The last chapter four sucked hardcore like so… I reposted. Everything is the same until the line of bold x's. So… yeah. I was sick last time I wrote and I was just like, screw it and post the stupid thing. It pretty much sucked.

Death's Bane

Chapter Four: Home Sweet Home

I wiped a drop of sweat off my brow as I looked around the sparely furnished room. It now had a few cots, a cabinet that was smaller on the outside than the inside, a desk and a swivel chair. "One room down, the rest of the house to go." I walked out of the newly finished hospital wing and into the main entrance hall that had half the wall torn down so the formal living room and entrance hall were one room. "How's the meeting room coming along?"

The twins grinned and blasted another chunk of wall away. "Great Harry!" "Yeah! Thanks for the destructive job!" "Never can blow enough stuff up!"

I waved and walked through the miniature war zone and into the kitchen where Ron and Hermione were scourgify-ing the counters, cabinets and floors until they shined. They'd been at it for an hour and it was halfway done. "Need some help?"

Ron gave me a pleading look. "Please. When you said we'd do some demolition work at the house I volunteered because I thought I'd be doing the twins job."

I rolled my eyes as I blasted gunk off the counters. "If I told you that you'd be cleaning you wouldn't be here to help." I chuckled at his muttered curses as I talked to Hermione, pretending to care about future décor. "I want something that looks powerful. Like really masculine. I want it to say I know I'm powerful, but not in an evil psychotic way. But, I want to seem approachable. But… not too friendly. No people thinking I'm not serious or just a joke."

"You do realize that's a hard goal to achieve?"

I shrugged. "It's doable. Plus, we've got a week and a half until we attack Goyle. I just need the meeting hall and hospital wing up and running. The kitchen and bedrooms will be a plus is all. Concentrate on just getting it presentable." I spent the next twenty minutes or so cleaning. "This is boring, there's fifteen minutes of work left. You finish… I'll check up on other people. Bye."

I slipped out of the room and met up with Bill and his Curse-Breaker friends. "How's the warding going?"

"Hmm? Good, good. I'm used to breaking wards but this works too." He moved his hands, as if messing with a lock or something. "They should be permanent in five minutes or so, and I added a spell to keep anyone who attends Hogwarts and is under seventeen out, well, unless they know about us. Same thing as the Death Eater Repelling Wards though. Useful, huh?"

"Great, I didn't think of just getting rid of all Hogwarts students."

"It took me an hour to get the spells right and two to make them stay along with everything else. I'm not surprised you didn't get it. But, are you recruiting this year's Seventh years? Once they graduate?"

"Yeah, we've been writing Ginny. She's still running the DA as a recruitment method. Her and Luna Lovegood. Neville has been running down there and delivering messages for us. I'm pretty sure he hooked up with Luna."

Bill nodded. "You get my little sister hurt because of all this and I'll rip your balls off."

I gulped. "Uh… yeah. I'm gonna go now… thanks for working on the wards…" I left feeling a bit odd. Not every day does your friend's older brother threaten to castrate you. It's not exactly fun… Actually, I was surprised they hadn't done so already.

I walked into what would eventually be our main training room, the second living room. "You guys almost done?" So far they'd removed the cobwebs, dust and furniture. "Looks a lot better in here."

"Yeah, the floors are pretty much trashed though." Neville gestured to the grimy and torn up hardwood. "Some scourgify spells will clean them and if anyone knows how to polish with magic they should be okay, I guess."

I shrugged. "Right now my biggest issue isn't how pretty my floors are in a training room." I pulled out my wand and started cleaning the floors. This would be a very long, long week and a half.

_-_-_-_

I paced the newly repaired Meeting Room as people appeared and came in out of the still-hot summer air. "Okay everyone!" I yelled at six-oh-three, three minutes after the first lesson was scheduled to begin. "Most of you will think this is really stupid, but tonight we will simply begin testing where you are. There are dummies along the side wall." I pointed to my right and left. "You'd be surprised how few people can stun, disarm and tie up opponents."

I ignored the groans and paired people off and Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and the Twins started placing people in groups. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Most were Intermediate, thank god. That was you could disarm and stun, but couldn't really shield or tie up anyone. Ginny and Neville went off with the ten beginners to work on the basics, Ron and Hermione took the seventeen Intermediates and I took the three Advanced people to teach them Patronuses and advanced dueling and shielding with the Twins as dueling partners.

"All right. For simplicities sake, we'll start with the Patronus-"

"That doesn't sound simple."

I ignored the smart ass. "It's easier than getting the room safe warded for dueling. This is the Meeting Hall, and our third training room isn't ready yet. We just finished the three rooms we're in today. Interruptions aside, the Patronus spell. Basically, you need a happy memory. Winning a quidditch cup in school, things where you are very, very happy." I concentrated on my memory of Sirius at Christmas time, him running around singing Christmas carols. "Expecto Patronum!" The brilliantly shining silver stag burst out of my wand and pranced around the room before returning to my side. "They have more uses than just driving off dementors. They send messages as well. For now, getting a wisp of smoke will be great, corporeal patronuses are difficult."

Fred and George whipped out their wands and summoned their Patronuses. "We're helping because we're awesome."

"Now, you all, get a memory, and try the spell." One guy instantly got a small wisp of silver. "What memory are you using?" Most people didn't pick a strong enough memory the first time.

"Me proposing and her saying yes." He grinned and tried it again. Within ten minutes he'd gotten a large burst of smoke but no real shape had come out. I was surprised I'd gotten anywhere today.

The other two were having difficulty. The twins were out of their league. I knew I should've put them somewhere else. "All right, go see how the others are doing… be test dummies or something. I'll take over here." Things ran a bit smoother after I kicked them out.

When the hour of practice ended the really advanced guy sort of had a dim shape appearing, the girl had wisps of smoke and the second guy had gotten nowhere. "Maybe I should go into Intermediate." He grumbled.

"No, you just need to work. The guy who's got this down is a freak of nature. Most people would've gotten nowhere or a little bit of smoke. You're doing fine." I turned to my advanced student. "I never did get your name."

"Miles." The tall man stuck out his hand. "I've always been really good at defensive spells though. Not very good at that offense stuff beyond stunners."

I nodded. "Okay, everyone has strong suits. Maybe you should look into becoming really good at those defensive spells. Especially since were raiding a manor… maybe you could throw up a blanket shield?"

Miles looked thoughtful. "Maybe… I dunno how good I am under pressure. I might not do so well."

I shrugged. "It was just a thought. Nothing much to it other than that." I dismissed my small group after a few more words and checked up on Ginny and Neville. I walked in a Ginny was about to rip off some poor man's head.

"It's bloody simple!" I put a hand on her shoulder. "How can you not figure out how to disarm somebody?!"

I pulled her away as she fumed. "Ginny, calm down."

"It's ridiculous! The idiot can't manage to cast a second year spell!" She glared at the man to my left. "Next time you give me a room full of idiots don't expect me to be nice to the only person in the entire wizarding world who somehow graduated with absolutely no skills!" I pulled her out of the room as Neville tried to call the group back into order. "I refuse to train the idiots."

"Fine. Ron and Hermione will help me, you and Neville with Intermediate and the Twins on Beginner. I was switching it anyway. Tonight was just a test."

She glared at me. "I have no patience for idiots."

XXXXXXXXX

_-_-_-_-_

I paced my small stage at the front of the room and looked at the assembled group. "Tomorrow, we take out Goyle. You've all checked who is with whom, correct? The sheets are at the back. Get them today because I'm burning the lists later." There was a generally positive response. "Remember, the robes will protect against most minor spells. Also, as an added safety measure, we'll have people with leather belts with a variety of potions on them. They're all clearly labeled. They're Pain Relief, Energy Boosters, Blood Replenishing and Minor Healing Draughts. If you're injured get their attention. Stay together with group leaders, follow them. If they say retreat, then you advance in the opposite direction, got that?"

The tension was broken by some nervous laughter. "Now, if you've got any questions, ask me, Ron, Hermione or anyone with bright red hair. They can answer them or point you to somebody who can." I jumped down off my stage and talked with a few people who were volunteered to help heal, as well as some people, such as Miles, who were concentrating upon one task.

"I'm still not sure I can do it."

"I've not told anyone to not dodge or defend, I've just got you sitting back. If somebody gets hurt, then try not to get hurt. You got two belts of potions, right?" He held up one to go around his waist and a second longer one.

"I'm wearing this one like the muggle ammunition ones you see in bad action movies." I tossed it over one shoulder so it hung across his chest. "I'm just back up, but I look like a dorky muggle so it's all good." He grinned and I laughed before checking in on some people.

"Hey Ron!" I flagged him down and weaved my way over. "You sure you're ready to lead the charge on the main door?"

Ron shrugged. "Ready as I'll ever be." I took Ron's word and checked up on a couple more people, the healer, Hermione, the Twins, our healer volunteers, pretty much everyone that was very important tomorrow. It was kind of cool to see everything fall into place so easily.

_-_-_-_

I adjusted my green hood and cracked my neck. Taking a deep breath I looked at my hand-picked group of people. All of them were the best fighters that weren't leading other groups. I was doing the stupidest job, Ron and Hermione were taking the front door, the Twins and Dean and Seamus through the back, me, I was sneaking in and trying to bust through into the dungeons. I was directing people from far back then taking Bill with me to deal with any wards. Smart idea, huh?

But, too late to regret anything. I fixed my three belts of potions- I took a leaf out of Miles's book- and slipped my wand out of its holster. "Ready or not, here I come." Some laughed at my slightly stupid and childish remark. We all apparated to the Goyle home where Bill and his group were manipulating the wards.

"Thirty seconds." I passed the message to the Twins and got an affirmative back. "Okay, go." Ron and Hermione moved their group of forty (twenty each) and lead the main charge. Hopefully the twins handled their fifty well, I'd sent Dean and Seamus as a breath of sanity. I waited until Bill and his buddies stabilized the wards enough for one person to leave.

"Let's go then." I passed Bill the piece of rope that was to be our portkey and he studied the map of the house. He pointed to a place and briefly described the passages that would hopefully be deserted.

"Portus." We all, the fifteen and me, whirled off and landed mostly silently in the darkened corridor. We crept along and didn't run into anyone until we hit the dungeons.

"Goyle, go check to make sure the stupid people here aren't trying to sneak up on us. How many did you say there were?" I didn't immedatelty recognize the voice.

"Twenty. With the fifteen of us up there we'll take them out with a few injuries." Must be Goyle Senior. "Might be a few more."

"Go check if you're not sure. Malfoy will kill us both if they help his son escape." Help Malfoy escape? "He's here to make him see our way, and if some stupid vigilantes help him out, we're both dead! Get a move on man!"

Malfoy wasn't evil? Only the older one? That's news to me. I motioned forward and we all burst in and quickly took out the older Goyle and the second man, possibly Crabbe, fell about three seconds later. I let down the weakly groaning Draco Malfoy who was quickly healed then tied up. I busted down the cell doors and healed the few prisoners. I got pretty pissed when I saw Colin and Denis Creevey. I helped Colin out but his brother was out cold.

"Th-they killed our p-p-parents." Colin's clothes were shredded to pieces and the cold of the dungeon was getting to him. "Th-they c-came buh-buh-by my house a coup-ple of d-days ago." His legs were barely holding him up as I all but dragged him back to the group of people who quickly conjured a stretcher. I ran back and dumped a few potions down Denis's mouth. I paled when I could barely even find a pulse. I picked him up and threw him over one shoulder. "I-is D-Denis oh-k-kay?" I nodded to Colin and laid the younger boy on his conjured stretcher.

We levitated the few remaining people behind us and went back up through the halls and met our combined group of almost a hundred. "Was it really that easy?"

"Well, they thought it was only me, but Hermione's group popped up and we busted down the doors and windows and were hiding behind the wall. We had 'em pinned down but once the back group showed up it was like taking candy from a baby." Ron grinned and smacked fists with his older brothers. "Easy."

I grinned, I really, truly overestimated them. "Are you glad I went for overkill?" I got a few chuckles. "Let's get out of here before they send reinforcements." We quickly jogged back to the entrance and I groaned, we were now pinned down by about thirty. "Good thing they thought there was twenty. What'd you do with your Death Eaters anyway?" I looked around the empty room.

"Fudge's office. Portkeyed them there." I snickered at Ron's statement and fired off a few summoning spells and dodged the Death Eaters and winced at the crunch as they smashed into a wall. "Ouch."

"Two down, twenty something to go."

"Twenty-seven!" I grinned and fired off a few more spells.

"This is useless. Bill, you remember the floor plan enough to take a group around to the other side? Take… twenty-five." He nodded and counted off a group and jogged off. "Ron, Hermione, Dean and Seamus, hold down on this side with about twenty-five as well. I counted off a group of thirty-four, mostly my old group with a few more additions. "You all, follow me when I leave. Fred and George, you're leading me outside, then taking half and going around the side of the house, opposite side as me."

They nodded and once Bill was on the other side of the entrance hall of the Goyle house we all snuck off, making sure the Death Eaters couldn't see us leave. Fred and George took us out and I headed to my left with the fighters I'd picked before. "Wait until we go around that side, then go." They looked a little confused but agreed. I jogged down the side and looked back at my group of people. Tonks had come through and gotten some Aurors, all young ones willing to fight. They easily kept up at my pace and as soon as we were close enough to start firing I started running full sprint at the Death Eaters, firing off the widest barrage of spells I knew.

Needless to say, I got their attention. I'm pretty sure I left my group behind but as soon as I got close I switched my wand to my left hand and started using my fists as well. Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't some crazy guy charging and punching. I tackled one big huge guy and slammed my elbow into his face. Blood spurted out and my forest green robes were speckled in a dark, almost black color. I jumped away and rolled before popping up just in time to see Fred and George's group appear.

The grinned at me before eagerly joining in my little fight. I swung my arm out and smashed my forearm into a guys face, cracking his mask and cutting his face. He screamed and I kicked him… in between the legs. He deserved it. By the time I'd almost single-handedly taken out half of them, they were scattered and confused enough for one of the two pinned down groups to actively fight. After that it was pretty much us taking them out.

I sighed once the final guy was taken out. "That was fun." I grinned as some people looked at me like I was crazy.

"Fun? You call sprinting full speed at Death Eaters then getting into a half fist-fight half magic fight fun? I call it damn stupid if you ever want to see tomorrow."

I looked at one of the Aurors that'd been recruited. "I call it fun. You should try it." I calmly walked to where Ron and Hermione were taking care of the few injured people. "So, did ya see me?!"

"Nice mate. Punching Death Eaters, why didn't I think of that?"

"'Cause you're not as crazy as me." I surveyed the damage. "Damn. This is a mess. We did a damn good job. Should scare the Death Eaters."

Ron nodded. "We need to leave, soon. We'll grab the last of the injured and prisoners and portkey them. Get everyone out." I nodded and walked back outside.

"Alright! Fall back and get out of here! It's not safe anymore! We did what we needed to!" Everybody started to book it out of here and I tossed portkeys at the downed Death Eaters. I waited until every last person was home free or in Fudge's office before I left.

_-_-_-_

There ya go. Better than the last one? I hope so. The last one really sucked. I mean was really bad. I finally was like, you need to write that over. So, I did. Enjoy!

And review. Always review. I love reviews. So, yeah.

Read my other things as well. The Chronicles of Fayt is really amazing. A Different Sort of Fairytale is a seventh year story and you should read 'em. There's also Dark Moon Arisen, a Harry Potter/Twilight crossover. Go read em. And review.