Playing With Fire

April 1998
Aurora

Aurora moved slowly through the dark manor, following just behind Shacklebolt as they listened for any sort of noise that might indicate someone was coming. It belonged to a lower level Death Eater, so it had taken her little time to get through the protective wards and charms surrounding it. Though she was grateful that the owner hadn't thought to use the Fidelius Charm, otherwise they never would have found the place.

She suspected with the Death Eaters taking over basically everything at this point, some of them were getting a bit arrogant with their protections. At least anyone who wasn't at a higher level. That's where all the big secrets were hidden. She wasn't even sure if they would even find anything on this fishing expedition. But it was better than sitting at home doing nothing. At least it was something to keep her focused rather than going mad with worry.

It was bad enough there was nothing she could do about Harry or Ellie - though she would have a few choice words for him the next time she saw him. Seriously, breaking into Gringott's? What the hell were they thinking? The three teens got extremely lucky they made it out of that one alive. Though she supposed it wasn't all that much worse than them breaking into the Ministry. Half the time she couldn't decide if she wanted to congratulate him on his success or ream him out for being reckless.

But now was not the time to think about that. She needed to focus on the current mission.

According to the plan, they were only supposed to look around for any sort of documents or whatever that could give them information on what the Death Eaters were planning next. They had been snatching up muggleborns and half-bloods as well as blood traitors left and right. Been launching attacks on villages and communities all over the country. If the Order could just get ahead of it for once, perhaps they could do something more than just helping after the fact.

Perhaps they might even find something that would lead them to Evan.

Shacklebolt stopped and raised his hand, then pointed to a door. Aurora nodded and walked up to it, first studying it and then waving her wand, casting a non-verbal spell. She waited a moment and once she deemed it safe, put her ear to the door. When there was no sound for some time, she unlocked it and then pushed it open, creeping in with Shacklebolt following. He quickly cast a charm that would block light from leaking out the window or underneath the door and then turned on the lights in the room, revealing a large study.

"Suppose it's time to get to work," Aurora said with a sigh as she looked around at all the shelves, cabinets and other nooks and crannies where things could be hidden. This very well could take all night if they weren't quick with it and she still wasn't convinced it would even be worth it. She cast a few spells around the room, checking to see if anything was enchanted. Upon finding no concealment spells or anything dangerous, she nodded to Shacklebolt and the two got started on opposite sides of the room. The owner was supposed to be off at another meeting, though Tonks was currently following him in case something should change.

"Bloody hoarders, all of them," she muttered as she opened a cabinet and a load of parchment fell out. She shook her head and quickly bent down, gathering it up and shifting through them. So far it was mundane - household bills, dinner menus and the like. Nothing useful. She pushed them back into the cabinet, careful to arrange them as close to how she remembered as she could, considering it was chaos to begin with.

For the next hour, they worked in near silence, deftly making it through a decent amount of the study and finding a few things deemed useful. While it wasn't anything as big as a giant roster with the name of every Death Eater to exist or a folder labelled "Big Attack Plans" it was more information than what they had walked in with.

Aurora had just finished the last drawer on the desk when a spectral jack rabbit hopped into the room.

"Get out! He's coming and he's got company!" Tonks' voice floated out. Aurora looked over at Shacklebolt and immediately ran over and helped him put back what he had been looking at. They undid whatever spells they had on, turned off the lights and got out of the room. They then started creeping back through the house towards the window at the back that they had snuck in through.

"So, this is what you call good scotch, Jones?"

Aurora froze as her eyes widened. Though it sounded as if it came from somewhere far off in the manor, she could recognize that voice anywhere. Shacklebolt looked back at her and quickly shook his head, silently telling her not to go, but she only stared at him before turning and starting back down the hall towards the voice.

"Jesus, Selwyn. Not all of us are as picky as you."

"Bring me the good stuff."

"Yes…"

Aurora strained her ears as she made her way through the hallways and then stopped when she saw an open door with light pouring into the dark hallway. Quickly, she put a disillusionment charm in place then crept closer, peering around the doorframe and into the room. There were four men seated in what appeared to be a parlour with another standing in front of a large fireplace. Loathing and anger immediately began coursing through her.

Even after the time apart and his stint in Azkaban, he still had the same arrogant stance. His head held slightly up with his shoulders back. Not a single blonde hair out of place. Swallowing, she quickly took in the room, thinking that she and Shacklebolt stood a good chance of attack if there were only five. Though she wasn't sure if he'd go along with her. For now, she'd wait and assess.

"Did you really have to do that?" a man asked; it was Rachel Flint's husband. Evan turned from the fireplace and walked towards the seated men, a smirk on his face. Aurora couldn't help but think that she might enjoy taking him out. Perhaps if she were quick enough, she could stun the four and then take on Evan one-on-one.

"He wasn't going to bring it willingly," he replied nonchalantly. "Relax, it won't hurt him." Flint didn't respond, though he shot a look to the man seated across from him when Evan looked away. A noise got Aurora's attention and immediately the men were on their feet as Nott walked in, scowling at them all. They bowed, save Evan, who just gave him a smug smile.

"Thought I'd find you here," Nott said, taking a seat. This changed things. The two of them versus six Death Eaters. Possibly seven, though she wasn't all that concerned with the man who Evan had imperiused. Aurora was starting to think they were losing their odds, but she wasn't about to run off, just yet. Perhaps someone would leave.

"It's not like I'm hiding," Evan replied. "What can I do for you, Nott?"

"Stay on track," Nott growled, his eyes narrowing at him.

"I am on track," Evan said, looking over as the aforementioned Jones walked back into the room, a dazed look on his face as he held a bottle in his hand. "There we are, my good man." Evan walked over and snatched it out of his hands, then walked over and poured a good portion into a glass.

"We both know you've been planning something at Hogwarts," Nott said. "We're under strict orders to stay out until further notice. Snape and the Carrows have everything under control and the last thing needed is you meddling in things that don't concern you."

"Why would I be planning something there," Evan said lightly. Nott's mouth was in a thin line as he stared Evan down.

"You met with Alecto. What did you tell her to do?" he asked. Evan just shrugged and took another drink of his scotch. "Goddamnit, Selwyn! Answer me!" Nott roared, rising to his feet. Evan swallowed and placed his glass down before meeting Nott's eyes. Aurora felt her heart begin to race. She knew it. He had been planning something. He was going to take Ellie. She gripped her wand so hard her now invisible knuckles were likely white.

"Such a temper," Evan said after tsking him.

"So, help me, if you are planning to kidnap the Black girl, I will-"

"What?" Evan asked, cutting him off. He lifted up his sleeve, showing the mark on the inside of his arm. "I'm the same rank as you. The Dark Lord invites me to his table. Trusts me to be architect of his biddings. Bestows favor on me. And you think that you are still above me?"

"We both know that HE will not tolerate distractions. Not when we are this close," Nott said.

"I'm fairly sure he'll be rather happy with me for getting rid of one more family of blood traitors," Evan replied. "But don't worry - this won't take me away from my work for the Dark Lord. I have plenty of time to do both…"

Aurora's hands started shaking as she fought to stay still, stay silent. All she wanted to do was run into the room and kill him right then and there with her own hands. She almost didn't care if she got out of it alive, she just wanted him dead before he could attempt to get to Ellie. She straightened her back and took a deep breath, then put her foot out.

It had barely hit the floor when something yanked her backwards. She couldn't stop a small yelp that left her lips as she turned and saw a vague outline of Shacklebolt.

"What was that?"

He continued to drag her down the hall, barely turning the corner before there were footsteps. The two ran through the manor, though Aurora continued to look over her shoulder, wanting to go back to kill him. They had yet to get this close to him, so why would Shacklebolt stop her from taking her chance?

The auror said nothing. Not until they had gotten out of the manor, redid the spells in the barrier and then just barely grabbed the port key before it transported them back to Greenthistle Manor.

"What the hell, Aurora!" Shacklebolt shouted, frowning at her. "Were you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"I was trying to do what we set out to do - stop Evan!" she shouted back. "And now thanks to you, he's free to go kidnap Ellie from Hogwarts and we don't even know when he's going to try!"

"What's going on?" Remus asked as he and Tonks stepped outside onto the back patio upon hearing the shouting. Aurora turned to them.

"Evan was there," she said. "I was about to go after him when Shacklebolt dragged me away."

"There were six Death Eaters in there -SIX! Two of which were high-ranking! Do you honestly think that you could take all of them on just by yourself?!" Shacklebolt shouted.

"I could have if you helped!" Aurora shouted back, glaring at him.

"No, we couldn't have! I just saved your life!"

"And likely condemned my daughter!"

"Both of you stop!" Tonks shouted. Shacklebolt and Aurora looked over at her, their eyes wide, as the young woman frowned a them, her pink hair turning a fiery red. "Rora, as much as I would have loved to have you take him down tonight, Shacklebolt is right. It would have been reckless to go in there unprepared and you would have likely gotten killed." She then turned to Shacklebolt. "But you should have stayed to hear more about his plan."

"We have to get Ellie out of Hogwarts now. He's going for her and I don't know when," Aurora said urgently. "Goddamn Alecto is helping him." Remus looked down at a piece of parchment in his hand, a worried look on his face and then back up at Aurora. "What is it Remus?"

"You're not the only one who thinks it time for Ellie to leave Hogwarts," he said, walking over to her.

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked, a confused look on her face.

"Just got word from inside Hogwarts," he said, holding the paper out to her. "From Theodore Nott."

"Nott's son?" Aurora asked, taking the letter and looking down at it.

"They were dating - though he assures me that it was only for Ellie's protection from the Carrows. But she broke up with him and he believes that the Carrows are targeting her now," he said. "The Slytherins certainly are."

"Why would he contact you?" Aurora asked, looking up from the letter. "And why is he helping her? How can we trust him? Nott Sr. was with Evan at the manor tonight."

"Just read the letter. I believe that we can trust him," Remus said. Aurora looked down, quickly reading through it, her face growing paler the more she read.

Things really were bad at Hogwarts.

"My god, why didn't she say anything?" Aurora murmured, walking over and falling into a chair near the pool as she stared down at the letter. She then looked up at Remus, tears filling her eyes. "This is… why wouldn't she tell me? Why didn't McGonagall say anything? They're beating children! And students are disappearing!"

"I'm fairly certain that would be DA hiding people somewhere in the castle away from the Carrows," Remus said. "And Voldemort controls the Ministry. Do you honestly think he would let it stand if she stood up to them? Attempted to take them down? She's probably weighed her options and thought it better to stay and protect the students, as limited as she is, than to stand up to them and be forced on the run. Even if she or the others managed to take down the Carrows, Snape is still in control. They would just be replaced with more professors loyal to Voldemort."

Aurora was silent. It made sense, when she thought about it. And she couldn't imagine being in that position. Knowing that students were being harmed, beaten, and not being able to do much about it other than to help heal them afterwards. To avoid handing out detention whenever possible. Knowing if you pushed things too far, they could easily get rid of you and then replace you with someone who could potentially do more harm.

"Alright," she said, looking down at the letter again. "So… we need to get her out. How?"

"We need to talk to Aberforth," Remus said, looking at Shacklebolt. "He can at least help us to get into Hogsmeade. Perhaps help us find a way into the castle. We should contact McGonagall as well and enlist her help. We'll need as many on the inside as we can."

"Let's get inside and start working," Shacklebolt said, already moving to the door. Tonks quickly followed with Remus not far behind, though he stopped and looked back, seeing Aurora still sitting there, looking down at the letter.

"Rora," he said softly. She looked up at him, tears pooling in her eyes. Her hands were shaking as they held the letter. He quickly walked back over and crouched down next to her. "We'll get her out." She nodded and looked back down at the letter.

"I knew that I shouldn't have let her go," she said. "I shouldn't have… what kind of mother am I?"

"I told you to let her go. If anything, I'm just as much to blame," he replied. "But… we will get her out and keep her safe. McGonagall and DA will do everything they can to keep her safe until we get there." She met his eyes as he reached out and took her hand. "I need you to be strong right now. For Ellie." She nodded quickly and wiped her cheeks.

"Yes," she said, standing. "Let's get started…"

So… I have a habit of leaving a lot of the action towards the end of a story and this one is no different. Lots of action from here out. But we are getting to the end of the war and all… And seriously, I was kind of with Aurora on this one – really wanted her to go in and take Evan down. But more to come…

Thanks for reading and following!