The first chapter has been redone.

Coupled With the Corruptor

Chapter One

A petite, blonde woman marched up to number 4, Privet Drive. She walked with a slight limp, but her quick pace was undisturbed.
She wore a very formal button-up and skirt, aging her by at least a few years.

She rang the doorbell –interrupting the shouting she heard from within. Loud footsteps were heard storming to the door, and it swung open revealing a very big man with hardly any neck.

"Hello, my name is Briar York-"

"We're not buying anything," the man snapped.

A cool, formal grin settled over her lips, "I'm not selling anything, Mr. Dursley."
The man seemed affronted upon hearing that she knew his name.

His moustache twitched almost nervously, "Is this some government thing?"
The woman's cool grin grew, "Actually yes, may I step in? It's not precisely safe outside anymore, you know."

Reluctantly, Mr. Dursley stepped aside and allowed the strange woman into his very orderly home; she plopped down into an armchair, crossing her heels and pulling a stack of papers from a bag that seemed far too slight to transport such a large bundle.

"I'd like your entire family to be present," the woman informed him, pulling a pair of spectacles from her seemingly bottomless bag and scanning a sheet of parchment.

Mr. Dursley hobbled off, returning a moment later with a thin, long-necked woman and a very obese, blonde-haired boy.
The woman glanced up momentarily, clucking her tongue and flipping to a new sheet of parchment, "Everyone, Mr. Dursley. That includes Mr. Harry Potter."

Mr. Dursley's great face turned an unsightly puce color, and he lumbered off again, when he returned, a boy followed after him, he had that pinched look, showing that he had grown far too much in a short amount of time.
The woman inclined her head upon the boy's entrance; he bore look of outright astonishment; and as they were all finally seated, she finally spoke:

"I apologise upon coming here without notice or an invitation, but it's simply too dangerous to even send a letter." She cleared her throat, "As I said upon my arrival here, my name is Briar York, I'm an Auror from the Ministry of Magic."

"I suspected that it would be one of his lot." Mr. Dursley snarled, swatting a hand out towards Harry.
Briar cleared her throat yet again, "If you had said that to another witch, Mr. Dursley, you'd end up with your insides turned outwards; but luckily I'm used to dealing with confronting creatures."

"Pardon me?" Mr. Dursley sputtered forth, "My family and I are not-"

"Please, Mr. Dursley." Briar sighed, "I've actually come to inform you on Mr. Potter's conditions."

Briar gave the family a once over- the fat child, Briar knew to be Dudley Dursley, and the woman known as Petunia Dursley were trembling in what seemed to be fright.
"As I would assume you know. You're being offered the best protection the Order of the Phoenix can provide-"

"-I thought you said you were with this Ministry of Magic?" Mr. Dursley cut forwards.
Briar nodded patiently, "I am, but as it appears, the Ministry has been infiltrated by Voldemort's side, so the Ministry is no longer trusted to provide your family with the utmost protection."

"Why do we need protection, anyways? We're not part of all these abnormal shenanigans."

Briar inhaled sharply, pinching her nose, "Because –too put it bluntly. Death Eaters- Voldemort's men- will hunt you down, torture and kill you for information like they did to Lily and James Potter- and so many others!"

Mrs. Dursley gave a little shriek, and Dudley trembled harshly. Briar surveyed them closely, "I understand that you're afraid, which is why you must allow the Order to escort you from your home Wednesday's next, and to a safe place."

Dudley raised a fat, trembling arm and pointed at her, "Dad, I-I'm going with those Order people."
Briar's face relaxed, upon seeing Mrs. Dursley nod in agreement with her son, Briar knew the battle had been won. "Very good, we're sending two others to escort you then- oh and Harry," she addressed the boy who had yet to speak. "There's been a change of plans, turns out Moody won't be able to take with Side-Along-Apparition."

"What?" Harry furrowed his brows, "why not?"

Briar had already glanced downwards at her watch, flinching at the time. "Bloody hell –pardon my language –but I'm severely late for a- uh- meeting. Moody'll explain it to Wednesday's next, Harry. It's rather quite complicated- anyhow.- Goodbye Harry, Dursleys!"

Briar snatched up her satchel, ignoring the look on the Durleys' faces and hurried out the door, her heels clicking rapidly as she started to the sidewalk and disappeared with a loud crack.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Briar's voice was near hysterical as she hurried into the store. It had been closed for noon hour, leaving the area around the stocked shelves of various toys, dangerous substances and the occasional firework, quite empty.

From the backroom emerged a red-haired, tall man. Briar leaned heavily against the wall, panting as though she had just run a marathon.
"Hey, Fred. Where's George?"

"Right here, love." An identical red-head popped up from behind her, curling an arm around her waist and forcing a kiss on her cheek.
Briar sputtered with mild embarrassment, batting him away. "I'm sorry I'm late, I had to explain a few things to Harry's Uncle."

"I cleaned out the Pygmy Puff cage while I was waiting, you owe me." George shot back, grimacing slightly.

"Ack- I hope you washed your hands." Briar fussed, recoiling with disgust. George glanced at his fingernails, groaning slightly, "I missed a spot –hold on."

George vanished up the stairs, to the flat that he and Fred stayed in, no doubt to wash his hands yet again.
Briar groaned in disgust, squirming with discomfort at the thought.

"So has he proposed yet?" Fred teased her, musing Briar's carefully bound hair. Briar swatted him away, her face red with humiliation.

"No, of course not." Briar mumbled, straightening her skirt uncomfortably. Fred's grin grew at her obvious discomfort, "Well he ought to soon enough –otherwise I think I might."

"No you won't, mate." George chortled, scooping Briar up by her waist and throwing her over his shoulder.
"Ack!" Briar yowled, "Let me down you bloody brute!"

George ignored her, carrying her past the threshold of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, stopping to bellow, "See you in a few hours, Fred!" Fred cackled wickedly, "Have fun Georgie!"

Briar snatched George's wand from his back pocket, and cracked him over the rear with a whipping jinx.
George yelped, setting her on her feet to soothe his stinging behind. "Bloody hell, you're a firecracker," he grumbled.
Briar didn't look at him, instead tossing heated glares to those who had stopped to watch their tirade. When they had proceeded on with their business, Briar swivelled back to George, glowering angrily.

"Why is it your objective to embarrass me?" she grumbled, adjusting her skirt prudently. George tousled her hair from its already untidy bun, "Because I love how flustered you get,"

Briar swatted him, storming off- George following close behind her- Briar ducked her head, hiding her somewhat pleased face.

"I don't like the idea of you coming along," Remus Lupin gave her a stern look, hesitating in handing a heavily patched jacket and shirt of his. Briar gave him a look, "Whatever you've been doing down there has so far been ineffective, I think it's time for a bit of a womanly touch." Briar snatched the clothes from his grasp, "Get out and let me change."

A minute later, Briar opened the door, looking particularly shabby in her hand-me-down clothes.
"Ready then?" Remus sighed, extending an arm. Briar took it, tucking her wand in her sleeve as a precaution.

"Remember, if anyone has the slightest indication of attacking you-"

"-I Disappariate on the spot," Briar concluded. Remus nodded approvingly, "On three then. One.. two.. three-"
Briar felt a tug on her belly-button, and she was spinning, round and round- so quick that Briar had to strength her grip on Remus's arm.
It was over within seconds, the pair of them dropping down onto the paved sidewalk. "You have a very tight grip," Remus told her, smoothing the area where she had gripped his arm.

Briar shot a nervous glance over her shoulder before stepping over the thick chain that stopped anyone from entering the underground subway. The chain bore a faded, yellow sign that read, "WARNING –DO NOT ENTER."

Remus and Briar started down the steps, recoiling at the strong smell of decay. Scraps of rotten food, wrappings and discarded alcohol bottles littered the cracked and chipped stone floor.
Briar eyed the man who lent against a stone archway –the archway itself looked older than the entire subway, with menacing corpse-like carvings.

"Hold up," the man snarled. "Who's this Lupin?"

The man had a wolf-like face, and far too much hair. He was rather tall –towering far over Briar. He stepped closer to her –Briar recoiled a tad from the smell of his putrid breath.
Remus snagged Briar's arm. "An associate of mine," Remus responded, "and I'd rather you didn't try to frighten her."

Briar side-stepped Remus. "I didn't come here to be babied," Briar shot back.
"Eh? Who are you anyways?"

Briar extended an elfin-sized hand, "Briar York."

The man's snarl melted, developing into something more pleasant. "I figured you looked familiar –think I saw you in a clipping of the Daily Prophet. That fang you got there," he reached out a flicked the earring dangling from her right ear, "that popped loose when you punched a vampire in the face; is that true?"

Something of a grin slashed Briar's face, "He deserved it for resisting arrest after we found him stalking that orphanage in London –and then trying to bite me."
The man sniggered, clasping her hand and shaking it firmly, "Call me Jon. Why did'ja come down to this hell-hole anyways, Princess?"

"I've come for Dumbledore's cause."

Jon paused, eyeing the pair of them, "Yeah, Dumbledore was a good man, always fighting for our rights –a fact that that most of 'em seem to forget." Jon jerked his thumb over shoulder.

Remus's face darkened, "Everyone here is pro-Voldemort then?" Jon jerked his head, a tremor shaking through him, "D-don't say his name- but y-yeah." Jon jerked his head again, "I'd help you out here, but I'm on guard –why don't you try down in east of London, there's a cave dwelling that a few of our sort linger. That have it tougher over there- but they'll be more willing to listen."

Remus and Briar exchanged a look, "We'll try down there then, thanks Jon."

Jon gave her a grin, "Not a problem, Princess. Watch your wallets when you're down there."

Briar waved over her shoulder as she and Remus started back up the entry way. Remus shot Briar a look of disbelief, extending his arm, "You were right about that womanly appeal thing- I've never heard anything except snarled threats and curses from him."

Briar tossed him a cocky look, "What did I tell you?" She accepted his arm, "It's all in the female charm."

I do not own Harry Potter.

-AL