Chapter 36 – Revelation, Discovery, Attack

Harry leaned against the window watching the countryside flash past, a gentle smile across his features as he swayed gently with the rocking of the carriage.

They had left without incident or persuasion from Dumbledore, perhaps he'd learned, perhaps he'd given up.

Harry had more important things on his mind.

The night before they'd left to go home for the holidays Snape had had a meeting from what he could tell with Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and three others, Harry had seen this odd bunch of Slytherins meeting right in the middle of the Quidditch pitch.

However no matter how much he glided over them he couldn't hear what was being said, Snape had obviously chosen the middle of the pitch for that reason, Harry had supposed that he would have cast some sort privacy charms whatever had been said Harry guessed it couldn't be good considering that the Slytherins were smiling and Snape looked determined.

But all of that would hopefully wait for another school year Harry wished this much.

But wishes mean very little…even in a world of magic…who said that? Harry wondered momentarily frowning.

Ron was off somewhere, well he'd been dragged out of their compartment by a randy looking Fox.

The others he was sharing a compartment with…seemed pretty content.

Hermione, almost like every other train ride was flipping through an old tome, probably something she 'liberated' during one of her ventures to old teaching classrooms, Harry had to admit she'd become quite good at it even without his invisibility cloak. "I'll return them Harry!", she'd said wide eyed and honestly.

"After you've read and memorised them and made detailed notes…." Harry had commented amused.

She was leaning against the door, Ginny was half curled up between her and Seamus, Seamus was half asleep next to Neville who like Ginny was flipping through a book.

Dean was talking in soft tones to Luna and Draco who were sitting opposite the other group.

The sweet lady passed their door, Harry smiled to her as she passed and shook his head gently, she made a 'aww' face seeing all the people in the compartment curled up half asleep.

Harry pulled his bag out from under his feet and dug around in his bag for something to read, finding Genetic Politics Beyond the Third Zone and a half empty bag of dried locusts.

Grinning like madly and a low "ah ha!" made Hermione look up from her book.

Harry offered Hermione the bag, she looked at it and gave him a weird look.

"Locusts?"

"Dried, kinda tasty. Luna, Dean, Draco? Or are we all to scared, after all who would eat Cockroach Clusters." Harry deadpanned.

Draco muttered something about the cock but shook his head Dean took one, Luna smiled warmly and took a handful.

Harry settled into his chair slowly munching on the dried insects.

The book which Harry recalled reading some time ago, in fact he found where he had folded down a corner seemed to mention some things that Harry had heard in passing.

Or maybe read in passing.

The term 'Timelord' seemed to tug at his memory, Harry couldn't place it, although it could have been during his time in the Night Wolf library, idly choosing random books or computer files and reading them, he'd at one point looked up files pertaining to what the Brig had referred to as his 'Blood and Thunder days', Harry had been surprised that Britain ever had a space program…not as surprised as he was when he had found out that a top secret multinational organization had ships build from crashed alien space craft and 'backward engineered' technology. 'Except the Americans, they're a little pig headed about UNIT "interfering with their country" so they're kept out of the loop.' Harry recalled from one of his many discussions with various members of Night Wolf, but still an at least semi-publicised Mars program came to him as a bit of a shock.

Harry's mind drifted as he flipped through the pages.

If I went back in time and killed Voldemort's grandfather…therefore making him never born…'to time active cultures this is not merely fantasy'…it's probably one of his fantasies…

Harry shook his head and continued to flip through the book, Harry began to realise why it had migrated down to the bottom of his bag in favour of Agatha Christie. It was filled with…strange things, stuff about demon cults, voodoo rituals and time travel.

Harry chucked down the book in favour of the window and his locusts.

"Not good?" Harry looked up.

"What?"

"The book Harry you seem annoyed."

"Serves me right for picking an odd book. Hermione."

"You're an odd person Harry, this year has shown that."

"Comfortable?" Harry said raising an eyebrow at her.

Hermione looked across the people who were on her side of the compartment and then smiled dreamily.

"Yes."

"Good." Both Luna and Harry said softly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the pair.

"Fine toss me the locusts, whatever doesn't kill me…"

"Can only make you stronger." Harry finished.

"Or just a little bit sick." Neville added, Luna pulled a face at him.

A while later Harry put his book away and felt around in his bag and then cursed and unshrunk his trunk and began to dig around inside it pulling out the invisibility cloak.

"Hey what's that Harry?" Dean looked up at him.

"Buggering hell…" Harry muttered to himself and dropped the cloak, Hermione and Luna stared at him as he grabbed Dead and stared him in the eye.

"You did not see anything, Harry walked out the door and I fell asleep, Harry walked out the door and I fell asleep, Harry walked out the door and I fell asleep, you understand?" Harry never broke eye contact with Dean despite Hermione's protests and Luna's words of concern.

Harry watched as Dean fell onto Luna's shoulder asleep.

"What the, what was that Harry?"

"Forgot where I was, still got to keep some secrets…secret." "You hypnotised him Harry." It wasn't a question it was a statement of fact from Luna.

"No."

"No?" Luna said surprised, Hermione looked a little smug.

"It was suggestion, only works for a little while, I need to go I'll be back soon." He slipped the cloak onto his shoulders.

"Where are you…"

"Going? For a walk, I have a bad feeling."

"Oh…"

Harry wandered through the train carefully avoiding people, his cloak smelled like Hermione, she'd certainly used it more than he had this year, although he hadn't needed to sneak around and spy on people.

A bit hard to hide as a bird in a train though…I suppose I could pretend to be an owl…

Nah that wouldn't work.

Harry continued to wander until he got to what the other houses thought of as they Slytherin part of the train.

Harry wasn't any sort of expert on the Slytherin house population, but from what he could tell a good deal of the 6th and 7th years were missing or in a heightened state of awareness, Harry kicked the door and stepped out of the way, most of them spun around a spell on their lips and some an odd feral smile.

Walking slowly back through the carriage Harry noticed a few others, a minority in the other houses only one or two in the other houses, these people hadn't been part of the DA in the previous year or the various defence study groups that had sprung up throughout the year, many had come to Harry, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna and Ron and other core DA members for advice and help, Hermione had jumped at the chance…in between her little extracurricular activates.

But what Harry was seeing was worrying, very worrying.

Harry walked back into their compartment shutting the door loudly waking all those who were asleep up, Ron had come back from where ever he had been and had lipstick on his neck.

Better than dirt on his nose.

"We're in a shit load of trouble."

Harry said pulling off the cloak.

"Dean remember." Harry grabbed Dean and stared into his eyes.

"Harry, why, oh, cloak…"

"Harry, what…what…trouble?"

Harry pushed Luna and the other across on the seat so he could put his trunk.

"Darken." He snapped his fingers gesturing the windows to the corridor, they swirled becoming a dark shade before turning black, two of the windows crack.

Hermione was pulling out her wand.

"Don't fix it. Anyone passing will think it's just an unused carriage."

"Harry…what's going on?"

Harry looked around the carriage and then back to Neville who had asked him the question.

"I think we're going to be attacked."

"Here?" Dean asked still a little dazed.

"On the station."

"Why? Why now?" Ron said rubbing at the lipstick on his neck having had it pointed out by a smirking Ginny.

Harry explained to them his witnessing of the meeting Snape had the previous night, the conspicuousness of the students missing and the others around the carriages.

All the while Harry was explaining this he was picking through his trunk.

Pulling out the pump action shot gun he was busy loading it with his red potion shells.

Tucking the shotgun behind his trunk he searched through for other things pulling out a rocket launcher, Hermione swore.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing with that?"

Harry shrugged and tucked it back in to his trunk.

"Probably not the best time for a rocked launcher."

"When is the best time?" Luna asked innocently.

"You've all got your wands I trust?" They all nodded.

"Good. When we get there…" Harry pulled out a few hand guns and began to holster them on his hip and ankle.

"Harry you're not seriously going to shoot people?"

"They would quite possibly use the killing curse on us, and yes probably I will shoot them, I just won't kill them."

"This is all going a little fast for me when did Harry go all commando?" Seamus said nervously.

"We don't know, during the holidays…" Hermione muttered. Harry was feeling around at the bottom of his trunk and grabbed about 7 pieces of oddly shaped wood he dumped them on Luna's lap.

"Everyone take one."

"Take the wood, never thought I'd say that with all of you present." Ginny muttered, Ron stared at her and then looked at Harry.

"What's the…"

"It's a shield, if you see a group of muggle parents hand it to them and tell them to say Protego."

"But you need a wa…" Ron started to say.

"You don't Ron." Draco said quietly.

"Just trust me Ron." Harry sighed, as he chucked his bag into the trunk and re-shrunk it, replacing it in his pocket.

He tucked the shotgun into his pocket and leaned back into the seat.

"Shouldn't we try and contact someone?"

"How?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Well you could…"

"I could…but then who should we contact?"

"Dumbledore?"

"Well now there's the sticker. If Snape is involved then Dumbledore should know because Snape is a spy in the Death Eater ranks," Harry ignored the gasps. "However if this is an attack and Dumbledore knows nothing…"

"That means that Snape is a spy…just not for Dumbledore." Hermione said slowly.

"Yes. In which case it's a good thing that Hedwig and Vespero are on their way to McGonagall and Remus as we speak." Harry glanced down at his watch.

Last night he had gone to see his owls and given them letters.

"Take this to Remus and McGonagall if I don't come and see you at the Shack."

"Why Harry?"

"Because I have a sneaking suspicion…that things are going to get messy, but I want to be sure."

"Very well…"

"So who is going to be fighting us?" Draco asked.

"Well…there's the people that are missing, the people that look jumpy…and who ever else is coming to the party."

"Oh…"

"What should we do?"

"Protect those that we can and those who can't protect themselves…"

"Harry…this is going to be bad." Ginny said.

"Very probably."

For the next hour as they steamed towards London they made quick plans.

They wouldn't try to force anyone to go, they would let all the people go to their parents, and then they would try and protect those that they could.

Harry showed them which part of the back of the neck to pound upon to knock someone unconscious, most of the time it worked.

Harry would take point and take out anyone hostile, being the one with the most weapons.

They would each leave the carriages at different points and if they were able to get to there parents, tell the what was happening.

So it was Harry walked calmly out of the train carriage an onto the magical platform and walked slowly and calmly over to where Remus and Tonks and Moody were looking jittery.

"Remus, where's McGonagall and the order?"

"She told us to come, she told Dumbledore, he said that if there were an attack Snape would have informed him."

"Oh…bugger. Which means…"

"You were right Harry."

"Yes Moody, I was hoping I wasn't this time."

Harry walked around surveying the area looking at all the possible points of interaction.

"Oh shitty death…" Harry muttered to no one in particular as he pulled out the shot gun and brought it to bear on the first student peeling out of the crowd.

"Avada…" He was blown backwards by Harry's shot and a stupefy from Ginny.

There were students crying and screaming, something trying to run for the barrier, but that had been the first point that was taken and blocked by taller and obviously older Death Eaters, the station was full of parents and probably held parents for all the students…not being attacked.

Harry pumped the shells out of the shot gun and fired again, and again, resorting to his wand every so often bracing the shot gun against his shoulder against the recoil so that he could fire it with one hand, a death eater screamed as his aim was off and the potion hit his or her face at point blank range.

Hmm, must have mixed that a little badly.

Scanning the crowd Seamus, Dean and Draco were firing off spells and trying to herd the younger students into groups with large groups of parents. Harry saw a shield flare into life around one group that was backed against the steam engine, another a moment later.

"Enjoying the show Potter?" A voice said behind him. A wand at his back.

"Pansy Parkinson, how does it feel to bow to Tom Riddle, though I'm sure all the boys have had you practise with that particular skill." Harry said casually.

"Crucio!"

Harry fell to his knees willing himself not to scream.

Well she has the hate thing down.

Harry thought as he reached into his coat with his left hand and fired backwards at Pansy's kneecaps she cut off the spell and immediately tried an Avada…

Harry spun around on instinct firing off shots at Pansy who fell to the ground, coughing up blood.

Hermione wasn't having much luck either, she'd given her shield wood thing to a group of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students and their parents and was valiantly protecting her parents as the tide of Death Eaters was diminishing.

Harry disappeared from where he was standing reappearing long enough to blast three Slytherin students with a paralysing spell, it wouldn't kill them…but the impact that their skulls had with the station certainly did.

Harry spun around kicking out at a younger Death Eater at the sound of a series of pops.

The order…or not…

It was McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, Sinistra and Madam Hooch.

So…no order. Typical.

They did however start to make a dent in the Death Eaters and junior Death Eaters that were present.

Harry dived forward as two Avada Kedvavra's were chucked his way, slashing out at the shins of one of the Death Eaters, he cried out in pain.

There were screams of everyone and then the adult Death Eaters started to move forward picking off anyone that was still putting up a concentrated fight.

They began moving towards the teachers, Mad-Eye and also Remus and Hermione who were protecting her parents and Draco who was bleeding from several places from various cutting curses and was shaking either from blood loss or something else.

Harry looked across, Remus and Hermione were weakening fast from the onslaught of 4 Death Eaters.

Shaking his head he unsheathed his wings and disappeared making sure he reappeared facing Remus and the others and cringing as several spells impacted with him.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed wearily.

"Haven't got…time…link hands don't argue…" Harry said, they all grabbed hands Hermione's parents too shocked to do anything.

Harry meanwhile was working stuff out in his head.

That's Hermione, Remus, Draco, and Hermione's parents, that's 5 people…where to where to?

Harry grabbed Remus and Hermione's hands the whole group disappeared in a gust of breeze…

They reappeared in front of a Scottish estate, surprising the Laird and his wife who were having a quiet afternoon drink.

The Laird recognized the young man despite the wings protruding from his body.

"Didn't take you for the angel."

"I'm not, sorry to…" Harry coughed catching his breath. "You did say I could drop in…I'll explain later…please help them." Harry disappeared in much the same way leaving the Laird with a few bleeding and exhausted people and two very frightened and bewildered parents.

His wife was already moving.

"I'll get the medical equipment." His wife said running for the house, it was lucky she was a retired Doctor…he wondered if Harry knew that.

Harry reappeared drawing a gun and his wand not even worrying about the fact he had his wings showing, he wrapped them around himself protecting him from the cruses that were still flying around, he fired spells and bullets at a crowd of masked students holding a tatty book as they disappeared, others were doing the same.

Harry spun around as did McGonagall and Moody at a voice.

"Give Dumbledore the Dark Lord's thanks Potter, Avada Kedavra!" Snape shouted the curse twice before disappearing with a pop.

Harry was only vaguely aware that the curses had found a target in one of the teachers protecting a group of first years. The second curse just missed Hooch who had dived out of the way at the last moment, Sinistra hadn't had her colleague's finesse and taken the full brunt of the curse.

The remaining Death Eaters and junior Death Eaters took this as a sign and disappeared also.

Harry walked over to McGonagall.

"Why didn't you bring the order?"

"Albus wouldn't allow it he refused to accept that…that Severus would betray us…betray him." She wiped tears from her eyes.

"Get back to Hogwarts, tell Madam Pomfey to expect…victims of his trust."

Harry walked around gathering together those that were life threatening, once he had a group of about 8 they disappeared, reappearing on the floor of the infirmary.

Harry did this another 4 times, as he was about to attempt a 5th run, Dumbledore and the rest of the order appeared on the station.

Harry propped himself up on a chair and walked over the Dumbledore, his wings were matted with blood of students.

"This is your fault, your trust in a…" Harry coughed he had a faint taste of blood in the back of his throat. "in a Death Eater did this." Harry watched as the order fanned out giving port keys to the remaining students parents and who ever else that was left that hadn't been able to escape on their own.

"Harry, my boy, I am….why do you have wings, is this from your time away?" Dumbledore said gently reaching out with a wizened old hand at the wings which hung limply around him.

"You don't care…even after all this…" Harry slumped against a pole attempting to step away from Dumbledore.

"This is the war Harry. I had wished to protect you…"

"Sure and what about the spy within your midst Dumbledore what about him?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"This wouldn't have happened if…"

"If what you hadn't told Snape, trusted him with everything and then told McGonagall that you weren't going to come because you trusted him…"

"Harry everyone has been moved to either Hogwarts or St. Mungos, Remus, Draco Nocturinis, Hermione Granger and her parents are the only ones missing."

"I know where they are, it's alright." Harry felt pressure on his head he was pretty sure it wasn't due to the headache that had been presenting itself for the last hour. Harry smacked out with the handle of his gun there was a sickening crack as it impacted with Dumbledore's face.

"What about casualties?"

"We're…we're still working out who died and who was…"

"A Death Eater…yes. I understand." Harry collapsed further onto the post.

"Harry, Here." Someone passed a vial to him Harry vaguely recognised the person as Tonks.

"Nyphadora…what is it?" Harry said leaning on the post more.

"Harry! Pepper up."

"How do I know it's you." Harry said slowly.

"Because you would have shot me it you thought different."

"Fair enough." Harry downed the potion in one go cringing at its hot acidic taste it was like bile and battery acid with lemon juice to taste.

Harry pulled himself off the poll to stand up straight.

"How do you feel about Headmistress?" Harry said out of the blue. "Stupefy." Harry muttered as Dumbledore collapsed to the ground. McGonagall stared at him.

"What?"

"He needs to go, this shouldn't have happened, you came and brought…help who stood their ground, I forgot that Flitwick was some sort of champion…wouldn't have thought it…" Harry trailed off, he was still a little woozy.

"Harry you're babbling."

"Yes I know Tonks you try doing several trips with several people and see how coherent you feel." Harry muttered sarcastically he took a deep breath and tried again. "So Minerva, Headmistress what do you say?"

"I…I…Dumbledore is still Headmaster…how…I don't know…what…"

"Go take care of the school, the students…the teachers…I'll contact you again during the holidays…" Harry looked down at the old man unconscious on the ground.

"Ennervate." Harry crouched down as he woke up.

"Good people were hurt and died here today, you are in part responsible for that, for not keeping the students safe, for not using the Order, which you claim is to keep 'us' safe. You're finished Dumbledore." Harry spat at Dumbledore and too a backwards lunge only just keeping his footing.

"Harry…" Dumbledore pulled his wand a Petrificus Totalus on the tip of his tongue. Harry had already disappeared.