Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
The Resistance
Prologue
A war has been raging in the Wizarding World for twenty years now between Lord Voldemort and the Resistance. Darkness is slowly creeping across the United Kingdom, sinking its claws in wherever possible. For twenty years the war has seemed to be at a draw – for every victory on each side, there is a loss on each side.
In every war there are secrets. Secrets that can change the tides of war. Secrets hold power. And at the headquarters of the Resistance, which is simple known as Base, there is one greedy army recruit seeking power. He has always been overshadowed by his elder brothers and sisters, and he wants his chance at power. This recruit knows a secret. A secret that everyone at Base knows, but has sworn never to tell. This secret could cripple the Light Side and cause its downfall. This simple secret is the location of Base, where all members of the Resistance and their families live, where anyone seeking safety from Voldemort and his minions live. Where all the secret meetings are held, where all the top secret files are kept.
And as this recruit approaches the Dark Lord, he has a choice – to die for the Resistance, as he swore to do when he joined the Resistance Army, or become a traitor, and be responsible for the deaths of many innocents. The fate of the war lies on his shoulders, he who dares break an oath and deliberately go against all of what he has been taught. He who deliberately goes against General Harry Potter, the beacon of hope for everyone on the Light Side no matter how many times he has failed before.
In every war, secrets are let loose…
Chapter One: Loyalty and Lies
"My Lord." A black robed figure dropped to his knees in front of the platform where Lord Voldemort sat. "A member of the Resistance has been found skulking around the boundaries."
"And…?" Voldemort drawled, looking irritably at the Death Eater. "Capture him, torture him for information, and when he proves useless, kill him.
"He wishes to speak to you personally, my Lord. He said he will give up his secrets. He knows where the location of the headquarters of the Resistance and wishes to tell you. Of his own free will, my Lord." The Death Eater replied nervously.
"Interesting. He will give up this information willingly?"
"Yes, my Lord. He wishes to join your forces, my Lord."
"Even more interesting." Voldemort murmured, more to himself than to the Death Eater. He looked down at the kneeling Death Eater and ordered sharply, "Bring him here."
"Yes, my Lord." The Death Eater hurried out, returning moments later with another Death Eater. A brown haired, blue eyed young man was between them. He was young. Younger than Voldemort had expected. The two Death Eaters knelt, pulling the Resistance member down with them.
"Your name and age." Voldemort ordered.
"Alexander Roper, seventeen." He stammered, voice shaking with nerves.
"You will address me as 'my Lord.' Crucio." Voldemort watched as the teenager writhed with pain under the influence of the Cruciatus Curse. He lifted the curse. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, my Lord." Roper managed to stutter, his body shaking uncontrollably from the curse.
"Good. If you do not address me properly again, the curse will be held for twice as long. I do not like it when my inferiors are impertinent. My Death Eater informs me that you wish to join our ranks?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"And you have information for me?" Voldemort inquired.
"Yes, my Lord." There was a long silence.
"Well? Get on with it!" Voldemort snapped, rolling his eyes at the idiocy of this young man.
"The Headquarters of the Resistance is located, underground, my Lord. The main entrance is in the middle of the Hogwarts grounds and there are several side entrances, including one in the Forbidden Forest and two others on the grounds, my Lord." The boy said quickly, looking fearfully up at the Dark Lord.
"If your information is incorrect, Roper, you will have a long and painful death. You will accompany us on our attack to show us the entrances and how to get past the security spells."
"Yes, my Lord." Voldemort leaned back in his throne and glanced over to where Nagini, his faithful snake was curled, watching the proceedings as if she understood every word.
"Take Roper and get him proper robes and a mask. Inform him of the Initiation procedures and return here with him when I summon for you." Voldemort instructed.
"Yes, my Lord." The Death Eaters said dutifully, standing and pulling Roper to his feet.
Alexander Roper had never been more scared in his life. Initiation procedures? What was going to happen to him? He was still trembling from the effects of the Cruciatus Curse. He had been hit with the curse before, but none were as powerful as Lord Voldemort's himself. The two Death Eaters led him out of the dark chamber and down a hallway, shoving him into another room, this one sparsely furnished with a table and a few wooden chairs.
"The Dark Lord summons us through our Dark Mark. During the Initiation Ceremony you will receive the Dark Mark." The taller Death Eater informed him.
"If you survive." The other one added. "We'll take you with us when we get summoned. We will be masked, as will all the other Death Eaters. You will not wear your mask until you are initiated." Alex nodded dubiously. He took the black robes the tall one shoved at him. Quickly stripping off the brown robes he wore as a Resistance Army trainee, he pulled the thick black ones over his head.
"The mask is in the pocket." The tall one stated flatly. He eyed Alex up and down. "So the Resistance is using mere children in its army?" Alex nodded, biting his tongue to keep from saying that he wasn't a child, that he was seventeen-years-old, an adult now.
"When the Dark Lord summons, everyone will apparate into that chamber, except for us. The two of us will be summoned shortly after and will escort you inside. Then you are on your own. We will take our own places among our fellows. You will approach our lord and kneel. You will always kneel before the Dark Lord. You will never stand without his permission when you are before him. You will never leave without him dismissing you to. Before you receive the Dark Mark, the Inner Circle will make sure you are worthy to be accepted into our ranks. If you survive," A shiver ran up Alex's spine. If he survived. They would undoubtedly be cursing him. "You will receive the Dark Mark and take your place with the other new recruits when the Dark Lord orders you to. Your place will be in the very back of the room. There will be an open space for you." The other Death Eater explained in a rather sinister tone of voice. Alex was sure that there was a sickening, twisted smile behind that mask as he added, "Not everyone survives the Initiation procedures, Roper."
General Harry Potter, the commander of the Resistance, glanced around the circular table at the other Resistance members in this meeting. This particular meeting included only the Circle of Twelve, Harry and his eleven most trusted advisors. The members of the Circle of Twelve had the highest ranking in the Resistance. Harry had the highest rank, of course, but the other eleven were just a step below, equal to each other.
With an almost inaudible sigh, Harry absentmindedly rubbed his forehead. His scar had been aching for several hours now, ever since he had been informed that a seventeen-year-old army trainee, Alexander Roper, had disappeared. He looked up at a sudden flash of movement – Severus Snape was clutching his forearm. Harry instantly knew what that meant and raised his hand. The spy's Death Eater robes and mask appeared out of thin air and Severus grunted his thanks, yanking on his robes over the ones he already wore and securing his mask.
"Good luck, Severus." Harry said softly. Though the two had once been enemies, Harry Potter and Severus Snape now had a somewhat close relationship. Severus nodded slightly and apparated away to Voldemort's meeting chamber. When he was gone, Harry sighed, his head in his hands as he said, "Every time he apparates away I wonder if it will be the last time that I ever see him alive." The others – four men and six women – nodded, murmuring their agreement. The Circle of Twelve was a closely knit group. They had settled all of their differences a long time ago. "Meeting dismissed. There is no point in continuing without Severus." Harry stood and strode out of the room, followed b the remaining members of the Circle, who talked quietly amongst themselves about what had gone on in the meeting.
Severus acknowledged his true commander with a small nod before apparating away. He took his place in the chamber amongst the other members of the Inner Circle, flanked out in a semi-circle fifteen feet away from Voldemort's platform. He glanced around, noting who had arrived before him and who had arrived after. One of the newer recruits was called forward and a received a minute under the Cruciatus Curse for being the last to arrive.
"Today, my Death Eaters, we will be welcoming a new Death Eater into our circles. If, of course, he survives the test. This new recruit has already provided me with valuable information to use against the Resistance." Severus frowned at that comment, glad that Voldemort could not see the expression behind his mask. A moment later the doors swung open and the Death Eaters parted in the middle. The two missing in their number stood flanking a very familiar seventeen-year-old. Severus paled behind his mask. Alexander Roper. The two Death Eaters that had escorted him inside took their places and Roper tentatively approached Voldemort, dropping to his knees and bowing his head once in front of the platform. "Roper, you will now undergo your Initiation test. If you are still alive once it is finished, then you will be given the Dark Mark."
"Yes, my Lord." Roper stuttered, giving away the nervousness he had hidden behind an emotionless face.
"Stand, Roper." The boy weakly got to his feet, his knees threatening to fall out from under him already. "You may begin." Severus tried to contain his fury. There was a traitor in the Resistance. There had never been a traitor in the Resistance. Ever. He lifted his wand for his turn.
"Crucio." Normally Severus hated these Initiation tests. But today he truly wished the new recruit harm.
Alianne Lily Potter, better known as Alia, sketched absentmindedly in the margin of her notes as Professor Norner droned on about how Voldemort was defeated for the first time in 1981. It was an interesting subject – how Alia's grandmother's love had saved Alia's father from the killing curse, but Professor Norner made everything dreadfully boring. Alia glanced around the classroom. There were five others that had, like her, been born into the Resistance and had lived in Base all their lives, three whose parents had joined more recently, and four muggle children that lived at Base who were interested in magical history.
"Alia! Pssst!" A voice hissed. Glancing back up to the front of the room to make sure Norner's back was turned, Alia held her hand out behind her. A folded piece of paper was dropped into her palm, and the fourteen-year-old quickly closed her fingers around it, placing it carefully on her desk just as Norner turned around. Quietly Alia unfolded the note, knowing that it was from her best friend, Kiara Roper.
We need to talk when class is over. In private. I'm really worried about my brother. I heard him leave really early this morning. He hasn't been himself lately, and I haven't seem him all day. KER
Frowning, Alia was just about to scrawl out a reply when the bell shrilled and Norner released them. Gathering her things up and shoving them into her bag, Alia hurried out of the classroom with Kiara at her side.
"What do you think?" Kiara asked urgently as soon as they were out of hearing range of the others. "I've been worried sick about Alex."
"Let's go talk to my dad. Maybe he's out on a secret mission or something. Yeah, I'm sure that's it. He's on a secret mission." Alia purposefully left out the fact that trainees never went out on secret missions.
"I hope you're right." Kiara replied, her brows furrowed in thought. "He's just been acting so odd lately. When I asked him where he was going he told me to shut up and go back to bed before he did something he was going to regret." The two girls were silent as they made their way through the maze they called home, finally reaching the Commander's office. Alia knocked on the heavy wooden door and opened it without waiting for an answer. Her father looked up, a smile lighting his weary face when he saw them come in. Alia was stricken by how her father looked much older than his thirty-five years, with his haunted, world weary green eyes and graying black hair. Of course, half the female population at Base was in love with him anyways.
"Hello, ladies. What can I do for you today?" Harry asked pleasantly. "Make yourselves comfortable. Tea?" Alia and Kiara slipped into the armchairs in front of the oak desk, accepting the cups of teas he conjured.
"Dad, we're worried about Kiara's brother." Alia said, deciding to get right to the point. "Did you send him out on a mission? Is he okay? Kiara said that he's been acting funny lately, and that she saw him leave early this morning." Harry sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair.
"Kiara, I didn't send Alex out on a mission. I was alerted that he was missing a few hours ago. We don't – " Harry paused as the door slammed open. Alia jumped in surprise, turning around n her seat to see Severus Snape in Death Eater's robes, a mask clutched in one fist and his wand in the other.
"Potter." Snape snapped. "I know where Roper is. Unfortunately."
"You know where my brother is?" Kiara asked hopefully. "He's okay, right?" Snape spared the girl an almost sympathetic glance before smoothing over his features into an emotionless mask again.
"Roper has betrayed the Resistance." Snape told Alia's father urgently. Kiara gasped, all of the color slowly draining from her face. "He arrived at Voldemort's Base sometime today and revealed the location of Base to Voldemort himself. He was accepted into the Death Eater fold not thirty minutes ago. We need to begin evacuation now, Potter. They attack in two hours."
"No!" Kiara cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. Alia's hazel eyes were wide, her mind reeling with horror. Alex, a traitor? Alia looked up at her father, who in turn looked pointedly at Kiara and jerked his head towards the door. Understanding at once what he needed to be done, Alia stood and took her best friend's hand.
"Come on, Kiara." She said softly. "The Circle needs to plan. I'll take you to your rooms. We have to get ready to leave." She helped Kiara to her feet and led her to the door.
"Take her to her mother and return here." Alia nodded to her father and led Kiara down the corridors, the only sounds their footsteps and Kiara's sobs. As they reached the doors to the Roper family's rooms, a shrieking siren sounded throughout Base. That siren sent shivers up Alia's spine. Everyone always prayed that they would never hear that alarm. The Evacuation Alarm.
"Attention everyone. This is not a drill. Civilians prepare to evacuate. All others report to your battle stations. I repeat, this is not a drill." Alia shoved open Kiara's door and hurried inside. Elisabeth Roper was bustling around the entrance room, her normally tanned face as pale as a vampire's.
"Alia? Kiara? Kiara, sweetie, what's wrong?" Kiara only wailed louder. Mrs. Roper's worried blue eyes snapped over to Alia. "What's going on?"
"Alex went to the dark side." Alia answered tensely. Mrs. Roper gasped, sinking to her knees as she covered her mouth with one hand. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Roper. He gave up the location of Base and joined the Death Eaters." She looked down at the older woman. "Kiara needs to get ready to leave. Will you be fighting?"
"Of course, dear. I'll make sure someone gets Kiara to our evacuation point. Thank you for bringing her here." Mrs. Roper had slowly gotten back to her feet, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. Alia rested a hand on Mrs. Roper's arm.
"Be strong." She whispered and turned and ran as fast as she could back to her father's office, weaving between the civilians heading to various evacuation points and army recruits running full speed to their stations. Alia skidded to a halt in front of the familiar door, bending over to catch her breath before slipping inside.
"All right." Her father was saying. "This is it, then. For duty and for honor."
"For duty and for honor." Repeated the other members of the Circle in a single, low voice. They filed out of the room, already dressed in battle robes, their faces pale and taut with worry.
"Come here, Alia. Sit down." Alia silently obeyed, taking the seat she had occupied just ten minutes earlier. Alia watched as he bustled around the room, opening filing cabinets and taking out stacks of parchment that he then set on fire. "Alia, to put it frankly, the Resistance is losing the war. Voldemort is going to get a huge advantage over us when he takes over Base."
"How do you know he's going to take over? You're just going to give up?" Alia cried out, looking at her father in horror. "We can still win!"
"Alia, you underestimate the power of Voldemort and his forces. Voldemort himself is coming tonight, and I fear that today is the day." He returned to his desk and muttered something, jabbing a drawer with his wand. He pulled a wooden box out of the drawer and set it on the desk in front of her. "In this box is your key for surviving. Inside is a Time Turner that will take you back twenty years in time. There are instructions on its use." Another flick of his wand and a bookshelf was pushed away, revealing a door that Alia had never even known was there. Striding over, Harry pulled open the door and gestured her inside. "Alia, I need you to hide in here. If…if things go wrong, you are going to open that box, read the instructions, and use that Time Turner."
"But why me? Why not you?" Alia asked desperately. "Aren't you coming with me?"
"I'm can't abandon my people, Alia." He looked straight into her eyes. "I love you, Alia, with all my heart. Believe me when I say that I am doing what is best for you." The sirens out in the halls were getting louder. "I want you to have a better life, Alia. I want you to live, not hide like you have to here."
"I love you, too, Dad." Alia whispered, taking the box with trembling hands. He slipped a chain over her neck. She looked down at it. Two rings hung from it.
"Those are promise rings, Alia. They were mine you and your mother's. I want you to have them." Alia nodded. He took her arm, gently leading her over to the door that he had just revealed. He opened it, ushering her inside. "Remember, Alia. I love you." He shut the door, flicking his wand and sending the bookshelf back to its place. Then he waited. Ten minutes later, the door opened.
Lord Voldemort stood in the doorway.