Dark Marks, Orders and Auror's chapter 6.

Message Anonymous.

By Chris

Summary: Harry and Ginny seek their first targets. Hidden in an empty house somewhere in Hogsmead, Lucius is busy waiting for the Cave-Siren to claim it's first victim, and Draco pay's him a visit with consequences.

Authors note: I would like to thank everyone that has taken the time to read the fic., and especially to everyone that reviewed as well: Regina, Rhi, Raven of Death, No reply, and last, but not least, Spitfyre.

Chapter 6

Message Anonymous.

Hogsmead was as empty as usual; the only sign of life came from the lights that shone from the windows, and even then, not every window. Most of the shops were closed; many owners that used to open at night were too scared now. This left the village cloaked in darkness, with an occasional dimly lit area of light cast from a window, or a ghostly flicker as light shone through thin material curtains. This didn't matter to Harry and Ginny though, quite the opposite in fact. They would rather no one saw them until everything was completed, it was much safer that way. Both for them, and for others. If they were seen, then the Ministry Taskforce would be called in, and that would only result in unfortunate injuries to good wizards, because no matter what, Harry and Ginny were going to end it all once and for all, no matter who stood in their way.

Their whole journey was spent in almost abandon, a goblin was the only thing they saw to remind them this was a magic village rather then just a quite Muggle one. It appeared even the threat of Lord Voldemort and his faithful Death Eaters could not deter these creatures from the lure of money. At least, that's what they assumed it to be doing, collecting something owed to it, that it had either won (unlikely), or cheated from wizards stupid enough to deal with goblins.

'There it is,' said Harry, looking up at the—apparantly—abandoned house that stood on the outskirts of Hogsmead. Though not quite as far out as the cliffs that Sirius Black had once hid from the Ministry in, it was still a fair trek out, where the Wizard density would be less and therefore less chance of the Death Eater being seen. Both stood for a long time just watching the house, not talking or discussing what they were going to do. For the moment being they just wanted to confirm that Lucius was where they were told he was. If he was, then everything else would probably fall into place, if not, then they would once again have to go back to the drawing board. After what seemed like hours, the stale silence that surrounded them probably making it feel much longer then it really had been, Harry saw a tiny flicker of light in one of the downstairs windows. It was so fleeting, Harry wondered if he'd imagined it, but seconds later the dull beam flickered from another room as Lucius walked about the house in darkness, with only the light of his wand to guide him. 'He's there,' Harry announced, his voice, after the long silence seemed to be much to loud. 'Our first target, Gin.'

'Do you think it was him?' said Ginny, thoughtfully. Though she didn't specify what exactly she'd thought Lucius had done, she really didn't need to, Harry seemed to understand her perfectly and had already drawn the same conclusion as Ginny. With a nod from Harry, both agreed it was Lucius who had released the Cave-Siren into Hogwarts. Voldemort was probably one of the few wizards in the world that might still be able to get hold of such a rare and dangerous creature. And with Lucius staying so close to Hogwarts, it seemed the only logical explanation.

'Oh, it was him alright-' said Harry, clenching his fist in anger. It made his blood boil that Lucius had probably tried to kill not only Hermione—that is whom, he thought, was probably the target—which was bad enough, that someone would try to kill his childhood friend, but to do it in a way as to risk killing innocent children was unspeakable. '-and he'll pay for it,' he said in a calm that didn't, in the least, reflect his mood. 'Oh, he'll pay for it all right.'

'How do you think he got in?'

'Probably,' said Harry, still clenching and unclenching his fists as he sought to control his breathing. 'Probably knows about the secret entrance to the school from Hogsmead. He went to Hogwarts some years ago, could have found the entrance while he was there.'

'At least we can make sure he doesn't do anything like it again,' said Ginny, her own tone turning icy cold; imagines of how they'd catch Lucius flashing through her mind, some of them making her shudder at the darkness of them. A pang of fear ran through her as it did so often when she thought about what she and Harry had done in the past. Many of the things as unspeakable as what Lucius had done with the Cave-Siren. 'Do you know what he'll do once he sees you?' she asked, hoping the slight quiver in her voice didn't show. Can you be sure?'

'I can't be sure, nothing is ever sure, that's why Divination is such an uncertain art. But I think he'll Apparate away. He's not stupid, far from it. Lucius is clever, devious, resourceful... that's why he'll go to one of the places we can't-'

The calm in Harry's own voice seemed to draw Ginny from her own thoughts, his words, his very voice even, having a relaxing quality to them that allowed Ginny to push all guilt to the back of her mind. She was once again Ginny of the Order of Auror, dark Auror who took pleasure in her work: Finding, and destroying dark wizards wherever she want. 'Or so he thinks,' grinned Ginny, nodding at the perfection of the plan, the almost ironic way they would get Lucius. 'His own slipperiness will lead him straight to us great plan,' she laughed out loud, a rare genuine laugh, 'glad I thought of it...'

'Yes,' said Harry darkly, not realising what Ginny had said, he was to deep in thought to fully register her words straight away. He was in the sort of state of though Ginny had been in second before. She wondered if he sometimes felt guilt as she did, though she was sure he did, he seemed to feel it a lot less then her. Perhaps he was already lost to the darkness. 'We'll lay in wait in the Forbidden Forest, let him walk right to us...' Harry abruptly trailed off as he realised Ginny's claim, a tiny smile forming on his face. 'And you did not think of it Gin, I did.'

'Hey, we're a team,' said Ginny with an undeterred shrug. 'If you think of something, I think of something, it's the way it works.'

'Yeah,' said Harry sarcastically. 'How comes it doesn't work the other way round then?

'It's just the way it is,' laughed Ginny. ' I don't make the rules, I just abide by them.

Harry snorted indignantly, stifling down a laugh. 'No you don't!' he claimed, sounding outraged. 'In fact, I can confidently say, you do the very opposite of abide by the rules. You actively seek way's to break them... You've practically invented four extra "Unforgivable curses" for a start.'

'I blame it on my brothers,' Ginny defended. 'It's Fred and George's fault, always breaking as many rules as they could. What sort of influence were they?'

'Well they never broke a rule that could land them a life time in Azkaban, that's for sure.'

'Well then I'm lucky it's no longer standing then, aren't I,' said Ginny, adding quickly, 'Getting back to Lucius, the question is: When?'

Harry had more then a sneaking suspicion she was just changing the subject because she'd lost the argument, something she often done when she was wrong. Though Harry had to admit, she was seldom wrong, and it was usually he who changed the subject. 'The answer is: Tonight!'

'Don't try and be a funny man, Harry. It doesn't suit you,' said Ginny with what could only be described as a look of distaste at Harry's mocking, which was then raised to a more serious "glare" as Harry shook with silent laughter. 'So, tonight?' Ginny gave a nod of approval, that night was fine by her. The sooner it started, the sooner it would be finished. 'Then we better prepare,' Ginny finished. She gave the house one final glance and began down the road that lead towards Hogsmead village centre. 'I'll make the final additions to the potion,' she informed Harry.

Harry registered Ginny's words, giving a silent nod though he was unsure whether she'd actually seen it, she was already walking back to Hogsmead. 'Always in a rush,' Harry though to himself. He stood rooted, still staring at the house where Lucius had been for the past ten minutes—which must have been the main room—until he heard Ginny yell, 'You coming, or what?'

~*~

Lucius Malfoy paced the house having nothing else to do apart from wait and of course repair the occasional broken window, stair or anything else that broke... which was actually a damn sight more then "occasional," full-time job would be a better way of putting it such was the state of the house. Lucius had been staying in Hogsmead for a few weeks now, watching Hermione Granger and the happenings at Hogwarts. It appeared the headmaster was acting as a go between from someone in the Ministry, that fool's—Arthur Weasley's—son, Ron Weasley, to the Resistance. Voldemort couldn't have that, not when he'd worked so hard to split the Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic up. So he had provided Lucius with a most rare creature, and a most vicious one at that.

A loud tap on the front door made Lucius jump with a start. Though on the outside he seemed to be alert, on the inside he was deeply lost in thoughts. The sound of a fist hitting a shaky door boomed through the empty rooms and corridors of the vacant building once again, and Lucius glanced out the window as yet another knock came.

'Draco,' Lucius said out loud as he opened the door, with an obvious look of anger. His dull grey eye's seemed almost to come to life, twinkling with an edge of rage to them. 'What are you doing here? Are you so stupid as to come here now?'

'I was not followed, father-'

Lucius never waited for his son's explanation, grabbing him roughly by his cloack, he pulled Draco within the house, shutting the door quietly—despite his first instinct to slam it—behind them. 'I would hope not, Draco. I have taught you better then that. If you were followed, if you have alerted others of my being here, then Lord Voldemort would not be merciful to either of us.'

Lucius lead Draco to the main room, where a window opened out into the village of Hogsmead a few of the taller buildings—though not many—could be made out in the distance by the twinkling of their lights. Taking a seat in an old chair, Lucius placed his wand on a table beside him, his eye's fixed on his son as he waited for an explanatin.

'Lord Voldemort has sent me here,' said Draco looking dissaproovingly at the old house, his eyes flickering from the dust-ridden floor, to the crumbling walls, he snorted distastefully. 'You stay here, in this decrepid building? What is the family name coming to!'

'Don't speak out of line, Draco,' Lucius hissed. 'You are not yet big enough to do that. You will have respect when you address me...'

Draco flashed a quick look of defiance, but added, albeit it reluctantly, 'Of course father. I am sorry.'

'As for this place, it is only for a matter of weeks at the most now. Once the Siren has claimed its victims, that Mudblood will be removed from her position as headmaster,' Lucius looked disgusted as he spoke of Hermione; he had more hatred for her then most other witches or wizards. Not only was she a Mudblood, which was bad enough in his opinion, but she was, or at least had been Harry Potter's friend, which for a Death Eater was regarded as a most hanous crime. 'The board of Govonors may tolerate a great many things, like that fool Dumbledore, or the Mudlblood, but dead students are one thing they will not tolerate. Then we shall have our reward, Draco. When Voldemort comes to power, we will have everything we want. Now tell me what Lord Voldemort has said?'

'He wishes to know if the Siren has claimed any lives yet, but I see it has not. You pomised students—and if we were lucky the Mudblood teacher—would die soon, but none have been reported in the Daily Prophet.'

'You believe the papers would be alerted?' said Lucius fiersly in response to Dracos challenging tone. 'No wonder—as I am ashamed to say—Mudbloods and Mudblood-lovers bettered you at Hogwarts, and ever since, Draco. Granger would want to keep it quite.'

'So there have been fatalities?'

'Not yet,' said Lucius, loosing his temper, his hands grippng the armchair. His voice trembled with rage as he spoke. 'Soon. Tell Lord Voldemort soon.'

A sudden cold filled the room, a blustery night wind perhaps, from what must be an open window somewhere in the house. It wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened during Lucius's stay, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. Witness to the force of the icy breeze that swept through the room, something that had been placed on a deacying mantlepiece was thrown to the floor, smashing loudly as it broke into a thousand pieces.

'Wait here I haven't finished yet,' Lucius warned as he got lazily to his feet. His face contorted into a look of disgust as he echoed Dracos own sentiments, 'This place is falling apart, another windowpane broken.'

'Here-' Draco shouted to the retreating form of his father. The blond haired man chucked something across the room at Lucius who instinctively brought his hand up to catch the wand. '-Unless you plan to toil with the window like a-' Draco couldn't help a mocking chcukle that escaped his mouth as he added, '-Muggle, I believe you'll need this-' With a superior grin, he added in, what was quite obviously a tone of mock respect, '-Father.'

After minutes of searching, Lucius could find nothing of the origin of the sudden cold that had filled the house which was now so bitterly cold, he was visibly shaking and his arms were alive with pimples. The final room was no different to the rest of them, just as cold and deserted, and not where the cold came from. With a curse, Lucius marched out of the room still having found not even a trace of where the cold came. Every window he'd checked was closed and sealed, many through magic having broken already since he'd been there.

'Nothing... Nothing whatsoever. Draco, return to Lord Vo...' Lucius's voice trailed off as he saw someone else in the room. 'Who are you?' he hissed. Stepping into the room, he heard the crunching sound of glass trodden underfoot, barley giving a second thought to the empty container he'd broken. Draco was no longer standing in the main room where he had minutes before. Instead, in his place, a shadowy figure of a man stood, gazing out the window into Hogsmead. The figure didn't make so much as a move even after Lucius demanded an explantaion again.

'Lucius,' said Harry, turning to face the man, and though he could see the look on Lucius' face, his own was still hidden from the other wizards view. 'As you can see, Draco is no longer here. He fled a coward... But that is of no concern to you. What does concern you, Lucius, is that the Order of Auror has come for you!'

Lucius's dull grey eye's narrowed, his nose flaring in anger and disgust as recognistion finally registered. His lips curled round over gritted teeth, he couldn't even begin to hide the hatred, or the fear he felt. 'Where is your little friend?' he said calmly, taking one step back towards the door.

'I don't need her for such a menial task as killing you, Lucius, count it as a blessing. I'm sure you've heard how good she is at what she does. The best in the world I would go so far as to say.'

In a second, Lucius was gone, his cloak billowing behind him as he fled the room. Survival instincts had taken over, overiding any such principles of honour or the shame of running for your life rather then duelling. He managed to dive behind the door just as a beam of light hit. The door exploded sending shards of wood into the air, several sharper pieces imbeding themselves in Lucius, but the adrenaline pumping through his body made him oblivious to such injuries. The door now stood missing a gapeing rough circle of a gap, and Lucius just had time to see his pursuer approaching (Lazily) through the space before he scrambled back to his feet and dashed up the stairs, thankful that the door had blocked the fatal curse.

'That's right,' shouted Harry a crazed laugh escaping his breath and echoing through the house. 'Run Lucius. Run from me. Run from the Order... Try to run,' Harry clapped loudly, still laughing manically, only stopping to speak. 'Know you cannot evade us for long. There is no running from death, there is no hiding from death, there is no cheating death, and there is no escaping death. Death has come for you, Lucius. I will have you!'

'That's what you think,' spat Lucius just as he Apparated from the top of the stairs. A second curse intended for him hit the wall behind causing the concrete to explode and send a cloud of chalky dust into the air.

*

'He's here,' said Ginny quietly pointing to a light beam that flew across the forest like a shooting star. 'In the forest... You were right!'

Harry didn't even look back, his eyes instead focused on scanning through the dark forest, hoping he would catch a glimpse of Lucius. 'You sure he can't Apparate out, Ginny?'

'Of course,' said Ginny sounding slightly hurt. Her voce became muffled as she pushed her way though a thick bushy plant that stood in her way. 'I'm hurt that you would even ask.'

'Now whose the one that needs to grow up, Ginny?' chuckled Harry as he cut through a low hanging branch. As soon as he cut one barrier though, another took it's place. It was becoming apparent that trying to cut a course through the forest was as useless as buying an owl that couldn't fly. 'It's no use, Gin,' he muttered. 'We're going to have to go round.'

'Is there time?' said Ginny, again looking at the light beam that was now almost out of sight. 'He's already here.'

'Should be,' said Harry, though he didn't sound as sure as he usually did. 'I hope.'

A long pause followed as the mood turned serious, minutes going by in silence, the only sounds the occasional hoot of an owl. The first target was there, in the forest. Soon enough, they would do what they always done. Only this might be the last time they had to do it, and that in itself was enough to spark butterfly's in both their stomachs.

'Eve,' Harry called suddenly, making Ginny jump. 'Eve, come to me.'

The snowy white owl appeared from the high branch she had been perched on, gliding silently down, the owl landed on Harry's outstretched arm and nuzzled him affectionately.

'Eve, I need you to take this-' Harry held out his other hand, letting the owl see the message she was to deliver. '-to Ron Weasley. Ron Weasley, got it?' The owl hooted, and Harry continued, 'Get to him as soon as possible, but don't let anyone see you. Good girl.' Harry tied the paper to the owl's leg, and the white-bird took of, almost dazzling with contrast in the dark forest.

'Will he understand it?' asked Ginny. 'Will he know whom it's from for that matter?'

'Why wouldn't he?'

'You forgot to sign it,' said Ginny with a smirk. Though at that moment, she didn't feel to light-hearted she tried not to let it show.

Harry suddenly looked very stupid, his eyes looking to Ginny as if to say "Really?" or "Oops". What he said in the end though didn't resemble these words in the least. 'He'll work it out. And if he doesn't... no major loss.'

End chapter 6—Message Anonymous.

Authors notes: Sorry everyone for that chapter, it wasn't really a chapter at all, was it? I know, I know, it was crappy, but it will get better (I hope). What did everyone think of Draco? I've never written him before, did it show? What about the Draco/Lucius relatinship (Get your mind out the gutters), was it alright? I tried to make it not so much as a hate relationship, but more of a compedetive one.

Draco haters will love the next chapter... but Draco lovers will love others!

Can anyone put a few of the clues together yet? Did anyone find a few unanswered questions, or a few plot holes in that chapter? See if you can.

Oh, and it takes a darker tone in the coming chapters, so be warned... probably an R rated fic from here on in.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.