Harry Potter
Their Biggest Challenge
By xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts do not belong to me! I am merely borrowing them for my own personal enjoyment. All OC's and anything you dont recognize is copyrighted by me: xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Rating: K
Pairing: Marcus/Charlie - Fred/Riley - Harry/Ginny - Ron/Hermione
Genre: Adventure/Friendship/Romance/Suspense/Drama
Warnings: Please do not flame me for anything. If you do not like the story, then why are you reading it?
Summary: On their own and on the run, the Hogwarts five must now rely on one another more than every. Their biggest challenge has yet to begin, as they set out to find and destroy Voldemorts Horcruxes; and fight the Dark Forces that threaten to tear them apart.
Author's Note: I would just like to give a big thank-you to everyone who has followed me since the beginning of this series. I never really thought that the Muggleborn Witches series would be that popular; but I stand corrected. You guys have been the ultimate audience and I am very happy to say that it is a joy writing for you. In the last story The Fight for Survival. I left a poll and a few questions that I needed answering in hopes of this last installement. The questions where about how to progress; and the answers of the polls stand as such: -
To wait until Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows came out on DVD came too = 1 vote.
To write and end Part 1 with 'To Be Continued' came too = 3 votes.
And two people didnt answer...but either way I will end this series on a 'To Be Continued'
Also, the second question I asked was whether Nikki and/or Marcus went with the Hogwarts five. The answer to this question will be presented when I start writing...
...One last thing, this story holds many twist and turns, and some major things will be changed. I apologize in advance if anyone is expecting anything in general; but due to the changes made throughout the series I hope you understand that not everything can be followed directly by the books and DVDs. Also, while we are on the topic...I have stressed and stressed this a number of times throughout the whole series, and while I do not mind answering readers quetions as best I can without giving anything away; this story is from a Slytherins Point of View. Therefore it will be different to what Harry Potter viewed in the orignal storyline. I do not want people reviewing or messaging me telling me that I have screwed up, when I put a certain scene with Charlie as the witness, because in fact I have NOT screwed up.
The Muggleborn Witches series is Harry Potter from another's point of view; in this case my characters Charlie Hunter and Riley Spirit...Charlie mostly...if you do not like this then (and I quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1) why are you here?
With that out of the way, and off my chest...I really hope you enjoy the final year of the journey, as we follow Harry, Charlie and friends on Their Biggest Challenge.
The War Begins
The months were slowly edging their way into July; and a new era in the Wizarding world was rising fast. The war had officially begun and everyone was on their guard making sure that necessary precautions were taken to protecting families and others who would be caught in the cross-fire. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were an immense threat to everyone, and ordinary wizarding folk didnt know who they could trust anymore. The Order of the Phoenix were taking extra precautions to make sure that a small group of teenagers were safer than anyone else in the Wizarding world, and this small group of teenagers had been dubbed the infamous Hogwarts Five.
At the Ministry of Magic, crowds of people were bustling around to their desired destinations; while the new Minister for Magic; Rufus Scrimgeour, tightened up security. Since the consiracy of 1995 when several Hogwarts students and Death Eaters broke into the Department of Mysteries, he had taken a strong approach to protecting the Ministry from Voldemort's threats.
"These are dark times, there is no denying," a rough voice echoed out of the wizarding radio that was balanced on a table behind the large two seater sofa in the living area at Carmichael Manor "Our world has, perhaphs, faced no greater threat than it does today..." there was a brief pause "...But I say this to our citizenry: We, ever your servants will continue to defend your liberty and repel the forces that seek to take it from you. Your Ministry remains...strong."
On the two seater sofa, reading a copy of the Daily Prophet was 17-year-old Riley Spirit. She had been moved to Carmichael Manor at the end of the school year along with her best friend Charlie Hunter in hopes of protecting her from the Dark Forces that threatened to take her friend away from her. Many within the Order feared that Voldemort and the Death Eaters would attempt to kidnap Riley, in hopes that Charlie would follow as she tried to rescue her friend, but end up walking into a trap of no return.
DARK MARK SPARKS PANIC...was the headline.
The Death Eater numbers were increasing rapidly every day, making Voldemorts army of witches and wizards more and more vastly unapproachable. He was making it near impossible for anything to destroy him, it seemed the only way to be sure that you could put him down for the count the first time was to initiate the plan in which she, Charlie, Harry, Ron and Hermione were forming at the end of last year. In a few hours time, they would be transported from the manor and returned to the Burrow for a Weasley wedding. There the infamous Hogwarts Five would be reunited, and after that the search for the Horcruxes would begin.
VIOLENCE SPREADS AS MUGGLE FAMILY IS MURDERED
Riley stared sadly at the picture of a family of four at the bottom left hand corner of the page, the family consisted of a mother and a father and two babies, who looked to be only a few months old; the Gryffindor traced her finger over the picture slowly as anger bubbled within her being at the thought of Death Eaters killing an innocent family for the sake of it.
"Riley!" Charlie's voice echoed throughout the manor "Riley! Jenn says tea's ready!"
The door to the living room opened and on the threshold stood the infamous Muggleborn of Slytherin...Charlie Hunter.
"Coming!" the Gryffindor smiled
"What'cha reading?" Charlie asked
Riley held up the paper "Daily Prophet" she answered "A Muggle family of four were murdered last night. Two parents and two 4 month year old twins"
Charlie closed her eyes and shook her head "We'll get the people who did this Rils," she promised "This war has only just begun...and Voldemort's in for a surprise when he sees us hunting him down!"
"You think?" Riley asked "You don't think he already knows, and that he is just waiting for the perfect opportunity?"
Charlie shrugged "Either way, we get to fight him...and hopefully destroy him"
"Not until we find the Horcruxes," Riley answered promptly
"Speaking of which," Charlie perked up "Any ideas on how to destroy the locket?"
The Gryffindor shook her head "Not yet," she answered "But im going back to the study after tea to finish my research. Will you be joining me?"
"I don't think so," Charlie answered "While you take the logical approach, I think I'll take a more practical approach" she turned her back on her friend "Come on, I hear we're supposed to be having visitors"
Riley jumped to her feet and followed her best friend out of the living room, down the hallway and into the dining area; where sitting at a long elegant table was Jennifer Carmichael, her son William, Potions Master: Severus Snape; and much to the relief and astonishment of the two Muggleborns -
Serena Hunter and Carol Spirit.
"Mum!"
xXxHarryPotterxXx
Tea wasnt a lengthily affair, it was just something that broke up the day. Charlie sat opposite Riley and her aunt Carol; but between Severus Snape and her mother. Serena and Carol had been on pins when they had returned home at the beginning of the summer and found that their daughters had not returned home for the train station; calls went out to everyone in hopes that their daughters had simply gone to a friends and forgot to inform them (which was unlikely, even they knew that) but still they came up empty. And then Serena recieved and Owl from Jennifer saying that the girls were safe and that they were with her at a safe house. To say the two mothers were furious would have been an understatement, and they had reminded Jennifer that it was dangerous to take children away from parenst without permission, despite it being a rescue mission.
Jennifer understood completely where her neighbours were going and knew that she would have reacted the same way, if someone had done it to William. She apologized and things returned to normal pretty quickly...or at least as normal as things could go back too. After tea, Charlie and Riley excused themselves and headed upstairs to their rooms as their mothers and William accompanied them, leaving Jenn and Snape alone downstairs to discuss matters with the Dark Lord.
"He is putting all his best efforts into finding her," Snape explained "He is becoming desperate, he needs her if he is to prevail over Potter"
Jenn sighed and glanced up at the closed door in which the rest of her house-mates had just left "She isnt safe anywhere then?" she asked
Snape shook his head "I'm afraid not," he answered "He will soon learn that she is here, and he will come for her."
"We cannot allow him to get her, Severus!" Jenn exclaimed quietly "Dumbledore put his life on the line to protect her! He left it to us to protect her!"
"We have done everything we can, Jennifer" Snape responded "There is nothing else we can do!"
Jenn shook her head and got up from the table, and walked away, only to pause at the door leading from the room "So what do you suggest we do, Severus?" she asked "Just hand her over? Charlie is a child...and she needs protecting. You took a vow when you became her Godfather, that you would protect her from anything and everything!" she glanced over her shoulder and her lover "Are you now questioning your ability to protect her?"
And she left the room, leaving Severus to ponder what she had said.
xXxHarryPotterxXx
Riley looked over her shoulder at Charlie and William "Stand back," she told them, before turning back to the Horcrux that lay on the paving path in the backgarden of Carmichael Manor. The young Gryffindor aimed her wand as her friends watched from over her shoulder "Confringo!" she spoke.
There was an explosion, and when the smoke cleared the three friends sighed in frustration as the Horcrux remained on the ground.
"Deprimo!" Riley commanded, flicking her wand. She hadnt learnt this spell at Hogwarts, but found it in an old book in the study at Carmichael manor, the point of the spell was to place immense downward pressure onto a target which usually resulted in a fracture. If she had done this spell correctly, then maybe they could open the locket and kill whatever was inside.
Sadly...nothing happened.
Charlie growled in frustration "Stupid thing!" she cried "Try the Severing Charm," she instructe her friend
"Diffinido!" Riley retorted, aiming her wand once again at the locket. It exploded and was thrown into the air, before landing a few feet away on the ground. "Expulso!" another explosion which sent the locket into the air and tumbling back to earth, unscratched. "Incendio!"
Again...nothing
"This is not working!" Charlie cried, as Riley sighed and lowered her wand
The door behind them opened and a familiar voice reached their senses "I knew we'd find you out here!"
Charlie turned to the voice and smiled as her older friends Nikki and Adrian stepped out into the garden, closely followed by her boyfriend Marcus. "When did you guys get here?" she asked, approaching the group of three and hugging them, greeting Marcus with a kiss as well as a hug.
"Not long," Adrian answered, catching a glimpse of the locket on the otherside of the garden "No luck in destroying it then?" he asked
"None," Riley answered, turning to face the former Slytherin "What happened to you?" she added, noticing the scars on his face
Adrian waved her off "Had a run in with a few Death Eaters a few days ago," he answered "Mrs. Weasley patched be me up, pretty good"
"You actually went to the Burrow, for help?" Charlie asked
"Its kind of like HQ now," Nikki answered "We can't really trust Grimmuald Place anymore. Not since Sirius..."
Charlie frowned "But I thought Grimmuald Place belonged to Harry now?" she asked
"It does," Riley nodded
"So why cant you still use it as Headquarters?" Charlie asked
Marcus grabbed her around the middle "Its not safe anymore, Bellatrix is still trying to regain access, because its really supposed to be her property, along with Kreacher"
"Kreacher works at Hogwarts now," Riley reminded him "and whether he likes it or not, he is bound to Harry, as stated in Sirius's will!"
Without warning the Gryffindor genius spun around and aimed her wand "Lacarnum Inflamarae!" she snapped, as a ball of fire exploded from her wand, hit the locket and sent it hurling backwards with a puff of smoke "This is not fair!" she complained "Spells have never let me down before!"
Charlie groaned as she threw her head back and rested it on Marcus's shoulder "There is just one thing I don't understand," she spoke "If Voldemort could open the locket, why cant we?" she asked
"How do you know he opened it?" Nikki asked "whatever is inside it, could have been in it from the beginning"
"But I would have known," Charlie responded "Its only until last year, when I finally had it back, did I notice something was wrong"
"Other than the fact that it nearly killed you!" Riley pointed out
Charlie inclined her head in agreement "But if he could open it, why can't we?"
"Maybe there is a particular way he opened it?" William suggested
The six of them fell silent, before Charlie frowned and rolled her head to the side "Parseltongue," she mumured, earning looks from her friends
"Come again?" Marcus asked
"Its Slytherin's locket, right?" Charlie asked. Her friends nodded. "Well Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth, and just like his direct descendants after him were -"
Riley turned back to the Locket, which lay on the grass opposite them "So you think it might take a Parselmouth to open it..." she strung the idea together "...Charlie, that's brilliant!"
"Hey, I can't take credit this time," Charlie answered "Will came up with the suggestion" she pointed at the soon-to-be-13-year old.
Will grinned.
Riley crossed the lawn, picked up the locket and returned to her friends "You want to do it now? Or save it for when we see Harry, Ron and Hermione?"
"Keep it until the five of us are back together," Charlie answered "Harry will want to help, you know what he is like"
Riley nodded and slipped the locket around her neck "In that case, we need to keep it safe" she answered, dropping the locket beneath her clothes.
"That reminds me," Charlie piped up again "What time are we going to pick up, Harry?" she asked
Her friends shifted uncomfortably
"What?" the young Slytherin questioned
Nikki sighed "You're not going to get Potter," she explained "You're still not of age. We'll be taking you to the Burrow, and then Riley and I will be going with the rest of the Order to bring him back safely"
"What?" Charlie cried "No! I wanna come too!"
"Its too dangerous," Nikki shook her head "We can't risk both you and Potter out in the open, especially now with the Dark Lord so far out in the open"
Charlie rolled her eyes "If he wanted me so bad, he would have come got me by now!" she argued
"Don't jinx yourself, Charlie" Will reminded her
Riley touched her best friends shoulder "We'll be fine," she smiled "We're returning to the Burrow. Then the five of us will be together again"
"Your not all going, are you?" Charlie sighed, glancing up at Marcus
He shook his head "No," he answered her "Adrian and I will be staying with you and Will," he explained "To make sure you don't do anything stupid and/or dangerous"
Charlie smirked "Seven years, and you still don't trust me"
"Well, this is you, we're talking about Charlie" Adrian pointed out
The young Slytherin rolled her eyes and shook her head "Yeah, whatever!" she waved him off "Just be careful!" she warned Nikki and Riley "Oh, that reminds me! Where is Chad?"
Nikki frowned "How can that -" she cut off, remembering that this was Charlie she was talking too "You know what? Never mind"
Riley and Charlie laughed
"And Chad is doing something for the Order," Nikki continued "You'll see him tomorrow..."
The two nodded, before Jenn appeared in the doorway behind them, calling them back inside.
It was time to leave.
xXxHarryPotterxXx
There was a crack, and two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards away from one another in a narrow moonlit lane. For a second, they stood quite still, wands directed at one another's chests, then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.
"News?" asked the taller of the two
Severus Snape nodded "The best," he had just come straight from Carmichael Manor for the Death Eater meeting at Malcolm Manor. Normally he would have elected to miss it, if it meant protecting Charlie; but he had orders from Dumbledore to keep up his appearance as the spy for the Order, and keep attending the meetings as planned, and if need be, to take part in any attempts to thrawt the Order's protections on Harry and Charlie. "Any luck?"
"None!" the taller Death Eater answered "wherever the little Princess is, she is well protected" he explained "I cannot detect her presence anywhere; and it would seem that the Ministry of Magic is keeping a tight inspecting on underage magic, she has not been detected"
Snape glanced sideways "Unless of course, she is protected by charms that repell detection jinxes" he suggesed
Yaxley stared at Snape "Are you implying something, Snape?" he questioned
"Merely suggesting my view's," Snape answered, turning onto a wide driveway and approaching the vast iron gates ahead. He removed his wand, waved it and the gates disappeared allowing himself and Yaxley to pass straight through.
A handsome maor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows. Somewhere in the dark garden beyond the hedge, a fountain was playing. Gravel crackled beneath their feet as Snape and Yaxley sped towards the front doors, which swung open on their own accord. They climbed a small set of stairs and halted at a set of heavy wooden doors leading into the next room, hesitating for a small pause, Snape pushed against the doors and they opened.
The drawing room was full of silent people, sitting at a long an ornate table. At the head of which, sat Voldemort. Opposite him, a woman hung horizontally in mid-air.
"Yaxley, Snape" Voldemort said in a high, clear voice as he turned to look over his shoulder at the new comers "You are very nearly late" he pointed at a seat on his immediate right "Severus, here," he pointed further up the table "Yaxley - beside Dolohov"
The two men took their allotted places. Most eyes around the table followed Snape and it was to him that Voldemort spoke first.
"You bring news I trust?"
"My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall"
The interest around the table sharpened quickly, some stiffened, others figdeted, all gazing at Snape and Voldemort.
"I've heard different, my Lord" Yaxley contridicted, speaking for the first time since they had entered Malcolm Manor. He leaned forward to look down the long table at Voldemort and Snape. All faces turned to him. "Dawlish, the Auror, has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved until the 30th of this month, the day before he turns seventeen"
Snape was smiling
"My source told me that there are plans to lay a false train, this must be it" he stated "No doubt a Confundus Charm has been placed upon Dawlish. It would not be the first time, he is known, to be susceptible" he paused "I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe we have infiltrated the Ministry..."
"The Order's got that one right, then, eh?" chuckled a squat man sitting a short distance from Yaxley.
Voldemort did not laugh, he merely viewed the man which sat directly opposite him at the long table "What say you, Pius?" he asked
A huge snake writhed on the floor beside Pius Thicknesse, its tongue flickering out into the room, tasting the air.
"One hears many things, my Lord" Pius answered promptly "Whether the truth is among them is not clear"
Voldemort chuckled "Heh. Spoken like a true politician" he grinned "You will, I think prove most useful, Pius" he returned his attention to Severus "Where will he be taken, the boy?"
"To a safe house," Snape answered "Most likely the home of someone in the Order. I'm told it's been given every manner of protection possible, I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest"
Voldemort nodded in agreement
Someone cleared their throat to the left of Voldemort, he turned to see it was Bellatrix "Ahem. My Lord." she seemed to slither "I'd like to volunteer myself for this task" she leaned forward "I want to kill the boy" she whispered suductively
There was a distant yell from somewhere beneath them, it was one of drawn-out wail of misery and pain.
"Wormtail!" shouted Voldemort "have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet?"
At the back of the room stood a small man with watery eyed and grey hair. He had been sent to Azkaban exactly four years ago, and only been broken out a few weeks ago, to aid Voldemort at Malcolm Manor during the war.
"Yes, my Lord" he squeaked "Right away, my Lord" and he scrambled from the room
"As inspiring as I find your bloodlust, Bellatrix" Voldemort continued, turning back to female Death Eater "I must be the one to kill Harry Potter" he told her
Bellatrix pulled back in her seat
"But I face an unfortunate complication," Voldemort continued "That my wand and Potter's share the same core. They are, in some ways, twins." he rose from his seat "We can wound, but not fatally harm one another," he put his wand on the table "If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand"
The faces around the table displayed nothing but shock; he might have announced that he wanted to borrow one of their arms.
"No volunteers?" asked Voldemort "Surely one of you would like the honour?" again no one moved "Let's see..." he stopped behind the Malcolms "...Lucus. I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore"
Lucus Malcolm looked up, and spoke. His voice hoarse from the lack of use. "My Lord?"
"'My Lord'" Voldemort mocked "I require your wand..." he held out his hand
Malcolm glanced sideways at his wife, who refused to make eye-contact; but she grasped his hand under the table. At her touch, Malcolm removed his wand from the inside of his robes and presented it to his master.
Voldemort held it up in front of his eyes and examined it "Do I detect elm?"
"Yes, my Lord"
"And the core?"
"Dragon - dragon heartstring"
"Good," Voldemort nodded, "Unfortunately, that will not do against the little Princess. I am guessing, if I intend to return the Princess to her rightful place, I will require another." he looked around at his followers "But not today...today, our first priority is Potter, once he is out of the way the Princess will fall"
Yaxley seemed to relax at the news of them dealing with Potter, before looking for Serenity. This gave him more time to track her.
Lucus Malcolm trembled, as behind him Voldemort pointed the wand at the floating woman at the end of the table.
"To those of you who do not know," Voldemort spoke "we are joined tonight by Miss Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her specialty was Muggle Studies."
Charity Burbage glanced towards Snape "Severus...please...please help..." she sobbed
"Silence!" Voldemort ordered, "It is Miss Burbage's belief that Muggles are not so different from us. She has polluted the minds of wizarding children, last week Miss Burgbage wrote an impassionated defence of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the purebloods is, says, Professor Burbage, a most desireable circumstance...she would, given her way...have us mate with them!"
Nobody laughed, or made any comment whatsoever at this statement. There was no mistaking the anger and contempt in Voldemort's voice.
"To her, the mixture of magicl and Muggle blood is not an abomination, but something to be encouraged" Voldemort continued, as he took his seat at the head of the table once more.
Again Charity glanced towards Snape; tears pouring from her face. "...we're friends..." she croaked
Snape stared back coldly...there was nothing he could do to help her now.
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort flicked the wand. There was a flash of green light illuminated in every corner of the room. Charity, fell, with a resounding thump onto the table which trembled and creaked.
Several Death Eaters leapt back in their chairs; as Alex Malcolm stared blankly at his old professor from school, he had taken Muggle Studies for a year, because he needed to fill his timetable...needless to say, he didnt enjoy it. But to see his old Professor lying dead on the table in the drawing room of his house, wasnt something he wanted on his mind.
A single tear fell from Charity's eye, rolled down the side of her face, and disappeared.
"Nagini," Voldemort hissed softly, as he stroke the great snake which slithered up his seat and onto the polished wood "Dinner"
The giant snake slithered forwards, opened its jaws and devoured the dead body of the former Muggle Studies Professor.
Snape watched, as something stirred inside him and Jennifer's words echoed throughout his mind "You took a vow when you became her Godfather, that you would protect her from anything and everything!"
It wasnt until now, that he realized that this was what he was protecting Charlie from.
A/N: Hey everyone, I started writing this a few days ago, but it just wasnt working and so I decided to change it around completely. This is the first chapter (obviously) of the new story (and final) in the Muggleborn Witches Series I still can't believe it! Can you? But alas, never fear I have something up my sleeve; which I am about to come onto in a moment.
Anyway, back on track. What did you all think of this first chapter? Did you enjoy it? Didnt enjoy it? Does it live up to the expectations of the other stories in the series...or...what? You know what to do to tell me, right? Leave me a review. Thats right. I've missed you guys, I guess its time to let the Q&A begin again. Lol.
Right; onto the thing up my sleeve. I was writing the other night when I had a brain wave for a new HP story (after this one of course) and well, I wrote out two summaries but cannot decide between them, and I also need a name. If you wish to help me decide on a title and summary, message me Privately and I will send you what I have so far, and let you be the judge.
Thanks and dont forget to review...
Can't wait to hear from you.
Happy Easter
~*Kara*~
All OCs and anything unrecognizable is copyrighted (c) and belongs to xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Chapter updated 17 April 2011 at 02:50am