Chapter Ninety-One

Wand and Dagger

Minerva was just about to start her dinner when a knock at the door came. Minerva sighed wondering what the Ministry wanted with her now. She didn't know anything knew, except for the fact that Dumbledore had killed James Potter to get control of little Harr-Hadrian Slytherin. Thus, she was shocked to find Arabella Figg at the door.

'Arabella, what are you doing here?' asked Minerva shocked.

'May I come in?' asked Figg.

Minerva stepped aside and let her in.

'Can I offer you anything?' asked Minerva. 'I was just about to have din-'

'No, I have another three Order members to visit before the night is up,' Figg said. 'Look Dumbledore has a plan to expose You Know Who.'

'I don't want to be involved,' Minerva said sharply. 'Not with anything Dumbledore has planned – and neither should you. What he did to Harry was evil!'

'Worse than You Know Who?' demanded Figg. 'How many people are dead because of him?'

'Dumbledore's killed people too,' Minerva said tiredly.

James didn't even have his wand on him.

'I can't in good conscience support this anymore!' Minerva said. 'And if you know what's good for you – neither should you.'

Figg scowled at her, 'so you would prefer to sit on the fences whilst people like me are hunted for what we are!'

'Arabella,' Minerva tried. 'I understand I really do, but Dumbledore is just as bad as You Know Who!'

'Fine, I'll let Albus know,' Figg said bitterly.

'Arabella, you should turn yourself in,' Minerva said. 'If you are caught involved – they will throw the book at you especially due to your lack of magic.'

'I'm not afraid,' Figg said.

'Well, you should be,' Minerva said. 'Albus will not protect you. Once you have outlived your usefulness, he will abandon you!'

Figg stood up at full height, 'Dumbledore is a great man.'

'No, he's not,' Minerva said quietly. 'He's a murderer and an abuser and a manipulator. He will make monsters of us all if we let him.'

Minerva sat for far too long debating what to do whilst her dinner went cold. She didn't want to betray those she had once called friends. But she kept thinking about James Potter. The way he had held his infant son to him as Dumbledore had killed him to get control of Harry. She thought of Harry and those sharp green eyes and skinny figure, eyes full of hurt and wariness, so young and so old at the same time.

What if Dumbledore went after him, again?

What if this time it was he who died?

That she had known something was afoot and done nothing to save her former student. Dumbledore and the Order had made their choice when they began hunting a child mostly because of their lineage. She would now have to make her own choice.

'Aurors Office, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic, London,' Minerva called through the fireplace.

'Minerva?' asked Kingsley.

'Have you been contacted by any of the Order?' asked Minerva.

Kingsley shook his head, 'no, they know I told Madam Bones everything so won't come to me, especially as several of their number have been suspended from their Ministry jobs because of my actions. Why? Have you?'

Minerva nodded her head, 'apparently, Dumbledore is calling a meeting. I made it clear I wasn't going to be involved, not anymore. And I wasn't told where it would be. But if he is then something is afoot.'

Kingsley nodded, 'we'll look into it – we've got the rest of the Order under surveillance if anything is up, they'll lead us straight to him.'

Amelia was once again woken in the middle of the night. She really should be getting used to this. It seemed it was every couple of weeks recently and something monumental had happened. She was really beginning to understand why Crouch had lost his way if this was anything close to what it was like running the DMLE in The War.

'What's happened?' asked Amelia.

'Minerva McGonagall contacted me about a possible Order meeting,' Kingsley said.

'Wish she had hard the foresight not to burn that bridge,' muttered Tuckett. 'We could really have used some intel.'

'Yes, well, she made it quite clear she wasn't interested in being involved in the Order any longer,' Kingsley said. 'And informed me about it.'

'Naturally,' Tuckett said darkly. 'We wanted to confirm if anyone else had been contacted so checked in with the surveillance team.'

'And?' Amelia asked.

'Most are still in place – those on Aberforth Dumbledore, Ronald Weasley and the teachers at Hogwarts,' Tuckett said. 'However, two have been drugged with sleeping potion which by the looks of it has been sprayed on them in mist form. Two have been placed under the full body-bind, whether because it is an easier spell or it lasts longer than a stunner is hard to say – possibly both. Two have been stunned. One has been cursed by an unknown spell that the Healers are having difficulty identifying. And one is dead.'

'Dead?' asked Amelia sharply. 'Who?'

That was a shock, from what Dumbledore and his cult believed they thought that the DMLE and the general public were simply deluded and needed saving from themselves. But by killing one of the Aurors watching them that changed things. Never mind the severity of murdering an Auror even if it was revealed at a later date that they were right about Lord Slytherin, that was not something that even the general public would excuse.

'Auror Van Burm,' Kingsley said grimly. 'He was watching Unspeakable Peacock – suspended pending an investigation into his connection with Albus Dumbledore.'

Amelia closed her eyes – Van Burm had a husband and two children one in Hogwarts and another not even that. This was supposed to be a simple surveillance operation. Now she was going to have to tell his family that their loved one was dead.

'And the ones who are awake – what do they remember?' asked Amelia.

'They were visited by an unknown witch that we have no records of being an affiliate of Albus Dumbledore,' Tuckett said. 'As far as we can tell she seems to come out of nowhere – didn't even register on the magic-scopes. We were going to ask the enchanting department tomorrow is there anyway, that the scopes could be fooled like that.'

Amelia nodded, 'so basically we have eight missing witches and wizards with some affiliation with Albus Dumbledore. Has anyone thought to contact Lord Slytherin and make sure he and his Heir are safe?'

Tom had been sitting out in the grounds for the last few hours and was beginning to get the idea that Dumbledore wasn't coming. It was possible he had monitoring charms on the Flint boy and knew that he was dead and that the hole in the wards was a trap. But Tom was still wary to let his guard down. He would give it until dawn – if nothing happened by then he would close the hole and call it a bad job.

But then the wards went – there was someone attempting to Floo in. Tom scowled at being interrupted but it might be important, so he sealed the wards properly and gave tonight up as a bad job.

He made his way to the Floo room where he was somehow unsurprised that it was Amelia Bones establishing a Floo call. Had something happened? Had Dumbledore been caught which would explain his absence tonight? Was Hadrian in trouble? Had Marcus turned them in over his son's death?

'Madam Bones,' Tom said. 'It is two o'clock in the morning.'

'I am sorry for calling this late hour, Lord Slytherin,' Bones said. 'But I have just recently received word that one of Dumbledore's former associates has received word of a meeting. My people watching Dumbledore's associates have been found stunned at their posts on the change of shifts and those they were watching are not where they were. Given Dumbledore's preoccupation with you and your son I wanted to ensure that you were safe.'

Tom nodded, 'I am. Hadrian is at Lucius' I am afraid.'

Bones nodded, 'I will check with them to make sure everything is alright and warn them to be on their guard.'

Tom felt like doing the same. He may be being paranoid but clearly something was afoot with Dumbledore's people and it wasn't here. He would prefer annoying Hadrian and Lucius by waking them in the middle of the night than not and having his son taken from him again. Just as he made the decision Amelia Bones' worried face swam into view.

'Lord Slytherin, Malfoy Manor's ward have initiated a lockdown procedure meaning that they have been attacked,' Bones said. 'We cannot get in through the normal means.'

'I know where Malfoy Manor is,' Tom said. 'We should be able to get in from the outside especially if the wards have already been breached. If not bring a Cursebreaker. Meet me at coordinates 51.110901, -1.955046.'

'Thank you, Lord Slytherin,' Bones said.

Tom apparated from the room and appeared at the meeting point in seconds. Invisible to Muggles but obvious to wizards was Malfoy Manor, the ancestral home of the British Branch of Malfoy family. And currently the usually invisible wards around Malfoy Manor were dark red showing that they had been breached. Tom located where they had been breached from – a hole that was steadily growing and had been created using the same item that Marcus Flint Junior had attempted to smuggle into his own house.

It was a trap.

Dumbledore had known that the second he thought that Hadrian was under threat he would pack him off to the Malfoy Manor. And Dumbledore attacked then where Hadrian was far away from him. He should have not played Dumbledore's game and kept Hadrian close to him where he was safe.

He was such a fool.

Dumbledore had tricked him again!

He could lose Hadrian for good this time.

If he lost Hadrian, he would burn down all of Britain, and make a good attempt on the world. Nothing would matter anymore. Not his plans to make Britain a better place. Not his plans to protect the world. No, all that would matter was that his son had been taken from him. It would be like losing James again, only much, much worse.

Tom wasn't going to bother to wait for the DMLE because his son was in danger. But luckily for Bones she arrived with a full platoon of about fifty Aurors. Clearly, they were expecting a battle today.

'There is a gap in the wards here,' Tom said. 'It has grown since it was first activated and is easily large enough to fit about five people through it.'

Bones nodded, 'okay, our priority is to get any civilians out of there – Hadrian Slytherin, is the intended target and our first priority. Draco Malfoy, Heir of the Malfoy family and another minor might be present as well. Lord Lucius Malfoy will be present too.'

'Sirius Black was there as well,' Tom said.

'If anyone encounters the suspect Sirius Black, remember he has not been charged with anything so treat him as you would any other retired Auror – he is not a threat,' Bones said. 'You should go home, Lord Slytherin.'

'If you think I am going to leave whilst my son is in danger you have another thing coming,' spat Tom. 'I will be coming with or without your help!'

'We can't afford to protect you as well as him,' Bones said.

'I can protect myself well enough,' Tom said coolly. 'Besides, you need me – you know what old manors are like. You'll need someone who knows the lay of the land.'

Bones nodded, 'okay, but you follow my lead.'

Tom nodded knowing it was the only way she would allow him in. And he didn't want to actually have to fight the Ministry. He would do so for Hadrian, of course, but if it would cause additional problems for Hadrian if when Tom got his son out of here.

They fifty Aurors and the Dark Lord marched across silent, darkened grounds. Tom had gone into many a battle in his lifetime, but never had he felt his heart pumping quite as loud as it was now. His thoughts were a mess but one kept circling back.

Please be alright.

Please be safe.

Please be alive.

He tried to remember that Dumbledore wanted Hadrian alive. That Dumbledore wasn't going to kill his son not until his baby was ready to be taken from him. That Dumbledore couldn't afford to hurt him or he would lose the baby.

'There are five entrances into Malfoy Manor,' Tom said. 'The front door accessed at the other side of the castle; the back entrance leading onto the lawn which you can see from here; the side door usually used by human servants; the kitchen door located beside the kitchen gardens to the north-west which will be difficult for humans to use as it is designed for house-elves; and the conservatory door located at the west-side.

'Head Auror Scrimgeour take Hengist Squad to the back entranceway; Senior Auror Perkins you take the Sierra Squad through the side entrance, Senior Auror Tuckett you take the Ragnell squad through the conservatory, Senior Auror Swordbane you take the kitchen door with the Brutus squadron – Auror Tonks you go with them. Squad Guinevere with me – Lord Slytherin you come with me. Keep me updated through the Mirrors.'

Tom nodded but kept an eye on the other doors – if there seemed to be moved, he would be investigating. But he thought it most likely that Hadrian was in the ground floor drawing room where the Malfoy's hidden chamber was. It was the best place to hole up during an invasion. Tom had spent hours down there when the Ministry had come calling in 1981, and it was located in the hallway just off the front door.

Tom marched ahead of Bones and the group of about ten Aurors she had with her. At the front door he could see two figures – one on the ground not moving and the other one on top of them. It was only as he got closer did Tom understand what he was seeing.

Dumbledore, wand still in hand was on the ground obviously dead his glasses askew. Hadrian had tears running down his cheeks and was covered in blood still stabbing Dumbledore in a frenzied way as he muttered under his breath, breathing heavily.

Tom dropped to his knees and pulled Hadrian again him. Hadrian not seeing him or understanding him lashed out at in a frenzied attack. Tom's heart broke for his son … how scared had he been. Tom should have protected him better, kept him safe, kept him with him as soon as he realised they were under attack.

'It's alright, Hadrian, it's over, you're safe, he's gone, let the knife go,' Tom said gently. 'I'm here, I'm here.'

Harry slowly turned around to see Albus Dumbledore resplendent in robes of brightest silver. His hair and beard were gleaming bright silver in the darkened candlelit corridor, his eyes bright blue and twinkling damnably. Looking for all the world as if he was taking a casual stroll in the park. Looking like his period on the run hadn't affected him at all.

It made Harry furious.

And scared.

How was he going to get out of this one?

Harry swallowed and took on step back knocking into the oak door which was still in his hand. He thought about making a run for it but then Dumbledore's wand was in his hand, but that twinkle did not stop.

'Ah, Harry, my boy-'Dumbledore began.

'I'm not your boy,' snapped Harry.

'No, you're Voldemort's boy, or is that Lucius Malfoy's?' questioned Dumbledore coolly.

Harry's heart ached at that comment. If Dumbledore was here, then Lucius' delaying tactics hadn't worked. Where was Lucius? Please let him be alright. Or if not alright, please at least let him be alive!

'Where's Lucius?' demanded Harry.

'Ah, Lucius, by now – dead most likely,' Dumbledore said still smiling calmly.

Words seemed unable to be formed.

All Harry could do was mutely shake his head.

Lucius couldn't be dead.

He just couldn't.

It was impossible.

How could he go on without him?

'Ah, you loved him did you,' Dumbledore said not showing any sympathy. 'He would have betrayed you in the end – Dark siders always do.'

Harry let out a bitter laugh, 'LIKE YOU DID! LIKE RON DID! HERMIONE! MRS WEASLEY! The Dark side have never betrayed me – that's all the Light side has ever done!'

'I am sorry you feel that way,' Dumbledore said not sounding sorry at all.

'WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? WHAT HAVE I EVER DONE TO YOU? I JUST WANT TO LIVE!' Harry shouted desperately.

'Your living will come at the costs of others,' Dumbledore said simply. 'And that I cannot abide, so you will be coming with me, today.'

'I will not be!' Harry snapped.

Harry wrenched open the door. A spell whizzed past his ear but given how close they were and how powerful and skilled Dumbledore was there was no way that was anything but on purpose. Actually, Harry thought it was just a warning or possibly a bluff from the old man.

'You're not going to hurt me,' Harry said. 'You can't risk anything happening to my baby – it is too early for you to rip him from me, and he survive. You're planning to do what you did to my Dad – kidnap me, wait for me to have my baby, then kill me. It won't work – father knows I am pregnant. If you suddenly appear with a baby no matter what happens he'll know and so will the rest of the Wizarding World.'

'Ah, Severus has kept you well informed, hasn't he,' Dumbledore mused. 'And you can't use magic for the same reason.'

Harry scowled at the old man but couldn't refute that.

'I, however, can hurt you,' Dumbledore continued. 'After all, if you do miscarry all that has to be done is have you rebred – a fertility potion and I likely will only lose a couple of months.'

Harry went pale at the insinuation Dumbledore had just made – that he was quite happy to make Harry have a miscarriage. Harry's arms instinctively circled his stomach, protectively. He couldn't lose his baby … he just couldn't … not after – no it wasn't true, it just wasn't. Lucius was just hurt … Dumbledore was lying to make him suffer!

It didn't necessarily surprise him that Dumbledore was willing to have him raped – it wasn't after all the first time he had heard that Dumbledore was planning as such. It didn't make the threat any less horrific. But usually, he seemed to want it done under potions because he was one of the idiots who thought that being forced to have sex under potions made it willing.

'Now move,'

Dumbledore gestured with his wand for Harry to move. Harry knew he had the dagger that Greyback had given to him for his seventeenth birthday. It was sheafed in a holster on his left arm (his wand was on his right arm). He just needed Dumbledore to come closer so when moving through the door he pretended to trip.

Dumbledore naturally grabbed his arm in a way that Harry was familiar with thanks to Vernon Dursley. Harry twisted the dagger out of his sheaf and used it to stab Dumbledore in the arm. Dumbledore cried out in shock and let go of Harry. But Harry didn't stop there. He brought the dagger down on Dumbledore again and again with a frenzied attack.

Never again would that man hurt him.

Never would he allow that man to hurt his son like he had been hurt.

He kept stabbing again and again long after the old man had stopped moving. Long after he couldn't see anymore because of his eyes having filled with tears. His arms felt heavy and sore with the repetitive strain.

Then there were suddenly arms around him.

Harry cried out in alarm and went to attack this newfound threat without really knowing what was going on. But the arms holding him didn't let go and gently restrained him so he couldn't use the dagger anymore.

'It's alright, Hadrian, it's over, you're safe, he's gone, let the knife go. I'm here. I'm here.'

'Father …'