Chapter 36 Sneakin' About and Raising Hell

Harry felt a sudden buzz against his leg and ducked into another hall recess with Ron and Buster. Pulling out the shell, he pressed it to his ear and listened.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Potter, we have Neville," Draco announced. "We're in the vent system."

"That was a stroke of luck," Harry answered. "But what happens when they find he's missing?"

"I've got a plan Harry," Neville called out. "Get in the vent system. Follow the green arrows and meet us at the east vent of the apothecary chamber. It's on Level D, two floors below the main auditorium."

"Michael? Zach? Are you listening?" Harry called out.

"We read ya, Harry," Michael answered. "We'll meet ya there."

As they broke contact, Harry, Ron and Buster looked around.

"To hell with this walking the halls," said Ron. "I say we get in the vent system NOW."

"He's right, Harry," Buster added. "It's only a matter of time before someone else recognizes you."

"Alright," Harry agreed. Together they walked to a hall recess on the other side which had a vent and ducked inside.

Deep inside the vent network, Draco and Cormac followed Neville down a ladder to a lower level and down another long vent corridor. The deafening roar of the blower system was diminished but ever present.

"It's a little quieter on this end," Cormac commented as they stopped to catch their breath. "What's this plan of yours, mate?"

"Let's get all the lads together, first," Neville answered. "We'll need to coordinate."

A loud thud above them caused them to draw their wands. But the familiar voices of Michael and Zacharias eased their fears.

"What the hell's the matter with you?!" Michael yelled.

"This bloody robe's a tad too long," Zacharias complained as they made their way to the green level ladder.

"So...can I have a hint at the plan, mate?" Cormac asked as they crouched down in the hall leading to the apothecary vent.

After striking him on the back of the head, Draco chided, "Will you shut up and wait like he asked?"

Sitting down next to Neville, Draco whispered, "So...what's the plan?"

Looking away and shaking his head, Neville simply ignored him. After a long wait, Harry, Ron and Buster joined them too as they crouched down in the hall next to the apothecary vent.

"Okay, what's the plan?" Harry asked.

"First, we need to get into the apothecary chamber and mix as much Reductoserum as possible for each of us," Neville started. "Then we raise hell...then we get caught."

After a brief exchange of incredulous stares, Zacharias answered with, "What part of this plan sounds incredibly stupid to the rest of you guys?"

"What exactly is reductoserum?" Harry asked.

"It allows you to lie," Neville explained. "Even when forced to drink Veritaserum. It's name is based on the Latin word for lie rather than the spell for blasting solid objects aside."

"For what bloody purpose, Neville?" Draco asked, confused as ever.

"Things have been set in motion already, lads," Neville went on. "Just...LET Don Bartolo think he has the upper hand. It's vital. It'll be more believable if we split up and wreak havoc for the next couple of hours. We hit the food stores with Incendio spells, the sleeping quarters with Serpensortia spells, and most importantly, we knock out the cloaking device on level B between the ship's aft engines. Basically do everything you'd ordinarily do. But be sure to get caught, alright?"

"I dunno, mate," Cormac doubted. "I'd rather blow this whole bloody craft out of the air."

"I am totally confused, Neville," Harry argued. "What the hell good can come out of getting caught again?"

"He's already lost, Harry," Neville said plainly. "As long as he thinks his grand plan will work."

"What aren't you telling us?" asked Ron.

"Nothing more than you need to know," Neville concluded. "Just know that Don Bartolo's fatal flaw is his pride. Let him have it...let him choke on it."

Draco slapped Buster and decided, "I love this plan! What the hell, eh? We get caught, maybe tortured, get our testicles shaved, maybe get the Rictusempra treatment, who knows what else fun we can have, eh?!"

"Alright then...let's raise hell," Harry decided.

Climbing down from the vent into the apothecary chamber, Harry and the boys set out to mix as much Reductoserum as they could carry in portable hip flasks.
When they were done, they split up again.

Harry, Ron and Buster set out to the sleeping quarters to wreak havoc with the Serpentsortia spell. Draco, Cormac and Neville set fire to the food stores with the Incendio spells. All the while they kept attention away from Michael and Zacharias who set out to deactivate the cloaking device. With alarms blaring and warnings overheard on loudspeakers, the boys let slip the dogs of war.

After a particular loud boom, Draco, Cormac and Neville split up wreaking as much havoc as possible.

"You shall perish in flames! You shall perish in flames!" Draco yelled as he raced up the hall. "You and ALLLLLL your Camp PEE-ONs!"

Racing down another hall, Cormac let loose with his Irish pride, "A Naaaaaaaation once! A Naaaaaaaation once again! And lreland, long a province, be a Naaaaaation once again!"

Harry collided with Neville and Buster just as they rounded a corner.

Getting back to their feet Neville stopped Harry as he tried to run the other direction.

"Oh no, mate!" Neville warned. "Flames that way!"

"Oh yeah?" Harry shot back. "SNAKES that way!"

Seeing a corridor full of robed figures trying to give chase while dodging the fangs of various snakes seemed a lot less palatable as they braved the flames with Campeones in, literally, hot pursuit.

Ron was running down a staircase laughing at the top of his lungs. His path eventually merged with Draco who was fast running out of breath.

"Going my way?" Ron joked.

"We're running out of hallway, Weasley!" Draco laughed.

"I know," Ron laughed back. "We're screwed!"

"We take a dive on three, eh?!" Draco suggested.

"Why not!?" Ron agreed.

"One...two...three!" Draco counted and jumped at a group of Campeones heading their way.

"Yippee Kai YAAAAAAAAAAAY!" Ron bellowed as he jumped too.

Harry and company fared even worse having been cornered by the snicker famoose Capitan Jorge Castillo in the main auditorium.

It was left to Michael and Zacharias to complete their mission...

Chapter 37 Zacharias and Michael's Climb

With alarms blaring and Campeones scurrying about, Michael and Zacharias set out for the aft section. The tight labyrinth of pipes and vent shafts made the going tough. At one point, Michael caught Zacharias by the arm as he almost plunged down an elevator shaft.

"Let's hope that cloaking device is at ground level," Michael sighed.

As they forged ahead, they came upon a map of the aft section on a wall. It was just a matter of getting their bearings.

"Shouldn't this have one of those 'You are HERE' arrows?" Zacharias groaned.

"Well, the letters correspond to this legend at the right," Michael explained. "These red boxes marked with an 'X' are the west elevators we just passed…and these colors on the map correspond with these arrows on the walls."

Tracing a path with his finger, Michael continued, "So if we follow the blue arrows here…then turn left at the purple section…it'll lead us directly to the cloaking device circuitry."

"Okay…then what?" Zacharias asked.

"We deactivate it or short it out," Michael answered.

"How?" Zacharias persisted.

"I don't know!" Michael threw up his hands. "You got a hairpin we can stick in it or something? Let's just cut wires or push buttons or…something!"

Following the blue arrows for what seemed like an eternity, they came to a dead end at a hall with purple arrows and turned left toward their destination. To their dismay the cloaking device circuitry was situated atop a tower approximately one hundred meters tall.

"Well, ain't that just perfect?!" Zacharias complained.

Not only was it a long way to the top, but the blowers for the vent system were very strong in the area. A constant gale force winds from above was blowing upon them. They found it impossible to traverse the narrow gangplank to the tower on foot and resorted to crawling instead. When they finally reached the other side, Zacharias almost fainted. Crouching down at the base of the tower, he resigned himself to sitting put.

"I can't," Zacharias sighed. "I can't make it, mate."

"Well just sit tight, Zach," Michael assured him. "Watch out for Campeones."

"Be careful, Michael," Zacharias said.

Michael began the long, slow climb up a narrow ladder. Every now and then, the wind would gust so strong it forced him to lock his arms around one of the rungs to keep from being blown off. Halfway up, his arms were so weak he contemplated climbing back down. The thought of a large chunk of the entire world population dying kept him going.

All these years in the background and here was in the absolute thick of things. The battle of Hogwarts was but a distant memory. His thoughts drifted back to his first case under Harry, involving a nameless wizard the Ministry nicknamed Jack,with a taste for mutilating female wizards in order to steal magical fetuses. After struggling with the next ten rungs, he tried to remember the accolades he received after he and Ron nabbed Phineas Lovejoy. How surprised he was to receive such a handsome reward for rescuing the Hope Diamond from Lovejoy's clutches. How proud he felt knowing he stopped Lovejoy from using it to power the legendary Necromancer Wand. All the while knowing it wasn't just for the greater good, but to help Harry who was battling his own inner demons through it all.

Why couldn't the world behave itself for at least one blasted DECADE?

He reached the top and almost slipped as he grabbed the final rung only to see a familiar hand grab his wrist and hold firm.

"What the…?" Michael looked up, confused as ever.

"Oh...there was an elevator on the other side of the tower," Zacharias said with a grin.

Looking around, they noticed six emerald-tipped rods pointing towards a large crystal on a ceiling fifty feet above them. Grabbing one of the rods and pulling it from its circuit port, Michael laughed as the lights around them dimmed and the loud humming ceased.

"Well, that was easy," Michael quipped.

Looking at the emerald tip, Zacharias took out his multi-tool and pried it loose and pocketed it.

"For my retirement," he said as Michael shot him an accusing glance. "I don't have quite the dowry you have, mate."

Michael nodded in agreement and helped him pry the others loose before they threw the rods over the side and permanently disabled the cloaking device.

"Ready to get caught?" Michael asked.

"Yeah," Zacharias answered. "Let's hope Neville's right."

At least this timethey both took the elevator down.