10
Black Thoughts

The morning after Dobby's visit, Hermione walked downstairs and into the kitchen to find Ginny preparing breakfast.

"Morning, Hermione," Ginny said when she turned to see who had walked in.

"Morning, Ginny," Hermione responded. "Are we the only ones up?"

"Other than Harry, I think we are," Ginny said. "I suspect everyone else will be down soon, so I decided to start breakfast."

"Careful," Hermione said with a grin. "You do the cooking too often and Harry will want you around full time."

Ginny gave a shy grin of her own as the color ran into her cheeks and she said, "I don't know that I would mind that at all."

Hermione chuckled as she asked, "Speaking of Harry, where is he?"

"Where else?" Ginny said. "I don't know how long he's been in there. He was already there when I got up this morning. He looks like he didn't get much sleep last night though. I just popped in long enough to say good morning and let him know that I would start breakfast."

"What was he doing this time?" Hermione asked.

"Watching himself get a thorough spanking from Snape, as he tried to chase him last year when Snape was running for the front gates," Ginny said. "It's the same as always. He just watches it over and over again. Sometimes he has it play in slow motion, and sometimes he freezes it so he can walk around in the middle of it. I don't know what he's looking for."

"I think I do," Hermione said. "It's the same for me when I do research in the library. I find myself reading and rereading the books over and over again as I try to understand the information. I flip back and forth and sometimes sit and look at individual passages for ages. I think Harry is doing research to find out exactly where he went wrong in all of his battles so he doesn't repeat his mistakes."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Ginny said, the concern obvious in her voice. "He's getting himself ready to hunt down death eaters. There isn't any need for him to do that now. The map works. Why can't he just give it to the Order? Let them hunt down the death eaters. If he doesn't want to do that, why can't he just keep feeding information to the Ministry the way he did yesterday?"

"I think it's a bit more complicated than that," Hermione said, placing a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "I think Harry will keep sending information to the Ministry in time. I suspect he just gave them the information yesterday as a trial run to see if he could trust them. They haven't really given him much reason to trust them over the years you know. He'll make them earn his trust. As for the Order, well that may be a bit more difficult. I think Harry would have told Dumbledore about the map as soon as he was sure it worked. To Harry, Dumbledore was the Order. It's the way we all felt really. As it is right now, he's had a confrontation with McGonagal, and even Lupin is trying to spy on Harry for the Order. Until Harry sorts out his feelings about all of them, it will be up to us to stay close to him and keep him out of trouble."

"I'll stay with him again today while the rest of you set off to put up more shields," Ginny said. "I don't know how much chance I'll have of holding him back if he decides to do something stupid though."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Hermione said with a mischievous grin as Ginny blushed once again.

Later that morning, Harry sat at his dining room table with everyone who had stayed at his house the night before. He was glad that Hermione was around to perform her spell to recreate the Gryffindor common room in one of the rooms upstairs so that everyone would have a place to sleep. He had intended to move into the house and live there alone as he waited for the death eaters to try to attack, but he found himself enjoying the company more than he had expected. The thought of sending them all away to safer places was a constant thought in his mind, but he kept it just far enough out of his present thinking to make sure he delayed acting on it.

The owl delivering the Daily Prophet flew in through an open window and dropped the paper in front of Hermione. Everyone stopped eating as they watched her open up the paper and begin reading the headlines.

"Is there an article about the death eater the Ministry captured?" Ron asked, giving voice to what everyone was wondering.

"Sort of," Hermione answered. "It says there was an attack on the Ministry last night. Several death eaters tried to break out the one they had captured. It says that the aurors were able to capture one more death eater during the attack, but the rest got away without rescuing Jugson."

"Well that's great news isn't it?" Smith asked smiling before everyone turned to see the serious look on Harry's face.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Ron asked.

"They were lucky," Harry said. "They may not be the next time."

"The Ministry would move them to Azkaban before any more attacks come wouldn't they?" Neville asked.

"It doesn't matter much," Harry said. "They don't have the dementors to guard Azkaban anymore. Voldemort will keep trying until he gets them out."

"So it was all a waste?" Katie asked. "Why did you bother to tell them where one was if you knew they wouldn't be able to hold them?"

"I wanted to see how deep Voldemort's eyes penetrated into Ministry security," Harry said. "Think about it. The Ministry captured Jugson yesterday around lunchtime. There was no news about it released yesterday at all, and yet death eaters knew he had been captured and knew where to go to break him out. There would be no way for them to know unless someone with access to that information told them. There is a spy deep inside the ministry. Scrimgeour will have realized that as well. I can guarantee he's looking into it right now."

"There has to be some way to keep the captured death eaters locked away," Cho said hoping someone would have an idea of how to accomplish it.

"I'm sure the Ministry is already working on that problem," Harry said. "The best thing we can do is to let them handle that while we continue putting the shield around houses. We can do that today by splitting into three teams. I have a list of locations Hermione gave me, so we can divide them equally and meet back here tonight again for dinner. After dinner, we can all go to the room upstairs and begin our training."

"It can't come too early for me," Smith said with a serious expression that Harry knew he would have to be careful to keep in check.

"What are you going to do today, Harry?" Hermione asked, trying to break the sudden tension that had fallen in the room.

"I thought I would pay a visit to a friend," Harry said making them all curious as to whom he was talking about. "Then I'll come back here to do a bit of research. All in all it should be rather boring compared to the excitement all of you will be having."

After Harry had sent the last of the D.A. groups away on their errands for the day, he informed Ginny of exactly what he had planned. She was a bit nervous about letting him leave the house without her, but at least she would be able to look out the front window and see if he was in trouble.

There was a small pop that startled Remus Lupin and caused him to draw his wand as he turned to see who had just apparated behind him. Mid-turn, he slowed his action so as not to give away his concealment under the borrowed invisibility cloak. A grin spread over his face as he looked at the new arrival.

"Aren't you even going to say good morning, Professor Lupin?" Harry asked as he looked right at the spot where Lupin was standing.

"Don't tell me you've had your glasses bewitched to see through invisibility cloaks, Harry," Lupin said as he pulled the cloak off.

"No," Harry said. "It's nothing like that. That is an interesting idea though. I'll have to see if I can get Fred and George to work on those for me."

"Ahh," Lupin said. "I should have known. They must have made you a new map to show the area around your house. That was why they wanted to know what spells had been used to make the Marauders Map."

"Something like that," Harry said with a smile. "I can only imagine the trouble the Marauders could have caused if Fred and George had been around."

"Believe me," Lupin began, "James and Sirius didn't need any encouragement. It was all I could do to keep them as tame as they were."

"Well if it worked on them," Harry said, "maybe it'll work on me as well."

"I wasn't aware you wanted anyone holding you back," Lupin said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Not holding me back so much as guiding me down the path I plan on walking," Harry said. "I'm about to do something that I want you to help me with."

"I'll help if I can," Lupin said. "Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Soon," Harry answered. "For now, have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"I had a cup of hot tea about three hours ago," Lupin said.

"I'll take that as a no," Harry said with a smile. "If you're going to take the time to sit out here every day to keep an eye on me then you should start coming in for breakfast. I'm sure Professor McGonagal would like it much better if you could tell her what I tell the D.A. every morning at the breakfast table."

"Harry, I…" Lupin began.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said. "I don't mind if she knows. I'm more than capable of keeping the things I don't want her to know a secret. Who knows, maybe I'll even pick up some information along the way myself."

Lupin looked at the mischievous look in Harry's eyes as he said, "Dumbledore was right. You do have a devilish streak in you just like James. You actually do a much better job of containing it than he did though."

"We'll see about that," Harry said with a proud grin. "For now, lets get you some breakfast. Ginny really is a great cook. I know she'll be glad to see you again."

Harry walked across the street to his house with Lupin as Ginny went to the front door to meet them. Ginny later served a full plate of breakfast items to Lupin as he proceeded to tell Harry about a particularly nasty hexing James had gotten from Lily once upon a time.

"Harry was right, Ginny," Lupin said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "You really are a great cook. Don't be too surprised if you see me here more often from now on."

"Thanks, Professor," Ginny said with a smile. "It'll be nice to have someone else around to keep Harry out of trouble."

"And all this time I thought she stayed around because she loved me," Harry said with a grin.

"If I didn't love you I wouldn't have to worry about you so much," Ginny said punching Harry in the shoulder.

"Now you know that isn't true," Harry said. "Unlike some people, you come from a long line of worriers, and that my dear, is why I love you so much."

"Have you ever heard anything like that, Professor?" Ginny said with a grin. "He loves me because I worry about him."

"Don't mind him," Lupin said with a grin of his own. "He comes by it honestly. He comes from a long line of men who make their wives worry."

"But we aren't even married," Ginny said.

"Consider it a courtship then," Lupin said with a wide smile and a glance at Harry, who didn't seem displeased with the possibility.

"I think James and Sirius rubbed off on you, Professor," Ginny said with a grin. "You have a bit of a wicked streak of your own."

"Speaking of a wicked streak," Lupin began in an attempt to change the subject, "what is it you needed my help with, Harry?"

"I wanted you to take a little trip with me," Harry said. "I could do it alone, but I thought it could be to my benefit to have you with me."

"Sounds interesting," Lupin said. "Where are we going?"

"Into the living room," Harry said surprising Lupin. "I'll just run and get something, and then I'll be ready."

Minutes later, Lupin was sitting in a comfortable chair chatting with Ginny when Harry walked in carrying the old pensive he had found in the Black Mansion. It hit Lupin instantly what Harry had meant when he said that it would be to his benefit to have him along. The memories Harry was about to look at would have taken place before he was born. Lupin would serve to identify some of the people Harry might not know.

"Are you sure this is safe, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Don't worry," Harry said as he pulled three small bottles from his pocket. "I've done this so often it's almost second nature to me now. Dumbledore and I did it several times last year. Besides, Professor Lupin will be with me. You watch over us in case anything goes wrong while we're in there. Just pull us out if you need to."

A minute later, Harry's feet landed on a spongy surface as his eyes tried to adjust to the dim light. Professor Lupin was at his side in an instant. They both looked off into the mist flowing along the base of the trees in front of them.

"Does this look familiar to you, Professor?" Harry asked as he continued to scan the darkness for movement.

"Not especially," Lupin said. "It looks like just about every other wooded area at night as far as I can tell."

"It must have rained recently," Harry said. "The ground is saturated with water. If Neville were here he could probably give us an idea of where we might be by looking at the trees."

"So where is Regulus?" Lupin asked. "I assumed this was his memory."

Just then, Harry and Lupin instinctively reached for their wands as yells and flashes of light appeared in the trees ahead of them. They both ran forward still clutching their wands. A few meters further into the trees they came to a clearing where a familiar figure stood dueling with someone who looked remarkably similar.

"Don't tell me that's the best you can do," Sirius yelled with a big smile on his face as he shot a spell at the other man. "I thought death eaters were supposed to be all powerful."

"Don't tempt me brother," Regulus said as he produced a shield to protect him from Sirius' spell. "Leave while you still can."

"And what would your master say if he found out you let me go," Sirius said as he blocked a hex Regulus had shot at him. "Or have you suddenly developed some sense and stopped following the fool."

"The Dark Lord is no fool," Regulus yelled. "He could crush you in a heartbeat."

"He's welcome to try," Sirius laughed. "He'll have more than me to deal with if he tries it."

"Do you really think he isn't aware of you and all of your Order friends?" Regulus asked. "He is all knowing. He is all powerful."

"He's a liar," James said as he walked into the scene from the other side of the trees.

"Glad you could make it, Prongs," Sirius said with a smile as James walked up next to him.

"Sorry I'm late," James said. "I see you ran into someone you know."

"I caught him trying to sneak in the back way," Sirius said with a grin. "It's just the way I would expect a snake like him to try it."

"How have you been, Regulus?" James asked. "It's been a long time."

"Don't get involved in this, Potter," Regulus said as he raised his wand warningly.

"I think you know me well enough to know that it's too late for that," James said raising his own wand. "Why don't you give up now and come over to our side."

"I would not soil my pure blood as you have by siding with muggle lovers," Regulus said.

"But you would follow a half-blood without question," James charged.

"I would never follow a half-blood," Regulus said outraged. "I follow the Dark Lord."

"Then you're a bigger fool than I ever gave you credit for," James said. "Voldemort's father was a man named Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle was a muggle."

"Liar!" Regulus screamed as he sent a hex at James that was countered easily.

"I know you won't believe anything I say," James said. "Look into it for yourself. Ask Voldemort if you think he would actually tell you the truth. Once you find out, make sure the other death eaters know exactly who they're following."

"I'll tell them what you've said, Potter," Regulus said. "You just signed your own death warrant."

"I'll be waiting," James said as Regulus apparated away.

Harry and Lupin stood up straight as they found themselves back in Harry's living room.

"Well that was interesting," Lupin said. "James and Sirius never told me about a meeting like that."

"I doubt they would have," Harry said. "You said yourself you were always trying to keep them out of trouble. They wouldn't have wanted another lecture."

"Like someone else I know," Ginny said as she looked at Harry.

"I guess you're right," Lupin said. "I'm afraid I can't pinpoint when that might have happened for you."

"How did my dad know that Voldemort's dad was a muggle?" Harry asked. "I didn't think anyone knew who he was until recently."

"Dumbledore knew it for quite some time," Lupin said. "He may not have known all of the details, but he knew enough to piece it together. At that point we didn't have any solid evidence of it though. James would have been repeating what he had heard from Dumbledore."

"Apparently it made an impression on Regulus," Harry said as he emptied the contents of the second bottle into the pensive. "He eventually turned against Voldemort and stole at least one of the horcruxes."

"Let's just hope he stole more of them and destroyed them," Lupin said.

"Let's find out," Harry said as he motioned to the pensive. "After you."

Harry came to rest standing right next to Lupin. It only took a fraction of a second for Harry to realize where he was as the chilled wind hit his skin and salt air filled his lungs.

"My guess is that we're somewhere near the sea this time," Lupin said with a grin as he looked at the water lapping against the rocky shore.

"I know exactly where we are, Professor," Harry said as he choked back a swell of emotion. "This is where I came with Dumbledore to look for the locket."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Lupin said noticing the sadness it was causing Harry. "We can go back now if you want.

"No," Harry said wiping at his eyes. "We need to see if we can learn anything new from this. It just took me by surprise is all. I'm fine."

"Of course you are," Lupin said not really believing it.

Seconds later, Lupin and Harry heard a noise above them and looked up to see three death eaters descending slowly down from the cliffs above. They were each levitating several limp bodies down with them. Harry's stomach began to churn as he thought of what those bodies were destined to be. The death eaters landed on the rocks at the base of the cliffs next to Harry and Lupin. The bodies they levitated with them draped sickeningly over the rocks close to where the water battered the shore.

"Stay here, Alvir," Bellatrix said. "Slip them under one at a time like before."

"Why can't I go inside this time?" Alvir asked in protest. "I've stayed out here in the cold every time. Why can't Regulus stay for once?"

"Because the Dark Lord commanded that only Regulus and I were to see what is inside," Bellatrix said annoyed. "It is a sight only to be viewed by his most trusted death eaters."

"My loyalty has never been called into question," Alvir protested.

"Of course it hasn't," Bellatrix said with an amused grin, "but your intelligence has."

"What do you mean by that?" Alvir asked as his face flushed.

"I think she's referring to the fact that you've complained about it being cold every time we've done this," Regulus said with a grin. "You are a wizard aren't you?"

"Careful, Black," Alvir said warningly. "Don't make me prove to you that I am one."

"Try it and you'll join these poor souls before you can take another breath," Regulus said stepping close to Alvir making him shrink back slightly.

"Enough," Bellatrix said in a bored tone. "Wait until we finish our work before the two of you have a go at one another."

Bellatrix dived into the water and swam toward the underwater opening as Regulus smiled and said, "Until then."

A minute later, Lupin climbed out of the water and joined Harry as he stood looking at the enormous lake ahead of them illuminated in the light from several torches floating above it. Hundreds of bodies floated in the water as far as the eye could see. Bellatrix and Regulus stood waiting for Alvir to begin sending the bodies over.

"You really shouldn't let him get to you like that you know," Bellatrix said as she broke the silence that had held after they had entered the cave.

"Idiot," Regulus said half under his breath.

"Hmmm," Bellatrix said with a grin. "They say I'm the impulsive one."

"I'll just be glad when this is over," Regulus said as a body popped up out of the water and Bellatrix levitated it over to the lake and dropped it in.

"What's gotten into you?" Bellatrix asked as another body came through. "This sort of thing hasn't ever bothered you before. When we were outside you referred to the bodies as "these poor souls". That isn't the Regulus I know."

Regulus hesitated before he looked at the water and said, "I knew some of the people we've put in here today. I went to school with some of them."

"And that bothers you?" Bellatrix asked.

"Yes," Regulus said softly as he levitated over the next body. "It does. The first body that came through this trip was Amanda Doland. She was the first girl I ever took to Hogsmeade while I was at Hogwarts. I still remember what her lips felt like against mine."

"You had better snap out of it, Regulus," Bellatrix said. "I like you, and we're family, so I'm not going to say anything, but you know what can happen to you if you lose sight of what we're trying to do."

"What are we trying to do?" Regulus asked looking her in the eye for the first time. "Do you have any idea why it is that we're filling this lake with dead bodies? I don't."

"Our master commanded us to do it," Bellatrix said as if it were explanation enough.

"That's enough for you, Bella," Regulus said. "Most of the time it is for me as well, but I don't understand this. I know he must have a purpose for it, but I don't know what it is. I don't know why Amanda is rotting in the water instead of being buried in the ground."

Bellatrix considered the obvious pain on his face for several seconds before saying, "Look, even I'm not so cold hearted as not to understand that you're having a tough time today. I can tell you a little more about all of this but you have to swear you won't say anything. The Dark Lord is planning to turn all of these bodies into inferi. After our work is done, he will come in and complete the defenses in this cave. They are here to protect something the Dark Lord treasures."

"What could it be to warrant all of this trouble?" Regulus asked.

"I have no idea," Bellatrix answered, "but I'm not about to ask. If he wants us to know he will tell us."

"Of course," Regulus said. "I won't say anything to the others. This is the last batch, and then we can leave this place forever. I'll be fine as long as I'm away from here."

"This isn't so bad considering the alternatives," Bellatrix said. "Think of Trunkington. He's going to sneak something into Azkaban to hide it. The dementors have agreed to let him in, but I never heard anything about letting him back out."

"Another idiot," Regulus said.

"I would have done it if he had asked me," Bellatrix said.

"Maybe I can convince the Dark Lord that it would work better to send Alvir with him," Regulus said with a wicked grin.

Bellatrix smiled as she said, "Now that's the Regulus I know."

Harry and Lupin stood as they once again found themselves in Harry's living room. They both knew that they had just learned some potentially valuable information.

"I think that will be enough for today," Harry said quickly. "There are things to be done."

"Don't even think about it, Harry," Lupin said holding up his hand. "You wouldn't stand a chance of getting anywhere near Azkaban right now. I don't care how many new toys you've gotten from Fred and George, you would never make it."

"I know," Harry said. "I was actually thinking you might want to share this with McGonagal and have the Order look for it."

"Oh," Lupin said in surprise. "Well even that won't be easy. We'll have to search the prison without letting the Ministry know what we're doing. None of the aurors guarding the prison are members of the Order. We'll have to see if Kingsley can arrange something quietly."

"Let me know how the search goes," Harry said.

"Would anyone like to fill me in on what you're talking about?" Ginny asked reminding them that she was in the room.

"I'll do that," Harry said excitedly. "Professor, you had better be on your way."

"Right," Lupin said. "Thanks for breakfast, Ginny. I'll see you both soon."

With that, Lupin disappeared with a small pop.

"Why would anyone ever want to go to Azkaban?" Ginny asked.

Ginny watched the wheels in Harry's head turning as he said, "I'll just put this pensive away and check on Ron and the others on the map. Come with me and I'll tell you all about what we saw."

Minutes later, Hermione stood facing another Hogwarts student's house in Harrogate when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye and looked to see Harry with his wand drawn running toward her with Ginny close behind with her own wand drawn. She never even got a chance to wonder what they were doing as a spell erupted from Harry's wand and the silver projectile passed so close to her that her hair was blown slightly by the displaced air. It was only a split second later, as Hermione's mind tried to catch up to what was happening that she heard the unmistakable sound of a groan of anguish behind her.

Harry darted past the wide eyed Hermione even before she was able to turn to investigate the groan, and Ginny asked, "Hermione, are you okay?"

"What…" Hermione began as she finally turned to see Harry standing over the prone form of a death eater with long greasy hair. The face was turned away from her, but she could tell by the look on Harry's face that it wasn't whom she had first thought.

"That was a close one," Ginny said as she tried to catch her breath and loosen the grip on her wand.

"How did you know?" Hermione asked as she spotted Ron running back down the street toward them.

"We just happened to look at the map," Ginny explained. "Harry wanted to check on all of you."

"Well you have great timing, Harry," Hermione said as she walked closer to him. "I never saw him coming. I wouldn't have had a chance."

"What happened?" Ron asked as he stopped near them out of breath.

"Ron, take Hermione and Ginny to the Burrow," Harry said as he put his wand away with his fury still evident in his eyes. "After that gather up all of the others from where they are and tell them to go home until they hear from me again."

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked as Harry bent down and took a firm grip on the death eater's wrist.

"I'm going to take out the rubbish," Harry said without a sense of humor in his voice.

All activity in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic ceased instantly as a kneeling Harry appeared suddenly holding onto the wrist of a man in dark robes. Harry stood slowly not letting go of the death eater as he dragged the unconscious man across the floor, and a corridor opened as people stepped aside wordlessly.

"I have a death eater to turn over to the Ministry," Harry said seriously to the security man behind the desk. "I assume you'll want to call someone. I don't have an appointment."