Swings and Roundabouts

by LongLongLegz

This is the start of what I hope to be quite a long fic. I'm writing chapter 2 already, but I want to know what you think of it. It'll most likely be H/H, but this is really only an introduction

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: I plan to make this a novel-length fic, when I get some more time. This'll probably end up being half a chapter then, if it gets any longer.

Odgebap

Sarah

Swings and Roundabouts: Chapter 1

Sticks and Stones

I am shielded in my armour

Hiding in my room,

Safe within my womb.

I touch no one and no one touches me.

I am a rock,

I am an island.

But a rock can feel no pain,

And an island never cries

~Simon and Garfunkle – I am a Rock

The train pulled up. A young lady, holding a battered suitcase got out and looked around, not seeing where she was and not seeming to care. Quietly she made her way up the escalator, pausing at the top to make sure she was going in the right direction. Up the next escalator, through the barrier and up the stone steps, out of the station entrance, into the cold night air. She halted, straining seemingly for a faintly audible sound, then turned and walked over to a black car, parked silently on the other side of the road.

The window opened, and a man's voice floated out. 'You're late,' he stated.
'So are you,' she retorted. 'I've been waiting for at least fifteen minutes longer than I was supposed to, and I was told there would be consequences if you were late. Where can I put this?' she said, gesturing at her suitcase.
'You can put it in the back.'

She walked around to the rear of the car and thumped the boot, impatiently. It opened, and she gently placed her case in the car. Turning to look sideways into a darkened alley, she saw a pair of eyes gleaming out at her. She shivered involuntarily and pulled her coat closer around her.

She opened the car door. 'We're being watched. This place isn't safe.'
'No place is safe for us,' he said harshly as she got in. 'I thought you'd know that by now.' They drove off.
'But…' she paused as if searching for the word, 'what about the safe houses… and the protected zones?'
'They're only safe for a short period of time, but if we're seen going in, then even the most elaborate wards won't protect us.'
'I must have missed something then.' He smiled.

'You've been on the continent too long'
She nodded. 'I haven't been home since before…'
'I know.'

She bowed her head, trying to hide the tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. If he only knew… He put his arm around her shaking shoulders.
'I don't know if I can go through with this, Harry. I'm scared'
'It's all right, don't worry, everything will be okay. We'll just keep acting as if nothing has happened. Everything will seem the same for us, and for everyone. Only we will know the difference. No matter how much it hurts inside, we'll just have to keep going, this is the end, and the end of everything we know. You know how much the future depends on us,' He stopped the car. 'We're here. You'll probably hear more than you've bargained for once we get inside, but for now, we wait.'

He flashed the headlights at an oncoming car, which slowed down almost immediately. The house they had stopped in front of had its door opened and light flooded out into the night. A steady bass beat emanated from somewhere within. On the other side of the street, there was a low shrubbery, and a gravel path leading up to a non-descript Californian Bungalow house, covered in trailing wisteria.

'We go in now. Once we're inside there's no turning back. You do understand that don't you?' she nodded. 'You will have to do your best because no one we've got is as good as you. Just keep pretending everything is the same, and don't tell anyone what you see or hear… but you should know that by now, after all you've been doing this for, what, 3 years?'
'Four. And a half, coming on this February' she smiled, seemingly for the first time. 'I guess I am looking forward to this in a strange sort of way…'

She said no more, because at that moment, a sound came from the speakers of the car. 'Identify yourselves please.'
Harry's hand hovered over the auto-tune button of the car radio. He hesitated, before pressing it firmly. The dashboard suddenly flashed with the small points of dim lights, which steadily grew brighter with the passing seconds. 'We put our hands on these, just to make sure we are who we really are' he said in response to an incredulous look. 'It's just the routine fingerprint and palm analysis. They'll just be confirming yours.' He placed his hands on the dashboard, until the lights flashed once and then disappeared. She did the same, gasping at the small electric current flowing through her fingertips, waiting for what seemed like an eternity before the lights finally flashed and vanished. The disembodied voice spoke again. 'You may enter now, bring the girl with you.'

'Should I get my bag?' she sounded a little worried, as if something important was in there.
'It might be a good idea to bring it with us. Cars aren't completely safe.'
After reaching behind her to grab her battered suitcase, she quickly scanned the edges for any sign of intrusion. Nothing.

As they left the car, Harry activated the auto-lock and car alarm. They walked quickly up the gravel path and stood in front of the door. Harry reached forward and pressed the doorbell. Nothing happened. They waited. 5 seconds… ten seconds… fifteen… twenty… thirty… forty-five... Suddenly the door opened. The faint acrid smell of burnt toast wafted through the open door, and was gone. A man opened the door, and ushered them into the hallway and motioned for them to remove their cloaks. They did so, and he motioned for him to follow them. They followed him down the hallway and left, through a doorway into a comfortable looking lounge room. Two men and two women, obviously sisters, were sitting around a table. They all turned to look at Harry. One of the men spoke:
'Well, well, well, look what just turned up on the doorstep,' the blond man said.
'Three holes in the ground. Don't be snide, Malfoy, if you're going to be a cretin, then you can leave us in peace' responded Harry hotly.
'Okay… okay… everyone calm down; this is getting far too heated. We need to talk about the serious issues.' said the other man, 'you can resume your argument at a later date.'
'Ron's right,' said one of the women 'If either of you two can't grow up, we're going to send you both …'
'… outside to fight it off. No magic allowed. Or you'll be washing dishes, every night for the next year, by hand.' said the other.

Harry turned red, and muttered something under his breath, which sounded very much like: 'smarmygit'. He walked over to the others. 'This,' he said, pointing to the first woman, 'is Mary Tudor, head of Internal Magical Security; and her twin sister, Elizabeth, head of the Wizarding Education board in Britain.' They smiled and waved cheerily. 'I'm sure you know Hermione Granger.'
Ron spluttered. 'That's not Hermione, she can't be. She certainly doesn't look like Hermione…'