Chapter 23: A Quest For Peace
Harry walked into the archives of the Vatican pleased that the cover of Emmett Cullen still worked quite happily. Emmett had been amused by the news that he was about to become one of the most wanted men in Italy if they got caught anyway. Harry had no plans on people finding out that it was him or Emmett who had stolen what he was looking for. In the last few days he had been able to find out where what he was looking for was located. Luckily for him the Vatican was an entirely Muggle settlement. They didn't believe in magic actually he was pretty damn sure they'd lynch any one who they thought were wizard.
In the early days of Christianity he had found evidence of ethnic cleansing against wizards, the church in its early form thought that they were creatures sent from hell itself. Yeah this was fun reading, none of this had ever made the public eye and it never would. What ever deal the wizards had cut with the church was still in place today. Harry set up the avatar of himself in the room he would use. It took some skill to make the camera's think that they had only seen one person in the room not the two that had been in it for just a split second. Harry was soon invisible to the naked eye and invisible to any of the security measures that the Vatican had in place. Even if one of the guards walked past him they would not see hear or sense him. Which suited him down to a t that was for damn sure.
Harry walked through the catacombs occasionally he would pass a guard and he would smile and wave at them. It was something of a joke because he knew that they couldn't actually see him, but it gave him a slight frill to know that he could do that and get away with it. He'd been down their for a couple of hours now, this place was a maze. He didn't think that even the Vatican knew what they had in the bowls of their own palace.
If they did the security around it would be a hell of a lot more tight than they actually were, this part of the catacombs was relatively untouched and relatively unguarded. Harry turned a corner and hissed as he saw half a dozen guards coming his way ducking into a cubby hole to avoid his invisibility failing if the guards touched him. Sighing with relief as they passed he continued walking down the hall way. He figured that they were likely to be the changing of the guard or something. He'd seen it regularly down here but not this close to his target. Harry let the worry pass, he assumed that they changed the location from time to time or something along those lines.
Harry entered the corridor in question and smiled to himself, it had one guard in it as he approached the door in question he pressed a portkey to the man's chest and in the surprised moment before he vanished stared at Harry in shock. A couple of seconds later an avatar of the guard was standing guard and Harry was gone from view again. This would buy him at most a couple of hours, so he would need to be in and out and back in the archives before the guards returned to check on their colleague. It would hopefully be many hours before they discovered something had been stolen from the Vatican itself by that time he would be gone from the city and out of Italy itself. The plan was that no one would suspect the man who was in the archives as he never left the archives and was always reading something or other for research purposes.
The set of rooms he had just entered, were full of relics, stuff that could easily be thousands of years old. Others would be a lot less old if he looked at them closely. Now he had to be very careful, one false move in here and the game was over and he would be detected by the guards. Stuff in here was alarmed, skill was needed and speed as well as reflexes.
As he approached the second door which was shut he growled, damn it this was meant to be open at the very least. Casting a quick spell allowed to know that their was no one on the other side of the door or in the nearby room for that matter. Sighing he grasped the handle and opened the door before stepping inside quietly shutting the door behind him. Everything so far was going as planned but the worst was yet to come. Harry looked around the room as he walked smiling at some of the stuff in the room. He wanted to get this over with and he wanted to go home. He didn't like leaving the kids and Paul alone not when their was a credible threat to them anyway. He knew the pack could take care of them but that didn't mean he had to be happy about that.
The trick was getting out of here as he entered the third room. He was finally greeted by his prize it was on a raised platform held in place by an ornate stand. It was labelled correctly for that matter, so they knew what they had here in this room, which meant that it was protected by alarms. Harry groaned as he took out his tool kit and looked around the platform looking for something obvious then casting a spell on the platform and smiling. It was a pressure system. Easy to rectify with the right spells and the time. He looked at his watch and nodded still plenty of time, as he went about his work he smiled finally something was going the right way for just once in his life. Once he was complete with a replica that would pass some muster he cast a quick switching spell.
"Nice work Lord Potter." Someone said from behind him Harry spun around a lone man stood in the door way. "I expected you to spend much longer than this working out whether you had the time to do what you did." The man added. He stood at six feet in height, with a mane of Ginger hair and a beard that would put Dumbledore to shame.
"Who are you?" Harry asked.
"Alexander Dumbledore." The man said to him. "And I have been waiting a very long time for someone to retrieve that sword. The time is near isn't it?" The man asked him.
"The time?" Harry asked.
"Please don't play coy with me Harry, I am talking about the Armageddon that is coming our way." Alexander said to him Harry nodded his head. "Then these swords and the spear will be of great use to you in the coming fights. Be warned Lord Potter that the fight is closer than you think and you may not be able to stop the devil himself from walking the earth." Alexander said to him.
"So you want to stop me?" Harry asked him.
"Not at all my job as guardian of this sword is complete. You will find three more, people who have passed into the next life like I." Alexander said to him. "I was twenty seven when I died, cancer is a funny and fickle sickness is it not." Alexander said to him.
"Yes sir." Harry said to him.
"You should get going, you have another twenty minutes before someone checks on you in the archives." The man said to him.
"Thank you." Harry said to him as he activated a portkey that would take the sword to his hotel room and the trunk that would contain it hidden in a false bottom.
"Good luck Harry and tell my father what I have told you." The man said as he faded away to nothing.
Hptwhptw
Harry reached the archive with minutes to spare and by the time that the guard arrived he was replacing the book he had been over looking.
"Mr. Cullen I was asked to see whether you would like refreshment?" The man asked.
"No, thank you for the offer, I think I am done for the day actually." Harry said to the man who smiled. "I have all the notes that I could ever want on the subject material. Would you pass on my thanks to your superiors for allowing me the privilege." Harry said to him.
"I will of course pass on that thanks." The man said to him in accented Italian. "Would you like me to walk you out?" He asked.
"Thank you that would be most appreciative, this place is like a wonderful maze isn't it." Emmett said the man chuckled and agreed with him.
"Will you be staying in Italy much longer?" He asked.
"I have a flight booked for later this evening." Harry said to him. "I have some time before I leave to do some shopping but then I must be gone I am afraid. Next time I am in Italy however I plan to take in as much as I can. It is a beautiful country." Harry said to him.
The walk to the doors was a quiet one from their on out he signed out at the front desk and thanked the woman at the desk for the help. He looked at the man and nodded his head before donning a cap to cover his eyes from the sun. It was a sigh of relief that escaped his lips as he found a taxi to take him back to the hotel. He took his phone out and dialled home, after five rings an irritated Sam picked up the phone.
"Potter residence, who do you need?" Sam asked.
"Sam its Harry." Harry said into the phone.
"Harry bloody hell do you know how early it is here?" Sam asked.
"Just after five ish?" Harry asked amusedly.
"Hang on I will put you on speaker phone." Sam said to him.
"Hey babe." Paul called into the phone.
"The kids okay?" Harry asked.
"They've been as good as gold since you left. Molly has had Matt and Lily cooking in the kitchen every day since you have been gone." Paul said to him. "You have news?" Paul asked.
"Yeah I have what I needed, so I will be on the plane tonight heading home." Harry said to him.
"Any problems?" Paul asked.
"Nothing unexpected." Harry said to him which was a slight lie but he didn't want to talk about it on the phone. Not with out telling Albus Dumbledore first and to do that he would have to do it in person. This kind of news wasn't something that you told someone over the phone. "I have a few hours before the flight so I plan to do some last minute shopping." Harry said to him Paul laughed. "Just pull up to the front doors driver." Harry said to the man in the driving seat.
"Si." The man replied.
Harry passed him some money and told him to keep the change before climbing out of the cab, saying hello to the door man he entered the hotel itself. He was soon in his room and had the TV switched on wondering if anything had come up or been found out yet. He had back up plans if he needed to get out of the country quicker than was technically necessary. He hoped that it didn't come to that at the end of the day, if it did he could be in some serious trouble. It would draw attention to Emmett and he really didn't want to do that if he could help it.
"You okay Harry?" Paul asked now that they were on their own.
"Someone soon is going to realise that a guard is missing, it will be a few more hours after that before they check to see whether anything is missing." Harry said to him.
"Do you think they will know it was you?" He asked.
"No I covered my tracks to well, Emmett was in the archives the entire time I was in the catacombs." Harry said to him with a grin on his face. "They won't know who was down their just that someone got into one of the most secure muggle environments in the world." Harry said to him. "Wizards will know it was one of ours." Harry added.
"Good thing that they won't be looking to hard for you then." Paul said to him.
"I'm looking forward to being home." Harry told him.
Just then their was a knock on the door so Harry said his good byes and headed for the door looking through the peep hole he smiled and opened the door. "Yes can I help you?" Harry asked.
"I'm looking for Emmett Cullen." The man said to him.
"That's me." Harry said to him.
"I am Damon Dumbledore and I'd like to help." The man said to him.
"You'd better come in then." Harry said to him. "How did you find me?" Harry asked.
"My mother is a seer she said I'd be able to find my grandfather if I came here to this room on this day." Damon said to him. "While my father was alive he forbade me from searching for my grandfather." Damon added.
"He lives in Scotland all year around." Harry said to him.
"I was home schooled, I've never been a part of the magical world." Damon said to him.
"How old are you?" Harry asked.
"Nineteen." Damon said to him.
"It would be best if I was gone from Italy tonight, if you wish to come I will pay for your plane trip, your grandfather is in America right now." Harry said to him the boy smiled brightly at this and said he'd come. "Do you need to tell your mother you are leaving?" Harry asked him Damon shook his head. "Then lets get my things packed up and get ready to leave." Harry said to him.
Hptwhptw
The arrival at the airport as Emmett Cullen couldn't have been better timed, the news of a break in at the Vatican was splashed all over the news at that very moment in time. News that that something extremely valuable had been stolen was headline news. As yet no one knew whether or not it was terrorists or a thief and that made Harry chuckle to himself. Harry and Damon sat in the first class lounge of the airport. The trunk with the sword had been sent home via portkey, he couldn't risk someone seeing that sword hidden in his luggage. He was leaving the country with more than he had come into it with but that wasn't anything unusual.
"What is he like?" Damon asked.
"Old and smelly." Harry said to the boy who laughed. "He is a character, you will either love him or hate him." Harry said to the boy who nodded.
"Do you like him?" Damon asked.
"No and I don't trust him." Harry said to him. "Your grandfather is a great man Damon but he has committed a lot of crimes in his life. A lot of people have died because of him." Harry said to him. "But his your family and you should get to know him, your presence will soften the blow when I tell him that his son has died." Harry said to the boy who smiled brightly. "You are going to get mothered by a few people so I'd prepare yourself for a shock or two." Harry said to him.
"Where are we going?" Damon asked.
"Washington state a small town by the name of Forks." Harry said to him.
"What's their to do in the town?" Damon asked.
"Generally getting wet is at the top of the list." Harry said to him. "It is the wettest place in the United states or something." Harry informed him.
"So it sucks then." Damon said to him.
"Yes." Harry said with a grin. "Just don't tell my fiance that I said that." Harry said to him Damon stared. "Paul thinks that its about the best place on earth." Harry said to him.
"And you?" Damon asked.
"Just about the most dangerous place on earth to be right now." Harry said to him.
Hptwhptw
After a delay of several hours they were finally allowed to board the plan. By the time they touched down in Port Angles late the next day Harry was pleased to be on home soil again and glad that he would soon be home with his kids. Damon was a great kid, though he wasn't much younger than Harry really but he was a bit wet behind the ears. He had never been in the magical world for more than a flying visit and Harry found himself agreeing with the boys parents, that it would be best if he never met Dumbledore. After all Damon to Harry anyway would only ever be disappointed by what and who he would meet.
They were met at the door to the house by just about every one in the house, people gaping at Damon who was staring at Dumbledore openly gaping at the man Harry chuckled as he pushed the teen forward.
"Go hug your grandfather." Harry said to him.
"You created quite the stir stealing that sword Harry." Hermione said to him.
"I didn't think that I wouldn't, I also thought that I would have a harder time getting it out of the Vatican." Harry said to them. "Albus this is Damon Dumbledore, your grandson, I'm sorry to say that Alex your son died of cancer. He asked me to pass on the message that he was sorry." Harry said to him with a sad smile on his face.
"You were who they wanted in Italy?" Damon asked Harry.
"Yeah sorry about that, you helped me get out of the country." Harry said to him the boy laughed. "We will explain all before I put you back on a plane and send you home. This is no place for a kid who has no practical magical experience." Harry said to him.
"Like hell." Damon growled. "I am in and I don't care what I have to do." Damon said to him.
"Lets get you guys inside." Paul said to them.
Hptwhptw
"Dad." Matthew yelled as he ran at Harry's legs.
"Hey Matt I hear you've been good for Paul and the others while I was away." Harry said the boy nodded. "Good for you baby boy." Harry said as he hugged his son. "Lily pad where is my hug?" Harry asked.
The little girl gave him a big smile as she replaced her brother in his arms.
"Did you bring us presents?" She asked.
"I don't know did I bring you something home?" Harry said with a wicked grin on his face. "Of course I did." Harry said to her. "You will have to wait until the morning for them though." Harry said to her she smiled brightly at him.
"Okay." Lily said to him.
"I hope you guys are hungry." Molly said as she came into the hallway.
"I'm starved." Harry said to her.
"So am I." Damon told her.
"First though I want to see my boys." Harry said to them Paul laughed.
"Their in the kitchen." Paul said to him.
"How about we give the two Dumbledore's some space to talk while dinner is being dished up." Harry said to every one.
AUTHORS NOTES:
Hey guys say hello to chapter 23, no traps with this one… it had to be protected of course and your see I tried to cover that as best I could. Will their be reprisals for what Harry did of course their will be the Vulturi are going to be less than pleased about what he did. Rather what Emmett did and yes they will find out. Next three or four chapters won't have much to do with the next sword, so sorry not steam rolling ahead with that. Expect some character death in future chapters as things start to heat up and I am not just talking about Malfoy.