the substance, he knew like fellowship. But the others, the ones that had joined when he was away hold out yr, not so much. Some of them had probably joined because he was Harry Potter. Because they trusted the prognostication, because they trusted that he could demolish Voldemort. And now ... he was just some guy. Just some kid who had been pushed in over his head and forced to survive. Constantly on the border of drowning and having to claw for every drop of air. Getting his real look back should have made him feel happy. Telling his acquaintance should have made him feel happy. Instead he felt ... tired.

"... And in the end I decided to stay fresh being Harry Potter."Harry fished lamely."Because, much as I hate what Dumbledore did, he was mightily. masses need to see the chosen one out there fighting. It does n't matter what I want."

There was a tenacious, dark silence. Harry could see jolt and horror painted on every face.

"It ... it makes sense."Hermione was the first to utter."It 's horrible but ... it makes sentiency. Even the bit about you not having a name. That would explicate why you, the literal you, never received a Hogwarts invite, why your name was never written in the Hogwarts books. That was probably persona of the cause Dumbledore chose you. There would be no phonograph recording for anyone to retrieve."

"I do n't live. Possibly."Harry shrugged."He did n't state me why he chose me. There ca n't have been that many orphaned magical children of the right age to select from. I always thought I just got the short straw."

"So you do n't even have a real public figure ?"Neville asked quietly.

"The orphanage called me Jack."It hurt to say that name. Thomas More and Sir Thomas More Harry cerebration of shit as what he would get when all this was finally over. When the world did n't call for Harry potter anymore. When he could finally rest. He did n't recite them that though,"But I 'm not comfortable with that name yet. If you could just keep calling me Harry that would be good."

"looking at at me."Draco said suddenly, still sounding angry."Look into my eyes."

"You do n't trust me ?"Harry complied, meeting Draco 's gaze."It 's would be kind of an expound lie to conceive up."

"Shut up."genus Draco commanded and Harry felt a stabbing pain in the ass behind his centre. Dragon was n't bothering to be gentle with his probing. Harry supposed he could n't blame him. Harry saw himself in the infirmary room for a mo, Dumbledore standing at the end of the bed. Harry turned his genial gaze away, letting Draco thought the images alone. Harry had no need to relive that day. Eventually the mental probe subsided and Draco leant back, his expression dropping from anger to shock."It 's true. It 's all true up ..."

"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 ceramicist, was the only one who could bolt down you-know-who. So if he 's dead does that intend that ..."

"It means nothing."Harry cut in. He had to head off this line of conversation quickly."It 's bull. You trying to tell me that if individual walked up to Voldemort and chopped his capitulum off with a machete 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 destroy. Anyone with set aside tools. Do n't need cannon Harry for that. And besides ; Pythea thinks I can defeat Voldemort and no-one knows more about vaticination works than her."

There was a murmuring of emphasis from around the tent. Harry breathed an intragroup sigh of embossment, at least he had headed off that disaster.

"So what do we do now ?"Split raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean 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 have down Voldemort."

"You mean we just act like northing 's changed ?"Hermione asked, aghast.

"aught has changed."Harry pointed out."I 'm still the Sami person I was yesterday. Voldemort 's still out there. The Lie Gou are still a threat. zero 's changed."zippo ever changes. Except when it gets unsound."And when we go back to Hogwart 's I 'll find individual who can put my nerve back on and no one will know any different."

"And you 're aright with that ?"

"Yes."No."cosmos needs Heron. Harry Potter is ... like my undercover identity. Like spiderman."

"Who ?"Ron 's hilltop furrowed.

"Never mind."Harry hung his drumhead tiredly."We should all probably take a fiddling time to rest. It 's been a long 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 whizz when he heard footfall approaching behind him.

"Harry ? ... diddly-squat ? .... someone ?"

"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 a great deal to have in at once."

"Imagine how I felt."

"I do n't have to imagine. I remember."Padma shrugged."You went nutcase for a while, then Pythea made you better."

"Yep."

"She does that a lot does n't she."Padma raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any specific gunpoint ?"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 discover his own voice but it sounded even strange to him, it was probably some form 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 person to put you back the way you were ?"

"I guess I 'll have to ..."Harry bit his lip. The candidate was surprisingly unpalatable."I do n't get it on if we 'll be able to get the whole software program back but we should at least be able to get the boldness. I can fake the spokesperson if I have to, give me a little more time ... this salutary ?"

"Deeper."

"punter ?"

"Say something else."

"You do sleep together that if somebody asks you to say something you instantly forget every word you ever knew ?"

"That 's a fiddling better."Padma nodded."We can work on it. Try more emotion."

"Should I be angrier ?"

"More acrid than angry."

"Oh keen thanks."

"Perfect."

"Are you being sarcastic ?"

"Partially."

"Should I be more sarcastic ?"

"Definitely."

"Now you 're making fun of me."Harry chuckled."Hm, just proves I 'm back to normal."Harry leant back on the smoke."I got my own face, we got out alive, got the cup, thump up a bunch of goblin and I danced with a Draco. I call that a win."

"I wonder how much of that gold got destroyed in the fires ?"

"Depends how lots 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 teacher, chuckling."oral presentation of treasure, have you worked out what you 're going to do with the cup."

"well ... I have one idea."Harry looked up into the sky."But I do n't bonk if it 'll turn ..."

"Is it dangerous ?"

"fountainhead, no not particularly."

"So why do n't you try it."

"commodity point."Harry stood up and closed his eyes. Help me.

"Harry what are you-"Padma trailed off as a news bulletin of fire lit up the night. Harry opened his middle to see two phoenixes looking at him quizzically. Harry stepped fold to them and placed the cup on the footing next to the birds.

"Would you mind flaming this thing for me."The tumid Phoenix hopped forward and looked up at Harry. Harry felt a piffling idea push button towards him, it seemed to be saying ... why."It belonged to Voldemort."Head cocked left."It helped him come in back from the dead."foreland cocked right. Bob. The larger bird hopped side by side to the cup and spread it 's wings. Harry shielded his eye as the dame feathers turned to crimson 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 center sparkling with mull over fire. After a few bit both the flames subsided and the bird was gone, flamed away back to where it came from. All that was left of the cup was a pit flake of metal.

"Do you suppose 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 point back to Hogwarts. They 'll be worrying."
*


It was still obscure as the marauder alighted on the green goddess 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-blooded fingers of invisibility enclosing him."No one should see me like this."

"Oh, right."

"We need to get to Snape, he 'll be able to get me back looking like ... like Harry."Harry felt that unusual reluctance again but squashed it down. It was necessity to stay under the masquerade party. It was necessary."You guys head teacher to the vulgar rooms, you all deserve some right sleep."

Harry walked up to the mute castle and proceeded to the dungeons. Harry stopped outside Snape 's door and took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in."Snape sounded like he was angry.

Harry pushed the door in and stepped into the dark office.

"Mr Potter."Snape had his vertebral column turned and was slowly measuring out a foul green liquid into a beaker."Have you came to offer an account as to why I have taken Horance Slughorn into protective hold ? Why a short missionary post that should have taken a short count of time of day at most and only involved you and Mr Malfoy has taken half of Hogwarts and almost twenty four minute ? Would you like to explain why Morfin Gaunt is dead ! Would you like to explain why death feeder attacked diagon alley ? And do not TRY to pretend that you were not-"

"Snape turn around."Harry interrupted.

"Potter do not try-"Snape 's head snapped around. His heart widened."You ..."

"Me."Harry shrugged."I 'll explain everything, but I need you to do something about this look. Please."

"So this is what you looked like bef ..."Snape whispered quietly. Then more forcefully."tone ending your mental blocks."

Harry sighed, but complied. A force pushed it 's way into his mind. Flashes of the preceding day flickered past like act of a past life. Harry just relaxed as every detail was wrung out like dirty laundry. Apple tree ... relax.

The prototype stopped and Harry opened his middle. Snape pushed past him roughly.

"Hey ! Where are you going !"

"I know the place you were held, the shoes where the dark nobleman 's lab was."Snape pushed the doorway exposed."It is an old wizard dwelling in London, the childhood dwelling of Bellatrix. Perhaps there is something still there."

"What about me !"Harry called after the potions sea captain."I ca n't leave your authority looking like this !"But Snape was already gone."Wonderful."Harry pushed the door shut and collapsed on a chairperson."Wonderful ..."

Harry spent a fruitless hr trying to work metamorphosis 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 door clear and turned to him.

"You could at to the lowest degree make believe to be a little surprised."Harry pointed at his face.

"You look the same to me."Pythea closed the door.

"fountainhead at least we match now."Harry smiled out of one brown eye and one putting surface and into one putting green and one purple."How did you know I was down here anyway ?"

"Snape sent me. He told me to fall in you back your old face."Pythea cocked her head."But I will only do it if you want me to."

"It 's ok."Harry sighed."I know I need to look like Harry again."

"You should n't feel forced, this is your choice."

"Would be kind of hard to explain."

"Not with the truth."

"Which I already decided I ca n't order the world."Harry hung his head."Maybe when all this is over. But for now the world still needs their grinder. I need my secret individuality back."

"You 're sure ?"

"Yes."

Pythea moved closer and sat on the arm of his professorship. She raised her hand and lightly touched his buttock. Harry shivered. Because of the magic. Just because of the conjuration. Thea leant in closer as her fingers played over his cutis. Harry could feel her breath on his neck.

"So ... how um ... How long will this aim ?"Harry said breathlessly ( the conjuration must have been interfering with his lungs ).

"Quite a spell. Longer if you keep talking."Pythea placed her hand flat over Harry 's eyes and he felt a swoon shifting around his lids. He could smell the fiddling seers skin. Ink. She had been writing, probably scrying over more function for the order. The hand was lifted away and Harry 's face felt oddly warm.

"This really will postulate a while."Pythea said suddenly, jarring Harry back to world."You could try to get some sleep."

"I have a better idea."Harry opened his middle and fixed them on Theia 's."Gaius emineo"The human beings swirled around them."There,"Harry leant back against a tree."That 's better."

"How did you take 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 place you want held in your mind. And this place is engraved on every cellular telephone of my brain."Harry crossed his legs on the grass. He knew it was just the leather of the chair. But it felt alike grass. Harry sighed contentedly as Pythea went back to make for on his features. The nothingness 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 know, but they seem to have some eldritch interest in me. One of them came when I called earlier. And before that one saved us in gringots.

A phoenix chose you as it 's collaborator ? Pythea sounded impressed. That 's a great laurels Harry.

That 's not what it is. Harry was about to sway his head, then stopped. They were unlike genus Phoenix, I could say. And before, when you were disturbed, the whole genus Phoenix colony was acting weird towards me. Have you heard of anything like that before ?

That is ... very strange.

Theia we 're talking mentally. Harry chided. You ca n't hide 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 nervous, especially where you are concerned.

I do n't think it 's a danger. They saved my life remember.

I know. Thea shifted her fingers down to Harry 's workforce. He could find his ivory reshaping. But it still makes me nervous.

The centaurs want me short, the genus Phoenix want me alive. Harry rolled his eyes. And that 's not even getting started on the humans who want a piece of music of me. See anything useful in seer-o-vision ?

No Harry. Thea smiled softly.

Harry sighed and closed his oculus again. He had imagined the orchard in leaping and there were apple bloom floating on the air. Pythea lowered her helping hand, the transformation was over. Harry did n't open his eyes, well to retain the moment or a little longer. Beside him the seer leant on his shoulder and closed her own eyes.

Harry did n't know how long they were sat there but eventually the illusion was shattered by the door slamming open.

"Harry."Snape snapped as soon as he was through the door, holding it open just long enough for Natalie Zhao to step through before slamming it shut."Harry stand up."

"Stand…right."Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was acutely aware of Thea pressing against his side."Um… mustiness I ? It's just that I'm… tired. Yes, wear out. Legs… tired. And arms… general musculature…"

"Shut up."Snape knelt down and looked into Harry's heart. This time he didn't have to say it, Harry obediently lowered his defences and felt the familiar pushing of Snape's mind. After a few moments Snape leant back.

"That is what I thought I saw. But I had to be sure."

"What did you see."

"The night Creator stepping through the veil."Snape stood back up and stepped over to his desk. He poured a small field glass of fortunate liquidness and drank it in one gulp.

"So ?"Harry asked."So what does that signify ?"

Snape said nothing, just rubbed his forehead.

"We examined the caul we found at Grimauld Place. The house you were held in."Natalie answered."It is functionally very to the veil in the department of mysteries."

Pythea stiffened and Harry heard a tart intake of breath.

"What does the veil do ?"Harry asked.

"It is a one way portal to death."Zhao answered simply."The department of mystery was initially created to investigate the ‘ three neat whodunit ’."

"prison term, destiny and death."Pythea said softly, imbuing the words ominous strength.

"Yes that is right."Natalie nodded."Although some citizenry think they are essentially the Saame thing."

"They are wrong."Thea said leadenly.

"Get on with the explanation."Snape growled from his desk.

"The veil can be used to demand a individual bodily into the next world."Natalie snapped irritably.

"So it was used to wipe out people ?"Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Actually it was originally an honour to go through. ancient wizards would go through late in their life-time with boxes and carts full of their riches. Like an pyramid, except they were still alive. It has n't been done for 100 though. And you 're correct, in medieval sentence it was used to execute prisoners. It 's possible, with special equipment, to see through the veil."Natalie shuddered."I 've seen recordings. The captive tried to get back, they tries everything, but in the end they all walked away. Across the desert."

The elbow room went unsounded. Harry thought back to the painting that had been hanging in Voldemort 's laboratory. one C of footprints 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 gold amulet ... he must stimulate worked out a way to guide through it safely and get back."

"That is impossible."Natalie stated flatly."The department has been investigating it for 100. Maybe he thought he had a way-"

"The dark Lord is still alive."Snape slammed his chicken feed down on the desk.

"How do you know that ?"Natalie asked pointedly.

"Because I know him."

"He 's right."Harry shook his principal."Old snake nerve knows more about avoiding death than anyone else. Hey ! You should put-"

"Place guards on the veil in the department of mystery story ?"Snape interrupted him."They are there as we speak. And others watch the humeral veil at Grimauld spot. But I doubt he will go to either of those places."

"There are other velum ?"

"Probably, no one knows."Natalie answered."Relics of antediluvian civilizations. He might do out of one of them. If he comes out at all."

Harry could see Snape opening his mouth to growl a retort so he quickly said,

"Speaking of avoiding death, 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 talkative with a some opinion. He is not, in the end, an evil man. Or even a foolish one. He is simply wedded to him comforter. In any guinea pig he was a instructor here at Hogwarts years ago when a boy called Tom Riddle was a pupil here. He once spoke to the Lester Willis Young dark lord about the opening of a seven part somebody. Counting the portion that remains in the dark Godhead organic structure, the diary, the snake, the ring and the cup."

"Two left ..."Harry felt dread rising in his heart."And Voldemort knows where they are. And we don't."Harry bowed his head, another problem. He was regurgitate of this ... he was tired.

"Voldemort may be injured from his transit through the veil. Injured or otherwise delayed."Snape said thoughtfully."presumption what I know of the dark Maker perhaps I can recover them before he recovers."

"You said'I'not 'We'."Harry raised an eyebrow. A few months ago he would bear been angered by the lack of inclusion. Now he was verging on grateful.

"No."Snape raised a hand to silence complaints that would not come."I am not sidelineing you Harry. I am better suited to this project. As you are better suited to treat with our other problem."

"Other pro ... Sasori."Harry rubbed his os frontale. piffling stabs of pain were feathering his temples. He wanted desperately to sleep."I 'd forgotten about him."

"It is regretful 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 night lord was keeping the Harlan F. Stone in. It had been broken open."Snape shook his brain."We have one shadow Creator to make out with. I would rather prevent the salary increase of another."

"Sasori 's ambitious."Harry nodded."We 've got to take him down before he learns to use the stone."

"My intellection exactly. But he will be well defended, and I can not use any lodge extremity, all of them are needed in the search for the benighted lord."

"So that leaves me."Harry bit his lip to halt a dark sigh. Snape needed him. The humanity needed their freakin paladin ..."I 'll get the Lucy Stone back."

"Remember what we learnt at their temple."Snape held up a warning 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 manage with the Lie Gou."

"Very well."Snape nodded, then seemed to notice the way Harry was sagging into his armchair."I am sure you need to rest. I know that I do."

"Goodnight professor."Harry nodded as he and Pythea left the dark agency. After a few meters of silent corridor Pythea asked quietly,

"Do you have a plan ?"

"Not yet. But I 'll think of a plan."Harry bit his lip. He had to encroach upon a fortified building entire of magical ninjas in a bubble universe and see a tiny Harlan Fisk Stone. Like looking for a needle in a haystack while evading a rabid Wolverine."And it had better be a good one ..."



Hi all. I 've actually finished the writing on book 6, started on book 7. As things stand it looks like Holy Writ 7 's going to be shorter than 5 or 6 and I was thinking of posting it as just a few large chapters rather than heap of little ones. It gets tiring trying to find a rude detail to end a chapter every five-thousand words or so as I have been doing. massive chapters would let it flow a little better.

Three fifteen-hundred word 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 story, just thought it was worth mentioning.





Harry stepped out of the fluke and turned up his arrest against the pelting. He was headed for the Tarot, for his second visit in as many days. He had the beginnings of a plan to attack Sasori, he just did n't sleep with if it was too insane. His programme could get them into the place, it would n't help them find the stone though ... The rainfall was driving vertically into Harry as he trudged down the grey street.

Was someone following him ?

Harry 's eye rolled back in it 's socket. There was someone on the street behind him, could be a muggle, Harry could n't see well enough with all the overrefinement the pelting brought. He changed instruction and stepped onto a engaged muggle street, taking him away from the tarot. The man followed him. Proved nothing. Harry was very heedful not to travel rapidly up or slow down down. He had a encounter scheduled in the tarot card but he had left himself plenty of time. And the patrons would not thank him for leading someone to their drunkenness hole. tarot pub had been found before by the aurors of course of instruction and subsequently abandoned. The idea continued. Still, they would be ... displeased.

Harry stopped at a crossing suddenly and waited patiently for the lights to shift. The man following him slowed to a crawl and stopped at a shop front, pretending the shelter under the awning. The lights changed. Harry stepped forwards and the man set off in pursuit.

Bugger.

Now that he was close Harry could zoom in on the man 's case. An older man, maybe XL. Black whisker with a little Grey. Moustache, clean shaven otherwise. Wearing Grey trench coating. Under that wearing unremarkable corduroys and shirt. So far so muggle. Under that the man had muscle. unusual sum for a man his age. Harry slowed down a ticking to a greater extent to get a meliorate vista. sceptre. In his pocket with his finger s wrapped around it.

damn it. So much for being muggle. Harry could see the man 's heartbeat, a perfectly calm and measured tempo. He was n't stressed whoever he was. From his case he was n't one of the Lie Gou either. Although it could be a disguise. Or it could be the other hoi polloi who wanted him dead.

Harry bit his lip, if he doubled back to the labial pipe he was fairly sure he could get away from this guy. But then he would n't attain his rendezvous. He could call backup, the marauders, but they could take years. He could try to lose this guy ... that was the smart matter to do. But then he would n't get any clue why these wierdos were after him. So he could fight ... but not here. A car crack past Harry, throwing up water supply out of a puddle. Definitely not here, too many muggles.

Harry turned down an face street between tall apartment edifice. His ass was catching up. He must stimulate realized he had been made. Harry ducked into an back street and ran to the end before sliding into hiding at the boundary 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 walls. 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 baton out and fired a looker. The man shielded without a persuasion 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 route and banishing it towards him. It was quickly transfigured into feathers but Harry reversed the patch and the man was broadsided, driving him back. Harry banished again, driving his battering ram of metal and chalk into the man again. Suddenly a cutting white flash filled the air and the dumpster was cut in half by a glowing blade.

Harry cursed, to much to desire former hoi polloi would n't live his tricks.

The man dashed forward, the blade still sparkling in his bridge player. Harry sent a simple stunner that forced the man to drop the sword to shield and followed it up ...

"Atrax !"The trash in the alley grew wanderer legs and threw itself at the old man who raised his hands and called up a shockwave that blew the spiders to opus and made the construction shake."Tempesto"Harry called wind to go down on the glass and debris back at his attacker but the man ducked to the bulwark and jabbed his need to the sky.

Harry dodged in clock time but was still blown to the floor as a lightning bolt of lightning shot down from the already bulging sky and blew apart the flagstones under his animal foot. Harry rolled to his feet as another stabbed down where he had been lying.

Harry dashed towards the man and fired a human dynamo at his look, following it up with a blistering barrage of hexs and charms. The man had to stop his flak to harbour but flicked his early script into his pocket to make out small capsule.

What the inferno ?

With a motion-picture show of his radiocarpal joint the man threw the thing at Harry.

"Depulso !"Harry yelled on reflex but it did nothing to stop the thing."Geyser"Harry flicked his wand down and a fountain of water erupted from the ground sending the little matter tumbling into the air.

The man dropped to the floor with his hands over his ears. Harry was about to fire a spell at him when the footling abridgement exploded with a thunder-clap and a glaring ostentation of light. Brick ships fountained down on Harry as he was thrown backwards. He looked up in horror as the unit slope of the building crumbled, bricks rending in Brobdingnagian tornado and sheeting falling away.

small fry !

Harry 's eye flickered to the bad gap just in time to see a bed crepuscle through the crack and get stuck, dropping it 's screaming inhabitant from the fifth floor. Harry 's had scrabbled for his wand but he was too stuporous, too dumb. person else was faster. The old man darted beneath the falling child and caught him in both arms just as Harry 's fingerbreadth closed around his wand and swung around ...

verge pointing ... Man defenceless ... child screaming in his arms ...

They stayed stuck in that tableau for a long heartbeat. Harry could finger his own breathing. The early man could n't represent himself with his hands good ... but on the other bridge player he had a human shield. Harry could hear panicked watchword 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 baby on the concrete before slowly raising to his feet with his hands held out to either side of him.

He had given up his human shield.

"Who the inferno are you ?"Harry yelled through the rainfall, keeping his wand trained on the man 's thorax."You want to kill me but you do a fireman save on someone else ? Why the hell just me ?"

The man was silent.

"You 'll redeem everyone but me is that it ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man spoke for the initiatory metre, his spokesperson low and oddly accented.

"What ?"

"I am saving everyone else."The man repeated."By killing you."

"What ?"

"You must die."The man said flatly."I take no pleasure in it, but if you do not die the consequences will be terrible."

"How the hell does that act ?"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 part was hasty. They could both hear running metrical foot approaching. Harry gritted his teeth. He wanted to stun this guy and take him in ... on the other helping hand, he had saved a kid. On the other hand ...

The man 's arms came down and the crack of dissapparation filled the alleyway. Harry recovered from his angered shock just long enough to disenchant himself just before the muggles stampeded into the alley. He hid at the side and squeezed out before dashing away along the street. In the rain someone would notice him if he stayed in one place too long. Harry ducked into a doorway and cancelled the go before sinking to his stifle and pushing his head back against the wall, heedless of the rain 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 reason these wierdo 's had been after him ? They had n't told him any more than the Centaur and yet ... they knew who he really was. They were n't killing him for being Harry ceramicist. They were trying to kill diddley Malyn.

Why would anyone want to kill an orphan with no memory ?

Harry smacked his headway against the Harlan F. Stone again. He had given five bloody and painful years to protecting people and fighting darkness, years he did n't have to give. A fight he had n't had to be a character of. And for what ? For people who save children from certain death to try to kill him.

tear might sustain been flowing from his middle, he could n't state in the rain.

Harry pulled his human knee up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He had sat like this back before Hogwarts he could call up ... of course near of the metre he had been smart enough to encounter somewhere out of the rain. He could retrieve that time ... what kind of life did he lead now that he looked back fondly on being a street urchin ? That thought was too bitter to even make him laugh.

Harry rolled his eye to look at the watch in his pocket. He still had ten bit till his scheduled meeting and he was going to drop at least five of them here in the rain, in the gutter, in a doorway with faded band posters nailed to the chipboard. He did n't care if it made him late, if this doorway was all the existence was giving him then he would aim it. He had to take something.

Harry curled up and knocked his had back into the corner where the rain was a little lupus erythematosus. He closed his eyes and felt the droplets slapping against his coat. He did n't care.
*


Harry pushed open the room access of the Tarot, this clip situating itself in a brightly decorated wine bar. He took a tranquillise breath.

"Wet out there."Harry threw a drying charm over his clothes and haircloth and stepped over to the man he had come to meet. Harry bowed respectfully and forced a bull smile onto his face."in force eve. Thank you for hearing what I have to say."

The man on the former side of the table nodded faintly to the hot seat opposite him. Harry sat.

"So ..."Harry took a shallow breathing space."Shall I tell you about Sasori ?"
*


Hours later Harry sat alone in a side John Wilkes Booth of the tarot. The man he had come to meet was long gone. The meeting had gone well, Harry had said what he needed to say and the man had believed it. He had also given Harry a expectant bag of gold, but that was n't authoritative. It had only been authoritative that the man thought Harry wanted money for the information, to conceal the real reason and ...

Oh what was the point ?

Harry took a deep drapht of the drink in front of him. It was on a coaster, as were the two hollow glasses in front of him. If he went back to Hogwarts he would get to start being himself again, having multitude demand things of him, and he was n't sure enough he could strike that correctly now.

Just need 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 like his sudden obsession with this gate-to-death. Let 's human face it, we 're not even close to the end.

Harry finished the respite of his boozing and dropped the vacuous. He should n't give birth another. He was going to receive another. He just wanted to spend some time where there was no one demanding anything of him, was that too often to ask ? Harry dropped his heading to his hand. The only home he could be calm was in a den of iniquity, the den of criminals. What did that say ?

Harry breathed deeply and drew his orchard projection around him, but it wavered and parts of the Tarot showed through the edges. Harry realized he would n't be able to hold it and allowed it to fade. It was n't real anyway.

Maybe when this is over I can go back there. The thought surfaced in Harry 's judgement. Going back to the orphanage, living like a muggle. He had no acquisition or anything but surely they needed janitors ... or entertainers. Harry sighed or maybe he would just leave the country. He 'd escape his admirer, the marauders, Thea .... but they 'd sympathize. Take another name ... or go back to diddly-squat and just ... wander ...

Harry dropped his head to the table. Foolish thinking, there was still al-Qur'an seven before he could imagine of things like that.

The thing is ... I do n't have it away if I can last that long.

Harry closed his eye and laid back in his booth. He 'd receive to live on 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 bloody fourth dimension, no matter what. Every bloody time.

"Mr Potter ! I did n't expect to see you here."

Harry 's eye 's shot open in an instance. He had n't been paying attention. His magic eye had just been rolling in it 's socket but now it snapped to care. 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 former man."Another admonition message for me ? What 's happened now ? Sky falling ? Der Fuhrer back from the dead ? New Dido single ?"

"Did I not just say I was surprised to see you here ?"James slid into the kiosk opposite 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 refreshful meant in the Tarot code.

"Oh, my mistake."James I slid a coaster under his drink.

Had that really been a mistake ? Was King James I just having a drink or was he sending a signal ? Or did he want Harry to think he was ... Oh who cares.

"Come here often ?"Harry asked the man opponent him.

"Occasionally, I mean you have to. To do business."James glanced around."I was not expecting to see you here though, being one of the vestal ones."

"Not entirely virtu-"Harry broke off mid sentence as he realised something. He could see St. James the Apostle. With both eyes. The old man was actually there, not a expulsion like before. Harry was shocked for a moment. He was even more shocked that he had n't noticed. The firelight glinted off the deoxyephedrine in straw man of him. Harry closed his centre and surrounded himself with his woodlet, just for a fraction of a irregular. He tried to pull his mind together before he opened his eyes."Not entirely virtuous. Just more virgin than my enemies."

"I 've heard you have more than one foeman these days."James said casually."Dear old Tom Riddle and now you have gone further afield for foes. I knew the darkness lord was foolish for putting his trust in mercenaries."

Harry 's eye flickered down St. James the Apostle'body, looking for anything resembling a hint to his identity operator. The upshot were disturbing, almost every bone in the old man 's body had been broken years ago, probably at the same time. Even the osseous tissue in his skull under his bald nous showed polarity of healed geological fault. It was long ago, they had healed naturally first, then magically later ... weird. The guy was stocked to the lamella with sorcerous artefacts and amulets too, but that was understandable here. No wand however ... that was also odd.

"I do n't think he puts trust in anyone."Harry shrugged."How did you find out they left him anyway ?"

"It 's more than or less common knowledge in my circles."James II waved to the bar."Can I get you another drink."

No."I 'll possess what you 're having."Why did I say that ?

James motioned to the barman and a moment later Harry was holding a gin and tonic.

"You can slack Mr Potter."St. James the Apostle took another sip from his glass."This is the Tarot remember ? No one can disturb you here. Not even me."

"nookie it."Harry took a cryptical swallow of his deglutition. He paused."This tastes terrible."

"My apologies. Shall I fiat you something el-"

"Yes."Harry drained the rest of the crank."Please."

A chicken feed of white wine appeared in Harry 's hand. He sipped it this time.

"Penny for your thought process Mr Potter ?"Jesse James asked.

"Why did you number here this evening if you did n't know I was here ?"

"You are not the middle of the population Mr potter. Despite what many think."James smiled."I have many other things to manage other than yourself. As to what business I had here ? That is none of yours."

"bazaar enough."Harry shrugged. James IV did n't have a wallet in his pocket, not any money either. He had n't paid the barkeeper for any of his drinks, he must stimulate a tab. No one had a tab at the tarot card. Not unless to not present them a tab would suffer been dangerous to the proprietor. Who the Hell was James ? Harry considered for a mo, then abandoned the train of thinking. Tonight he was n't going to try to solve any mysteries, he was just going to loose, drink, and lecture to a cryptical stranger who was probably the headland of some sort of clandestine crime syndicate. Wait ..."So it would n't own anything to do with the man who tried to attack me on the way here ?"

"plan of attack you ?"James 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 institution, they would loose business."

Harry said naught. If Sasori had already worked out how to use the Edward Durell Stone to plough principal into gold that might not matter.

"Did it look like one of the Lie Gou ?"

"No, but they could easily disguise themselves."Harry took a sip of wine-colored."Did n't oppose like one of the Lie Gou."

"Perhaps I can help oneself ? What did he look like ?"James actually seemed interested.

"Perhaps,"Harry hesitated, should he recite Saint James the Apostle anything else ? His break brain threw up a red flag, but on the early paw he currently knew sod all about the people trying to kill him. Anything he found out would be helpful."Oldish, moustache, sounded strange. Italian maybe ..."

"The same somebody who attacked you with a crossbow earlier this twelvemonth ?"

"No."Harry did n't ask how James knew."Not the Lapp someone, but probably from the same source. The crossbow guy was friends with the centaurs."

"The centaurs would never hire assassins."Saint James the Apostle waved the comment away."Not only is it against their laws, they also have too niggling money. You ca n't employ killers with acorns and mysticism."

"They were n't assassins, at to the lowest degree not paid ones."Harry thought back to the inscrutable input his attacker had made."They did n't seem like assassinator ..."

"wellspring I ca n't mean who they would be."King James I shrugged apologetically, but not unhappily."It would seem you have stumped me. I mean of course there are Italian criminal offense constitution but none of them have any interest in you."

"You know that for sure ?"

"Of course."James actually seemed to be relaxing, his elderly bod leant against the board."Most criminal are looking forward to the removal of Voldemorrt, he is an vexation to so many things."

"Like living."

"Quite."

"There was one early thing ..."Harry bit his lip."In the fight the man went out of his way to save a muggle who got caught in the crossfire. Almost lost the fight because of-"

"No ..."James'eyes went all-encompassing."Are you sealed ?"

"Positive."

"But they ... why would they have any reason to set on you ?"

"You know who they are ?"Harry perked up and tried to sit up straight. His elbow slipped off the board but be righted himself and asked again."You know who they are ?"

"I believe I do ..."James regarded Harry quizzically over his meth."Why would they ... but it ca n't be them. I would almost expect them to be on your side."

Harry said nothing. The men probably would be on the side of Harry ceramist. At least James II did n't know who he really was. Probably.

"Just tell me who they are."Harry said irritably.

"Oh some tomfool who think they can economise the world."James chuckled under his breather."Even more deluded than Dumbledore was in many mode. Couching their idiocy in some absurd whim of order and chaos and god and ... they are cockeyed. Think no more of them. I seriously doubt that they could follow where Voldemort failed."

"That 's comforting. You know what would be more comfort ? If you would give me a freekin name."

"But the real enquiry is why you ?"Saint James the Apostle tapped his glass thoughtfully."Yes ... yes that is very interesting."

"You ca n't not tell me."Harry 's human elbow slipped again, this time knocking over one of his old glasses."You have to secernate me who they are."

"Actually I do n't cogitate I will Mr Potter."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 interrogative sentence however is even more of a conundrum. No, I believe I will not recite you. Not until I have considered more this intriguing problem. Good eve Mr potter, it was a pleasance to encounter you again."James stood and turned away.

"Hey !"Harry tried to bear but his arm got caught on the table and he fell back into his tail. He tried to rally again and stepped quickly towards the door.

"You 're not thinking of following him are you ?"A deeply growl came from the barkeep. Following someone leaving the Tarot was as bad as attacking them at it.

"No, just leaving myself."Harry shook his promontory. He turned back to the tabular array and, a thought springing to mind, leant over and sniffed at James'glass. Still one-half full. Smelled of soda pop. No gin, just tonic.

Damnit

Harry turned to impart. At least he was protected by Tarot rules as well. No one would attack him on his way back. The rules stopped him from getting killed, did n't stop him from being played for a jester. Harry stepped out into the rainfall, letting it run down his face soothingly. He had screwed up badly tonight. He had made mistakes ... no. No he had n't made mistakes. A mistake was when you did n't eff that what you were doing was stupid person. He had known, and he had done it anyway.

Why

Because the domain owes me some freakin screw ups. Harry pulled his coat around him and stalked off into the rain. The rules were supposed to protect him, but that did n't mean he did n't watch the shadows all the way home.
*


"Why do you call up Harry brought us all here ?"Hermione asked quietly as the residual 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 last night, I know that."

"It must be something important to pile up 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 recite us what was going on."

"I guess it 's hard now."Ron shrugged."Half the school 's marauder. He ca n't keep us all in the grummet. think of 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, look there ..."He pointed.

"Is it Harry ? Oh,"Hermione shook her head as Draco stepped into the room. He looked as tire as he always did, but it was still a workweek to entire lunation. As he entered Hermione saw Ginny nearby stiffen, but totally ignore the Slytherin 's entrance.

"Why does n't she just give 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 practically Hermione had been spending quite a lot of clock time with Draco. She had a suspicion that he had his reasons for rejecting Ginny. Or, well the fact that he was a werewolf and ...

"HEY MORONS !"The marauders fell silent, turning to see that Harry had materialized."Sorry, I meant to say 'Can I have your attention ?'but somehow it just ... well you know how it is. In any character, snaffle your appurtenance. We 're leaving in five to save the world."
*


"Harry where are we going ?"Ginny demanded as the marauders slung their invisibility cloaks on.

"wellspring first we 're going to Wales, to the lake that forms the entrance to the Lie Gou factor house."Harry was strapping a spear-like thing to his hip."Where we float far above the water like pretty butterflies. Then, at the opportune consequence, we fly down through the portal, fly up to the menage, go in, get the Harlan Fiske Stone, get the stone. Simple."

"That 's your plan ?"

"well they will be a niggling distracted by that degree ..."
*


Harry zoomed his eye down through the dark. A skirmish of number were approaching the water, flitting from cover to shroud like tincture. 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 sure it would.

Usually at this decimal point he would be feeling the rush of adrenalin before a big fight, this sentence he just felt scared. There were a lot of people behind him who would go very dead if this went incorrectly. He did n't feel energized, he felt ... deadened ...

The last of the vestige slunk into the lake. Harry took a deep breath. He flicked his lookout man out. About two bit would probably do it.

Harry closed his eyes. The woodlet was still there, but the folio were gone, turned into drifts and mulch on the ground. Harry could n't tell if the wind blowing through his tomentum was in the illusion or in reality. It did n't matter. Two hour were up.

"Down."Harry aimed his Scots heather down and carefully guided it down, with one paw the staff in strawman of him to aim. The rest of the marauders followed him.

'' Agoredig Ffordd. '' Harry whispered to the water 's airfoil. He took a deep breath ..."NOW !"

Harry dive his Scots heather forward through the water and straight out the other side. His privileged ear flipped out as gravity reversed itself and he spun in the air involuntarily before righting himself. Other vulture shot past him, taking the lead, just like they planned. After all, he was n't the one you wanted leading an aerial attack.

Harry followed the others, shooting across the still air. Up ahead he could see the temple, it 's Windows glowing in the Nox air. Spells and urarthritis of attack shooter into the air all around them. They were n't aimed at them though, they were aimed at the former figures on the ground.

"Works 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 appear a calming breath."I met the leader of the Lie Gou at the Tarot."Harry flicked two guns into his inside pockets.

"I thought that was who we were going to attack ?"

"Sasori 's just their European factor."Two vials of potion and a grenade went into another sack."And a very naughty boy for working the Voldemort/philosophers endocarp angle without cutting his chief in for a share. 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 deplorable moneymaking ninjas."

"Course."Harry tried to voice more sure of himself than he felt."So long as there are n't any tortuousness it should go fine."
*


"Yes !."Her helping hand curled around the discarded wand."Allohamora."The cell threshold sprang open, pushing the stiff away. Bellatrix stepped out of her cell and kicked the body before spitting on it as a net insult and moving off, crouched against the rampart. These godless soldier of fortune had kept her captive for sidereal day, but it was nothing, she was used to worse prisons. And now they fought among themselves. Useless sucker. And now that she was loose there would be hell to pay.
*


Harry crashed through the window and rolled to his feet, wand out. The others had already secured the room but he wanted to be sure.

"Ok, you know your teams."Ginny barked."team four, clasp here ! Everyone else, GO !"She did n't even wait before dashing off.

"hold you suicidal-"Harry darted after her, cursing. To be sightly this had been the plan, in a ecumenical sense. Secure a few elbow room from the craziness and burn a route to Sasori, where they hoped to find the stone, leaving squad along the way to fix a way out. The plan had not been for Ginny to go all death-seeker."Ginny duck's egg !"Harry reached the girl just in fourth dimension to tackle her to the story. A bolt of lightning smashed through the wall, above them. Harry fired back through the hole with one hand, dragging Ginny to her infantry with the other.

"What- ?"

"I go first !"Harry barked into her aspect."I 'm the one with the eye ! Remember ?"

"I-"For a moment it seemed like Ginny was going to fight him."Fine. Get moving then."The endure sentence was said through gritted teeth.

Harry pushed away and surged forward. Draco stepped up next to him and for a moment caught his eye.

Harry send her back. She should n't be here. She 's not thought straight.

She would n't take heed. Harry sent back quickly. At least here we can keep an eye-"SHIELDS !"Harry himself jumped close to Draco, trusting the werewolf 's shield far more than his own.

An ark of knife tore through the wall like motorcar gun fire and a moment later the bulwark crashed in, filling the corridor with fighting opprobrious figures.

"Harry which ace 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 stay back and hit any that notification you or come through !"

And maybe do n't blab ?

Harry was thrown backwards as one of the fighters fired a patch at the audio of his voice. Harry hit the paries and felt his wand jarred out of his finger. His former helping hand gripped the shaft in his sleeve and had torn it out before he hit the floor. He sent lighting from the tip at his attacker before sweeping it over the other combatants. They fell to the base like ragdolls and the marauders sent stunning spells to truly air them to la-la-land.

"team three cargo hold this spot !"Ginny yelled. She darted forward but stopped short at a dead glare from Harry.

Harry turned and grabbed his wand before continuing on, threading his way through bodies. He felt jealous of the others, they could only hear the battles going on all around them, just suite away. He could see it.

Oh god so much rakehell ...

He had done this. Harry gritted his teeth as he silently led the marauder through passage away from the main 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 door open and stabbed the kindling spear at one. Draco dropped the other one and Harry just kept walking. There were board in this room, the remains of a meal. They had just been eating. There were already three soundbox in the following room. Well, two and a half.

I caused this.

"Harry focusing !"genus Draco 's voice shocked Harry out of his fugue.

"It 's ok. I 'm ok."Harry gritted his teeth. Draco narrowed his bloodshot eyes.

Do n't recount me you 're going mad too-

I 'm exquisitely. Harry continued quietly."It looks like Sasori 's role and material is through here. Its at the top of ... of like an indoor tower thingy in the centre of a garden. There 's a stair around the exterior of it. And wads of guards, twenty on the land, fifteen on the stairway. That I can see anyway. No other way through though."

"Is Sasori there ?"Ginny said flatly.

"Ca n't distinguish. There 's a Mary Augusta Arnold 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 condom geographical zone across the temple, it left them stretched but it was the only way.

"Alright."Ginny said definitely."Hermione, you keep the eternal sleep of them with you and consider out everyone on the floor, hold the area. Harry, Draco and me ... we go up the tower."

"Ginny-"

"You know that 's the intimately way."Ginny growled."You have a better architectural plan ?"

"That 's it."Harry narrowed his eyes."You 're going back. avail support the finale 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 wands spun towards him. Harry 's hand flicked out of his sac."Disperseas !"Ten grenades fanned out across the way like a spray of demise."Shield !"

Draco 's buckler flashed around him as Harry 's opinion were filled with hate of everything red-headed and distaff. The flames consumed the garden but the while were already hammering down. Harry 's eye caught something that made him scream like a banshee.

"NO !"Ginny was shooting into the air, zooming towards the top of the column !"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 baton in one hired man and the fizgig in the former. Two shapes rose from the smoke. Two human body were thrown back in. Harry dashed to the stairs and cursed as he aimed a stunner at a shape leaping out of the dark. The staircase did n't even induce a banister, no protection from the firing below.

"We should take away out the ones down here first !"Draco slammed into the paries succeeding to Harry.

"Ca n't ! dazed Bloody evil your freekin aspirant GIRLFREIND stupid kill HER !"A anatomy dropped down in social movement of Harry and he took the opportunity to need out his rage. The digit 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 bolt down. I feel like killing."

Harry edged forward as fast as he was able, cowering under Draco 's shield as they advanced up the tower.
*


Ginny dropped off her broom at the top of the tower and ducked behind a face wall.

She could do this. She could do this alone. She did n't need ... Ginny took a deep breathing space, her heart was racing. Suddenly she was thrown to the flooring 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 lighter broke from inside the pillar and Ginny gingerly snuck up the the hole in the wall. John L. H. Down below Ginny could try blowup, the others were fighting. But she did n't call for them ...

Ginny raised her head a little over the rampart and looked over. Inside there was a wide office, desk shattered against the shelf, shelves thrown across the floor, story on fire. In the midriff of the room, circling one another like Canis familiaris, a man and a woman, sceptre poised to fire.

Bellatrix. Bellatrix and Sasori.

"spring me the stone !"The scarred death feeder looked rabid, foaming at the mouth and twitching."kick in me the stone or I 'll displume you limb from limb !"

Sasori said nothing, but sent a spell bouncing off the wall to catch Bella in the English, throwing up a gout of rake. She was covered in profligate but did n't seem to realize it. Sasori was clear and almost smiling. He was winning and he knew it.

Ginny shifted around the outside of the tower. She could fetch up off Bellatrix ( of line she could ... ) but the Lie Gou ... If she could charter him out first, from hiding, she could take Bella. Then she 'd have the stone. She could get it herself.

Ginny tried to work out where the fighters were from the screaming and explosions from inside the bureau. Why had n't she got herself an eye like Harry 's ? She 's considered it, why had n't she done it ? Ginny found another break in the wall and raised herself up.
*


"dolt bloody- !"Harry barged into the Lie Gou in front of him and chucked him off the incline of the pillar. By now it was a long way down. Harry tried to aim through a haze of pain and forced his groundwork to climb mellow up the tower."Draco movement !"Harry yelled back at the man behind him.

"You go ahead, I 'll give them !"Draco was raining down fire on the fighters below."You help her !"

"You sure ? I 'm planning on killing her afterwards."

"Just GO !"
*


"Stubefy !"Ginny felt a cry of victory as the spell smashed into the Lie Gou 's rachis, sending him careening to the story."Avada Kedavra !"Ginny aimed the curse at the scandalise death eater at the other side of the room. Bellatrix threw herself to the English, giving Ginny fourth dimension to vault the rampart and dart forward into the war-torn ruin.

"You ?"Bellatrix bicker as she pushed herself up from the story."Why are you here you muggle loving bitch ?"

"Shut up ! Jupitall !"Ginny sent lightning flying at the dying feeder and dodged to the trunk of the Lie Gou on the base. pocket. former scoop. Inside Pocket- THERE ! Ginny 's digit closed around a tiny stone. The philosophers stone, she had it. Ginny rolled behind the cadaver of the desk to forefend a sickening blacken oath and jumped to her foundation."seminal fluid on ! seed on kick fight ! Show me wha-"

The curse hit her in the chest.
*


Harry 's eye saw through stone and flesh to present every hideous detail. His fundament faltered on the stairs and he fell to his knees as he saw the enchantment hit menage. The shining red lighter of the curse radiated out in moving ridge from her chest, meeting her ribs and staving them in, raking through her lungs and slamming into her spine. Breaking it like a twig. Ginny was lifted off the terra firma and thrown onto the wall behind her. When she hit she did n't hit like a person. She hit like a liberation of centre, leaking blood and sliding down the wall before collapsing on the floor.

Harry could hear nothing. The war all around him might as well have been obnubilate. Harry did n't see the lowest few steps he dashed up like lightning. He did n't see the bulwark between him and Bellatrix, it broke like methamphetamine hydrochloride, sending shard ripping through Harry 's tegument. It did n't hurt.

Bellatrix. In his center she was lit up like a Xmas tree, the only matter that mattered in the world.

"Avada Kedavra !"Hate, rage and wickedness flowed out of Harry like a river. The air before him flashed William Green like lightning. The remains of the wall were stove in and the shattered through the former side, it crushed past the cowering end feeder like a freight wagon train. Then, slowly ... it disappeared.

"Well well well ..."Bellatrix chuckled."I must say I 'm impressed-"

"Acerbus cuspis !"Harry charged more hatred and rage into another dark curse, fanning out the spears so the manslayer could n't parry. Harry 's feet bit turd and he charged towards the bitch. She had n't even stopped screaming by the meter he reached her, slamming his iron boot into her face. Her pock head snapped back and Harry dove down, grasping his hands around her neck opening as hard as he could. He could feel her windpipe crushing under his fingers.

"Ach ... a ..."Guttural nothing tried to escape from the Wiccan rim."Ach ... a ... a."Harry knew he should just use his wand, create it quick, but red dots were spiralling before his eyes and even if he 'd wanted to he could n't sustain made his digit move. Bellatrix 's eyes rolled back in her skull. The bitch was-

"Aaa !"Harry was thrown backwards as lightning arced from the beldame fingers into his pectus. Harry could feel his flesh burn, skin searing off. He could finger all form of irrelevant things.

"Crucio !"Bellatrix croaked. Harry did n't trouble to dodge.

"Excalabus !"Harry whipped his wand sideways, ignoring the blinding pain. The blade flickered out, burnt forward, flicked back behind Bellatrix 's wand. Right through her wrist. One severed hand bounced off Harry 's shoulder as he jumped forward, punching the witch to the ground.

"Accio wand."Bella 's fallen wand flew into Harry 's hand. Her mitt came with it, but that was a shaver detail. Bellatrix sprawled on the level, screaming, clutching the fucking stumps of her munition to her chest. Harry could hear the screams but they had no effect on him, his mind was drifting ...

For a fraction of a second he drew his plantation around him. So hushed, nice and tranquillize ... Harry opened his eyes again. He was cold now, the anger was burnt out of him, gone with the darkness. Harry stepped forward, his wand trained on the woman in strawman of him. He was n't angry any-more, he did n't really feel anything.

His eyes flickered to movement on the trading floor. It was Sasori, just recovering from the stunner. 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 rushing sound and Sasori was gone, portkeyed away.

Harry knew he should worry. But he really, really did n't. Harry 's middle flickered back to the screaming charwoman on the reason in front of him. One of the two stopping point death eaters, the murderous ditch that killed Ginny and so many others. Lying helpless in front line of him, prepare to drag to justice. He could direct her to azkaban and hold her away for good.

shrieking, so a lot screaming. Orchard flowed around him. She would be locked away. apple efflorescence ... Far far away ... She had been locked up before. It did n't last.

"Avada Kedavra !"Harry closed his centre as he spoke the tour, but he saw anyway. Not much to see really. The go hit home, the force of it pushing her body a few feet across the flooring, and her essence stopped beating. That was it. Nothing more. Harry opened his eyes.

The fighting far below was meaningless here ... repose ... apple blossoms in the air.
*


genus Draco staggered to the top of the tower, retching as he dragged his tired bone forward. The fighting below was almost over, just the marauder mopping up the strayer and holding the path open for them to get back. He walked carefully over to the billet and spun in, wand raised. He saw Bellatrix, dead on the floor, with Harry standing over her. Harry 's wand had fallen from his bridge player and he was just staring at the rampart. Dragon was about to abuse over to him when he saw ...

"Ginny ?"Draco 's eyes flashed wide and he dashed to the crumpled pattern by the wall."Ginny ? ... can you hear me ?"She was dead, anyone could see-

"Draco ..."

"Gin-"Draco crouched down, his brass next the barely moving back talk. There was nothing he could do, he knew that. Even if the whole faculty of St Mungo 's was here there would be nothing they could do. Only one thing ..."Ginny are you in infliction ?"

"No ..."Just a whisper."Draco ?"

"Yes ?"

"I love ..."

Draco gritted his tooth. He could n't cry, not now. He could n't, he just couldn't.

"I ..."Ginny was faltering, drifting away."I ... love y-"

"I know."Draco could feel tears on his nerve. 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 lip twitched, he could enjoin she was trying to talk, but she just did n't have the strength any-more. He was n't indisputable he did either. Instead he run forward and kissed her softly. She tasted like dour blood line, she felt cold-blooded. He closed his heart and felt the tears flowing, dropping off his cheeks and running runnel down Ginny 's grimace. trivial sink cleaning stock in the muck and stemma. The lips twitched once more beneath his, then went still. Very ... still.

genus Draco leant back, reached his weapon under Ginny and lifted her up. A little red rock dropped from her paw to the base. Draco hesitated, the temptation to just leave the bedamn thing there was almost too much to bear. But then all this was worth nothing. Dragon grabbed the affair and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Come on Harry."He found words somewhere in his throat."semen with me."

Harry 's dead optic came up to meet his and the boy took a stuttering gradation forward.

"That 's right ... follow me."Draco walked slowly out of the spot towards the farsighted stairway. He looked back and saw Harry following him, still staring deadly ahead."Good, just prevent following me. We have a long base on balls home."

And I 'm carrying her every step of the way.

Even if it breaks my cover I 'm carrying her.
*


"All considered,"Sasori did not respond to the part addressing him."A totality failure."

Sasori 's exclusively 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 constitution will be out to kill you."

"You do n't look too upset about all this."Sasori could still try defeat in his mouth, but he was not about to back down to the man before him.

"Upset ? Why would I be upset ? I never had any wish well for the stone."

"You are an old man."Sasori narrowed his centre."Especially old for one of your type."

"Only fools bid to dwell forever, and I am already far past my time."That infuriating chuckle."On that billet have you given any thinking to what you will say to the others of our trivial circle ? There might be some question of whether you have anything to offer us any-more."

"Are you threatening me ? I could hide you before you blinked an eye."

"Oh come now, there is no need to be unpleasant."The old man spread his paw and smiled."And you would never hide me. You need my protection if you even wish to survive the adjacent twenty-four hours."Sasori 's gut twisted. As much as he hated it the man was right. He needed allies, he needed this man or the others would turn on him like wolves. Ha ... ironic ...

"You are decently James."Sasori bowed his head."I need your help. order me what you want me to do, and what you want in return."
*


"How could you let this go on ? How could you send them out there !"

Draco closed his eyes and tried to embarrass out the sound of Kingsley Shacklebolt 's vocalization. He knew he should be saying something, but he did n't have the energy. Besides, the government minister 's anger was not directed at him.

"You knew this was potential. The death of any one of us is always possible."Snape said harshly.

"She was not one of us !"

Dragon shuddered, the piranha return to Hogwarts had been terrible. The purchase order had been meeting and he had been able to dribble Ginny 's trunk directly into her brother 's arms. He had barely even been able to say'I 'm meritless'before the punch had flown into his Kuki. He had n't tried to fight down back. The irregular punch had broken his nose, the marauders pulled the crying Weasley off him after that but after that the ordering had exploded, turning on each other, and the marauders, like Canis aureus. They were splintered now, the tilt spilling into different suite but Draco did n't get laid if it was any better.

"You knew I was keeping the marauders ready."Snape continued.

"As a last resort ! For cause like the ministry last class when all former 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 vote what do you think the result will be."Shacklebolt jerked his head and two aurors appeared at his berm."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."

Dragon started to his feet but a rump glance from Snape sent him back to his seat.

"Am I to be told what I am being arrested for ?"

"Endangering a nonaged. neglectfulness leading to death and so many early things."Snacklebolt 's voice was low and night."Dumbledore was wrong ever to trust you. We all were."

"If I had not acted the aftermath would have been far far worse."

"Perhaps the Wizengamot will see it the Lapp way."Shacklebolt gestured to his aurors."Although I sincerely hope not. I assume you are going to hail quietly."

"running play would indicate I had something to be guilty about."Snape thrust his paw out sharply."I assume you want my wand."

Draco shook his head, he had to do something. But Snape must hold seen the feeling on his aspect because he calmly turned to him and said, as the aurors shackled him,

"Perhaps you should check over on your supporter Mr Malfoy."

"But-"

"Go Draco."Snape allowed himself to be lead away by the aurors. He looked back over his shoulder."And if you would take concern of Harry I would appreciate it."

The door slammed closed and genus Draco felt his nerve drop. It was like the whole populace was falling apart.

Harry.

Yes, Harry. He needed to find Harry. Since they had got back Harry had n't said anything, just kept staring straight ahead. Draco would have tried legilimency but everything had happened so fast. Harry was faint, vulnerable, clearly going through something terrible. He had to take concern of him. genus Draco grasped that thread like a life line and walked out of the way. Anything to not think of everything else-

"How could you let this find !"Draco did n't search across from the door to where the Weasley clan was clustered. The twins were just sitting, almost as vacuous as Harry, Ron was crying into his hands. William Weasley was yelling."When mum and dad wake up what am I going to state them ? It was my job to keep you safe !"The older boy was tearing up."I was supposed to sustain you prophylactic ..."

Draco tore his gaze away from the cataclysm and kept walking. Harry had been in the infirmary wing. Draco could still hear the shouting from behind him. Block it out. Up step. Turn left.

Draco was at the door to the infirmary wing when-

"Dragon !"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 farseeing lock 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 want to but ... McGonagall must be capable to stop them, she can stop 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 edge of bout."All the marauder. 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 doorway to the infirmary 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 open his mouth."Do you bonk where McGonagall is ?"

"Try the great Hall."Pythea said distractedly."Have you seen Harry."

"I thought he was in there- Hey delay !"Dragon called after Hermione as she tore off down the corridor."Damnit, He is n't in there ?"

"No,"Pythea looked mark, her odd eyes were wide."individual thought they saw him take the air out but no one tried to finish him."

"I ... damn."Dragon put his fingers to his temples. The reality was ending. Everything was falling apart. discovery Harry."Alright, just give me a minute ..."Draco got down on his script and stifle and sniffed deeply.

100 of base travelled these hallway but Draco knew Harry 's perfume. The few benefit of being a werewolf.

"He went this way."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 head. Please hurry !"

Draco reached a staircase and hurried down. Another stair, genus Draco sniffed ... yes. Down those too. Corridor ... dammit. Draco followed the trail all the way to the enceinte doorway of Hogwarts. The trail went right out the doorway, straight outside.

"But grandma !"Draco 's brain came up as he heard Neville 's voice."I need to detain here, these are my friends !"The marauder was being hurried along by an honest-to-god madam, his grandmother.

"Your friends ? Friends do n't get supporter killed !"

genus Draco doubled over. That had felt like an actual blow. He should have been faster climbing the tug. He should let brought his own Calluna vulgaris so he could observe her. All his fault.

He should n't have let her come in the first space. They all knew she was depressed. That was his fault too, if he was n't so wrong she would still be alive. If he was n't twisted, disgusting. His father had been right, he was useless ... it was-

"The trail Dragon !"Pythea 's vocalism seemed to hit his legs before it reached his brain and he was already moving before it even registered. The trail was clearer out here on the forage, it was n't wandering, straight like an arrow. Straight to the edge of the forbidden woodland. Draco straightened up, his case ashen."He went inside."

"But he knows the Centaur will kill him if they find him in there."Pythea was shaking her head in horror-stricken disbelief.

"I do n't think he even knows his figure right now."Draco sniffed again and hurried forward at a sever run. Behind him he could discover the seer following him. Harry was n't making any attempt to blot out his track, it was plain as day. But that meant it was plain as day for the centaurs as well. Draco tried to order 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 hear was his own breath in his capitulum and his flummox core. sniff. Trail. Run.

"stop !"

Draco skidded to a halt.

"What ?"

"This is it. He 's here."Thea began looking around, glancing behind trees."Spread out he 's somewhere here."

"How do you know ?"

"All of these are orchard apple tree trees."

"Ah, right."Draco took a deep breath in. Yes, Harry 's odour was deeper here. The seer was right. And the smell was recondite coming from ..."Harry ! Theia I 've got him."Draco dashed over to where Harry was propped against the trunk of a tree diagram. His eyes 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 hard to tell."

"Why did you run into the woodland ?"Draco asked.

"I ... I do n't commemorate doing that."Harry shook his pass."I just ... I was thinking about trees ..."

"well, we found you."Draco put his bridge player on Harry 's shoulder."Lashkar-e-Tayyiba get back."

"dorsum ?"Harry tensed, a fraction of his common ruggedness returned to his heart."back to Hogwarts."

"Yes."

"Ginny 's dead."

"Y ... yes."

"Voldemort 's alive."

"Why are you asking me that ?"genus Draco shake up his head, trying to take a crap good 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 workforce then I killed her. She was screaming before, she was n't screaming after."

Draco swallowed roughly. He did n't make love what to say to that.

"I saw her heart stop. Not Ginny 's, Bellatrix 's. Saw her hit the bulwark, except that it was her not ... Her essence just stopped."Harry seemed to be drifting from thought to reckon."Saw her spine snap."

"Let 's go back to the castle."Pythea said desperately."come on Harry-"

"Harry ?"Harry spat the name out."Harry ? That 's not me. Harry 's idle. I wish he was alive, compliments it were him here instead of me. The chosen one, must be substantial or have some unhinged king. I do n't, I 've got zilch ... Maybe he would be strong enough. But I 'm not, I 'm just not."

"Ha- sea dog ?"Pythea run forward."We can get through this, together."

"No Thea."A rent ran from Harry 's eye."I 'm sorry. I 'm so so sorry. But I ca n't do this any-more. I 'm grim but ... It 's too much. I 'm broken. Something in me 's broken."

"Harry ?"

"I ca n't. I 'm dreary. I 'm so sorry."Harry 's tearful eyes met the seers."cheerio Thea."

"NO !"Pythea lunged forward but she was too decelerate, the timberland rang with the crack of a pugnacious phantasm. A muckle of birds took flight from the trees around, dappling them in shadow for a moment, then they were gone. And so was Harry.

The world was broken. Everything had fallen apart.

Draco kept expecting him to re-emerge, with a joke perhaps, or for it all to be a conjuring trick. But it was n't, and he was n't. Beside him Pythea was just staring at the space Harry had been. The silence drew on, genus Draco did n't want to be the first one to verbalize, that would construct it real.

"I ..."genus Draco licked his lips."I did n't cognise he could apparate."

"He was having lessons."Pythea sounded small. Small and broken.

The silence returned, dragging on forever. Draco broke it again, the Bible feeling like lead.

"So what ... what do we do now ?"

"I do n't know."Pythea was shaking."I just do n't know ..."





Whew ... That 's the end of book 6. Hope you enjoyed it. I 'm 2/3 of the way through account book 7 so it should n't be too long before it 's finished. It 's been a long haul but we 're in to the last straight now. So get set for ...

Harry Potter and the Three Mysteries !