I apologize for the delay but things have been a little strange after my vacation and the start of the holiday season. I think that everything is back on track, but you know what they say happens when you make such an assumption….
Anyway, enjoy!
Edited by the mighty pazed!
Once again I own nothing! Just playing with someone else's toys!
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Chapter 12
A man stepped out into the moonlight and looked around, rubbing his hands together trying to fight off the slight chill that hung in the air. He then sucked in a deep breath of air, glad to be away from the foul smelling tobacco being used by more than a few of the men inside.
Though, truth be told there were worse places to be stationed than the middle of a moor. He could be one of those poor souls that were helping prepare Azkaban to be repopulated with the filth they were holding here. Having those… creatures, Dementors, around while the changes were being made to their new feeding grounds would be truly miserable. Thankfully he had never run afoul of Madam Umbridge, or her friends, so for the time being he figured he could put up with a bit of chill.
He never heard nor saw the dark carbon arrow come lancing through the darkness, nor did he notice the head pierce the heavy wool coat he wore. What he did notice was the sudden blossoming of pain just below his sternum as all of the air in his body was gone, and no matter how hard he struggled he couldn't draw another breath. Darkness pulled at the corner of his vision as he continued to struggle, shadows closing around him like a heavy blanket until he finally passed into oblivion.
"That's seven," said a voice in Natasha's ear, as she passed the now motionless body lying in front of the small building. "You're going to owe me dinner if you don't catch up soon."
Natasha rolled her eyes, as she made her way to the door way. "Barton," growled a second voice. "Keep your mind on the OP! And let Widow do her job! This isn't a competition," it said.
Natasha made her way toward the small building. With a sudden burst of speed and agility she bounded between small outcroppings, window ledges, and roof edges, to the open window on the second floor. Looking in for the barest of moments, she slipped inside.
Tony hovered above the structure at about two hundred feet waiting for the signal from within that the last objective had been secured by the pair of assassins that were a part of the Avengers. "Jarvis? Confirm all contacts within the compound again. I want you able to lead the Quinjets in on auto as soon as Nat has that building secure. Then confirm the arrival time at the building we secured in Greenland, I want to know the moment they arrive."
"As you wish sir," the AI's voice intoned, before pausing for a moment. "Sir, I can confirm sixty-four prisoners, as well as eig- seven remaining guards. I have also confirmed all four slaved Quinjets are holding station at five miles. Flight time to Greenland, two hours thirteen minutes."
Tony nodded slightly as he watched another of the lights representing the remaining guards inside the guard house wink out. "Alright, as soon as they are loaded I want us on the way to the kids' school. We're counting on you to get us past the repelling wards, just like you did here Jarvis. Any word from them yet?" he asked.
"Understood sir, and no. No word from them as of yet. Course and destination have been laid in sir," replied Jarvis as he continued to monitor the situation below.
"Are you sure the boy is ready?" asked the elderly man sitting in a large burgundy wingback chair that was facing the warm fire flickering within a large and ornate fireplace.
"He is," replied the insubstantial specter that stood vigil just to the seated man's left shoulder. "You have taught him all that you could, as have I. It is now up to him to make sure our family's mantle becomes respected once more.
The older man sighed. "If only I had understood things when I was younger, then his burden would not be as great… I made so many poor choices, my old friend."
"As did I," the ghost replied. "But that is in the past, the future is in his hands."
The old man nodded, and laid his head back against the soft upholstery, his eyes closing for the last time as he let out a shuddering breath and passed away.
The ghost smiled softly. "Go in peace my friend," he said and faded into the night.
Harry lifted his wand and waved it over the door's lock and whispered the spell to magically unlock it. "We need to head downstairs, there's a trap door hidden in the floor, the tunnel underneath it leads to the castle," he whispered.
Steve looked confused. "Why would there be a tunnel from a school to a candy shop?" he asked quietly.
Harry shrugged as he led the way through the small sweet shop, into the store room, and down the stairway.
When they got to the bottom Hermione moved to the center of the room. "Harry, check the map again, and keep an eye on it, if something goes wrong we need to know what, or who, is headed our way. Cap? Let me know if you feel the wards trying to drive you away again."
Harry and Steve nodded, as Harry reached towards his back slipping an old piece of parchment from one of his many pockets. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said quietly, tapping his wand to the page.
Steve watched, amazed, as dark ink seemed to bleed up from within the page forming lines, representing the walls of Hogwarts.
Harry studied the page as Hermione ran her wand over the stone that covered the entrance. "It looks like the majority of the students have taken refuge in the room of requirement… The Carrows are in the headmaster's office… Snape… he's in the third floor hallway, just outside the Charms classroom… Malfoy and his buddies are in the snake pit…."
Hermione looked up at them. "It's clear… We'll need to keep checking along the way…"
Steve shook his head. "It will take too much time… We're already committed. We get through the tunnel as fast as possible. Hermione you're with me, keep up and watch our backs; try not to use your wand unless you are forced to. Harry you use your cloak, and go take care of the snakes. I don't have a problem fighting adults… kids on the other hand, I'd rather not hurt them. When you're done with that meet us at the entrance to the headmaster's office. We'll deal with Snape and see you there."
Harry nodded and pulled his cloak from inside his coat, swung it around his shoulders and disappeared from sight, other than his now disembodied head.
Hermione cast a small silencing spell before jamming her hand down hard, fingers extended, crushing into the rock next to the stone trap door. "Harry used this tunnel when we were younger, to sneak into town. From what the twins told us you need to jam the door open on this end otherwise it's impossible to open…" Her fingers closed around the edge and she pulled, tipping the stone up. "Well for them anyway."
Hermione let the stone go and looked at her fingernails. "Didn't even chip a nail." She smiled brightly.
Harry chuckled. "Hard to imagine you concerned about your nails…"
She stood and dusted off her knee. "I am a girl! You know?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Believe me that is one fact I am well aware of…" Harry's eyes grew wide, he blushed as he turned towards Steve. "I-I didn't say that out loud did I?" he asked.
Steve nodded, trying to keep from laughing. Harry face-palmed. "I've spent way too much time around Tony lately…" A smile appeared on Hermione's face.
Steve chuckled. "Harry's first." Steve jerked his head toward the now uncovered tunnel.
Just a short few minutes later the group had arrived at the other end of the tunnel and Cap brought them to a halt. "Alright… final checks… how are your coms?"
Both teens gave him a thumbs up. "Harry, put on the glasses Fury had prepared for you, we need you to be recognized by your professors…" Harry's hand disappeared for a moment before the heavy plastic frames slid into view and he slipped them on. "Alright, let's go."
Two figures stepped quietly into the hallway of the ancient castle, turned to the right and began running, crouched down and keeping in the shadows.
Harry, hidden by his invisibility cloak turned to the left and hurried the other way, then down the stairway.
It didn't take him long to make it to the Slytherin dorm entrance, produce a pair of small metallic wedges from inside his cloak and place them into the cracks of the doorway. With a snap and a hiss they jammed it closed. Pulling the map out again he looked at it in a shaft of moonlight.
"Shit!" he growled, and began running towards the stairs upwards.
Hermione took great pleasure in tying up and gagging the greasy haired man on the stone floor at her feet, he had been one of the most unpleasant things about her time here. Let alone the way he had treated Harry over the years, especially during his so called Occlumency lessons, meant to help shield his mind from intrusion by Voldemort.
"Did you search him?" Steve asked as his eyes scanned the ends of the hallway.
"Yes," the girl whispered. "I gave him the sedative as well, Nat said he'd be unconscious for about three hours."
Steve nodded, his hand suddenly sprang up next to his ear. "Someone's coming… running this way." He pointed down the hallway.
Hermione nodded and hauled the unconscious body of Professor Snape onto her shoulder. "That's the way we're going, you lead, I'll tell you if they're friendly or not."
As they approached the corner three people ran around the corner, wands drawn, and green flashes began to fill the hallway only to be deflected by his impenetrable shield into the walls and floors surrounding him.
"DOLOHOV!" screamed the girl behind him, he could only watch as the unconscious professor she had been carrying flew past him toward the trio, with Hermione charging after.
Snape's body tumbled through the air, impacting the three of them and sending them sprawling into a heap.
Before they had come to a rest she was on top of them, digging her way through the tangled limbs to gain a hold on one person in particular and dragging him from the pile, leaving the others to flop to the ground again groaning.
With a flip of her wrist she sent Anton Dolohov spinning through the air into another stone wall with a sickening crunch of bones. "So nice to see you again Dolohov! I was hoping to see you again! I'm just happy it was so soon."
Cap knew her focus was only on the man she was turning to face, as he had recognized the name from the list of people she and Harry had said they may run into.
He had hoped that they wouldn't run into the man, at least when Hermione was with them, for just this reason; her mind was set on only one thing, revenge for the pain and suffering he had caused her during the battle at the Ministry building. While she had survived, and the damage eventually healed, it had been an incredibly painful experience having her chest ripped open and her internal organs burned as it happened.
He flung his shield at the pair trying to stand, skipping it off the floor to catch the man in the upper chest, off the wall then into the woman, and back to him, scattering their wands away and leaving them unconscious.
Dolohov scrambled to his knees, gasping for air and spitting up a gob of blood, his eyes wide as he stared at the jade giantess stomping her way toward him. "What in Merli-"
He never finished the sentence as a foot lashed out and caught the man just under his sternum and lifted him up like a cork out of a bottle to collide with the roof some eighteen feet in the air, only to come crashing down again moments later.
Hermione stood looking down at the broken man, not even noticing till Steve touched her arm. "He's done… You go collect their wands and search them," he said, indicating the other two. "I'll deal with him…"
"Hermione!" said a voice, rushing down the hallway from the way they had come.
She slowly tore her eyes away from the man to look at Harry.
His eyes met hers. "Di- Did he hurt you?" Harry asked as he slowed.
She shook her head. "No…" she said softly.
He stepped closer. "Good…" he said wrapping his arms around her.
"I- I wanted to hurt him… I still do," she said as she melted into the hug.
"It's alright," he said, trying to soothe her. "It's fine…"
They just stood there a moment while Steve worked. "He's in bad shape… but he'll probably live, if he gets help soon… The other two are tied up… We need to get in contact with one of the staff you trust as soon as possible."
Hermione pulled away from the hug, nodding her head and wiping her eyes. "Harry? Where is Professor McGonagall? Or Flitwick?"
He opened the map. "In her quarters… Fourth floor, second corridor."
