Chapter Ninety

Who's Trapping Who?

'Avada Kedavra,'

Marcus held his son close to him as the brilliant green light jetted towards them that he could see even them. Marcus fought the immediate urge to dodge the lethal curse even knowing that the Dark Lord was not aiming for him. It was far harder, however, to not pull his treacherous son out of harm's way like he desperately wanted to.

But even if he did it would only delay the inevitable.

The Dark Lord would not spare his son this deceit. Marcus understood that but it did make it any easier to feel his son grasp for him desperate for the protection that Marcus could no longer give not after this.

And then Marcus Ares Flint went still except it was more final than stillness.

Marcus held him close as he sobbed for his son, for everything he could have been, everything he had never been.

The Dark Lord crouched down before him, 'I am sorry.'

'I'm a terrible father,' Marcus said mournfully.

Where had everything gone wrong? When his son had been a child? When he had been content to let his wife be the primary carer whilst he settled into the role of Lord Flint? When Marcus had attempted to correct Mathilda's flawed parenting when his son was a teenager? When Marcus had refused to give his son unlimited resources to spend on crap? When Marcus had been looking for an alternative to naming his son becoming the next Lord Flint? When Marcus had agreed to the Dark Prince's plan to entrap the Weasley family?

When he had stepped aside as the Dark Lord had killed Marcus.

He had failed as a father time and time again.

'No, you are not!' the Dark Lord said sharply. 'What happened here was the result of him being a terrible son, not you a terrible father! He betrayed you for money and power! He would have happily killed you and your unborn children to keep hold of the gold that he thought he was entitled to.'

'I should have saved him,' Marcus said mournfully refusing to let go of his son who would never leave his teens.

Brown eyes looked at him sadly, 'I wouldn't have let you; you know that.'

Marcus did but it did not make him feel any better.

'Marcus, take your son home. I'll handle Dumbledore,' the Dark Lord said.

Marcus didn't have it in him to argue.

Ginny Weasley was having a drink of water, washing down her dinner, when her jailor Lord Flint entered. He sat down on the one chair in the room – the one usually reserved for Healer Malentus or Master Heap. His eyes were red, his skin was pale, his expensive robes crumpled, there as mud on his knees and there was a look on his face that was completely different to anything Ginny had come to expect from the calm, impassive man. He hadn't even looked angry when she had attempted to beat the babies out of her.

But now he just looked broken.

What had happened?

Was it You Know Who?

'How … are the twins …?' Flint choked out.

Ginny scowled at the heathen spawn that had nestled themselves in her. If she could starve them out of her, she would. But when she had attempted that Healer Whitehead had dosed her with some sort of potion that made her compliant! Apparently, it was perfectly for a Healer to administer to someone if they thought they were harming themselves. Naturally, Master Heap had been thrilled to hear that as it further confirmed the "she is crazy" line.

'Fine,' snapped Ginny. 'You should know that! Don't you have your elves monitoring on me continually!'

Flint nodded, 'that is … good.'

Ginny looked at the man – he looked fragile. Ginny remembered Master Heap telling her that there would be no point in attempting to seduce him as Flint would see right through her. But now Flint was clearly suffering and that made him vulnerable.

Ginny let her anger slip off of her face and moved closer towards the old man. She placed an arm on his and looked softly at him.

'Are you alright, Lord Flint?' Ginny asked gently. 'Has … has the Dark Lord done something to you? Made you do something? I … I understand being made a pawn of that monster. I could help you, find Dumbledore, just give me the word if there is there anything I can do to help?'

The pain disappeared from Flint's face, replaced by anger. He gripped her wrist tight enough to bruise. Ginny tried to wriggle out of the old man's surprisingly strong grip. Ginny gulped remembering this man was a Slytherin, probably a Death Eater. No matter how broken he looked he was still dangerous! And now he looked like he wanted to hurt her!

'Please, Lord Flint, you are hurting me,' Ginny cried.

Flint let go of her wrist which Ginny cradled close to her and moved back onto the bed. Flint looked at her the same way that one looked at a bug before you squashed it. Never before had she been directly scared of Flint. Scared of her situation. Angry at him for keeping her here. But now Ginny knew that Flint was dangerous, and it was only her pregnancy that was protecting her. Ginny swallowed heavily at that thought.

'That is all I wanted to know, Miss Weasley,' Flint said eyes flashing. 'Good day.'

And with that he swept out of the room leaving Ginny alone to breathe a sigh of relief.

Albus Dumbledore waited until two o'clock in the morning, even the worst of night owls would be fast asleep now. He then apparated to the wards of the Malfoy family's Manor. He was sure that Voldemort would have noticed the attack on his wards – Tom Riddle was many things, a fool he was not, and sent the brat away probably to the man who had the most vested interest in keeping Slytherin alive.

Albus had used his stock of beauty potions to regrow his hair and beard to their former glory and was dressed in some of his best robes – bright silver with little bronze phoenixes flapping through the hems and a pointed hat to match. After all, if he wanted to remain in hiding keeping his tired old Muggle man form was essential. Plus, if he was going to be fighting Dark wizards, he had to do so looking his best.

Albus had had Arthur place a wardborer in the Malfoy Manor many years ago during one of his many raids on the place. It was inactive, of course, or it would have been noticed many years ago, but it could be activated by its twin that Albus still had. Arthur had been wary, of course, as it was completely illegal and he could be arrested for planting such a device, but after the diary incident, he hadn't needed any convincing.

Albus now activated it with one tap of his wand watching as the little compass shaped object began to glow pink. Albus used the device in his hand to locate where the hole was located as the borerduo got redder the closer it got to its twin.

Albus stepped through the hole in the wards like one would scramble through a tent flap. Albus entered into a full-sized Quidditch pitch which was obviously perfectly maintained by the Malfoy elves. Albus sneered at the extravagant grandeur of the Malfoy family. Thanks, to Arthur's old intel it was not difficult for him to make his way through a side-door into a back corridor which had been disused for many generations.

He was about to round the corridor into the main house using a disillusionment charm when Lord Malfoy in black silk pyjamas with the initials LAM on the front pocket in what appeared to be silver unicorn hair. From the way his silver hair was tied back in a messy plait it was obvious that he had been woken by the wards going off. He must have come here to give the Slytherin brat a chance to escape.

Unfortunately for both individuals there was more than one way to skin a cat. And there was more than one way to breach a supposedly impenetrable wards system if you had enough time, patience and the right people in the right places. And fortunately, for Albus he had all of the above.

'Ah, Albus, I would welcome you to my home but it would appear that you have made yourself at home,' Malfoy said grey eyes glittering with malice and drawing his wand.

'Come now, Lucius, you know that you cannot beat me,' Albus said.

'I do not need to beat you, just delay you,' Lucius said. 'Sectersempra!'

Lucius startled awake when he felt his wards warn him that they had been breached. He checked that Harry was still curled asleep against him unaware of the danger that they were both now facing. Lucius didn't know if this was a distraction to push him back to the Dark Lord's manor or if it was the other way around. For now, he had to assume that both his and the Dark Lord's manors had been breached.

'Harry!' Lucius said sharply shaking his lover awake.

'Lucius,' Harry said drowsily.

'Wards have been breached, we have to get out of here,' Lucius said.

Harry still shaking sleep out of his eyes bolted upright. They didn't bother to get dressed. He was just glad that Draco was staying with Narcissa. Luckily, Black was sleeping in Narcissa's old room so as to be close to Harry in case something like this happened, so he was easily able to get him up. Black wanted to go after Dumbledore.

'No,' Lucius said sharply. 'You know you don't stand a chance against him! I, however, have the benefit of being in control of the wards. You get Harry out of here, safe.'

'But you can't win either!' Harry said desperately clutching to him.

'No,' agreed Lucius. 'But I can buy you and our child time.'

'When you are somewhere safe alert the Dark Lord,' Lucius said. 'I think I am going to need him.'

Lucius caught Harry's lips in his, savouring his touch and taste. He touched Harry's belly basking in the knowledge that no matter what happened to him this night, he had two wonderful boys out there. Lucius knew that he might not be coming back from this one but he had to protect the love of his life and their unborn child.

'I love you, Hadrian Slytherin,' Lucius said softly.

'I love you too,' Harry said voice thick with tears. 'Please, don't go.'

And Merlin did Lucius want to go with him.

He hated to see Harry cry, wanted to do whatever it took to make his tears stop.

But if Dumbledore was here then he was here for Harry and the baby. Lucius could not let Harry be taken by Dumbledore. He would not let his lover suffer James Potter's fate nor his child be hurt by that man like Harry had been.

Lucius was intelligent enough to know that a fight with Dumbledore was not one he could win especially as unlike Harry Dumbledore would not be trying to take him and Dumbledore had long since proven that he was quite happy to kill. And he was self-serving enough not to want to walk into a fight that he knew he could not win.

However, he wanted Harry to live more.

'I have to buy you time,' Lucius said kissing Harry again.

Lucius tore himself away from Harry and made his way towards the hole in the wards. Lucius pretended not to hear Harry's anguished cries. Pretended that they didn't break his heart. But knowing that Harry stood a far greater chance of survival if Dumbledore was delayed. Lucius would just have to trust that Sirius would protect him, get him somewhere safe.

'I can't leave him!' Harry said desperately.

'You have to!' Sirius said sharply. 'Look, Lucius, is one of the most slippery people I know – if anyone can worm himself out trouble it is him. Besides it's not Lucius Dumbledore wants – as long as he thinks that you will come for him, he'll keep him alive. Besides, think of your baby – we have to get out of here.'

Harry nodded, 'there's a hidden chamber under the drawing room floor … it has an escape tunnel that will lead us beyond the wards. And then-'

'Then I apparate us to Crouch Manor,' Sirius said. 'From there we can contact your father. He'll be able to help Lucius more than either of us can, especially you!'

'I hate this!' Harry burst out. 'Having others fight for me!'

'I know,' Sirius said. 'But we want to because we love you.'

Harry nodded as they got to the ground floor drawing room where the entrance to the Malfoy's hidden chamber was located. It was nowadays used mostly for storing banned books and artefacts. However, there was a passageway that would lead them out past the wards and into the countryside where Sirius could then Apparate them to safety.

It had been originally built during the time of the witch hunts so that they could escape if they were ever exposed as magicals. Most old magical families had them, but most had become arrogant in their years of peace most had converted them or fill them. However, after Abraxas Malfoy joined Harry's father's illegal revolutionary group, he had felt it necessary to have an escape route should the Ministry ever attempt to arrest him.

However, when he arrived in the drawing room, he was met by a group of eight wizards. He recognised Lord Elphias Doge, Dumbledore's man – Dumbledore must be really short of followers to use an old politician especially as if they were caught he would be unable to run for the title of Chief Warlock. But other seven he had never met. Sirius, however, seemed to recognise them so they must be Order members.

Harry felt like such an idiot – of course they knew about the chamber. Draco had told Harry and Ron about the hidden chamber when they were using Polyjuice. Ron had even said he was going to tell his father, so it was hardly a surprise he had also told a Dumbledore given his loyalty towards the old codger.

Sirius pushed Harry behind him, 'Harry, get out of here.'

Sirius looked between Sirius and the Order members. Harry wanted to fight but he knew he was useless in a fight thanks to being pregnant as any overextension of his magic would see him faint. It was better that Harry leave, so that Sirius could fight without having to worry about defend him at the same time.

Of course, with the wards in lockdown mode due to being under attack they would not allow any escape through the Floo system. That meant he would have to get out through the grounds and hope that there was no one waiting for him. Then … summon the Knight Bus and get back home so that his father could come and save his lover and godfather.

'That will not be happening, traitor,' sneered Hestia Jones.

They had gone to school together and had been friends once. They had fought together. But then she like all the others he had once called friends abandoned him thinking him as a traitor without ever questioning it! And now they were enemies. Now she was trying to kidnap his godson. And for that he would give her hell!

Sirius snorted, 'I'm not the one trying to kidnap a pregnant teenager on the orders of a murderer, Hestia!'

'It's for the Greater Good!' snapped Doge.

'How very Grindelwaldian,' Sirius returned coolly. 'And utter bollocks. It may have started off trying to rid the world of Voldemort, but using Harry for money and political gain, hurting a child because you disliked their family background. Well, I don't see any difference between you lot and the worst pureblood fanatics.'

'HOW DARE YOU!' shouted Doge.

'HOW DARE YOU!' bellowed back Sirius. 'HARRY WAS A CHILD – I DON'T CARE WHO'S – HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROTECTED!'

'Like we would ever protect a Dark wizard,' sneered Valerianus Crim.

Crim had once been an ally of his in the Aurors, they had fought and trained together. Crim had taken Sirius under his wing during training due to them both being Order members. Sirius had believed him to be a good man and had sought to emulate him. And yet despite all that had been revealed about what Dumbledore had done the other wizard was still loyal to him.

'Is that why you were so happy to believe I was a Death Eater, Val?' Sirius asked coolly. 'Because I cam from a Dark family! Soon as anyone suggested I was a Death Eater you all bought it, you didn't question it, you didn't bother to even find out if there was a trial. WE WERE FRIENDS AND YOU ALL ABANDONED ME!'

'YOU'RE A DEATH EATER!' shouted a younger witch with dark red hair who must have been recruited recently because she would have been barely Hogwarts age at the end of the war.

Sirius bared his arms, 'NO I'M NOT – DUMBLEDORE JUST WANTED ME SAFELY OUT OF THE WAY SO HE COULD HURT HARRY WITHOUT ANYONE DOING A DAMN THING TO STOP HIM!'

'You expect us to believe that!' spat Doge. 'When you are see cosying up here, when you are under the protection of He Who Must Not Be Named!'

'TO PROTECT BY GODSON FROM ALL THOSE WHO SEEK TO HARM HIM!' Sirius shouted. 'I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD YOURSELF TO MAKE KIDNAP AND MURDER SEEM THE RIGHT DECISION – I WILL DIE BEFORE LETTING YOU HURT MY GODSON!'

'Then die you will,' Joshua Bulman, another former Auror friend of his said. 'Avada Kedavra.'

Sirius jumped behind a wooden table which meant that the curse went into it rather than him. Naturally, the table shattered leaving Sirius with a multitude of cuts and splinters. Sirius was once again facing a group of murderous wizards who despite claiming to be Light seemed to have absolutely no problem throwing killing curses around.

'Avifors,'

The buttons on Bulman's robes sudden transformed into small tweeting birds that seemed to see Bulman as dinner with the way they were pecking him quite insistently. Sirius had always been good at defensive transfiguration.

'Stupefy,' Sirius said whilst the man was distracted.

One down, seven to go. Sirius judged Val as the most experienced fighter of the lot so it was he who he went after. And given how uncoordinated they were it was unlikely that most of them had had much fighting in the past sixteen years at all, least of all together. That was good an organised group of fighters seven to one was bad odds but this he might be able to manage.

'Silencio!' Faustina Long incanted.

Another member of the original Order, but not one Sirius knew particularly well. The spell was a basic one, but most wizards would have trouble using spells if they could no longer speak. Sirius, himself was useless at silent casting. Luckily, for him any basic shielding charm could counteract a silencio.

'You'll need to do better than that,' taunted Sirius.

'Levicorpus,'

Sirius picked up the woman and threw her against the wall where she lay still with blood running down her head.

'FAUSTINA!' bellowed Crim.

Crim, apparently, forgetting he had magic bellowed and charged at Sirius looking like he wanted to pummel him with his fists. Sirius easily transformed into Padfoot and half tore his arm off leaving the wizard passed out with pain.

Sirius transformed back into human form and could taste Crim's blood on his lips. He was sure with blood smeared all around his face he looked just as deranged as he was portrayed to be. Doge gulped and looked like he regretted agreeing to come here in the first place as he looked at his three fallen comrades.

And fled the room.

Hestia and Quincey looked at one another and did the same leaving Sirius with the unknown younger woman and the man in Unspeakable robes.

'Well, it seems it's just us,' Sirius said grinning with blood-stained teeth. 'Let's have some fun. Incendio!'

'Aguamenti!' the Unspeakable returned.

The girl laughed, 'you, purebloods always think you are so great!'

'Who did you lose?' asked Sirius.

'MY FATHER!' shouted the girl. 'KILLED FOR BEING A MUGGLEBORN. I WILL KILL YOU! AVADA KEDAVRA!'

Not so much as a light sparked from her wand.

'Never used that particular charm before,' snorted Sirius. 'It takes more than anger you have to want it. And you don't want it, do you, you just want him back. But doing this will not do anything to help you. Would your father really want you to come after a boy just for being born, just as what happened to him.'

The girl dropped to her knees looking broken and lost.

'She might not be able to, but I am,' the Unspeakable said. 'Aguamenti'

Sirius was about to laugh at the mildness of the charm but found he couldn't because his lungs were filling up with water. Sirius gurgled and choked trying to fill his lungs with much needed air but all he got was more water.

No, he needed.

Harry

Harry needed him.

Harry was in danger.

Harry

Ha-

Harry was just about at the front door when a voice sounded from behind him.

'You will not be escaping tonight,'

Harry didn't need to turn around to see who it was. He would know that voice anywhere – the voice of the man he had once trusted more than anyone! The voice of the man who had murdered his father and ruined his life.

Albus Dumbledore.