CHAPTER Twenty-five

Harry was sitting around the study table in their quarters. The Daily Prophet had run and revealed another set of attacks obviously done by the death eaters on a duel muggle- magical village last night. Harry was angered by it. Gabby came by and placed her hands on his shoulders "What is wrong love?"

Harry rubbed his face "We aren't getting information fast enough to do anything about these raids. I am frustrated."

Hermione raised her head from the book she was reading "Go see Amelia and ask for help." Hermione said. She gave him a smirk and then handed him two little boxes "Then while you are in the office place these in strategic locations. I think one above the emergency floo and in Amelia's office should do it."

Hermione went back to her book as Harry looked at her and smiled "Brilliant. I will give you a one hour massage this evening."

Hermione grinned "Then you owe Gabby one to. She recognized the need and told me about the problem and then I figured out how to do it."

Gabby kissed his cheek and skipped away humming to herself. Harry smiled as he walked out the door and apparated to the ministry and more precisely into Amelia's office.

Harry sat down in a chair in front of her as she watched him "Were you able to get there on time?" he asked her.

Amelia seemed irritated "No, We are always five minutes late no matter what we set up."

Harry transfigured the extendable ear into a square and then placed it under the front lip of her desk while she looked out the window. He quickly disillusioned it before she turned around. "Shite, I was hoping to be able to intervene and I was hoping you might have a way to get there faster."

Amelia looked at him "Me too but I can't have Aurors stationed everywhere." Amelia paused "I don't condone vigilantism in any form."

Harry shook his head "I know you have a job to do but people do have a right to defend themselves. The fact is that other than muggle neighborhoods, when Voldemort attacks, he is outnumbered almost three to one by the magicals at any given location. Yet somehow he manages to kill and maim many and gets away cleanly. How is that possible?"

Amelia seemed perplexed "People are scared Harry and most don't know how to fight."

Harry smiled "That is thanks to inadequate defense classes in magical education. Perhaps it is time to empower the people to take back their country. Time to teach people to defend themselves and time to hit back Voldemort's followers by a citizenry that outnumbers him almost 50 to one."

Harry got up from his chair and turned to her "If that were to happen a few Aurors could go a long way."

Amelia "That will cause many more deaths as well. Perhaps on only one side."

Harry frowned "I am sorry did that report say that nobody died because they didn't fight back?" Harry scoffed "They are killed every day and they get away without a scratch – For that to happen now that is criminal to me."

Amelia sat down heavily and felt the weight of her position upon her shoulders. Harry was absolutely right. They died if they didn't fight, they would die if they did but more importantly they might take some with them. What did they have to lose by at least trying it?

Amelia turned and called out "Shack I need you." While she waited for Shack to come in she penned a note to the daily prophet. She smiled as she finished it and then gave the letter to a mail owl for delivery.

Senior Auror Shacklebolt stepped in to her office "You called boss?"

Amelia stood up "Shack we need to change tactics. I want you to find ten Aurors who can train people to fight…." Shack began to smile as he listened. In his mind this should have been what they should have been doing years ago.

Harry was sitting at the study desk reading an advanced transfiguration book when the speaker began to blare. "Help, we need help. We are under attack. Please send Aurors as quickly as possible."

Another voice answered "This is Auror Whitcomb. Who are you and what is your location?" he asked as he heard explosions in the background.

"I am Claude Abernathy and we are located at Granbury circle, please hurry!" the voice said excitedly.

Harry was up and going to call out as the girls entered with Gabby on Fleur's shoulder as Anthera. They had their wands out and ready to go. Harry didn't hesitate as the girls grabbed on to him "Gabby Granbury circle if you please." Hermione began to chant a glamour charm as they flashed away.

When they landed in a small alleyway between two buildings they felt and saw flashes of magic off to their left. Harry cautiously led them to the mouth of the alley to take a look. He became angry almost instantly as death eaters were dragging people out of their houses and businesses on both sides of the street. It looked to be about twenty or so death eaters.

Harry whispered "We will hobble along until we are close enough and then let them have it. Aim to kill because I don't want to have to deal with them more than once."

They were all dressed and looked like much older people. Daphne and Hermione looked like they were carrying a much disabled Gabby between them. Harry and Fleur hung back as Harry was hobbling along with a cane while Fleur assisted him.

When they were thirty feet away a death eater saw them and called "Oi, get over here!"

Hermione said with a withered voice "We are trying sir. We are old and sick and can't move as well as we once did."

The death eater scowled and then started to push them to go faster making them stumble. The other death eaters began to laugh. The death eater then took Harry's cane from him and began to push and shove him along.

Harry let him do it once then when he attempted to do it twice Harry turned and placed his palm on the center of his chest and cast a stunner which threw the death eater back thirty yards. The rest of the death eaters were stunned for seconds as Hermione, Daphne and Gabby threw slicing hexes at the nearest death eaters. Fleur turned and cast a series of bludgeoners, hexes, and a spells designed to weaken a person shields.

Before the death eaters knew what was happening eight within their ranks were down. Hermione and Gabby cast Hermione's new power draining shield. Four death eaters fired curses and then began trying to break the connection. They were dead within seconds as their cores were completely drained.

Harry looked around and found only eight death eaters were left. Harry hollered out "Fight or die that is your option. I see forty magicals against eight Death eaters. Pull your bloody wands and cast something at them!"

Everyone looked confused for a second and then spells started coming from the group of villagers. Soon there were only two death eaters left. They looked at each other in surprise before apparating away.

The villagers cheered when they saw the death eaters leave. Harry and the girls laughed and clapped others on the back before quietly slipping into an alley and apparating back to Hogwarts.

When the Aurors arrived ten minutes later with thirty Aurors they found the villagers celebrating their victory. As the Aurors looked over the death eaters bodies they began to question the villagers and found the same story over and over. They fought back and they won that day.

A daily prophet reporter came minutes later and began taking pictures and listening to the questioning to get the story. The Headline the next day infuriated Voldemort.

Little Hamlet of Granbury Circle defeat Death eater attack!

The article had many people talking for the next two days. Amelia smiled at Shack the next morning. "Well that was very quick results even for you."

Shack sat down "I wish I could take credit for it but it wasn't my brilliant leadership. I have barely got the training teams organized. No there were five villagers who stood up on their own and began to fight back. The old man was the one that encourage the others to start firing spells and then when they did the fight was over in minutes. Not one villager was harmed or killed and they killed eighteen death eaters. It is usually the other way around."

Amelia seemed suddenly distracted before she asked "Were the five missing villager's one man and four women."

Shack looked surprised "Well from the descriptions we received that is the best we could place in the report. The other villagers couldn't remember where they lived."

Amelia smiled "Odd that right?" Shack nodded his agreement. "Even still this proves the course we are taking is the right thing to do. The results themselves tell us all we need to know. You should get this plan accelerated as quickly as possible much faster than the normal government pace."

Harry and his four girls arrived at the town center of Granbury Circle at noon the next day. He had the volunteer Elves lay out a feast for all the one hundred and thirty residents. When they had gathered around and began a celebration he stood on a podium and got everyone's attention.

Harry smiled as the Daily Prophet reporter and photographer he had invited began to take pictures. "My name is Harry Potter." He announced as the villagers gasped. "I came here today because of your valiant actions and you give me hope that our fellow countrymen can and will fight evil. I am willing to sacrifice my effort and my time fighting evil for people like you. You deserve it so please give yourselves a round of applause."

Harry then waited for it to quite down "I came to help you celebrate because of what you did and to let you know I was listening. I also came to offer you my protection as Lord Potter because if I know Voldemort he will want to retaliate and will try to come with forces you can't handle."

The people suddenly quieted "I have placed a charm on the town center. If you call I will come to defend you with my last breath, if necessary. I also offer to ward this town against any from entering with evil intent. It will not hold Voldemort at bay forever but it will give you ample time to call me to help you. This is my promise to you."

Harry looked at the reporter and stated loudly "For the rest of this country my message to you is this "Evil wins when good men and women do nothing. I will always support those who stand up against Evil."

They remained in the village for many more hours to celebrate with the villagers. They made many new friends. The next day the headlines read

"Potter vows to protect village of Granbury Circle form Voldemort

and offers the same for those who stand up to evil!"

IS OUR SAVIOR BACK?

Lorne Greengrass looked at the paper and frowned and realized Potter was playing the dark lord like a fiddle. If the Dark lord saw this he would no doubt attempt to wipe the village from the face of the planet. The trouble as he saw it that is exactly what he would try to do. He carefully considered hiding this from his Lord but knew it would eventually find its way to him anyway. Lorne reluctantly got up and went to find him.

Lorne's prediction was very accurate. Lord Voldemort ranted for a few minutes and then turned to him. "I know what you will say and I know this is a brazen trap by Potter. I know all of this but it does not do any good because I have no choice."

Lorne placed his hand behind his back "My Lord there is always a choice."

Voldemort shook his head "Not now and not with the way things stand. I cannot ignore this." Voldemort sat in his chair "How many recruits did we lose last night?"

Lorne frowned "Four my Lord and only one had been marked."

Voldemort rose from his seat "This is exactly why I must do something. I have to wipe this village out, to the last man, woman, and child. It is a symbol and a call for people to rally to fight me and my cause. Potter by giving them protection is showing people they can defy me. This does nothing but undermine my organization."

Lorne turned to the window "My Lord he has already done that. You can't change it by hitting the village. It will only weaken you further." He gave a sigh "There is more bad news "Potter is going after the rest of your funding. He and the nine other richest families threatened the Goblins to quit using their bank if they didn't stop loaning money to your eleven families who support you. In three days the goblins will announce this to the public."

Voldemort threw down the paper in disgust "How is a sixteen year old kid able to do all of this. Even Albus at the height of his power was not able to do something like this."

Lorne looked at him "My Lord Albus always had Charlus Potter who countered his machinations. It is why I always believed that Albus had him and James Potter removed from the situation. The trouble was you were taken out too and that left no one at the helm. Albus was very subtly shifting Britain to his agenda."

"A strong Potter in the political arena has never boded well for those on the opposing side. In recorded history no one has survived opposing a Potter and before them was the Gryffindor family line."

Voldemort said in disgust "My already limited funding is going to dry up even more all because this child is effectively cutting off my supporters from their money and profits."

"The only ray of hope is Lord Black has let it be known that they will loan money at twice the interest rate that the Goblins offered. If your supporters take it, then we will see a decrease in profits because of the rate increase, leaving us barely able to sustain you." Lorne added.

Lorne sat down next to him "My Lord I broach this topic cautiously because I know it will anger you but we must consider it. Perhaps it would be better to leave this country and rebuild our organization and rebuild our funding. As things stand now we are losing the war badly."

Voldemort's eyes flared with anger "Run away? You are telling me to let Potter win and sneak off into the night? This is the exact reason why we must go after this town the golden boy is protecting."

Lord Greengrass brow furrowed "What else can we do at this point? You and your followers have no political standing. All of your followers have been removed from the ministry; your funding will dry up very soon, and we do not have access to the wealth we once did. When Potter took out Malfoy, the Lestranges, Goyle, and Crabbe's he took with him 75% of your funds. With Malfoy gone the Black estate is beyond our reach as well.

The Ministry has done a one eighty and is no longer corruptible and has done more to hurt us than just about anyone else, other than Potter."

Lorne sipped his tea "We are getting to the point that we may not have any other choice but to flee or risk imprisonment or death. If we all die, then so too does the message we carry."

Voldemort stood up and went to the window "Potter is not smarter than us, he is not better than we are. Losing to him will not help us and he will gain more control over Britain and until his death we will not be able to return. I do not think surrendering to him is a good course of action."

Voldemort then stated slowly "There are other things that only I know that make leaving here impossible." Lord Voldemort turned to him "Prepare the senior members in two nights we will attack this slip of a town and from then forward we shall forge a new path that will end Potter. Now go I have many things to consider."

HOGWARTS CASTLE – Next Day

Fleur walked in and sat down beside Harry with a smile and a very odd looking device she sat down. Harry looked at her then to what she had sat there "Ok, I will bite what is that."

Fleur bit her lip "Something that will help us to end Voldemort." Fleur watched him "Aren't you going to ask me what it is?"

Harry smirked "Did Daphne have anything to do with it?"

They both heard Daphne from her potions lab yell out "I heard that Potter." Harry suddenly slapped the air and a resounding slap was heard then a squeal from Daphne.

"Master, I meant to say master." she yelled out.

Fleur chuckled "She did help with this little ditty. Hermione came up with some charms but mostly it was me." Harry hugged her "Ok what is it?"

"It is a horcrux detector set up to find more of his horcruxes, if he has any." She stated with a smile and then added "I set it with the residual magic I found on the diary and the tiara."

Harry set up and focused her attention "Have you tested it?"

Fleur grinned "I hoped you could help me since everyone else is busy. We can take it for our first run now if you like."

Harry stood up and motioned for the door. Fleur brought it with her and then held it in front of her. She hit a button and turned her body until two small antenna came out from the side. "I have a weak indication in that direction." She turned more and the antenna did it again "I have a stronger indication in that direction."

Harry asked "I take it that one is closer than the other and you have found two?"

Fleur replied "Right, at least I think that is what it means. If it does we can take them out as we find them."

Harry nodded "Ok then. Let's go to the farther one and work our way back towards Hogwarts. I will be a lot happier knowing we have most of them gone"

Fleur held up two vials "Me too and I have Basilisk venom from Gabby in case we find them."