AN: For any of you that have read 'Coming of the Reaper', I have started re-editing the story and I am amazed at how rough the first few chapters were. so far I have went through the first six chapters and will continue to go through the story in between updating this one.
This story will most likely get the same treatment when I complete it, I know there are some rough spots in this one as well and I thank everyone for their patience.
AN 2: The Hannah/Smith story arch is finally complete and we are moving towards the end game, there will probably be eight to ten more chapters before this story is complete, the drama and angst levels should turn way down now.
DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One.
Camp Mad-Eye, Scotland, 12/3/1997. 14:26
Harry was just finishing up his excercises, he didn't have to lead P.T anymore so he only had to worry about his own physical conditioning, which meant he could do it as his leisure.
The members of the D.A that survived the 'battle of Hunslet mill' had been plugged into the order and were training with them now, Harry wasn't ashamed to admit he was relieved after what happened he would rather work on his own.
Harry had decided not to join the order with the others, he would be working doing his own thing for the time being, working with a team had benefits but Harry preferred to work alone, he usually didn't have any problems handling himself and it was much easier when the time came to retreat when he only had himself to worry about, he strongly suspected he wouldn't be able to work completely by himself, he feared his girlfriend would impose her will upon him and tag along rather he wanted her to or not, he would deal with that problem when it came.
Susan was on the mend but not up to one-hundred percent just yet, the torn muscles in her stomach and back were slow to heal but she was up and moving again albeit slower than she was before.
Harry had taken over caring for her and truth be told, he was probably getting on her nerves by now, since he had been treating her like she was made of glass and constantly inquiring on how she was feeling.
Bill was finally starting to accept that what happened wasn't entirely his fault, he had gotten a very thorough ass chewing from Moody after Hannah's interrogation, when it came to light how the death eaters were able to enter the clubhouse, Moody about had a stroke.
Bill had been busy taking care of Fleur, the effects of the curse that struck her, (the same purple curse that Hermione had been hit with at the D.o.M) had freaked havoc on Fleur's body, but it was nothing to how she reacted when Bill had to tell her she had been pregnant and the curse had caused her to lose the baby. Fleur was crushed and had been in a state of depression for the last week.
Harry was rewarded with his own dressing down for his disregarding of her warning from Andromeda, and the first few training sessions with her were absolutely brutal, she showed her displeasure with him by using him as a target dummy. His magical speed couldn't save him from her fast wand work and he was frequently covered in welts from her stinging hexes.
This had the added benefit of illustrating that no matter how fast Harry had become since his training had begun, that a hacked off Andromeda would wipe the floor with him easily. It opened his eyes to the fact he still had a long way to go yet if he planned on beating 'No-nose'.
The Abbott's had moved their tent far away from the rest of camp, Hannah would not be safe anywhere near the other occupants of 'camp Mad-eye' and Harry was not the only one who wished her dead, he would abide by Mad-eye's command to leave her be, but if the opportunity every presented itself Hannah Abbott would have an accident.
Entering his new tent he found Susan reading a copy of the 'Daily Prophet with a cup of tea in front of her, Harry had gotten a regular sized wizard tent from Moody and Susan had moved in with him as soon as she was able to leave Poppy's care, Moody hadn't said anything against this so Harry and Susan were learning to live together as a couple.
"Anything useful in there?" Harry asked as he entered the tent.
"No just pureblood propaganda, they have issued a reward for the leaders of the resistance, congratulations your worth fifty-thousand galleons." Susan said with a grin.
"Wonderful, at least someone appreciates my value" Harry said deadpan.
"There is also a piece in here about Gringott's baring the doors to the public, they apparently forced an order through the Wizengamot to seize the vaults of all enemies of the ministry. The goblins basically told them to shove it, the treaty of seventeen seventy-six specifically states that the ministry has no control of any matters concerning Gringotts or the 'Goblin Nation'. If the death eaters are not careful they may start a goblin rebellion." Susan said before taking a sip of her tea.
"Well that might do us a favor, how are you feeling?" Harry asked curious.
"I'm good, Poppy says I will be back to normal by next week, the scar is slowly fading and the muscle tearing is almost completely repaired." Susan said happily.
"That's wonderful, I have a meeting with Moody at four, your welcome to tag along if you want." Harry said fixing himself a cuppa and taking a seat at the table across from her.
"Why are you meeting with Moody?" Susan asked curiously.
"We need real intel, more than just their troop movements, we are at a stalemate at the moment since neither side can get to the other." Harry said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And how do you plan on getting intel from inside Hogwarts?" Susan asked suspiciously.
"I can get into Hogwarts, I just need to come up with a plan to get in, get information and get out without being noticed." Harry answered.
"Are you insane that's suicide, you can't go in there alone." Susan said sternly.
"Don't worry, I can be in and out with them being none the wiser." Harry tried to assure her.
"I'll be coming with you." Susan said simply.
"What, absolutely not." Harry protested.
"I wasn't asking permission." Susan answered back.
"But you haven't healed up yet." Harry said.
"I'll be fine for a stealth mission." Susan said dismissing his argument.
Before they could continue the conversation further Moody entered the tent flap.
"Alright Potter, sorry to break up this lovers quarrel but I have to go out with the scouting party, what did you want to talk to me about?" Moody asked taking a seat at the table.
"I need a vial of veritaserum." Harry answered thrown off a little by the surprise visit.
"Not a problem, what do you need it for?" Moody asked suspiciously.
"I am going to make a trip to Hogwarts and get us some inside Intel." Harry explained.
"Are you crazy, the school is locked down, the lawn is occupied by death eaters and God only knows what's going on inside." Moody said incredulously.
"That's the point, we need to know what's going on inside, I can get in and out without being noticed and I might can find a larger entrance into the school so we can attack it from the inside out like at Malfoy Manor." Harry explained.
"And I suppose you plan on going in all by yourself?" Moody asked.
"I will be going with him." Susan said firmly.
"We never agreed on that." Harry said exasperatedly.
"I am not letting you go alone." Susan said stubbornly.
"Fine, I'll take Bill or Tonks." Harry said.
Susan actually snorted. "Your actually suggesting taking Tonks on a stealth mission, I love the girl to death but she is like a bull in a China shop." Susan said amused.
"She's got you there lad, and Weasley is helping me beef up the security wards. I don't like this one bit, but Suzie's one of the best fighters here."Moody said gruffly.
"Fine, we'll be waiting until next week when Poppy gives you the all clear." Harry said admitting defeat.
"Aye, that will give me time to get you some goodies for the mission." Moody agreed.
"Alright then, I'm off to Nottingham. Come up next week sometime and pick up the potion." Moody said.
"Will do." Harry answered.
"Take. care of her lad, I'll see you two later." Moody said and exited the tent.
"Now that business is taken care of, I could use a bath, care to help me into the tub?" Susan asked.
Susan had been thrilled to learn Harry's new tent had a full bathtub, Harry had to help her in and out of it due to her injuries but he really had no complaints about that.
"Sure, I'll go get it ready for you." Harry said with a soft smile.
/A/D/W/F/
Camp Mad-eye, Scotland, 12/5/1997, 17:08
Harry was eating in mess tent two today, it was the lesser used of the two mess tents and he hadn't been in the mood for social interaction of late. Harry and Neville's friendship had taken a major hit over his attempt to kill Hannah.
Harry was equally annoyed at Neville's lack of consideration for anyone else but himself, Neville had been off on his own a lot since they had returned to camp.
Harry looked up from his food when he smelled Susan's perfume, she had been with madam Pomprey all afternoon and Harry was anxious to hear the verdict.
"Well, what did she say?" Harry asked curiously.
"I'm all healed up, the muscle tissue is fully repaired and my liver is as good as new." Susan said happily.
"That's wonderful." Harry said smiling.
"Yes, I can start my P.T again tomorrow. So now you can stop treating my like a delicate flower." Susan said with a grin.
"Oh, so no more back rubs or breakfast in bed?" Harry asked.
"No, the back rubs can stay, but I want everything else back to normal." Susan said while filling her plate with tonight's offering of roast chicken.
"I thought women liked to be pampered?" Harry asked confused.
"Some do, I'm not that kind of girl." Susan answered amused.
"I guess I should be happy about that. Anyway I suppose we can start making plans if we are going into Hogwarts, I would like to go tomorrow night." Harry said.
"That sounds fine, we had better go see Alastor about that care package he's throwing together." Susan advised.
"Yep, it is crucial that we are not seen. We need to be able to get back in later, so we have to leave no evidence while we are there." Harry said seriously.
"Understood, we stun and obliviate." Susan said.
"Exactly, now let's go see what Moody has for us." Harry said as he rose from the table noticing Susan was just picking at her food anyway.
They quickly made it to Moody's house and found him sitting in his usual spot finishing up his own dinner and talking with Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"I expected to see you two, Poppy said little Suzie was all healed up." Moody said with a grin.
"Are you ever going to stop calling me little Suzie?' Susan asked fondly.
"Nope, you'll always be the little tot running starkers around Amy's garden to me lass." Moody said with a smile.
Susan blushed in embarrassment at this statement making Harry snort and then cough to try and cover it up.
"Got something to say Potter?" Susan asked warningly.
"Just that your hair looks amazing and I swear you are looking more beautiful than ever." Harry said charmingly.
Moody barked out a laugh while Susan blushed at the compliment, Harry may have used it as a distraction, that didn't mean he wasn't telling the truth though.
"We're getting off topic here, we have prepared you a few items to aid you inside Hogwarts." Kingsley spoke up getting them back on task.
"Aye, Here is the veritaserum you requested. I also got you a dictaquill and a sheet of parchment that is paired with one here. Susan is familiar with interviewing a suspect, when you dose someone with the truth potion record the conversation on this parchment, it will instantly be transferred to the parchment we have it paired with here." Moody said placing tbe potion quill and enchanted parchment on the table.
"That sounds perfect." Harry said.
"That's not all." Moody reached into his pocket and pulled a familiar pistol from his pocket and set it on the table, it was the 'Walther PPK' Harry had taken from the muggle thugs on Harry and Susan's first date. "Back in the war with Grindlewald it was common for a wizard to have something like this as a back up. I've stripped it down and enchanted it a bit. I put a slight expansion charm on the magazine, it will now hold eighteen rounds, the barrel has been enchanted to be silent, I couldn't do anything about muzzle flash or recoil, but it fires a nine millimeter short so the recoil is minimal anyway. Don't use it unless you have too and for God sakes keep the safety on." Moody explained.
Harry nodded and put the pistol in his pocket, Susan had already gathered up the interrogation supplies and were waiting for Moody to continue.
"We also got you a small amount of the Weasley twins gear: extendable ears, instant darkness powder, decoy detonators and two doses of polyjuice. If you need help or have to relay any messages just write it down on that parchment. Finally Suzie this is for you, it was Amy's and it just might save your life one day." Moody finished and handed Susan a six inch dagger with the Bones crest stamped into the hilt.
"Thank you Alastor." Susan said her eyes tearing up.
"Do you have any leftover wands after the taboo attacks?" Harry asked.
"A few follow me." Moody said leading them through the house and down a set of stairs to the cellar.
"See if one works for you, a back up wand is always a good idea." Moody said having figured out why Potter was asking about wands.
There was a long table in the middle of the room with about fifty some odd wands lined up about two inches apart, Harry put his hand about an inch above the wands and started walking slowly towards the other end of the table, he made it almost to the other end before a wand called to him, it was crooked and very familiar: twelve and three-quarters, walnut and dragon heartstring this wand once belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.
Picking it up he felt a similar feeling to the first time he picked up his holly and phoenix feather wand, this was the wand that killed his godfather, now it had given him it's allegiance and he would use it to kill it's last owner and avenge Sirius, Frank, Alice and countless others.
Susan completed the same walk down the table and found her own wand it looked to be around nine inches, made of cherry but and judging by the sparks it made when she picked it up, it also contained dragon heartstring core.
"Right here's a couple of holster, be careful and stay in communication, try and look for patterns in their guard rotations and avoid the paintings, ghosts and house elfs. They all answer to the headmistress." Moody warned handing them both a wand holster made to be worn on the forearm.
"We will, thanks for this." Harry said genuinely.
"Just come back safe and keep an eye on Suzie." Moody said as he led them back upstairs.
"You have my word." Harry said firmly.
"Good." Moody said simply.
"I'm right here you know, I can watch after myself." Susan said petulantly.
"True, but I love any excuse to look at you." Harry said softly.
"Smooth Potter, thanks for your help Alastor." Susan said.
"Don't mention it, here is your Weasley supplies." Moody said pointing to a box on the kitchen counter.
Harry picked up the medium sized cardboard box and started walking out the door calling over his shoulder. "We'll be back before you know it, good night."
Once Harry and Susan made it back to their tent the started packing everything up in a backpack that was charmed with an undetectable extention charm, that particular charm was really popular lately.
"So we leave out tomorrow evening?" Susan asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon, we will take the tent with us, so plan on staying the night . We have to get into the tunnel under the school before 'Honey Dukes' closes, we should pack a few days worth of food just in case." Harry said thoughtfully.
"Right, I'll go gather some food from the mess tent, hope you don't mind canned food?" Susan asked.
"That's fine, we might be in the chamber of secrets for a few days so I don't want us to starve." Harry answered.
Susan nodded and went to carry ot her task, Harry just thought to himself.
'Please let this go smoothly.'
/A/D/W/F/
Honey Dukes Tunnel, Hogwarts side, Scotland, 12/7/ 02:00
Harry and Susan were beyond bored, they had been sitting at the end of this tunnel since three o'clock this afternoon when they snuck into 'Honey Dukes'. Now it was almost time to enter the school, their target for the evening was just settling in one spot on the Marauder's map. Conveniently his quarters wasn't far from the statue they would emerge from.
Amycus Carrow was the D.A.D.A teacher and most likely a real evil bastard, Harry honestly didn't remember ever meeting the Carrow twins junior or senior, but if the had Tom Riddle's mark they were most likely scum.
"Can we go yet?" Susan whined cutely.
"Yes it's time." Harry said checking the 'Marauders map one last time and passing Susan the backpack before climbing up the shoot to open the one-eyed witch's hump.
Once open it was a very tight squeeze to get out and Harry ended up tumbling onto the floor of the deserted third floor corridor, luckily there weren't any paintings in the area.
Standing up he grabbed the backpack from Susan and started helping her out of the tunnel, it didnt take long and once she was free Harry started digging in the backpack.
"That last part was so tight." Susan whispered as Harry threw the invisibility cloak over them both.
Harry had been both pleased and deeply saddened to learn that Dobby had retrieved his belongings from the clubhouse the night of the attack, he really missed his friend, and was very grateful for what Dobby had done for him.
"Alright lets head to the D.A.D.A quarters." Harry said in a whisper.
Susan nodded and they slowly crept down the hall to the D.A.D.A classroom and then three doors down to the the D.A professor's quarters, Harry scanned the door for any wards like Bill had taught him to do and only found an alert ward which was easy to cancel with a 'finite'.
Easing the door open they entered a small sitting room that was a disaster, this man was clearly a slob, they quietly crept to the door on the otherside of the room and Harry repeated the scans on the door but found no alarms of any kind, this time.
Harry eased the door open and saw the ugly little man sleeping peacefully, Harry cast a stunning spell on him to keep him unconscious until they wanted him awake.
Harry sent Susan out of the bedroom under the invisibility cloak to neutralize any paintings and to cast a silencing charm over the sitting Area while Harry trusssed the man up and levitated Amycus into the room and placed him in a wooden straight back chair.
Susan set the enchanted parchment up on the coffee table and calibrated the dicta quill to Harry's voice.
"Okay, we're ready to begin Harry, I will go ahead and dose him and then we can get started." Susan said calmly.
Harry cast a spell to force the man's mouth open and Susan placed three drops of the clear liquid on Amycus' tongue. Harry then cast 'ennervate' and watched as the man's eyes slowly fluttered open, they were already glazed over indicating the potion had taken effect.
Interrogation of Amycus Carrow
Interrogator: Harry James Potter
Scribe: Susan Amelia Bones
H.P: Where is the dark lord?
A.C: He is currently staying at Nott manor.
H.P: Are there more more death eaters coming to Hogwarts?
A.C: No all I.C.W countries have closed their borders to anyone from Britain.
H.P: How many death eaters are there currently?
A.C: I don't know.
H.P: More or less than a thousand?
A.C: Less.
H.P: More or less than five hundred?
A.C: Less.
H.P: More or less than four hundred?
A.C: More.
H.P: What are the dark lord's current plans.
A.C: Flush out the order, push the pureblood agenda, take control of Gringotts and spread our influence to the sympathetic purebloods in France.
H.P: How many students are currently attending Hogwarts?
AC: Two-hundred and nineteen.
H.P: How many are going home for Yule?
AC: All of them.
H.P: How many secret passages to you know of?
A.C: Four.
And on and on it went, Harry asked every question he could think of until the veritaserum started wearing of and they we're forced to quit.
Harry focused on the amount of time he wanted the man to forget and calmly cast 'obliviate' Amycus' eyes rolled back in his head and he had a dazed look on his face indicating the spell had worked.
Harry cast a 'somnus' spell on Amycus and then returned the man to his bed and removed the bindings.
Over the next twenty minutes Harry and Susan cleansed the room of all evidence of their presence and exited the into the third floor corridor under Harry's invisibility cloak.
Using the map to check the route it was quite easy to navigate their way into moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Harry carefully made his way over to the sink with a small snake etched into it and hissed.
§Open§
Harry jumped into the pipe as soon as it opened and Susan waited fifteen seconds as they discussed before jumping in after him.
Harry flew out of the pipe and cast an 'Arresto momentem' spell to stop himself from slamming into the floor and quickly landed on his feet, and hastily cast a cushioning charm on the floor, Susan flew out of the pipe with a shriek and landed softly on the floor thanks to the cushioning charm.
"So this is the chamber tunnel, it's just as filthy as you described it." Susan said looking around.
"Yeah let's get out of this bone yard, we can make it to the chamber and set up the tent in less than thity." Harry said as he led her down the tunnel.
They had to perform some creative transfigurations to get past the cave-in but after that they made good time.
When they arrived at he door to the chamber proper Harry stepped forward and said. §Open§ .
Harry's voice came out as a series of hisses, and the silver snakes with emerald eyes that were set into the metal door came alive and slithered around the circular vault like door and disengaged the locks one by one.
As the door swung open Harry half expected to smell a rotting snake corpse, but once the light from his wand lit up the chamber he could he see the Basilisk was nothing more than a skeleton now.
The venom in the basilisk's body actually consumed it once it had died and it's own natural magic could no longer protect it from its own caustic poison.
The room smelled musty, but no worse than a damp basement and they could easily stay one night here without needing a bubble head charm.
§light§. Harry hissed and the room was illuminated brightly by green flame spring from the torches mounted on the walls around the chamber.
"Alright let's set up camp and do our exploring in the morning." Harry said sounding quite exhausted.
"Agreed, I am really tired and I definitely need a wash after that filthy slide." Susan said digging the tent out of the back pack and setting it up with a flick of her wand.
They got settled in and turned in for the night, they were bothhoping they could locate an access tunnel out of the castle first thing in the morning.
/A/D/W/F/
Heads Office, Hogwarts, Scotland, 12/7/1997, 09:00
Potter had went silent again, the attack she had helped orchestrate had been a partial success, there were several confirmed kills but they couldn't get an accurate count because Potter never left his dead behind.
Still the losses to their own forces was devastating and they had been having difficulties recruiting more since Britain had been shut down from the rest of Europe.
The men were getting restless, there wasn't much for them to do, the purebloods that hadn't disappeared this summer had fallen into line, the economy was currently in the gutter because all the wizarding shopping districts were shutdown and the goblins refused to hand over the blood traitors gold to offset the lack of funds on their side after Malloy had fallen.
Then there was the I.C.W breathing down the puppet minister's neck, they couldn't get away with terrorizing muggles anymore because they were technically a legitimate magical government that had to adhere to the strict codes dictated by the statue of secrecy, or face an I.C.W intervention.
Bellatrix was getting frustrated, she didn't want to be a legitimate authority, she wanted to maim, murder and spread chaos. The dark lord was secretly out of the country once again visiting his predecessor at Nurmengard, why he was interested in seeing that has been Bellatrix hadn't a clue, but she was getting impatient, the dark lord was the one behind this movement and now that they had seized Britain, he kept leaving them to flounder, while he wandered around Europe .
She looked out the window and wondered if taking over Britain was really worth it, she much preferred being in the shadows to running a school, how that old fool put up with this monotony for decades was beyond her.
Deciding to get some intel from her ancestor and distract herself from these mutinous thoughts, Bellatrix turned to Phineas Nigellus Black and asked. "How are things at Walburga's Lord Black."
"Quiet, your nephew's betrothed has definitely brought him to heel. Though Snape and young Draco still bicker constantly." Phineas said in a bored tone.
"So Potter isn't staying there then?" Bellatrix asked surprised, she assumed after the attack he would run to Andromeda with his tail between his legs.
"Doesn't get along with That Snape fellow and doesn't like Draco at all." Phineas answered.
"Well at least we agree on something." Bellatrix mused.
She would have to find a way to lure Potter out of hiding, but how? That gave her something to ponder on for the time being.
/A/D/W/F/
Chamber of secrets, Scotland, 12/7/1997, 14:45
This was a long boring search, Harry was certain there was a hidden passage out of the chamber, they had been checking the walls on either side of the chamber and were coming up empty handed, until Susan asked a question that made Harry want to face palm.
"Where did the snake sleep anyway?" She had asked innocently.
"Of course the answer is so obvious, your a genius." Harry said excitedly.
"Your just now realizing this now?" Susan asked with a smirk.
§Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four.§ Harry hissed at the statue making Susan jump.
They heard stone grinding on stone as the statue of Salazar Slytherin's mouth opened forming a passage about four feet in diameter goining into the wall the statue rested against.
"How do we get up there?" Susan asked.
'I packed one of those school brooms we used in France." Harry said opening the backpack and summoning the ancient broom into his hand.
Harry climbed on and flew up to the entrance and dismounted, he then tossed the broom down to Susan who easily caught it and quickly flew up to join him.
"Good thing we didn't try and fly up together that thing is on it's last leg." Susan commented.
"I know and a five hour international flight probably didn't help matters." Harry said looking around the tunnel they landed in.
They both had to crouch down to move forward through the tunnel luckily it didn't go very far before it opened into a vast chamber with two other tunnels leading of it, onee to either side of the tunnel they had just entered through.
"Well what next, which tunnel do you want to go down first?" Susan asked setting the backpack down on the floor.
"It was your idea that got us here, you pick." Harry said knowing they would be searching both tunnels either way.
"Left then." Susan said easily.
Nodding they set off down the tunnel and started walking, this one went at a steady upward incline for quite a while until the came to a deadend with ashimmering window set into the right side wall of the tunnel, looking through it Harry could see into the Slytherin common room, if he remembered correctly there was a large mirror over the fireplace and that's what this window must be looking through.
"So one of my descendants finally found my chamber." Said a voice behind them.
Spinning around Harry saw a painting concealed in an alcove across from the window, if this was who he thought it was then the painting must have been watching Slytherin's come and go for over a thousand years.
"I don't think we are related, I am from the Potter line, I assume you are Salazar Slytherin." Harry finally answered.
Harry cast one of those light orbs Ted use to create when they stayed at the clubhouse so he could see the painting more clearly.
The statue looked nothing like the man in the painting, he looked to be in his late fifties with raven hair and steel grey eyes, his face wasn't apelike at all, he had high cheekbones that resembled the Black line a bit and a light beard that was showing grey hairs but his face seemed almost kind, he looked like a career teacher.
"Well it has been a millennia I'm sure we share blood somewhere down the line." Salazar said thoughtfully.
"Yes sir we probably do." Harry agreed.
"Why have you come here,? If you are the Potter boy the prefects talk about, you are in grave danger at Hogwarts." Salazar asked sadly.
"We are here on reconnaissance mission, Hogwarts is being occupied by hostile forces, we want it back." Harry answered.
"And you were exploring the chamber to find a way to bring troops in?" Salazar asked curiously.
"Yes sir" Harry answered simply.
"The other tunnel in the serpents chamber will lead you to the 'enchanted forest' or as you would know it better the forbidden forest. Please visit me again when this is over with, there is a wealth of knowledge in my chamber. but you have to know where to look for it." Salazar's painting requested.
"I will, I'm afraid we must be going now, it was a pleasure meeting you." Harry said and led Susan back down the tunnel.
"Farewell young Potter and best of luck in your quest." The painting called after him.
"So that was Slytherin?" Susan asked incredulously.
"Yep, I think history exaggerated a bit, though I wonder why he had a Basilisk?" Harry mused.
"To protect the school maybe." Susan stated.
"Well the school was founded in the dark ages, magicals were hunted and burned at the stake." Harry said thoughtfully.
"Exactly what I was thinking." Susan agreed.
The walk back didn't seem to take mush time at all and they soon arrived back in the serpent chamber and headed straight for the other tunnel, they were both ready to get out of here..
This tunnel stayed pretty level for a while, and then started heading upwards zig zaggind in a serpentine path, they had walked for a good thirty minute before they finally came to a stone wall with a large serpent etched into it.
§Open§
Harry watched as the rock seemed dissove away into a door way set in the back of a small cave on the side of a mountain, as soon as Harry and Susan stepoed through the opening the entrance sealed itself behind them just like the entrance does in Myrtle's bathroom.
Shaking his head in mirth Harry realized this cave looked very familiar, Sirius had lived in this cave during Harry's fourth year, there was even the dried out chicken bones Buckbeak had been gnawing on the day Him, Ron and Hermione had come here to visit Sirius and brought him food.
"This cave will be easy to find again, lets get back to camp." Harry told Susan.
"How will it be easy to find, do you even know where we are?" Susan asked.
"Yes, my godfather lived in this cave during our fourth year it's right above Hogsmeade." Harry answered easily.
"Alright lets go back then, we can run this by Alastor and see what he thinks." Susan said as she took their return portkey out of her pocket.
Harry grabbed the hairbrush she offered him and said "Camp".
They both felt the pull behind their navel as the portkey took them back to camp Mad-eye.
/A/D/W/F/
Camp Mad-Eye, Scotland, 12/10/1997, 18:45
Harry and Susan were meeting Mad-eye and his inner circle, the information the had gathered on their trip into Hogwarts was well received and now the order was starting to form plans moving forward around it.
Harry and Susan entered the kitchen and were met by quite a few order members seated around the expanded table, there was the usual :Bill, Kingsley, Sturgis and Fleur. But now there was also Arthur Weasley, Amos Diggory, Dirk Cresswell and Augusta Longbottom. Moody was seated at his usual seat and welcomed him and Susan to take a seat.
"First of well done, the information you gathered from Amycus Carrow was valuable, they are finally running out of disposable troops. I've been asking around with my foreign contacts and the I.C.W is cracking down on Britain, they have been observing large portions of the criminal elements in the Balkans migrating to the U.k, they obviously don't know that we have been planting a lot of them, still this means that they can't recruit on the continent anymore.
We will be laying low for a while, we are not ready to strike at Yule and I refuse to attack a school even if it is filled with death eater sprog, so we will wait for either Easter or the end of term." Moody finished speaking and looked towards Cresswell.
"Gringotts is on the edge of revolt, Ragnok has sealed the vault tunnels with goblin magic, this means the wizarding economy is about to crash hard. If the death eaters push to hard this could get ugly, Gringotts is a global company which means if the U.K branch is attacked the other Branches across Europe will pile in and the U.k will be a war zone." Cresswell explained.
"So what are we supposed to do about it?" Arthur asked confused.
"Distract them." Bill said.
"I thought we were laying low?" Harry asked confused.
"Aye, we are lad. But you are free to do as you wish, there is one Wizarding shopping district still in operation, it would be a shame if someone started attacking there." Moody said with a grin.
Harry nodded in understanding, Knockturn Alley was a seedy place full of brothels, seedy pubs, dark bookshops, stores that specialized in dark or cursed items and sores that sold illegal animal parts and questionable potion ingredients.
Knockturn alley was where the dregs of magical society congregated, and there were bound to be death eaters in the area shopping or just visiting the brothels.
'Yes that does sound like a good place to spread chaos.' Harry thought with a grin.
"I'll look into it." Harry said simply.
"Good, now onto a less pleasant topic, Longbottom is about to go rogue. I've been having him monitored since you lot arrived back from the mill, he will be leaving on his own soon and taking the Abbott girl with him . I will be changing the secret keeper after he leaves, I know he's your friend but the way he has acting recently will be a liability to this camp." Moody said bluntly.
"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Madam Longbottom asked.
"You've tried to ralk sense into him Gus, how did that go?" Moody asked.
"Not well, he is just like my grandfather used to be, quiet on the surface but full of rage on the inside. He doesn't want to listen to me about the Abbott girl, I agree that he plans on running away with her." Augusta admitted defeated.
"Aye, and the last time that girl ran off twenty people died, I'm not taking the chance." Moody said firmly.
"Who will be the new secret keeper?" Shack asked curiously.
"Suzie." Moody answered.
"That would put a target on her back." Harry protested.
"No one would expect it Potter, besides it's your job to keep her safe." Moody said simply.
"She's willful and doesn't listen to reason." Harry exclaimed.
"Excuse me?! Alastor I will be your secret keeper, Potter your definitely on the couch tonight, I'll show you willful." Susan said irritably.
That got a chuckle from everyone around the table and a gulp from Harry and the glare he was receiving.
The rest of the meeting went fairly smoothly, the talk went back and forth over the topics Moody had opened the meeting with, Harry had promised to look into Knockturn alley and see what he could do about it.
After the meeting Harry and Susan made their way to their tent and Susan asked.
"So where are we going to start first?"
"I am going to start recon on the alley and make plans to attack 'Borgin and Burke's", you are going to stay here and look pretty." Harry said simply
"Oh no you don't, I am definitely coming with you." Susan said firmly.
"But, you are now going to be the order's secret keeper, it's your duty to keep a low profile." Harry pointed out somewhat happily before continuing, "Which means we will be moving to Grimmauld place, I don't think the secret keeper can stay under their own fedelius." Harry said thoughtfully.
"Wonderful, Christmas with the Malfoy's." Susan said glumly.
"And Snape." Harry added helpfully.
"Yeah, that's really going to suck, why did you let them talk me into that." Susan demanded.
"I was against it, you were being willful and wouldn't listen to me." Harry answered cheerfully.
"Potter, you are really pushing it." Susan warned.
"I'm trying to be helpful, your just too close to the situation." Harry said innocently.
"Quit changing the subject, when are you going to hit Knockturn Alley?" Susan asked.
"Christmas, give onto others and all that. I might even visit the brothels after Borgin and Burke's." Harry said thoughtfully.
"Excuse me?!" Susan asked angrily.
"To see if there are any targets of opportunity." Harry quickly corrected.
Susan scowled at him. " You said it like that just to wind me up didn't you." Susan asked exasperated.
"Maybe." Harry said with a grin.
"Prat." Susan said annoyed.
The rest of the night passed pretty normally until Harry went to follow Susan into the bedroom and was hit in the face with his own pillow.
"The couch is back the way you came." She said sweetly.
"I had hoped you had forgotten about that." Harry mumbled as he trudged back into the tents sitting room.
'Women, so easily upset.' Harry thought with a grin as he got comfortable on the lumpy couch.
A/D/W/F/
Camp Mad-Eye, Scotland, 12/13/1997, 03:16
Neville snuck carefully across the moor, he had already made arrangements with Hannah to meet him outside her tent in ten minutes.
He knew how to get to France thanks to the mission that he had helped Potter carry out a few months ago, now he just had to get Hannah out of the camp and they could make the trip together through the chunnel.
Neville arrived at the Abbott tent which had an order member on guard duty, sneaking up on the woman under his disillusionment charm, Neville cast a quick stunning spell at her back and the woman collapsed to the ground.
Hannah exited the tent looking nervous. "Are you sure this will work." She asked timidly.
"Yes, I traveled to France back in August, we just hop a train." Neville said confidently.
"Okay." Hannah nodded.
They quickly made their way out of the camp and Neville apparated them away, confident that everything would work out.
/A/D/W/F/
Hogwarts Head's Office, Scotland, 12/15/1997
Bellatrix was very pleased, they had finally captured someone of value, the Longbottom heir and the Abbott girl, who were caught trying to cross into France at an I.C.W checkpoint inside the channel tunnel (Whatever that was) and handed over to Yaxley early this morning.
They apparently we're not informed that no British magical's were allowed into any I.C.W country.
Bellatrix had to admit she was surprised the Abbott girl was still alive, she remember giving her to Greyback's pack for entertainment. Why the Longbottom boy would want werewolf leftovers was anyone's guess, but Longbottom would make the perfect bait to lure Potter into an ambush.
For the time being they were guests of the Hogwarts dungeons and there were strict orders to not harm them.
The Daily Prophet would make sure word got to Potter, now she would just have to wait for his normal heroics to lead Potter right to her.
"I just love it when a plan comes together." Bellatrix thought happily.
AN:
Another story recommendation.
1. 'Casting Shadows' by: Wakefan
2. 'By the Moon Light' by: WolfgangNH
3. 'A Badger's Champion' by: OrionB15
4. 'Subtle Acts of Sororicide' by: Frickles