Disclaimer: I own nothing and am making no profit.
Acknowledgment: Rpeh on the beta work.
Chapter 29
"Minister Fudge!" a man yelled. Harry looked through Emily's massive shield charm. She'd made a bubble around all of them. Spells impacted against it as wizards charged toward it. He turned and saw Ron and Hermione struggling against three Death Eaters that were dragging them toward the shield and Emily.
One of the Death Eaters took a curse to the back before they made it back. Harry winced as she fell.
"What is it Scrimgeour?" Fudge yelled.
"Look!" the Auror yelled back, pointing at the shield dome.
"What?" Fudge yelled again. "Why haven't you gotten the damn boy!"
"It's her!" Scrimgeour yelled again, pointing directly at Emily.
"Who?" Fudge screamed. His growing frustration was clearly getting to him. Harry stood at Emily's side. He noticed she hadn't let go of his hand. He squeezed her hand as spells impacted against her shield.
"Her!" Scrimgeour yelled once more. And it seemed to dawn on Fudge. He did a double take and stared at her.
"Aurors!" he yelled. "Protect me!"
"Hello boys and girls," Emily said, her voice booming through the ministry. It seemed to reverberate through Harry's head as she spoke. He saw at least a quarter of the people in the atrium fall to the ground clutching their heads.
"To the minister!" Scrimgeour yelled as Aurors flanked Fudge.
"Get out of here!" Emily ordered the Death Eaters. She saw them make for the one open floo that she'd blocked off with her shield.
"Disable the fires!" Scrimgeour shouted. He barked orders like a field commander, Harry thought. And the ministry officials obeyed him readily enough. "Ensure the Apparition jinxes are in place!"
"We have to go," Emily started pulling Harry toward the fire as well. But the flames vanished before they could get there and she cursed loudly.
"My Lord we're going to have to either fight out or find a way passed their magic," the black robed man hanging onto Ron and Hermione said.
"They'll be through my shield soon," Emily winced as more spells hit it.
"So fight?" the man asked.
"Fifty each?" Emily laughed.
"Thirty if the boy helps. You can have the stragglers," the man laughed as well. Harry glared at him. He didn't like seeing someone able to banter with her and her respond positively. That annoyed him. He squeezed her hand again.
"I'll fight," Harry volunteered, intending to point out that he was still there.
"Harry!" Hermione gasped.
"They lured me here and attacked me! They hurt my friends." Harry spat. "I'll fight."
"No," Emily said. "None of us are going to fight. We need to get your friends out of here. That's the first priority."
"What's the plan then, Master?" the man asked.
"Take them deeper into the ministry. Lose whoever manages to get past me. Hole up somewhere and I'll find you and then we'll double back and get out," Emily said.
"How would we get out of here, we're surrounded," Harry said.
"You're in for a show," the man smirked.
"Are you ready, Avery?" Emily asked.
"On your cue, Master," Avery nodded.
"What are you going to do? Harry asked. Emily looked at him for a moment and then smirked as she took her hand from his.
"Put on a show," she said, smiling and tilting her head toward her dimple. And she stepped away from them, out of the protection of her shield. As she stepped toward the ministry officials a black mist seemed to envelop her. Harry watched as she started to float and then shot from person to person, bodies flying, people screaming.
"That's our cue," Avery said. He grabbed Harry and pulled him away.
"I want to watch!" Harry yelled. Emily kept flashing around the Atrium, blasting people away from her, drawing the attention of all of the ministry officials to her.
"And if they capture you because you weren't willing to run she's going to be incredibly cross with you," Avery said. Harry frowned and glared at the man. The more annoying part was that he knew the Death Eater was right.
"Fine," he said. "Ron, Hermione, let's go."
"I don't want to go with him!" Hermione exclaimed.
"You're welcome to take your chances with the ministry," Avery said.
"Let's just go!" Ron screamed, his eyes focusing on the dangling remains of his arm.
"Follow me," Avery said. And he started running away from them and back toward the offices of the Ministry. Harry pushed Hermione after him, before grabbing Ron by his one good hand and pulling him as well.
They ran through halls, up stairs, and down long corridors. Twice Avery blasted holes in the ceiling and the floor, to confuse their tracks if they were traced he'd said. Harry didn't know exactly where they were going, or exactly how far they ran. It took about a half hour before Avery finally pulled them into an office.
"Department of Games and Sports?" Harry asked, eyeing the posters on the wall. It was mostly shots of quidditch players and quidditch teams as well as a promotional banner from the last World Cup.
"One entrance and exit, tucked away in the back. We should have a fairly good heads up if they enter the floor and work their way down here," Avery explained.
"Harry what are we doing?" Hermione asked, her eyes were wide and she was starting to hyperventilate.
"Breathe before you pass out," Avery said. Hermione glared at him.
"Don't you tell me what to do! You're a Death Eater!" she yelled, her arms flailing, her face flushed rather deeply. She continued to emote before she collapsed against a wall.
"You okay, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"No," Hermione frowned. Harry noticed the tears swelling in her eyes. "I'm not okay! We're standing in the ministry with a Death Eater after we were attacked. I have no idea what's going on!"
"Come here," Harry said. Hermione stepped toward him and he hugged her. She started to cry into his chest. Harry peered around the department as she sobbed into his chest, hoping that it would be over quickly.
"They're going to kick us out of school," she muttered between gasps.
"Maybe," Harry said. "But all four heads have to vote on that and I just can't see them doing it after we were threatened and attacked."
"Or capture us and send us to Azkaban," Hermione continued to cry.
"Maybe," Harry shrugged. Which just made Hermione cry more. He knew Emily had broken people out of Azkaban before. He wondered if she'd do that for him. He wondered if Fudge would even let him go, or just give him straight to the dementors.
"Let me have a look at that," Avery said to Ron, as Ron continued to stare in disgust at his arm. Bone was visible, tendons and flesh hanging out from underneath his shoulder. Ron looked up at the Death Eater. Harry thought his friend looked rather woozy as he stood there.
"Okay," he nodded, attempting to hold the arm out toward Avery, a hunk of flesh fell to the ground with a wet noise. Harry fought the urge to gag and was glad Hermione's face was buried in his chest at that moment.
"Just hold it," Avery said quickly, stepping up toward Ron, who was attempting to flail the arm as if he was trying to examine whatever had just fallen from that. "Let me get a good look at it."
"Did you see that?" Ron asked, turning around as if he was still looking for his arm.
"Calm down," Avery commanded.
"It doesn't really hurt anymore," Ron said, his words were slow and his eyes were drooping. Harry frowned at that. But he didn't know if he could do anything to help. His mind seemed oddly blank as he waited.
"I might have to take it," Avery frowned. "You're losing a lot of blood and I'm not sure I could heal it."
"But I need my arm. For quidditch," Ron said blankly. Harry frowned at his friend.
"My Lord could probably heal it," Avery said. "But I don't think I can. And I can't risk having you die from blood loss."
"Let me look," Harry said. He slipped from Hermione, sitting her on a nearby desk as he moved over toward Ron.
"Yes, My Lord," Avery said. Harry raised his brows at the Death Eater. He found that sentence to be very problematic.
"I am not your Lord," he said.
"Yes sir," Avery responded. Harry glared at him for another moment before turning his attention to Ron's arm. He took out his wand as he examined the hunk of bone and flesh that hung down from his friend's shoulder.
His first thought was that everything important was there. His second thought was that he had no idea what everything important was, so his first thought was incredibly stupid. Still he examined it and frowned.
"Just don't cut it off," Ron said, sounding rather worried. He kept trying to move the arm and when he did blood pooled down on the floor.
"I won't," Harry said.
"Harry you don't know any healing magic," Hermione said.
"I learned some for the defense group," Harry said. "Seemed silly to let people start cursing each other and have no idea how to counteract ay of it."
"Some?" Hermione frowned. "And now you want to try to fix that?"
"I didn't say I wanted to try," Harry said. "I just wanted to take a look and see if I thought I could do anything to help."
"I'm fine. I'll be fine. We're fine," Ron said quickly.
"I think Avery is right," Harry frowned.
"Don't hex off my arm!" Ron exclaimed again.
"Not going to. But I do want to try something," Harry said, as he shifted through his minimal knowledge of healing spells in his head. He frowned as it took longer than he would have thought to get through them.
One stuck in his head. A battlefield healing spell Emily had taught him in Chicago. He'd never actually used it though. She'd advised against it, unless in dire circumstances. There were better ways, she'd said. Of course, she hadn't bothered to teach him those better ways. Saying they required more finesse than power.
"As long as you don't take my arm off," Ron said adamantly. "Really, don't take my arm off." Harry nodded and slashed his wand at Ron.
His friend screamed. A shrill, bone-chilling scream as he fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Harry winced, as he remembered that they were supposed to be hiding. And he was positive that everyone inside the ministry now knew exactly where they were. It was Avery that reacted first, though, silencing Ron with a flick of his own wand.
"What did you do!?" Hermione yelled.
"Tried a spell!" Harry gasped.
"We're supposed to be hiding," Avery scolded, calmly.
"Sorry," Harry responded. He turned his attention toward his friend, who was still rolling around on the ground. Hermione slid off of the desk and knelt next to him.
"Are you okay, Ron?" Hermione asked.
"He's fine," Avery said.
"Shut up," Hermione snapped. Avery looked at Harry, as if he expected him to scold Hermione for telling him off. Harry ignored the look.
"Ron?" he asked as his friend stopped rolling around on the ground. Ron rolled over onto his side and to Harry's great surprise his arm was entirely mended. He was clutching it with his other hand, staring up at his friends.
"A little warning next time?" Ron asked. "That hurt worse than getting cursed."
"Preferably there isn't a next time," Harry responded.
"Preferably," Ron agreed.
"How's the arm?" he asked as Ron sat up. He flexed it around, as if judging the range of motion. He winced every time he moved it.
"It seems okay," Ron said. "Rather stiff and a bit sore. Like I slept on it funny for too long."
"Well let me know if anything seems off," Harry said.
"So you can do that again?" Ron laughed. "No chance."
"Fine," Harry smiled at his friend. "So much for helping you."
"Can I help you, see how you like it?" Ron teased, still stretching out his arm. Avery had moved toward the door and cut a small hole in it. He peered down the corridor.
"Anyone coming?" Harry asked.
"Not yet, sir," Avery said. Harry frowned.
"Why does he call you sir? Ron whispered.
"I don't know," Harry said.
"And he called you 'my Lord," Hermione added.
"Weird," Ron said.
"And where did you learn that spell?" Hermione asked.
"I think Emily taught it to me in Chicago," Harry said. Hermione frowned more and looked deep in thought for a moment.
"You think?" she asked.
"Do you remember where you learned everything?" Harry asked. Of course, he thought, knowing Hermione she probably did remember just the exact moment where she learned every spell she knew. But hopefully she wasn't that insane.
"Things like that? I probably would remember," Hermione said.
"I'm glad he knew it," Ron said, pulling his healed arm back behind his head and continuing to stretch. He started to pace around the department. Harry thought he looked like he was doing his pregame warmups.
"Maybe I picked it up in the diary," Harry shrugged.
"I'd been meaning to comment on that," Hermione frowned. "But, well, we didn't really talk after."
"After?" Ron asked, peering over at them.
"What's up?" Harry frowned, already sensing where this conversation was going to go.
"Well, after you let me borrow it," Hermione said. Ron frowned at the use of after again, but seemed to take that as an acceptable answer to the question.
"Oh, the book," he said, turning his attention instead to the portraits and banners in the office.
"We should find you some food," Avery said, moving from the hole he'd carved out of the door and toward some of the desks. "You look pale still."
"I am hungry," Ron said. "But where are we going to find food in here?"
"Someone will have something in their desk," Avery said and started to fumble through the desk drawers. On the third desk he found a couple of chocolate frogs and took them out, throwing them at Ron.
"Thanks," Ron said. Avery just nodded and went back to the front of the room.
"But Harry," Hermione frowned. "I've watched nearly as much of that diary as you now. And it hasn't helped me at all. I don't know anything new. I don't have weird new spells. I'm still exactly the same."
"Well I don't know," Harry shrugged. "I must have picked it up somewhere."
"Yes," Hermione said. "I think you did. From her."
"Yeah, in Chicago," Harry agreed.
"No. Not in Chicago," Hermione said. "I think. Oh Harry."
"What?" he asked.
"I think she's in your head," Hermione blurted out. Avery turned and peered at her for a moment. Before looking back out the door.
"That's silly," Harry said.
"Is it? You're doing things only she does. You used that shockwave she used multiple times-"
"She showed me how to use that. After using it on me," Harry said.
"Well, and you answered questions to classes you never took," Hermione said.
"But did see in the diary. I mean you probably didn't pick anything up because you'd already taken them," Harry said.
"And she knew how to find you. And you had those visions of Ron's dad when he was attacked. There's so many things you shouldn't know that you do," Hermione said.
"Woah," Ron said. Harry turned and looked at him, looking for any excuse to not continue his conversation with Hermione.
"What is it?" he asked.
"This snitch is signed by Fedorir Yarnak," Ron said, holding up a snitch in a small glass case.
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Famous seeker," Avery said.
"Probably the greatest seeker to ever live," Ron frowned, as if Avery's explanation wasn't good enough.
"Ronald," Hermione sighed.
"The man was a legend!" Ron laughed. "More snitch catches than anyone in history. He was going to become a Cannon but he decided to try to fly to Jamaica for a vacation and disappeared."
"How very Chudley," Harry said.
"I should keep this," Ron said, staring at the snitch.
"Go for it," Avery said.
"Ron, that's absurd. You most certainly should not. That's probably someone's prized possession," Hermione scolded him.
"You're right," Ron frowned and placed it back down on the desk. "Seems silly to leave it at the desk though."
"Well I'm sure it's owner didn't suspect four fugitives to break into their department!" Hermione scolded.
"Probably," Ron agreed. He continued to pace around the department. Unfortunately, that turned Hermione's attention back to Harry.
"We need to get out of here eventually," Harry said.
"We wait for her," Avery said.
"Speaking of," Harry said, filled with a sudden curiosity. "Why do you follow her?"
"She wants to make the world a better place. I agree with what she's trying to do," Avery said.
"Really?" Harry said.
"Is that such an odd concept to you?" Avery asked. "She's sick of living in fear, of having to hide everything she is. Of being forced into small communities that grow ever more stagnant. Stagnant societies die. And she is going to make a world where we can be ourselves, demonstrate our power, and be above all of them."
"And that's what you believe in?" Hermione asked.
"It's what I was raised with," Avery said. "I revered her as a child. My father was close to her. He was one of her first followers. She was around when I was growing up. She was around my entire life. Hell, she introduced me to my wife."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Like an arranged marriage?" Ron asked.
"No," Avery laughed at the notion. "Our families all hosted these parties. Weekly things really. Just an excuse for families to get together and drink and complain. She'd show up sometimes. Mostly before the war began in earnest. It got harder to do so after that. She was always the guest of honor."
"And?" Hermione asked.
"And at one of these she saw me, peering at a little mousy girl with glasses in the library. She looked so out of place. Her clothing not nearly as fine as what nearly everyone else was wearing. She was clutching a book in front of her, as if she was hoping she could hide herself behind it," Avery smiled at the memory. "She looked so surprised when anyone even looked her way."
"And?" Harry asked.
"And Lord Voldemort saw that," Avery said. "And she saw me. And she dragged me into the library to introduce me to Celia Borgin. And we hit it off immediately."
"Lord Voldemort worked for Borgin," Hermione said.
"She had," Avery said. "That's how she knew Celia. She was like the third niece of the shop owner. She'd just finished at Hogwarts. My Lord spent that whole night being charming and making us chat with each other. Six months later I asked her to marry me."
"What happened?" Harry asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Aurors broke into our home during the war. I was staying late at work. When I got home she and our son were dead," Avery said.
"Well they were Death Eaters," Ron said, insensitively.
"Celia was practically a squib. She only managed four O. and nothing more. Our son was seven and hadn't shown any accidental magic as of yet," Avery said.
"The ministry wouldn't-" Hermione started.
"The same ministry that sentenced Sirius without a trial. That okay'd the use of unforgivable? That inflicted Umbridge on us?" Harry said.
"He's a Death Eater!" Ron said. "He's probably making it all up."
"It's public record," Avery said. "The reports are all still there. They let a lot go during the war. I'd been out of combat for two years by that point."
"That can't be," Hermione said.
"It is," Avery said. "It was a war though. Your side never seems to realize that. Everyone has someone they care about. There were crimes on both sides."
"So why follow her if her if her war cost you your family?" Harry asked.
"Who do you think was there to pick up the pieces?" Avery asked.
"What?" Harry laughed.
"You asked why follow her? It's easy, Mister Potter. She was my hero. She was my matchmaker. She was my salvation. A world made in her image would be much better than the one we currently live in. Somewhere along the way, though, it all went to shit. But…" Avery shook his head as he spoke.
"But what?" Harry asked.
"But she was. No. She is the best of us. I'll follow her to hell. She might not have succeeded in her goals. But the world would be worse without her efforts," Avery said. The three kids each frowned at his words. They lingered in the air as Avery resumed his watch. The silence lasted a few minutes until Hermione spoke.
"I think we should find a way out without her," She said quietly. "Sneak out while they're distracted."
"Maybe," Harry said. But he wanted to wait for Emily. He didn't want to venture back into the ministry with just the three of them and no idea how many ministry officials were still in the building.
"Harry, I really think we should flee," Hermione said.
"I don't want to," Harry said.
"Harry, I really think we need to get you away from her," Hermione said softly.
"Away from whom?" A soft feminine voice said from behind him. He spun around to see Emily standing there, black mist slowly vanishing from her.
"My Lord," Avery said, nodding his head to her before turning to his watch.
"Are you three alright?" she asked. Ron gaped at her. Hermione slid behind Harry, as if trying to hide.
"I'm fine," Harry said.
"Holy shit," Ron said, staring at her.
"What's the situation?" Avery asked.
"It's chaos," Emily said. "Fudge is trying to convince them that it wasn't me they saw. He's rallying more people to him than trying find anyone here. They're trying to track down the ones that fled to make sure that word of my return doesn't get out."
"Why?" Avery asked.
"Fudge knows he won't stay in power if news of me gets out," Emily responded. "He's trying to sustains himself rather than actually fight the threat."
"That's insane and stupid," Hermione scoffed. She then blushed and clutched Harry, as if she was regretting her need to opine on the topic.
"Yes, Fudge is those things," Emily said.
"Harry," Ron said.
"Yes?" Harry asked.
"That's You-Know-Who," Ron said. Emily curtseyed at him at the acknowledgement and Harry watched as Ron flushed deeply.
"Yes, it is," Harry said.
"She wants to kill you," Ron said.
"Em?" Harry asked. Emily let out a long, exasperated sigh.
"Emily," Emily said sternly.
"Emily?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry?" Emily asked as she moved toward the door to the department. Avery stepped out of her way on instinct and she peered through the hole he'd cut in the door. He furrowed his brows as he stared at his master and mouthed the word 'Emily' as if he didn't believe it.
"Do you want to kill me?" he asked.
"Call me Em again and you'll find out," she said.
"Does that answer your question?" Harry asked, looking to Ron.
"No," Ron said.
"What's the plan, My Lord?" Avery asked.
"How his arm?" Emily asked, completely ignoring Avery's question.
"I think it's fine," Avery said. "The boy fixed it."
"Let me see," Emily said, walking toward Ron. Ron flinched away from her.
"No," he said. Emily crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him for about ten seconds. When she gave no indication that she would stop doing that, Ron held out his arm to her.
"It looks alright. Tell me if any of this hurts," she said, prodding it with her hands as if examining the craftsmanship of an intricate object.
"It feels fine," Ron said, looking everywhere but at her as she worked.
"Well done, Harry. Looks like you healed it perfectly," Emily said.
"Thanks," Harry blushed at the compliment.
"The plan, My Lord?" Avery asked again.
"Split up," Lord Voldemort said. "You take those two and head to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Their floo is still active. You can sneak them out through there. There are only two or three guards posted there. I'm sure you'll be able to deal with both of them readily enough. I suspect they're monitoring the floo there though. So be careful. I doubt that we'd be able to get more than three uses out of it. Go somewhere public like the Leaky Cauldron and slip out into London proper as soon as you can."
"Then you and the boy should take it," Avery said.
"No," Emily said. "They're tracking me too. I'm not sure just quite how they managed it. But we'll have to move soon. It takes them a few moments to figure it out. But they seem to be able to find me readily enough inside the ministry. The ones that are still paying attention will chase after me. You should have an easy escape. We'll be able to slip into muggle London and be less noticeable than you three. Have them head to the order safe house. They'll be able to hide there."
"How do you know about that?" Ron asked.
"Because I'm brilliant," Emily snapped. Ron blushed and looked away from her.
"Oh," he said.
"I'm not telling him where the safe house is," Hermione said, glaring at Avery.
"You don't have to," Emily responded. "All you have to do is guide him there. I suspect you are likely more familiar with Muggle London than Mister Weasley is. And I suspect you are able to get there yourself. Avery will keep you safe until then. And the charms on the building will prevent him from remembering where it was."
"Yes, My Lord," Avery said. He stepped over toward Ron and Hermione.
"I am not going to leave Harry alone with you," Hermione said. She slipped out from behind Harry, her wand in hand and leveled on Emily.
"Oh?" Emily asked.
"He shouldn't go anywhere with you," Hermione said.
"Probably not," Emily said. "But I'm his best chance of getting out of here.
"Then have me go with you too," Hermione said. "I won't leave Harry.
"No," Emily said.
"Why not?" Hermione asked.
"Because you'd be a liability," Emily said.
"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Hermione spat.
"Hermione you're arguing with You-Know-Who!" Ron yelled, as if trying to make her see the error of her ways.
"You are not," Emily said. "At least not to the level Harry is. While you are a bright young lady, Miss Granger, you would not be useful in a fight."
"You expect a fight?" Hermione asked. "Where are you taking him."
"I expect nothing," Emily said. "But I choose to be prepared. You have a better chance of escaping with Avery. They want me and they want Harry. If they see us they will come down full force."
"So, we're being bait, too," Harry said.
"Essentially," Emily said.
"I want to help," Hermione frowned.
"I appreciate the new, action-oriented personality," Emily said. "But you will help by doing as you're told."
"I'm not going to take no for an answer," Hermione said.
"I'm not giving you a choice," Emily responded.
"You can't take away my choice," Hermione spat.
"I could. But I don't need to. Avery, make sure you catch them," Emily said. And then she slashed her wand toward the floor. The ground beneath Hermione, Ron, and Avery all vanished. Ron and Hermione yelled, but Harry heard no noise from Avery. Another slash of her wand returned the floor to its original condition.
"Are they okay?" Harry asked.
"They're fine," Emily said. "They're closer to their departure point too."
"Why didn't you have me go with them?" Harry asked. "If they're tracking you."
"Because you wouldn't have," Emily said. "And I wasn't kidding. If they see you with them, they'll bring every Auror they have down on them. And I'd just have to come back and deal with it again."
"I might have gone if you told me to," Harry said.
"No. You'd have grown annoyed and attacked Avery and gone looking for me," Emily said. "And I'd have had to come back and save you again. They'll at least follow Avery and get out safe."
"You're sure?" Harry asked.
"Avery has never failed me before, I doubt he'll start now," Emily said.
"You like him," Harry said.
"He's a valuable soldier," Emily said.
"He's important to you," Harry said. Emily turned and looked at him, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Are you jealous?" she asked.
"No," Harry said quickly.
"Good. That would be annoying," Emily said.
"So, what are we going to do?" Harry asked.
"I am going to get you out of here," Emily said. "Probably take you to the Order's headquarters so that you'll at least be safe."
"I don't want to go there," Harry said.
"Better there than here," Emily responded.
"They didn't come help me," Harry said.
"Perhaps not," Emily said. "But let's worry about that after we get out of here."
"I want to go with you after we're out," Harry said. She stared at him and then just shook her head.
"No," she said.
"Yes," he responded.
"No," she said again.
"Why not?" he asked.
"You don't gain anything from coming with me. You'd rather have your freedom than anything I can offer you," Emily said.
"They'll just lock me in the house," Harry said.
"I doubt it," Emily laughed. "If it gets out that I'm back, and that you were here, trying to fight me, well you'll be a hero again."
"I wasn't trying to fight you," Harry said.
"Well, make sure you leave that part out then," Emily said.
"I'm not going to lie to them," Harry said.
"Telling them the truth won't help you at all. Now let's go," Emily said. She threw open the door to the department and strode out into the ministry again. Harry waited for a moment, watching her walk away from him. He sighed and strode after her.
"Avery told us about his family," Harry said.
"Why?" Emily asked.
"We asked," Harry answered.
"He doesn't answer to you," Emily said. "And it's not a topic he particularly likes to talk about. I'm surprised he would share it with you."
"What happened to his family was awful," Harry said.
"Yes it was. It was such a waste." Emily said. "But it was a war, Harry. Things like that happened on both sides."
"That's what you said when you tried to kill me," Harry said.
"You finished then?" Emily asked.
"Yes," Harry said. "But I don't understand. If it was all such a waste. Then why did it even have to happen?"
"Because it was a war. There was waste on both sides. All the magical blood lost was a waste. We should be better than that. We shouldn't squabble with each other. But that's all that's left for us," Emily sighed.
"Why did it all fail?" Harry asked.
"Because I wasn't a good enough leader to make it all succeed. I could only convince a small portion of people. And even then they were still too rooted in their old views. Somewhere…" Emily frowned and then waved her hand, as if dismissing the idea. "No, there's no point to that."
"Somewhere what?" Harry asked.
"Martin liked alternate history novels," Emily said.
"What does that matter?" Harry frowned. Her saying the word 'Martin' sent a pang through his chest that he didn't fully understand.
"Well they were all, what if you fell into Ancient Rome, or what if the Germans won the war, things like that. Something would, or perhaps wouldn't, happen and it would change everything. It's a silly notion, really, and one that doesn't hold up in the realm of possibility. Like I mean even if the American's lose at Midway they're still outproducing the Japanese at record rates and-"
"You are way off topic," Harry said.
"Right, well, it's fanciful to think about. If I didn't do this, or if someone else did that, then how does everything change," Emily said.
"I follow," Harry said. "But I'm not sure what the point is."
"Well. It's all just a fantasy. In the end, we have to accept that the world for what it is. It is what we make of it. But there's always things that we have to wonder, if the world would be better if we did or didn't do something," Emily said.
"What are you saying?" Harry asked.
"We live in a world where I failed spectacularly. It was all destined to fail. I've spoken with spirits and I had a lot of hindsight floating as a wraith and observing everything. But I've come to one conclusion. It was me," Emily said.
"What?" Harry asked.
"All of it, the killing, the war, it boiled down to my own naïve stupidity. I was too young, too stupid, and too arrogant to even realize it then. It was on a crash course from the time I graduated. And the only way it ever wouldn't have happened would have been had I died in a ditch in Nurmengard," Emily said. Harry paused and stared at her. There was a certain sadness in her words as they echoed through his head. A tear welled in her eye but she wiped it away.
"Everyone deserves a chance," Harry mumbled.
"By that point I'd blown my chance on the Riddles and Myrtle," Emily said.
"Dumbledore is as much to blame as you," Harry said. Emily shrugged her shoulders. It was clear, he thought, that she didn't disagree with him. But he knew an argument was going to come anyway.
"Dumbledore stopped Grindelwald and ended a massive world war that cost the lives of millions upon millions of people in addition to stopping a genocide," Emily said. "Even if he did spur conflict with me. That doesn't balance the scales."
"Why don't you just stop then?" Harry asked.
"I can't," Emily said, smiling weakly at him, her one dimple showing on her face. "I made a promise. I have to keep that promise."
And with that she turned and walked away from him. Harry didn't really know what to say. He could remember one distinct promise from her memories. A promise to the shade that had been her dead husband.
But to have to keep that? Why? It didn't feel right to just be some promise made to the memory of someone she cared about. What had she done? Was it something with the ring? Powerful objects like that often had a cost. He frowned until her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Don't lag behind," Emily said. They were moving quietly through the surprisingly empty halls of the ministry, toward the atrium and the exit.
"I'm surprised there aren't more people here," Harry said. "At least trying to stop us."
"Avery triggered an alarm near their exit," Emily said. "They're going to rush toward that and give us a small window to escape."
"Will they be okay?" Harry asked.
"Fine. He won't have triggered it until they were right on their way out," Emily said. "He does have some experience, you know."
"So, your plan is to just walk us through the atrium and straight out of the ministry?" Harry asked.
"That's it," Emily said.
"And you think that will work?" Harry asked.
"Far more often than people would like to admit, yes," Emily said as they entered the atrium. There were a perhaps five ministry officials still guarding the fires there. Once more he watched Emily as she was engulfed in a black and purple mist and shot over toward them. She appeared in front of them and used magic faster than Harry had ever really witnessed.
She knocked two back, stunned a third, and pulled the fourth and fifth into each other, their heads connecting loudly as she did. The entire thing took maybe three seconds.
"Are you coming?" she asked, turning to face him.
"How do you do that misty floating thing?" Harry asked as he rushed toward her.
"Carefully. Or you splinch yourself," Emily said.
"Helpful," Harry rolled his eyes.
"It's just a proto-form of Apparition. After you've mastered that I'll think about teaching you it," Emily said.
"Cool," Harry said.
"Now let's get out of here," Emily said, moving quickly toward the doorway at the end of the atrium. But they only made it three steps before a bright flash of red-orange light blinded them.
"I will not let you leave with him," Albus Dumbledore said from behind them. Emily stopped, stiffened, and turned slowly to face him.
"Hello, Albus," she said quietly.
"Give me Harry, now," Dumbledore ordered. Harry looked up at Albus Dumbledore, and found he felt absolutely nothing. The man was standing before them both, tall and grand, his wand leveled on Emily.
"I don't control him," Emily said. "If he wants to go with you I'm not about to stop him. He's a big boy and can make his own decisions."
"I'll meet you back at headquarters," Harry said.
"I cannot let you go with her Harry," Dumbledore said.
"I don't trust you to get me to safety," Harry said.
"Harry, you don't understand. She can control you. Your scar, it's a link to her. A bit of her. You aren't acting of your own volition. That's why I had to distance myself from you this year," Dumbledore said.
"What?" Harry laughed in disbelief.
"She has been manipulating you all year, Harry. She's been slowly getting her hooks into you. I didn't realize just how deep it had gone until you came back from vanishing over your Winter break. But you still seemed like yourself. I should have confronted you then. I should have told you then," Dumbledore said. His face was pained with failure. But it did nothing to Harry's emotions.
"Told me what?" Harry asked.
"Come with me and I will explain it all," Dumbledore said.
"He thinks I'm using your scar to manipulate you. He thinks that I can get into your head. He thinks that I have been stringing you along. Swaying you toward me. Making you adore me. So that I could turn you against him and gain what I failed to destroy," Emily said.
"Could you do that?" Harry asked.
"I can do a lot of things, Harry," Emily shrugged.
"She admits it," Dumbledore said.
"Have you been?" Harry asked.
"You didn't honestly think you just knew the perfect spell to heal your friend out of the blue, did you?" Emily asked. Her eyes were still on Dumbledore. Harry took two steps away from her. But not in the direction of Dumbledore.
"Why?" he asked, staring at her. "Why show me those things. Why do any of it. If you could just control me?"
"Harry it is imperative that you come with me before the Ministry comes back," Dumbledore said. "Do not let Miss Riddle control you."
"That isn't my name," Emily said quietly. Harry felt the anger flowing into him. He stepped away from them again. Why did he insist on calling her that? Why couldn't he at least show her the respect of saying her name. And why was he stuck in the middle of this?
He clutched his wand in his hand and stared between both of them, his vision blurred by tendrils of red and gold and green. His muscles all tensed as he stood there, feeling a pressure building up in him before he could explode.
"Harry!" Dumbledore yelled.
"Harry calm down," Emily said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, Harry. Breathe. Breathe, let it fade." And he listened to her words. And his breathing leveled. And the tendrils faded.
"Don't let her control you, Harry!" Dumbledore yelled again.
"Breathe. In and out," she said, taking a deep breath as she did.
"Get away from him, Miss Riddle!" Dumbledore yelled, his wand leveled on her. But he wouldn't curse her with Harry so close. Emily turned and slashed her own wand at him.
"That is not my name!" she yelled as a flurry of spells exploded from her just as Harry was calm enough to think straight. He stared around the atrium as Dumbledore blocked her barrage and started to weave his own back. He watched as Albus Dumbledore dueled Emily Price.
It started slow. Or as slow as it could seem when everyone was throwing off as much power as the both of them. Harry found it odd to watch. They stood about twenty feet from each other and threw barrages at each other. And then they'd pause. It wasn't like he'd seen on the battlefield where it had been utter chaos. This seemed more controlled. More formal. As if they were testing each other.
Emily fired off a chain of four bright curses in rapid succession. Harry couldn't identify them from afar. Dumbledore shielded them with a wave of his wand. He threw spells back at her.
Dumbledore was less direct than her. While she shielded his spells, he threw out his left hand and then quickly pulled it back. Emily finished shielding the last spell but she could sense something coming toward her. She spun around quickly and slashed through a gigantic gold figurehead from the atrium's decorations. It split around her and she flashed back around. But as she did Dumbledore forced his hand out toward her again.
This time an all-too familiar bust of energy surged through his hand and toward her. She flailed toward it but it burst through her defenses and smashed into her stomach. The magic pushed her back, knocking her down.
Dumbledore continued to attack her as she dropped back. Harry watched in awe as red and orange magic flared about the man, engulfing him as if it were fire, making him look like his phoenix, glowing in the dark atrium.
Harry had no idea how Emily could withstand such magic. He swallowed hard as he watched, unsure of the outcome he really wished to see. He watched, though, and waited to see what happened. But Dumbledore continued to press toward her, throwing spell after spell in her direction.
Dust from the spells impacting near her was rising up around them. He kept casting and moving toward her and Harry was forced to remember what they'd always said about Dumbledore. That he was the only one she'd ever feared. And he thought he was seeing why.
Feared though? She hated fear. Fear was illogical. Fear served no purpose. No. She wasn't afraid of Dumbledore, Harry thought. In fact, from what he'd seen, Dumbledore seemed to be far more afraid of her.
As he thought it the atmosphere changed. The familiar purple and green magic flared from the dust and Dumbledore was forced back. Emily stepped out from the debris. Her black dress was torn in a couple of spots and her hair had come undone.
"So, you're copying me now?" she asked. "And here I thought you were better than that."
"Improving upon you. Your little shockwave is interesting, but much better if focused," Dumbledore countered. He slashed his wand toward her as the mist swirled around her. She vanished before the spell could hit.
Dumbledore turned sharply, trying to find her, but she appeared behind him before he could make it entirely around. This time, her blast hit him and threw him across the atrium.
"Of course it is," she laughed as he slid on the marble floors. "But it lacks the same shock and awe factor if you do that."
Dumbledore didn't respond. Instead he forced himself toward, her, magical flames engulfing him as he flew, almost like a rocket, straight at her. She slashed her wand toward the fountain he'd already used part of as a weapon and the water rose up from it. She doused him with it as he flew past her, landing feet behind her, damp but unharmed.
"Are we done playing around?" she asked.
"Fine," Dumbledore said.
"About time," Emily responded. And they threw spells at each other in unison. It became something more recognizable to Harry in that moment. He saw bone breakers, cutters, stunning spells, mixed with spells he didn't recognize.
But they didn't shield or dodge. Instead they seemed to pluck spells out of thin air and redirect them. They pulled pieces out of the building and threw them at each other. They transfigured things on the fly. A brick elongated into a snake, which was sliced into thin, knife-like ribbons, which melted away with a flick of Emily's wand.
Fire flew from Dumbledore, surrounding them. Emily peered around at it as Dumbledore separated the two of them from Harry, limiting the amount of space they had to work with. Harry stepped back from the flames and noticed that ministry officials were pouring into atrium.
"Holy shit," one man said, stepping up next to Harry without seemingly noticing him as Emily slashed her wand upward. Segments of the ground, started to spear upwards toward Dumbledore, disrupting the already limited ground of the arena.
"It is her," the lion-looking main said. Harry took a few steps away from them, lurking in a dark corner of the atrium as he watched the fight plan out. Emily leapt over one of the spikes of marble, managing to plant her feet on it and push off toward Dumbledore. He shifted away, slipping on the now uneven ground. But he got a spell off and Harry heard Emily's wrist shatter. The ministry officials cheered as she cursed.
But she ignored it, letting her left-hand hang limply as she slashed her wand at Dumbledore. He dived behind part of the new arena but she blew it away with a blasting curse. She blasted him away, toward the flames, and quickly healed her wrist. Harry winced as it snapped back into place. She just shook it slightly as Dumbledore shot back to his feet.
"I am not going to let you escape," Dumbledore said. "You're vastly outnumbered."
"But they're not helping you at all," Emily laughed. "Perhaps you should have fought harder against the insane old-man narrative."
"You cannot win, Miss Riddle," Dumbledore said. And, in that moment, Harry knew it was over.
Emily didn't speak. She just narrowed her eyes and her expression changed. She lifted both her hands and then pressed the tip of her wand into her left wrist. She pressed it into her skin, letting the blood pool onto the tip of her wand. She flicked it out, letting droplets of it land around the arena.
"You wouldn't," Dumbledore gasped.
"This ends tonight, Albus. I've left you alive for too long. Perhaps it was wrong to assume you'd be more difficult to deal with as a martyr than a man cowering in a castle. Regardless. It's over," Emily said. The droplets of blood she'd littered over the arena were turning into larger pools.
Harry turned his attention to Dumbledore. The headmaster looked afraid while Emily looked nothing but determined. Dumbledore raised his wand above his head and lashed out with fire at her. She didn't move to stop it, instead she kept her wand attached to her wrist, blood starting to stain over the wood.
Dumbledore's fire slashed down toward her, coming to within inches of her, but before it could hit, one of the droplets of blood turned into a column of water and extinguished his spell.
Moments later another droplet rose up and transformed into an impossible amount of a clear fluid. It splashed over Dumbledore's back and he screamed as his clothing started to burn off. He stepped back from her, treading on another droplet. His foot sank into the floor and he struggled to regain his balance as mud engulfed his leg.
Emily continued to litter blood around the arena, her eyes closed. Harry knew she had to be aware of what was occurring around her. That she had to know everything that was going on. But her expression was blank, and her eyes remained closed.
Dumbledore pulled himself out from the muddy ground. More blood congealed and merged into a wall of stone. It slammed down near him, causing him to stumble once more. He slipped over another droplet that exploded in steam, scalding his skin.
He stumbled more, and a torrent of water forced him back. He landed awkwardly on his back foot and again fell into the ground. As he tried to catch himself, another wall of stone rose. And Harry finally understood.
He didn't really know what she was doing, exactly. But the blood reacted to her will. It seemed to be capable of turning into substances she could control more readily. And it seemed she could do it with the smallest of droplets. In the enclosed arena, Dumbledore couldn't react to all of it quickly enough.
And now, everywhere he went the environment attacked him. And he had to deal with that rather than her. He couldn't stay focused on one thing long enough. No matter where he moved, something attacked him. And then, things just started attacking him from every direction. Somehow, she could turn her blood into any sort of weapon. Harry saw knives impact into Dumbledore, he saw rocks hit him, he saw acid pour over him. After moments it was clear he wouldn't last in the enclosed arena.
Eventually, Dumbledore realized it too and lowered the fire wall. As soon as he did Emily pulled the wand from her wrist. She slashed her wand toward the Ministry officials that had gathered. There were perhaps fifteen of them at that point, and the power from her curse threw them all back.
Dumbledore looked toward them, as if he'd been relying on their upcoming assistance. And that was a mistake. Emily fired a bludgeoner at him. It impacted on his shoulder and pressed him back. He managed to shield her next spell as a column of mud splashed toward him.
He froze it but by the time he'd managed that another barrage of spells hit him. Harry recognized a poisoning hex, a severing charm, and a freezing spell of her own. Dumbledore dodged the first three but the final one hit his leg.
He stood, rooted on the spot by the ice forming around his leg, his eyes filled with fear as Emily shot another bludgeoner at his leg. The ice that had been Dumbledore's left leg shattered. He wobbled on his remaining foot and tried to cast another spell, but by then it was over.
She hit him again and again, minor cutting hexes at first, firing them off faster than Harry could count. Next, she ripped bricks from the wall and shot them into him over and over. Dumbledore fell near the middle of the Atrium and all in attendance knew it was over.
"That's enough, Emily," Harry yelled. But she ignored him and continued to fire spells at Dumbledore's body. He managed to raise some defenses. But it was all he could do to keep the weak, silver shield around him.
"How you ever beat Grindelwald I will never understand," Emily spat. Harry thought she looked pale. Blood still dripped from her wrist as she continued to poke at his shield.
"Stop, Emily!" Harry yelled. He didn't want to see Dumbledore die. No matter what he'd done, something about that rang falsely in his head. And it was over. She'd beaten him. There was no reason to prolong this. They needed to escape.
"No," Emily laughed. Her lips curled into a devilish smile, her face reflecting in the dimly lit atrium. Her dimple on display as Harry stared at her profile. "I'm ending this for good. Avada-"
"Em! Stop!" Harry yelled. And Emily froze. She turned and stared at him, her eyes filled with an irrational fury. For a moment, he thought she was going to finish the spell on him. He could see the ministry officials rising around him. And then, in that instant, her expression softened.
The black and purple mist surrounded him. And then he was being pulled through the Atrium, toward the exit.
"Destroy the door!" a man ordered and curses of every type flew toward their only escape route. Debris piled up on it before they could make it. She hit the wall of rubble and returned to her normal form.
"Fuck," she muttered. She swung around and threw curses past Harry and toward the ministry officials that were coming toward them. She hit two. But one of them hit Harry. He fell to his side as a cutter ripped through his ribs. He coughed and blood splashed onto the floor.
Harry felt her grab him by the collar. She pulled him away from the spells as the mist enveloped them again. He felt, for a moment, like he was being shoved through a tube. She was Apparating him, he knew, recognizing the feeling. But then there was nothing but pain and they were thrown out into a doorless room with smooth walls.
"Where are we," Harry coughed. Emily turned her wand on him and he felt the cutting on his side heal, he felt his lungs return to normal, he felt the bloody bile disappear from his sternum.
"Trapped," she said.
"How?" he asked.
"I thought I'd be strong enough to take us both through the anti-Apparition spells," Emily said. She stood in the middle of the room, looking woozy and pale. "I was wrong."
"Oh," he said. "How do we get out?"
"I don't know," she said, her eyes not lingering on any one spot too long. She stepped toward the wall and pressed a hand to it. Harry wondered if she was doing some magic he didn't understand, or merely stabilizing herself.
"Are you alright?" he asked, walking up to her.
"I'm fine," she said, fibbing as she looked up into his eyes as she spoke. That stuck out in Harry's mind.
In the graveyard she'd been his height. They'd stood as equals before she'd tried to kill him. He didn't recall how they'd compared in Chicago. But now, trapped in a room inside the Ministry of Magic, he was a couple of inches taller than her. He looked down into her eyes, shocked at the mere fact that he was capable of standing over her.
Somehow it just wasn't right. This small young woman before him just didn't feel like what a Dark Lord should be. But he'd seen her murder, he'd seen her torture, and he'd heard stories of worse.
"You don't look fine," he said. Emily shook her head.
"Magic using your blood is costly. Powerful. But costly. I'll be fine," she closed her eyes.
"What do we do now?" he asked.
"I can disenchant the room. It will take me a few minutes. But hopefully I can do it before they get an army here. They have to know what I tried to do. I'm sure they're on their way to check," Emily said.
"Can I help?" he asked.
"Probably," she said. "Let me formulate a plan before-" and the entire room shook. She fell into his arms. He caught her, hugging her, but she slipped from his grasp immediately.
"What was that?" he asked.
"They're already here," she said as the room shook again, the plaster on a nearby wall cracking.
"What are they doing?" Harry asked.
"It's a sealed room," Emily said. "They've got to break in. It'll get worse the closer they get."
"How long?" he asked.
"Minutes," she said.
"What do we do?" he asked, panic welling up inside of him. But, then again, she was Lord Voldemort. Surely, she'd fought through worse odds before. She had to have a plan. She'd be able to come up with something.
"We're not both going to make it out of here," she said coldly. "I guess I was right about tonight."
"What?" Harry blinked as she spoke, the truth of her words filling his head. He knew what she was talking about even before she said it.
"It does all end tonight," she said. She clutched her wand and looked up at Harry. "There's still so much left that needs to be done. I'm sorry. But this is the only way I can accomplish that."
"You're going to kill me," he said as understanding flooded through him.
"Of course not you stupid boy," Emily scoffed. "You're going to do it."
"What? No! I wouldn't do that. Suicide is…I'm not Umbridge. I'm not going to do that," Harry stepped away from her, looking around the room for any possible exit.
"No. It has to be you," Emily said.
"Never," Harry spat back.
"It's not like you even had any control of your life. No. It's always been me. It was so easy too. A fake woe-is-me story with Dudley as an excellent prop and you come to the rescue. And then woo you with a picnic and a smile. Boys are really so easy. Then subtly teach you magic, make you question the ministry, treat you to a good time while everyone else hides you away. It was so very easy. And you fell for it," Emily laughed coldly.
"Why," Harry gasped, anger filling him, tears clouding to his eyes.
"Because you would have been one hell of a weapon. That would have been the ultimate victory. To have Dumbledore's golden child come out with me. To have him wrapped around my finger. And then to get the Granger girl with you, too? The savior and the talented Muggle Born. Exactly what your father could have been. That was more difficult, though. I just couldn't get you to stop thinking about fucking me and actually fuck her. Perhaps she was just a poor target. Either way, that plan is shot now," Emily said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked. He frowned as she spoke. Something about her words rang falsely in his head. Like she was trying to convince him to do what she wanted, rather than speaking the truth. One of his hands balled into a fist as she spoke, the other gripped his wand tightly.
"One must always be able to explain one's actions, Harry," Emily said snottily, echoing her words from the graveyard. "Now do it."
"No," Harry said.
"Stop being a coward and do it!" she ordered and pain seared through his scar.
"No," he said again, more sternly.
"Fine, Imperio," she said, pointing her wand at him.
Do it, a voice whispered into his head. He shook his head against it, refusing to acknowledge the command, but pain seared through his scar once more.
Do it. She commanded in his head. Over and over and over. He closed his eyes and tried to fight her, but it just made his scar well with pain. He felt his hands rise, his wand pointed.
No. he argued against the curse. She can't make you do it. She can't end it all like that. You won't let her. Be stronger than her. You can be—
Pain. Nothing but pain. Disorienting pain. He couldn't even stay on his feet. Do it and it ends. Do it and it's all over. Do it and you'll find happiness. It's easy. It's two words.
And then she was pulling him to his feet, her hands on his, both pairs wrapped around his wand. His hands felt wrong though, like they were backwards, pointing in the wrong direction. He could barely see her. She was smiling at him, a warm single-dimpled smile.
Here. Let's do it together. That's easier isn't it? Then it will all be over. It's just two words. Nothing more than that. You know the words. Here, right here. She held his hands up, nearly level with his heart.
No. I won't do it. I don't want to die. It doesn't have to be like this. You don't have to do this. Let's just think. Let's get out of here.
But the room rumbled again, and the walls were falling apart around them. And they were out of time. They both knew they were out of time.
Come on. Just two words. Two words and it's all over. Two words and we're done. Say them with me. Say them for me. Do it for me, Harry. Do it because I want you to.
Okay, fine. You win. I hate you.
I know. Now. Say them.
"Avada Kedavra," they said in unison.
Harry felt the power surge from his wand. It was a powerful spell the likes of which he had never felt before. The blinding green-white light filled the room as he felt his body fall to the floor. He felt something icy pass through him, the last vestiges of his life leaving, he thought, as he settled into the cold embrace of darkness.
It took the ministry three more minutes do break into the sealed cell. And another few moments to clean up the debris. When they find found him on the floor of the chamber he was clutching her corpse tightly to him. His tears flowing freely into her hair.
