Chapter Thirty-Five
Before the Storm.
They existed, creatures cloaked in despair and gloom and stirring in fitful containment. They did not like being confined, even if it was temporary and necessary for the plan. For beyond their confinements, they could sense happiness they longed to devower, driving them to repeatedly attack the confines of their magical prison in the effort to get at it.
Had there been Aurors or Hit Wizards patrolling in the vicinity of the luggage carriages, had there been a suspicion raised about the odd sounds, banging noises, and the unusual chilling sensation coming from the baggage carriages, their existence would have been discovered and the plan thwarted. But with the train moving at its great rate of speed such noises were simply taken for improperly secured trunks and various other items. That was considered the job of the baggage handlers, not those defending the Hogwarts Express from attack.
Nor was it even considered that such beings could even be transported in such a manner…
Hagrid had seen more in his lifetime than he'd ever let known. It was a personal matter, the numerous injustices delivered upon him simply because of what he was--not because he ever did any harm to anyone or ever wanted to. Those memories he was very reluctant to share, due to the pain they'd inflicted upon his already battered soul by remembering them. He did try sharing his love of the Magical World's numerous creatures as the instructor of the Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts, if not overly successfully in the endeavor. But prejudice and cruelty from the narrow and mean ended that after four years with his 'exile'.
Then there was the matter of why he was wanted back, without either a clear notion or clue of what he was going to be doing at Hogwarts... The Representatives never went into great detail over it beyond the threat of revoking his newfound citizenship if he didn't comply with the 'request'.
But the arrival of Harry, Ginny, and her Brothers in the tiny white car that Dolly pulled off the side of the train by leaning out the window was something that even surprised Hagrid to no end. Especially when they stepped out of it.
They had greeted him like a long lost friend, Harry especially, who was apologetic about what happened at the Wedding and what he went through. Ginny was quicker, departing his company for 'just a little while' with Dolly in hot pursuit; which left Hagrid rather bewildered until Fred remarked about her 'Drinking too much.'
"Ah…I see." Hagrid simply nodded, because he understood the remark.
Then there was the car's owner, whom George introduced as 'Jayland Day', whom to Hagrid's perspective appeared slightly shiftily looking but not at all hesitant towards extending his hand in a friendly way. The Twins explained that it was he who kept them all safe and hidden on the far side of the World, and taught them all a good many useful things. Day was modest about it, but became vague when Hagrid asked him exactly what he'd taught them. Fred and George filled in the details, which comprised of silly Muggle-inventions such as cars, guns, cell phones, radios, and computers. Hagrid really had no ideal what a Computer was, or that you could either play games, or converse with others, on it. And Television, during those few times he was ever close to one, was simply too irritating to believe. Leaving him wondering about most Muggles in general…
But teaching them how to successfully break into any place, with or without magic, and how to counter any magical defense, really raised his concerns--prompting him to turn on Day asking more directly this time; "You taught them what?"
"And…Magic too." Day hesitatedly responded.
"And what exact magic were that?" Hagrid then asked, feeling not only very protective of his young friends but becoming very concerned about the character of this Mr. Day. Fletcher was bad enough with his schemes and opportunistic character, but teaching them how to be criminals were steps taken way too far as far as Hagrid was concerned. The return of both Ginny and Dolly though disrupted whatever response Day started to give, especially when he was told by Dolly that Bone wanted to see him up towards the front of the Train.
He completely sagged with dismay at this news. He neither expected, nor wanted, even to speak with 'Bone' for that matter. But resigning himself to his fate, and before leaving, Day directly told Hagrid; "You may not like what I taught them over the summer, but I trust them with those skills—especially nowadays, but such may keep them alive. And, it was better for them to learn, as opposed to just sitting around watching television which we could have done."
"Which would have driven us utterly mad." Fred added.
"So, Hagrid, please stop being so…Percy-like." George put in.
Percy-like? Hagrid's mouth dropped open in surprise and his skin rankled at the thought of being anything like their traitorous older brother, and was about to yell that at them when Harry and Ginny stepped up to plead with him.
"Hagrid, please…don't yell." Harry quickly pleaded.
"You know my brothers don't mean it." Ginny quickly added.
"We'll tell you everything that happened." Harry offered.
"Indeed," Ginny added, bobbing her head quickly in agreement, "everything."
Her brothers glanced at Day, who with a sigh added to them all; "I'll be back. Try not to argue too much over it, please?"
Then said his good-byes and exited the compartment, deftly slipping past Hagrid to do so.
They didn't touch any of the food that was brought to them.
Dudley wanted to, but his parents, namely his Father, wouldn't allow it. The sandwiches, cookies, pickles, and sweets with properly chilled bottled drinks sitting on the large trolley before them in their 'private compartment' was becoming increasingly as tempting to him as it was to simply telling off both his parents that they were being utterly stupid about it all. But really couldn't muster the courage to do so. In fact, he was wondering why he couldn't have any of it. It had been a terribly long time since he or any of them had eaten, and why now of all times had Father forbidden any of them to eat what was laid out before them. It certainly didn't look bad…
Worse, every time he tried moving, even something innocent like adjusting his sitting poise on the compartment's bench, his Father face would take on an extremely red complexion and yell at him with such explosive anger that even his giant moustache bristled with energy.
"No!" he'd snap. "Don't you even dare consider eating any of that!"
And Dudley's Mother would look crossly at him as well. Though by late afternoon, even she was eyeing the food like he son was. And whenever her husband's attentions were on Dudley, she'd sneak some. Dudley felt this was grossly unfair, he wasn't Harry—why were they treating him like this?
It didn't seem to matter at all to Vernon Dursley.
"Don't! It could be dangerous!" he barked right into his son's retreating face.
"But Father," Dudley began to whine, and was quickly cut off.
"Don't, But Father me, boy!" Vernon Dursley warningly glared at his son. "That food is dangerous!"
"But it looks like—"
"I don't care what it looks like, damnit! It's their food, and I'll be damned if I'll ever touch it—or let any of my Family touch it! Right Petunia?"
Petunia Dursley was an absolute physical contrast to her larger husband, with her thin figure and longer than what could be perceived as 'normal' neck, responded to her Husband's statement with an affirming nod of her head while her mouth was hidden behind her slender hand.
"Yes, my dear, that exactly right!" Her husband sneered to her before turning back to his son. When he did, Petunia took advantage of the moment to quickly wipe the crumbs of the small sandwich from her mouth that she recently flinched from the trolley tray and quickly gobbled while he was scolding Dudley just then. Dudley had seen her do it, and was in misery because he couldn't do it because he was too far away from the Trolley.
"So listen to me Boy, and listen good! Don't you dare accept anything these freaks try offering you, because…because…"
Vernon Dursley appeared at a loss as to what to say next, since his mind couldn't find any reason to reasonably justify why they shouldn't have any of the food they had been offered. For him, life had been perfect and wonderfully organized along very narrow and strict lines. No disruptions, no headaches, and most of all no weirdoes who stood out where ever they went disrupting everything everywhere they happened to be just by happening to be there...
Just like Harry.
Once, the Dursley's had a pleasant, ordinary, life, by their standards, consisting of pleasant ordinary things until Harry Potter, as an infant, had been left on their doorstep. For the next seventeen years afterward, the Dursley's lived with both resentment of being 'made' to care of the infant and the fear of what he'd eventually become. They knew he was a wizard, they knew that from the letter that had been left with the still sleeping infant as well as the fact Petunia admitted her sister, Harry's Mother, was a witch.
From that moment on, to them, it had became a never-ending series of continual bad luck.
Resentful of being chosen to care for their unwanted nephew, and afraid of what would happen to them if they didn't care for him, were the reasons why they went out of their way to treat Harry with such cruelty as he grew up. It had been their fervent hope that by treating him so miserably they'd be able to crush and squeeze out any hope or ability from him, leaving him empty and without any feeling of self worth. They almost succeeded, but in the end it all came crashing down when upon Harry's eleventh birthday when he discovered what he really was…
From then on, it became a battle of wills. Of trying to keep what Harry was hidden as best they could from all of their relatives and neighbors. Of being afraid of what would happen if everything was found out about Harry. For six years, the stress wore on them, in many different ways, until the start of last summer when all that stress finally boiled over into once massive argument that finally prompted Vernon Dursley to pitch Harry right out of the house with all his things following after. It didn't matter at all to Harry, having had enough of trying to warn them of the dangers of this 'Voldermort', was more than willing to leave them to their fate. Nor did it matter to them, they simply wanted him gone and welcomed the opportunity when it presented itself to do so. And, for the first time in seventeen years, they weren't living under that horrible cloud of fear. They had freed themselves of the commitment.
And if any of his lot didn't like it, that was tough.
They were free from it all, and that was it.
Now the Dursley's were in trouble, very deep trouble. Grunnings entrance into the global market was to have been a very smooth, and very profitable move for both the company and the Dursley's, until a final financial audit turned up the loss of several billions in corporate and investor money due to a very slight but massive blunder in the wording of key portions of the agreement--drawn up by both Vernon and Dudley Dursley.
The Dursley's denounced their critics and accusers, proclaiming their innocence far and wide, and very loudly, and were more than willing to present evidence showing that it was not they who undertook the 'Swindle of the Century', as the affair was being called. But just before they were to give that evidence to the Police, several members from the 'Ministry of Magic' quickly whisked them away from their rented appartment to a 'special location' where they would be 'protected from harm' without even getting their consent in the matter. Now here they were, on the very same train that would Harry take to his 'school', being taken to 'somewhere even safer'…
"Damn them all!" Vernon raged with honest anger over the disastrous turn in their lives, "Now how in hell are we going to get out of this mess!"
When he remembered all of that, finding a reason became very easy.
"Because they are the cause of all out problems, Boy. Every bloody one of them now! They've taken away any chance we had of clearing ourselves from this financial mess, and the Police won't believe a word we say now...Don't you understand? Don't you understand?"
Dudley did, very consideringly in fact. But it was still no reason in his mind to starve them selves to death over it.
The compartment door opened, and the very leader of the kidnappers who brought them to this place, a very serious looking red-headed young man with a thin face wearing dark billowy robes, entered with his wand at the ready-- followed closely by a taller more dusky man dressed the same and equally as serious.
"Is there a problem? I herd yelling." Percy Weasley calmly asked.
Ms. Dursley was the first to respond, a rapid closed mouth shake of her head, while Mr. Dursley replied with a nervous tone and smile, "All's fine, really…Mister…"
"Weasley. Percy Weasley."
Vernon Dursley almost yelled at the sound of that name. He also bore a very strong resemblance to Harry's close friend.
"Is there a problem with the food?" Percy then asked, motioning to the trolley.
"No, no. Nothings wrong." Vernon Dursley smilingly replied, hoping the young man would take a hint and leave them alone. But Percy Weasley eyed the food trolley in an unusual way before casting a suspicious glance back at Vernon Dursley.
"There's still a ways to go before Hogwarts, sir." He said, "The Minister wouldn't want you to suffer any indignities."
"We're fine." Vernon Dursley still smiled. "No worries, no problems."
And that would have been that if Dudley's stomach didn't utter a loud growl at that moment, or Percy not noticing the fine cookie crumbs in Petunia Dursley's lap that she tried hiding. But Vernon Dursley still smiled, clinging to the hope that Percy Weasley and his friend at the door would just go away…
No such luck.
"I don't know what you're thinking or trying to pull." Percy Weasley directly told the Dursley's in a voice that was becoming increasingly harsh. "But I for one do not think that starving yourselves is a very brilliant means of defiance. You're here with us for your protection from those who'd kill you just a soon as look at you!"
Then he moved back, scowling at them all, but not in the direction of the door that the now chastened Vernon Dursley so hoped he'd go back through. Instead, he sat down on the padded bench opposite of the Dursley's while placing his wand back casually on his lap. The second man entered the room fully, standing at the door after closing it behind his back.
"So, please," Percy motioned with polite anger and a free hand towards the trolley, "have something to eat."
Vernon Dursley wanted to cry. He wanted to fight. And most of all he wanted to be far away from where he currently was.
But he really couldn't…
"Well…if you insist." He meekly said, leaning towards the trolley with very hesitant hands.
Dudley's and Petunia's hands weren't so hesitant however.
His name was Nord. He came to check, to be sure.
A not so much a noticeable person, onboard as an Auror, one of the 'brave volunteers' who answered the Ministry's call to protect the Hogwarts Express at all costs from any Dark Lord attacks, and one of those in charge of securing the Baggage Cars from any sabotage. A lowly position on such an important mission, no one suspected him at all.
This further insured the plan's success, because who'd consider an attack like this? All attention was largely focused on the Passenger Cars and Supply, with only a minimal dealt out to the passenger's personal effects. A considerable boon for his Dark Lord, for with this concealed Death Eater's help numerous Dementors were carefully smuggled aboard in disguised steamer trunks and various cases.
In the dim light of the Baggage Car, the properly stacked and secured trunks and cases looked fine from the outside…Except for that third one from the bottom that started rattling.
If there was anyone else with him, they would have become very curious possibly to the point of raising alarm. Nord would have killed him instantly, without question. But in doing so would have put the entire plan at great risk because. It was two hours before twilight, when Dementors work their best. The Master's plan could not foiled by such a rotten stroke luck now, not with all those despised with in The Master's very reach. So with a careful glance at the door, the Death Eater knelt down by the Trunk in question and began whispering a special spell to keep the monstrosities with in pacified within their 'cage'…
Until it was time.
Even after Day told him everything in the sound-proofed privacy of the Executives' Car, Bone was still in disbelief.
Irritated disbelief…
"I cannot believe that you had the nerve to do such things in front all those people! Why couldn't you have used a Memory Charm, or Lethe Command, on that first officer that spotted you?"
Day didn't like having to explain himself, or being ripped into by Bone. Hell, he wasn't there. And despite the best explanations he could come up with, Day knew he wasn't getting anywhere with the Ambassador.
But he wasn't about to give up either.
"The Cop was on a Motorcycle and on us before we could do anything."
"You ran." Bone pointed out.
"It was reflex."
Bone just snorted rudely.
"Besides," Day continued with a desperate shot, "who's going to believe—"
"Considering your method of arrival at Kings Cross, I would say several thousand at the least. And defiantly the whole world by week's end!" Bone flared, cutting Day off. "Your entrance there, as it turned out, was through the newest section of that Station that was in the process of being dedicated. Or, did you bother wondering why there were so many public officials and news reporters there?"
That stung, and for an instant Day considered just telling Bone off and walking away. But that would have gone against a lot of things he personally held, and the possibility of simply being ignored and left along afterwards he figured was nil.
That pause gave him another line of attack.
"Fine, I screwed up." He sharply began. "But Harry could have been on board without all that trouble if we knew about when the Train would be leaving, and how it would be defended."
That made Bone glare.
"And," Day continued, "How are we going to keep Harry from being molested at Hogwarts? That I'd like to know."
And Bone became flustered. "The matter of Mister Potter's reinsertion is well taken care of. All you need to do was to protect him, and get him to the Train in a properly deemed manner!"
"Ya, well, Murphy came along and that was the end of that!" Day quickly countered. "All we can do now is move on, and hope that Voldermort can be stopped before Containment is begun."
Bone blinked. His mouth, his whole face, worked to get something out in response. He had played his ace, cutting down the Ambassador's irritation by playing up that possibility. Bone couldn't muster a sound for seconds, while Day simply glared back with a bitter frown.
"So," Day slowly said, "Me and the Crew still protect Harry?"
Bone finally composed himself. "Among other things." He lowly growled. "You may even be allowed to 'Teach' at Hogwarts as well."
Now it was Day's turn to be rendered speechless, if not seriously surprised.
At this, Bone managed to smile--even though he was far from happy with Day at the moment.
"Considering what you've been teaching them, Mister Day, you might actually get…recruited." Bone continued in that growling tone. "And your Crew too…Apparently, they've made a favorable impression on several people."
Me, teach?
One of the first things I did when hearing that was to not ask 'how' he herd, because it was simply too obvious. But it would explain why Fred and Barney dropped by the house as often and unannounced as they did.
Then again, Skywise would have been working his magic up at Hogwarts with the others, Doc and Dolly undoubtedly gave a good account of themselves with the Weasley's and that would have been passed along…
But me as a Teacher, that was a twist.
Bone must be ready to place Scrimgeour in a Hammerlock and twist his arm at the same time; otherwise why mention it? And he can still call down the Law and nail me good for whatever reasons pleased him at the moment, so I was taking a big risk in fighting back in the face of his anger over 'our arrival' on the Express.
Bone was a shark, angling for an attack. Where I couldn't exactly see, but I wouldn't be too wrong if it turned out to be me.
This required some thinking time, which Bone handed to me when he dismissed me from his presence.
In the corridors outside and on the platforms between the cars, those on duty gave me an indifferent look as I passed through as I nodded simply in turn.
By then, the sun was setting and I was in dire need for a smoke.
The entire day had been a swirl for Hagrid, as he tried making sense of many things being told to him by, and including, Harry Potter seated across from him in the compartment with Ginny Weasley practically stuck to his side. Oh, he had no problem with that. Hagrid knew they were a close couple for some years before, and was right glad they'd finally gotten together. Harry was in dire need for some distraction, something to keep his mind off of what he had to do for a little bit so he wouldn't be all dark and dower…
But after sitting there, listening to their tales of living on the other side of the World, it finally occurred to Hagrid what it was about Harry that had been bothering him so.
"Aey Harry, yer all brownish! Wot happened?"
And come to notice it, Ginny was too.
Harry nearly surrendered to the urge to smile back at that. He could feel his mouth, on its own violation, trying to form such. But with him knowing it now it became instead a jumbled line stretching across his face. Then he felt selfish about preventing it from occurring, and just let it as Ginny replied back.
"Hagrid, haven't you been listening to what Harry and I been explaining to you?"
"Ah…'ell." The half-giant sputtered with surprise. "Yer were just tellin' me about being in…"
He paused, working his mouth to say 'California'—but it came out instead as, "Kal-a-phorn-ya."
"That's right, yes." Harry smiled.
"But wot on Earth were yer doing there? What about yer relatives? Not that they really think much of you, I know. But Dumbledore put yew there fer yer own protection against Yer Know Who." Hagrid concernedly countered. "Why in blazes did yew up an go to the other side of the World fer?"
Harry started to speak, but stopped himself when he realized that he never had the chance to explain that he's was tossed out of his relative's home for fighting back against their constant pressure that he leave a little sooner. Uncle Vernon figured that a few weeks didn't really matter a whole lot, and therefore he didn't need to stay a moment longer with them.
At least the Knight Bus was still summonable, that was how he made it to the Weasley's.
"Well," Harry began to explain, "It was like this—"
"And the Wedding" Hagrid's voice rose a little above 'friendly'. "Just where did yer go? Not that I'm mad about it, because of what the Ministry did and all. But a good many of us absolutely scared outta r' wits because we thought that 'Yer Know Who' had somehow snatched yer right out from under us."
"Y-yes Hagrid, I know."
"And then Fletcher bein' found dead in the middle of London like e' was, and yer supporting the Ministry--."
"That—"
"It wasn't Harry, Hagrid." Ginny frowned.
"It…weren't." Hagrid blinked in surprise at being brought up short.
"No, Hagrid, it wasn't me." Harry finally was able to put in. "But I'm certain that I know who it could be."
It was for the longest moment that they stared at each other; it had come to Harry during his imprisonment at the Ministry, now he was trying to summon up the courage to speak the name of the person, the only person he knew capable of doing an impersonation of him, while Hagrid, and Ginny too, waited with a wondering expressions.
Finally with a swallow to sooth his dry mouth, Harry said it; "Tonks."
For a moment, they stared at Harry with shock and disbelief on their faces. Then Hagrid exclaimed; "Just wot in der World is wrong with yer, Harry! Tonks' is a friend; she wouldn't go betrayin' yer for any reason. That's just…rot, pure rot!"
"Then where's Lupin?" Harry directly asked him. "The last time I saw him, and Tonks, was when they were together at the Wedding. They had gotten themselves married just a short time prior, right?"
Ginny wanted to say something, but withheld it in light that the conversation was now between Harry and Hagrid. But she knew, she remembered how Tonks would entertain her with her metamorphmagus abilities.
So it could be…
"Well, yes they did." Hagrid quickly rose to the defense. "I was the best man for them…"
Then he remembered, and struggled with it for it attacked his current beliefs.
But never the less, it came out. "Besides Bill and Fleur, Umbridge went after…them…And me…"
For a moment, the possibility of betrayal seemed to overwhelm him as he sat quietly on the bench across from theirs. But this was quickly shaken off by reaffirming his earlier beliefs. "Tonks wouldn't betray yer, Harry. She would die first before doin' such!"
This Harry had to calm himself down before continuing. As much as he liked Hagrid, his insistence in the matter was beginning to irritate him to no end. And that's when Ginny spoke up, "Not if Scrimgeour was holding Lupin, thus forcing Tonks to impersonate Harry." She began. "He was holding Harry before we rescued him from the Ministry."
"Rescued from the Ministry?" The words dribbled from Hagrid's mouth, mingling with the surprise forming on his face as he turned to gaze at Harry.
"Hagrid," Harry slowly said. "I think you'd better listen to everything we're about to tell you."
The point behind Exploding Snap was for a player to obtain four identically numbered cards while avoiding the charmed cards which, after a very random period of time, would suddenly 'explode' in their hand with a very loud snap! Causing a singing pain to the unfortunate players fingers. When that happened, the unfortunate player in question would then forfeit a prescribed number of cards from their holding pile to the other players. This game, as Agent Fredricks so pointed out, drew similarities to the muggle card games of Gin and Go-Fish. Doc and Dolly with Fred and George played the game on a small collapsible table Fredricks had brought along in the compartment next to where Harry, Ginny and Hagrid were.
The Americans were fairing poorly at first against their British hosts, with Doc constantly receiving the worst of it by holding cards no one else had, or wanted at the moment he was willing to give them. A few times he looked ready to loose his temper from the frustration and hurt fingers, but stubbornly hung on while holding his cards with as few fingers as possible. Dolly faired better, using natural wit and charm to clear any charmed cards from her hands before they had the chance to explode. And as the dusk settled, she began claiming victory after victory against the Brothers—though the presence of Agent Barnabus, who was simply standing next to the window watching the sunset, may have had something to do with it.
The darkly silent oriental understandably made the Brother's jumpy. Dolly was slightly nervous, but doing a wonderful job of maintaining control. Only Doc wasn't reacting to the creepy presence, due to his now seriously stinging fingers.
But after a while, George looked up at Agent Fredricks and in an earnest, but quiet, voice asked, "Could your partner stand…like, somewhere else?"
The usually self-confident brothers gazed pleadingly at the surprised Bureau agent, ignoring the equally surprised Doc and Dolly seated just below.
"He's no where near you two. I don't see the point." Fredricks easily shrugged.
"It's his presence." Fred lowly pointed out with uncharacteristic hesitance. "We didn't notice this back in Fresno, but being in close proximity with him now gives us the willies."
"Oh that is just cheap." Dolly remarked in an exasperated way while putting her cards down on the table. "He's just standing there, watching what's racing past outside, not even bothering or pestering you in person."
"So just--" Doc began easily saying, then three of his cards suddenly exploded causing him to jump up from his seat in surprise, nearly upending the table in the process, which was then replaced by the vigorous shaking of his hand accompanied by loud swearing over both his luck and the pain.
And still Barnabus didn't move from the window.
When things had reasonably settled down behind him however, he began to twitch in a nervous way. Fred was the first to see this, and quickly pointed it out to Fredricks while Dolly helped Doc administer a cold pad to his injured hand, and George was left straightening the table and picking up the cards.
Fredricks just froze, gazing at his partner.
"I take it that's nothing good?" Fred whispered to him.
At that moment, Barnabus turned. His usually impassive face unusually taunt, and Fredricks didn't need prompting to explain.
"Trouble!" he snapped, digging his Desert Eagle automatic from its shoulder holster.
15