Author's Note:
Timelines - a query was made by an unsigned reviewer about the timeframe. I admit the fault here is entirely mine. When I had started writing, Harry was supposed to have spent 5 years in Azkaban, but midway through I changed it to 3 years. I thought I had corrected all references to 5 years but one might have slipped past. So basically, after Dumbledore's death, Harry is sentenced to Azkaban. Three years later, Marcus Flint kills him, and Harry's soul is replaced with Marcus' and this story starts from then on.
Thanks for the reviews.
Chapter 6 - Treachery
The baby's cries resounded in the night. Harry was lost. He was many things, but not a babysitter. Swallowing uneasily, he tried to pat the baby to calm her. When that didn't work, Harry shifted the baby in his arms. Maybe she was uncomfortable. Maybe, he should try singing to her.
"Hush-a-bye baby, on the treetop, when the wind blows, the cradle will uh… stop? Drop? Rock?…"
He had finally found Victoire after searching for three days. She was in a small orphanage that, fortunately, hadn't been completely destroyed by Voldemort during his takeover of London.
Harry wondered why the muggle government toppled so easily. Surely, they could have deployed fearsome weapons against the magical insurgency? But he pushed aside such thoughts. His top priority was to get Victoire back safely.
He smiled when she giggled at his singing. But when he got bored of the same words and lapsed into silence, the crying began again. So, he tried again.
"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight…"
Victoire giggled again.
Harry gazed into her eyes. The same hazel of her father, aunt and grandfather. His smile dimmed.
"You -- murderer!"
Arthur Weasley had been one of his accusers. He hadn't said anything but his silent disappointment had cut deeply in his heart. How could he believe the fake veritaserum testimony? Harry knew it wasn't the man's fault. His upbringing didn't allow him to question the veracity of the truth serum. But it still hurt that somebody he respected tremendously had turned against him.
"… I didn't believe it. Harry loved Dumbledore!"
Neither should Ginny's upbringing allow her to question the confession, but she had. Frankly, Ginny's steadfast belief was enough. Harry turned to the baby. "… hush, my darling, don't cry, my darling, the lion sleeps tonight…" He smiled when the girl's eyes closed, and he lapsed into silence.
But the peace was not to last. With a flash of fire, Fawkes appeared, and from the urgent trills of the firebird, something had gone terribly wrong.
"Hush," Harry said to the baby, who had woken up again, and hastily grabbed the letter from Fawkes' claws. He nodded when Fawkes started trilling to the girl, and stretched the parchment.
He gasped. It was a short message. "Betrayed… Flitwick committed suicide… Wood dead, Chang ran away… Dementors… Ginny needs you… Help!"
Harry gasped in horror, the color completely drained from his face. He jumped up. But then he looked at the baby. He looked at the phoenix. "Can you travel with Victoire?" He knew that a phoenix could only transport the one they had bonded with. But perhaps, a baby… but Fawkes trilled regretfully.
Harry sighed. He grabbed the baby in his arms, strapped her against his heart and covered her with his robes. He put an arm around her protectively. "I'm sorry for this, kiddo. You can hate me as much as you want when you grow up," he said regretfully. "Silencio." He then cast an illusion charm on her to hide her from others. To Fawkes, he said, "Return to Mark. Keep him safe. I get the feeling he is more important than it appears."
Then, he took a step and apparated to just outside Hogwarts.
The sight that was in front of him was ghastly. Mark hadn't exaggerated by much. There were about four or five people holding back the attack led by Bellatrix Lestrange. Ginny was holding back several Dementors while leading the small group in the fight against the Death Eaters. For a moment, Harry marveled her ability. She was definitely up to the task. But there were many Death Eaters observing from the distance, obviously enjoying the show, ready to pick up from later on.
Harry frowned. How could this have happened? He raised his wand. "Silencio! Confringo! Diffindo! Stupefy!"
He quietly silenced a smaller group of Death Eaters and attacked them from behind. He had a baby to look after and couldn't afford to fight a Gryffindor's battle. He took a deep breath and looked at the Dementors. Even from afar, they scared him. He would rather die than be kept in captivity with Dementors again.
Harry hesitated. Victoire's smile reflected in his mind. Victoire, a future worth fighting for.
"Expecto Patronum!" A massive griffin burst out. "Go, help Prongs Jr.!" He directed the patronus towards Ginny's stag patronus.
"Marcus!" Ginny yelled. "To me!"
Harry marveled her spirit. She was a true leader. He sprinted to her. "Doing well, Weasley," he remarked.
Ginny didn't respond. The Death Eaters had joined the fray.
"Flint? You dare betray the Monarch?" Bellatrix Lestrange hissed. "I will kill you myself."
Suddenly, Harry felt cold. Before him was the murderer of Sirius. "You bitch! Diffindo!" To Ginny, he asked. "Where are the others?"
Ginny gritted her teeth. "Dead, injured or unavailable. Keep fighting."
Half a dozen Death Eaters had entered the wards. Harry's mind was racing. They couldn't hold them back indefinitely. The key was to push them back out. "Avis Oppungo! Chase them out! Avis Oppungo! Chase them out!"
Ginny got the idea. "Avis Oppungo! Chase them back."
Harry saw the Death Eaters hadn't caught their tactic and stepped backwards to avoid the attacking birds. Several of them had gone out. A few were left. But that was when a new figure appeared. Lucius Malfoy.
"Cease this nonsense," said Malfoy, to the Death Eaters. "The Monarch did not authorize you to attack Hogwarts."
Bellatrix Lestrange paled slightly and lowered her wand.
"The Monarch is magnanimous and would have peace with the Lady of Hogwarts," continued Malfoy. He turned to Ginny. "My dear, stop this ridiculous defiance and yield to what you must know is inevitable. Accept my son as your consort and let there be peace in our realm."
"Never!" Harry yelled out angrily.
"I see," said Malfoy, letting his gaze drift on the features of Marcus Flint for a brief moment. He spoke to Ginny. "I am surprised to see you collaborating with the murderer of Harry Potter."
There was silence. Harry froze. He literally felt the shock in Ginny's face as she turned to him.
"You killed Harry?" Ginny's voice was broken. She looked at him with lost and betrayed eyes.
"Ginny, please!" Harry cried out, this was absolutely the worst thing that could have happened. "I will explain everything to you! Don't do anything -"
"How long?" Ginny hissed in a furious voice. Her eyes glinted with a hate that Harry never wanted to see directed at himself. "How long have you been laughing at me?" She raised her wand with trembling hands.
Harry lowered his head. He had no idea how to get out of this situation. Revealing in front of Malfoy was not an option. But he couldn't raise his wand at the girl he loved. There was no option. He had to face whatever punishment she decided was fitting.
"You don't understand," Harry said slowly. "Please, give me a chance to explain inside, away from them." He glanced at Malfoy. "It's not like you think -"
"No!" Ginny shouted. "I can't believe this! I can't believe I was so stupid to trust you!"
The self-disgust in her voice broke Harry's heart.
"How could you do this to me?" Ginny cried. Her wand had lowered. Her knees gave way and she sank to the ground. "How could you make me fall in love with the murderer of Harry Potter?"
"You -- murderer!"
"Not now," Harry croaked to himself, as he himself staggered back as the cold memories from Azkaban assaulted his mind at Ginny's accusation.
Just then, he felt something else. A new shift. There was a ripple of magic around them. He felt as if a cold dagger was being clenched through his heart as he saw Ginny completely break down in front of him. Then, his eyes fell on the delighted expression on Malfoy, and he realized what was happening.
"The truth is, Marcus, in these few short days, I have come to realize how much I need you… I need you to be there for me, to support me."
"Ginny, get a grip! The Wards are falling!" Harry yelled urgently. "Get a grip! Please!"
But Ginny was beyond his reach.
Sighing, Harry knew there was only one thing to do. If that didn't work, then he had condemned them all by his foolishness to maintain his secrecy. He cast a spell, and a baby's cries rose over the din of Ginny's tears. Harry removed the charms from the baby in his arms and placed her in the grass, not far from Ginny.
"This is your niece. Get a grip, Weasley. The Wards are falling." His voice was detached, Azkaban memories were assaulting him. He didn't look at Ginny or the baby. They were lost to him.
"You -- murderer!"
"I am sorry," he said with clenched teeth. "You will not see me again."
He realized from the screams and curses of Lucius Malfoy that the magic of the wards were stabilizing and chanced a glance back at Ginny. He regretted it, for he fell in love with her all over again. She was standing upright, Victoire in her arms, her wand was held high. There was nothing but grim determination in her face as she looked at Harry.
"Get out."
Harry nodded. He had no choice. He was being thrown out to the wolves that awaited. But how could he blame Ginny after what he had done to her.
"How could you make me fall in love with the murderer of Harry Potter?"
How could he not have seen such a thing happening? In his haste to reach to her, he had completely forgotten the deeds of the previous soul that occupied the body he was in.
"Don't do this, Professor Ginny."
Harry turned around. Mark Evans was staring at the scene unfolding between Harry and Ginny with distress. Harry couldn't help but smile at the young boy. He reminded him so much of himself when he was that age, desperate to help, befriended by a phoenix, thrown into war.
"Please Professor," Mark pleaded. "Marcus isn't -" he hesitated. "Marcus is -"
Harry raised his hand to stop the boy. They couldn't risk it. The Wards had already compromised enough. They couldn't afford what further trauma could do to Ginny. He slowly moved his hand, indicating at the same time, his request for him to keep his secret and also bidding farewell.
"No, you can't do this!" Mark yelled furiously at Ginny. "You can't throw him to Malfoy! You can't!"
Harry closed his eyes to hide himself from the agony in his young friend's face, and to shield himself from the coldness in Ginny's relentless gaze. He turned around and walked to the perimeter.
"Stop."
Harry froze, but didn't turn around. The voice was Ginny's but it held nothing but bitterness and anger.
"You may leave through the same route by which you first came."
Harry nodded, not trusting his voice. He turned and set one final glance on the woman he loved and had thoroughly wronged.
"I'll walk with you," Mark said suddenly.
"You'll come with me, Mark Evans," Ginny hissed.
Harry's heart ached. Not wanting to be the cause of a rift between the two, Harry remained silent and walked towards the forest.
"No."
Harry was surprised by the power laced in Mark's voice.
"You have no idea what a big mistake you're making. But I won't make the same mistake. I won't leave the Wards and I'll be back, yes, but I won't let him leave like this, all alone and friendless. No, not again."
Harry heard Mark's footsteps. He felt strange warmth within when Mark clutched his hand. The little kid was every bit a brother to him, and Harry couldn't deny the happiness he felt with his strong support. They walked in silence for a long time. Finally, Harry sighed.
"What happened, Mark? How did this happen?"
Mark's tone surprised Harry. "Chang," he spat out. "Chang was making secret negotiations with the Monarch. She convinced Flitwick that Ginny was being foolish and should accept Malfoy's proposal. Before we knew what was happening, Death Eaters and Dementors were all around. Professor Ginny closed the Wards before too many could enter."
"Where were the others?" Harry asked bitterly. "Why was she fighting all alone?"
"Professor Creevey and a few others were injured early on. Gabrielle and some other students took him inside. Healer Bones is treating him. Flitwick, on realizing he had been manipulated into betraying Hogwarts, jumped off the Astronomy Tower. Professor Wood took a curse meant for Professor Ginny. He fell."
"As brave as a Gryffindor," Harry muttered. "What about the refugees from Flourish and Botts?"
"Dung was injured and removed from the battlefield. The others are too heavily injured to be of any help." There was silence. "What do we do now, Harry?"
Harry smiled. "Feels good to be called by that name," he said. His smile faltered as he pondered on the question. "I have no idea," he admitted. He put his hands on Mark's shoulders. "Stay with her, Mark. Keep an eye on her, but don't tell her anything. You have something good going here, Mark. You have the potential to thoroughly outplay the enemy. The refugees will heal. Dung will teach you survivor skills better than Chang ever could have. Stay here."
"I will," Mark promised.
"Good lad," Harry said, with a smile. Then he turned to the Whomping Willow, and left without another word.
He emerged from the Shrieking Shack with Mark's question repeating in his head.
"What do we do now, Harry?"
"How could you do this to me?"
"Get a grip, Potter," Harry told himself. Not trusting himself to apparate, he walked haphazardly. What could he do? Everything he had done was tumbling around him.
"I won't let him leave like this, all alone and friendless. No, not again."
Harry smiled, warmth rising in him again. He suddenly realized why Sirius Black, despite spending more than a decade in Azkaban, had managed to survive the ordeal. Mark walking back with him was exactly what would save him from falling back into despair. He hadn't failed.
Fawkes was back.
Mark Evans was the Spymaster of Hogwarts.
There were three new Defenders of Hogwarts.
Victoire Weasley was with her aunts.
Marcus Flint was established as a supporter of Hogwarts.
No, Harry hadn't failed at all. The only thing he had failed to do was to make Ginny fall in love with Marcus Flint. "And that's because she loves Harry Potter too much," he said out loud, and laughed. No, he hadn't failed at all. Warmth flooded through him, and he knew exactly what he had to do. "The Order of the Phoenix will be reassembled."
