Harry managed to stop the bats and slip through the wards just as the unknown witch closed them. He looked around, hoping to spot her. She was as stealthy as a cat, and silent too. If it wasn't for the moon breaking free from the dark clouds, Harry would have missed her. The moonlight provided a good path for him to follow her at a safe distance. She didn't seem to be meeting up with anyone, and didn't even seem in a hurry. She walked at a normal pace, although she did appear to be looking around a lot.
Still, Harry followed cautiously. He thought she was heading for the village, but she turned left instead of right at the junction. Harry waited for her to round a corner before following her again. Suddenly he heard, "Levicorpus," and he found himself dangling in mid air.
"Damn you're good," he said, cursing himself.
"Who are you and why are you following me?" demanded the witch, her wand almost up his nose.
"I mean you no harm. I thought you were opening the wards at the Burrow to let assailants in to harm the Minister for Magic and his guests. My name is Harry P-"
Ginny held her hand up suddenly, making him stop his introduction. "Quiet!" she hissed.
"What the -" Before he could ask any further questions, Ginny had cast Silencio on him. Harry groaned to himself. Sirius would have a great laugh when, no, IF he ever found out about this.
The he heard it. Screams from the local village. He waved his arms to get the witches attention. She dropped the spell.
"What is it? Be quick, I must go and help," she said.
"I can help you. I am trained in all manners of defence, top of my class," he said proudly.
"Really?" asked the witch doubtfully. "Doesn't say much for your class then, does it!"
Harry supposed he did look silly saying that when he was dangling upside down.
"I can help you. I want to help you. I was in that village earlier, the locals were very friendly," he said, earnestly.
"Who ARE you?" asked the witch. "What were you doing at the Burrow? Did you have business with my father?" She cast 'Liberacorpus' and Harry fell to the ground.
"Ouch! A little warning next time," he said, glaring at her. He got up and dusted himself off. "I escorted the witches who will marry the Minister's sons, from Hogwarts to his home. I'm Harry, Harry P-"
"Well, Harry 'Groper', if you can be entrusted with an important mission like that," she said sarcastically, " then you can come and help me, but you will do everything I tell you, understood. The village is half magical, half Muggles. I know them all, so listen to me," she ordered.
"Why don't I send my Patronus back to the Burrow? Help could be here soon," suggested Harry.
"NO! I mean, let's go and check out the situation first. There's no point in bothering my father or brothers on this important night if they are not needed. Unless you are not up for the task," she said critically, eying him all over. Despite herself, she liked what she saw.
"Did you say your father is Arthur Weasley? Oh, you must be the stubborn daughter he mentioned. Er, Guinevere, right?" asked Harry.
Ginny had started walking ahead, but stopped at his words and spun around. Once again, Harry found himself at the wrong end of her wand. He cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes, my father is Arthur Weasley, although why he would tell you, of all people, that I'm stubborn I can't begin to imagine. And my name is NOT Guinevere, it's Ginevra. Gi-ne-vra, got it!" she glared.
"Got it! Ginevra," said Harry, liking the way it ran off his tongue.
"But if you EVER call me that, you'll find Bat Bogeys coming out other orifices, am I clear? I'm Ginny. Now come on, we're wasting time."
Harry grabbed her around the waist, and Apparated her to the edge of the village. The screams and cries for help were louder.
Ginny pushed away from him, her face in a rage. "Don't ever do that to me again. You could have splinched me, you ass!"
Harry found he was quite enjoying their verbal sparring. No-one ever talked to him like this before. He smiled charmingly at her and shrugged. "You wanted to get here in a hurry."
Ginny shot him a look, but was then distracted by the sounds of glass breaking and more cries. She pointed left. "You go that way. Most of the merchants along there are magical, they may be able to help you. I'll go this way, I know the Muggle merchants, and I'll try to get them to safety. Until we know what we are dealing with, try to keep magic out of it. Try not to get yourself killed. Go!"
Harry fled to the left, his heart pounding in exhileration. As the prince, he had done the requisite military training, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He'd put his all into it, thinking that if it weren't for a trick of birth, this was something he would have done as a job. Now he was able to put his training into an actual rescue, and for some reason he really wanted to impress Ginny Weasley. Merlin she was good with her wand!
He caught the smell of smoke, and realised the looters or whatever they were, had set fire to some of the buildings. Seeing a group of men and women with their wands out calling "Aguamenti" he gathered he was in the right place. He quickly joined them, using his wand to help.
"Hello, I am a friend of Ginny Weasley's, she sent me here to help. My name is Harry. Do you know who and why they are doing this?" he asked.
"Oh bless her and her family. They are searching for the Prince of Andulasia. I don't know why they think he would be in our little village, for Merlin's sake, but they are searching every building, and shouting 'For the Greater Good.' Some of them speak in a strange accent," said one of the wizards.
"It sounded Romanian. My cousin went to Durmstrang, he lived in Romania," said another.
Harry's blood went cold. "Grindelwald!" he murmured, having heard of the young dark wizard who had gained a following with his ideas about world domination over the Muggles. He'd heard his dad, Sirius and Remus discussing this dangerous wizard, and the war he could send the wizarding world into. They hoped to put a stop to that before things got out of hand.
"We must help our Muggle neighbours," cried a witch. "They are easy pickings for the bad wizards. Come," she motioned.
Harry held up his hand. "Please, just make sure everyone is accounted for. You, wizards, follow me." He hoped no-one got hurt just because he'd decided to pay this little village a visit.
The witch picked up a child and ran into a group of other witches, some elderly. They talked, seeming to be conferring about the status of all.
"Come," cried Harry, running off. The other wizards followed him.
As they got closer, he saw a group of four wizards terrorising a group of Muggles. "Tell us where the Prince is?" they demanded.
"Prince? What Prince? We don't know of any Prince?" one asked.
"Crucio! Tell us what we need to know, or the next thing you'll see is a bright green light coming for ya." The Muggle man writhed in agony on the ground.
"Aah, get 'em off, get 'em off," cried one of the dark wizards, rushing to his comrades with Bat Bogeys over his face.
Harry had to chuckle at that, knowing what the effects of that particular curse felt like.
"Psst." He looked around and saw Ginny beckoning to him. He hurried to her side. "Nice job," he complimented her.
"How are the villagers from that side?" she asked worriedly.
"A bit of spell damage and fire damage. Should be able to be fixed in the morning when there is better light. I don't think anyone was hurt, but one of the witches was going to make sure everyone was accounted for. A group of wizards followed me here," said Harry, pointing them out to her.
"Good. We need to surround them quickly. I'm pretty sure it's just these four. You go and send two or three to follow me, and spread the others out. We must move quickly, before they tire of playing with the Muggles and start to make good on their threats," said Ginny, worriedly.
Harry pulled her to him and kissed her. She froze for a second before she realised what he was doing. She pushed him away. "What do you think you are doing?" she demanded.
"Living for the moment, Ginevra," he grinned at her, before running back to the wizards he brought with him. He quickly relayed their instructions, sending three burly wizards to follow her. She nodded to him across the way and she and the men disappeared into the shadows.
Harry had never felt more alive, more real than he did just then. He was out in the real world, doing real work and helping people. This is what he wanted to do, rather than attend boring parties and have people suck up to him. He grinned, wondering what Ginny would say when she found out who he really was. Merlin, she was something. A real firecracker, Sirius would say. He'd like her, Harry knew that. And Merlin, that kiss...
"Harry, what's the plan?" asked one of the wizards.
"Spread out, and we'll surround them. We think it's just these four. We've got to get them away from the Muggles," said Harry.
They surrounded the village centre, which was where the four wizards had gathered more of the local Muggle villagers. One was pawing at a young woman, and it was making one of the Muggle children cry.
"Someone shut that brat up," cried one of the dark wizards. "before I do it myself," he continued ominously.
"Let me go," cried the young woman, pulling away from the dark wizard who had grabbed her. Her blouse ripped, making the wizard leer.
"I reckon you and me can have a bit of fun," he said, making one of the other dark wizards laugh too.
Harry saw red, and indicated for his wizards to back him up. He stepped out from the shadows, "Let her go," he demanded, his wand in his outstretched hand.
"Who are you?" asked a dark wizard.
"A friend of these people. Let them go now," he demanded again, noting Ginny and the others creep closer.
"Or what?" sneered a dark wizard. "We just want to have a bit of fun with the Muggles."
"What's a Muggle?" cried the woman who was being groped and leered at.
"Nothing!" spat a dark wizard. "You're nothing!" He slapped her across the face and she fell to the ground crying.
"Get away from her," demanded Ginny, also coming out of the shadows.
"Well, well, what have we here? Been hiding this one for yourself, Four-Eyes," laughed a dark wizard to Harry. "Red hair, freckles. Must be a Weasley. You the Minister's daughter, lovely?"
He sauntered over to her. Ginny stood her ground, refusing to be intimidated by him. He walked around her, sizing her up. "What are you doing in this Muggle village at this time of night? Meeting up with Lover-boy, here?"
"None of your business," snapped Ginny.
"Leave her alone," said Harry, trying to get closer to her.
The other three dark wizards had left the Muggles, and were now interested in Ginny and Harry. Harry saw the wizards who were fighting with him and Ginny help the Muggles to escape while the attention was off them.
"Wonder what the Minister for Magic would pay to get his daughter back in one piece," asked the dark wizard rhetorically.
Ginny smirked. "You don't really think I'm going anywhere with you, do you?"
"I don't think you've got a choice, lovely," said the dark wizard, leering at her.
"Well, you're half right. You don't think. You and your friends should leave now, while you can," she warned.
The dark wizards laughed. Harry wanted to applaud her bravery. He knew she was buying time to get the Muggles away safely, and allowing more of the wizards and witches to get into position to help them.
His fists clenched as the one that appeared to be the leader of the dark wizards picked up a strand of Ginny's hair and ran it through his fingers. "You're a fiery one, aren't you? Must be that red hair of yours. Tell me Red, do you like playing with the dirty Muggles like your father. Everyone knows he's a Muggle lover," he sneered.
"There's a lot we can learn from Muggles. My father knows that. This is a peaceful village of both Muggles and Magic folk. They have learned to live together in harmony. Leave them alone," ordered Ginny.
The one closest to Harry laughed derisively. "Muggles and magic folk living together? You're mad!"
"Hello Ginny. I was wondering where you were."
Harry watched in amazement as the witch he'd met earlier today who had told him his future, sauntered into the middle of the village, wearing what appeared to be her nightgown. Her feet were bare, and her dirty blonde hair ran down her back.
"I thought I saw a Blibbering Humdinger heading for the village and I so wanted to see one. Did you see it, Ginny?" she asked.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" asked the dark wizard, pulling Ginny to his side.
"I'm Luna. Who are you?" she asked him.
He shoved his wand at Ginny's throat. "I'm looking for the Prince. Do you know where he is?"
"Yes," said Luna.
"Well," said the dark wizard, impatiently when she didn't elaborate. "Tell me."
"He's playing a game. It's a secret. He doesn't want anyone to know," said Luna gleefully.
"Tell me or your friend gets it," he said.
"But it's not my secret to tell," protested Luna. "I think the Wrackspurts have got into your head."
"Wrackspurts? What the bloody hell are Wrackspurts?" asked the confused dark wizard.
"Oh, they float into your head through your ears, and they make your brain go all fuzzy. Is your brain fuzzy?" she asked, waving her hands around her ears.
Harry almost laughed out loud as the wizard just didn't know what to make of Luna. The dark wizards looked amongst themselves, confused at this witch who showed no fear of them.
"I don't want no Wrackspurts gettin' in my head," said one dark wizard fearfully.
"Shut up," cried the leader, loosening his grip on Ginny. She quickly whipped out her wand and shoved it against her captors stomach. "Stupefy," she yelled, making him fly through the air.
Harry quickly cast Incarcerous, and Pertrificas Totalis on the other three. Ginny spun around and cast Incarcerous on the one she'd blown off her.
Harry ran over to her. "Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded, a bit shakily, he noted. She hugged her friend Luna.
The witches and wizards who had helped them came running. "We've performed mild memory charms on the Muggles. No-one has been hurt, although Mary, the Muggle girl they assaulted was a bit shaken. We Obliviated her first."
"Thank you, Armand," said Ginny gratefully. "Would you give us a ten minute head start then call the Aurors to come and take this lot away? The Aurors can Obliviate the rest when they get here."
Armand nodded. "We'll get up at first light and put the village back in one piece. The Muggles will sleep late, we put a sleeping draught in their Muggle drink."
"Well done," said Harry, nodding to the group who had assembled.
"Thank you for helping us, Lady Ginny," said one of the witches.
"And your handsome friend," said a flirty younger witch.
A little girl pulled on Ginny's shirt. She kneeled down. "Fank you, Miss Ginny," said the little girl.
"You were very brave, Ruby. Good girl," praised Ginny, hugging her.
"Is he your boyfriend?" she asked, pointing to Harry, who winked at her.
"She wishes," said Harry. Ginny nudged him with her elbow.
"You should go, my friends," said Armand, picking up his daughter, Ruby.
"Best not to mention Ginny and I were here tonight," said Harry. "I don't want Arthur knowing his daughter was fighting against dark wizards."
"I fear there are more dark times to come," said Armand, nodding. He and Harry shook hands.
"You're village is a delight, Armand. Magical folk and Muggles living side by side. It's as it should be," said Harry.
"The Aurors are on the way," cried a wizard. "Someone at the Burrow reported it. The Minister for Magic himself is coming too."
"Dad!" cried Ginny. "I need to get out of here. I don't want him to find me."
"Maybe you should go with Harry. You know your Dad will come to my place if he finds out you were here," said Luna.
"Good idea," said Harry, taking her hand and pulling her away.
Several pops indicated Wizards Apparating. Ginny's eye's popped open. "It's Dad and my brothers!"
She ducked into the shadows, not wanting them to find her. Because she was still holding Harry's hand, she pulled him with her.
"Why are we hiding from your family?" he asked.
"Ssh," she said, putting her finger on his lips. She poked her head around the corner, seeing her dad and brothers talking to the wizards and witches of the village.
She popped her head back and sighed. "You were brilliant," said Harry. He kissed her.
She pulled back. "Stop kissing me." She glared at him, then grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her. She kissed him hard. He put his arms arund her and deepened the kiss.
Voices nearby made them stop. "Come on. I know where we can go." said Harry. "Trust me?"
Ginny nodded. He put his arms around her and Apparated them away.