What's Right, What's Wrong, What's Left
Disclaimer: I do not make any money from this. I do not own Harry Potter but I just like to share what my imagination comes up with with fellow readers. Read at you own risk.
Caution: Very hazardous when swallowed. Keep away from children!
In a area of the dens forest where trees and been removed from the ground where they had grown for years so big that you could not wrap your arms around then and so close together that they block that they used to block must of the suns light out. Where, now the ground, rocks, dirt, and roots had recently been torn up and then piled back into piles around the perimeter, perhaps only days ago. In the midst of this, a young man and women stood to one side of the pile of earth filled with rage and heart ache of what had been mostly baried in the ground when those old trees used to be.
That tiny portion cleared away a view of horrors and nightmare that many the world around still lived with today as nightmare and memories that all would sooner forget. The two were to young to have seen more then pictures but nothing would have prepared them for seeing it in front of them. The young women was a step behind the young man as she was pyshicaly sick from seeing what had been in exposed baried and left by those who had done it. Harry James Potter stood there committing the young boy's face to memory an tried not to look and the young female naked lower torsos next to the boy. He clearly was beyond upset by what he was seeing but he was not sure if he should rage or cry for them. Hermione Jean Granger had her choice decided by her humanity and after throwing up she lost herself in her tears for the people who were in this mass grave.
Harry turned and tried to help Hermione up but she was unwilling or unable to so he picked her up bodily and after adjusting her position for a moment he carried her bridal style back to their tent that had only been setup just up the hill from the mass grave. They had setup tent there without knowledge of the mass grave the night before, only the day after Ron had left, blind since darkness had already fallen. The steep incline had been ideal for further protection on two sides but in the light of day it was the worst place to have made camp but that was the least thing on Harry's mind right now. Making his slow trip up the steep hill side he had no comfort to give to his best friend and no words for the dead. Compassion and revenge were all the thoughts he had left.
He laid Hermione down in her bed and wrapped her in blankets before he took off the locket and hung it on the bedpost at the foot of her bed. No words were exchanged, words were meaningless right now but he felt he could do something for the dead and their families. He picked up one of Hermione's hooded shirts and put it on with the hood up and put on a heavier coat that Ron had left behind. With a container of water in hand he left the tent in hopes that the building that he had seen in the distance would be able to help.
Almost three and a half hours later Harry returned to the clearing with the Bishop of the village Parish along with him. The Father reacted by throwing up his lunch first but with a single prompting from Harry the Father gave prayers for the dead and the families of the dead. Harry left while the Father walked the mass grave with untold body concealed within continuing to bless the dead to assure them their rightful place in the afterlife.
When Harry got to the camp he checked on the now sleeping Hermione before he began packing their things again. They had only been there less then a day so there was not much that needed to be packed. He wrapped a still sleeping Hermione in even more blankets then put her outside while he packed the tent and took down the protective charms from around their camp site. When he had everything ready he picked up Hermione in his arms and before he disappeared from sight he gave another look over the grave of those baried in the clearing blow, "I will avenge you. I will do all I can to make sure no others suffer as you have." He whispered before looking to the clouded sky and saying, "Help them find happiness mum." As tears trailed down his face for the first time all day.
Harry had not been as many places as Hermione but he knew that there was a lot of country out there that they would never be searched for in. After apreparating Harry walked with Hermione still in his arms for another hour before he settled on and large clearing where there was wood for fires and not to far away and berry just waiting to be picked and eaten. Setting the protective charms and tent, a very tired Harry finally brought Hermione inside. He didn't eat but had some hot water before turning in for the night just to get warmed up.
Harry was out on the edge of the road hidden in the trees as he had been for the last three hours. There had been a number of people traveling the road but Harry was looking for someone that he knew or at least someone who he could justify "questioning". When young man not much older then Harry walked up the road to visit Hogwarts Harry noticed his dark mark on his arm. The guy wore the dark mark like a badge of honor that justified his strutting up the lane. Harry imagined the guy was like Malfoy but instead of using his father as his reason for everything, which if Harry was missing his guess this guy was. Come to think of it Malfoy had his own dark mark that he wore with great honor but it, or even his father would not have saved him from giving Harry what he needed today.
It was simple and happen so fast that the guy only had enough time to reach into his pocket for his wand before he was laying limp on the ground. Deep within the forest Harry "questioned" guy who willing told the disguised Harry that he not only added to the count of bodiesin the graves but what he and other Death Eaters had done to the muggles and muggle borns that were in the grave. The things he told Harry made him harder inside, angrier, and more convinced then ever to stop this war.
The guy looked at Harry and smiled, "The best part is that Harry Potter is the one that gave them all to the Dark Lord. So many lovelies to play with, some of them just babies but those friends of his. He was the one that got them to start saying the Dark Lord's name that tells us just where they are and brings the snatchers right to them. All this little tasty witches I fucked, they called me just by saying Lord Voldemort." Harry's eyes widened and adrenaline started pumping as he looked around truly scared now, "Ya, got that have you?" He laughed at Harry. "The Dark Lord will be very happy that I have helped catch one of the rebels."
Harry had no time to second guess his self, he did what he decided he would last night. After two broken legs and burning the young death eater Harry might as well follow through, this guy had killed the people and baried them in that grave. Harry turned his wand on the death eater he had tortured for the information and silently cast a cutting curse that left a clean simple red line across his exposed neck. The Death Eater was wide eyed until until blood dribbled out of his mouth and his eyes closed. There was nothing else except for the pain in Harry's own chest.
Not three seconds past and two distinct sounds drove everything Harry was feeling out of his mind because he was already in a fight for his life with a snatcher on both sides of him forcing him to back up to get both of them in front of him. Strong shields and fast spells was the only thing that keep Harry on his feet was these two snatchers were slower then anyone in the D.A. Or any student that Harry had seen dual.
It all came down to power but not before Harry had make a mistake. Harry got a lucky shot in on one of the snatcher's shield buckled and he was hit with a stunning spell. Harry focused this attentions on the second snatcher who he was able to get on the offensive which was the wrong thing to do. Two death eaters came from the road and joined the fight right as I had stunned the second snatcher and Harry was immediately on the defensive. Within minutes it was four on one and Harry was feeling the effects of the dual. Their anger and determination doubled when they figure out that that the death eater that had been there fist had hid neck cut open.
Harry thought of Hermione and what she would do if he didn't return. There was no way that he could out run them even with apparition with how long it took him to prepare himself to disapparate. He didn't want to leave Hermione, she might be hurt or worse killed because he didn't do like he had planed. He would live through this no matter what and would make sure that she returned to her parents whole and that she never ended up another person that was tossed out into a hole in the ground like the other of the mass grave.
Anger and his thoughts of Hermione, opened his eyes and forced him onward, renewing his determination. His anger turned to power forcing his shields to be stronger and when snatchers started heckling him trying to make him loose confidence or provoke him but he removed a leg from one of their number with a hastily aimed blasting curse. The snatcher went down and passed out in seconds from his blood loss. Harry was able to cut through another snatcher's shield and made small cut to his upper arm but it was enough to make a turn the dual in Harry's favor. Then snatcher went down to another cutting curse that went through his shield like paper and hit him in the side of the head and face but he too fell and didn't get back up.
Harry was disgusted with how the last onn, the death eater, died. A Entrail-Expelling Curse with far to much power opened the death eater pubic bone to his Adam's apple, blood and his innards everywhere even on Harry. The death and smell all around left a lasting impression on Harry while he knelt next to his own vomit trying not to think of the families he had just denied a brother, son, or father.
He couldn't just leave them there like that, not like they had done to so many so he force himself to get them to someone who would be able to get them back to their families. He knew that Professor McGonicgal would not like what he did with the knowledge she had taught him but it was the best way. All five of the bodies were painstakingly transfigured it grim reapers mini statues. Each statue clearly said what they were (death eater or snatcher) but there was one thing wrong with his transfiguration, they were all red, blood red but he didn't try to fix it.
After Harry had put all five them inside the gates to Hogwarts so that the next person to enter or exit the ground through the gates would see them and more then likely give the to the imposter who thought he was the Headmaster (Headmaster Snape's self proclaimed title). Before going back to Hermione Harry found a creek and washed up. Washing in a freezing cool creek was not pleasant and by far the worst idea was to wash his cloths too. By the time he got back to the tent and Hermione he's lips were blue and he was shivering even after judicious use of warm charms. Unfortunately Hermione did not keep up on feeding the fire even after he had left a large pile there for her. After getting the stove re-lite and well on its way to making the tent comfortable again Harry made tea but Hermione didn't do much more then change her position to face the wall of the tent. The guy, death eater, had told Harry it was November the 2nd so at least something was going as normal as Harry had alway known, Ron had left on halloween. Ron leaving on that day only gave further proof that each and every Halloween Harry would be cursed to have something bad happen on that day for the rest of his life.
The next day Harry was in the forest far from the grave and far from Hermione or any other human being that could be caught in the cross fire. "Voldemort!" Harry said before he apperperated to a spot he had selected to give him cover. Two snatcher in Death Eater garb showed up and they were both quickly dispatched with blasting curses. Four more times Harry did this exact same thing before there was a change, a group of four Death Eaters came into the clearing just before Harry went to call out Voldemort's name again.
As the four Death Eaters guardedly entered the clearing Harry started moving around them after throwing back on his father's cloak. He was careful to not make a sound but he feared that they might hear his breathing. He was able to sneak up right next to them and kill two before the other two took up defenses against him. Two on one was not a fight Harry liked and these two were a lot better duelers but a lucky break when one of the Death Eaters tripped over one of the dead bodies allowed Harry the chance to throw the other with a over powered Expelliarmus. Harry gave the Death Eater a cutting curse to the neck before starting his dual with the last one who finally saw who he was dualing and tried to touch his wand to his dark mark but Harry blow up his right arm just before the wand touched the mark. It was a marcy when Harry slice through his neck severing his head from his body with a Diffindo.
Numerous cuts and bruising lettered Harry's body left Harry knelt on the ground completely spent. He didn't plan on this and now he didn't know if he had the energy to complete the plan but he had to get his wounds mended and rest for a bit. He made his way back to the tent to find Hermione sleeping again with dried tears tracks on her face. He ate a bit for the first time in more than a day after mending his cuts. He woke Hermione up trying to get her to eat something but she was as uncooperative as she had been that morning but he was happy to see her at least drink her tea before he left. He made a quick trip gathering somethings that they needed. He tried not to think of it as stealing but there was nothing for it, they needed food and supplies and he took only what they needed and would use. He reappeared in the cleaning with the dead snatchers and death eaters where he took everything of use off them including two portkeys even if he had no idea of the destination of the portkeys. He transfigured each of them into little grim reaper figurings then took them to Hogwarts. He didn't enter the grounds but left the twelve figurings and the wanted poster of himself right inside the gate on the ground for the next person that came along. He cover his trail if the Death Eaters tried to track him they would be lead all over the country side and even then they would need to walk a ways to find the tent.
The next day was the same except Harry was able to get Hermione to eat are offering fresh eggs beacon to her. Another six snatcher were killed by Harry's hand and place inside Hogwarts gates just like the last. He had more energy today but he didn't want to get into another situation like he did yesterday. He started walking down to Hogsmead when something in the woods caught his attention. With his wand drawn and ready Harry found that his caution was all for not when a thestral stepped out onto the road.
The thestral made its way to Harry then would not leave him alone. From the jerks and nods Harry thought she wanted to go with him but wasn't sure until decides to climb on her back and the thestral took off so fast he was almost unseated. They flew up over the mountains avoiding being seen by those who might happen to be looking up into the sky. On and on they flew for over an hour until the thestral landed in a clearing like the one from only days before. Freshly turned earth piled up and trees scattered around the clearing just like the other mass grave. Harry wand trembled as he waved it to remove a small section of soil to show what was beneath.
Once again the sight that met his eyes warred within him, seeing a man's head that looked no older then Moony. That thought caused him to loose the little he had eaten this morning while the female thestral stood beside him. "Why are they doing this?" He asked the thestral not expecting a response and none was given except for her nudging him in his side. He turned and spent time just petting the thestral, giving and receiving comfort for the only life left in the clearing.
After about half an hour Harry asked the thestral to point him to the nearest village which she did. After asking the thestral to stay there Harry started walking wishing that he would have been watching his surrounding to know where the village was and how far. Left only with his thoughts and the path in front of him Harry redoubled his resolve to stop this war no matter how many he had to kill, to stop them from killing the innocents.
After tracking down the the Minister for one of the towns two churches Harry lead the ministry back to the grave site within a hour. The Priest from the other day had not asked stupid questions but this Minister was whining about how far it was to walk and how he didn't feel safe. When he saw the mass grave he looked at Harry like he either expected to die next or accusing Harry of having killed the people concealed within the grave. "Please, I only brought you here to pray for them, give them your blessing so they fine peace. It's what I would want. You can go whenever you want but please let someone know these people are here so that they families can have them baried properly. They didn't deserve to be killed and left like this. No one does."
The minister stood there with his mouth opening and closing with no words coming out so Harry turned to leave with only the parting words, "I have to go, my friend is waiting for me and you should get back to the village before dark." Harry walked into the trees where only moments ago he had seen the thestral laying down. They walked in the other direction for sometime before Harry got back on the thestral and was flown back to the tent and Hermione.
Weeks past with Harry going out daily, sometimes with Mel (it was the name the thestral seemed to like) but most days Harry went out to give the innocents a better chance. Seventy four, that is how many people had been killed by his hand an he had the wand of each of them to prove it. Money, portkeys, and any weapons were all taken. That is where the revolver had came from that Harry now carried loaded with him everywhere, he had even taken a few of the death eater lives with it. Today it was different, today he had gone to the goblins risking his life just getting to the bank just because he had a idea that Gringnotts would be one of the safest places for Voldemort to hide one of his Horcuxes. They had not only taken his warning but they would do a search themselves of all of the vaults with a charm that they only knew of. If they found anything they might consider sharing the knowledge of the charm but only with him and they warned him that his vaults would also be searched and if a Horcux was found in his vaults they would seize the offending vault. This had started a different meeting all to do with the vault(s) that Harry owned and had never been made aware of. Sirius had left him one in his will. Then there was his trust vault and another that Harry inherited when he turned seventeen that was the Potter Family vault. He left there with a lot of non-magical currency to pay back debts for food and supplies that he had stolen but also to buy things that would make the tent more comfortable. He got Hermione a tube to bathe in hopping to make her a little happier. Cloths for both of them since their cloths wear getting ragged even if he was not able to get Hermione things in her exact sizes he thought she would be pleased. A radio was one of the comforts he had pickup for himself but it wasn't a Wizarding radio. He bought everything in the non-magical shops because Gringnotts was enough of a risk. He should have known that Hermione had been watching him and this little jaunt into the Wizarding world would force the confrontation.
Harry had already put away the groceries after personally speaking with the manager of the green grocers where he had admitted to stealing food and supplies to care for himself and Hermione. The manager had been upset but was happy that Harry had come back to apologize. The money, £2000, allowed Harry back as a customer as long as Harry did the right thing in the future, he even offered to help Harry if he got into trouble with money again. Hermione was spending her time ignoring Harry again but that was one of the reason he had gotten her the bath tube, in the hope that she might try to heal from seeing the mass grave and Ron abandonment before that.
As Harry enlarged the makeshift tube that he had bought as he thought of the happiness that he was sure that Hermione would have having a soak in the tube. He kept planning as he filled the tube after making large enough for Hermione lay out in because he was sure with the small space that she would want a bit of privacy for a hour maybe more. He smiled thinking that maybe this would turn her around, he really wanted her to be happy and selfishly he hoped that she might help him with his demons that kept building everyday. He had taken to sitting with Hermione at night after she had cried herself to sleep because she would always keep ample space between them when she was awake. It was those stolen moments that gave Harry some comfort and enough peace to sleep for a few hours before Voldemort's nightly dealings woke him up again with more torture and death in the visions that Harry was force to see each night while he slept.
The fire under the tube had the water boiling in minutes with a little help of magic to stoke the flames. Harry put out the fire and carried a pail of cold water while levitating the tube to the tent and entered with a swish of the flap. Hermione looked over at the noise while Harry smile happy that he had been able to surprise her like this. He setup the tube on the kitchen floor after putting a impenetrable charm on the floor to make sure that the tube didn't burn the floor of the tent and there was no way this tube would fit in that tiny little loo that he could hardly turn around in. After setting the pail down next to the tube he turned and looked at Hermione.
She was watching him with a pinched frown that reminded him of Professor Minerva McGonagall which he knew she was restraining herself. "I know it doesn't look like much but I thought you would enjoy a real wash up. The water in the tube is really hot so I brought in a bucket of cold water to cool it of, you know?" Hermione said nothing to his surprise for her that he shyly offered. He continued even more hesitantly confused at her lack of response, "I got us some cloths too, nothing really nice of course but our cloths have become so threadbare and ruined."
"You leave me here everyday while you go out to steal things and Merlin knows what. Don't you care about the people in the grave Harry, don't you care about what is happening with Ron or the rest of our friends? You haven't even tried to destroy the locket. So tell me why should I care about a bath that you stole when there are people out there dying while you explore your newest thrill of petty theft." She didn't yell but her words cut into Harry deeper then seeing the children in the graves and the physical pain hurt worse then Ron leaving that had felt like Ron had walked out with a piece of his heart.
Harry's face looked ugly marred in profound sadness as he walked by Hermione to his cot and pulled out one of Dudley's old shirts and opened it up so that Hermione could see what was being hidden inside. Seventy four wands and six stone Latin crosses. He gestured to them unable to find words feeling his heart in his throat. When she made no move to even look while he sat on his cot looking at his hands before a quick glance at Hermione drove him outside where he found Mel in the trees. He cried for himself, for the men, women, and children that had been lost but most of all he cried for his friendship with Hermione. Mel was more then happy to give him comfort for the whole night as he never returned to the tent that night.
It was only luck that the tea shop that Harry went into the next morning to get something to warm himself up also had a cozy fire burning. The night had been long and cold even with Mel next to him all night but it was December and he had awoken him several times freezing with only the cloths on his back to keep him warm. With a nice hot cup of tea and seat close enough to the fire that his cloths were streaming he finally started thinking rationally. Instead of making the situation worse by yelling back or just letting it go Harry decided to address it indirectly by writing his thoughts down. That proved to be very challenging since he had to get up from his warm spot but after finishing his tea he went down to a drug store and purchased a pad of paper and a package of pens. He went back to the tea shop and after getting another cup of tea with a breakfast sandwich he sat down to put his thoughts to paper near the fire.
Dear Hermione,
We had been best friends for over six years now and even though I wish I had been better fiend to you I cannot go back and change things, I do not have that option. If I could I would got back and make sure that you were treated the way you deserved, no one making fun of your study habits, about you being a first generation witch, or about how pretty you are. You deserve respect for your brilliance and the women you have become, it really makes me proud to have been counted as one of friends.
Proud until last night. I thought that you were the one person that knew me better then anyone else but what you said was kicking me when I was already down. I will admit that I was stealing food for us that we had to have to live and the other things to keep us healthy. Just so you know I paid the manager of the store back and talked with him even so that he understood why I needed food bad enough to steal it. The things I brought back yesterday were bought with my money from my vault. I bought things for you to cheer you up and make us both a little more human since we have been living out of tent for four months. I have done what I could to allow you time to heal after what happened on Halloween, to keep you from having to see things like that again. I just wanted you safe and happy or at least as happy as you could be under or current circumstances so that we could get through this war then reunite you with your parents.
I have done many things in the last few weeks that I wish I didn't have to do but I knew it was for the best to keep not only you and I safe but also the non-magicals that completely innocent in this war but they are made targets because they are helpless to defend themselves. You asked me if I cared about the people that are being killed, if I care about Ron and the Wesley's. It was for you and everyone else that I killed Death Eaters and the Snatchers. It was for the families and the dead in the six mass graves that I killed them Hermione but it has torn me up inside.
All I wanted was for you to be there for me, give me hope that mum, dad, and Sirius would forgive me for what I the people I have killed. There is nothing that could have prepared me for what you said. I still want you happy but I know that I should have never told you about the prophecy and what Dumbledore had been showing me then maybe you might have stayed with your parents and you would have been spared of this war and your doubts in me. I'm sorry it has gotten to this but know that I will do all I can to take care of you so that you can be reunited with your mother and father. Maybe one day we might be able to be the friends we were in fourth year again but this war has to stop first so I need to keep my thoughts on that to finish it before to many more people are hurt or killed.
Your friend,
Harry James Potter
There had been so many rough drafts but finally had something that would work. It didn't say that they were not friends anymore or anything like that, but best friends? That would have to wait until after the war which going to be over soon hopefully. He would leave the note tonight when he got back but he did not think that sharing the tent would be the best of choices right now so he needed to get somethings to keep him more comfortable until he thought he could move back in without fighting with Hermione.
Three days later Harry received a owl right before he was about to call out Lord Voldemort to drawing another group of Voldemort's supporters. He was being invited to Gringnotts, they had not addressed the letter to him but he thought they were smart enough to know not to since it might be intercepted. He stopped what he was doing to go find out if there was any good news on their front after searching the vaults. When he got there a hour later because of his caution he then was greeted at the doors and lead directly into the offices. They had found a single Horcux and it had been destroyed but they gave no further information about it or the vault it had come out of. What they did do was arrange for Harry to be taught the spell to detect Horcruxes which took hours. Late in the night after stopping to get something to eat Harry got back to the tent and peeked inside to see Hermione moving to her bed. She said only that she had been worried about him and that there was food in the cold box if he wanted before she climbed into bed facing the wall of the tent. Harry went back to a small grouping of tree just to the side of the tent where he had setup a tarp over the area he and Mel had been sleeping in. Mel was there already laying on his sleeping bag so he had to get her to move before he could lay down for the night. A simple sleeping pad and mummy bag had made their sleeping spot comfortable enough, not as good as his bed at school but better then the one he had at Private Drive.
The two following days were spent trying to find a way to get into Hogwarts without being noticed. It was Mel who found the hole and would have stayed away from the dark creepy hole in the ground that was only big enough for Harry to crawl into but Mel was right as it lead him towards Hogwarts castle. After crawling for over a half hour Harry found a small underground lake with perfectly clear water but walking around the bank of it took another half hour. Around lake is were he found another tunnel that brought him to a very large opening in the foundation of Hogwarts. The opening was into a room that Harry thought went nowhere but he found a snake carved into one of the stones of the wall. With simply saying "Open" in Parseltongue caused the wall that the stone was attached to to open up like the gateway to Diagon Alley. Inside Harry found himself in the tunnel that lead to the Chamber of Secrets but on the Chamber side of the cave in that had happened in second year.
Harry didn't have the locket with him, nor did he have Hermione so he would need to get them and come back with all of their things before he could destroy the locket with one of the faw fangs left in the Basilisk carcass and then search the castle to hopefully find anymore Horcuxes. He made his way back out disappointed that he had not gotten more accomplished but he had to let Hermione know the plan and get everything packed too. Hopefully they would be moved back into their beloved Hogwarts tomorrow.
When Mel woke Harry up the next morning he was filled with dread. He went and told Hermione that something had come up then climbed on Mel's back for a ride down near Stocksbridge in a field out in the open but remote enough not to have been seen by anyone yet. The hairs on Harry's neck stood up and he told Mel to keep going to the next village. As Mel kept going Harry watched the area around the grave to see if he could spot anyone. He knew he was safe because all a death eater might see was a thestral flying around since Harry had his cloak over him but that didn't mean that they would not try to hurt Mel, to them she was just a creature. Just outside of town Mel landed and Harry sent her home with a hug before he headed into the village searching for someone to give blessing to the dead. This was not a normal meeting this time because Harry decided that there should be enough people there so that the Death Eaters and anyone else that may be at the grave site should be scared off. There was also the fact that he had not already seen the bodies for himself to know for sure it was another mass grave, it only looked like it from the air.
It turned out to be Sunday morning and Harry found a church still having services with a very old man leading. Harry wasn't worry about the man making the walk since they could drive almost all of it on the roads but he was worried about the men's ability to deal with a fight if there was one. Others would be needed this time even if Harry had to use magic in front of them it was necessary to make sure that the people who had died would be taken care of properly.
He was that last in the sanctuary waiting for all of the others to leave while he occupied himself with thoughts of what the goblin had trained him to do in order for Harry to cast the Horcux detection spell. It was wandless magic and Harry thought of how he had been able to get the spell with only a little over a hour of tutoring. The goblin had told Harry that he possessed a larger capacity for wandless magic then other wizards that made Harry think of all the accidental magic over the years.
"I would ask if you enjoyed the service but I saw you walk in quite late. I think that maybe you are here for another reason. Your name would not happen to be Harry Potter would it?" The elder man that had been leading the service asked. "I'm Pastor Ronan Tripp." He finished holding out his hand.
"I suppose that I should not be shocked that you know my last name. Yes, I am Harry James Potter that formally lived at number four Private Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. I'm sorry but I hoped that you might come and pray for the dead today."my array took a deep breath trying to qual the hitch of another sob that was going to turn him into a blubbering mess. "There is a new grave just outside your village but I only saw it from a distance this time. There was...I hade a gut feeling I was being watched, maybe a trap. It would be best if others come with us this time. I trust my feelings and I will protect you as much as I can but I can not fight them all if it is a trap." Harry explained. "People that have guns would be good and they should know before they go that they will have to use their gun if we find anyone out there. The people that filled these grave will have no problem with adding another person to the grave."
"If you give me a few minutes I will gather some people to join us. If you would like there is coffee and tea in the entrance hall, make yourself at home. I should not be too long but we may have to wait for some of my old team to make their way back here." Pastor Ronan said before leaving through the doorway to the entrance hall.
Harry was lost in thought again when a old women sat next to him in the pew. "I had hoped that my Ronan would not have to see something like this again. He has changed a lot since coming home after the Falklands War and I don't want him to have those shadows again. I'll not try to blame you dear boy but the fates that have truly spat upon my Ronan." She looked contemplative before she spoke again, "It seems that those fates do the same to you young man. I cannot imagin being in your shoes, wanted by Her Majesty for being to one who reports these mass graves. That such graves have not been seen since the holocaust...No one knows where you live now nor where you family has gone but you have at least one friend with you. They say that it is a female, I hope that you allow her to be there for you when you come back to her."
It was Harry's raged breath followed by a sob that clued the old women into Harry current situation, "I'm sorry, she hasn't passed has she?" Harry nodded as the old women put a hand over his that had been in a vise like grip on each other in his lap. After a minute sitting there and Harry calming his self while forcing the tears away she finally said, "One day you will not be needed to carry the message of the dead to the local villages and when that day comes I hope that you will remember your hopes and dreams before fate got in the way of your life. We only live once and if there was one thing that I regret it would be that Ronan and I never had the children we both used to dream about. Do not put off living your dreams just because life is not going the way you wanted it to. Looking back I know now that Ronan and I should not have waited, if we had even tried while he was home on holiday we would have that family he and I always wanted."
That caused Harry to really think about his dreams that were very similar to Ronan's wife but his were from when he was young and most of all he had wanted his mum and dad to come and take him away and for his aunt and uncle. He had alway thought of having children of his own one day. Children that he would raise properly with love and devotion. Thinking of this caused Harry to give a smile, a weak one but still a smile.
"I am very glade I could bring you some happiness. Hold on to that young man, it with get you thought the nightmares and your most difficult days ahead. I see Ronan's old shipmates gathering, I was under the impression that you normally just took one person out. Are you expecting trouble, should I be worried about them?" Her voice was already laced with worry for Ronan and the others.
Harry stood and look into the entrance hall at the gather group of about eight men. "I will do what ever I can to keep them all safe for you ma'am." He looked at her and offered her a thought that he believed would make her happy, "I would have loved to have been your son. I dreamed of my mum coming to take me away for years, she would always come to get me from my cupboard and take me home where supper was waiting for us while dad made sure all the best food was laid out for me. I went to bed so hungry but in my dreams I would eat until every morsel was gone. My dreams were the best part of my childhood." Harry turned and walked away toward the group that had gathered around Pastor Ronan.
Harry felt especially uncomfortable with their mode of travel. Sure the church's van would fit them all but they were all closed in and sitting ducks if any trap was setup like Harry thought then only one spell would kill them all. Letting them know to stop the van Harry let them know that they would walk the rest of the way which they did not object to at all. The trip out and even their walk to the site of the mass grave was spent in silence with everyone watching for anything around them. Thankfully the road to the field and the field it's self was deserted. It was one of Ronan's friends that notice a something in the air. They didn't see what Harry saw when he looked into the trees because they could not have see it since they were non-magical but Harry could. He brought out his wand upon seeing what could only be one thing in his mind. A simple arcio charm brought the body of his most recent friend directly to him. Mel has been killed on her way back to the tent and now here she was dead at Harry's feet.
The men all looked at Harry like he was crazy so he took Ronan's hand and brought it to Mel's head allowing him to touch her and know that there was something there. Then came the explanation, magic and magical curses, just the basics mind you. Harry conjured a wood box big enough for Mel and showed more magic while shrinking the box after he had put Mel in it so he could bury her later. Harry also explained that Mel had been the one to lead him to the grave sites while he put the box containing Mel in his pocket. They seemed to take it well so he continued telling them to avoid and spell that came their way and shoot at anyone that cast a spell at them, even him. He told them of the horrors that those spell could do so that they would understand what they up against better.
They were just outside of the area of the grave site when Harry saw someone's distortion wavering from a badly cast disillusionment charm. It was Harry that fired the first shot. One cutting curse opened up the whole battle were Harry spent most of his effort shielding the non-magicals who were doing quite well with the guns they had brought. Rifles might be slow to reload and difficult to use in close quarters but the non-magical made them work. Their nine were against fourteen death eaters who had been waiting for them. The Death Eaters and their sympathizers might have succeeded if they had not killed Mel letting them knew that they were walking into a trap. The Death Eater shields did a pretty good just stoping bullets but Harry notice that after three shots hit the shield it would fall and the fourth shot would hit the death eater, normally. The non-magicals figured this out too and worked to bring the superior number down. Harry took out two with blasting curses and the rest died by gun shoot wounds but they had also lost one and Harry had not even notice until the fighting stopped.
He accioed items from each of the death eaters and Harry started transfiguring the dead death eaters into grim reaper statues like he had continued doing since the first killings. Harry looked to Pastor Ronan to see what he wanted to do with the one of their group they were all gathered around who had been killed.
"I promise you Harry I will give prayers for each of the people in that grave but we need to get Stuart back home. When we come back it will be with all the police and anyone else we can get to come with us. We have to get Stuart home first, you understand don't you." Pastor Ronan explained.
"I do, I know you will come back too. I don't think I will be bring anymore of the grave site like this to people attention, Mel was my only way of finding the grave sites. At least this will all be over soon, I will face the leader of these men as soon as I find one last thing that I need. Thank your wife for me, what she reminded me about...it helps." Harry didn't wait, he turned in place and was gone.
Crawling through the tunnel was a very difficult challenge for Hermione but Harry lead her through with his wand to light the way and shoving their bag ahead of him. After yesterday's battle and buring Mel in the forbidden forest he was tired, bone tire. Hermione had seen the wands and cross he had brought back, he didn't hide them from her so when she asked he told her the cross was his to remind him of the graves and the wands of the people he had killed or seen killed. He even told her about the non-magical and about Mel then explained about their trip into Hogwarts.
Leading them into the tunnel that was outside the Chamber of Secrets Harry opened the barrier and let Hermione in, she looked around in wonder. Harry went to the Basilisk that was smelling of rot and decay. He didn't think about it when he pulled a fang and quickly stabbed the locket as soon as it touched the floor. The scream from the Horcux caused Hermione to scream, Harry was over come with anger and kept stabbing the locket missing a few times and hitting the stone floor. It was not the stabbing that was making damage to the locket, it was the venom eating at the locket but each stab added to the venom eating away at the locket faster then any non-magical acid. Hermione finely pulled Harry off the locket after several minutes screaming at him to stop. She sat there and watched Harry as curdled up into a tight little ball crying into the his knees on his side in front of her. Harry was to upset to notice it then but later when he thought back on it he would wonder why she didn't even offer him a hand of support.
Hermione setup the tent outside the Chamber of Secrets (because of the smell) and left Harry bag outside the tent. When Harry got out of the Chamber of Secrets he went into the tent and left again before Hermione saw him since she was taking a bath and he didn't want to get caught starring because she would hex him. He had no idea what he was going to do for supper and what would happen in the next few days and he was not happy about sleeping on the stone floor with only a pad and his sleeping bag.
The detection charm was not easy at all to cast multiple times, like the Patronus charm was but the detection charm was only draining because Harry was performing it without a wand because there was no incantation or wand movement to cast it. After two days of sneaking around the dungeon checking every room, hall, nook, and cranny. Only the first dungeon and first floor had been done along with the Chamber of Secrets. Since the spell drained his magic so quickly he had taken to reading but that had also come with a surprise. The Hogwarts library had been purged of more then half of all the books and it was not like Harry could ask someone about. No one knew that Harry was in the castle and he wanted to keep it that way but thankfully they had the whole restricted section in the regular library now so borrowing one of those book was much easier. That was how Harry spent most of his extra time since looking at The Marauder's Map only made him wish to go and kill the death eaters in the castle.
The Marauder's Map had shown Harry a whole new level of torture, as he walked around searching the castle, if the maps indications and the screaming he had heard was any indication. He had seen the Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow, sometime even Snape, dots overlaying a students leaving Harry only to imagin that they were raping students behind closed doors had had been walking past. Harry had heard behind closed doors the screams of students being tortured by fellow students that had sent him to new heights of anger. The only thing keeping him from stopping it was that he had to stop the war and the fact that he didn't want to kill any students otherwise he would have gone in and stopped it. Then even one would know he was here and he was sure Voldemort would come.
Harry had found so many thing in the castle that didn't belong there. He even destroyed a few that would harm students if they had contact with it. He also saw the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position but didn't see the need to get ride of that curse yet since Amycus Carrow was currently holding that position and Harry would rather see him gone sooner then later, if the curse took care of him before Harry could himself then the students and castle would be better for it.
Taking notes about the things he had seen and found while searching the school was tedious but he figured there would be someone like Hermione would love to look over. There was also the hidden rooms and passages that Harry drew into the map even if the map was not able detect people in those areas because the map had not been charmed to. The oddest was the pink hue of every wall and stone within the castle that Harry could only attribute to the castle's magic. People always said that Hogwarts is alive but Harry could at least say that there was a magic that supported that theory. If what he had read was right the person controlling the wards would know best if the castle was alive or not since the wards of the castle would allow them the most chance to interact with the castle.
Harry's time with the previously restricted books and a few others that he had used for reference had opened up his spell knowledge to a whole new level. He had taken notes and learned the spell as much as he could but he had to conserve his energy to finish his search of the caste as quickly as possible. Many of the books gave Harry ideas or he found them useful but not for war, like spell for cleaning cloths that also repaired any damage to them that had fallen out of use because it took to much time and power to use. There was only one potion that been copied to Harry's note pad, the potion of Virgin Sacrifice that was created to change females and males into female virgins for use in rituals that was created by the Romans. Harry had dreamed about it after first seeing it. Harry didn't have a normal childhood and his mental issues made him see this as a way to have his dreams come true and take himself out of the limelight. The female Harry stared in his dreams of having children and continuing her life as normally as possible in the non-magical world. Working part time in a job that she loved and her three babies growing up happy and each so beautiful. Harry's mind held on to this not considering how he would be able to get pregnant or how the change in life style would be difficult for him, babies that would be his family was the only thing that mattered now.
On day eleven Harry found out that it was just past the New Year, the second of January, Harry found the last Horcux besides Nagini. When he came down to the tunnel leading to the Chamber of Secrets Harry was yelling for Hermione that he had gotten it. There was no smile or congratulations for Harry from Hermione. Oh, she came out of the tent alright but she said not one word. He watch Hermione for a moment hoping for something but nothing came of it, it only caused him further heart ache. He went into the Chamber of Secrets and used the same fang from the locket to stab the princess crown (diadem) but because it was goblin made Harry had to stab it several more times before the venom started dissolving the crown. It took a few minutes but the crown gave a cry when the last of the crown was being dissolved then nothing. Harry tested both the crown and the locket again and found no magic at all left. Harry looked behind him to see Hermione watching but he said nothing to her even as he stood and walked past her putting back on his invisibility cloak.
With the Map out Harry head to where the Carrow's were at with the other students. The door to the room had been lock with a non-standard locking charm but with his new spell knowledge Harry had it open in a tic. The Carrow's were standing next to each other Alecto watching Amycus rape what looked like a first year. The two other students were a young boy that was chained to the wall and another girl that was held over a desk crying. Harry with his wand in one hand and the revolver in the other cast a blasting hex from his wand and shot the revolver for the first time at point blank range. The results were nearly identical, both Carrow's die instantly. Harry quickly arcioed wands from both of them along with portkeys and anything else just like had done so many time before. After transfiguring them both into grim statues Harry release the young girl first who ran to the other girl that Harry released next. Neither seemed to be in any shape to get help for themselves and when Harry got to releasing the boy it showed that he was in even worse shape.
He told them to wait there and he would send Madam Pompfrey to come help them. Once they saw who had saved them they were quick to agree since Harry had just saved them but he asked them not to tell anyone that they had seen him, no one, which they agreed with also. Harry left the room and implemented another of his recently acquired spells, a note spell that would conjure paper with the message already written on it. It also had fillen out of use because the note did not last more then a few hours but it was perfect for this. One more spell added to the note allowed it to fly like the notes that the ministry sent for inter office memos. He followed it to the doors of the Medical Wing and he pushed open the door for it to go in before heading to the Headmasters office where he had seen Snape at before he went for the Carrow's. Another check of the map showed that Snape was still there in the office still in the same spot. Harry assumed that he was sitting behind the desk. As he made his way to the Headmaster's office his thought turned to the next step in his plan after dealing with Snape, finding Voldemort and Nagini to kill them, hopefully the ladder first.
He didn't try to go in quietly, it took nine of his over power blasting curses to open the wall behind the gargoyle and as Harry approached the inner door he thought he had everything planed for. Wand, gun, and even a knife ready to put Snape down for the things he had done in this war and the last war. The things Snape had allowed to happen to the students was what fueled Harry as he entered the office.
Harry was immediately disarmed of his wand by Snape, "Your arrogance is astounding Potter. You come in here, my home, intent on killing me, ME! You have no idea what you came here for do you? Albus allowed you far to much leeway to do whatever you wanted without punishment because he thought you were going to be the one to save us from the Dark Lord. Coming here was the worst thing you could have done, the death eaters in the school will have reported to the Dark Lord that someone is forcing their way into my office and he will be sending others to hold our position in the castle. The Carrow's will be on their way up here already. Your dead Potter you just don't know it."
"The Carrow's are dead already, I killed them both while they were raping a little first year. You allowed them to come into this school and torture the students. You yourself, I have seen with students too. I know that it might have change Lupin's life but I wish he would have killed you the night that Sirius tricked you into going to the streaking shack. I wish my father had never save your disgusting life. You were the one that gave Tom the information about the prophecy that lead him to me and got my parents killed. You took the position as Headmaster and allowed students to be raped and tortured. These are only the thing that I know and it is for them that I have come to kill you tonight." Harry pulled the revolver and shot once from about ten paces before Snape disarmed Harry of it also.
The shot had hit Snape in the right shoulder and it did not look like it effected him, "Very clever Potter. Only a muggle raised would think of using such a weapon but you will die today. Not by my hand but I will get to see the light leave your eyes." Snape said after getting up and walking up to Harry leaving the revolver on the desk but Harry had no idea where his wand had went. "Now, will you come peacefully or will I be forced to drag your arrogant ass down to the Dark Lord? You see, no matter how this war ends you will die." He sneered at Harry as he got closer. Harry was ready to fight him hand to hand or throw up a shield wandlessly as Snape got closer. "Oh! Albus didn't tell you! You ar...ah." Snape was startled as Harry leapt at him.
They both fell to the hard stone floor but Harry didn't stop, he was straddling Snape keeping him on the floor while unknowingly channeling magic into his hands as he punched Snape in the face and neck. Harry didn't care that he was hitting Snape in his boney face or that his hands were getting bruised badly. When Snape stopped fighting back Harry kept punching him until he had no strength to keep going. Harry stood up and retrieved the revolver. Snape was still breathing but he was not getting up. Harry noticed his hands shaking but only because he was having trouble gathering the psychical strength to pull the trigger. He used both hands and did not think twice about doing it as the bullet fired. The single round through the forehead made sure that Snape would never belittle or harm anyone ever again.
Harry fell down on the floor trying to gather some strength to continue. Ten minutes he sat there looking at the dead body of his former Professor before Harry started searching for a wand. Finding Snape's wand first he arcioed his own to him. With his wand in hand he got all the items off Snape first then Transfigure Snape into another statue to finish his set for the day. He threw his cloak around him and headed down to Professor McGonagall so that she could take control of the wards then raise them to their highest level.
McGonagall was not answering her office door forcing Harry to pull out his map and check her location. He had thought maybe she was dealing with the noise he had made but the map showed her in her office still even though the students were all wandering the halls trying to see what was going on. Harry unlocked her door and went in only to find her naked and looking like someone had just beaten her to death. Without Flickwick in the school Harry had no choice but to try to take control of the wards himself. At least if Flickwick had been there Harry would have had a idea of what to do but Flickwick had not shown on the map in week.
Harry went to the wall and placed his hand against it trying to feel Hogwarts magic and hoping to communicating with her to have the wards transferred to him. Minutes pasted with nothing happening then Harry smiled in his silent communication with the castle. Suddenly the castle vibrate like there was a small earthquake happening and the window in the office sealed from the outside with stone to cover them. Throughout the castle the same was happening for every window then the bell sounded from the clock tower and all of the doors to the outside of the castle started closing only to be covered with stone also. In the grounds 43 obelisk grow from the ground, each caped with a globe of solid gold covered in ruins that had arcs of electricity randomly passing over the globe until it got so strong that it began hitting the ground then electricity was being passed directly from globe to globe then it stopped.
Harry didn't put his cloak back on but pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt and covered his naked Professor. he levitating Professor McGonagall out of her office and down to the Medical Wing where Madam Pomfrey could help her. Getting thought the student was not that hard since there were less of them out but the first perfect that saw him levitating the Professor started to make a seen before Harry stunned him because he made the mistake of saying she was being punished and basically agreeing with what had been done to McGonagall. Entering Madam Pomfrey's domain was not something that Harry did lightly but he could do this for his Professor.
When he walked in he went to a wall first and held his hand against it for a few seconds before taking McGonagall to a bed and trying to find Madam Pomfrey. He found her healing the young first year girl that was being raped earlier. "Madam Pomfrey, I know that you have a few patients but I brought Professor McGonagall to you also and she is not responding to anything."
She looked up at his voice, "Oh dear Merlin! Mr. Potter as I live and breath. Minerva you say? Where is she?" Harry pointed.
Madam Pomfrey told the girl something and had her drink a potion before giving Harry a quick hug, "She was beat up pretty bad ma'am and might have been raped too." Harry said while Madam Pomfrey was hugging him.
"Don't you worry I have her chasing you around this castle in no time." She said letting go and walking over to McGonagall. "It is really good to have you back. You wouldn't know why the castle is closed off all the windows would you?"
"I took over the wards, all of them and they all on. Hogwarts conveyed that there were a number of wards turned off over the years but of course she cannot tell me why yet. The castle will not let anyone in or out until I release them. I wanted Professor McGonagall to take them but I found her like this so I decided to take them myself since I haven't seen Professor Fickwick in the castle for over a week." Harry explained.
She didn't look up from her work but said, "Filius left on a important matter at Gringotts three weeks ago and we have not heard from him since. Thank you for helping us, I suspect that there are many more witches that have not been able to come to me for help that I will have my work cut out for me in the next few days after they know they can come without being punished."
"They have not been able to see you to be healed?"
"No, no one has because they are taken away if they come here. So many have disappeared completely and the elves have searched everywhere in the school for them."
"I made it to the seventh floor and never came across any students being held other then the room the Carrow's were using, the same place the three came from today. I hope they did not but it is possible that they may have been some of the ones who were in the mass graves. If they were the non-magicals have their bodies now."
The use of the word "mass grave" cause Madam Pomfrey to look up at him from her healing of McGonagall. "They killed that many?"
"Seven mass graves so far. Hermione and I found the first one on October the first then a thestral helped me find the rest. I'm sorry but I had no one else that I could take them to."
She kept looking at Harry but was having a hard time coming up with words. She returned to her work and said, "There has been someone killing the death eaters and the people they call Arurors now days. The dead are alway left at the gates or in the grounds. Honestly it drives Severus to a whole new level of moodiness since You-Know-Who keeps blaming his follower's deaths on him. Severus is dead now though, right? You took over the wards so he's dead?"
"He is. I had nowhere else to leave the bodies besides some grave were their families will never find closure. I couldn't do that to their children."
"Then you are living up to the undesirable number one and two with Miss Granger being third and your Mr. Wesley being number four. They call you the Sculptor, they fear him more then Harry Potter. I sorry you had to do that Harry. I used to wish that you would not get hurt so much but now I wished for you only to be returned to us alive and well."
"I should go get Hermione, I am sure she would love to see some friendly faces. Please let Professor McGonagall know that I would like to talk to her when she is ready, it really is important."
"I will convey your message. Please consider what I said Harry, stay here, stay safe please."
"I can't do that Madam Pomfrey, I have to end this as quickly as possible or others will die needlessly. Surely you can understand that?" Harry did not wait for a answer and walked out without looking back. The worst part was that Madam Pomfrey would have him stay here while others died out there and that she sounded so happy he had killed the death eaters and snatchers.
Hermione had the tent down so fast Harry could not believe it and then she was gone as soon as he had opened the passage to the second floor bathroom. Harry didn't even see her in the library while he dug through the books of the restricted section, she was just gone. Neville was one of the few people Harry had let hang around, his former dorm-mate was still reeling from the three who had been with the Carrow's. He had been caught by Snape and the Carrow's after trying to stop the Carrow's from hurting group of first years and as it turned out that was why the Room of Requirements was open to Harry when he went there since they had all been out trying to get wands to help them fight the Carrow's and get back the three that had been taken in the pervious fight. It turned out that Harry and Neville had notice the same thing, the witches and wizards didn't want to fight but they cried when people were hurt and begged for someone (not the children) to make the war stop.
Neville had jokingly said that they just wanted the war stopped with the proper spell, "It's retardo erat, we just have to have enough power and find the wand movements." It was meant to be funny but it was how true the statement was. Mrs. Wesley, Madam Pomfrey, and of course Hermione all acted like this would be the perfect way for the war to end but this was real life war, people were hurt and were being killed everyday.
Harry was not wasting time either, now harry's only plan depended of the portkeys he had gathered from death eaters and snatchers but the problem was there was NO information on portkey tracking or even about how to make them. Harry was at his blurry eyed whit's end and none of the Professors knew except Slughorn how to even make a portkey. Harry last hope was the library or McGonagall when she stared seeing people again.
McGonagall was pissing Harry off, she had been awake for more then a day now and still had yet to see him. It's important to him, the war, but she had been laid up but now she was delaying him and the war effort. To be honest Harry understood her and what she went through but all he needed was a little but of knowledge that hopefully she had but Madam Pomfrey could have forgotten Harry supposed. She needed to be well though or Harry might not get another full nights rest for the foreseeable future. The wards needed to be transferred to McGonagall and then the students that the castle was blocking would be punished properly for the things that they were trying to do. Duals breaking out in the halls, assaults on students, and yes there was the guys that thought they were allowed to still rape witches (and in one case a wizards) that Harry had Hogwarts block off for a hour. All the castle did was create a wall around the persons allowing the victim(s) to get away unharmed and the guilty persons to cool off before allowing them to leave and hopefully it would at least serve as a deturant for the in the future. If Harry had to deal with them personally he would kill them for trying to rape another student and curse them six ways from Saturday for starting duals. That was why he was letting Hogwarts deal with it and now there was no need for prefects because there was no nookie at all for anyone. Hogwarts shocked the students giving more then a kiss to each other and wall off the snoggers, sprayed water on people arguing. But at least masterbation was still allowed along with passing notes (which was funny when the note was a howler) and anything that supported a safe, happy, learning lifestyle.
The wards now covered every place that Harry knew in the castle which in turn had updated The Marauder's Map which to Harry made him think that The Marauder's Map was using the pink magic that he had seen in every classroom and hall in the school. All it took was communing with Hogwarts and having his hand on a area that had not been mapped before like the Chamber of Secrets. He had opened the sink passage in the witches loo and touching the floor of the loo while holding his other hand on the inside of the tunnel to the Chamber had allowed Hogwarts to use him as a conduit. Harry had no idea how wards worked but he knew this was not normal. In the end Harry had added the Room of Requirements and all the rooms that had not been on the map before. To be honest the map was squished up now but if someone could figure out the magic that tied the map to Hogwarts then they could make a bigger map next time.
Hagrid had been brought into the castle proper to live for the time being since Harry was the only one that could let him in or out of the castle. Harry had been summoned the day that he had put the wards up to full strength because there was a lot of knocking happening on the main doors. Harry had inadvertently locked students and Professor Sprout out along with Hagrid. After being locked out finding who had done it all was forgiven and that evening after moving some of his things in, Harry and Hagrid stayed up late just catching up. Hagrid was sorry to hear about Mel and he knew which thestral Harry was talking about (Hagrid had named her Welsh years ago after she was born) but it was later that Harry told him about the killings and death that he had seen after a lot of mead had been consumed. They had both cried and Harry happily excepted hugs from the giant man taking all the comfort he could from the first person that offered what Harry had wanted most. Harry would not soon forget that night nor the hangover the next day but it had been good for him and he had sought out Hagrid many times since then just to sit with and talk about normal things. Neville was great but Hagrid really cared and gave honest comfort. He also told Harry of the "Great thing your do'en for ta' 'orld Harry." There was one story that had really touched Harry and made Harry think that Hagrid knew what he was going through about the first time that Hagrid had to go out into the forest to kill a werewolf that was hunting in the grounds on the full moon two months in a row. Hagrid had killed the werewolf and baried the man after he had changed back. Hagrid had never known the man but that didn't matter. Hagrid had killed a man that was unfortunate enough to contracted a disease and was hunting to close to the students in the castle.
The fourth day after taking control of the castle wards Harry was at his whits end with the students that kept fighting, this morning the fighting had been in the Great Hall with first years all around them that could not even protect themselves. The DA members had started out shielding themselves and the students around them but a second year had gotten a cutting curse right to the face that cause the DA to fight back before Harry had even gotten to a wall to allow Hogwarts to do what she needed to. Harry had been down eating in the kitchens when Hogwarts started sending pulses of magic as a alarm to him and he had put down his breakfast and walked over to a wall as fast as he could but elves and furniture had delayed him. It all happened fast enough that four students were hurt and the second year was bleeding bad by the time that Hogwarts was allowed to box in each of the fighters. Harry ran up to the Great Hall after the fighting had been stopped to help if he could. When he got there it was chaos, the Professors were helping a bit but they had missed the bleeding second year and the others could wait but they didn't notice. Student running out of the Great Hall and others hiding under tables while crying. Harry wanted to yell and scream at them all but the second year needed help first.
Harry carried the second year to Madam Pomfry after conjuring a towel to stem the bleeding some. Madam Pomfrey had started working on the cut that went from the boy's right temple down right across his mouth and stopped at his chin making a bloody mess of the poor boy. As she worked on the boy she had asked Harry some questions about what had happened but Harry only had eyes for Professor McGonagall who was stating up in bed and had been speaking with Hermione before Harry had come in. They both were looking at him now but as soon as Harry started walking towards them Hermione took off running out of the ward. Professor McGonagall looked after her but turned to look at Harry again when Hermione fled out the doors.
McGonagall did not allow anything to effect her and acted like nothing had happened when she stated, "Poppy told me you wished to speak with me Mr. Potter."
Harry was not about to let her off, she was the strongest women he knew and her stoic statement only add fuel to the tongue lashing he wish to give her. "I told her that I needed to speak with you urgently and now it has been three days since you have been awake, apparently speaking to people but not me. I expected better from you Professor." His voice was even but his tone left no question that he was angry with her.
"I will not be spoke...!"
Harry interrupted her from her holier-than-thou statement of who will speak with her and what tone of voice they will speak to her in. "You are the Headmistress of a school Madam! You were injured mentally and physically but there are still students who need you. Professors that need guidance and Death Eaters that need to be controlled or they will kill everyone else in this castle. Granted I needed to speak with you at first about the wards and portkeys but if you would have spoken to me sooner that," Harry pointed over to the second year who was still being healed by Madam Pomfrey. "Would not have happened."
McGonagall was speechless and her lips were pitched but with her eys down leading Harry to think she was angry with herself. He would not claim to know her as well as he knew Ron or Hermione but he knew her angry moods enough first hand to know that she was angry. "Hogwarts allowed me to take control of the wards so the school is completely locked down, not even the elves can go in or out and that means no post either which has many of the students out for my blood. The wards are also complete now including the Room of Requirements and the Chamber of Secrets." Harry pulled out his note pad and set it on her side table. "The hidden passages and all the rooms I have found are listed in there for when you have time to read it." Thinking for a second Harry also pulled out the map and activated it right in front of her, "This is The Marauder's Map created by my dad and his friends. To active it tap it with your wand and say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and to deactivate it tap you wand to it and say "Mischief managed". It now shows all of the areas that are within Hogwarts wards that I have added to her wards after we communed. I call it commune since she doesn't actually talk but it's more like a thoughts being passed, it's odd but nice. You have done it before I'm sure." Harry had calmed while speaking of Hogwarts and getting things off his chest.
"I have been letting Hogwarts deal with fights and assaults in her way since I might really hurt the guys that keep trying to get a witch alone to rape her or worse. She put them in a time out and allows the innocent party to leave back to safety. She just builds up walls around the person or persons that are guilty but it has saved a lot of students. This fight happen in the great hall and I wasn't fast enough to commune with Hogwarts to stop it before he was hurt, it just happened to fast. There are about thirty Death Eaters outside the wards but they haven't even made a dent in Hogwarts' wards yet not even with all of them focusing killing curses in the same area. Her wards stop the killing curse Professor, stop it and then change it to power that only feeds the wards more power. It's amazing!" Harry finished allowing a bit of passion to show about what he had learned.
"Mr. Potter if you are quite finished? I know that such things are wondrous even for a witch as old as I am but please allow me to read your notes about that later. What is important is that you are here now and you are keeping the students safe from those outside of our walls and from within the school." She looked at the map that was sitting in her lap before looking sadly up at Harry. "Miss Granger told me that you are the one they are calling the Sculptor. I want it clear Mr. Potter that I will not allow you to any of those vial things in this school. Do you understand me? If you harm one student I will have you locked up in the dungeon."
She did wait for Harry to respond before she continued which he did with only a nod of his head, "The graves and bodies of the dead that were left and you have been finding will no longer be brought to the attention of muggles. You have no idea what you have done allowing the muggles to know about them. You have severely undermined the Statue of Secrecy and put our world at risk if not already exposed it. If they find out we will be fighting war on two fronts. I truly feel that you did what you did without thinking of the bigger picture but you must stop bring these graves to the muggle's attention."
"Do you really believe that shit, do you think that I will just lay down and allow the non-magical world to die because I didn't do my part. My part that has turned into your part, Madam Pomfrey's part, Hermione, Ron, the whole magical communities part!" Harry was yelling at her now. "You sit there telling me not to fight back against the witches and wizards that are torturing and killing innocent women and children. Those graves are filled with loved ones of the non-magical people who have families and loved ones looking for them. Your problem is not me Professor, it's the death eaters and their irk. Their the ones doing the most damage to your precious Statue of Secrecy and so are people like you! People who will not fight back! people that are waiting for someone to just come in with rainbows coming out of their arse that will make everybody happy again! Well their is no such thing, Neville said it best, their is no spell that will fix what people like you have allowed your world to turn into!" He took a calming breath then continued, "I promised that I would end this, that I would find the horcruxes and then face him but the rest of this mess will be up to you people to clean up." Harry had tears falling down his face and he sobbed as he said, "I am done! I'm done with you people, all of you. You, Hermione, Ron, god even Lupin who can't even see fit to be the father he should be to a baby he created. After this is all over I'm gone and you can live in what is left." Harry could hardly speak when he finished and all he could think about was the potion instructions in his note pad. Harry grabbed his note pad and map before he walked out of the ward not listening to the calls coming from Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall that faded away after the ward's doors closed after he walked out. He deactivated the map and put it and his note pad in his pocket before heading to get his things. He needed to leave instructions for Neville and transfer the Hogwarts wards before he left.
Harry took Neville to the Room of Requirements and told him EVERYTHING. The Horcruxes, the wards, the rest of the war and even what he was going to do next. Neville took control of the wards and castle while he would be looking for Nagini. He agreed with Harry and was willing to take the proper actions to keep the other students safe from the war outside and within. Neville promised to keep Hermione safe too and get her back to her parents when it was safe to. The only thing that he didn't agree with was Harry going alone right into the Death Eater camps but there was no one else besides the two of them that were willing it seemed.
As Neville watched harry's dot moving through the tunnel out of the Chamber of Secrets he was crying as he warded the passageways as Harry and another dot following him named Dobby made their way outside the protection of Hogwarts. Neville got up and left the Room of Requirements to get the sword of Griffendore from the Headmasters office. The only thing that would allow him to kill Nagini if Harry was right. There was a lot to do and he would not allow the Junior Death Eaters to keep roaming the the halls, the cells in the dungeon were going to be put back in use if anyone was stupid enough to pull any shit with him at the helm. He would not say anything bad about Harry but maybe Harry should have locked the bastards up in the first place.
Four days and this was the second house Harry had been to and the first that he had seen Death Eaters using. The portkeys that he had collected he was using one by one to find Nagini but also to even the odds by hitting them where they thought they were safe. The first house had been completely empty but was clearly a base and not a family home. Harry had left that house yesterday after watch it falling into itself as the flames had consumed it. This house looked like they used it as barracks and Harry had already took care of the Death Eaters and Snatchers who had been there when he arrived. Dobby who had insisted of coming with him to help was currently searching the house with elf magic for anything that was useful to stoping the war. Harry used the goblin magic to detect what was in each room and make sure the house was clear before he would burn this one down also. Harry was happy about two things and only two things right now, that Dobby was with him and Pastor Ronan had come through for him. Harry had stopped by the church in the hope that since they had guns they might be able to get him more bullets for his revolver and the Pastor had come through in spades. He got Harry another two guns, two nine millimeter glock pistols that were much more faster to shoot and held more rounds. Ronan had explained they were tough and easy to maintain but Harry only cared they would help him when needed. They had already been useful with the fight he had earlier when Harry had been disarmed by one of the nine he had been up against to start with.
Harry and Dobby found another four portkeys, some money, and a lot of papers that ranged from editions of daily prophet to notes. There was nothing about Voldemort's plans or anything incriminating but it was worth reading anyways. It was the number of curse weapon they found that concerned Harry but he had no idea how to destroy them. Many of them were goblin made then a witch or wizard had corrupted them with magic and potion. It was Dobby who gave Harry the idea to melt them down with magical fire and of course goblin would not use a wizard's spell to fire their forges while they shaped the weapons so Harry created a fire wandlessly. Oh, it worked, a bit to well as the flames consumed the steel as flame would burn wood but only faster. The only thing containing the fire was the stone floor. Once the steel was engulfed Harry began setting the rest of the house on fire then left to stand outside and make sure it burned enough to be unusable.
On the twenty first of January Harry found hisself in the grounds of a very rich home, evident by the fancy white birds strutting around the front gardens. Dobby was beside him panicking as soon as he saw the grounds. "What is it Dooby?"
"Bad masters home Harry Potter. Bad master."
"Just stick to the plan Dobby and we will be fine." Harry said making his way determinedly to the front door. Just like the other six portkeys had done this one took them to another hideout that had no security beyond the ward which the portkey took him through. Harry blasted the doors open and walked in watching for anything and everything that could happen around him, he even saw the invisable Dobby move a bit of the left overs from the door being blown apart. With his wand in one hand and one of the Glocks in the other, Harry walked boldly into Malfoy Manor.
With only a twitch of his wand the first Death Eater died coming out of a room at the far end of the hall with a sandwich in hand while his chest exploded. A voice came from above addressing him, "You will die for daring to break into my home!"
Harry didn't think twice about what the male voice said and he didn't waste time to respond. He brought up his arms and with his right hand under his left which allowed him better accuracy and his wand and gun point in the same spot he shot one round that was follow by another blasting curse at roughly the area Harry thought that the voice had come from. Both the projectile and the spell hit the corner of the wall where Harry hopped to hit whoever had spoken. There was a scream they Mr. Malfoy tried to dart accross the landing throwing spells in Harry general direction. None of his spells got close enough for Harry to shield himself but Harry's followup shots from the Glock hit twice with one miss that hit the wall. When Harry got to the top of the stairs Malfoy was struggling to crawl away leaving a blood trail where he had pulled himself down the marble floor. Harry finished quickly with another shot to his head. He turned and started for the stairs when Dobby pushed him out of the way of a oncoming spell that had been cast silently. Harry turned and faced his attacker, Mrs. Malfoy, who was striding silently down the hall from where Mr. Malfoy had be dragging himself to before Harry ended his life. She cast again and again with deadly accuracy not waiting for the last spell to reach Harry before casting again. Two cutting curses and four shots was harry's return, the guns were just that much faster. The witch was smart enough to shield but the projectiles dropped her shield and then she was clipped by one of the cutting curses before she was casting at Harry again. She knocked Harry down with a blasting curse in front his shield that peppered his shield with the marble flooring and threw him off balance. She got cocky though when Bellatrix Lestrange came up the stairs behind Harry. Bellatrix died first, Harry did not wand to trade any spells with her, with two shots one in the neck and the other right to her heart. That was really great for Harry but he had been aiming for her head with both shots. Narcissa was not just waiting she had gotten closed and disarmed Harry of his gun and wand but Dobby saved Harry again pushing him with magic further down the hall along the floor. Harry pulled the other Glock and fired until Narcissa fell to the floor. He carefully stood with his gun on Narcissa and listening for anyone else that might be coming. He found Narcissa was well and truly dead already but noise on the stairs brought another three wizard one of whom was Draco Malfoy and all Harry had was a...his wand came flying into his right hand.
They didn't wait for Harry to be ready they cast their spells wildly as the biggest one growled and barked like a dog but harry's shield prevented him from doing anything but staying on the defensive. It was Dobby that pulled Harry into a room off to the side of him where he reloaded waited to hear them on the other side of the wall before letting off a whole clip into the wall they would be standing on the other side of. He reloaded the Glock again and just before he got his hands up and ready the wall was blown open. Dobby stopped the pieces of wall that would have hit them in mid air and Harry took full advantage of it when he saw one of the men and let off three round before spying another getting off the floor next to where the door used to be, Harry let off another two rounds at his head. It was over right there but Harry was absolutely drained. Reaching into his bag he reloaded again and picked up the used clips then retrieving his other Glock before searching for anyone else in the house. Finding no one Harry told Dobby to get any other elves out of the house while he watch the entry for anyone coming in then they started searching the manor. The place was huge and Harry was scared shitless so he decided to work together with Dobby on the search of the rest of the rooms.
In the cellar was a room Dobby was telling him was hidden, Harry found it with the goblin detection charm. Harry tried every unlocking charm he knew and Dobby just opened the door with the handle, it almost made Harry laugh except he had no idea what was inside the room and if they would be getting into another fight.
"I'm so happy you found us Harry Potter. I thought you would have been here an hour ago but I suppose that the Blibbering Humdinger distracted you from finding us sooner. Hello Dobby the house elf, you seem quite well." Harry knew that voice.
Before they could even see inside Dobby responded, "Miss Lovey good! What is yous doing here." Dobby said clearly recognizing the voice also. Before Harry could stop Dobby he ran into the room. Harry even more alert now that Dobby ran off into a room where they had no idea what was happening inside.
A male voice yelled, "Harry, the rat is a Death Eater!" Harry saw Peter come out of the wall where the doorway should be and fired the Glock while casting piercing hexes. He only stopped when a man appeared bloody and dead. "Don't shoot, it's me Dean Thomas. Please don't shoot."
"Send Dobby out first!" Harry yell.
"Mate?"
"Just send...Dobby come back out here!"
Dobby popped with elf magic right next to Harry, "You know better then that! They could be Death Eaters Dobby!"
Dobby pulled on his ears, "Dobby is sorry Harry Potter Dobby is worst elf. Dobby will iron his hands and ear, master Harry." He said pulling on his ears like he was going to pull them off.
"What is my number one rule Dobby?" Dobby didn't answer fast enough so Harry turn his gun on him yelling "Answer me!" While keeping his wand where the door should be while backing away from both to keep the doorway and Dobby insight. He couldn't risk it if they had Imperius Curse his friend.
"Dobby is never to punish himself."
"What is the second rule?" Checking that this was Dobby.
"Dobby is never to go into unknown places without his Harry Potter. But Dobby is only going to see his friend Miss lovey good."
"What if that is not Luna but someone Polyjuiced to look like her?"
"Dobby does not know Harry Potter."
"That is why we work together Dobby and I gave you these rules."
Luna's head came out of the wall and asked, "May we come out now Harry Potter?"
"On our date to Slughorn's party what did you tell me when I kissed you?"
The always unflappable Luna raised a eyebrow, "But Harry Potter we went as friends and you never kissed me. I would have loved to have you kiss me for my first kiss but the Nargle made you follow Draco Malfoy instead before you could kiss me."
"Who else is in there Luna?"
"Dean Thomas, Griphook, and Mr. Ollivander but Mr. Ollivander is really unwell. How is Neville? Did you leave him in charge of Hogwarts like I foresaw? He will be really good for Hogwarts, I just wish we could get back into Hogwarts but you really closed the wards up tight. Then again I don't think I would like seeing all those Death Eaters again they were mean to me. Are you really going to take the potion? Will we still be friends? I would..."
"Luuunnnaa! we should get Mr. Ollivander the help he needs and you somewhere safe."
Dobby gave his input, "Dobby knows where, Dobby can bes taking them."
Harry looked at his elf friend, "Alright Dobby but be careful and make sure that they are safe."
"Harry Potter's Weses will take care of them." Dobby took hold of Luna's hand and Popped away. Harry walked into the room with his wand and gun still at the ready.
"Mate, you changed. I mean, I am happy you came to save us and all but you are like...bloody Dirty Harry. Yeah, Dirty Harry." Dean said as soon as Harry walked in.
"Good to see you to Dean, Mr. Ollivander, Griphook. If you would like Griphook I can get you back to Gringnotts or you can go with the others until you are ready to make your own way back." Harry said.
"I have been expelled from Gringnotts, it is better that I go with the others for now." He replied in a even tone.
Harry had no idea what it took for a goblin to be expelled from Gringnotts but he left those thoughts out of his mind as Dobby popped in and back out but with Mr. Ollivander this time. "Dean, if you see Ron wherever Dobby takes you please tell him...just tell him I'm sorry."
Dean looked at Harry confused, "Isn't he here with you?"
"No." Harry stated plainly, "He needed to be with his family."
Dobby popped back in much faster then the last trip. "Dobby take yous both." He said before grabbing Dean and Griphook and popping away.
Harry lent against the wall for a second before sliding down until he was sitting on his butt. He couldn't even think of words to say to Ron that might convey his true feelings. He would be lucky to have anyone who would care about him after this war. He was so tired, so tired of war, tired of fighting, just tired of it all. How in the name of all that is decent did Luna know about what was happening or the potion. Harry had not spoken to even Neville about the potion.
After sneaking around the Ministry and listening in on conversations Harry had a lead and it all came down to a Portkey that Harry had acquired after following a death eater that was working in the Transportation Department of the Ministry that he followed out of the Ministry building before killing him and taking his portkey for the summons that was to take place tonight. To be clear, the wizard was to take the mark tonight and he was really excited about getting marked as a "real" Death Eater. To add to the reason for Harry was the fact that the man had killed his director only the week before so the he could take his bosses position. Harry had figured out the killing of ones boss was the newest way to get promotions in the ministry now days so Harry had no guilt about killing the wizard and inscribing "Sympathizer" on the man statue for the very first time.
The guys that were helping Ronan who was helping Harry teased Harry that he was doing this today of all day so that he could win a lasses heart because it was February 1st, Valentine's Day. Harry whined but put up with the teasing from the old guys since they had really come through for him.
The moment that he portkeyed into the place this meeting was taking place with Dobby Harry would push a button and the timer would start on the "Suit case bomb" he was carrying in. They had also outfitted him with grenades and flash bangs. The ladder had been demonstrated for Harry in a barn when Harry least expected it causing him to almost curse several of the guys before they took his wand and for good measure they took his Glock too. Funny enough they had conned Harry into wearing body armor and a tactical mask to keep him from getting hurt by shrapnel either from the grenades or spell fire.
Only seconds before midnight Harry activated his stolen portkey and after making a perfect landing he press the trigger on the suitcase bomb and saw that there were tons of witches and wizards around him. Acting with haste Harry dropped the bomb and brought up the AK-47 that had been restored like new just for this job.
Harry heard some guy ask, "When do we get the new masks like yours mate?" Before Harry had pulled the trigger. In fully automatic like this one was setup to do laid waste to All the death eaters around him as he spun around to hit most of them. He dropped the AK and pulled his wand and a Glock to finish off all that had life left in them after wandlessly casting something like a Homenum Revelio Charm to show him who was alive still. After killing the last five Harry walked out to the hall and seeing only one door Harry tried opening it. With it locked Harry blasted the door then threw in a flash bang. Oh, there were people in there alright as countless screams reached his ears. He could not believe his luck, Nagini was withering around right there near the door so he threw out a grenade into the mess of people then went after Nagini. Harry stabbed her twice with the frag from the Basilisk that he had kept just for her then shoot the snake several times while he was stumbling around he was hit several times in the back and helmet but he knew that the body armor would have kept him safe enough to keep going but with the adrenaline in his system he wouldn't know. He turned around to see a man already up and facing off with him after seeking up behind him. That man die with a bullet to the head then another that was getting off the floor. Harry was only cursing and shooting at people who moved but he spent both Glocks clips and didn't spare time to reload until he saw Tom Riddle grading himself into his thrown. Harry reloaded his Glock with a fresh clip and then layer into the man as fast as his finger would pull the trigger. There were no spells or people fighting on the left or right of him. Harry was there with his simple friend, a house elf, largely consider the lowest race of the magical world but to Harry he was a knight in shinning armor. Harry turned just in time to see his knight sacrifice himself to stop a killing curse from hitting him. It was painful to see but it only lasted a millisecond before everything went black.
There were people screaming, Harry could hear it. But everything was so heavy he couldn't move at all, it felt as if he was filled with lead then it came as a female screamed "Crucio!" and if he didn't know he was alive before he knew for sure now. His whole being was stabbed with white hot knifes deep, through the flesh and directly into the bone. Again someone cursed him this time a male voice rang out with the curse before Harry could even have enough time to pull a grenade or even a flash bang. There was no time for Harry to do anything except get a lung full of air and a look before someone else crucio'ed him.
Harry thought of his friends, at least they would have a better chance now to finish this war. He thought of Dobby and Pastor Ronan who had done so much for him but Dobby was in a better place now and Ronan promised to get word out to the military or police about wizards and how to protect themselves. Harry spared a thought of his mum and he hoped that she would be waiting for him, he really wanted a hug from her now.
He was in the fetal position when it stopped or he was just past pain now he had no idea which it was. Harry was past pain and was just holding onto his mind and life really but it enabled him to pull a grenade and toss it weakly away from him. The explosion through Harry away and into a pile of dead bodies but he took out another large group of those who had been watching Harry Potter cursed to insanity. Harry tried hard to keep from blacking out because he wanted his dream, he wanted his children. He looked around himself and saw light but it was wrong it was all red light but he could see a window. He thought he was in a room on the main floor but he didn't know. He threw another grenade and a flash bang one right after the other but he didn't know that they affected little because his eyes were not working properly. It only hit him then that Dobby was not going to be able to pop him out of here then he remember a portkey that he had brought just in case but he had no idea where it would take him. Harry struggled to get the neckless under his body armor which was not easy even if you had time and the brain power to give to the task. To active the portkey he had to have his wand but he didn't have it now, it was out there in the room somewhere now.
Hours had past since the television had reported a very large explosion in the just north of York. The news man had said it was terrorist but Ronan knew differently. He and the lads had brought Harry into this hospital over a hour away from his home because they had a mate who would keep it hush, hush for them. The reality of it was Harry was near death the moment he had appeared in his front garden. His wife was frantic about Harry and what they had been doing together, she was blaming it on him but he knew she would see reason when Harry was up and about, if he made it that long. The boy had tore up his body armor and his face mask but if he held on the surgeons would put him right again. "The boy must have had a hell of a time." Marcus said to Ronan.
"The misses is going to have me sleeping outside tonight." Donald said from the chair over. "Your wife's already been talken with her, I know it.
"Harry will pull through and don't you be worrying about your wife Don. We have a hero in there that will make them lasses knicker wet when they find out what really happened. Mark my words lads, if he comes out here walking they are going to be in for a surprise when they find out what he has planned for his retirement from war." There was a fond smile on his face because only he knew what was suppose to happen next. Children yes, that would have the ladies flocking but a potion, he would do whatever he could to keep Harry from going that route. Harry just needed to get out there and date some ladies but at least it wasn't because the lad like gents. He was desperate to have someone that loved him and a good wife would give him that love in spades with the children to boot.
The things that his wife had been finding out about the lad had stuck a cord in him. That was the reason that he had called his old gang together for the second time in just weeks. The life that Harry Potter lived was not one that he would allow to happen to any child in his village and it had caused him to take another look at each family again. When he started thinking about it he thought of one of this regular families that always came each Sunday. Sandy had been shipped off to a boarding school for gifted children when she was young and he only saw her a few times the first two summers but it had been nearly two years since he had seen her last. He had not had the time with helping Harry but he would be paying them a visit soon to find out what had happened to her. He hoped it was not something nefarious but it could be so he promised himself he would check.
The religious leaders of Britten met the next week and for the second time since he had been invited. Pastor Ronan stood drawing everyone's attention onto him, the last time this happened Ronan had been asked to stand up when he was introduce to the group but today, thirteen years later he was about to speak in front of them all as peers. "For those who do not know me, my name is Ronan Tripp. I beg your pardon if I am speaking out of turn but I would like to bring something up from our November meeting up. Before I do I will remind you all that our oaths bind us in these meetings as they would if you were speaking to a member of your own congregation." Ronan took a breath and looked around only to make himself even more nervous since he had every eye locked on him that he could see. "The young man named Harry James Potter came to my church back in January as many of you no doubt know from the news but what you may not know is that on Valentines Day Harry James Potter stuck a crippling blow to the terrorist that made Harry seek us for our help. The man by the name of Tom Riddle was killed very early the next morning after Harry put his life on the line to infiltrate a meeting of his. These terrorist are not all gone but the explosion reported on Valentines Day wiped out a large number of his terrorist group. Harry has been receiving medical attention since the 1st and is making a slow recovery. We all know that he had a companion with him and they have both been marked as a traders to the Crown. I come to you for not only your prays for them but in a effort to help these two. If you and your congregation are willing to help them then please let me know. We will except any help you can offer even if it is only your prayers you can offer. I will be here until the end of the meeting and later if you have any questions of me. Thank you." Ronan was sweating and he knew that many of the others saw it, he just hoped they were not laughing at him for being so nervous. It got harder to speak to crowds the older he got and it was even a problem he was facing in his own church now days.
After the meeting had ended Ronan had four names and churches already that offered to help in any way they could. The startling thing was they had lost members who had been found in the same mass graves that Harry had been leading these leaders to. One even had said that he knew of Harry being label a trader but the man only wanted to say that he would help if he could but his church would not. Another offered to get the input of his elders of the church before he could commit to anything but he gave Ronan a name of someone in London that did work with women in dangerous situation that needed a way out but could not tell him more then a name and contact number. It wasn't a bad list but less them Ronan had hoped.
When Ronan got home that night his wife and Samantha where in the kitchen preparing supper. He kissed his wife and gave Samantha a smile while teasing her about her glasses. They had only picked them up yesterday but she was getting used to them after having been without glasses for weeks while in the hospital. She was still on bed rest but Samantha would not sit still for anything, she was always helping around the house and when they went to the church she was helping with anything that she could find there too. It had only been a week since she had come home with them from the hospital after the doctors had said she was healing remarkably well.
For Ronan it was difficult to properly reference she or he about the their guest. Only the day after getting out of the Hospital Harry was missing for about a hour in the morning so they had not notice until breakfast was called and Harry didn't respond. When he did show up Harry went into the garden shed and stayed there cooking his potion but they didn't know that until later. Just after four his wife had told him she could hear screaming from the shed and had went out to check on Harry only to find he had changed himself into a female. Apparently Harry had planed it all out so by the time Ronan got home from the church he was introduce to a green eyed Samantha but the green eyes where the only thing that looked the same as Harry had. Samantha had long red hair with the slightest bit of curl to it that made it bounce like the teen lasses where always trying to get there hair to do. She was about six inches shorter then Harry was too which the body mass lost in height seem to go right to her chest. Samantha was very beautiful even for a old married man like Ronan and that ladies and gentlemen was the biggest problem. So Samantha needed to move out not that Samantha minded at all, it was his wife that couldn't get enough of taking Samantha out shopping. Having a young very heathy girl in the house to mother was not a opertunity his wife was going to miss. At least Ronan was happy about not having to pay for all these new cloths Samantha was getting and he got the benefit of seeing his wife all dolled up in the new cloths Samantha was more then happy to buy for her.
Samantha was taking to the lessons about being a proper lady like a sponge and loving every minute of it. Nancy was so patient with her and seemed so happy as long as they were not speaking of hygiene since it always embarrassed her to speak of such things. Samantha felt that Nancy was a real proper mother to her even though they had not spent much time together. Most days would start off early for the tiny household when Samantha would wake up with nightmares and every time Nancy was there to hold her until she had settled then they would go down stairs and prepare breakfast together for Ronan after he slept for another hour or so and they had tea together. After breakfast they would clean up the house and then head out for whatever they had planed for the day. There was no shortage of friends of Nancy's to go with them and everyone alway enjoyed the adventure even when Samantha would be caught doing something boyish like not crossing her legs while sitting or scratching inapropratly. Samantha tried to stop being Harry but Harry was still there in so many ways that she didn't notice all the time.
Shopping for cloths had been embarrassing and fun but her breast size had almost killed her with embarrassment when non of the shops had the right size to fit her and she kept having to let women come into the dressing room to try to get bras to fit. Finally they had made a trip to a specialty shop who had fitted Samantha in no time. No the problem had not been her c-cup, it was that the bra where not comfortable at all but once fitted correctly to custom bra with enough support it had felt right then Samantha knew it had been her all the time causing them headache. Nancy had said that she had gotten used to wearing substandard bras, she willingly admitted that it was one of the things she had just never cared about. With that Samantha demanded Nancy get measured and she would buy several of the correct size bras for her, leading to a very happy Nancy after the fitting when she tried on the first one because she fell in love with it.
Although the scares had been mostly healed when Samantha took the potion to change her into a female she still was self conscious about the lines left. Sure they were only visible up close and they were 100 times better then they used to be but it didn't stop Samantha's mind from imagining that people were seeing the ugliness on her exposed skin. Therefor she was very modest in what she wore to keep herself covered but she had taken a great liking to wearing dresses, always with stockings, sometimes to an extreme of wearing a long sleeve shirt under her dress to cover her arms and neckline. Nancy would always fuss but Roman kept her under control to Samantha's eternal thanks. It was not just that, it was her glass left eye that bothered her and there was nothing even magic could do to help with that.
Living with the changes to her physical body was the least of her worries. Samantha and Nancy took a trip into Diagon Alley that had shown that Harry Potter was still wanted but now it was for murder and various other law violations including the Statue of Secrecy in a wanted poster that spelled it all out. The poster was way better then the one that was posted for Sirius and Harry even had a whole wall on the side of one of the building covered with one giant poster. They seemed to want to make a point by have a picture of him that was actually really nice but she had no idea where it had come from. Then there was the reward that Samantha knew would have had any of her classmates turning her over if they knew where she was at. The best thing about her changes was that no one that had known Harry would ever think that she had been him. Except for her mothers features and taking Lily's maiden name no one would figure it out unless they had known Lily. That is why she still went to such length the two times she had went to Diagon Alley and that she was planning to live in the non-magical world.
She had plans too, as soon as Ronan was able to find someone that had one of the old certificate of birth they would work it into a formal new identity for Samantha Evans so she could go to a non-magical school and get her GCSE. There might even be University Education in her future if she tried really hard and held off getting pregnant for a few years. Right now she was just looking forward to getting back to school, something normal. Getting a place of her own, she needed identification to make that happen so for right now she was living with the Tripp's while she was getting used to her new self. Not quite the life she had dreamed of yet but it was getting better everyday.
