It was a dark night. Clouds hung thick over Privet Drive. A light mist fell, and the streetlamps cast an eerie gaze over the pavement. Alone as always, Harry Potter stood at his window, waiting.
Lupin had sent word the previous week. Someone was coming to collect him, an Order of the Phoenix member on her first mission. The last bit greatly worried Harry. Last summer it had been nine experienced Order members, and the Dursleys had been out of the house. He had been hoping that Lupin would come, and Nymphadora Tonks, or even Kingsley Shacklebolt. However, his escape had been entrusted to a nameless rookie. I have complete faith in her, Lupin had written, Dumbledore is very glad she was recruited. Harry wished he didn't have the misgivings eating away at him.
Bored, he looked at his neatly packed trunk, on top of which was his Firebolt and Hedwig's cage. Harry's heart skipped a beat when he heard footsteps in the hall. 'Only Uncle Vernon,' he thought, hearing the floorboards groaning under his uncle's weight, 'he must be wanting a midnight snack.' Reluctantly, he turned back to the window. He couldn't see signs of anyone coming, and had begun to think that maybe he'd gotten the days mixed up when someone took hold of his arm and hissed 'quiet' in his ear. Harry gulped back the yell that he barely managed to keep behind his lips and turned to face the witch.
She wasn't dressed in robes, but in a loose fitting black shirt, and a long black pleated skirt, with slippers on her feet. She wore what looked like a big black scarf that completely hid her face and hair, with the exception of her eyes, which were very deep set, underneath a pair of thick eyebrows.
"Who are you," Harry whispered. The witch had pulled out her wand and was shrinking Harry's trunk.
"Save the questions for later, right now I've got to get you to Headquarters." She opened the shoulder bag she had been carrying and placed Harry's trunk inside, followed a minute later by Hedwig's cage. She closed the bag and turned to Harry. He had gotten quite tall over the past year, though the witch was still an inch or so taller.
"How are we getting out of here?" he asked. He hadn't yet heard Uncle Vernon come back upstairs.
"We're going down the stairs and right out the front door. Stealth is the trick here, and Dumbledore said there wouldn't be time to prepare you." She adjusted the scarf as she spoke.
"So we're sitting ducks is what you're saying?" Harry whispered angrily. He'd expect a plan from anyone in the Order of the Phoenix to be damn near fool-proof before being put into action.
"Abso-bloody-lutely not. We're getting out of here with no problem." She held her wand over Harry's head and he felt himself shrinking. When he was about the size of a five-year-old, the witch turned around and squatted down.
"Hop on," she told Harry. He jumped up, for what was probably the first piggy-back ride of his life. The witch slid a slippered foot under the handle of Harry's broomstick and flipped it up. Harry caught it and held it out of the way, and they slipped noiselessly though the bedroom door and into the darkened hallway. The witch stood silently for a moment, and then took off at a soundless run down the hall.
As they neared the staircase, Harry felt himself leaving the ground. Instead of jumping down the stairs, however, Harry's new friend landed on the banister and sort of surfed down the railing. She leapt off at the bottom and landed catlike in the hallway. Harry felt himself being dropped. He could see the light from the fridge for a moment, before it disappeared. Uncle Vernon had finally finished indulging himself. Harry had to get out of there that instant. He started backing towards the door, and in his rush, he crashed into the coat rack, which toppled over with a loud BANG!
Harry froze as the kitchen door crashed open. There stood Uncle Vernon in his dressing gown, his face magenta, and his mustache quivering as he prepared to demand what was going on and order Harry back to his room. Uncle Vernon's mouth opened a second later with a long stream of incoherent gibberish and quite a few swear words.
"Harry, run," the witch said firmly. "Get on your broom and start flying. I'll be along, don't look back." Still clutching his broom, the tiny Harry dashed out of the door and into the night. He mounted his broomstick out in the garden and kicked off, the rain misting his glasses and making it difficult for him to see. He looked back only once, but didn't see the strange witch who had rescued him from the Dursleys.
Glad though he was to be getting away from Privet Drive, Harry could admit to himself that he wasn't looking forward to returning to number twelve, Grimmauld Place in London. The old, decrepit-looking house that was the Headquarters of the Order was formerly the house of his godfather, Sirius Black, who had died just over a month previously. He wiped a bit of water from his glasses and flew on reluctantly.
Not long afterwards, Harry heard a whoosh to his right. Glancing over, he saw a bit of red hair that was quickly covered again as the scarf was adjusted and was hidden in the folds of black cloth once again. Harry was bursting with questions for the newcomer, but decided it would be best to wait until they had landed. They swerved and soared through the air, avoiding the eyes of Muggles far below. The lights of London were soon glittering below them, and Harry began his descent. He touched down lightly in the middle of the square in which he had landed the previous summer. He felt a hand at the back of his shirt, followed by a stretching sensation, and he found himself back to his full height.
"I need you to help me a bit, Harry. This is my first time to Headquarters, and I very much doubt if anyone else knows I'm even in the Order besides Lupin and Dumbledore." Harry hesitated, then strode quickly towards the gap between numbers eleven and thirteen, and as he walked, a big, old house with the paint peeling stretched out into the other houses, and Harry and the witch could climb the steps and enter.
"Who are you?" Harry asked again. Harry noticed that she had her wand out, and her eyes were darting in all directions. She mounted the stairs backwards. Harry was reminded strongly of Moody.
"At school they used to call me Cuts. That will do to be going on with. Go inside, I'll explain more then." They entered quickly, not ringing the doorbell because it was very late, and to avoid waking the portrait if Sirius's mother, which would start shrieking very loudly at any kind of racket. It caused Harry a pang to remember the first time he had seen that wretched painting scream. Once inside, Harry led his companion to the stone-walled basement kitchen, which was dimly lit with torches.
As Cuts removed her scarf, Harry saw she had pulled her curly hair up quite messily, and there were several strands hanging down. She yanked out her hairband, and it hung to her waist in a tangled mess. Harry thought her face was in a worse state than her hair, and never would have given her a second look, if he were to pass her on the street. It was sharply angled, and very savage looking, possibly due to her bushy eyebrows.
"Harry, dear," said a cheerful voice. "You've arrived finally, I've been worried sick." Mrs. Weasley pulled Harry into a tight hug and then started checking him over for signs of injury.
"Where's Remus?" Cuts asked a bit testily. Mrs. Weasley turned from Harry and gave Cuts a disapproving look.
"He is upstairs at the moment, Miss…" Mrs. Weasley prompted.
"Cuts," she repeated, "Didn't Dumbledore tell you I was coming?"
"He said someone would be bringing Harry along, but I didn't think it would be some random witch." Cuts looked highly offended at Mrs. Weasley's statement.
"I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix, thank you very much," she replied, her voice rising with every word. "and I would appreciate it if you didn't treat me as though I were a nobody." Harry thought for a fleeting moment that the two women would pull their wands on each other, when someone came down and interrupted them by saying in a hoarse voice,
"What's going on here?" Remus Lupin stood at the door to the kitchen, glancing between the pair.
"Remus, will you please explain to this… woman… that 'random witches' can not just wander into Headquarters, that is, unless Dumbledore has been coerced into revealing us." Harry noticed Cuts' dark gray eyes were fiery as she looked at Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley, in turn had abandoned her usual pleasant disposition for a look not unlike a saber-toothed tiger.
"By the looks of you I wouldn't be surprised if you had," Mrs. Weasley retorted. Lupin nodded as though he understood everything.
"Well, maybe if you had introduced yourselves properly," Lupin muttered. "Molly Weasley, Cuts, a new recruit," he added. "Cuts, this is Molly Weasley, a fellow member of the Order." Cuts and Mrs. Weasley shook hands and smiled politely at each other, but returned to their hardened stares the moment they released the grip.
"You knew each other in school?" Harry asked amazedly. He was always eager to meet people who were at Hogwarts in his parents' days.
"Of course," Lupin replied dismissively. "We were both Prefects for our Houses. We crossed paths frequently during our final years at Hogwarts."
"We used to do homework in the library together. Moony had a wit worthy of Ravenclaw." Lupin bowed
"Thank you. Though I must say, you did manage to scare James and Sirius into behaving once in a while. That took some Gryffindor spirit."
"You knew my dad and Sirius, then?" Harry asked. Remus let out a snort of laughter.
"She was the only one besides Dumbledore who could control them. Cuts had Sirius so scared once he almost wet himself."
"Can you really blame me, though?" Cuts replied with a laugh. "With the number of times the stupid prat used a Severing Charm my hair, I'm surprised I'm not bald. When I first heard he'd been thrown in Azkaban, I wasn't in the least bit surprised." Harry bristled when Cuts spoke of Sirius that way, but then remembered what he had seen in Snape's Penseive the previous year. Snape had told Harry for years that his father had been arrogant, the fact of which Harry had remained firmly oblivious to, until a trip into Snape's memory proved it was true. He kept his mouth shut.
"Don't get me wrong, Harry," Cuts continued. "I liked Sirius well enough when he wasn't making a total prat of himself."
"Which wasn't often," Lupin pointed out, "Despite all the abuse, he was quite fond of you, though, up until one point." Cuts gave Remus a significant look.
"I think it's safe to say we were well shut of each other from that point," Cuts said darkly.
"Yes, well, Harry dear, you've had a long day, and I think you should be getting along to bed," Mrs. Weasley said with a yawn. She ushered Harry out of the room before he had half a chance to utter 'good-night.' Harry trudged up the stairs and into the bedroom he had shared with Ron last summer.
Lying awake, Harry tried to sort out what he'd been told. What could possibly have started an argument between Cuts and Sirius that would have ended their friendship? Did Sirius pull a horrid prank on Cuts, or was it something of a more serious nature? He'd seen Cuts's face when she spoke of him, she apparently still held a grudge. If she can still hold onto it after all those years and Sirius's death, she's either really petty, or Sirius really hurt her, he concluded. Harry rolled over as sleep came over him.
Harry was woken the following morning by a surprised yell. Ron hadn't expected his best friend to appear in the room with him. They spent the next hour catching up on what had happened during their month apart. The Dursleys had finally wised up to what Dudley spent his 'tea time' doing, which caused a fight to rival the worst Uncle Vernon had ever had with Harry. "I have half a mind to send you to St. Brutus's," Uncle Vernon had sprayed spit all over the kitchen. Aunt Petunia had wailed until Harry quite felt like using a Silencing Charm on her.
Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes was so successful that Fred and George had decided not to join the Order after all, much to Mrs. Weasley's relief. Ginny and Dean Thomas were still going out, much to Ron's disgust, and Percy was part of the family again, though he was still living in London. Hermione was currently on holiday in Portugal, but would be joining them in a couple of weeks.
"How she could go on holiday at a time like this is beyond me," Ron was saying as they went down to breakfast. "I'd be dead scared."
"Our lives can't stop just because everyone knows Voldemort's back now," Harry said blandly, ignoring Ron's whimpers.
"You know, you're very timid for a Gryffindor," a voice said from behind. Harry and Ron turned to see Cuts tromping down the hall behind them, her feet clad in heavy boots.
"I don't know what business it is of yours," Ron shot back, his ears burning red.
"I was making an observation. It is my business to observe. It is also my business to protect."
"Don't tell me you're going to be following us around all year," Harry exclaimed.
"I wouldn't tell you even if I was. By the way, Ronald, my name is Cuts." She stalked past them and thumped down the stairs, causing Mrs. Black's portrait to start wailing again. "Scum, filth, blood traitors…" Harry and Ron ran the rest of the way down the stairs. Cuts was single-handedly trying to pull the curtains in front of the portrait closed. Lupin ran in from the door leading down to the kitchen and tried to help with the portrait. As soon as he touched the moth-eaten curtain, Cuts gave a great tug and the curtains shut. The last shrieks echoed in the hall.
"You really need to get rid of that, Remus."
"We can't, there's a Permanent Sticking Charm on it," Lupin replied darkly.
"So cut it out of the wall," she replied through clenched teeth, before continuing down to the kitchen.
"Strange, that one," Ron said quietly.
"If you had any idea," Lupin replied, "Let's get breakfast."
Mrs. Weasley had scrambled eggs, toast and bacon all ready by the time Harry, Ron and Lupin made their way downstairs. Cuts was just sitting at the table with Tonks, Ginny and Bill Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. All but Cuts looked up at Harry and Ron when they came in and greeted them. Cuts started reading The Daily Prophet, a newspaper which, for all Harry was concerned, was full of rubbish. She glanced quickly at it, then set the paper down with a snort of amusement.
"What trifle. '10 ways to know you've been attacked by Death Eaters'? Nine times out of ten you're dead before you have to realize it." She took a slice of toast from the pile and bit it crudely.
"It's not trifle, Cuts," Kingsley said in his deep, low voice, "The Ministry has to do its best to retain calm."
"Not everyone is capable of your dueling skills," Tonks added, winking at Harry. He sat down across from her, grinning. Tonks was a Metamorphmagus, meaning she could change her appearance at will. Today she sported her usual short spiky hair in bubble gum pink.
"Not to mention the special equipment," Mr. Weasley added. Everyone except Ron, Harry, and Ginny gave him a look of warning. Mr. Weasley turned a bright shade of red and exited the kitchen, followed by his wife. Harry could tell he wasn't supposed to know about what Mr. Weasley had said.
"What special equipment?" Ginny asked.
"Never mind," Cuts answered sharply. She dragged a finger through the burn mark Fred and George had left last summer, then examined the carbon left on the tip. "There's an owl coming," she said pleasantly.
"It's Hermes. Percy let me borrow him so I could write to Hermione." Ron rose from his seat and went to the window, where the owl had indeed perched seconds before.
"How did you know it was there?" Ginny asked. "Is dipping your finger in soot a form of Divination?"
"You don't take that, do you?" Cuts asked seriously. They shook their heads. "Good. I heard it coming."
"You couldn't have heard it," Ron said, "it's impossible."
"Ever tried hunting Tebos?"
"Hunting what?" Harry asked.
"Tebos, great bloody warthogs, found in Congo and Zaire. They can become invisible, you know. Try hunting something you can't see, and can kill you, and see how fast your senses sharpen."
"And I suppose you're some expert or something?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"I'm the best there is. That's why I'm here."
"What, does You-Know-Who have an army of Tebos?" Ginny asked, trying to wheedle information.
"No. I can see without seeing and without being seen. Besides, with Dementors and Giants, who needs them?" Cuts added with a laugh.
"That's enough, Cuts," Lupin said, "You seem to be taking this all too lightly. Since the loss of the Prophecy," he broke off, with a look at Harry and the others. "We'll discuss this later." Lupin finished his bacon and left the room. Ron opened the envelope and started reading his mail.
"This is why I prefer working solo," Cuts whispered loudly.
"Unfortunately, Cuts, you need to understand that we don't kill unless absolutely necessary," Kingsley explained calmly, "The Order works to bring Death Eaters to justice. It saves innocent lives. I think it's better for you to be here."
"If you are referring to the incident I think you are, Kingsley, that's hitting a little below the belt." She downed the rest of her tea in one gulp, then belched loudly. "Let's go." Kingsley and Cuts also left the kitchen.
"She is definitely the strangest witch I've ever met," Ron said, shaking his head.
"I've heard about her," Tonks said, "Comes from a very old Wizarding family, one of the first. She was raised by her older brother, who I heard is a Squib."
"What about her parents?" Harry asked.
"Father's in Azkaban, mother in St. Mungo's. Closed Ward."
"So what's the owl say?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione says there have been a lot of suspicious deaths," Ron responded glumly, "Her parents are making to come home sooner than they expected."
"Let me see that," Tonks said. Her eyes scanned it quickly. "This is bad. I don't know how he could have spread so far this quickly. Dumbledore has to know." She went to the window and shot a jet of silver light from her wand that went ricocheting off into the distance. "Let's see what the others are doing." They climbed the stairs into the hall, walking on tiptoe, and heard scuffling sounds from behind one of the doors. Tonks opened it and went in, Harry, Ron and Ginny behind her. Kingsley and Cuts were engaged in a sparring match, Lupin watching on the side.
Tonks motioned to Lupin, and he followed her into the hallway, closing the door behind them. Harry fell to watching the fight. Ron stood with his mouth open as Kingsley threw Cuts to the ground, where she flipped herself right back up and leaped into the air, doing a spin kick into Kingsley's shoulder, knocking him to the ground with a grunt. Cuts then got down and pinned him to the floor. Kingsley struggled for about a minute.
"Ready to surrender, then?" Cuts asked triumphantly.
"Not quite," he answered, throwing Cuts off his body and clear over to the couch. She landed with a loud thud, that made Harry wince. Cuts, however, showed no signs of pain, but merely held her hand out to Kingsley.
"Not bad, Shacklebolt," she said as he came over to help her up, "You Aurors are tougher than I thought." She dusted off her backside.
"Why aren't you an Auror?" Ginny asked amazedly.
"I don't agree with some of the Auror codes of conduct. Besides, like I said earlier, I like working alone." She left the room, giving Ginny a hard slap on the back on the way out, sending her reeling. Harry grabbed her by the arm to stop her from falling.
"I bet people are glad she likes being alone," Ron said quietly, "That way they don't have to look at her." Ginny punched her brother in the arm. Ron gave a yelp.
"That was unbelievably rude. Didn't you hear what Tonks said about her? It's not her fault her mother's in St. Mungo's and she was raised by a man."
"All right, all right, sorry, I won't insult your friend anymore," Ron said, holding his arm and wincing.
"She's not my friend, I just don't think it's right to make fun of her."
"You always make friends with weirdoes, don't you, though?" Ron continued, "Look at Loony."
"Luna," Harry corrected. "And she's not as weird as you think." Luna Lovegood was a Ravenclaw in Ginny's year. Harry remembered the last conversation had had with her; before the Leaving Feast, after Sirius had died. He had certainly felt more for her at that moment than during the entire year. The only relief from the anguish tearing Harry apart was the memory of that conversation.
"She's right, Ron," Kingsley said, "Besides, you don't want to get on the wrong side of Cuts. She didn't get that name for nothing." He massaged his shoulder where Cuts had kicked him. "She would have killed more Death Eaters than Mad-Eye caught during the first war. That's why she's not an Auror. Too quick to kill."
"That's why Dumbledore brought her here?" Harry asked. Kingsley nodded.
"He practically had to force her. She worked on her own before, made a mistake and killed someone she didn't want to kill. After that, she headed off to Africa. She's impulsive, she needs restraint."
"She's insane," Ron muttered.
"She needs friends," Ginny insisted.
Cuts wasn't around Headquarters the next few days, which Harry was glad about, though he wished he wasn't there himself. Albeit, it was better than being stuck at the Dursleys, but everywhere Harry looked were painful reminders of his godfather. Even Kreacher the House-Elf made Harry want to scream, since wherever Harry went in the house, Kreacher was there, mocking him.
"Kreacher is glad Master is gone, he doesn't pine like the Boy-Who-Lived. Master was nothing more than a filthy…"
"Shut up," Harry snarled, aiming a kick at the old elf, who jumped back from him. Harry hated everything about the elf, from his snout-like nose to the filthy loincloth about his waist.
"Harry," said a familiar voice, "Do not take your anger out on Kreacher. Remember what I told you." Harry turned and saw a tall, thin, elderly wizard with half moon spectacles and twinkling blue eyes.
"But, Professor Dumbledore, you heard him…" Dumbledore held up a hand to silence Harry.
"He is what he has been made by wizards. I have something I have to discuss with you down in the kitchen. Lupin is there, and Cuts should be back any moment. The matter at hand concerns her." He led Harry down the stairs, through the Hallway (treading softly around Mrs. Black), and down into the kitchen.
Lupin was looking seriously at the clock. "She's late, Dumbledore," he said as they came in.
"She's coming from quite a distance, Remus, and I daresay she would have gotten caught up in her assignment."
"That's just right up her alley, isn't it?" Lupin answered. Cuts came banging down the stairs and bursting into the kitchen. Harry noticed her boots, which she hadn't bothered to wipe, were covered in mud. She threw her cloak off, and she was wearing a gray, leathery, tunic that fell to her knees. She then flung herself into a chair at the table, leaned back, and put her feet on the table.
"Cuts," Dumbledore said shortly. Cuts looked down at her feet and pulled out her wand.
"Oops, sorry. Scourgify." The mud disappeared.
"Take them down, Cuts. People eat on that," Lupin said. Scowling, Cuts removed her feet from the table, and replaced them with her elbows.
"Cuts, do you remember the night you removed Harry from his aunt and uncle's house?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm not likely to forget it anytime soon," she answered dryly, "I've met nicer Tebos than that Vernon Dursley."
"Did you know that as a result of your confrontation with him that he is now in a coma?" Lupin said. "And that the Ministry is looking to prosecute you?" Cuts sat back in her chair.
"Why do you think I was so eager to head off to Portugal?" she asked nonchalantly. Harry was dumbstruck. Cuts was wanted by the Ministry, and she was sitting there as though she had just slapped Uncle Vernon around the face.
"I do not think that you understand the gravity of the situation," Dumbledore said his voice rising, "Vernon Dursley was close to death when they found him. I do not think you are ready to handle important missions." Cuts stood up, glaring at Dumbledore with such a look of ferocity in her eyes that she looked like a barbarian. Harry shrunk back against the wall.
"It's just a Muggle," she said coldly. "If you don't think I'm ready, then fine, I'll be on my way." She stormed towards the stairs. Lupin called her back.
"It was a comment like that, Cuts, that ended a very good friendship." She glared.
Chapter 2
Hermione turned up at headquarters the following week. The first thing Harry and Ron did when they saw her was to ask about the deaths she had found out about while she was abroad.
"A whole family of Muggles disappeared, and four wizards were found dead under the Dark Mark. They used Avada Kedavra," she told them quietly.
"Why would he go there, though?" Ron asked, "I mean, everyone just found out about him here. It's bound to be all over the Wizarding world by now."
"He's trying to take over quickly, I guess," Harry said, "He doesn't want a lot of interference. There aren't any Order members in Portugal, are there?" Hermione shook her head.
"There's no way that we can know that. The Order doesn't…"
"We know they don't let us in on the meetings," Harry said angrily.
"Harry, calm down," Hermione said reprovingly, "I was just making a statement, there was no need to bite my head off."
"Didn't you say that Cuts went to Portugal?" Ron asked Harry.
"Yeah, mainly to escape the Ministry, I'd bet."
"Is that what you call that witch that was in the Daily Prophet last week? The one who beat up your Uncle Vernon?" without waiting for an answer, Hermione continued, "No, it probably wasn't, because Cuts wasn't the name they used."
"But she did beat up Uncle Vernon," Harry told her, "Cuts isn't her real name, Kingsley said she had it for a reason."
"That's probably why," Hermione said, "She sounds dangerous."
"Might be," Ron said, "I mean, Kingsley even says not to mess with her, and he's an Auror. Nobody seems to like her much, except for Ginny." He grinned slightly.
"I do not," said Ginny, standing at the door with her arms folded. "Mum says to stay up here, and she'll bring us up something for lunch. Everyone's frantic downstairs; no one's seen hide nor hair of Cuts since last week, and they think she went back to the Congo." She held up a piece of flesh colored string that Harry recognized at once as one of Fred and George's Extendible Ears.
"But Dumbledore wanted her here!" Ron exclaimed, "Stupid cow, leaving just because Dumbledore won't let her off on her own."
"Maybe she just doesn't want to be found," Harry said, "She said herself she was good at not being seen."
"But if she's a spy," Hermione said, "Dumbledore needs her here. The Order needs all the information they can get about Voldemort's doings." Both Ron and Ginny flinched when Hermione said 'Voldemort'.
"Lunch," Mrs. Weasley said shortly, walking in with a tray of sandwiches. "And your book lists have arrived, so tomorrow we'll go to Diagon Alley." The four nodded and took sandwiches. Ron shoveled half of his into his mouth in one bite.
"Wha' izzer nae a'way?" Ron asked Hermione muffledly, reaching for another sandwich. Hermione made a disgusted face before taking the cut-out article out of her pocket.
"Muggle Vernon Dursley of Little Whinging," she read, "was attacked by one Michelle Tiberdeaux. Dursley was reportedly beaten Muggle-style into unconsciousness, which he has yet to regain. Tiberdeaux, expatriate resident of Morocco and daughter of Azkaban inmate Richard Tiberdeaux, is perhaps best known for her work during the Dark Lord's first reign of terror, during which she killed several Death Eaters, including Iphigenia Williams and Gannon Goyle." Ron took the article from Hermione and scanned the rest of it.
"Promising witch… old pure-blooded family… failed character section of Auror examinations… extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts and Muggle weaponry… prosecuted fifteen years ago on illegal Animagi practice… renowned throughout Africa for her hunting skills, Tiberdeaux is considered violent and extremely dangerous. Bloody hell, I'm glad she's on our side."
"That can't all be right, though," Harry said, taking the article for himself. "Look, it says 'Morocco', but we all know Cuts was in the Congo."
"Harry, just because they mistook the country doesn't mean the rest of the information isn't reliable," Ginny said.
"Kind of like all the things they said about me being a nut case last year were reliable," Harry replied sarcastically. Ginny blushed.
"I think Ginny has a point, Harry," Hermione said, "I don't think it's possible that they got it that wrong. The Ministry isn't out to discredit her."
"It fits with what we know about her," Ron added, "Father in Azkaban, violent, hunting skills. The other stuff can't be too far off. Sorry, mate, looks like you're outnumbered."
"Maybe it's because you're having trouble seeing her as 'Michelle'," Ginny offered. Harry said nothing and looked at his forgotten book list. Unsurprisingly, he needed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six by Miranda Goshawk, Advanced Transfiguration and Curses and Creatures, An Intensive Guide to the Dark Arts. At the bottom of the list, however, was Complex Potions, Poisons, and Antidotes. Harry, shocked, looked up at his friends.
"Why do I have a Potions book on my list?" he asked confusedly. "I barely got an 'E', and Snape only takes students into NEWT classes if they get an 'O'."
"Maybe McGonagall pulled a few strings," Ron suggested, taking the last of the sandwiches, "She said she'd help you to become an Auror. Though I don't envy you spending two more years with Snape."
"I'd hardly think she'd go that far, Ron," Hermione said. "It's one thing to coach Harry, but getting him into a class that he didn't meet the requirements for isn't fair at all."
"Maybe he did meet the requirements," Ginny said, sitting on the bed. "After all, they are Snape's requirements. Maybe he doesn't teach Potions anymore."
"He does do an awful lot for the Order," Hermione said pensively. "Maybe Dumbledore wants him to focus more on that for the time being. I must say, the timing is perfect."
"You're telling me. I don't reckon I'd've made it through with him teaching me." Their conversation was interrupted by the shrieking of Mrs. Black's portrait downstairs. They all ran to the landing, hoping to see who had come and if they could overhear anything. Ginny passed Extendible Ears to the others, but they would wait until the portrait was silent before inserting them.
"Blood traitors, half-breeds…" the portrait shrieked, while Tonks untangled herself from an umbrella stand that looked as though it were a severed troll's leg. Mrs. Weasley came out into the hall to try to close the moth-eaten curtains over the portrait, and Tonks fell over again as she tried to get up. Mad-Eye Moody and Lupin appeared, and quiet was soon restored to the hall below them. Soon, four Extendible Ears were snaking their way over the edge of the landing.
"They know too much," Mrs. Weasley was whispering, but Harry and the others could hear her loud and clear, "I heard them talking about it when I brought them lunch."
"I don't think it's anything to worry about, Molly," Lupin replied, "You know how they are, that the moment Hermione got here they would start asking questions about what she learned in Portugal. As a matter of fact, I'm glad she did find out. We wouldn't have found out otherwise, there's nobody stationed over there."
"Maybe Cuts went back there," Tonks said. "I've contacted her brother, but she's not with him or at her compound."
"There's just so many places that girl could have gone off too," Moody rumbled, "She'd have made a damn good Auror if she had made it into training."
"Still, I'll feel a lot better once they're safely back at school. Did Dumbledore find someone to replace that dreadful Umbridge woman? And what about Severus?" Ginny gave Harry a look that said 'I told you so' and turned back to the landing.
"He's just hired someone Tuesday," Moody growled, his electric blue magical eye swiveling in all directions. "This one seems eager for the job."
"Well, that could be a good sign, considering all that's happened in the past," Lupin said.
"Hey, you lot!" Moody yelled his magical eye had been pointing right at them, "Mind your business!" Harry and the others pulled up the Extendible Ears and ran down the hallway and into the bedroom, slamming the door behind them.
The next morning, Mrs. Weasley woke them all early to go to Diagon Alley. Lupin walked along with them, keeping his hand inside his pocket, obviously holding his wand. It had been two years since Harry had been there, and he was quite looking forward to going back. The cobblestones paved the road of the most interesting Wizarding shops in the world, full of spell books, and all sorts of instruments that Harry could only begin to guess what they were used for. Their first stop, however, was Gringotts bank. Harry remembered the first time he had ridden the carts, back on his eleventh birthday. The carts were no less wild, and the goblins just as nasty looking. Harry was quite glad to leave the bank and go back out into the bright sunshine.
His moneybag refilled, Harry began to think of what he needed for the coming year at Hogwarts. His spell books, of course, were essential, and a supply of potions ingredients. He thought vaguely of getting new robes, but Hermione dragged them to buy parchment, ink and quills, for all the homework and essays they were no doubt expected to write.
"This is the most crucial part of our education. They're bound to give us loads of work," she explained. "And Ginny, you're taking your OWLs this year, so you need to be prepared." Ginny rolled her eyes behind Hermione's back as they exited the shop, carrying bags stuffed with parchment. They saw a few of their Hogwarts friends mulling around, examining racing brooms, eating ice creams or lazily walking the street. They stopped and chatted for several minutes with Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff prefect, about the DA, a secret Defense Against the Dark Arts group headed by Harry.
"If the new teacher's anything like Umbridge, we'll definitely have to start it up again," Ernie had said pompously. Mrs. Wesley then shunted them along to Flourish and Blotts, the book shop. Lupin took Harry's new Defense Against the Dark Arts book and leafed through it longingly. Lupin had been Harry's favorite teacher of the subject, and he knew Lupin must miss teaching. Because Lupin was a werewolf, most wizards were prejudiced against him, and there were laws in place that made it nearly impossible for him to work. Harry knew that Lupin wasn't dangerous in the slightest, at least in human form, and seeing someone he had come to regard as a friend in such shabby clothing and prematurely aging made him angry.
When they emerged from the shop a half hour later, they were all clutching large bags, Hermione's the heaviest of all. She had not dropped a single subject for the remaining two years at Hogwarts; she even managed an 'O' in Potions, though why she wanted to continue studying with Snape when she didn't have to was a mystery to Harry. As much as Harry loathed Snape, he was prepared to go on, as Potions was essential study for an Auror, the only career Harry had ever considered after Hogwarts.
After lunch in the Leaky Cauldron, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to go off by themselves. They noticed a large crowd in front of one of the shops and decided to investigate. As they drew nearer, the laughing crowd dispersed, revealing Fred and George Weasley standing with excited looks on their faces. This was the first time any of them had seen Fred and George's premises.
"Come on in," George said, "We'll give you a special discount. We heard that Dumbledore got rid of Umbridge."
"Wish we could've been there to see it," Fred added, "Would've given her a big send off, we would."
"I just hope the next one's loads better," Hermione sniffed, "Or we'll fail our NEWTs."
"No you won't," George assured them, winking at Harry. "You've got the best teacher standing right next to you."
"Just rev up the DA again, all will be well," Fred said.
"That's what Ernie said," Ron told them, looking around at the walls. "Got anything new?" In response, George pulled out a pair of what appeared to be Omnioculars.
"Invisulars," he said, handing them to Ron. "Make you able to see through walls, Invisibility Cloaks, clothing," he added with a smirk. Ron put them to his eyes and pointed them at Hermione. She threw one arm across her chest and used her other hand to snatch them away from Ron.
"They could come in handy," Harry said quietly, "For the you-know-what."
"Tell you what," George said with a wink, "Take a pair along, no charge. We've got business to deal with." The trio said goodbye to the twins and left the store.
"Some of the things they come up with are brilliant," Harry said, "And dead useful."
"Like the Extendibles," Ron said, "The Order could use them, and these beauties as well." He took the Invisulars from Hermione and looked at them up close.
"I expect they work similarly to Mad-Eye's magical eye," Hermione said. "That's likely where they got the idea from."
"The Order could use these without the lot of them poking their eyes out, that's for sure," Ron said.
"Harry," said a voice behind them, "Ron, Hermione." They turned around and saw Seamus Finnigan, a fellow Gryffindor sixth year, coming towards them.
"I saw that article in the Daily Prophet," Seamus said. "Me mam said that Tiberdeaux used to baby-sit me, and she couldn't believe it. Never wanted anything to do with the Dark Arts, wasn't violent at all from what she told me."
"Have you heard anything on your uncle?" Seamus asked. Harry shook his head.
"I doubt my aunt would care to tell me."
"Why was she at your house anyway?" Seamus asked. Harry fumbled to come up with an excuse.
"Because, er… she- she was trying to er… kidnap me for Voldemort," he said, ignoring the flinches followed up by Hermione tutting.
"I don't know why she bothered. If you can take You-know-who, you can take her easily," Seamus said. Harry couldn't say this in front of Seamus, but he felt he'd rather face Voldemort than find out if what he had heard about her was true.
"There you are," said Mrs. Weasley as she came up behind them with Lupin and Ginny. "We're ready to head back now, it's nearly time to start dinner." They said good-bye to Seamus and walked down the street.
"Mum, look what Fred and George gave us," Ron said, handing her the Invisulars. "That'd be useful, wouldn't it?" Mrs. Weasley peered through them.
"I think they'd do rather well on the field. Do you want to see them, Remus?" She handed them to her left, where Lupin had been walking. No one answered. Lupin was no longer walking with them. He was no where in sight. "Now where did he get off to, he was here just a minute ago." Harry and the others craned their necks, trying to see if they could spot him through the crowd. But no one could see him anywhere.
"Maybe he went into a shop," Hermione said. Mrs. Weasley started calling for him, walking back and forth across the cobblestones. Ron, the tallest of everyone, stood where he was, looking over the heads of the crowd. Hermione went to look in various stores. Harry made his way over to the passageway to Knockturn Alley. He knew that place was full of shops devoted to the Dark Arts, and if anything bad were to have happened to Lupin, Harry guessed it would have to be there.
In the shadows next to a building, Harry saw the shapes of two people, one wearing a cloak, who was holding the other person against the wall. Harry recognized the second person as Lupin, pulled out his wand, and ran towards them. As he neared, the first shape released Lupin and lowered its hood. The shadowy profile was angular, and strong-jawed. He realized immediately that it was Cuts, but it was what Lupin said next that made Harry's heart fall into the pit of his stomach.
"Iphigenia Williams, you will be the death of me!"
Chapter 3
Cuts is a Death Eater, Harry thought later on, lying on his back on his bed, that's all there is too it. She faked her death just like Wormtail.
"She's a traitor!" Harry said loudly, sitting bolt upright.
"Who's a traitor?" Ron asked. He was putting his books into his trunk, they would return to Hogwarts the day after next. Harry didn't answer. He got up, flung himself out the door and down the stairs to the basement kitchen. He had to tell Lupin, tell anybody. He didn't care if Cuts came after him. The Order would take care of her. All he cared about was exposing her treachery.
He burst through the door and all thought of what he was about to do fled his mind when he laid eyes on his least favorite teacher, Snape.
"Potter, what are you doing down here?" Snape asked in his usual loathing voice. "You have no business in what we do." Harry gazed steadily back at him, returning every bit of loathing Snape directed at him.
"I came because I have some information that I think will be useful."
"I'd hardly say that anything useful could ever come out of you mouth, Potter. The last bit of information you had led to the death of your godfather." Harry's fist curled into a ball, as someone threw their chair back roughly.
"Shut up, Snivellus," Cuts said in a voice so threatening that Harry and many of the others in the kitchen looked taken aback, if not frightened. Harry saw that Snape had taken the smallest of steps backward, but he gave Cuts the glare Harry knew so well.
"If you think you're here to replace Black, you're mistaken. Though I daresay you've done quite a job of it. Both of you wanted by the Ministry, and not able to leave headquarters." Cuts strode over to where Harry and Snape where.
"For your information, I can leave whenever I feel like it. They are looking for Michelle Tiberdeaux, and they happen to think she killed me about twenty years ago," Cuts said smugly.
"Michelle Tiberdeaux is still alive. Need I remind you that nearly all of us know who is dead, and who is at fault." Harry knew immediately that Snape was referring to what Kingsley told him earlier. Cuts's look grew uglier than Harry thought possible and as she flung her right hand to the side Harry thought she was going to hit Snape. Instead,
"Gladius Cor-," Before Cuts could finish the incantation, Lupin darted forward and seized her arm.
"Stop it, both of you," he said firmly, looking between the two, "We are a team." Snape's glare broke.
"Yes, we are a team, aren't we," he said silkily, and Harry knew Snape was about to be at his worst. "Though, I'd say we were more like a family. I wouldn't want to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Iphigenia?"
In response, Cuts threw herself at him with her free hand and her feet and tried to pull her other arm out of Lupin's grip. Harry instinctively grabbed her other arm and found it was all he could do to hold on. Snape had backed up when Cuts struck out at him but now that she was partially restrained, looked on as though he were slightly amused.
"Snape, go. Just go," Lupin said, struggling against Cuts's unnatural strength. Snape left, though not without one last snide comment.
"You know, it's becoming quite difficult to distinguish you from the Tebos." Harry and Lupin slowly released Cuts, afraid she might go out after him. Cuts didn't follow him, but instead turned and punched the stone wall with all her might, cursing. Harry saw her knuckles start to turn purple.
She kept her back to everyone and leaned on the dresser with her uninjured hand and shaded her eyes with the other. Cuts took several deep breaths before forcing out a cough.
Mrs. Weasley looked sympathetic as she walked over to Cuts. "Is your hand all right, dear?" she asked kindly. Cuts responded with a curt nod and a few more coughs. Mrs. Weasley looked queerly at Cuts, but she turned away, covering her face with her bruised hand. "You aren't crying, Gena, dear?"
"No," Cuts replied thickly, making it obvious that she was. Until that moment, Harry never realized that Cuts could not possibly be as inhuman as she made herself out to be.
"Don't pay any attention to Snape," Tonks said bracingly, "He's like that with everybody." Cuts whirled from the dresser, her face red and her eyes bloodshot, making her so pitiful looking that Harry felt sorry for her.
"I'll be damned if I'll stand having him throw that in my face. He was there that day, not as one of us. What right does he have?" she burst out angrily, shoving the dresser aside and nearly toppling it. Lupin put his hand on Cuts's shoulder.
"Gena," he said soothingly, "It wasn't your fault. There was no way you could have known." Cuts furiously wiped her eyes, muttering about how stupid she was being and sat at the table. Mrs. Weasley made Cuts some tea, which she took with a shaking hand.
Perhaps it was being addressed familiarly, or the fact everyone was acting friendly towards Cuts rather than exasperated, but something made her say two words that Harry thought he would never hear Cuts say.
"Thank you." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at Cuts.
"What did you have for us, anyway, Harry?" Tonks asked. In the heat of the confrontation between Cuts and Snape, Harry had forgotten why he was there in the first place. Suddenly all his desperation to expose Cuts for what she really was disappeared. He realized he had fallen prey to the information of the newspaper that nearly destroyed him and felt foolish.
"Never mind," Harry said, "I was wrong."
Cuts and Snape were both gone the following day. On the day they were to return to Hogwarts, Cuts returned her usual surly self, possibly topping herself by flinging a dagger at Snape when he entered the living room, missing him by a hair's breadth.
"Don't mess with me, or next time I won't miss," she said, wrenching the dagger out of the wall and replacing it in her boot. Snape said nothing as she walked out of the room, but scowled more foully that Harry ever imagined possible. They said their good-byes to those remaining in the house. Cuts shook everyone's hand, giving Ginny, to whom Cuts seemed to have taken a liking, another hard slap on the back.
Mad-Eye, Lupin and Tonks accompanied them to the King's Cross. Harry remembered last year, when Sirius, as Snuffles, had run along side him, chasing cats and yapping loudly. This year's walk was much less entertaining, much more sober, and much more wrenching.
There were good-byes all around on Platform 9 ¾. Mrs. Weasley hugged everybody, giving Harry an extra-hard one. On the train, Harry and Ginny staggered down the corridor, trying to find seats for themselves, Ron and Hermione, who had to spend the first hour up front with the other Prefects. They found an empty compartment at the end and loaded their trunks into the luggage rack.
"Feels good to be going back," Harry said, "I would have gone mad staying there." Ginny nodded sympathetically.
"It's hard. I keep wondering who it's going to be next. The only thing you can do is take it one day at a time. Sirius would want you to keep fighting. Wonder who Dumbledore found for the Dark Arts position?" Harry was glad for the change in subject.
"Whoever it is, they can't be worse than Umbridge." They spent the next hour speculating on who their new teacher was, and what could possibly have gotten Harry into NEWT Potions. Ron and Hermione joined them after they had gotten their instructions. Harry had stocked up on snacks from the food trolley, and Ron flung himself onto a chair and started opening Chocolate Frog packages.
"Well, Malfoy's back to normal, unfortunately. You'd think that his father landing in prison would shut him up a bit."
"You know Malfoy, if he wasn't a git, what would he be?" Harry said.
"A really big git?" Ron guessed, opening a cauldron cake and taking a bite. "Can't wait for the feast," he added. Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back.
"Don't you have other things to think about besides food?" Ginny asked.
"With the size of his brain, it'd be hard not to," came a drawling voice from the door. Malfoy, along with Crabbe and Goyle had come to pay them a visit.
"What do you want?" Harry asked nastily, "In case you haven't noticed, Malfoy, this is the non-Death Eater section."
"Watch it, Potter. I'm a prefect, remember? How'd you like detention?"
"Here's the thing, Malfoy. I don't care, remember? How'd you like to get out before you end up as a slug again?"
"You wait, Potter. Once my father gets out, you'll pay for what you did."
"Oh, I'm so scared," Harry said sarcastically.
"Of course not," Malfoy retorted, "You've got that mad ape to look after you. Oh wait, you don't, she's been arrested."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione snapped.
"Don't you read the Prophet, Mudblood?" Malfoy pulled a copy out of his robes and tossed it at Hermione's feet. "Happy reading," he added as he left, beckoning Crabbe and Goyle to follow him. Hermione slammed the compartment door behind him, then bent to pick up the newspaper.
"How could Cuts have been arrested?" Ron asked, "She didn't even leave headquarters."
"Of course it wasn't Cuts. Malfoy thinks Cuts is Michelle Tiberdeaux. I don't see how, they look absolutely nothing alike." Hermione handed Ron the newspaper, which Harry looked at over Ron's shoulder. The real Michelle Tiberdeaux blinked up at them.
Tiberdeaux, despite the image being a mugshot, was impeccably groomed, down to the last strand of long blond hair. Harry looked at the woman's slim, feminine face and wondered how the hell anybody could cross the two women.
"Cuts should be flattered, really," Ron said, "If I was a girl, I'd be flattered to be mistaken for her." Hermione snatched the paper back from him and started perusing the article. After a few sentences, she gasped and covered her mouth.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry," she said.
"What?" Harry asked, "Am I somehow related to her?" Hermione shook her head, her eyes wide.
"No, it's just that, well, your Uncle Vernon, he died." Harry snatched the paper back and looked at the article himself.
"Michelle Tiberdeaux was arrested last night on charges of assault and manslaughter. Tiberdeaux was taken into Muggle custody by the local "police men"(Muggle law enforcement) following the death of Vernon Dursley of Little Whinging," Harry read aloud in a hollowed voice. No love was lost on Uncle Vernon, the man had abused Harry for twelve years of his life, and he certainly had never cared for Harry at all. But it was a death, and Harry felt that he had quite had his share of it for one lifetime.
He was also not looking forward to his return to Privet Drive that summer, when he would have to face his Aunt Petunia, after someone Harry knew had killed him. Harry knew that his aunt would blame him, and Dudley would probably try to beat the tar out of Harry the moment they saw each other. Harry knew it wasn't his fault, but try telling anything to his aunt and… his aunt.
At the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Harry sat numbly between Ron and Hermione, picking dully at his food. The newly Sorted first years a few feet away from them chattered away animatedly, without a care in the world. Harry thought longingly of his days as a first year. Life had been so much easier then. He had had his struggles, yes, that was true, but he wasn't surrounded by death, made all the more obvious by the presence of the Thestrals, winged horses that were only visible to those who had seen death.
The chatter during the feast died away as Dumbledore stood up for his Beginning-of-term speech.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, looking around at all the tables fondly, "I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, Quidditch tryouts will be held in the second week of term, please see Madam Hooch if you are interested in playing for your House. Next, I would like to remind everyone that no magic is to be used in the corridors and also that the forest on the grounds is forbidden. Lastly, I would like to announce that there have been a few staffing changes at Hogwarts over the summer. We have a new Potions teacher this year, and I would like you to welcome Professor Sordhan, who has replaced Professor Snape."
The students clapped for the new teacher, who Harry had just noticed. She looked like a young McGonagall, Harry thought, tall and thin, with black hair. The only difference was that Professor Sordhan wore her hair down, and she had a distinctly haughty look about her. Harry wondered whether she'd be much better than Snape, but was at least glad that she didn't have any school-boy grudges with his father.
"Ginny was right after all," Ron whispered, but before Harry could answer, Dumbledore had continued with his announcement.
"Our second change has been, of course, to the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am glad to say that the position has been taken by none other than our very own Professor Snape!"
It was a dark night. Clouds hung thick over Privet Drive. A light mist fell, and the streetlamps cast an eerie gaze over the pavement. Alone as always, Harry Potter stood at his window, waiting.
Lupin had sent word the previous week. Someone was coming to collect him, an Order of the Phoenix member on her first mission. The last bit greatly worried Harry. Last summer it had been nine experienced Order members, and the Dursleys had been out of the house. He had been hoping that Lupin would come, and Nymphadora Tonks, or even Kingsley Shacklebolt. However, his escape had been entrusted to a nameless rookie. I have complete faith in her, Lupin had written, Dumbledore is very glad she was recruited. Harry wished he didn't have the misgivings eating away at him.
Bored, he looked at his neatly packed trunk, on top of which was his Firebolt and Hedwig's cage. Harry's heart skipped a beat when he heard footsteps in the hall. 'Only Uncle Vernon,' he thought, hearing the floorboards groaning under his uncle's weight, 'he must be wanting a midnight snack.' Reluctantly, he turned back to the window. He couldn't see signs of anyone coming, and had begun to think that maybe he'd gotten the days mixed up when someone took hold of his arm and hissed 'quiet' in his ear. Harry gulped back the yell that he barely managed to keep behind his lips and turned to face the witch.
She wasn't dressed in robes, but in a loose fitting black shirt, and a long black pleated skirt, with slippers on her feet. She wore what looked like a big black scarf that completely hid her face and hair, with the exception of her eyes, which were very deep set, underneath a pair of thick eyebrows.
"Who are you," Harry whispered. The witch had pulled out her wand and was shrinking Harry's trunk.
"Save the questions for later, right now I've got to get you to Headquarters." She opened the shoulder bag she had been carrying and placed Harry's trunk inside, followed a minute later by Hedwig's cage. She closed the bag and turned to Harry. He had gotten quite tall over the past year, though the witch was still an inch or so taller.
"How are we getting out of here?" he asked. He hadn't yet heard Uncle Vernon come back upstairs.
"We're going down the stairs and right out the front door. Stealth is the trick here, and Dumbledore said there wouldn't be time to prepare you." She adjusted the scarf as she spoke.
"So we're sitting ducks is what you're saying?" Harry whispered angrily. He'd expect a plan from anyone in the Order of the Phoenix to be damn near fool-proof before being put into action.
"Abso-bloody-lutely not. We're getting out of here with no problem." She held her wand over Harry's head and he felt himself shrinking. When he was about the size of a five-year-old, the witch turned around and squatted down.
"Hop on," she told Harry. He jumped up, for what was probably the first piggy-back ride of his life. The witch slid a slippered foot under the handle of Harry's broomstick and flipped it up. Harry caught it and held it out of the way, and they slipped noiselessly though the bedroom door and into the darkened hallway. The witch stood silently for a moment, and then took off at a soundless run down the hall.
As they neared the staircase, Harry felt himself leaving the ground. Instead of jumping down the stairs, however, Harry's new friend landed on the banister and sort of surfed down the railing. She leapt off at the bottom and landed catlike in the hallway. Harry felt himself being dropped. He could see the light from the fridge for a moment, before it disappeared. Uncle Vernon had finally finished indulging himself. Harry had to get out of there that instant. He started backing towards the door, and in his rush, he crashed into the coat rack, which toppled over with a loud BANG!
Harry froze as the kitchen door crashed open. There stood Uncle Vernon in his dressing gown, his face magenta, and his mustache quivering as he prepared to demand what was going on and order Harry back to his room. Uncle Vernon's mouth opened a second later with a long stream of incoherent gibberish and quite a few swear words.
"Harry, run," the witch said firmly. "Get on your broom and start flying. I'll be along, don't look back." Still clutching his broom, the tiny Harry dashed out of the door and into the night. He mounted his broomstick out in the garden and kicked off, the rain misting his glasses and making it difficult for him to see. He looked back only once, but didn't see the strange witch who had rescued him from the Dursleys.
Glad though he was to be getting away from Privet Drive, Harry could admit to himself that he wasn't looking forward to returning to number twelve, Grimmauld Place in London. The old, decrepit-looking house that was the Headquarters of the Order was formerly the house of his godfather, Sirius Black, who had died just over a month previously. He wiped a bit of water from his glasses and flew on reluctantly.
Not long afterwards, Harry heard a whoosh to his right. Glancing over, he saw a bit of red hair that was quickly covered again as the scarf was adjusted and was hidden in the folds of black cloth once again. Harry was bursting with questions for the newcomer, but decided it would be best to wait until they had landed. They swerved and soared through the air, avoiding the eyes of Muggles far below. The lights of London were soon glittering below them, and Harry began his descent. He touched down lightly in the middle of the square in which he had landed the previous summer. He felt a hand at the back of his shirt, followed by a stretching sensation, and he found himself back to his full height.
"I need you to help me a bit, Harry. This is my first time to Headquarters, and I very much doubt if anyone else knows I'm even in the Order besides Lupin and Dumbledore." Harry hesitated, then strode quickly towards the gap between numbers eleven and thirteen, and as he walked, a big, old house with the paint peeling stretched out into the other houses, and Harry and the witch could climb the steps and enter.
"Who are you?" Harry asked again. Harry noticed that she had her wand out, and her eyes were darting in all directions. She mounted the stairs backwards. Harry was reminded strongly of Moody.
"At school they used to call me Cuts. That will do to be going on with. Go inside, I'll explain more then." They entered quickly, not ringing the doorbell because it was very late, and to avoid waking the portrait if Sirius's mother, which would start shrieking very loudly at any kind of racket. It caused Harry a pang to remember the first time he had seen that wretched painting scream. Once inside, Harry led his companion to the stone-walled basement kitchen, which was dimly lit with torches.
As Cuts removed her scarf, Harry saw she had pulled her curly hair up quite messily, and there were several strands hanging down. She yanked out her hairband, and it hung to her waist in a tangled mess. Harry thought her face was in a worse state than her hair, and never would have given her a second look, if he were to pass her on the street. It was sharply angled, and very savage looking, possibly due to her bushy eyebrows.
"Harry, dear," said a cheerful voice. "You've arrived finally, I've been worried sick." Mrs. Weasley pulled Harry into a tight hug and then started checking him over for signs of injury.
"Where's Remus?" Cuts asked a bit testily. Mrs. Weasley turned from Harry and gave Cuts a disapproving look.
"He is upstairs at the moment, Miss…" Mrs. Weasley prompted.
"Cuts," she repeated, "Didn't Dumbledore tell you I was coming?"
"He said someone would be bringing Harry along, but I didn't think it would be some random witch." Cuts looked highly offended at Mrs. Weasley's statement.
"I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix, thank you very much," she replied, her voice rising with every word. "and I would appreciate it if you didn't treat me as though I were a nobody." Harry thought for a fleeting moment that the two women would pull their wands on each other, when someone came down and interrupted them by saying in a hoarse voice,
"What's going on here?" Remus Lupin stood at the door to the kitchen, glancing between the pair.
"Remus, will you please explain to this… woman… that 'random witches' can not just wander into Headquarters, that is, unless Dumbledore has been coerced into revealing us." Harry noticed Cuts' dark gray eyes were fiery as she looked at Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley, in turn had abandoned her usual pleasant disposition for a look not unlike a saber-toothed tiger.
"By the looks of you I wouldn't be surprised if you had," Mrs. Weasley retorted. Lupin nodded as though he understood everything.
"Well, maybe if you had introduced yourselves properly," Lupin muttered. "Molly Weasley, Cuts, a new recruit," he added. "Cuts, this is Molly Weasley, a fellow member of the Order." Cuts and Mrs. Weasley shook hands and smiled politely at each other, but returned to their hardened stares the moment they released the grip.
"You knew each other in school?" Harry asked amazedly. He was always eager to meet people who were at Hogwarts in his parents' days.
"Of course," Lupin replied dismissively. "We were both Prefects for our Houses. We crossed paths frequently during our final years at Hogwarts."
"We used to do homework in the library together. Moony had a wit worthy of Ravenclaw." Lupin bowed
"Thank you. Though I must say, you did manage to scare James and Sirius into behaving once in a while. That took some Gryffindor spirit."
"You knew my dad and Sirius, then?" Harry asked. Remus let out a snort of laughter.
"She was the only one besides Dumbledore who could control them. Cuts had Sirius so scared once he almost wet himself."
"Can you really blame me, though?" Cuts replied with a laugh. "With the number of times the stupid prat used a Severing Charm my hair, I'm surprised I'm not bald. When I first heard he'd been thrown in Azkaban, I wasn't in the least bit surprised." Harry bristled when Cuts spoke of Sirius that way, but then remembered what he had seen in Snape's Penseive the previous year. Snape had told Harry for years that his father had been arrogant, the fact of which Harry had remained firmly oblivious to, until a trip into Snape's memory proved it was true. He kept his mouth shut.
"Don't get me wrong, Harry," Cuts continued. "I liked Sirius well enough when he wasn't making a total prat of himself."
"Which wasn't often," Lupin pointed out, "Despite all the abuse, he was quite fond of you, though, up until one point." Cuts gave Remus a significant look.
"I think it's safe to say we were well shut of each other from that point," Cuts said darkly.
"Yes, well, Harry dear, you've had a long day, and I think you should be getting along to bed," Mrs. Weasley said with a yawn. She ushered Harry out of the room before he had half a chance to utter 'good-night.' Harry trudged up the stairs and into the bedroom he had shared with Ron last summer.
Lying awake, Harry tried to sort out what he'd been told. What could possibly have started an argument between Cuts and Sirius that would have ended their friendship? Did Sirius pull a horrid prank on Cuts, or was it something of a more serious nature? He'd seen Cuts's face when she spoke of him, she apparently still held a grudge. If she can still hold onto it after all those years and Sirius's death, she's either really petty, or Sirius really hurt her, he concluded. Harry rolled over as sleep came over him.
Harry was woken the following morning by a surprised yell. Ron hadn't expected his best friend to appear in the room with him. They spent the next hour catching up on what had happened during their month apart. The Dursleys had finally wised up to what Dudley spent his 'tea time' doing, which caused a fight to rival the worst Uncle Vernon had ever had with Harry. "I have half a mind to send you to St. Brutus's," Uncle Vernon had sprayed spit all over the kitchen. Aunt Petunia had wailed until Harry quite felt like using a Silencing Charm on her.
Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes was so successful that Fred and George had decided not to join the Order after all, much to Mrs. Weasley's relief. Ginny and Dean Thomas were still going out, much to Ron's disgust, and Percy was part of the family again, though he was still living in London. Hermione was currently on holiday in Portugal, but would be joining them in a couple of weeks.
"How she could go on holiday at a time like this is beyond me," Ron was saying as they went down to breakfast. "I'd be dead scared."
"Our lives can't stop just because everyone knows Voldemort's back now," Harry said blandly, ignoring Ron's whimpers.
"You know, you're very timid for a Gryffindor," a voice said from behind. Harry and Ron turned to see Cuts tromping down the hall behind them, her feet clad in heavy boots.
"I don't know what business it is of yours," Ron shot back, his ears burning red.
"I was making an observation. It is my business to observe. It is also my business to protect."
"Don't tell me you're going to be following us around all year," Harry exclaimed.
"I wouldn't tell you even if I was. By the way, Ronald, my name is Cuts." She stalked past them and thumped down the stairs, causing Mrs. Black's portrait to start wailing again. "Scum, filth, blood traitors…" Harry and Ron ran the rest of the way down the stairs. Cuts was single-handedly trying to pull the curtains in front of the portrait closed. Lupin ran in from the door leading down to the kitchen and tried to help with the portrait. As soon as he touched the moth-eaten curtain, Cuts gave a great tug and the curtains shut. The last shrieks echoed in the hall.
"You really need to get rid of that, Remus."
"We can't, there's a Permanent Sticking Charm on it," Lupin replied darkly.
"So cut it out of the wall," she replied through clenched teeth, before continuing down to the kitchen.
"Strange, that one," Ron said quietly.
"If you had any idea," Lupin replied, "Let's get breakfast."
Mrs. Weasley had scrambled eggs, toast and bacon all ready by the time Harry, Ron and Lupin made their way downstairs. Cuts was just sitting at the table with Tonks, Ginny and Bill Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. All but Cuts looked up at Harry and Ron when they came in and greeted them. Cuts started reading The Daily Prophet, a newspaper which, for all Harry was concerned, was full of rubbish. She glanced quickly at it, then set the paper down with a snort of amusement.
"What trifle. '10 ways to know you've been attacked by Death Eaters'? Nine times out of ten you're dead before you have to realize it." She took a slice of toast from the pile and bit it crudely.
"It's not trifle, Cuts," Kingsley said in his deep, low voice, "The Ministry has to do its best to retain calm."
"Not everyone is capable of your dueling skills," Tonks added, winking at Harry. He sat down across from her, grinning. Tonks was a Metamorphmagus, meaning she could change her appearance at will. Today she sported her usual short spiky hair in bubble gum pink.
"Not to mention the special equipment," Mr. Weasley added. Everyone except Ron, Harry, and Ginny gave him a look of warning. Mr. Weasley turned a bright shade of red and exited the kitchen, followed by his wife. Harry could tell he wasn't supposed to know about what Mr. Weasley had said.
"What special equipment?" Ginny asked.
"Never mind," Cuts answered sharply. She dragged a finger through the burn mark Fred and George had left last summer, then examined the carbon left on the tip. "There's an owl coming," she said pleasantly.
"It's Hermes. Percy let me borrow him so I could write to Hermione." Ron rose from his seat and went to the window, where the owl had indeed perched seconds before.
"How did you know it was there?" Ginny asked. "Is dipping your finger in soot a form of Divination?"
"You don't take that, do you?" Cuts asked seriously. They shook their heads. "Good. I heard it coming."
"You couldn't have heard it," Ron said, "it's impossible."
"Ever tried hunting Tebos?"
"Hunting what?" Harry asked.
"Tebos, great bloody warthogs, found in Congo and Zaire. They can become invisible, you know. Try hunting something you can't see, and can kill you, and see how fast your senses sharpen."
"And I suppose you're some expert or something?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"I'm the best there is. That's why I'm here."
"What, does You-Know-Who have an army of Tebos?" Ginny asked, trying to wheedle information.
"No. I can see without seeing and without being seen. Besides, with Dementors and Giants, who needs them?" Cuts added with a laugh.
"That's enough, Cuts," Lupin said, "You seem to be taking this all too lightly. Since the loss of the Prophecy," he broke off, with a look at Harry and the others. "We'll discuss this later." Lupin finished his bacon and left the room. Ron opened the envelope and started reading his mail.
"This is why I prefer working solo," Cuts whispered loudly.
"Unfortunately, Cuts, you need to understand that we don't kill unless absolutely necessary," Kingsley explained calmly, "The Order works to bring Death Eaters to justice. It saves innocent lives. I think it's better for you to be here."
"If you are referring to the incident I think you are, Kingsley, that's hitting a little below the belt." She downed the rest of her tea in one gulp, then belched loudly. "Let's go." Kingsley and Cuts also left the kitchen.
"She is definitely the strangest witch I've ever met," Ron said, shaking his head.
"I've heard about her," Tonks said, "Comes from a very old Wizarding family, one of the first. She was raised by her older brother, who I heard is a Squib."
"What about her parents?" Harry asked.
"Father's in Azkaban, mother in St. Mungo's. Closed Ward."
"So what's the owl say?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione says there have been a lot of suspicious deaths," Ron responded glumly, "Her parents are making to come home sooner than they expected."
"Let me see that," Tonks said. Her eyes scanned it quickly. "This is bad. I don't know how he could have spread so far this quickly. Dumbledore has to know." She went to the window and shot a jet of silver light from her wand that went ricocheting off into the distance. "Let's see what the others are doing." They climbed the stairs into the hall, walking on tiptoe, and heard scuffling sounds from behind one of the doors. Tonks opened it and went in, Harry, Ron and Ginny behind her. Kingsley and Cuts were engaged in a sparring match, Lupin watching on the side.
Tonks motioned to Lupin, and he followed her into the hallway, closing the door behind them. Harry fell to watching the fight. Ron stood with his mouth open as Kingsley threw Cuts to the ground, where she flipped herself right back up and leaped into the air, doing a spin kick into Kingsley's shoulder, knocking him to the ground with a grunt. Cuts then got down and pinned him to the floor. Kingsley struggled for about a minute.
"Ready to surrender, then?" Cuts asked triumphantly.
"Not quite," he answered, throwing Cuts off his body and clear over to the couch. She landed with a loud thud, that made Harry wince. Cuts, however, showed no signs of pain, but merely held her hand out to Kingsley.
"Not bad, Shacklebolt," she said as he came over to help her up, "You Aurors are tougher than I thought." She dusted off her backside.
"Why aren't you an Auror?" Ginny asked amazedly.
"I don't agree with some of the Auror codes of conduct. Besides, like I said earlier, I like working alone." She left the room, giving Ginny a hard slap on the back on the way out, sending her reeling. Harry grabbed her by the arm to stop her from falling.
"I bet people are glad she likes being alone," Ron said quietly, "That way they don't have to look at her." Ginny punched her brother in the arm. Ron gave a yelp.
"That was unbelievably rude. Didn't you hear what Tonks said about her? It's not her fault her mother's in St. Mungo's and she was raised by a man."
"All right, all right, sorry, I won't insult your friend anymore," Ron said, holding his arm and wincing.
"She's not my friend, I just don't think it's right to make fun of her."
"You always make friends with weirdoes, don't you, though?" Ron continued, "Look at Loony."
"Luna," Harry corrected. "And she's not as weird as you think." Luna Lovegood was a Ravenclaw in Ginny's year. Harry remembered the last conversation had had with her; before the Leaving Feast, after Sirius had died. He had certainly felt more for her at that moment than during the entire year. The only relief from the anguish tearing Harry apart was the memory of that conversation.
"She's right, Ron," Kingsley said, "Besides, you don't want to get on the wrong side of Cuts. She didn't get that name for nothing." He massaged his shoulder where Cuts had kicked him. "She would have killed more Death Eaters than Mad-Eye caught during the first war. That's why she's not an Auror. Too quick to kill."
"That's why Dumbledore brought her here?" Harry asked. Kingsley nodded.
"He practically had to force her. She worked on her own before, made a mistake and killed someone she didn't want to kill. After that, she headed off to Africa. She's impulsive, she needs restraint."
"She's insane," Ron muttered.
"She needs friends," Ginny insisted.
Cuts wasn't around Headquarters the next few days, which Harry was glad about, though he wished he wasn't there himself. Albeit, it was better than being stuck at the Dursleys, but everywhere Harry looked were painful reminders of his godfather. Even Kreacher the House-Elf made Harry want to scream, since wherever Harry went in the house, Kreacher was there, mocking him.
"Kreacher is glad Master is gone, he doesn't pine like the Boy-Who-Lived. Master was nothing more than a filthy…"
"Shut up," Harry snarled, aiming a kick at the old elf, who jumped back from him. Harry hated everything about the elf, from his snout-like nose to the filthy loincloth about his waist.
"Harry," said a familiar voice, "Do not take your anger out on Kreacher. Remember what I told you." Harry turned and saw a tall, thin, elderly wizard with half moon spectacles and twinkling blue eyes.
"But, Professor Dumbledore, you heard him…" Dumbledore held up a hand to silence Harry.
"He is what he has been made by wizards. I have something I have to discuss with you down in the kitchen. Lupin is there, and Cuts should be back any moment. The matter at hand concerns her." He led Harry down the stairs, through the Hallway (treading softly around Mrs. Black), and down into the kitchen.
Lupin was looking seriously at the clock. "She's late, Dumbledore," he said as they came in.
"She's coming from quite a distance, Remus, and I daresay she would have gotten caught up in her assignment."
"That's just right up her alley, isn't it?" Lupin answered. Cuts came banging down the stairs and bursting into the kitchen. Harry noticed her boots, which she hadn't bothered to wipe, were covered in mud. She threw her cloak off, and she was wearing a gray, leathery, tunic that fell to her knees. She then flung herself into a chair at the table, leaned back, and put her feet on the table.
"Cuts," Dumbledore said shortly. Cuts looked down at her feet and pulled out her wand.
"Oops, sorry. Scourgify." The mud disappeared.
"Take them down, Cuts. People eat on that," Lupin said. Scowling, Cuts removed her feet from the table, and replaced them with her elbows.
"Cuts, do you remember the night you removed Harry from his aunt and uncle's house?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm not likely to forget it anytime soon," she answered dryly, "I've met nicer Tebos than that Vernon Dursley."
"Did you know that as a result of your confrontation with him that he is now in a coma?" Lupin said. "And that the Ministry is looking to prosecute you?" Cuts sat back in her chair.
"Why do you think I was so eager to head off to Portugal?" she asked nonchalantly. Harry was dumbstruck. Cuts was wanted by the Ministry, and she was sitting there as though she had just slapped Uncle Vernon around the face.
"I do not think that you understand the gravity of the situation," Dumbledore said his voice rising, "Vernon Dursley was close to death when they found him. I do not think you are ready to handle important missions." Cuts stood up, glaring at Dumbledore with such a look of ferocity in her eyes that she looked like a barbarian. Harry shrunk back against the wall.
"It's just a Muggle," she said coldly. "If you don't think I'm ready, then fine, I'll be on my way." She stormed towards the stairs. Lupin called her back.
"It was a comment like that, Cuts, that ended a very good friendship." She glared.
Hermione turned up at headquarters the following week. The first thing Harry and Ron did when they saw her was to ask about the deaths she had found out about while she was abroad.
"A whole family of Muggles disappeared, and four wizards were found dead under the Dark Mark. They used Avada Kedavra," she told them quietly.
"Why would he go there, though?" Ron asked, "I mean, everyone just found out about him here. It's bound to be all over the Wizarding world by now."
"He's trying to take over quickly, I guess," Harry said, "He doesn't want a lot of interference. There aren't any Order members in Portugal, are there?" Hermione shook her head.
"There's no way that we can know that. The Order doesn't…"
"We know they don't let us in on the meetings," Harry said angrily.
"Harry, calm down," Hermione said reprovingly, "I was just making a statement, there was no need to bite my head off."
"Didn't you say that Cuts went to Portugal?" Ron asked Harry.
"Yeah, mainly to escape the Ministry, I'd bet."
"Is that what you call that witch that was in the Daily Prophet last week? The one who beat up your Uncle Vernon?" without waiting for an answer, Hermione continued, "No, it probably wasn't, because Cuts wasn't the name they used."
"But she did beat up Uncle Vernon," Harry told her, "Cuts isn't her real name, Kingsley said she had it for a reason."
"That's probably why," Hermione said, "She sounds dangerous."
"Might be," Ron said, "I mean, Kingsley even says not to mess with her, and he's an Auror. Nobody seems to like her much, except for Ginny." He grinned slightly.
"I do not," said Ginny, standing at the door with her arms folded. "Mum says to stay up here, and she'll bring us up something for lunch. Everyone's frantic downstairs; no one's seen hide nor hair of Cuts since last week, and they think she went back to the Congo." She held up a piece of flesh colored string that Harry recognized at once as one of Fred and George's Extendible Ears.
"But Dumbledore wanted her here!" Ron exclaimed, "Stupid cow, leaving just because Dumbledore won't let her off on her own."
"Maybe she just doesn't want to be found," Harry said, "She said herself she was good at not being seen."
"But if she's a spy," Hermione said, "Dumbledore needs her here. The Order needs all the information they can get about Voldemort's doings." Both Ron and Ginny flinched when Hermione said 'Voldemort'.
"Lunch," Mrs. Weasley said shortly, walking in with a tray of sandwiches. "And your book lists have arrived, so tomorrow we'll go to Diagon Alley." The four nodded and took sandwiches. Ron shoveled half of his into his mouth in one bite.
"Wha' izzer nae a'way?" Ron asked Hermione muffledly, reaching for another sandwich. Hermione made a disgusted face before taking the cut-out article out of her pocket.
"Muggle Vernon Dursley of Little Whinging," she read, "was attacked by one Michelle Tiberdeaux. Dursley was reportedly beaten Muggle-style into unconsciousness, which he has yet to regain. Tiberdeaux, expatriate resident of Morocco and daughter of Azkaban inmate Richard Tiberdeaux, is perhaps best known for her work during the Dark Lord's first reign of terror, during which she killed several Death Eaters, including Iphigenia Williams and Gannon Goyle." Ron took the article from Hermione and scanned the rest of it.
"Promising witch… old pure-blooded family… failed character section of Auror examinations… extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts and Muggle weaponry… prosecuted fifteen years ago on illegal Animagi practice… renowned throughout Africa for her hunting skills, Tiberdeaux is considered violent and extremely dangerous. Bloody hell, I'm glad she's on our side."
"That can't all be right, though," Harry said, taking the article for himself. "Look, it says 'Morocco', but we all know Cuts was in the Congo."
"Harry, just because they mistook the country doesn't mean the rest of the information isn't reliable," Ginny said.
"Kind of like all the things they said about me being a nut case last year were reliable," Harry replied sarcastically. Ginny blushed.
"I think Ginny has a point, Harry," Hermione said, "I don't think it's possible that they got it that wrong. The Ministry isn't out to discredit her."
"It fits with what we know about her," Ron added, "Father in Azkaban, violent, hunting skills. The other stuff can't be too far off. Sorry, mate, looks like you're outnumbered."
"Maybe it's because you're having trouble seeing her as 'Michelle'," Ginny offered. Harry said nothing and looked at his forgotten book list. Unsurprisingly, he needed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six by Miranda Goshawk, Advanced Transfiguration and Curses and Creatures, An Intensive Guide to the Dark Arts. At the bottom of the list, however, was Complex Potions, Poisons, and Antidotes. Harry, shocked, looked up at his friends.
"Why do I have a Potions book on my list?" he asked confusedly. "I barely got an 'E', and Snape only takes students into NEWT classes if they get an 'O'."
"Maybe McGonagall pulled a few strings," Ron suggested, taking the last of the sandwiches, "She said she'd help you to become an Auror. Though I don't envy you spending two more years with Snape."
"I'd hardly think she'd go that far, Ron," Hermione said. "It's one thing to coach Harry, but getting him into a class that he didn't meet the requirements for isn't fair at all."
"Maybe he did meet the requirements," Ginny said, sitting on the bed. "After all, they are Snape's requirements. Maybe he doesn't teach Potions anymore."
"He does do an awful lot for the Order," Hermione said pensively. "Maybe Dumbledore wants him to focus more on that for the time being. I must say, the timing is perfect."
"You're telling me. I don't reckon I'd've made it through with him teaching me." Their conversation was interrupted by the shrieking of Mrs. Black's portrait downstairs. They all ran to the landing, hoping to see who had come and if they could overhear anything. Ginny passed Extendible Ears to the others, but they would wait until the portrait was silent before inserting them.
"Blood traitors, half-breeds…" the portrait shrieked, while Tonks untangled herself from an umbrella stand that looked as though it were a severed troll's leg. Mrs. Weasley came out into the hall to try to close the moth-eaten curtains over the portrait, and Tonks fell over again as she tried to get up. Mad-Eye Moody and Lupin appeared, and quiet was soon restored to the hall below them. Soon, four Extendible Ears were snaking their way over the edge of the landing.
"They know too much," Mrs. Weasley was whispering, but Harry and the others could hear her loud and clear, "I heard them talking about it when I brought them lunch."
"I don't think it's anything to worry about, Molly," Lupin replied, "You know how they are, that the moment Hermione got here they would start asking questions about what she learned in Portugal. As a matter of fact, I'm glad she did find out. We wouldn't have found out otherwise, there's nobody stationed over there."
"Maybe Cuts went back there," Tonks said. "I've contacted her brother, but she's not with him or at her compound."
"There's just so many places that girl could have gone off too," Moody rumbled, "She'd have made a damn good Auror if she had made it into training."
"Still, I'll feel a lot better once they're safely back at school. Did Dumbledore find someone to replace that dreadful Umbridge woman? And what about Severus?" Ginny gave Harry a look that said 'I told you so' and turned back to the landing.
"He's just hired someone Tuesday," Moody growled, his electric blue magical eye swiveling in all directions. "This one seems eager for the job."
"Well, that could be a good sign, considering all that's happened in the past," Lupin said.
"Hey, you lot!" Moody yelled his magical eye had been pointing right at them, "Mind your business!" Harry and the others pulled up the Extendible Ears and ran down the hallway and into the bedroom, slamming the door behind them.
The next morning, Mrs. Weasley woke them all early to go to Diagon Alley. Lupin walked along with them, keeping his hand inside his pocket, obviously holding his wand. It had been two years since Harry had been there, and he was quite looking forward to going back. The cobblestones paved the road of the most interesting Wizarding shops in the world, full of spell books, and all sorts of instruments that Harry could only begin to guess what they were used for. Their first stop, however, was Gringotts bank. Harry remembered the first time he had ridden the carts, back on his eleventh birthday. The carts were no less wild, and the goblins just as nasty looking. Harry was quite glad to leave the bank and go back out into the bright sunshine.
His moneybag refilled, Harry began to think of what he needed for the coming year at Hogwarts. His spell books, of course, were essential, and a supply of potions ingredients. He thought vaguely of getting new robes, but Hermione dragged them to buy parchment, ink and quills, for all the homework and essays they were no doubt expected to write.
"This is the most crucial part of our education. They're bound to give us loads of work," she explained. "And Ginny, you're taking your OWLs this year, so you need to be prepared." Ginny rolled her eyes behind Hermione's back as they exited the shop, carrying bags stuffed with parchment. They saw a few of their Hogwarts friends mulling around, examining racing brooms, eating ice creams or lazily walking the street. They stopped and chatted for several minutes with Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff prefect, about the DA, a secret Defense Against the Dark Arts group headed by Harry.
"If the new teacher's anything like Umbridge, we'll definitely have to start it up again," Ernie had said pompously. Mrs. Wesley then shunted them along to Flourish and Blotts, the book shop. Lupin took Harry's new Defense Against the Dark Arts book and leafed through it longingly. Lupin had been Harry's favorite teacher of the subject, and he knew Lupin must miss teaching. Because Lupin was a werewolf, most wizards were prejudiced against him, and there were laws in place that made it nearly impossible for him to work. Harry knew that Lupin wasn't dangerous in the slightest, at least in human form, and seeing someone he had come to regard as a friend in such shabby clothing and prematurely aging made him angry.
When they emerged from the shop a half hour later, they were all clutching large bags, Hermione's the heaviest of all. She had not dropped a single subject for the remaining two years at Hogwarts; she even managed an 'O' in Potions, though why she wanted to continue studying with Snape when she didn't have to was a mystery to Harry. As much as Harry loathed Snape, he was prepared to go on, as Potions was essential study for an Auror, the only career Harry had ever considered after Hogwarts.
After lunch in the Leaky Cauldron, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to go off by themselves. They noticed a large crowd in front of one of the shops and decided to investigate. As they drew nearer, the laughing crowd dispersed, revealing Fred and George Weasley standing with excited looks on their faces. This was the first time any of them had seen Fred and George's premises.
"Come on in," George said, "We'll give you a special discount. We heard that Dumbledore got rid of Umbridge."
"Wish we could've been there to see it," Fred added, "Would've given her a big send off, we would."
"I just hope the next one's loads better," Hermione sniffed, "Or we'll fail our NEWTs."
"No you won't," George assured them, winking at Harry. "You've got the best teacher standing right next to you."
"Just rev up the DA again, all will be well," Fred said.
"That's what Ernie said," Ron told them, looking around at the walls. "Got anything new?" In response, George pulled out a pair of what appeared to be Omnioculars.
"Invisulars," he said, handing them to Ron. "Make you able to see through walls, Invisibility Cloaks, clothing," he added with a smirk. Ron put them to his eyes and pointed them at Hermione. She threw one arm across her chest and used her other hand to snatch them away from Ron.
"They could come in handy," Harry said quietly, "For the you-know-what."
"Tell you what," George said with a wink, "Take a pair along, no charge. We've got business to deal with." The trio said goodbye to the twins and left the store.
"Some of the things they come up with are brilliant," Harry said, "And dead useful."
"Like the Extendibles," Ron said, "The Order could use them, and these beauties as well." He took the Invisulars from Hermione and looked at them up close.
"I expect they work similarly to Mad-Eye's magical eye," Hermione said. "That's likely where they got the idea from."
"The Order could use these without the lot of them poking their eyes out, that's for sure," Ron said.
"Harry," said a voice behind them, "Ron, Hermione." They turned around and saw Seamus Finnigan, a fellow Gryffindor sixth year, coming towards them.
"I saw that article in the Daily Prophet," Seamus said. "Me mam said that Tiberdeaux used to baby-sit me, and she couldn't believe it. Never wanted anything to do with the Dark Arts, wasn't violent at all from what she told me."
"Have you heard anything on your Uncle?" Seamus asked. Harry shook his head.
"I doubt my aunt would care to tell me."
"Why was she at your house anyway?" Seamus asked. Harry fumbled to come up with an excuse.
"Because, er… she- she was trying to er… kidnap me for Voldemort," he said, ignoring the flinches followed up by Hermione tutting.
"I don't know why she bothered. If you can take You-know-who, you can take her easily," Seamus said. Harry couldn't say this in front of Seamus, but he felt he'd rather face Voldemort than find out if what he had heard about her was true.
"There you are," said Mrs. Weasley as she came up behind them with Lupin and Ginny. "We're ready to head back now, it's nearly time to start dinner." They said good-bye to Seamus and walked down the street.
"Mum, look what Fred and George gave us," Ron said, handing her the Invisulars. "That'd be useful, wouldn't it?" Mrs. Weasley peered through them.
"I think they'd do rather well on the field. Do you want to see them, Remus?" She handed them to her left, where Lupin had been walking. No one answered. Lupin was no longer walking with them. He was no where in sight. "Now where did he get off to, he was here just a minute ago." Harry and the others craned their necks, trying to see if they could spot him through the crowd. But no one could see him anywhere.
"Maybe he went into a shop," Hermione said. Mrs. Weasley started calling for him, walking back and forth across the cobblestones. Ron, the tallest of everyone, stood where he was, looking over the heads of the crowd. Hermione went to look in various stores. Harry made his way over to the passageway to Knockturn Alley. He knew that place was full of shops devoted to the Dark Arts, and if anything bad were to have happened to Lupin, Harry guessed it would have to be there.
In the shadows next to a building, Harry saw the shapes of two people, one wearing a cloak, who was holding the other person against the wall. Harry recognized the second person as Lupin, pulled out his wand, and ran towards them. As he neared, the first shape released Lupin and lowered its hood. The shadowy profile was angular, and strong-jawed. He realized immediately that it was Cuts, but it was what Lupin said next that made Harry's heart fall into the pit of his stomach.
"Iphigenia Williams, you will be the death of me!"
Cuts is a Death Eater, Harry thought later on, lying on his back on his bed, that's all there is too it. She faked her death just like Wormtail.
"She's a traitor!" Harry said loudly, sitting bolt upright.
"Who's a traitor?" Ron asked. He was putting his books into his trunk, they would return to Hogwarts the day after next. Harry didn't answer. He got up, flung himself out the door and down the stairs to the basement kitchen. He had to tell Lupin, tell anybody. He didn't care if Cuts came after him. The Order would take care of her. All he cared about was exposing her treachery.
He burst through the door and all thought of what he was about to do fled his mind when he laid eyes on his least favorite teacher, Snape.
"Potter, what are you doing down here?" Snape asked in his usual loathing voice. "You have no business in what we do." Harry gazed steadily back at him, returning every bit of loathing Snape directed at him.
"I came because I have some information that I think will be useful."
"I'd hardly say that anything useful could ever come out of you mouth, Potter. The last bit of information you had led to the death of your godfather." Harry's fist curled into a ball, as someone threw their chair back roughly.
"Shut up, Snivellus," Cuts said in a voice so threatening that Harry and many of the others in the kitchen looked taken aback, if not frightened. Harry saw that Snape had taken the smallest of steps backward, but he gave Cuts the glare Harry knew so well.
"If you think you're here to replace Black, you're mistaken. Though I daresay you've done quite a job of it. Both of you wanted by the Ministry, and not able to leave headquarters." Cuts strode over to where Harry and Snape where.
"For your information, I can leave whenever I feel like it. They are looking for Michelle Tiberdeaux, and they happen to think she killed me about twenty years ago," Cuts said smugly.
"Michelle Tiberdeaux is still alive. Need I remind you that nearly all of us know who is dead, and who is at fault." Harry knew immediately that Snape was referring to what Kingsley told him earlier. Cuts's look grew uglier than Harry thought possible and as she flung her right hand to the side Harry thought she was going to hit Snape. Instead,
"Gladius Cor-," Before Cuts could finish the incantation, Lupin darted forward and seized her arm.
"Stop it, both of you," he said firmly, looking between the two, "We are a team." Snape's glare broke.
"Yes, we are a team, aren't we," he said silkily, and Harry knew Snape was about to be at his worst. "Though, I'd say we were more like a family. I wouldn't want to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Iphigenia?"
In response, Cuts threw herself at him with her free hand and her feet and tried to pull her other arm out of Lupin's grip. Harry instinctively grabbed her other arm and found it was all he could do to hold on. Snape had backed up when Cuts struck out at him but now that she was partially restrained, looked on as though he were slightly amused.
"Snape, go. Just go," Lupin said, struggling against Cuts's unnatural strength. Snape left, though not without one last snide comment.
"You know, it's becoming quite difficult to distinguish you from the Tebos." Harry and Lupin slowly released Cuts, afraid she might go out after him. Cuts didn't follow him, but instead turned and punched the stone wall with all her might, cursing. Harry saw her knuckles start to turn purple.
She kept her back to everyone and leaned on the dresser with her uninjured hand and shaded her eyes with the other. Cuts took several deep breaths before forcing out a cough.
Mrs. Weasley looked sympathetic as she walked over to Cuts. "Is your hand all right, dear?" she asked kindly. Cuts responded with a curt nod and a few more coughs. Mrs. Weasley looked queerly at Cuts, but she turned away, covering her face with her bruised hand. "You aren't crying, Gena, dear?"
"No," Cuts replied thickly, making it obvious that she was. Until that moment, Harry never realized that Cuts could not possibly be as inhuman as she made herself out to be.
"Don't pay any attention to Snape," Tonks said bracingly, "He's like that with everybody." Cuts whirled from the dresser, her face red and her eyes bloodshot, making her so pitiful looking that Harry felt sorry for her.
"I'll be damned if I'll stand having him throw that in my face. He was there that day, not as one of us. What right does he have?" she burst out angrily, shoving the dresser aside and nearly toppling it. Lupin put his hand on Cuts's shoulder.
"Gena," he said soothingly, "It wasn't your fault. There was no way you could have known." Cuts furiously wiped her eyes, muttering about how stupid she was being and sat at the table. Mrs. Weasley made Cuts some tea, which she took with a shaking hand.
Perhaps it was being addressed familiarly, or the fact everyone was acting friendly towards Cuts rather than exasperated, but something made her say two words that Harry thought he would never hear Cuts say.
"Thank you." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at Cuts.
"What did you have for us, anyway, Harry?" Tonks asked. In the heat of the confrontation between Cuts and Snape, Harry had forgotten why he was there in the first place. Suddenly all his desperation to expose Cuts for what she really was disappeared. He realized he had fallen prey to the information of the newspaper that nearly destroyed him and felt foolish.
"Never mind," Harry said, "I was wrong."
Cuts and Snape were both gone the following day. On the day they were to return to Hogwarts, Cuts returned her usual surly self, possibly topping herself by flinging a dagger at Snape when he entered the living room, missing him by a hair's breadth.
"Don't mess with me, or next time I won't miss," she said, wrenching the dagger out of the wall and replacing it in her boot. Snape said nothing as she walked out of the room, but scowled more foully that Harry ever imagined possible. They said their good-byes to those remaining in the house. Cuts shook everyone's hand, giving Ginny, to whom Cuts seemed to have taken a liking, another hard slap on the back.
Mad-Eye, Lupin and Tonks accompanied them to the King's Cross. Harry remembered last year, when Sirius, as Snuffles, had run along side him, chasing cats and yapping loudly. This year's walk was much less entertaining, much more sober, and much more wrenching.
There were good-byes all around on Platform 9 ¾. Mrs. Weasley hugged everybody, giving Harry an extra-hard one. On the train, Harry and Ginny staggered down the corridor, trying to find seats for themselves, Ron and Hermione, who had to spend the first hour up front with the other Prefects. They found an empty compartment at the end and loaded their trunks into the luggage rack.
"Feels good to be going back," Harry said, "I would have gone mad staying there." Ginny nodded sympathetically.
"It's hard. I keep wondering who it's going to be next. The only thing you can do is take it one day at a time. Sirius would want you to keep fighting. Wonder who Dumbledore found for the Dark Arts position?" Harry was glad for the change in subject.
"Whoever it is, they can't be worse than Umbridge." They spent the next hour speculating on who their new teacher was, and what could possibly have gotten Harry into NEWT Potions. Ron and Hermione joined them after they had gotten their instructions. Harry had stocked up on snacks from the food trolley, and Ron flung himself onto a chair and started opening Chocolate Frog packages.
"Well, Malfoy's back to normal, unfortunately. You'd think that his father landing in prison would shut him up a bit."
"You know Malfoy, if he wasn't a git, what would he be?" Harry said.
"A really big git?" Ron guessed, opening a cauldron cake and taking a bite. "Can't wait for the feast," he added. Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back.
"Don't you have other things to think about besides food?" Ginny asked.
"With the size of his brain, it'd be hard not to," came a drawling voice from the door. Malfoy, along with Crabbe and Goyle had come to pay them a visit.
"What do you want?" Harry asked nastily, "In case you haven't noticed, Malfoy, this is the non-Death Eater section."
"Watch it, Potter. I'm a prefect, remember? How'd you like detention?"
"Here's the thing, Malfoy. I don't care, remember? How'd you like to get out before you end up as a slug again?"
"You wait, Potter. Once my father gets out, you'll pay for what you did."
"Oh, I'm so scared," Harry said sarcastically.
"Of course not," Malfoy retorted, "You've got that mad ape to look after you. Oh wait, you don't, she's been arrested."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione snapped.
"Don't you read the Prophet, Mudblood?" Malfoy pulled a copy out of his robes and tossed it at Hermione's feet. "Happy reading," he added as he left, beckoning Crabbe and Goyle to follow him. Hermione slammed the compartment door behind him, then bent to pick up the newspaper.
"How could Cuts have been arrested?" Ron asked, "She didn't even leave headquarters."
"Of course it wasn't Cuts. Malfoy thinks Cuts is Michelle Tiberdeaux. I don't see how, they look absolutely nothing alike." Hermione handed Ron the newspaper, which Harry looked at over Ron's shoulder. The real Michelle Tiberdeaux blinked up at them.
Tiberdeaux, despite the image being a mugshot, was impeccably groomed, down to the last strand of long blond hair. Harry looked at the woman's slim, feminine face and wondered how the hell anybody could cross the two women.
"Cuts should be flattered, really," Ron said, "If I was a girl, I'd be flattered to be mistaken for her." Hermione snatched the paper back from him and started perusing the article. After a few sentences, she gasped and covered her mouth.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry," she said.
"What?" Harry asked, "Am I somehow related to her?" Hermione shook her head, her eyes wide.
"No, it's just that, well, your Uncle Vernon, he died." Harry snatched the paper back and looked at the article himself.
"Michelle Tiberdeaux was arrested last night on charges of assault and manslaughter. Tiberdeaux was taken into Muggle custody by the local "police men"(Muggle law enforcement) following the death of Vernon Dursley of Little Whinging," Harry read aloud in a hollowed voice. No love was lost on Uncle Vernon, the man had abused Harry for twelve years of his life, and he certainly had never cared for Harry at all. But it was a death, and Harry felt that he had quite had his share of it for one lifetime.
He was also not looking forward to his return to Privet Drive that summer, when he would have to face his Aunt Petunia, after someone Harry knew had killed him. Harry knew that his aunt would blame him, and Dudley would probably try to beat the tar out of Harry the moment they saw each other. Harry knew it wasn't his fault, but try telling anything to his aunt and… his aunt.
At the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Harry sat numbly between Ron and Hermione, picking dully at his food. The newly Sorted first years a few feet away from them chattered away animatedly, without a care in the world. Harry thought longingly of his days as a first year. Life had been so much easier then. He had had his struggles, yes, that was true, but he wasn't surrounded by death, made all the more obvious by the presence of the Thestrals, winged horses that were only visible to those who had seen death.
The chatter during the feast died away as Dumbledore stood up for his Beginning-of-term speech.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, looking around at all the tables fondly, "I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, Quidditch tryouts will be held in the second week of term, please see Madam Hooch if you are interested in playing for your House. Next, I would like to remind everyone that no magic is to be used in the corridors and also that the forest on the grounds is forbidden. Lastly, I would like to announce that there have been a few staffing changes at Hogwarts over the summer. We have a new Potions teacher this year, and I would like you to welcome Professor Sordhan, who has replaced Professor Snape."
The students clapped for the new teacher, who Harry had just noticed. She looked like a young McGonagall, Harry thought, tall and thin, with black hair. The only difference was that Professor Sordhan wore her hair down, and she had a distinctly haughty look about her. Harry wondered whether she'd be much better than Snape, but was at least glad that she didn't have any school-boy grudges with his father.
"Ginny was right after all," Ron whispered, but before Harry could answer, Dumbledore had continued with his announcement.
"Our second change has been, of course, to the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am glad to say that the position has been taken by none other than our very own Professor Snape!"