A/N- Oh…quick *gasps* Is it really? Can it be? Yes!! Rufus is not dead, or hibernating for the summer (!?) She is returned!! All exams are finished, I break for summer in two weeks (Incidentally on the same day as my birthday..) This week I have a maddening timetable of concerts, plays and other commitments, so I have put this story out now to save you all from madness.. I hope you enjoy it, and that it reveals some of you who have been crying out for the next part! Perhaps one reason this is out quicker is the riots.. I don't know if I've mentionned this before, but I live in Bradford.. Anyone living in Britain will now understand why I have basically been under 'house arrest' unable to go out, in case something starts… so, anyway, on with the story!!
Harry Potter and the Order of Praesentia
Part Four - Salvifico
"HARRY!" Ron suddenly shouted. "COME BACK!"
Realising that his rapidly disappearing friend was paying no heed to his cries, Ron turned to Hermione, who was still staring in disbelief at the gruesome mark in the otherwise peaceful sky.
"Stay here," he said forcefully, before sprinting after Harry.
Hermione snapped out of the daze she was caught in and, frowning at Ron's back,
muttered "Yeah, right," and then tore down the street after him. Ron, his long legs
proving a great advantage, managed to catch up with Harry fairly quickly, just in front
of the house leaving Hermione far behind. Grabbing the sleeve of his friends robe,
Ron dragged Harry away from the door seconds before he opened it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ron screamed, the famous Weasley temper quickly rising. "You, more than anybody else, should know what the dark mark means – Death Eaters! Stay here and wait for help!"
"You don't understand, Ron." Harry yelled. "I can help – let me go!"
"What are you going to do if there are twenty Death Eaters in there when you go through that door, eh?"
"I-don't-care," Harry said firmly. "There is no way I'm leaving Sirius and Elise in there when I can help."
"How can you possibly help?" Hermione cried, panting as she finally reached the argumentative pair. "You're still at school – Sirius is a fully trained wizard – they'll be fine."
"Neither of you understand," Harry moaned. "I'm going in and there's nothing either of you can do to stop me."
He tried to wrench his arm free of Ron's firm grasp and after a quick struggle, he turned to his flame-haired friend, his face set like stone.
"Don't make me do this, Ron," he pleaded, "please!"
"There is no way we're letting you in there." Ron said, tightening his grip.
"I'm sorry then," Harry sighed.
"What for? Ron and Hermione asked at the same time.
"This." He said, raising his free arm.
Suddenly, there was a loud crack and Ron was catapulted backward – hitting the wall opposite with a thump.
"RON!" Hermione screamed, shooting a terrified glance at Harry as he ran in the house. Shouting one last time for Harry to come back, she finally gave up and ran over to Ron to try and bring him round.
**
Harry burst through the door, wand at the ready and heart beating ten to the dozen. Having hastily checked the area directly surrounding him and finding nothing, he began to shakily wander around the ground floor as quietly as possible – making sure to avoid all the floorboards he knew would squeak.
Just as he set one foot in the kitchen, a muffled thump came from above him. Jerking his head towards the sound, he spun about quickly and headed for the stairs. Keenly listening for any further noises he peered around the post at the base of the staircase, searching for any signs of danger. Seeing nothing, he began to scale the stairs as quickly as possible, his wand extended out in front of him. Hearing more muffled sounds coming from what was Sirius' bedroom, Harry placed his ear carefully against the door to listen in.
"I'm telling you – I heard something!"
"And I'm telling you it was nothing, so shut up."
"Look – let's just get this over with."
Harry tried peering through the keyhole but could see nothing– they were probably stood on the other side of the room.
"Get what over with?" The conversation continued. "All we have to do is wait for Potter to turn up – you're sure you saw him in Hogsmeade?"
"Certain – I saw him get off the train before I Apparated here."
"Should be here soon then, shouldn't he?"
"I guess so."
"So what if the noise downstairs was him?"
"I told you – there was no noise!"
Harry, listening from outside, cursed as he realised this was all a ploy to get him to, well, do exactly what he was about to do. What am I going to do, anyway? Realising that he was not going to come up with an infallible plan, he simply burst through the door and screamed, "STUPEFY!"
He paused as his spell hit the blank wall with a splash of crimson. He then spun around to try and locate the owners of the voices, or, as he was to shortly discover, the owner.
"Dear me, Harry." The eerie voice echoed through the room. "You really are far too predictable. Did you really think that the Dark Mark would be posted before anything was done? My servants are long gone – and what is left of the houses occupants? I believe you will find them in the attic."
Harry finally discovered a small glowing globe, hovering near the window, from which the voice seemed to be emerging.
"Oh, rest assured, Potter, they're not dead. Non – there's plenty more fun to be had with them before they are killed. This was merely to prove a point. Snapping my wand may have saved you and that fool, Dumbledore, but it will prove your downfall in the long-run."
Harry tried to move towards the higher section of the house to find Sirius but discovered that his feet were unable to move as what was unmistakably Lord Voldemort's voice continued to be issued from the sphere.
"You see, Harry, with Mr Ollivander no longer around, the items I required to make a second wand worthy of my own use were easily acquired. Whilst the man lived, he held some force over the cores – a protective force. With him out of the way, the feather of the dark phoenix became mine for the taking."
Harry fought to keep his mouth clamped shut as his scar, which had lain dormant for so long, throbbed fiercely on his forehead while he grabbed the sphere fiercely with his one free hand.
"Did you know that Grindelwald was an Animagus, Harry? Or that his form was a black phoenix? Not only do I now have a wand containing the power of the once feared Grindelwald, but of course – our wands are no longer brothers. I look forward with anticipation towards our meeting in the near future, Harry. Until then, I suggest you exit the house - I believe a fire has started downstairs – and it would be such a shame if you or your 'family' were to become trapped."
The globe suddenly shone with a bright white light, burning Harry's hand. Dropping it with a cry, Harry tore from the room and ran halfway down the stairs, to find the entire ground floor ablaze. As he desperately screamed "Fontistundas" towards the fire, a stream of water emerged from his wand and hit the flames – only to rebound back towards him having had no effect on the fire. This is no ordinary fire, he thought.
Climbing to the attic, he kicked furiously at the door, forgetting all existence of magic as he tried to get into the room. As it finally gave way in a mass of splinters, Harry rushed in to find Sirius sprawled in one corner with Elise shielded behind him – both of them unconscious.
**
Meanwhile…
Slowly prying his eyelids open, Ron winced as Hermione's voice seemed to echo through his head.
"RON! WAKE UP! This isn't funny! I know you can hear me," she cried. "Wake up right now!"
Opening his eyes fully and allowing his vision to focus, Ron watched as Hermione's face swam into focus.
"What happened?" He asked blearily.
"Harry ran in, Ron – we have to go and get him!"
Ron looked to where she was pointing and his face lost all its colour.
"He ran in the house?" he stuttered. "You're sure?"
"Positive, Ron – he threw you against the wall and ran in. Don't you rem-"
"The house is on fire, Hermione"
"What?"
"THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!" Ron yelled, leaping up and running for the front gate.
Spinning around quickly to face The Furiae, Hermione gave a scream and followed Ron towards it. Throwing as many different water spells as she knew at the flames, Hermione began to grow desperate as none of them worked.
"Harry – get out!" She screamed at the house. "It's on fire!"
Scanning the house frantically for any signs of their friend, Ron and Hermione began to grow increasingly terrified as they found nothing – until there was a large crash from the front of the house.
Running back towards the cobbled street that ran in front of the house, they found a dozen or so students had been drawn to the scene. Some were valiantly trying to douse the flames whilst others were stood in terrified awe.
Ron span around as someone shouted his name from the crowd, and found Seamus, Lavender, Dean and Pavarti running towards them.
"What's going on?" Dean shouted over the racket.
Hermione was just opening her mouth to reply, when Harry's voice echoed from above them.
"Ron, Herm!" he cried. "Grab a sheet or something, quick!"
Recovering from the shock of seeing Harry hanging out of the broken attic window, (which was obviously the source of the crash that had been heard earlier) Hermione searched wildly for something suitable. Quickly spotting a washing line sporting a large bed cover, she ran over to grab it before directing everyone to pull it tight under the window.
Harry carried Elise to the window, and then carefully held her out over the sheet.
"WAIT!" Lavender screeched.
"What are you doing?" Seamus yelled, staring in wonder.
Harry coughed and then shouted back, "It's spread to the stairs and we're trapped up here, so you'll have to catch them! Ready?"
"On three!" Ron replied.
"One, two," Hermione counted down, "THREE!"
Harry carefully aimed Elise and then dropped her onto the sheet below. He watched with bated breath as she fell towards the ground and Seamus aimed a hasty floatation spell towards her, giving a huge sigh of relief as she landed safely on the sheet. Having watched her to safety, Harry ventured back into the attic, which was now filled with billows of thick black smoke. With a gasp, Harry realised that the flames had now reached the door – and were beginning to enter the room. Quickly returning his attention to Sirius, Harry grabbed his godfather's arms and dragged him towards the window.
"You ready for the next one?" Harry shouted below.
"Yes!" Dean yelled, "on three again1"
Harry glanced him again as he waited for the countdown. His eyes widened as he saw what somebody had stored in the corner of the room – and that the fire was only inches away from. Petrol?!
"JUST CATCH!" He screamed, dropping Sirius. Harry made to jump out as well, but just seconds after Sirius landed on the sheet, the petrol caught fire in a huge explosion. As the girls below screamed, Harry was propelled through the window by the force of the blast missing the sheet by a good few yards as he flew through the air. Landing on the grass with a loud thump, the last thing Harry saw, as pain wracked through his ribs, were his friends running towards him before he succumbed to the darkness.
**
Meanwhile…
"No, really Sybil." Remus said politely, not wanting to upset the dramatic woman. "I am absolutely fascinated."
"Oh right, dear." Trewlaney sighed. "People do tend to tire of divination – although I can't see why. I'm very sorry if I took that yawn the wrong way."
"Yes, lack of sleep." Lupin lied, uncharacteristically. His pleasant nature had once again got the better of him. As it was a Hogsmeade weekend, most of the professors were currently sat in the 'Three Broomsticks,' a small pub that seemed to be the gathering point for most of the village, taking a well-earned break. When Lupin had arrived and found, sat alone by the window, Sybil Trewlaney, he had gritted his teeth and tried very patiently to partake in some kind of conversation with the slightly batty Divination Professor. He was definitely regretting this decision and had long ago begun to wish desperately for a reason to leave.
The door burst open and as a cold air rushed through the room, making everyone shudder, one of the pupils from Hogwarts ran in – frantically searching the busy room for a familiar face.
"HELP – someone! OH! Professor McGonagall!" The girl ran over having spotted the faculty. "You have to come and help – there's a house on fire at the top of the hill, and there's this big skull thing hanging in the sky."
The girl, who looked to be only a first or second year, gasped for breath before continuing her rant.
"There are no adults up there – I think they're all down here, and so some of the bigger kids sent me to fetch someone - they said it was really important!"
The teachers all sprang up - apart from Trewlaney who was muttering something about foreseeing this in her crystal ball, and ran outside the pub to see the familiar symbol above a roaring blaze.
Remus Lupin's face sank as he realised exactly what he was seeing.
"That's the Furiae!" He yelled in panic before suddenly disapparating, followed by the rest of the staff.
Appearing in front of the blazing house, Lupin took in the scene in amazement. Spotting Elise sat up and rubbing her eyes he ran over to her and a girl he recognised as Lavender Brown, who was stood by the child. As he reached Elise, he spotted Sirius lying by her – presumably unconscious. Shaking him gently, Remus realised it was a magically induced state and reached for his wand to use the Enervate spell, wondering why nobody had thought of doing the same thing.
"Ennervate."
Sirius' eyes flickered open and he groaned, grabbing his head and wincing in pain.
"What happened?" He asked groggily. Suddenly his eyes widened and his head span from side to side. "What happened to the death eaters? Where did they go?"
"I don't know, Padfoot." He looked around the encircling chaos. "What's going on?" He asked, noticing that the other teachers seemed to be congregating around the crowd on the lawn.
"Dunno – help me up."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, only a stunning spell I think – although I have no idea why it wasn't more."
Leaving Lavender to tend to Elise, Sirius and Remus hobbled over to the crowd and began to push their way through. A startled voice called out Sirius' name as they struggled forward, and the pair were suddenly ambushed by an extremely pale Hermione Granger.
"You're up, Sirius!" She cried, and then her voice trembled as she looked towards the centre of the mass of people.
"What is it. Hermione?"
"Harry. He fell, well – flew, really – out of the window. They can't get him to wake up and –" Hermione's eyes shone brightly and she put one hand over her mouth to hide the sobs that were threatening to spill.
"WHAT?!" Sirius yelled causing the crowd to part slightly as he charged through. He reached Harry, who was sprawled out on the ground, with Professor McGonagall by his side, lightly slapping his face and Ron stood over them both – his freckles standing out vividly on his pale face. Deciding that nothing was being achieved here, the Transfiguration professor quickly levitated Harry outside the grounds of the house and then apparated to the point from which a carriage could be caught to Hogwarts.
**
"POPPY!" McGonagall yelled in an uncharacteristically flustered manner. "Quickly!"
The plump medi-witch came scuttling from the small room which adjoined the medical wing and rolled her eyes as she spotted Harry limply floating in the air.
"Honestly, what is it this time?" She asked, beginning to examine him. "Falling two thousand feet from a broomstick? Battle with a new Dark Lord named 'Lord Flufflebunny?' Paper cut?"
"As far as I can tell, he was blown out of a window after having saved Mr Black and young Elise from a house which was on fire at the time. No doubt those two will be here to see you in a short while."
"Quickly then, put him in that bed over by the window."
**
Sirius listened quietly as Hermione and Ron tried to patch together what had happened for him whilst travelling quickly towards the school. Unable to Apparate with Elise, she and Sirius had opted to travel with Ron and Hermione who, of course, knew none of the details of what had happened inside the house but were able to relate to Harry's frantic godfather all that they knew.
"Why didn't you stop him!" Sirius ranted. "Why on earth did you let him enter a house with the Dark Mark?!"
"We tried," Hermione cried. "We really, truly did – I should have done something shouldn't I? Tied him up or something..." She trailed off.
"He did this weird thing." Ron added. "He sort of, well, threw me across the street so that he could run in."
Sirius' face was a surprise to the two friends – it wasn't one of surprise, more of anger.
"He used that against you?"
"Used what?" Hermione asked, sensing that Harry's godfather knew a great deal more about the situation than they did.
"Nothing," Sirius said quickly, catching himself. "Look, we're here – quickly!" He ushered the two students up to the castle at such a pace that both were taking two steps for Sirius' every one. Reaching the infirmary only a short while after arriving at the castle, they burst through the door and ran towards Harry – ignoring Madame Pomfrey's shrieks that the boy was to be left alone.
Harry was still lying unmoving on the bed, his glasses carefully placed on the bedside cabinet – the bridge still bent from when he had landed. Hermione sat in a chair near his pillow, staring at his chest rising and falling – assuring her that he was alive. Ron, disliking seeing his friend in this sad state, looked at anything apart from the bed whilst Sirius nagged the nurse to ensure everything was fine.
"Why isn't he awake then?" Sirius raved "You've fixed him, right?"
"Yes!" Pomfrey exclaimed. "He'll be fine - his body is just recuperating after the charms to fix his bones drained some of his energy. He should be awake any minute now."
As she spoke, Harry's eyes flickered and then slowly opened. Rushing over to the bed, Sirius quickly asked his godson if he was feeling better. Raising his eyes wearily towards all three of them, Harry spoke in a tired whisper;
"I'm fine, Sirius. I'm fine."
A/N – Duh Duh!!!!!!! Okay, it wasn't quite up to the usual standard, I think – but I thought you'd all appreciate a part…
To the thank you notes, which have become very long..
Kitty C – Thank you!!
Suzybeth – Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoyed this part as well.
Rachel – Sorry bout the delay, but thanks neway
Arabella Figg – Sorry, but thanks
Tinabedina – Nope, nobody dead..yet…….
Kelzery – ha, I liked the tweeties too – sorry bout the wait!
Lizzy/Tygrestick – Okay, so the exams were crap, and I've prob. Failed everything, but at least I've got the next part out!
Jamie Potter – Thanks!
Dumbledore's True Love – My ever faithfull reviewer- and make sure you keep up the work on you story, it's fantastic!
Pleiades – Author alert never works, *sigh * But I'm glad you've managed to catch up! Are we ever having a sequel to the Secret Keeper? I loved that story..
Coqui – Hello … Well thanks for the fantasmic review..and the beta reading, and anything else I can't remember! You are so damn clever…very useful…
Shadow – good, thanks!
Sarah – yep, thanks!
Katy.D – more parts are here!
Lena – Thanks, and I agree..
JMC – My sister..silly billy……hello!!
Cr1Ms0n^D3v1L - Thanks
Sandrine Black – I liked that part myself!
Water Nymph – Sorry bout your ankle..it's probably better by know – but don't chase me!
Star Kitty - Thanks
Katie Potter – Elise is fine..don't hate me, I have continued..
Jenn - Thanks
Yellow Daisyz Girl
NK – I'm not really evil…really I'm not!!
Zybenkizzashanta – Oh dear, hope you get some reviewing power back!
Krazy Kris – Sorry, but I just can't resist cliffies, I'll agree the last chapter was a bit cruel though..sorry!
Someone Two – I love your story –It's fantastic!! I hope you get the next part up soon!
Phoenix Avalon – thanks, hope you enjoyed it..
Mimi – Thanks,
Svolkame - Ditto
Rishi Khiara - Thanks
Nagh – Thanks
AjaKe – Hope this eases your anxiousness
Ellie – OMG!! Yes..so there was a slight gap, but I've managed to fail all my exams on the upside…
A Person – thanks! There ya go..
Darth Yoda - thanks
Caitlin Black – hehe...don't kill me…thanks
Ravenclaw Filly – I don't think this part has an evil cliffhanger – I thought it was quite a peacefull end!! Thanks..
Gryffindor Filly - Ooooohhhhhh…twins!!!!!!! Okay, so maybe not, but I'm glad you enjoyed the story, and I am equally ecstatic that the story was suggested to you!!
Computer Master - Thanks
Snowyangeltn - Thanks
AR – Sorry!!
Starry Eyed Dreamer – Thanks, especially cos you took the time to review all the chapters!
Oceana - Thanks
Potter_Hal – Yes, real training will be coming…
Jen - Thanks
Tschubi-Chan – Thanks, and, as you can see, Sirius is fine…
Cherry Blossoms Little Wolf2 - Yup
Person - Thanks
Spunky – ha, thanks!
Dally Lover - Yep
Jona – I know..I get all worked up about other people not posting their stories, and mine falls to the back of my mind!! Anyway – I love your story…so keep the parts coming
Mars – Thanks.
Diana2megr - Thanks
Mary Potter - Thanks
Em – Yep, finally out!
Phew..okay, that was long…
Thanks again to Tanya and Coqui, My Beta's, who are the reason that this story become somewhat readable, as my grammar is somewhat appalling..
I'll see you all next part...I'm off to finish this term at school off…and write more, of course…
Adios
Rufus ^_^