The Unbreakable Vow

by Ash Darklighter

Strange lights are seen across a deserted country lane. The wizarding world is calling him home.

34. Chapter 34

The Unbreakable Vow 34

by

Ash Darklighter

It all belongs to JK Rowling and I thank her for her inspiration – There are no galleons to be made from me or by me. This little story is my first Harry Potter fic. It is AU and of course comments are welcome. I am also grateful for all the people who have read and reviewed this story. I am quite stunned by all the positive comments. I know I do not update as swiftly as everyone would like but life and work and everything that goes with it just slows me down. Thanks again for your patience.

Harry pressed the button which illuminated the flashing number above his work station signalling his availability and a breathless, package-laden old lady shuffled forward.

"Gary...I'd like to transfer some funds. Christmas shopping and all that."

"Of course, Mrs. Duff." He gave her a sympathetic smile. She was one of the bank's more regular customers. "I can see you've been busy already this afternoon."

The lady chuckled. "Ten grandchildren - all still believing in Santa Claus. Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?"

Harry laughed. "No. I usually do mine at about 4pm on Christmas Eve."

"You don't?" she said, with a gasp of laughter. "Surely not?"

"Alas, I do, but my wife usually loves what I get her," he confided. "She deals with the rest and we share the cooking. I can't let it be said that I'm not a 'new man'. I can peel the potatoes with the best of them. We share most things but I still get the potatoes." He completed the transaction with a cheeky grin on his face and waited for his next customer. The smile dropped from his face almost the moment Mrs. Duff had gathered together her plethora of packages and headed for the darkening outdoors. It grew dark very early this time of year.

He couldn't miss it, that bushy head of chestnut curls that had joined the queue three or four minutes ago. Harry smiled mirthlessly to himself. Of course, the old man would send Hermione Granger in to do his dirty work for him. She was the only current member in the Order of the bloody Phoenix that had a chance of making it in the muggle world. There were squibs and half-bloods in the Order but Hermione was the only one who had maintained an even balance between the world of her parents and where she was choosing to live her life. That and the only one who had been a close friend to Harry Potter.

He surreptitiously watched her as the queue moved forwards and heard her quickly stifled gasp of shock when it finally dawned on her that the young, suited muggle serving the man in front of her really was Harry. Unluckily for Hermione, she was sent to Kevin at the furthest point from Harry's workstation and he stifled his smile as he saw her aim a dark look in his direction as if it were up to him who came next in the queue.

Hermione could have stamped her smart dragon-hide shod foot in frustration. Alastor Moody was convinced that Harry Potter worked in this bank and so Dumbledore had sent her to check things out and make first contact if it were true. At first she'd thought it was a snorkack hunt – a waste of time - but then one of the bank staff had laughed loudly. It had been Harry's laugh – rarely heard in the last year of his presence in the wizarding world but unmistakeable. She'd scanned the desks ahead and there he was. It had to be Harry – it just had to be.

He'd seen her, she was certain, but he'd completely ignored her desperate glance and continued to serve customers as if he'd been doing it for years. Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, was married and working as a teller in a muggle bank. What would the Daily Prophet make of that tit-bit of information? An article appeared now and again but the wizarding paper had largely ignored Harry's disappearance. The story was that he was training to fight enemies of the magical world and with You-know-who being gone the wizarding world had had no need to call upon the Boy-who-lived-to-pull-their-arses-out-of-trouble. Unfortunately, with You-know-who being back the wizarding world would again clamour for Harry to do his duty and rid them of the monster once more.

But to Hermione, Harry did look as if he'd been working in the bank for years. If you didn't know who and what he was, you wouldn't think that the young man working so diligently in front of her was anything special. His hair, tamed into submission with what she assumed to be muggle hair gel, looked as if it was several shades lighter in colour and he wasn't wearing his famous round spectacles. She wasn't close enough to see his bright green eyes but she knew that their colour would be just as vibrant. He looked healthy although painfully thin. She didn't think Harry could ever gain a lot of weight. The changes he'd made to his appearance had been subtle but he'd passed unnoticed for five years. Maybe, he could even have done it in the wizarding world – wizards could be remarkably obtuse over many things that should be more obvious. They'd all been fooled by him. Harry wasn't the naive and brash young Gryffindor that he'd once been.

His plans to leave the wizarding world had been executed with patience and cunning. There had been something almost calculatingly Slytherin about the whole operation. But Harry could be cunning and he'd obviously been desperate enough to run. He wasn't going to be happy that the Order of the Phoenix was waiting outside ready to Obliviate the muggles he worked with and cart him back to the wizarding world like a naughty schoolboy. There was a good chance that he wouldn't make it easy for them and that would draw attention that neither Harry nor the Order would want. No, it wasn't going to be a straightforward affair.

Moody had intimated that he thought Harry's magic wasn't as feeble as they had thought. Dumbledore wasn't entirely convinced but Harry had ways of surprising everyone with his capabilities. He could think swiftly on his feet when cornered. On this occasion, Hermione decided that she would believe Moody rather than the headmaster. 'Constant vigilance' seemed to be a sensible idea.

Hermione finished cashing her cheque and had no choice but to leave the bank. She walked slowly towards the exit realising she'd no time to... She paused and actually considered that she might warn Harry what was awaiting him. Or would that just be stupid and set her against Albus? The bank closed at five and then the Order would pounce on him no matter what she said or did. After five years on the run, Harry was caught at last.

Was Dumbledore doing the right thing? Was she? Harry had had five years away from the wizarding world and hadn't appeared to want to return. Hermione considered the problem. If she had been stripped of her magic, the very thing that made her so special, she couldn't have borne being with others who still had what she had lost. Harry wouldn't return to the wizarding world without his magic and she didn't blame him for that.

The young witch frowned, her agile mind assessing the situation. She wanted to prove to Harry that she was still his friend and would support him now no matter what the headmaster wanted. Her faith in Dumbledore had taken a severe dent. Perhaps, if he had seen her then he'd be warned in any case. He didn't appear to be panicking in any way or making an attempt to evade capture. Maybe he hadn't seen her after all.

XXXXX

Harry noted that Hermione had finished her business and was walking slowly towards the exit. It was doubtful that she'd be alone once she left. This was, perhaps, his chance to test her loyalty to Dumbledore. "Marjorie," he called, "after I see this next customer, I'm away for my break."

A middle-aged woman on the business accounts desk shook her head. "You should have gone an hour ago, Gary."

"We were really busy then, so what could I do?"

"You could take your break when you're supposed to," the woman said with fond exasperation.

"The queue would have been out the door and half way down the High Street," he retorted. "And then you would really have been complaining."

Hermione turned to take one last look at her friend and found that he'd left his post. She quickly swept her eyes round the room. He was standing at the entrance to one of the small meeting rooms looking directly at her.

"Miss Granger?" Harry held out his hand to shake formally, as if she was a stranger. "Gary Peters," he murmured quietly.

Hermione paused, her mouth tightening. "Mr. ...Peters," she said, her eyes focusing on the identity tag around his neck.

He indicated the open office door with a wave of his hand. "If you could step into the meeting room for a few minutes I'm sure I can deal with your mortgage concerns."

Hermione drew herself upwards and walked carefully into the room. The door closed behind her with a dull click.

Harry seated himself behind the desk and waved his hand towards a semi-comfortable chair opposite him. "Hello, Hermione."

Hermione sank into the seat, her mouth opening and closing without emitting a sound as she finally faced him after five years. His eyes were brown...brown of all things. He looked more like the pictures of his father than he ever had and that was saying something. Harry Potter's eyes were famous and always made you look at them twice. She'd never seen eyes as vivid as Harry's anywhere else and he'd deliberately changed them. It was James Potter reincarnated but as she looked closer there were definite traces of Lily Evans. She'd seen enough photographs of Harry's parents over the years to be able to see the resemblance.

Harry chuckled. "It's not a surprise. I was expecting to see you."

"Me?"

"You're the muggleborn," he said with a shrug of impeccable, grey-suited shoulders. "Who else would the old man send? Plus, he's hoping that you'll appeal to my better nature. I sometimes took your advice in the past. Sometimes I wish I had and other times..." He grinned. "I dragged you with me."

Hermione stiffened and prepared to give him the telling off of his life. "Harry Potter..."

"Ah ah ah!" Harry said, waggling his finger. "Not in this town. In the muggle world there is no Harry Potter. Here, I'm Gary Peters. Close enough to the real thing for a mistake to be passed away as a slip of the tongue. People see and hear what they want to."

Her eyes flashed with anger. "What were you thinking?" she hissed. "Running away like that and marrying Ginny. You've broken a magical contract, Harry. You are going to be in so much trouble."

Harry shrugged.

Hermione looked pained. "We've been looking for you for five years."

"A waste of your time and resources, in my opinion. I covered my tracks well and had no magic for anyone to follow." Harry's smile was not pleasant. "What was I thinking?" he echoed. "I'll tell you what I was thinking. I was thinking of keeping myself alive and independent. I was thinking that no one had the right to sell my wife into a form of slavery without her consent. I was thinking that I didn't want to be used and manipulated any longer. I was thinking that I couldn't depend on anyone but myself. I was thinking that Voldemort wasn't going to come back for a few months, maybe even a year or longer if I was lucky."

"You know that he's back?" she asked.

"Of course I do," he said. "Who found Snape?" He raised his eyebrows and gestured to his own arm. "I recognised Voldemort's handiwork. Snape would have died if I hadn't sent him to Hogwarts. Surely Dumbledore didn't keep that piece of information from the Order?"

"We were worried about you, Harry. Can't you see that? Dumbledore and the Order..." she began.

"Can wait." He snapped, his anger and bitterness apparent. "I've lived and worked in the area for four years and I'm not planning on moving. Ginny and I are legally married and the Malfoys, the Wizengamot and even Albus Dumbledore himself, cannot break us apart. I am not going back to being locked up in Grimmauld Place like a criminal."

"But your magic..."

"Is fine – better than fine."

Her wand slipped into her hand at the speed of light. "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Harry's wand appeared in his hand even more quickly than Hermione's had in hers. The shield formed instantly. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione's wand landed safely in Harry's hand. "That was a really stupid idea, Hermione. How were you going to remove me from the building? I can't see you countenancing an Imperio? It doesn't work on me, remember? I won't be dragged back quietly. I'll fight and the Ministry will have to spend quite a bit of time obliviating muggles in this particular town for the second time in a matter of days. I don't think Dumbledore will want me as a guest of the Ministry no matter who's in charge."

Hermione's anger fled and she blinked to keep the tears from her eyes. He'd reacted so quickly and she couldn't see any weakness to his magic but a couple of spells didn't provide a true example of either strength or stamina.

"Look," Harry said quietly. "Don't shoot the messenger, right? I'm sorry that I'm taking my anger out on you but you're the Order's messenger – you're in my line of fire. Try to understand - I had to do what I did and I would do it again." He held out her wand. "Here, I don't want this but don't use it against me. You can't do things for my own good, Hermione. I'm not a child. How can I trust you if you don't work with me...don't trust me? You often think you know what's best for all of us and, Hermione, you don't. You can't."

"But Dumbledore just wanted to protect you."

"Did he?"

"Of course," Hermione cried. "That's all he ever wanted."

"Hmm." Harry murmured, a cynical look on his face. "Are you sure? And I'm supposed to be the only one able to defeat Voldemort."

"Dumbledore cares for you," Hermione protested but inside she felt sick. Harry really thought that the headmaster only saw him as some type of weapon?

"He can't protect me forever, Hermione," Harry sneered. "He doesn't have the right – he's not a parent or a guardian. And what he wanted to do was insane. Dumping me back at my aunt's, when I left there at the age of seventeen, wasn't fair to either of us. Petunia and I reached an understanding when I left. I wouldn't see her again unless she asked for me and I knew she'd never do that. I had not heard a single word from the Dursley's after I left Privet Drive. They hated me, Hermione. When does protection become a prison? How would Dumbledore have got me to stay there? Compulsion spells, an obliviate, or perhaps a well placed imperio?"

Hermione looked horrified. "But your magic..."

"Had gone. Argus Filch was more magical than I was back then. I couldn't even perform the simplest of spells. I couldn't live in the magical world. The old man was right about that. However, I wanted to make my own choice and he would have taken that away from me. I couldn't let that happen. Yes, I would have listened to his advice but he never listened to what I wanted. Luckily I had plans and was able to implement them."

Hermione's trembling fingers moved to her lips. "Oh, Harry. I'm sorry."

"I didn't abandon the wizarding world, Hermione," Harry said urgently. "I'm coming back. I have a prophecy to fulfil and I'll do it because the snake-faced bastard believes that I'm his main threat. Riddle will not leave me alone. I've started training again and I think I'm as strong magically as I ever was. Tell Dumbledore what I've said and that I'll make a point to meet with him after Christmas."

"I'll try though he may not listen."

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "He'd better if he wants me to cooperate. He needs me, Hermione, but he owes me the time with my family."

Hermione's face brightened at the mention of 'family'. "How is Ginny?" she asked hesitantly.

"Is well." He smiled at the thought of his fiery wife. "I'm not sure how I would have managed without her. No, I wouldn't have."

"What about Bill and Fleur?" Hermione's gaze was fierce. "You shouldn't have got them involved. Dumbledore wasn't very happy that they'd been helping you without telling him. It could get them into so much trouble with the Ministry."

"They're with Molly at the house. I didn't want to risk their safety but they offered to help and I only met up with them when I knew that Voldemort had returned. That was just after Halloween and until then they knew as much as you did - which was nothing. They want to keep Ginny and me safe. We've not broken any laws." Harry stood up, reached out and pressed Hermione's shoulder. "I wanted to tell you where I was but..."

She shook him away. "But it wasn't safe and you couldn't trust us."

Harry's face showed the pain he felt. He knew he'd been hurting Hermione and Ron but he'd felt such anger at the world around him – at those he'd thought he should have been able to trust and rely on. "I couldn't even trust myself," he finally admitted – as much to himself as it was to Hermione. "I was in a very dark place and I didn't know what would happen to me. It wasn't your fault or mine. I blame Voldemort and Dumbledore. It's irrational but that's how I felt. The fewer people that knew where Ginny and I had gone, the better. It kept us all safe. The thing is...if Ginny hadn't been targeted by the Malfoys I would have gone alone but do you know something?

Hermione quirked an eyebrow in response.

"I'm glad she came with me," Harry continued. "Ron... is he...?"

Hermione sighed. "He's Ron," she said. "Can be idiotically stupid and in the blink of an eye can be the most sane and mature of all of us. He's waiting for you to come back. We both are – we all are."

Harry's mouth twisted with a slight edge of cynicism. "Of course you are. Voldemort is still out there and the prophecy still exists. What does Ron think?"

Hermione glared at him, her quick mind catching his meaning. "We don't want you just because of V...Voldemort," she snapped. "Ron understands why you did what you did. He was angry and h...hurt but he got over it. He's waiting until you and Ginny come back to us because you'll need our help." She pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed quickly at suddenly brimming brown eyes.

"Glad to see Ron's finally grown up."

"At least he has," said Hermione tartly, her tears vanishing. "I'm not so sure about you. It's about time you..."

"Same old Hermione," interrupted Harry, a hint of a bittersweet smile crossing his lips. "You're not my mother. Ron may like that about you but it can get wearing."

Her lips tightened. "So I'm really hearing it now, Harry - what you really thought of me."

"I loved you – you were the sister I never had. I still love you. But I'm not blind to your faults or your strengths. Merlin knows I'm not perfect, Hermione, and I never will be. I tend to act before I think more times than I should. I never had a proper childhood and you know it," Harry declared, his brown eyes fierce. "Dumbledore saw to that when he left me at the bloody Dursleys. I have an issue with trusting others – especially those in authority. I've been let down too many times before by people who were supposed to be there for me. If I'd stayed in the magical world I would have either been imprisoned by those who were supposed to be on my side or be sent out as the Ministry's performing monkey. I never wanted the title of the Boy-who-lived. I would rather have been Harry-the-boy-with-loving parents. But it's water under the proverbial bridge. Life moves on and it was time to stop whining and deal with it. I left the wizarding world, joined the muggle one and went to college." He gave her a lop-sided grin. "I even did some of the banking exams to go up a pay grade. Maybe I grew up more than you think."

Hermione steeled her heart not to react that smile. It was uniquely the friend that she'd known since meeting him on the Hogwarts Express. "I'm glad you've finally paid some attention to your education, Harry," she muttered prissily, even though she knew that he didn't really need to work. "I'll tell Albus but I don't think he'll be pleased."

"Tough."

"He only wants you safe. Please, Harry..."

"I am safe," he reiterated.

"How can you be safe?"

"I am still alive five years after leaving my Grimmauld Place prison and managing to live my life as an independent adult without magic. Back then, Voldie may have gone but his minions were still around and the Order couldn't find me, either. Though if you need an explanation for the last couple of months, try blood wards and a Fidelius charm. Is that safe enough?" Harry stood up and moved to the door. "Now I really must go for my break. I have a meeting with a large mug of tea and perhaps if I'm lucky a chocolate biscuit. If Albus wants me, he has to fight me as I'm not going willingly. I'm not leaving my wife alone to worry about me." He smirked. "She'll kill me when she gets her hands on me and I'm more frightened by her Bat-bogey hex than anything Dumbledore can do to me. Tell him that I'll make an appointment with him after the New Year."

"Harry..."

"I find myself, strangely enough, sympathising with my Aunt Petunia. I like my normal life and I want it to continue, albeit a magical normal life and not a muggle one. I'll be in touch," he promised, his manner softening. "Soon. Tell Ron..."

Hermione swallowed nervously. She had to warn him. "Harry!" The words stumbled over each other as she continued, "They're waiting for you."

"What?"

"I didn't come alone. They're waiting for you. Dumbledore...and some of the Order are here too. As soon as you leave this building they'll grab you and take you back to Grimmauld Place."

Harry processed what she'd said and shrugged with apparent unconcern. "I know."

"What!"

"Come on, Hermione. Did you really think they'd let you come alone? Of course not." The sneer wasn't as good as that of Snape in his prime but he thought that it wasn't too bad an attempt.

"Oh! I never considered that," she said, sounding a little lost.

"Dumbledore has lost sight of things. He can't see that I'm safe and have been for over five years. You said it yourself. You couldn't find me..."

"But now we have," Hermione insisted. "The Order..."

Harry frowned. "Who is there? Remus?"

"No."

"Tonks?"

"She's on duty at the Ministry. Dumbledore is here with Hestia and Moody... It's supposed to be a quiet operation so your whereabouts can remain top secret."

Harry's disguised eyes bored into Hermione's. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So that you would know. I want to earn your trust back, Harry. I wasn't the best friend to you that I should have been. I lost sight of what was important and got seduced by the concept of the 'greater good'."

Harry managed to keep a shocked expression from crossing his face. Hermione had almost criticised Albus Dumbledore. "Sorry..."

"Ron and I talked about it and we're both sorry. I could never understand what you've gone through but I thought that I could. We'd do anything to make it up to you, Harry."

"Anything?" he drawled suspiciously.

"Anything. I'm telling you this to show that I mean what I say. It's a trap," she confessed wearily. "I was supposed to draw you out into the open and the others would..."

"Apprehend me for the greater good," finished Harry.

"Something like that."

"It wouldn't have happened," said Harry.

"I can be quite persuasive," argued Hermione. "And I have a wand."

"Maybe, but I'm far too cautious and always prepared..."

That was something new about her friend. Harry used to react on instinct. "You can't be prepared for everything," argued Hermione.

"And you would know," retorted Harry. "Books can only tell you so much. There's nothing wrong with my magic now, remember, and I knew you were coming. Not exactly when, but I knew that you would come." There was a new light in his eyes that was unfamiliar to her. "I've too much to lose."

"You never did trust easily," observed Hermione.

"No, and I never will. I'd never leave Ginny like that. We're married and intend to stay married. According to the Bill and the Gringotts goblins, the marriage of Ginny and me has been truly accepted by magic."

Hermione's mouth opened and closed again. It would explain the fading of the Malfoy marriage contract. The magic wasn't accepted and it faded away.

"That doesn't mean to say that the Ministry or the Malfoys will agree," Harry added.

Hermione looked worried. "No, probably not."

"Tough," he returned arrogantly. "I'd trust the goblins before Malfoy and the Ministry any day. They may not be the sunniest of races but once they strike a bargain, they stick to it...mostly. Ginny will not let me return to the wizarding world without her approval." He grinned. "She can be very determined when she wants to be."

"You said it earlier - the bat bogey?"

"Worse than that. Try sleeping on the couch suffering with a bat bogey hex. I married a smart and powerful witch."

"But you shouldn't have married her, Harry."

"Of course I should have. We made each other a promise – a vow if you like - before the ferret made his claim. I think magic saw that almost like an unbreakable vow. If magic hadn't approved I don't think we would have been able to marry or physically unite." He gave his usual shrug. "It's what I think. She never accepted that contract in any way. How could she? She was already mine."

They stood and looked at one another for a moment without saying anything. The friendship wasn't what it was and only time would see if it could return to what it had once been but a fragile truce seemed to have been offered and accepted.

Hermione spread open her hands helplessly. "I can't help you any more than I've just done...not right now."

"You've done enough, Hermione," he murmured. "Ginny and I thank you."

Hermione's eyes brightened. "Would you tell Ginny that Ron and I love her and miss her?"

"I'm sure she knows that already. Ginny didn't want to leave her family," he explained sadly, "I didn't want her to leave her family. But to stay and marry Malfoy would probably have been the death of her. I couldn't let it happen. Hermione..." Harry said, "I...I loved her. I still love her and always will."

And that was it. There was no argument Hermione could, in all fairness, put forward after that. Harry loved Ginny and the bushy-haired witch knew that the love was reciprocated and had been for as long as Ginny had known who Harry was. The difference between the youngest Weasley and anyone else was that Ginny loved Harry for himself.

"Give me your phone number," he said suddenly. "I'll contact you."

"You will? But magic and muggle devices don't mix."

Harry nodded. "I live in a muggle house, in a muggle area. I have a telephone. For the moment everything works." He sighed. "I get the feeling I won't be remaining in this job for much longer. This will probably be my last day."

Hermione's mouth trembled as she dug in her pocket and produced a pen and a small piece of card. Quickly, she scribbled her number on it, leaving it on the desk. "Thank you and Merry Christmas."

They looked at one another for another moment before Hermione opened the door and hurried out of the room. Harry's gaze followed her until she passed through the automatic doors. He didn't want to see if she met up with Dumbledore. He was gasping for that mug of tea and he needed to phone his wife. She'd warned him that this might happen and he could do with her final thoughts on what he should do if their plans didn't quite work. Ginny often pointed out that she was the brains in their relationship and Harry had to agree. He reached for the phone and swiftly dialled the number.

"Ginny-love..."

xxxxxxxx

Hermione exited the bank and walked across the street to one of the small cafes where tinsel and sparkling lights festooned the steamed-up windows. Searching through the seated, chattering patrons she spotted the headmaster, looking slightly incongruous in brightly coloured muggle clothing. Moody, who was with him, hadn't made the effort to blend in with the muggles and Hermione decided that a notice-me-not charm had to have been employed at some point.

Dumbledore turned his head and watched the young witch thread her way through the cramped and busy tables. Her face was pale and her expression solemn as she reached them.

"Professor Dumbledore...Albus," she corrected herself. "I...I..."

"Did you see him, Hermione?" asked the old man quietly. "He is...here?"

"Y...Yes," she said. "He works in the bank."

Moody snorted. "I told you that he was here. Let's go and pick him up."

Dumbledore gave a great sigh of relief, his eyes closing for a moment. "I hoped that we had found him at long last. It eases my heart to know that he is safe and well."

"He knows what you want to do," Hermione clasped her hands together tightly. "I told him you were here."

Dumbledore's smile was wry. "I think I expected that, Hermione. Harry is your friend, after all."

"He was waiting for me," she said. "I told him and then he replied that 'he knew' I hadn't come alone." She fixed her gaze on Dumbledore's. "He gave me a message for you."

"Message!" Moody snorted again. "The boy is entertaining; I have to give him that."

Hermione twisted her clasped hands nervously. "He's not coming with us – he refused."

There was an odd silence around the table. Moody began to sputter like a kettle ready to boil. "Refused!" he began.

Hermione sent him a quelling look. "He wasn't surprised to see me and guessed that I hadn't come alone and he's right. He wants to spend Christmas with his family."

"Miss Weasley," said Dumbledore sagely.

"Mrs. Potter," disagreed Hermione. "She is his wife. Magic accepted their union..."

"A strange thing to say, Miss Granger." Dumbledore didn't mention that he, himself, had used exactly the same phrase when speaking to Rufus Scrimgeour.

"It wasn't me that did. Harry said it. But it makes sense..."

"Hermione," murmured Dumbledore gently.

The young witch flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry...yes. Harry also said that if you want to take him today you would have to fight him. He's not coming willingly."

"We won't need to do any of that," said Moody. "We outnumber him. Even if he does have the magical power I sensed, he cannot have been using his magic regularly and certainly not in defence."

Hestia Jones pulled out a muggle style notebook and pen and began making notes. "The boy can't be strong enough to attempt to take on all of us. Not if that curse did what it is reputed to do. The last documented case never recovered a fraction of the power they'd lost – and that was after twenty years. Potter's been away for what...five?"

"Harry put up a shield with ease," said Hermione. "It was as if he was daring me to send a stunner at him."

Dumbledore sat up. "He blocked your spell?"

"Easily," she said. "And then he took my wand...Expelliarmus. You see..." Hermione held up her hand before anyone jumped to the wrong conclusion. "No! Everything was fine – I'm fine. Harry returned it to me immediately. I couldn't see any weakness in his spellcasting but then, it wasn't sustained over a long period of time like a real duel would be."

"Interesting," mused Dumbledore. "But I'm not sure that we can take Harry's word for things. We would need to get Poppy to look him over. She's been looking at learning how to deal with the after-effects of dark magic. Severus has needed her care on many occasions."

"Harry won't come with us and leave Ginny on her own," offered Hermione thoughtfully. "Though, from what he said, I'm pretty sure Molly is with them now."

"Undoubtedly," agreed the headmaster, wondering if Miss Weasley could be prevailed upon to make Harry see sense. "As are Bill and Fleur."

"Do you think that they knew about this from the start?" asked Hermione, hoping from the depths of her heart that Bill hadn't done that to his family. "Harry said that they didn't but he could be protecting them."

Moody shook his head, his eye spinning wildly. "No, I don't think that Bill was aware of what was going on." He waved his fist in the air. "Constant vigilance and the fewer people that know something, the better the secret will be kept. Don't let that red hair and genial attitude distract you. Bill Weasley's a talented wizard and he's not the only one in the family. Arthur and Molly produced strong, magical children. Bill would have done everything in his power to keep Potter and his sister from harm. I would even go so far as to say that he's only known for a few weeks now that I look back on his behaviour."

Dumbledore dug into the depth of a pocket in his robes and produced an antiquated-looking pocket watch. "We must be going," he said. "The bank should be closing soon. We do not want to miss Harry when we have searched for him for so long."

Glancing around, Hermione could see that the cafe had emptied and darkness had descended fast. But she could see the bright festive lights sparkling happily in every shop window. This would not end well if they didn't begin to treat Harry like the twenty-three year old man he was.

"Albus, I don't think we should..." she began.

"It will be fine, Miss Granger. Do not worry."

A waitress stood hesitantly before them. "I'm sorry but we're closing..."

Dumbledore got to his feet and gave her a warm smile. "Of course." He nodded to the group. "Come, we must depart and let this young lady do what she must."

"The bank closes at a quarter to five, Albus," declared Moody as they made their way out into the street. "The staff are usually out by five. Make certain that all the exits are covered and wait for him to make his escape."

"He will fight us, Albus," Hermione warned. "You know that Harry will not give up what he considers to be his freedom. I only told you part of what he said. Listen to the whole of the message he gave..."

The headmaster paused. "Tell me then, Miss Granger."

Hermione sighed. "He wants to spend Christmas with his family and then will contact us as soon as things are back to normal - whatever 'normal' means. I suppose, that would be after the holidays are over. He said that he would make an appointment to meet with you."

"He did?" The expression on Dumbledore's face was inscrutable. Whatever he was thinking, his face gave none of it away.

"Don't you trust his word?"

"I don't know that I do, Miss Granger."

"Perhaps he cannot trust yours," she said quietly.

"That is something that was lost a long time ago," he answered gravely. "Trust, once gone is very difficult to regain. I made mistakes with regard to my dealings with Harry. He may forgive but he will not forget. But by the sound of it, I am not yet forgiven."

"So, will you allow him...?"

Dumbledore's face showed his regret. "I cannot risk his safety – it is too dangerous. We don't know how powerful his magic actually is. Once Harry is safe then we can protect Miss Weasley."

"Mrs. Potter," Hermione said, correcting him again. "She is now his wife. Those mistakes you spoke of making... you are adding to them. Harry will not allow you to treat Ginny as an afterthought."

Dumbledore sighed, his face weary. "I will do what I have to do. Harry must be kept safe."

"Then you will lose him." She took a deep breath, her decision made. Ron would agree, she knew that. He might not like what she was doing but he would agree. She recalled the almost suicidal decision in stunning Snape in the Shrieking Shack to help Sirius back in their third year. It had been the right thing to do. Ron would follow Harry like he always had done. "And I will not help you drag him home in a body-bind like a criminal. I cannot agree."

The Order members all turned to stare at Hermione in something resembling a mixture of awe and horror. "I'm sorry. I...I... just can't. Harry and Ginny are my friends and this is just...wrong." She tilted her nose in the air and left them standing in front of the cafe. Their last sight of her was when she ducked into a nearby alley. A soft crack indicated her apparition.

Dumbledore sighed. "I should have expected that. If she hadn't spoken to Harry, then she would have apprehended him with the rest of us. Hermione has a strong sense of right and wrong and she has been convinced that we are wrong. Harry has a charisma that could rival Voldemort's."

"Aye," agreed Moody. "The lad has got something. At least we know that he's still on our side. Best we get him before he persuades anyone else." He glanced at Hestia, who sniffed disapprovingly.

While the town centre was dominated by the Victorian architecture of the St. Giles Parish church, the actual shape of the streets and little lanes that ran away from the centre were much older. The bank was located in one of the sandstone buildings across from the church. The Order members separated and crossed the street, Hestia and Dumbledore moving up the lane at the side of the building. As far as Hestia could see, there weren't any other official looking exits

"There's only a single fire escape in the alleyway, Albus," said Hestia. "I would assume there is another on the other side. Moody's currently watching the front entrance. I suspect the staff will exit the same way the rest of the muggles do via the main front entrance onto the High Street." She examined a metal door marked 'fire exit'. "No, nobody's going in and out of the building from this particular door."

Dumbledore nodded. "And so we wait."

Hestia nodded. "Does Moody know where Harry is going when he leaves the premises?"

"I would suspect to find some form of muggle transport," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "We have no idea where he stays but there is a bus station close by and several places for cars to be left until their owners decided to collect them."

"How ingenious."

"Muggles have to be, my dear." They wandered a little further up the narrow lane, past a sandwich shop, a clothing store and a dim, dusty little shop that had Dumbledore stopping in complete surprise. "Well, I never!" he explained in astonished pleasure. "Leonora Babble!"

"Leonora what?" Hestia peered up at the fading sign. "Babble's Books?"

"Leonora Babble was a contemporary of mine at Hogwart's. A Ravenclaw, I believe. Liked to read books. I have to say that I never realised that she was from these parts."

"Is she still alive?"

"Goodness, no. Unfortunately, the magic passed from the family a couple of generations ago. I never knew her well and we lost touch with the family when the magic went dormant. Her great, great, great granddaughter was unfortunately a squib. She had enough magic in her to work as a sort of healer. It didn't please her mother - a difficult witch, I was told."

"It's closed and it looks empty." Hestia strained to see through the windows but it was far too dark.

"Yes, it looks as if it is but I can sense that there is still magic in the building. Magic lingers long after we wizards and witches move on to the next big adventure. I wonder if this is what drew Harry here – this lingering magical aura?" He pulled out his large gold pocket watch again and checked the stars and moons rotating around the edge. "We'd better retrace our steps and join the others. It is getting close to five."

A few moments later there was a rumble from inside the deserted shop and a quiet voice whispered "Alohamora!" Ginny Weasley, her fingers closed around the reassuring feel of the spare car key in her pocket, slipped through the door and without realising the danger she'd narrowly missed headed in the opposite direction to the one taken by Hestia and Albus.

South Street ran parallel to the High Street and could be reached by following any one of the narrow lanes leading off the town centre. Harry had left his car in the car park behind the Masonic lodge building. It had the advantage of not snarling you up in town centre traffic which meant a quicker trip home. The town was quieting down as people headed home for the evening. Harry was hoping that there were still enough people wandering around to make it difficult for Dumbledore and his companions to act. Ginny would have the car waiting, ready to move quickly before the wizards caught on to their plans.

He didn't think that the old man would have brought the aurors with him. Harry was betting on the fact that Dumbledore still wanted to keep him away from the Ministry as much as the Death Eaters.

Harry smiled at Kevin and Marjorie as they stood waiting for the manager to set the security alarms.

"Where are you parked?" asked Kevin.

"Off South Street," Harry murmured, his eyes tracking anyone loitering outside the bank. "What about you?"

"Multi-storey," answered Marjorie.

"That's where I am," chipped in Kevin.

Harry felt a prickling at the back of his neck, as if someone was watching him. He'd had that feeling before. His magic sense was warning him. The Order couldn't do anything right now, he reasoned. The streets were quiet but not deserted.

"Right," he muttered. "I'm going to have to run."

"Okay, Gary. We'll see you tomorrow. Last one before the holidays. I can hardly wait."

Harry nodded, all the while thinking, 'actually you won't see me tomorrow. I can't come back to work here ever again'. The goblin obliviators would move in and do the spellcasting quickly, quietly and for a reasonable fee without anyone from the wizarding world knowing that anything out of the ordinary had happened. As they stood and chatted, Harry could see, out of the corner of his eye, a figure limp out of the shadow of the church and another standing motionless beside the war memorial. With a small grimace he admitted to himself that his last thought was wrong. Certain people from the wizarding world would start to piece together the clues. Harry hoped the goblins could stand up to Dumbledore.

He made a show of looking at his watch. "I'm really going to have to run."

Kevin slapped him genially on the shoulder. "Jenny has you on a tight leash."

"You'd better believe it." Harry had subtly manoeuvred his colleagues into the shadowed opening of the lane, hoping it might give him a couple of seconds start. His wand slid from his wrist holster into his hand without Kevin or Marjorie noticing. This was risky but Dumbledore and Moody were too close for Harry to just walk away. He needed something to delay them for an instant. That was all – just a split second could make all the difference.

"Confundus," he whispered twisting the wand in his fingers and then the two bank workers stood enchanted, affected by the spell, masking the entrance to Harry's escape route. It would only take a second or two but it might be enough to delay any pursuers. Merlin, he hoped Ginny had got to Elgin in time. "Ginny, love," he chanted under his breath. "Please, please hurry up. Be there. Now would be good." There was a sudden ring from his coat pocket. The phone rang twice more and then stopped. The signal. Merlin, he loved that girl.

Harry's relief trickled through him. "Stay here for another minute please," he said to his bewitched colleagues. His reply was vacant stares and in that instant Harry pivoted on his heels and took off running. He was still as fast as he had been back in the days when his cousin, Dudley, had played the game 'Harry hunting'. Being the father of an active toddler didn't hurt either. Hopefully his lift would be waiting for him in exactly the right place.

Moody swore. "Albus," he called. "Albus!" With another muttered curse he apparated to the street beyond.

Hestia's wand was in her hand and she charged after Harry on foot, having to check to avoid his colleagues who were still standing right in front of the entrance to the narrow wynd.

Harry tore up the lane like a professional sprinter and as he twisted his way around one of the corners, as if by magic, a car slowed down in the street ahead. "Yes," he breathed and launched himself forward.

Dumbledore almost smiled. He'd no idea that keeping Harry safe would be so difficult because he managed to evade them at every turn without using magic. Hopefully he could also do that to the Death Eaters. Miss Granger was correct; Harry had a certain control of his magic back and he could also run. A good measure of defence was not to let yourself get caught in the first place. Where could Harry be going? And then it struck him. "The bookshop!" he exclaimed and apparated only to find with a swift whispered, "Alohamora," that it hadn't been Harry's intended destination at all. With a sigh, he apparated from the bookshop to the street that ran parallel to the High Street. Hestia Jones stood puffing on the pavement, her eyes full of frustration fixed on the red lights disappearing round the corner without slowing down.

"He got away," she panted. "I was gaining on him...at least I think I was gaining on him."

Moody chuckled darkly. "You weren't gaining on him."

Hestia shrugged. "I tried. He's fast on his feet and reckless with it. The car he jumped into didn't stop. It only slowed down."

Stowing away his wand, Moody limped out of the doorway he'd apparated into as a couple of cars trundled past at a steady speed. "Hestia's right, Albus. He jumped into a car without it stopping. I don't know if he confounded the driver like he did to those two muggles back there but the vehicle barely slowed down and Potter was clinging to the door handle like a piece of devil's snare."

"What did you see?" Dumbledore directed his question at Hestia. "You were closer."

"I got off a couple of spells, possibly even a tracking spell but I'm not sure it hit Harry. The car was driven by a girl. Long dark hair but I couldn't see her facial features."

"It has to be the Weasley girl," grumbled Moody. "He contacted her. Granger was right. He was expecting us."

Albus could have hexed something. It wasn't often he felt thwarted in this way. But he was proud, too. Harry was showing his courage and resourcefulness at every turn. He wasn't going to sit and calmly do what others wanted him to without a very good reason. "There's no point in us remaining here," he said. "Harry will not return."

"No, the lad would be a fool to do so and he's certainly not that. I'll check tomorrow just in case but I think he won't be a working muggle any longer."

Suddenly a bright dot of light appeared in front of Dumbledore. It grew until it formed the glowing form of a proud, young stag.

"Merlin's...!" Moody threw up a notice-me-not charm then swore as the stag almost appeared to solidify before returning to the ephemeral mist of a normal Patronus.

The stag ignored the other two wizards and faced the headmaster. "Albus," Harry's voice emerged. "I'm not going to be tricked or dragged into doing what you want. We meet as equals. I'm not a pawn any longer and you know it. I will come to Hogwarts when term begins again. Your tracking spells will not work and do not hound my friends and relatives – they can tell you nothing."

"Harry..."

"Do this and I will co-operate. Go against me and I will disappear permanently. I can do it and I will. You must ask yourself this," Harry's voice said. "What has the wizarding world done for itself that I should sacrifice my life for them? Do as I ask and I will meet with you but do not try to control me." The light vanished.

Moody guffawed. "Well, I must admit that the lad has style."

Even Albus had to finally smile at that.

"I would suggest that you agree to his demands for now," Moody offered, his manner unusually thoughtful. "We have his co-operation... up to a point."

"We do. I have no choice," agreed