"So, you guys have been busy." Tracey commented as she and her best friend headed out of the bustling Flamel house and out to the beach. Daphne felt quite relaxed for the first time since before the war had truly broken out. She'd been cooped up in Dumbledore's house with the same three people, and as much as she loved them, she was thankful for a break, especially since she was with Tracey once again.
Being back on this beach where she and Harry had grown so close during the last summer, and had only just begun to discover the intimacy between them brought a sad smile to her face. While they had grown quite close, their time together had seemed, hurried in some ways. She wondered if it was just her perception, or if the war had gotten so deep into their psyches that they felt they needed to rush through their lovemaking. She felt it best to ask Harry about it later, when he felt better.
"I'm starting to think I was very lucky not to be with you all. I've been here thinking you guys needed me or something, and it turns out you were all perfectly fine on your own." Tracey said, breaking Daphne out of her thoughts.
"Not as much as you think. The last time we did anything… well it didn't turn out so good." Daphne sighed. Tracey cocked her head and wrapped an arm around her friend. " I nearly lost everything because I was stupid."
"I'm sure you did fine."
"I'm the reason Harry's not doing so great right now." Daphne said heavily. "I was an idiot." Her eyes drifted to the shoreline where the waves crashed against the shore. She could feel her tension melting away a bit as she watched and listened to the ocean's roar. She felt at peace here the summer before, and once again as she walked the sandy shore with Tracey. Perhaps Harry would consider getting a house on the coast when they were married. Once again, Tracey interupted her thoughts.
"Typical Daphne. One mistake and you let it rule your life for the next year. You remember that botched test in second year? You nearly studied yourself to death, and, may I add, nearly got petrified."
"I did not." Daphne huffed. "I was never anywhere close to where that thing was."
"That you know of. Remember Harry said it was using the plumbing." Tracey reminded her friend.
"How did you guys end up here anyway?" Daphne asked, changing the subject. "I thought for sure you guys were dead. When I got the letter from my mum that told me Tori was alive, I hoped you had made it too, but…"
"To be honest, I almost didn't make it." Tracey shuddered. "I was in really bad shape by the time we managed to escape. Then it got worse."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when we got separated…"
"We've got to get to Dumbledore's office, now!" Daphne screamed as she pulled Hermione back through the passage way they had just come from. Tracey took hold of Tabby, while Astoria helped her friend Gretchen. They hurried back up the stairs following Hermione's lead as fast as they could until the re-emerged into the fourth floor corridor.
"This way!" Hermione shouted as she sprinted holding onto the Daphne's arm. They followed the Gryffindor through passages, up stairs, down stairs through secret doors until they emerged into a long corridor that Tracey recognized, but she was now thoroughly confused where she was.
Then the world spun as a large section of wall exploded, and a large column fell, blocking their path and effectively separating them from Hermione and Daphne.
Several large chunks of ceiling crashed down creating a thick curtain of dust that stung their eyes and choked their lungs.
"TORI!"
Tracey knew that Daphne was coming back for them.
"Make her stop." Astoria said quickly. "If she's caught, Harry will get himself killed trying to save her." The younger Greengrass was helping her friend back to her feet, and pulling her wand, searching for signs of their saboteurs.
"GET GOING!" Tracey shouted, fighting to keep from coughing. "We're right behind you. Just go!"
"We're not leaving without you." Hermione said,
"BOMBARDA!"
The floor in front of Tracey exploded, knocking Tracey and Tabby off their feet. Tracey felt tabby land on her chest, knocking the wind out of her. Tracey heard footsteps and something that sounded like a loud smack.
Tracey did her best to suck in a breath and shouted for Hermione and Daphne to run away, just as several spells flew over her, creating strange effects in the dust cloud. Tracey heard Daphne, sounding much closer scream her refusal to leave Tracey or Astoria behind.
"DAPHNE, GO!" Astoria screamed from somewhere deep in the rubble and confusion.
Tracey felt her heartbeat quicken as she realized that she would not be meeting up with Daphne at Dumbledore's office. She would not ever se her mother again, or get the chance to fall in love. She was about to die. But she was not going to die alone.
Pushing Tabby's limp form off of her chest, Tracey gripped her wand tightly, and thought of the most painful spell she had ever learned. Something that would kill any Death Eaters who attempted to kill her. She had thought of this spell often since Sirius Black had explained to her and her friends last summer how it was supposed to work. Splintering every bone in an adversary's body, possibly piercing the heart, lungs and other vital organs. The hand practiced on pig carcasses only once, and all three girls had spent the night nursing serious nausea.
But today, as her own death was slowly creeping to take her, Tracey lifted her head high as she raised her wand. As several shadows became clear in the settling dust, she beckoned Astoria and Gretchen behind her, and once they were out of the line of fire, let loose.
"FRACTUS SKELETUS!"
The first Death Eater screamed as the spell hit him dead center in his chest. He was thrown back and after only a few seconds, his screams were silenced. His comrade was far luckier, as he was able to get a shield up in time. He returned fire, a simple stunning spell that Tracey dodged fairly easily. She was only just starting to question why the Death Eaters were using such weak spells. Astoria could cast something stronger that what the Death Eaters were throwing at them. That's when she noticed a few more shadows in the dust. She then realized that she was horribly outnumbered. She prayed that it would be quick, and that it wouldn't hurt.
Just as Tracey was beginning to accept her fate, there was another explosion, and a new cloud of dust, once again choking them. Tracey felt a firm hand on her shoulder, spinning her around. Her wand went up as she screamed, but her hand was caught and she found herself staring into the cold black eyes of Severus Snape.
"What do you think you are doing? You were supposed to go to the Headmaster's office."
"We were trying, We got separated." Tracey shouted.
"We have to move. Follow me." Snape waved them to follow him down the passage he had emerged from.
Tracey bent to collect Tabby when Snape stopped him. "Do not bother with her, she is dead."
Tracey was taken aback by the teacher's cold indifference, but knew that now was not the time to bother with it. She glanced to see that Astoria along with her friend Gretchen who was sniffling and wiping at her terrified eyes, were already behind Snape, and she got to her feet and began to follow herself.
Then something hit her back, knocking the wind out of her and sending her sprawling across the floor. At first, the world spun, and Tracey had no idea how she had ended wound up face down in dust and rubble. Then, a new sensation began to creep along her spine and up into her brain. It was as if someone had ripped all the nerve endings out of her back and put them over an open flame.
It was surreal. She had thought death would be peaceful. Quick.
But all she felt was an intense agony that made her lose all self control. Tears stung her eyes, and her fists clenched as she screamed out. She tried to get her legs under her, and get on her feet again, but her body simply refused to cooperate with her. Her skin felt like it was being held over a very hot fire. There was a warm stickiness sliding down her pants and into her knickers.
She felt herself being hefted up on someone's shoulder, and she fought to remain conscious. She could see Tori and Gretchen following right behind, and she heard Tori begging her to stay awake. She desperately wanted to know what she'd been hit with, and how bad it was, but her own fear kept her from asking, or trying to investigate.
She glanced up and could see shadowy figures trying to come after them, fighting rubble and dust to get a clear shot off. Traccey, weak as she felt, wasn't about to go down without more of a fight. Raising her wand, she did her bset to take aim and fired off two spells. She knew that the Ardeopenitus hit its target If the choking, gasping and cries of panic and terror were any indication. One Death Eater was painfully burning to death from the inside out. Sirius Black would be most proud of her.
Halls and passages passed her in blurs, and Tracey thought for sure she was going to vomit, or die, or both. It all stopped suddenly and Tracey felt herself being laid upon something hard, and callused finger's probing her back. Every manipulation sent long waves of intense pain up her spine.
"Thank the gods your spine is intact." Snape said. She couldn't see his face, but she heard a bit of relief in his somber voice. His tone actually frightened her about the severity of her wounds. "Though, there will be no preventing the scars. Petrificus Totalus."
Tracey felt her body stiffen, but could still feel the overwhelming pain that gripped her unmercilessly.
"That should keep any further damage until you can be treated." Snape said as he stepped away. Tracey saw Astoria kneel before her, and felt her wipe at her face. The youngest Greengrass was crying as well as she touched Tracey's face.
"You're going to be ok." Tori smiled, tears falling down her face. Tracey was struck by how much Tori looked like Daphne had in their third year. She even sounded like Daphne in some ways. Perhaps it was just her mind trying to make sense of everything that was happening to her body.
Astoria rose and disappeared from Tracey's view, and then she felt herself being lifted once again.
"Tell them the school is lost, the Ministry as well, and that they should hide until I can get word." Snape said, and Tracey felt the gentle warmth of the fire. She now saw Snape, his face grave, as he threw a handful of floo powder into the flame. She had never seen the normally sullen man look so grave. Then, the world began to spin and she, along with Astoria and Gretchen were being whisked away in the floo.
She didn't recognize the place they fell out at, but she heard a lot of panicked voices, including Astoria screaming for help. She felt herself being lifted up again, though this time she didn't feel anyone's hands or arms, so she guessed she had been levitated. Then she caught sight of Mad-Eye moody, and she felt relief wash over her. They were safe. They had been sent to the Order of the Phoenix.
"Don't release her. She's been hurt really bad." Astoria was screaming. Tracey heard other voices and gasps of horror as she was laid on the table on her stomach, just as she'd been in Snape's office only a moment ago. Moody stomped out and Tracey heard him call for Sirius. A few seconds later, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather appeared in her field of vision, looking terribly grim.
"Tracey, We're going to release you. Do your very best not to move. As soon as we release you, Molly's going to pour something on your wounds, and it's really, really going to hurt. If you don't stay as still as possible, it could make things worse. We're going to hold you down to help. Just try and stay still."
Tracey tried to convey that she understood with her eyes, and hoped he got the message. All at once she felt her limbs relax and she could blink once again. Hands were holding her at every angle, and then she felt something cold on her back. At first it felt wonderful, given that her flesh had felt like it was on fire but then, it felt like millions of insects were biting and stinging her. It felt like she'd been dipped in acid.
Tracey's head shot up and a hellish scream filled her throat, shaking the entire house on it's foundation.
"It's going to be alright, Tracey. Don't fight it." Sirius shouted into her ear.
Tracey kept screaming as the pain intensified. She was fighting the people holding her down. She needed to get away, needed to escape the pain.
"You're killing her!" Astoria screamed, and someone else told the young Greengrass to stay out of the way.
Tracey tried to breathe as her lungs were now burning for air, but the pain was so intense that she could not stop shrieking. And then, mercifully, she passed out altogether.
"When I woke up, I was back in our room here on the island." Tracey turned and lifted the back of her shirt and Daphne saw two large purple scars. The largest was oblong reaching from her left shoulder blade down to her waist. The second was more egg shape just under her right shoulder and stretching to the middle of her back on the right side.
"They think it was just a bombarda, but no one is certain. Everyone says I was very lucky it missed my spine, though I gather it was incredibly close. I spent two months in bed on some of the nastiest potions ever, but finally I was allowed to get up and roam the island."
"I'm so sorry." Daphne said tearily and Tracey hugged her best friend.
"It isn't your fault." Tracey reminded.
"I can't believe you used that skeleton shattering hex." Daphne shuddered. "I still remember what happened to those pigs."
"It was the strongest spell I could think of." Tracey shrugged. "It was them or me, and as it was, I was sure it was going to be them. I wasn't about to go quietly. But none of that compares to what's happened since."
Daphne looked at Tracey's smile and felt that she was about to hear a very interesting story. She also felt it was going to be something romantic, as she could not remember Tracey smiling like this since she'd been crushing on Blaise Zabini.
"Ok, Who is it?" She asked, a broadening smile on her face.
"Ok, see… the thing is…" Tracey stammered and Daphne shook her head.
"No excuses. You've found someone special and I'm excited for you. I want to know everything."
"Ok." Tracey said, taking a few deep calming breaths and faced her lifelong friend. "We're not sure what it really is, and we've decided that it's best if we just allow things to develop. We've talked about it a lot and agreed that if things change, we'll part as friends and go our separate ways, hopefully remaining friends. After all, this isn't what most people would think is normal."
"Who cares what anyone else thinks, so long as you and he are happy. Now who is it? How'd it happen?" Daphne pleaded and Tracey's face took on a rosy hue.
"We talked. We spent a lot of time together because we're the same age, and we just found we had a lot in common. It was the first time I got to go outside, and we walked out here on the beach and we were talking about all the things we missed and it led to talking about how much we both missed being kissed, and then… I don't know why, but she kissed me and it was really nice and I…"
"Whoa, wait a minute. Did you say she? As in you and another girl?" Daphne took an involuntary step back, staring incredulously at her blushing friend.
Tracey nodded, avoiding Daphne's eyes. Daphne could only stare blankly at her best friend, her mouth agape, trying to digest this new piece of information. She tried once, twice, three times to speak but all that came out was a strange strangled noise.
Finally, Daphne took a long deep breath, hooked her arm through Tracey's, and began leading them along the beach again. She was shocked to say the least, but she was not about to judge anyone for their choices. And truthfully, she didn't care who it was that was stealing the heart of her best friend, so long as Tracey was happy.
"Well, I admit that I never imagined you would decide to play for the other team." She said finally, causing Tracey to grin. "On the other hand, I should have guessed you were into girls. I mean, the amount of time you spent drooling over me and Hermione…"
"Oh shut it you. I still like our team." She said. "Though we can't all date Harry Potters and Neville Longbottoms. But Susan's great, and we've really bonded, you know? I mean, we've only just kissed a few times. I think we're both afraid of doing anymore. But it isn't about that."
"Do you love her?" Daphne asked seriously.
"I don't know." Tracey admitted. "I doubt she knows what she really feels either. I mean, she likes boys too, which is why this is so strange. Honestly, I don't see it going the distance, Not unless we found a bloke who doesn't mind sharing, I suppose. But it's nice, and comfortable. I like how she makes me feel. "
"I'm happy for you. Just remember to be honest with yourself. There's no reason for both of you to get hurt because you're trying to make this into something it'll never be."
"Believe me, we've both discussed that at length." Tracey rolled her eyes. "What about you? How are things between you and Harry? Have you guys finally cemented your relationship?"
"If you're asking if we've had sex, then it's none of your business, and yes we have nearly every night we were away." Daphne grinned maniacally, and Tracey through her head back in laughter.
It was truly wonderful to be together again, and Daphne knew that they had at last reached a turning point in the war, just as Harry said they would once they made contact with the Order. And they had good ideas where they could find the last of the horcruxes. Things were beginning to unfold, and Daphne silently prayed that the end was near.
It wasn't until quite late in the day when Harry was ready to talk at length with his godfather. Still recovering from the attack at Daphne's home, Harry had slept most of the day. This was a great improvement, as only the week before, he'd been asleep nearly every hour of the day.
Sirius, along with Amelia Bones, Hermione, Daphne and Neville, settled themselves in the study along with Harry who brought out the fake locket he'd retrieved with Dumbledore that night in the cave, and presented the tiny note they'd discovered inside.
"You say you found this in a cave?" Sirius asked, looking gob smacked. Harry nodded and Sirius reread the note before heaving a great sad sigh.
"It's Regulus' handwriting, there's no doubt. He died only a few weeks before your parents, Harry. I had thought that he'd died fighting Aurors. I wasn't speaking to my Mother any longer at that point, so I never knew exactly what happened to him."
"When did you last talk to him?" Hermione asked, concern in her eyes as she watched Sirius' face. He looked stuck between anger and regret.
"We all but ignored each other in school. He was in Slytherin and I was in Gryffindor. He was the good son, so far as my entire family was concerned, well except Andromeda. But, she married a muggle, so it didn't matter what she thought. We spoke once after we were out of school. And it was only to posture, threaten each other. What's sad is that, before I went to Hogwarts, Reg and I were fairly close. Maybe if When I came home after that first year, and hadn't ignored him… maybe…"
"It may not have made any difference." Amelia said sadly, rubbing his arm.
"I'll never know. But, this gives me hope that in the end, he realized that he'd been wrong to follow You-Know-Who. That my parents, with their vile hatred of muggles and all that other Pureblood nonsense were wrong. Not only that, but he actually may have tried to fight against him."
"Do you have any idea where he might have hidden the locket once he got it?"
Sirius shook his head sadly and they all went quiet, each of them feeling somewhat defeated.
But then Sirius perked up.
"There might be a chance that someone else would know. If he's still alive that is."
"Who?" Hermione asked as everyone else leaned closer to Sirius in anticipation.
"Our old house elf."
"Kreacher?" Harry asked, looking appalled.
"That elf loved my brother, as if he were the damned things own child. Reg treated that elf like royalty. They were the best of friends, thick as thieves. Even my mother couldn't get the damn elf to work half as well as my brother."
"Can we call him, find out if he knew what happened to the locket?" Daphne asked, but Sirius shook his head.
"I don't know. I don't even know if he's alive. He was terribly old when I was born. On top of that, we're under the Fidelius. And besides that, he was never to keen on doing what I asked of him."
"Well you treated him so terribly." Hermione remarked, huffing a bit.
Sirius was about to retort but Amelia cut him off.
"So we need to make a trip to your mum's house." She said, glaring at Sirius to hold his tongue. "At the very least we might be able to ask Kreacher if he knows anything about the locket."
"I don't think all of us should go." Sirius said flatly. "Harry and I can do this."
"Now wait one damned minute." Daphne said, rising to her feet. "Why just the two of you?"
"I have to agree." Amelia said. "We shouldn't all go, but I don't think it should just be you two."
"I know the place better than anyone, and Harry…"
"Is still sick." Daphne snapped. "And if Death Eaters have managed to get inside your house, he won't be much use."
"Hey, I'm right here, and I'm not dying. I'll be able to hold my own." Harry said looking offended.
"ENOUGH!" Neville shouted. "Bickering amongst ourselves isn't going to solve a damned thing."
"Nor is risking all of us." Amelia said quickly, looking at everyone in turn. "Now, Sirius will have to go, there's no question. He knows the house, and though the elf will be stubborn about it, he is still bound to serve Sirius."
"I can find the locket if it's in the house." Harry said quickly. "Dumbledore trained my how to find all of these things. I'm sort of a divining rod for You-Know-Who's magic."
"But you're still not fully recovered." Hermione pointed out. Harry turned to glare at her, and she returned the look in kind.
"Children, enough." Amelia snapped. "Fine, how about this? We wait a few days to let Harry re-cooperate a bit more. Then he, Harry and Neville go to Grimmauld place and find out where this thing is. If it's in the house they bring it back here straight away." This time she stared at Sirius, communicating her severe displeasure at the whole situation.
"Now you said there was another one of these things left?"
"That one's going to be tricky." Neville said, rising from his seat. "We're nearly certain that it's in the LeStrange vault in Gringott's. We can get it, but we need to kill Rudolphus LeStrange first."
"What do you mean?" Amelia asked.
Neville explained how his Gran had registered a claim of reparation against House LeStrange. Both Amelia and Sirius perked up at this bit of news. As both the adults were from ancient houses, they were both familiar with the claims of reparation against wronged houses.
"Let me guess." Amelia smiled sadly. "The goblins wouldn't allow her claim because Rudolphus was still alive."
Neville nodded. "Worse, LeStrange found out about her claim and challenged it. If he kills me, He'll get the entirety of the Longbottom fortune. I've never really paid much attention to the family finances, but I do know that we're quite rich."
"And if LeStrange gets his hands on your gold," Sirius began. "He would undoubtedly give it all to his master in order to finance the end of the war."
"Hermione hurt him badly a few weeks ago, but we don't know if he was killed." Harry said, nodding at the bushy haired witch, who was biting her lip in thought.
"I don't think he's dead." She said, staring into nothing. "The goblins are nothing but efficient. Had he died, they would have contacted you at once."
"How do you know that?" Harry asked.
"You fell asleep a lot during history of magic, didn't you?" Daphne asked, nudging Harry's shoulder. "Everything you'd ever want to know about Goblins is taught in that class. You just need to read between the lines a bit."
"It's part of the reason wizards entrusted their finances to the goblins. Despite all the mistrust between the two cultures, The one thing they usually agree on gold." Hermione explained. "No, If he were dead, we would know."
"She's right." Sirius nodded. "So, we need to get him to come out of hiding."
"No one touches him but me." Neville said firmly, looking at everyone in turn. "He's the last one remaining who's responsible for my parents condition."
"I don't think you should worry about that." Amelia said flatly.
"After you killed both Bellatrix and Rabastian, nice job by the way, he'll be hunting you as well." Sirius smiled proudly, folding his arms over his chest."
"Which brings up another matter." Amelia said, shifting in her seat. "Harry, you're plan to set up ambushes is truly an inspired one, but… well why you slept, we got some responses from people. people are too afraid to fight anymore. We don't have the manpower we had hoped we might to be able to pull off a massive strike."
"And it's likely after pulling off an attack of this nature, You-Know-Who will likely remove the taboo from his name." Sirius pointed out.
"He'll pull in his forces and it'll be harder to end the war." Amelia nodded. "If we don't do this just right, We may lose more than the war. He's still got an entire generation of witches and wizards in that castle."
"But if we do pull this off," Hermione began. "It'll inspire others to rise up, won't it?"
"I think it depends on how badly we cripple their forces." Sirius replied wisely.
"So basically what you're saying is that we need soldiers." Harry began smirking.
"Oh no." Daphne shook her head. "He's got that look."
"What's on your mind Harry?" Sirius asked, his face beginning to mirror his godson's.
"I think it's time to write to Viktor again." Harry chuckled.
"Wait, I thought he said Bulgaria wouldn't help us." Neville remarked, but Harry smiled even wider.
"Bulgaria as a country wouldn't get involved. But he was going to keep trying to rally people, and if a world famous Quidditch star can't get people to help, then what good is it being a world famous Quidditch star?"
"I like the way this kid thinks." Amelia Bones grinned and playfully punched Sirius' arm.