Chapter 7: A Strange Invitation

Harry looked at the gift he had been given by his old teacher Sean. Sean had stressed to Harry the importance of continuing with his training, and had given him a set of the types of swords and knives that he had taught him how to use at the monastery. The letter from the Death Eaters had told Harry to go to the meeting without his wand, but Moody had insisted that he go armed.

Harry found a straight sword that he could conceal underneath the cloak that he would be wearing out into the cool evening. Moody had given Harry the day off so that he could spend the morning and afternoon with his family. He had done this before, usually the day before he and Bill would leave on a potentially dangerous mission. As smart as she was, Hermione had figured out the pattern after she would read about another mission by the Aurors office in the Daily Prophet a day or two after Harry had spent the day with her and the children.

She was always a little nervous when Harry would announce that he would be spending the day at home. But she preferred to focus more on getting to spend an entire day with her beloved husband and their children. Harry was truly wonderful when he was at home. He helped out with the chores and with the children and kept an attitude about it as though he found nothing more fulfilling in life—and he didn't.

The sword Harry chose was in a sheath that strapped onto the wearers back. Harry took the first part of the sword out of the sheath enough to see that it was still sharp and intact, then put it back in and strapped the sheath on with the hilt over his right shoulder.

He chose to also strap a knife around his waist next to his left hip in case he needed to get to a weapon more quickly. He carefully set his wand down on the nightstand in his and Hermione's bedroom. Then he went back to the closet where he kept his weapons, closed and locked it.

He found his cloak and put it on, careful to be sure that it concealed the sword strapped to his back and the knife at his waist. He took one last look at himself and decided that he was ready. He couldn't help but notice how different he was. He remembered when he was a kid and would look at himself in the mirror when he brushed his teeth or washed his hands.

He remembered his long hair, which was now replaced by his spiky crew cut, which did nothing to hide his scar, but he didn't mind that. He remembered his short stature and Dudley's clothes that were far too big for him. Now he saw himself standing at six feet two inches tall with nice clothes that fit him perfectly. He smiled at the thought of how far he had come physically, but also personally. He thought of his beautiful wife and their children and how he couldn't think of anything he wanted more out of life. He left the room and made his way downstairs.

He saw Hermione sitting on their sofa with James sitting next to her and Lily in her lap. She was reading them a story, and Harry couldn't help but overhear. It was a children's book, Harry imagined that Hermione's parents had read it to her when she was a little girl. It told the story of a young boy who became a knight, and in the end slayed the evil dragon married the beautiful princess and lived happily ever after. Harry always thought stories like this strange since meeting a real knight.

"…then he brought up his lance to strike the…" Hermione stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Harry all dressed and at the bottom of the stairs. She knew what was coming next, and she immediately got a look on her face that was a combination of worry and anticipation.

"Your Daddy has to go to work now James," Hermione said, "go say goodbye."

James hopped off the sofa onto the floor and scampered over to his father. Harry knelt down to hug his son and then stood up with his arms wrapped around him.

"I need you to be a good boy while I'm gone," Harry said, "and don't give your mother any difficulty."

James nodded and Harry gently set him down. Hermione then walked over with Lily cradled in her arms. Harry bent down to kiss his daughter's forehead and whispered in her ear.

"I love you Lily, and I'll be back in a little bit." Harry's eyes then found a smiling Hermione.

"I love seeing you with the children," Hermione said, "it makes me wonder how you turned out so good considering your aunt and uncle."

Hermione had insisted on meeting the Dursleys after she and Harry graduated from Hogwarts. It didn't take her long to realize why Harry considered Hogwarts to be his home rather than number 4 Privett Drive. She wondered how it was possible for Harry to be such a great boy when those who had raised him were so the opposite of him.

"I married a great woman," Harry answered bringing Hermione back to the present. "The kind of woman that a man would have to be daft not to come back to."

"You are coming back?" Hermione said with concern in her voice, like she always did before Harry would leave on an assignment.

"Of course," Harry said, "I'll always come back to you."

Hermione forced a smile, but didn't have to for long as her husband gave her their traditional goodbye, which consisted of a long passionate kiss.

After they came apart, Harry paused for a moment to look at his young family then gave them all a wave and nod and turned to leave.

"I love you," Hermione said to Harry as he had one foot out the door.

Harry stopped and turned around, "I love you too," he said, "all of you," he added giving his family a wink with his left eye. Harry then turned around and exited, gently closing the door behind him.

The spot where the meeting was to take place was well known to him. It was in walking distance of where he lived, but where he lived was not common knowledge and he wanted to keep it that way. He decided that he would apparate over there, that way they wouldn't suspect that he lived nearby. Harry walked the minimal distance from his house that he needed to apparate, and then did so.

The first thing Harry thought of when he arrived and surveyed his surroundings was the last time that he had been to that spot with a Death Eater. He had fought Snape here. He could see the very spots where he had defeated Snape and where Sean had defeated Bellatrix LeStrange. Harry remembered how incredible what he had done really was in retrospect. And how amazingly he had nothing of it at the time.

So much had happened since then. Chief among the events was the final confrontation Harry had with Voldemort. He remembered how relieved he had been to finally get that weight off his shoulders and move on with the rest of his life. He also remembered what happened with Hermione when he got back to the Gryffindor Common Room after defeating Voldemort, and how he felt it had to be the greatest kind of hero's welcome in history.

It was about ten minutes before the scheduled appointment time, and Harry waited. He would have been uneasy, but he had learned the value of patience a long time ago. He began to think of his training with Sean and remembering what he had told him about being patient. The lesson was summed up best in three words, "wait for it." He had also said to remember that everything that is going to happen will happen, and that there is no sense in being anxious about it.

After about ten minutes, Harry turned at the sound of a loud pop. He saw a masked figure dressed in full Death Eater robes. Harry didn't make any fast moves, but closed his mind and turned so that his frame was facing the masked figure. Both of them knew why they were there, and no words were really necessary for the initial meeting.

"Expeliarmus!" the figure shouted as he whipped out his wand and pointed it at Harry. Harry was using his new found skills of illegumency to hear the Death Eater's thoughts and knew that he was going to use the charm to disarm the Auror that he was sure was not honoring the request that had been made to not bring his wand. To the surprise of the Death Eater, nothing happened.

"I see that you did not bring your wand," the Death Eater said in a fairly pompous tone, "I must admit I am surprised that you have honored this request."

A sly grin crept its way to Harry's face. "Minister Moody was completely against it…he fought it kicking and screaming." Harry's tone reflected his distrust of the messenger and was very strong and unwavering.

"Moody and the Ministry are gutless," the Death Eater said as he approached Harry and removed a rolled up piece of parchment from inside his robes, "here is our message," he said with an icy tone, "read and consider it well." The Death Eater threw the parchment to the ground, and then stepped away and apparated off.

Harry walked over to the parchment and picked it up. He then stood up and said "You can come out now Bill."

A short distance from where Harry had been standing originally, Bill Weasley threw off the invisibility cloak he had been wearing and slung it over his arm. He had his wand in his other hand and walked up to Harry, who by this time had finished reading the message that had been delivered.

"Everything go okay?" Bill asked.

"Yeah," Harry said, "but you have to read this message, it's ridiculous."

Bill held out his hand and Harry handed him the message. It was dark out, but it was light enough outside that they could see the message.

"I'm going to contact Moody on the mirror and see what he wants us to do about this" Harry said to Bill. Bill nodded and Harry walked off a little ways to talk to Moody.

Bill read the message and didn't know whether to be concerned or confused.

Minister Moody and the Ministry for Magic:

We, the Death Eaters, wish to congratulate you for your efforts to thrawt us. But let us say here and now that it all for nothing. We have in our possession a weapon that you will never be able to combat, and believe us when we say that our releasing it would be the destruction of all those who oppose us. We realize that it would not be the Dark Lord's wish to annihilate the pure bloods within the Ministry, and for this reason alone we are offering to accept the surrender of the Ministry.

We are willing to be generous for only one month. If we do not receive the requested surrender, we will show you all the terrible majesty of our new weapon, and we will be merciless. You will inform us of your consent by vacating the Ministry building by that time.

­Bill looked up from the parchment after he finished reading the message. His look spoke volumes as he and Harry were perplexed at what they had just read. At about that time, Harry came back.

"What did Moody say?" Bill asked.

"He says he wants us to go to where the Death Eaters are hiding out, see if there is any grounds to what they say, apprehend Wormtail, and avoid any conflict if at all possible." Harry answered.

"When?" Bill asked.

"Now" Harry replied in a no nonsense tone.

"But we don't know where the Death Eaters are hiding out" Bill said.

"Yeah we do," Harry responded, "I used illegumency when I was with the messenger."

"So where are they?" Bill asked.

"They're hiding out in the Riddle House," Harry answered, "in Little Hangelton."