Mutant Son
A.N. Thank you to those continuing to read this story and reviewers, too. I love getting reviews probably like everyone else. Also, I'm American and while I've been to London, I'm not exactly an expert with its make-up. The London Bridge was the first thing that came to my head so I went with it.
Chapter 38: Failure
John woke up with a start. The room had grown dark. He was supposed to have left well before the sun went down; he was going to have to figure out a suitable excuse. Maybe he'd think about that guy he had hooked up with on Harry's birthday. Of course, that meant he would have to get drunk though that didn't seem like such a bad idea. Figuring that he was already late, he decided that he'd stay with Harry a little longer.
Harry really did look terrible, even asleep, sort of like he did after that vision of Pettigrew. As much as John worried, he felt a little pleased that Harry was missing him as much as he was missing Harry. That feeling was immediately followed by guilt. How much was Harry dealing with?
Harry shifted in his sleep, mumbling something. John brushed his thumb across his jaw, light enough not to wake him up, but he couldn't resist touching him. Harry mumbled again. This time he could understand him. "Malfoy." John's heart stopped, panicked. But then Harry smiled and opened his eyes. "Got you."
"You are fucking cruel," John told him, pulling away and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
"Come on, it was a little bit funny," Harry said, sitting up. John started pulling on clothes. "Do you have to go?" John glanced over at him. He didn't like the tone of voice. It sounded hurt.
John looked out the window, where the sun was mostly set. Who was going to find them here? A random hotel in muggle London. "I can stay a little while," John said, pausing in dressing and sitting back on the bed.
"Are you really mad at me?" Harry asked, reaching for his pants which somehow ended up on the side table. He pulled them on without getting up, stubbornly not looking at John. John watched him, considering jumping him again. But they didn't have much time. It was either sex or just being together. Frankly, John had been having enough sex lately even if it was nowhere as good as this. More wild maybe, but John was a bit biased. To him, Harry was the best sex he ever had. He was sure there was something psychological to that. So no, John wasn't mad. He didn't have time for that.
"No," he finally said as he saw Harry's face getting more worried. He was thinking too much. "Not at all." He kissed Harry, softly, not intending to start anything.
Harry pulled away slowly with a small smile. John rested his head against his. "You need to shave."
John laughed, running a hand along his jaw. "Yeah, keep running out of razors and cigarettes." The relaxed look on Harry's face faded away. "Can't we just relax for a few more minutes?"
"We shouldn't have done this," Harry said, going for his shirt. He pulled on quickly, struggling a bit to get his arm through. John only watched him.
"Why?" John asked. It was clear when Harry got here that he meant to keep it impersonal. John thought maybe that would have changed after. This was what John had wanted more than anything else. He should've told Harry about Bellatrix though. He really shouldn't have slept with Harry without him knowing. But that wasn't a conversation he wanted to have right now.
Harry ran his hand through his hair, biting at his lower lip. He turned to John. "I just adjusted," Harry said. "I even got a few nights of sleep. For the first time, I became Harry Potter."
John didn't like this, partly because he hadn't gotten those few nights of sleep and largely because he never wanted Harry to become Harry Potter. He could win this war just being Harry, if it weren't for people's need to put him on that pedestal.
"Don't look like that," Harry rolled his eyes. "You became Pyro. I became Harry Potter. For the greater good, right?"
"Fuck the greater good," John bit out. Harry just looked at him. Wasn't that why they were doing what they were doing though? For the greater good? Who knew that being a better man would make him feel so dirty? "Whatever, Harry." He put on his shirt before peering at Harry. He couldn't stay mad. They didn't have time. He walked over to Harry and pulled tentatively at his arm. He didn't want to force this. But he was relieved when Harry came closer. John slipped his hand into Harry's front pocket, pulling out the lighter.
He smirked. "Adjusted? You're such a liar."
Harry shrugged. "Yeah, well, I've stopped taking fully clothed showers. I'm even getting Occlumency down. Malfoy said I'm nearly passable."
"Malfoy," John commented, playing with his old lighter. He couldn't help the image that passed through his head, Malfoy on top of Harry. That in itself was bad enough but John could also remember the almost cringing expression on Harry's. John asked Harry to do that, to use his body to get something they needed. But that's what John knew.
Harry appeared uneasy. "Listen, about Malfoy…" he trailed off. It was as if he was waiting for John to jump to conclusions. But John knew Harry wouldn't cheat on him. No, that was John's thing. "I told him."
John pulled out his cigarettes. Empty. He tossed the empty carton onto the bed sighing. He really needed one right now. He flicked at his old zippo. "Why?" he asked finally.
"What if I die?" Harry asked. John stared.
"You're not dying," he announced. No, if John was doing this, Harry wasn't dying.
Harry didn't comment. "Someone else besides me needs to know," Harry went on. He paused. "And I needed to tell someone. It was…people kept telling me that I had to accept that you betrayed me. I just…I just needed to tell someone."
John wanted to argue but what was done was done. Besides, how could he be angry with Harry for telling Malfoy something when later tonight John would find himself in the bed of Sirius Black's killer?
"Okay," John said, catching sight of his hand toying away with the lighter. He stopped and handed the lighter back over to Harry who pocketed it.
Harry looked at him suspiciously, but said nothing. They stood in silence. Awkward. John began to fidget again. They were never supposed to be awkward. "I have to go," John said, moving for his coat. Harry nodded, looking at the floor. John paused, wanting to say or do something. Anything. But there was nothing he could. He pulled on his jacket.
"When and where next time?" Harry asked when John stopped moving. John looked at him, refusing to show emotion. He had to be Pyro again the minute he left the room. It was time.
"We can't meet again," John told him. Surprisingly, Harry didn't argue as he met John's eyes.
"I'm guessing you have a plan," Harry's eyes looked hurt but his voice was even. John handed him a small key.
"I'll send you weekly updates," John said. "This way we'll have no contact. I'll have no contact with that box or that building."
"You're going to send me mail," Harry commented.
John didn't like this. It was never hard to read Harry, least of all for him. So John shrugged and sent him a smirk. He needed to see a real smile out of Harry. "I'll send you love letters."
Harry smiled. Success. "As long as you don't write me poetry or something."
"Ah, no sonnets?" John faked disappointment.
"No sonnets," Harry confirmed almost threateningly. John offered him one last grin before turning towards the door. He wasn't going to turn back. As emotional as both Harry and John were in their own ways, stuff like this, good-byes, were always left adamantly unfelt or at the least unsaid. But Harry stopped him.
"John, I…I love you." John didn't turn. Sure the words had been said before but rarely. And Harry was never the first to say it. John had issues with love because he hadn't thought it existed, didn't trust it. Harry had issues with love because he knew it existed and it had always hurt him. Harry avoided John for a month because he thought it was dangerous for John to love him, for Harry to love John. Saying it now was a big fucking deal. It made John feel just a little bit better. And then it made him feel a whole lot worse. It was so much easier being the street kid. He could do what had to be done with the only consequences being jail. Now so much more was at stake. And he was going to lose everything. Sleeping with Bellatrix wasn't something that Harry could forgive. Especially if John hid it.
"Me, too," John said. Before opening the door, he paused, turning ever so slightly so that he could see Harry from the corner of his eye. "Harry, just make sure I don't have to kill anyone on Wednesday. Stop them. Me."
"How's the boyfriend?" Malfoy asked from the foot of the basement stairs.
Harry looked up. "We don't have a lesson today, do we?" he asked, though he knew that he had purposefully not scheduled an occlumency lesson for today.
"No." He sat on the table a few feet from where Harry was sitting on the ground playing with John's lighter.
"How do you know I saw him?" Harry asked.
Malfoy eyed the lighter. "After being gone for most of the day, you've locked yourself in the basement and are now staring at that stupid lighter." Harry only shrugged, continuing to play with the lighter. Flick. Flick. Flick. "What do you see in him anyway?"
Harry paused. "Why?" Sure, he didn't hate Malfoy anymore but he didn't particularly want to talk to him either. Malfoy wasn't as bad of a guy as he thought. Well, no, he wasn't that bad of a guy anymore. But Harry still disliked him because, frankly, the guy was irritating and still thought he was better than everyone.
"Cho Chang, Ginny Weasley, St. John Allerdyce," Malfoy said slowly. "One of these is not like the others."
"Yeah, one of them is a guy," Harry rolled his eyes.
"Besides that," Malfoy said impatiently. "Chang and Weasley were both the sweethearts of their houses. Nice, beautiful, confident."
"So?" Harry asked, confused. "John's good looking. He's clearly confident, too."
"But he's not so nice is he?" Malfoy asked curiously. "And as much as I make fun of the Weasleys for their poverty and social status—"
"Ginny's not trash?" Harry finished, annoyed, remembering Malfoy's favorite description of John: trash. A description that John whole-heartedly agreed with. "Why does it matter? No matter what I say, John's just trash to you."
"When we were eleven you refused my friendship." Was that what this was about? "It bothered me because something like that never happened to me before. Of course, we could never have been friends anyway because you're an irritatingly naïve golden boy with the world wrapped around your finger, but at least I knew I wasn't Gryffindor or Hufflepuff enough for you. But Pyro?"
"He's Slytherin," Harry said slowly, catching on.
"No," Malfoy sneered. "Slytherin would never let in dirt like him." Harry decided not to remind Malfoy of the fact that Hogwarts recognized John as Slytherin's heir. He just wanted to see where this was going. "My point is, Potter, that your boy is the Dark Lord's son. He's cruel, arrogant, and cares about only one thing: himself." He thought over his words. "And for some strange reason you, I guess."
Harry rolled his eyes again. "It's not any of your business."
Malfoy shrugged, not looking at Harry. This was odd. Malfoy was going for blasé, something that Harry had never seen on him before. He was uncomfortable. Harry had seen Malfoy scared but never uncomfortable. Finally, Malfoy looked at him, face carefully neutral. "The thought of me on you disgusts you, but you're so hooked on Pyro that you can barely even go without him. You hate me, or at least hated me, which was fine because it was mutual, but you hated me because you think I'm a cruel bigoted bully. How is Pyro any different?"
"John had a hard life," Harry decided to say. "He doesn't hurt people for fun. He just doesn't trust them. Is John a nice person? No." Malfoy stared at him. "You don't choose who you love, Malfoy, it just happens. I get him. He gets me. If you ever got to know him, you'd get why I love him, even if you could never love him yourself."
Malfoy looked doubtful. "Is the sex really that good?"
Harry gave up. "Sure, it's the sex. That's why I'm pining for him because the sex was so good I can't even think about having sex with anyone else." Harry checked his watch, getting up. "I need to talk to Remus." He didn't wait for Malfoy to respond, instead heading straight up. Malfoy really was irritating.
Harry found Tonks before he found Remus. He was about to ask her where to find Remus, when he spotted the look on her face. She was upset. Harry swallowed her words as her watery eyes met his.
"He's in our bedroom," Tonks informed him, eyes turning to a book she wasn't reading.
Harry was going to thank her and take advantage of the excuse to leave but something stopped him. "Are you…er, are you okay?"
"Everything's fine," she told him, attempting her usual bright smile. "Remus and I just got into an argument."
He nodded, considering her words. "Do you want me to talk to him?" he asked slowly. He didn't think he could be of much use but he was pretty sure that was what he was supposed to offer.
Tonks gave him another small smile. "That's sweet, Harry, but I think you have more important things to deal with than my marital issues."
"It depends on the issue, I guess," he told her, contemplating sitting next to her. No, that would make it more awkward.
Tonks studied him. "You have enough on your plate."
"I'll get a bigger plate," he offered, giving her a small smile. She choked out a laugh and, to his horror, a few more tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" To what?
"You didn't do anything wrong," she told him, patting the seat next to hers. He tentatively sat next to her. "I forget sometimes that you're just a kid. Then you do something adorable like this." Adorable? "Don't make that face." She put a hand on her belly. "I hope my son is as great as you. You have a good heart, Harry."
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, watching her hand stroke her belly. How large did pregnant women get before they gave birth? Then he thought about it. That was Remus and Tonks' son in there. Part of their family. He pulled his eyes away. "Or are you going to make me feel even more like a kid?"
She shrugged. "Remus is just having a hard time is all. It's hard for him. He's scared that he's ruined my life." She smiled at him. "Much like you, Remus has a guilt complex so large that it creates things to feel guilty about where there are none. He'll get over it. He always does." Harry waited for her to continue but she didn't. It was clear that was all she was going to tell him so he moved on to her room, looking for Remus.
Remus answered the door quickly after he knocked. "We need to talk," Harry told him. Remus nodded, clearly distracted and let Harry lead the way to the drawing room. They sat. "There's going to be a Death Eater attack Wednesday at noon on the London Bridge."
Remus stared at him. "How—"
"Don't worry about it," Harry told him. If he was pushed, he'd just tell Remus that he had a vision. Luckily, Remus didn't push. It was nice to be trusted. "The plan is to take down the bridge, killing all the muggles on it."
"What's the approach?"
"So far they have seven people. They plan to blow up one end and set fire to the other." Harry paused.
"Pyro?" Remus asked.
"There's more," Harry said as he nodded. "It's not one hundred percent but Voldemort's thinking about giants."
Remus sighed. "We'll need as many Order members as we can get. Giants aren't easy things to deal with." Harry had yet to face giants in battle. The only giant he had ever even seen was Gawp, Hagrid's brother, who was apparently a small giant. Harry couldn't imagine someone bigger.
"Stunners?" Harry asked.
Remus shook his head. "Not usually strong enough. With enough power though….Four stunners at once can take a giant down. We'll have to organize teams." He thought about it for a few moments but paused, eyes appraising Harry. "What should we do about Pyro?" he finally asked. That was a good question. Harry wanted to tell Remus to let him handle it, that way John wouldn't get hurt. But that would take Harry out of the fight and leave others in danger. John would never go for it. But he had told Harry to stop him.
"I'll handle John." He could stun him or something and quickly re-join the fight. It wouldn't be as simple as that, of course. John couldn't just let himself be stunned. They would figure something out. "Just call a meeting for tomorrow morning."
"In the morning?" Remus asked uncertainly. "Are you sure it's not serious enough to warrant immediate action?"
Harry shrugged. "What's a couple of hours going to do? I need to think things out anyway." Remus seemed to think about arguing but no argument came. Harry was going to leave when he thought about Tonks. "Remus," he wet his lips. How did someone approach something like this? "What happened between you and Tonks?"
Remus didn't look at him. "Tonks is going to live with her parents for the rest of the war," he told Harry. "It's safer." He was, of course, correct. But…
"How about after the war?" he asked. Remus didn't answer. Harry stood. "You've got to be kidding me." He walked away from Remus before turning. "What? You're just going to leave her?"
"It's for her own good," Remus said determinedly.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Her own good?" he asked him incredulously. "You see I think you're doing it for your own good. You're scared."
Remus shook his head, though not in denial. "Harry, no son would want me as a father. I'm a werewolf. I can't even support my own family. With the werewolves supporting Voldemort, I won't be any more trusted after the war than I was before."
Harry ran a hand roughly through his hair, laughing shortly. "No son?" he asked. "Kids would kill to have someone like you as a father. Kids like me, like John. Your son won't care that you're a werewolf. I don't." Harry didn't know what he was doing, comparing himself to Remus's son. It just felt right.
Remus stared at him intently, at a loss for what to say. "Harry." He swallowed. "You don't understand what it's like out there. I—"
"No, I understand. You rather run and hide than face things." He couldn't quite understand why he was getting so angry thinking about this. It was none of his business. Remus's son wasn't even born yet. "You know what, maybe you're right. Maybe you shouldn't be a father. A father doesn't just leave their kids. If you're that type of father than you don't deserve Tonks or her son."
Remus was on his feet, wand out. Harry only looked at him, refusing to take out his wand. Instead he just stared Remus down. "I never knew my dad but even I know that he'd be ashamed to call you his friend," Harry practically growled. "My dad, my mom, they left me because they had to. They loved me so much they died for me. And you? You love your son so much that you'd voluntarily leave him without a dad." Harry didn't turn away from Remus's angry eyes. "You're pathetic." Remus didn't stop him as he stormed out.
They were going with giants. As quickly as John had moved up the ranks, it was clear he wasn't fully trusted yet. He found out about the giants with everyone else, five minutes before the attack. That didn't mean he hadn't expected it. Voldemort never sent so few Death Eaters on a major attack.
The seven of them were about to leave to meet the giants and their controllers when Voldemort pulled John aside. He handed him a pair of rings. John stared at them.
"What the fuck are these?" he asked, looking up at his father.
Voldemort's lip curled in disgust. "Your manner of speaking is appalling. Muggle profanities." But he didn't continue with the subject. "Those are your great-grandparents wedding bands. I have charmed them to serve as specialized portkeys." John studied them briefly. The rings looked muggle. He turned them over in his hand. Horcruxes? But, no John didn't feel anything from them. When he had touched Slytherin's locket he felt something, he wasn't sure what. Then, the other day he felt the same thing when Nagini brushed against him. He had jumped and he could've sworn that the snake chuckled at him. But he wasn't feeling anything now. Just rings.
He looked up. "And?"
"They will get you to the bridge," Voldemort told him. "And when you are ready to return, they will get you back. That's all they will do." His eyes bore into John's. "I will not have my son dependent on anyone else during his missions, but that does not mean I trust you with unlimited travel."
John rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He brushed past him to re-join the others.
"Bellatrix, from this point you are in charge," Voldemort told her as she came to John's side. John sneered at her and pulled his arm away when she hooked her hand under his elbow. Voldemort watched in amusement before turning to the others. "If circumstances prevent this, you are to follow Pyro's lead." John's eyebrows rose involuntarily. That was a surprise.
"My lord," Lestrange responded, head bowed. "Are you sure that is," he hesitated, "the best mode of action. His is not one of us."
Voldemort peered at him. "In what way do you mean? Is it his loyalty you question or his mutant blood?" Lestrange didn't answer so Voldemort turned to the others. "You are not here to question my judgment. If I say he is loyal then that is the truth. And despite being a mutant," he sneered the word out. John flicked at his lighter wishing he could show him a close-up look at his mutation. "Pyro is my son. He is a descendent of Slytherin. That in itself makes him superior than you. On your way then." But before they could leave, he spoke again. "And Rodolphus be glad I want you for this attack. Do not speak out against my son again."
Lestrange glanced at John who smirked back. His eyes moved to his wife. So this was personal? If John wasn't for touching Bellatrix as little as possible, he'd grab her to rub it in. But another time. There was a battle to pretend to fight.
Hermione glanced at Harry. "I don't see why I'm up here," she told him, glancing nervously down the side of the building. "I'm no good at flying."
Harry didn't look at her. "You'll only need the broom if they put up anti-apparation wards," he responded. "I don't think they will though. Voldemort thinks he's won. I don't think he feels any threat from us. Not anymore."
Hermione shook her head. "From us? No. From you? Definitely."
Harry shrugged. "I'm a nuisance, not a threat. At least not yet."
They didn't speak any further. He was right. But from the way he said that, it seemed as if he was ready to change that. She sighed. Things were tough now. Harry wasn't talking to her, at least not about anything not war related. He was so caught up in the war that she felt as if she lost her best friend. On top of the fact that they still hadn't heard from Ron or Hogwarts, it was almost unbearable. She heard the chiming when noon arrive. She breathed. This was it.
The giants were the first thing she saw. It seemed as if the muggle world froze before going into chaos. Cars started accelerating backwards, banging into each other. Horns and screams filled the air. Then the Death Eaters appeared.
"Shit," Harry muttered, straightening up.
"What?" Hermione asked, scanning the area.
"John's on the other side," Harry told her, pulling out his wand. Hermione touched his arm.
"Harry, you're going to have to let Remus deal with him then," she told him. He glanced at her before nodding.
"Ready?" He didn't wait for an answer, casting the white stage into the air. That was the signal. It was time to fight. As soon as they apparated into the fight, the curses began to fly. Her eyes wandered briefly towards the giants still a safe distance away.
"Ignore them," Harry barked. "They're not our job."
Hermione nodded though she knew he wouldn't see her and engaged the closest Death Eater into a duel. She heard a large bang. A car went over the side of the bridge. She saw fire erupt in her periphery. Pyro had started on the other end, but that couldn't be her concern.
She and Harry worked in tandem. Her stunner took out her Death Eater. Harry grabbed her. "Get the muggles out," he told her, gesturing to the side where a car full of muggles watched in horror. A mother and two children.
"But—"
He wouldn't let her continue. "Hermione, go. I can take care of myself. We have to save whoever we can." She saw the determination in his eyes. Nodding, she headed straight for the car. This was about saving lives as much as fighting back, she told herself.
She unlocked the door and swung it open, holding her hands up. "It's okay," Hermione told the muggles. "I'm here to help me. Trust me."
The woman in the driver's seat bit her lip. "Get them out of here," she begged, picking up the smallest child. The girl couldn't be more than two. Hermione lifted the girl out of the car and grabbed the little boy's hand.
"I'll be back for you," Hermione told the mother. She couldn't confidently apparate all three of them. Not muggles. She couldn't risk it. The woman nodded, her eyes tearing as she looked at her children. Hermione disapparated.
She re-appeared in an alley near the closest police station. "Go," she ordered but the little girl wouldn't let go. Hermione looked at the brother. He had to be about ten years old. "Go to your brother." Somehow between herself and the boy, Hermione managed to get the little girl out of her arms. "Take good care of her."
She disapparated, appearing next to the car again but the woman was no longer there. Hermione ran to the other side of the car, ducking a spell. She took cover behind the car. Her eyes landed on a body: the mother.
Hermione breathed out, scanning the area. She couldn't see Harry. A few of the Weasleys were nearby battling a giant. They seemed to have it covered. Her eyes found another carful of muggles. She would do the job Harry assigned her.
"Go," Remus ordered. "I have this." Bill looked at him warily but nevertheless took the order. Remus's eyes squinted into the fire's glare where he could just barely make out John. There was a lot of fire but very little damage. What was he waiting for? Maybe a part of John didn't like the killing. Remus shook the thought from his head. This was already going to be hard enough without thoughts like that in his head.
"John," Remus called when he felt he was within hearing range. The fire died down.
"Remus," John responded. He played with the fire in his hand. He was ready to fight. Remus's spotted a few small fires around them. John had plenty of fuel. "Fancy meeting you here."
"You knew it was only a matter of time until we caught up with you," Remus moved his wand ever so slightly. John followed the motion with his eyes for a moment before looking back up at Remus.
"How's Harry?" he asked, mockingly pleasant. He began wandering over to his right almost absentmindedly. John would never learn to stand still, especially when there was fire in his line of vision. He put out the fire in his hand as he reached a burning car (already empty Remus was relieved to note). John placed his hands over the fire as if warming himself, but the flame reached up over his hands.
"He'll survive," Remus said, keeping his voice neutral.
John looked at him. "He always does." He glanced down the bridge. "I suppose he's down there, huh?" Remus didn't follow. He couldn't be sure that John wouldn't attack him. It was no secret that John had no qualms over fighting dirty. Remus couldn't hold back and survive, but this was the last thing he wanted to do. He had known that he cared for John but when did he start to feel so attached? Like a father, Remus thought as he remembered Harry's words.
"Why?" Remus couldn't help asking.
There was something in John's eyes as he looked at him. "I'm not a good guy," John told him.
"You're the only one keeping you from being one," Remus replied, taking a step forward. "John, come back with us. You know Harry would forgive you."
John stared at him. "Harry couldn't forgive killing. You know that."
"If you were anyone else, I'd agree," Remus took another tentative step forward. John summoned fire into his hand as if in warning. "Please, John." He swallowed. "I won't let anything happen to you."
The fire flared as John sneered. "Don't make empty promises." He glanced down the bridge again, perhaps trying to spot Harry. When he looked back, Remus saw that look in his eyes, the one he got when he got lost in the fire. His grasp tightened on his wand.
"John please," he said again.
John eyed the flame before smirking. "It's Pyro."
Remus barely kept the fire from reaching him.
"Augamenti!"
It was a battle of wills but the fire was overwhelming. Remus had to somehow get another spell off. He had to take out John, but he didn't want to hurt him.
"John! Stop!" he tried.
John laughed. "Come on, Remus. Don't hold back. I broke Harry's heart. Shouldn't you be protecting him?"
The fire almost reached Remus's hands. He had to move. Breaking off the spell, he dodged out of the way. "Stupefy!" John barely got out of the way.
"John, you're not your father's son," Remus said as they slowly circled each other.
"No," John agreed. "I'm my own man." On instinct Remus brought up a shield which thankfully stopped the oncoming stream of fire. He closed his eyes for a moment. It was time to make the hard decision.
He made a slashing motion with his wand, aiming through the fire and hoping it would make contact. The fire stopped. John grasped at his side, coming away with blood.
"That's going to scar," John hissed, glaring. "Again." He shoved his hand in his pocket as he launched another stream of fire at Remus. This time it made brief contact on his arm. Remus let out a grunt as he quickly put the fire out. When he looked back up, John was gone. That left the Death Eaters and the giants. But the battle had died down. Bill, Arthur, and Amos were just finishing subduing a giant in restraints. Remus met them just as the giant stopped struggling.
"How about we let the so-called Ministry handle this," Arthur said as he looked around at the damage.
"Couldn't agree more," Remus said, watching as Harry and Hermione approached. Harry had a cut along his scalp. "Had some bad luck?"
Harry shrugged. "In my defense the giant was like three times my size." Remus smiled at him. "John?"
"Got away," Remus admitted. Harry nodded. "Time to go." They returned to headquarters.
Narcissa and Molly met them immediately, looking for injuries. All injuries were superficial. This time the Order had outnumbered the Death Eaters. Remus spotted Tonks come in to tend the wounded as well. Obviously she decided against a prolonged visit with her parents. Narcissa came over to tend his burn.
"I take it that you faced Pyro," she said, pulling a potion out. He looked at it. "I thought I would eventually have to treat some burns."
"Good thinking," Remus sent her a smile. "He held back."
"So I see," Narcissa said as she rubbed the potion onto his arm. "He's fond of you."
"Unfortunately it's not black and white, is it?" Remus asked sighing.
"No, it isn't." She paused for a moment. "Did you see my husband?"
Remus shook his head. "No." She nodded, asking no more questions. Remus glanced over her shoulder where Tonks and Hermione were fussing over Harry. The cut on his head wasn't bad but he looked tired. Remus was interrupted by Amos who nodded in acknowledgment towards Narcissa.
"That boy," Amos said as he followed Remus's line of vision. "It took three of us to take down a giant. Potter took one out by himself."
Remus stared at him as Narcissa let out an unlady-like snort. She sounded like Tonks for a moment. "Yes, that boy, somehow under threat of death he does the impossible." She finished with his arm.
"Thank you. Excuse me," he sent her a smile as he brushed past her. Harry avoided his eyes as he spotted Remus's approach. But Remus wasn't there to speak to Harry.
"Tonks, do you think I can talk to you for a moment?" he asked tentatively. She looked at him for a moment.
"Sure," she responded. As they left, Remus glanced back at Harry who watched them go. Harry nodded at him. All in all, it wasn't a bad day.
Screaming got old fast, John decided as he watched his father torture follower by follower. Bellatrix got the worst of it. She had failed. They had done barely any damage. Harry made sure of it.
Finally, it was John's turn. "Really bad idea," he sneered at as Voldemort began to raise his wand.
"You failed," Voldemort hissed.
"No, you're plan failed," John responded, flicking his lighter. "Harry outsmarted you. We were outnumbered."
Voldemort's red eyes shun in anger. "I cannot be blamed for my followers' incompetence."
John raised his eyebrows. "Incompetence?" He ignited his lighter. "I'm not fucking incompetent you jackass."
Voldemort hissed but he didn't attack. He wasn't stupid. Torturing John wouldn't do him any good. In fact, it would hurt him. John didn't fear him. Loyalty had to be earned. "Watch your mouth," Voldemort snapped instead.
"Whatever," John rolled his eyes. "Now can I stop the bleeding in my side?"
"This is not the time to act like a petulant teenager," Snape said from the doorway. He held a few potions which he began to hand out. Of course Snape wouldn't deign to tend to anyone.
John eyed the man as he held out a bottle to him. "That's not going to do me any good," John growled.
"It's peroxide," Snape told him, handing over a towel and some gauze. He turned towards Voldemort. "My lord, Pyro is right. There was no way they could succeed being so outnumbered."
"But how did they find out?" Malfoy asked. "They were waiting."
"Have a temper tantrum lately?" John asked his father sarcastically.
"What do you mean?" he responded.
"Harry's been getting into your head. Unintentionally, of course. That's how we found out about Hogsmeade." Hopefully, Voldemort would guard his thoughts more carefully now. With John here, torturous visions held no benefit for Harry.
Voldemort stared at him. "Are you sure?" His anger at John seemed to have lessened. John had a crazy idea that his father was actually fond of him. Probably a side effect of his narcissistic personality. John was, after all, his spawn. There was no denying that he got special treatment. John pulled his shirt over his head, throwing peroxide on the towel and wiping down his side.
"Remus Lupin," John explained as Snape watched him. "He tried to save me," he continued sarcastically.
"Through cutting you up?" Snape asked.
"He wasn't really into being set on fire," John responded, glancing at his father who seemed to be deep in thought.
"My lord," Lestrange said tentatively. He seemed to have recovered from his recent meeting with the Cruciatus. "About Potter, there's more." Voldemort looked at him and Lestrange averted his eyes. Coward. "He may be more of an adversary that we previously thought. His control of fiendfyre was only the beginning. He took out a giant on his own."
John failed to hide his smirk. Snape raised his eyebrows. John met his eyes. The man had his suspicions but so did he. John wasn't the only spy in Voldemort's ranks.
"Pyro," Voldemort turned to him. "Just how powerful is Potter?"
John shrugged. "What's powerful here? I've seen him launch stuff across a room without a wand. Sometimes in his sleep something may dart across the room. But Harry doesn't want to be powerful. It's kind of a flaw."
"Kind of," Snape snorted.
John grinned at him. "Too bad it doesn't stop him in the end."
"No, it doesn't," Voldemort agreed with a sneer. He became distracted again, staring into the distance. John didn't like the grin that spread across his face. Voldemort looked around the room. "My friends, I think it is time to take Potter down a peg or two." John's stomach dropped as Voldemort looked at him. "Pyro, it's time to pay a visit to Potter's muggle family. Let us send Potter a little message."
John couldn't help it when a grin reached his face. It looked like he was going to get the chance to take revenge on Vernon Dursley after all. This was one mission that he didn't have to fake.