Chapter eleven

Over the next few days everyone got into a routine, Molly Weasley and Alice Jones would exchange seats next to Lily to give the other time to eat, use the bathroom and sleep. Harry and Charlie were never far away from Lily, even during the night one would wonder downstairs to sit beside either Alice or Molly. Carter would sleep but only when there were at least two people close to Lily otherwise he was close by at all times.

'It's time for us to leave mate, are you going to be okay?' Ron asked.

'Yes, we're good Ron, Carters here to do what aurors do, protect the helpless. Alice and your mum are doing what healers do best.'

'Yes, Lily is receiving the healing she needs and the protection she needs. But what about you and Charlie, are you resting, are you going to look after yourselves?' Hermione asked.

'We're good Hermione, everyone makes sure we have some time away from Lily to rest and eat,' Charlie said, 'Harry's the worst though, normally I have to drag him away.'

'Even though Lily is your daughter as well, she is Harry's only family, blood family, so he's a little overprotective,' Neville smiled.

'A little, try a lot,' Ginny grinned, 'But we get it.'

'I just keep thinking about what happened to my parents. They had the fidelius charm around the house, they had the order of the phoenix protecting them. Sirius was never far away, Remus might have been a very calm and quiet man but his werewolf instincts were always there so he was alert at all times. Then add the fact that Albus Dumbledore was also protecting them, the greatest wizard alive at the time and my parents were still killed and I almost died as well.' Harry sighed as he stared over at his daughter, 'No one is safe, not when they are determined enough.'

'That was different, Pettigrew was a spy, even Dumbledore didn't pick up on him. Right now, here, everyone is trustworthy and would protect Lily with their lives,' Ron said.

'Yeah, I know and I'm grateful for everything you are doing. I just can't help but feel like something bad is going to happen, it has all my life, so I expect it.'

'Let's forget about that, your friends have to go Harry, so get your cute arse up off that chair and say goodbye to them,' Charlie said sternly trying to keep his face as stern as his voice, but one look at Harry and he melted, hugging Harry tight to him.

Harry nodded then one by one he hugged all his friends, 'I'll write, promise.'

'You better, we all want to know how Lily is and everyone else, of course,' Hermione blushed slightly.

Harry and Charlie chuckled, 'She threw that bit in quick,' Charlie hugged everyone, 'Thanks, all of you, you went above and beyond.'

'We're the DA Charlie, it's what we do,' Ron smirked, then hugged his mother. He planted a kiss on the glass cot before he took his girlfriend's hand then he followed his friends out the door ready to head back to Hogwarts for the last time.

'It's going to be quiet here with all them gone,' Harry sighed as he sat back next to Lily.

'It's never quiet here, but Bill should be here soon.'

'Why is Bill coming here when he should be working?' Molly asked.

'I asked him to go to the house to pick up some of my books, but to just look around to see if there's anything else Harry or I might want.'

'Is he going to have someone with him, just as a precaution?' Harry asked.

'Yes, Percy is going to be with him keeping watch while Bill looks around, will you stop worrying Harry.'

'I think that's impossible Charlie, Harry has always worried, about everything,' Molly gave him a smile before collecting all the breakfast dishes.

'It's true, I think it's just in my nature to worry. But I'm going to shower, won't be long.'

'I'll be here babe,' Charlie watched Harry walk up the stairs and how he glanced back a few times looking down at Lily.

'I think once Lily is out of the cot, he'll feel better Charlie. When he thought there was danger around he would grab Ron and Hermione to keep them close. I think when he feels them he knew they were okay. He can't feel Lily just yet, so he's a bit unsure,' Molly said.

'You seem to know Harry very well Molly,' Carter said.

'I don't think anyone really knows Harry because he kept so much to himself. Charlie, Ron and Hermione would the ones that do know him most. But I used to watch him very closely whenever he was here or we had to stay in hiding at Grimmauld place. Albus told me that Harry felt very guilty when he found out what happened to his parents so he does tend to overprotect sometimes. It didn't help when he was tricked into going to the ministry when Sirius died, he couldn't protect his godfather who was fighting right beside Harry at the time.'

'I remember Kingsley telling us what happened that night, he said if Harry saw that spell heading towards Sirius Harry would have jumped in front of Sirius to save him. But Dolohov had just missed Harry's head which took his attention from Sirius to that bloke.' Charlie said.

'He went down into the chamber of secrets at the age of twelve, knowing he could die if he looks in the eyes of a basilisk. He knew he could meet Slytherin's heir but that didn't stop him from trying to save Ginny, then nothing will stop Harry doing anything he has to, especially if he can protect someone,' Carter said.

Just then the alarm went off, Carter stood in front of Lily, Charlie and Molly both had their wands as they stood in front of Carter, even Alice had her wand in her hand but stayed sitting beside Lily. Just as Bill and Percy stepped into the house Harry ran down with just a towel around him, wand in hand, breathing heavily and dripping wet. Charlie walked up to Harry, wrapped his arms around him then they walked up the stairs together.

'How did he hear the alarm while under the shower and up on the third floor?' Molly asked.

'I believe that Harry must have cast a few charms himself, he probably silenced the water, had the door ajar to he could hear anything. I know he trusts me to keep his daughter safe, but sometimes he does make me feel that he doesn't.'

'It's not that Carter, sorry,' Harry shrugged, 'I know you would keep her safe, I just can't help it.'

'I know Harry, don't apologise.'

'Did you get everything Bill?' Charlie asked.

'Yes, your books, we looked around and found a few things that you and Harry might want here,' Bill put the bag down but stayed standing next to Percy but both of them stood there staring at Carter. 'Percy mainly kept watch but he did make a few suggestions. If there's anything else you can think of, we don't mind going back,' Bill said but he never moved from Percy's side and they both continued to stare towards the ex-auror.

Harry had summoned his clothes, dressed in the living room before joining Charlie, 'Harry, check to see if they got everything,' Charlie said then knelt down in front of Lily, 'Carter,' Charlie whispered, 'Don't react, don't let them know I'm saying anything,' just out of the corner of Charlie's eye, he caught the faintest of nods from the ex-auror, 'Something is not right, Bill didn't hug mum, he always does, Percy does as well and neither of them sat down like they normally would. Any chance you can place some type of shield around Lily and Alice without them knowing?' again Charlie saw the faintest nod, 'Do you need a distraction?' again the nod, 'okay,' Charlie gave Alice a small smile, 'Relax, stay with Lily but keep your wand under your book so they can't see it,' Alice nodded to Charlie, even managed a small smile before she slipped her wand under her book.

Charlie stood took a couple of deep breaths then as he slowly turned he took his wand out, but kept his sleeve covering most of it before he walked away from his daughter and over to the men posing as his brothers.

'Thanks Bill,' Charlie hugged him then Percy, but that couple of seconds should have been enough time to give Carter a chance at putting his shield around Lily.

'Just doing what you asked Charlie, one brother helping another.'

'Yep, I have the best brothers, now let's sit, catch up for a couple of minutes before you have to go again,' Charlie kept his arm on Bill's shoulder as they sat, he looked at Percy who sat as well, 'Harry, give that book to Alice will you, she'll enjoy that.'

'Sure Charlie,' Harry took the book Charlie pointed at then walked over to where the healer sat but got a look from Carter. So while Harry had his back to everyone he cast a non-verbal wandless revealing charm. Harry's eyes widened but took a couple of deep breaths, knelt down, 'That's not Bill and Percy,' he whispered.

'Carter knows Harry, Charlie worked it out, Carter has also put a shield charm around us, we're safe,' Alice whispered.

'Do you have a plan Carter?' Harry whispered.

'Yes, but I'm just waiting for Charlie to move, he'll know, we spoke about different scenarios, we just can't get word to Molly.'

Harry turned his head a fraction to see Molly put cups of tea on the table for her sons, then she brought three more towards them.

'Their tea is drugged,' Molly whispered, then she spoke in a normal voice, 'I need to do some washing, if you need me Alice, let me know, I'll be upstairs collecting all their dirty washing,' Molly giving the healer a smile.

'I'm fine Molly, I'll have a break after you've finished,' Alice smiled.

'Do you think Charlie knows his mum drugged their cups?' Alice asked.

'She did pat him on the head, normally she pats him on the shoulder, she does it with all of us. If Charlie picked that up, yeah, he might,' Harry whispered again, then caught a glimpse of Molly who was up on the first landing, just out of sight of the three men at the table. But she stood with her wand in hand ready to fight if she needed to.

Charlie kept talking to the men impersonating his brothers while sipping his tea. Within seconds of the two imposters taking sips of their tea, they fell, their heads landing on the table. Charlie, Harry and Carter each cast spells, binding, disarming then making sure they were tied. By the time they turned around, Molly was standing in front of Lily.

'I didn't pick up they weren't real Charlie,' Harry hugged him shaking badly.

'Bill and I have always been very close, we know each other more than most. The moment he didn't hug mum, I just knew. Percy might be a pompous prat sometimes but he always gave mum a hug as well, even if she was in the middle of something.'

'I knew when they didn't even look at me. I had some belladonna sitting on the windowsill, when I saw it that's when I got the idea of spiking their tea. I only used the stem so it wouldn't kill them, just knock them out. But what about Bill and Percy?' Molly asked looking worried.

'I'll send word to Kingsley, see if they can get an auror to check around your place then their work places,' Carter went straight to the fireplace while Harry went straight over to his daughter, but the shield charm prevented him from touching the glass cot.

'Carter will remove the charm in a moment Harry, but she's fine,' Alice said trying to reassure him.

'I feel better knowing it's still in place, just while they're here, more could arrive as well. Are you okay, do you need anything?'

'I'm fine, I'm doing what I'm supposed to, monitoring Lily. You concentrate on those men and Charlie's brothers.'

Harry nodded, stared at his sleeping daughter before blowing her a kiss. He stood and went back to Charlie and the imposters just as Carter stepped back as Kingsley and another man stepped out of the fireplace.

'I notified Arthur, he's gone to Harry and Charlie's place with Henry and Gabriel. We came here so there's extra wands in case. Once we know what's going on with Bill and Percy we'll question these two and hope we can get the location of the others out of them.'

'Kingsley, I want to try something, can you wake one of them?' Harry asked glaring down at the stunned men.

'Are you sure Harry?'

'Yes, trust me.'

'I do mate,' Kingsley pointed his wand at the man that looked like Bill, 'Enervate,' the man instantly started to struggle.

'Charlie, why am I tied up?'

'I know you're not my brother so just shut it or Harry just might finish you like how he finished your boss,' Charlie snarled, 'Now what are you going to do Harry?'

'You'll see, something I found out about my family,' Harry's face was hard as he stared down at the man, 'I hope you're not afraid of serpents,' within seconds Harry was gone and a long thick and nasty looking bright green serpent slithered up the man's leg and wrapped around his neck, face and head. Two fangs pieced the man's temple to a muffled scream.

'Oh my god, that is impossible,' Carter said as he stared at Harry.

'I've never seen a snake like that,' Kingsley said.

'It's a mythical serpent, the thought serpent. An animagus must turn into a real animal, not a mythical one, so Harry isn't an animagus.' Carter said.

'What's a thought…?' Charlie never finished his question, 'Harry's talking and I can understand him, but I don't speak parseltongue so how is that possible?'

'Don't worry about that now Charlie, what's Harry saying?' Kingsley asked urgently.

'He's extracting thoughts from the man, all his thoughts. This is Rodolphus Lestrange, he wanted to be the one to kill Lily but while he was here he wanted to kill mum for killing his wife. The other one his Rowl, he was supposed to take care of me, um Harry,' Charlie corrected as he gazed down at the brilliant green snake that still had his fangs in the man's temple and found it hard to believe that was Harry.