So this is a new story. I have some idea of where I am going with it but not much. The idea just popped into my head and I just had to write it. I hope you guys like it and please read and review. Oh, and i don't own any of the Harry Potter Characters or any of the Potterverse, m'kay? I only own Taralynn, she is MINE!
Quite often, we humans miss the most obvious things. The saying goes, 'some can't see past the end of their nose' and unfortunately, the saying is true for the most part. However, there might be a rational explanation for this short-sightedness. There is a fear, a belief, buried deep into the dark recesses of our brain that if it is not seen or acknowledged, then it cannot harm you. Unfortunately, it limits us in our ability to deal with this unknown creature so far yet so near, when it does inevitably appear to us.
This was how Harry Potter felt when he met Taralynn. Being an auror meant running headfirst into dangerous situations and when Harry was called in to deal with a rogue death eater, he had never expected it to be more dangerous than normal. He had certainly never expected it to be an ambush. With a cry he had dodged the first curse, swearing under his breath at his never-ending stupidity. He could hear his team mates yelling endless spells at the death eaters. He squeezed his eyes shut and hurtled into the fray, doing his best to protect every single colleague. But they were under-prepared. There were not enough of them and they were outnumbered. Whilst he was cursing one death eater, another was pointing a wand at his back. There was a yell of warning from a team member and he whirled around and braced himself. But there was nothing.
Out of nowhere, a long, feminine leg smashed into the death eaters hand, effectively knocking the wand from it. Next a knee to the gut, a sharp elbow jab into the face and the death eater was on the floor groaning. Harry's eyes widened. She moved like rippling water, her auburn hair tied neatly into a bun away from her face, her hands and feet meeting their mark every time. Not once did she use her wand, preferring to deal with things the muggle way. Perhaps, Harry thought amusedly, to shove it in the death eater's faces a little bit more. He watched amazed, as she ducked and dodged away from spells being fired at her. And then he remembered where he was, shook himself and dealt with the rest.
Finally every single death eater was tied up in the middle of the abandoned street and the rest of the team apparated them into the ministry. Harry stayed behind. He wiped his face with the hem of his robes. It was grimy and sweaty. He was tired but that could wait. He had someone to thank.
"That was unexpected. But i'm grateful. If it weren't for you...' he trailed off as he realized she was no longer there.
"I'm telling you Ginny, it was like she was a ghost, a shadow." Harry explained to his wife, a small frown gracing his brow.
"Whoever she was i'm glad she kept my husband alive." Ginny said with a small smile.
"She didn't use her wand. I wonder why.' Harry mused.
"Stop worrying love. Whoever she was, she obviously doesn't want to be found. Just come up to bed." Ginny replied calmly.
Harry glanced at his wife and his troubled face softened. "Ok." He said gently. And he followed her up the stairs.
He stared around the bar distastefully. It was a rough muggle bar, reeking of old smoke and spilt beer. The people crowding the place looked like the kind to knife you if you so much as looked at them. loud, boisterous laughter floated down from the other end of the bar, from a group of bearded biker men. They were banging their beers on the table, the vile liquid sploshing everywhere. Harry wrinkled his nose. Luckily he was under his invisibility cloak so the worry of having someone offer him a drink was off the table. He was glad of that.
He was here after an anonymous tip-off that there would be a death eater meeting. He'd been surprised that the location was at a muggle bar. Surely, that was beneath them? maybe they realized that it would be the last place the aurors would look for them. No, Harry thought, that was far too clever for them. They were probably just getting desperate. The death eaters that were still on the loose were determined to finish the work that Voldemort had started. Old habits died hard. At first, the aurors hadn't been too worried about it. But Harry had been highly suspicious from the start. And now they were getting stronger, recruiting new members, coming out into the open. And he was starting to worry.
He glanced around the bar again and something caught his eye. A sparkle of diamond at a womans neck, far too pretty for someone in this bar. He looked up into her face and his eyes widened. The mystery woman. Here she was sat at the bar, her auburn hair resting on her shoulders in soft curls, the diamond glinting at her neck. She was wearing a simple black dress and extremely high heels. Harry noticed that she still looked incredibly dangerous. And she seemed tense, as if she was waiting for something. Or rather, someone.
She looked around quickly and Harry followed her gaze. His instinct was to grab for his wand but the rational part of his brain hesitated. The death eater, whom Harry had been dispatched to get rid of, was heading straight for the woman. He watched in confusion as she smiled gently at him. he saw that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She said something to him and he replied but Harry couldn't make out what it was as he was too far away. He watched, his eyes narrowing as they both got up and went into the toilets. Silently he followed.
As he neared the doorway he heard a muffled shout of alarm. He nearly ran in there until he realized it had been male. Carefully he pushed an Extendable Ear under the doorway.
"Ok, you Death Eater scum, tell me where the hell they are or I'll break your neck." He heard the woman hiss.
The man choked. Obviously she had him pinned up against the wall by his throat. "I have no idea." He managed to squeeze out.
Harry heard a thud and a moan. "I haven't got time for your crappy lies. I know you are one of the ringleaders in this little charade. I've been watching you. So i suggest you tell me now. Where the hell have you taken them?"
The man stayed silent. The woman screamed quietly in frustration. "God damn it, you asshole. Do you seriously want me to kill you? Maybe you can join your previous master in hell, hmm? Ok, let's move on to the bigger picture, yeah? Why have you been taking muggle kids? What have you been doing to them?"
Harry's eyebrows shot up at this new piece of information. He heard the man gurgle and then whisper "I'll never tell you. You'll never see them again."
With a howl of rage, the woman must have finished the job. Harry heard a sickening thud and he had only a second to jump out of the way before the door swung open. The woman stalked out and Harry hurried after her, not even bothering the check the body of the Death Eater. As they both stepped out on to the darkened street, Harry ripped the cloak off.
"Wait!" he yelled after her.
She spun around extremely fast, her eyes narrowed. Visibly she relaxed. "You again."
"Yes me. Look, I didn't get to thank you the other day.."
"Forget it." She waved him off.
"But that's not want i want to speak to you about right now." He finished.
She looked at him cautiously but nodded for him to continue. "These kids. What do you mean Death Eaters have been taking them?"
Her face looked pained. "They took my friends. I don't know why. All i know is that i need to get them back. No matter what."
"Why didn't you come to the aurors?" Harry asked.
"The aurors?" she laughed derisively. "Why would they help a little ol' muggle like me?"
Harry staggered back a little bit. "You're a muggle?" he said, shock evident in his voice.
A small smile graced her lips. "Surprised? Taralynn, at your service." She said extending a mocking hand.
Harry didn't take it and spluttered. "But... but how?!"
Taralynn looked at him sadly. "Our worlds are more intertwined than you might think, Mr Potter." And with that she turned abruptly and stalked off into the shadows, leaving Harry frozen in shock and wondering how the hell she knew his name.
