Chapter 25

Confrontations

Anna saw the sparks explode in the sky and immediately got worried. Just as she was about to use the portkey she saw a large group of students run towards her. She started laughing as she saw them and thought that Michael was fine. She waved to them all and they ran to her. However when she saw them all she noticed that Michael wasn't there.

"Where's Michael?" Anna asked.

"He told us to run." Said one girl.

"He was right behind us, but then someone pointed a wand at him." A boy said.

Anna started shaking and held the paper up. "Everyone touch this paper." She said shakily. When she saw everyone had a finger on it she read the words. "Be safe Michael." Then she felt the pull from behind her navel as they were all jerked off back to Hogwarts.

Anna saw that they were all exactly where Michael and Anna left from but Luna wasn't there. She told all the students to follow her and they ran to the Great Hall and saw Luna immediately. Anna ran up to her frantic as she grabbed Luna's arm.

"You have to help him!" Anna exclaimed. "He got them out but they took him! Luna, you have to save Michael! You have to get Harry Potter!"

"There's no need to get me." Harry said as he turned to face the girl. "I just need to know where he is."

"He said you could see it in my mind." Anna said quickly. "Please, hurry!"

Harry looked at her for a second and she felt stiff and unable to move as she saw the place where she was flash in her mind along with Michael telling her what to do if he got caught and then she felt back in the moment and could move again.

"Help take care of the children who came back Anna." Harry said to her before looking to Luna. "You know what the DA has to do."

"Protect them all." Luna said.

"And look into anyone in Slytherin who might be involved." Harry said seriously. "Malfoy isn't good enough to get in here undetected. Especially not with Mad Eye here."

"We'll get on it immediately." Luna said. "But what are you going to do?"

Harry's face grew very grim at this. "I'm going to make them all regret trying to come after these children, and especially Michael." He said.

"Be careful Harry!" Anna said just before he was going to move and he smiled at this.

"You will have your friend back soon, Anna." Harry said before he disappeared.

"Isn't anyone going to help him?" Anna asked. "What if there are too many?"

Luna smiled. "Anna, you are a member of the DA. Do you really think Harry could have trained seven years worth of students with only his friends, end a war with Voldemort, and fight as many Death Eaters as he has and not be able to handle whoever they could throw at him?"

Anna sighed. "I'm just worried about Michael." She said sadly.

"With Harry on the way, there's no need to worry." Luna said. "But we have a job to do now. Want to help me look after these students?"

Anna nodded. "Okay." She said.

Michael was standing in the worst situation of his life. He was trapped between two people who would easily kill him just to get to Harry. He knew he couldn't allow himself to get caught again, and also knew he would have to show off his skills soon enough.

"Harry isn't going to come for me." Michael said calmly. "He doesn't even know where I am."

"I know this well, child." Rabastian said with a sneer. "He is in the States, but he will come soon after hearing of your disappearance. It is then that we will get our revenge."

"You don't stand a chance against Harry." Michael said.

"Potter will fall because of your life." Rabastian said. "He will surrender because of you. But this is your chance to get what you want the most."

"What is that?" Michael asked.

"Revenge on those who took your family." Rabastian said. "I know who they were."

Michael felt a tear fall down his cheek. "I know who killed them. It was people like you. Voldemort told them to do it."

"But if you learn from me, child, I can help you get your revenge on them." Rabastian said calmly. "All you have to do is join me."

Harry appeared at the place he saw in Anna's mind and got to work. He felt the fidelius charm and began trying to rip it apart. He was amazed at the strength it had behind it and then he understood. It wasn't just one charm. He became angry as his eyes turned black and summoned all the power around him to destroy the charms as quickly as possible and just hoped Michael was okay. The only thing he knew was that this was taking too long.

"So you can help me?" Michael said softly.

Rabastian nodded. "I can help your achieve revenge." He said.

"How?" Michael asked.

"Learn from me, and I will teach you everything you need to know." Rabastian said.

"I see." Michael replied.

Harry finally managed to rip down the last charm. With that done he appeared inside the main hall and saw Michael standing between a man that looked familiar to Harry and Malfoy. Harry smiled calmly as he looked at the two.

"I was wondering when you were going to find another person's robes to hide behind Malfoy." He said. "I must say I'm surprised you found someone so quickly."

"You, Potter, have made many of my family suffer." The man said. "That is why tonight is your last night on Earth. Give us your wands and we won't kill the boy."

Harry nodded and summoned his wands to his hands and dropped them both on the ground in front of Michael. "There, you have my wands. Now let him go." He said.

"Why would I release my protégé?" He asked. "For killing my brother, sister in law, and all of those other purebloods, who happened to be my friends, you think that merely killing you would be enough? I had to do something special. I had to make your own little friend, so much like your little brother, just like the ones you hate. It would have been so much better if he had managed to be trained first so you could be truly broken. But it's better that you know that while you're dead, this little boy will become one of the greatest dark wizards there is."

Harry eyes dropped and filled with sadness in that moment. He looked at Michael sadly. "Is this true, Michael?"

Michael met his eyes seriously. "They promised to help me get revenge on those who murdered my parents." He said, but he wouldn't look away from Harry's eyes. Harry saw a pleading look in them and understood.

"Well, then I guess you have no leverage over me." Harry said grimly as he looked at the man. "Just tell me your name before I kill you Lestrange."

"I am Rabastian Lestrange, and now you die." Rabastian said as he and Malfoy aimed there wands at his chest. He merely smiled.

"Avada Kedavra!" They both yelled and two green jets of light struck at the spot where Harry was only a second ago.

"Petrificus totalus!" Michael yelled with his wand pointed at Malfoy.

Harry appeared beside Rabastian and broke his wand arm instantly. When the cried in pain he punched him in the face and watched him crumble to the floor. Then Harry looked at Michael. "Was that part of your plan?" He asked.

"Getting found here wasn't a part of the plan." Michael said. "But once all the others got away, I knew you'd be here soon and I didn't want them to use me to get to you. So I played along and pretended I wanted to be like them."

"Do you want revenge?" Harry asked seriously.

"The people that killed my parents have been punished, haven't they?" Michael asked.

"I don't know for sure, but very few death eaters are still alive, and very few of them are still out of Azkaban." Harry said.

"If you ever find them, will you make sure they are punished?" Michael asked him seriously.

"I won't stop until they face the worst punishment imaginable." Harry said with a serious face.

"Good." Michael said sadly. "I don't want to be like them, Harry. I want to be like my Dad, and like you."

"You will if you think like that, Michael." Harry said. "Now let's get you back to Hogwarts."

Anna was watching the hospital wing as was Luna. The students had to be checked out before they could return to their dorms for the night. Professor McGonagall had went to send letters to the parents of the children, and Anna was getting more worried every second since Harry had left.

They heard quick footsteps coming from the stairs and Anna held her wand up quickly while Luna watched suspiciously. When they saw a figure appear both stayed on alert for a second until they saw who it was. Anna smiled brightly when she saw his face.

"Anna, Luna! We did it!" Michael said as he ran up to them. "We rescued everybody and got the people who did it!"

Luna smiled. "Turning into a regular Harry Potter are you?" She said.

Michael looked down. "Sorry for tricking you like that." He said softly.

Luna laughed as her airy expression returned. "Didn't you save the students?"

"Yeah." Michael said.

"And Harry saved you." Luna said. "As well as stopping the death eaters, with your help I'm sure."

"Yeah." Michael replied again.

"Then you have done as every member of the DA should do if they have the opportunity." Luna said. "You protected the children of the school and made sure they were safe. I'm proud of you. But don't ever lie to me again."

"Okay, Luna." Michael said with a smile. Then he looked at Anna. "Harry said you should come visit this summer."

Anna smiled. "Sure, I'll talk to my parents about it." She said.

"Professor McGonagall said we should all get to bed since Harry told her no one else would be taken from the school." Michael said to them both. "But he did tell me to ask you to take me back to the dorm anyway Luna. Would you mind?"

Luna shook her head. "Of course not Michael." She said. "Anna, come on. Harry knows what he's talking about."

Harry appeared in the Marauder's headquarters to see Dumbledore, Sam, Serena, Lily, James, and Sirius all looking serious. He looked curious when he saw this and immediately sat down in a chair near them.

"What is going on?" Harry asked.

"It appears that my alias wasn't as good as I hoped it would be." Sirius said.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"They found out my brother is dead." Sirius answered. "This caused a big problem."

"What is it?" Harry asked as he grew even more angry by the second.

"They managed to capture Remus." James said. "They got him while Sirius was out."

"I see." Harry said and then he stood up. "Then we go and get him back. Now."

"Harry, we can't rush into things." Lily said. "If we rush this we may make a tragic mistake and then we're done for."

Harry shook his head and called for Neville, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione with his mind. When they all appeared he looked at them seriously. "It's time to do what Marauders do. The Mandatum Specialis has Remus, and we have to get him back. You all have five minutes to be ready, then we move."

"What are we going to do Harry?" Ginny asked.

"We are going to destroy them once and for all. No more plans, no more strategy. We are going to what we said we would do. We're going to win. Get ready." He said and disappeared.

"This is not a good thing." Sirius said. "He's angry and not thinking clearly."

Serena sighed. "But there is no way we'll get it out of his mind now." She said. "I can't go this time though, so someone else has to watch out for him."

"I won't let anything happen to him." James replied as he rushed off to get ready.

Sirius sighed. "How could I have been so stupid." He said before casting an apologetic glance at Lily. "I'm sorry Lily. I'll keep them safe."

Lily just patted Sirius on the shoulder. "I know you will Sirius." She said before turning to the rest. "I want you lot to be careful. Harry, James, and Sirius may act reckless but we all know they only take chances that work. I want you four to do nothing that only stand a chance at doing so. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Lily." Ginny and Hermione said.

"Always." Ron said.

"We'll be careful as we always are." Neville said.

"Good, then get ready guys." Serena said seriously. "He'll need you all prepared and ready."

"I will go as well, I believe." Dumbledore said. "I would hate to miss such an adventure."

Sirius laughed. "I believe there will be adventure enough for everyone." He said. "Serena, you might want to get the DA ready to move as well. We don't know what we're up against here."

"I'm already preparing to do that." Serena replied. Sirius nodded and left, as did the others, while Lily looked at Sam.

"You're being awfully quiet." Lily said. "It's not good to hold these things in, you know."

Sam just smiled at Lily. "Why should I worry?" She asked. "Harry always says he'll bring Remus back safe. He always tells me 'Of course, Sam. Don't I always?' with that mischievous grin of his and he always does. I haven't a doubt that this time will be any different."

Lily smiled. "That boy is so reckless it's amazing he brings himself back safely, let alone anyone else."

"He doesn't always come back safe." Serena said softly. "But we always were."

Lily patted her arm and smiled. "You said yourself he's gotten a lot better at controlling everything now, and that he hasn't had problems since before you were kidnapped by Voldemort." She said. "Just remember that he is as well trained as anyone could ever be. Even Albus calls him the greatest wizard in the world."

Serena laughed. "He would argue with that." She said. "He's always idolized Albus. He often says he wishes he co uld be like him. Harry says the way Albus is always calm and nearly serene no matter the situation was an amazing thing. I guess Harry will always see him as the greatest wizard there is no matter what. It is all because of Albus after all."

"What do you mean, Serena?" Sam asked curiously.

"I honestly believe if it weren't for Albus, Harry would never have been the wizard he is." Serena said honestly. "He taught Harry what it meant to be a wizard, and to do what is right. Many helped him, but Albus always led the way in his eyes. He always followed him as if Albus was leading by example. He does really, but he did more so to Harry than anyone ever realized."

"He could have worse role models." Lily said. "There is my husband and Sirius for example." She added with a smile.

"You're right." Serena said. "Now let's go get everyone else ready to go so we can wait anxiously to send help if it's needed."