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Gabrielle awoke under a bridge. What am I doing under a bridge? Then she tried to stand up, and suddenly she remembered.
She felt weak and sore. It didn't take her long to remember the source of the soreness... Damned Dark Circle sadists! They really knew what they were doing, she reflected. Without drawing blood that would anger their leader, they'd certainly managed to hurt her pretty badly. She named them in her mind. Lucius Malfoy, Joseph Crabbe, that ugly Nott fellow. There were others, to be sure, but those were the ones whose voices and figures she recognized.
With a touch of pride, she remembered how well her plan had worked - she'd intended, since Harry had gone off and left her alone for the evening again, to search out the Dark Circle herself. She knew she would run some danger; she welcomed it, really. Harry had broken his end of the bargain and she would break hers. She would follow Lucius Malfoy, always a sure bet if one wanted to find a Dark gathering of any kind, and she'd do it without orders from the English Ministry so that there'd be no one to betray her. She was itching to get her hands on this Black Center person. Good, if her work led to his capture. Better, if she managed to catch him herself. She was one of the best-trained witches in France for this kind of work...and England didn't seem to have anybody remotely capable...so if the Dark Circle were to be destroyed, it would probably be all up to her.
As she'd hoped, Lucius had led her to the Circle's meeting. She recognized some of the members, but unfortunately was too far away to learn anything helpful about the Black Center himself. She had to get closer. But she couldn't just waltz in alone, of course. She had to be brought in by some of his stupid adherents.
The plan was risky, she knew. Crouched behind a tree, she weighed her chances. How firm was he when he insisted that the Circle kill no one just yet? Would he bend that rule for a spy if he caught one? No, Gabrielle didn't think so. She could use her brain, her Veela-charm, and the spare wand that was always strapped to her calf. If they took her best wand and said they were going to kill her, she could cajole them into changing their minds, or at the very least she could get away with her hidden weapon.
Her mind made up, Gabrielle made a little noise and ruffled a few branches. When she heard the alarm go up, she turned and ran, clumsily and slowly so that they would be sure to find her.
Oh, it hurt when they cursed her. Crucio was never a laughing matter, of course, but she was better-prepared than any of them knew. Defense Against the Dark Arts at Beauxbatons did not consist of a few stupid blocking curses - any wizard can defend himself when he's got his head together and a wand in his hand! This was her Defense training in action. The pain spread through her body but she knew how to make it leave her mind alone. She could think, run if need be, and until it looked like her life was in immediate danger, all she had to do was sit and endure.
It was so frustrating, to be a foot away from the Black Center but unable to learn anything useful. That awful clouded face ruined any possibility of figuring out his identity... She was close enough to speak to him, to touch him if she wanted...but what good would that do?
Then she noticed something on his robes. A hair.
If she could get a piece of his hair, she could make a Polyjuice Potion. She could find out firsthand who the Black Center really was... she could even impersonate him if she wanted to! This was perfect!
She grabbed at him, snatched the hair, and whimpered and pleaded. They'd let her live and even given her back her favorite wand... And they were so stupid that they assumed she'd never dare wait around, hiding again to learn more information...for example, where they were meeting tomorrow...
Gabrielle had gone home extremely pleased with herself. She whipped up the Polyjuice Potion and in a euphoric haze, drank it...
Everything had been fine until she looked in the mirror.
Now, sitting under the bridge with her knees drawn up to her chest, nothing was quite as simple as she'd envisioned it. Yes, she knew who the Black Center was. The problem was, it wasn't half so appealing to go turn him in when she knew that it was her own husband.
She decided to flee from him. What if he killed her when he came home? She knew she wouldn't be able to just act normal, as though nothing were wrong. I can't afford to make him suspicious. She scrawled a half-coherent note begging him not to hurt their children, and left the house.
Gabrielle didn't really think he would harm Sophie and Julien. But then again, apparently he could hide his murderous intentions rather well...maybe his love for them was all fake too. Could her marriage really have been founded on pretend feelings? Gabrielle found herself blinking back tears. She hoped not.
Maybe Harry had some plan. Maybe the hair had gotten on the Black Center's robes by mistake...maybe the Center wasn't Harry at all.
There were too many unanswered questions, Gabrielle decided. She really couldn't go to the Ministry until she had more information. She would wait until tonight, slip back and spy on their gathering (in earnest this time - they would never know she was there) and find out exactly what they planned to do.
If they talked any more about wiping out the opposition, she would strike. Husband or not, she'd assassinate the Center if he was seriously planning an attack... that would probably scare the whole movement into extinction, she thought.
Yes. Now that is a good idea. Gabrielle went out from under the bridge and sought a place to waste the day. She would just take it easy and relax, preparing herself for what was to come tonight...
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Harry, for his part, was not nearly so determined. He had no idea whatsoever of what to do. Should he go look for his wife? Gabrielle, he knew, could hide from him if she really wanted to. It had occurred to him that she might have identified him as the Black Center... she was, after all, one of the most observant people he knew. But then, what was the Polyjuice Potion for?
Too many unanswered questions. He needed advice. Where could he go?
Not Hogwarts again - Snape had specifically ordered him not to come. "The very best way to foul up well-laid plans," he'd said, "is to second-guess them. There's no reason to meet again before tomorrow night. It would only complicate matters and increase the chances that we'd be spotted."
So who could Harry talk to? No one, he finally decided. He would just go one with things as planned. Gabrielle could take care of herself. She would be fine, wherever she had gone. For now, he needed to sleep. He would need to be at his best for tonight...
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Snape looked out of the window. Night was falling. He'd already told the Headmaster that Sophie and Julien Potter would be serving a detention with him in the Forbidden Forest, helping gather potion ingredients. There was no way they would be missed.
When a soft knock came at his office door, Snape rose and opened it silently. "Are you ready?" They both nodded eagerly, casting each other frightened, excited glances.
Julien looked at his watch. "We have two minutes."
Snape sighed and pocketed his wand. "The Portkey is on my desk." The three of them touched the parchment and waited. Things began to whirl...
When they appeared in the woods, Snape stood still for a few minutes, waiting for the nausea to subside. Sophie tugged on his arm. "Hey, Professor, are you ok?"
"I hate traveling by Portkey. Set up the camera." As she and Julien began to work, Snape realized something had to be done about her hair. Black as it was, it was still unnaturally luminous, and somehow reflected far too much moonlight. Besides, it would probably be a hindrance if she had to do any sudden moving, so drew his wand and shot a little jet of scarlet light at her that braided it neatly down her back.
"What'd you do that for? I don't like my hair in a braid," she complained petulantly, moving to undo it.
"You don't? Well, in that case, I'll just cut it off," he said smoothly.
"No!" she shrieked loudly, covering her head with her hands.
"You are lucky that the Circle isn't here yet, Miss Potter, or you would have just signed all of our death warrants."
Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth. "Sorry! I forgot," she whispered. "But I'll be quiet when they come. I promise." She looked around. "Is the microphone set up and hidden?"
"I Apparated here this morning and set it up where your father said. The wires run under the ground all the way to the tree where we arrived. Don't forget to attach them properly."
Julien looked up from the tripod he was putting together. "Could you run through what to do in case of emergency, again?" he asked. "I want to make sure I remember everything."
In his most patronizing tones, Snape explained carefully: "If we are all caught unawares, I'll pretend I came to join the Dark Circle and am bringing you as prisoners to prove my good intentions. If that should happen, you must act like prisoners. Your father and I will do the rest."
They nodded. "If we see them coming but they don't catch sight of you right away," he continued, "both of you get in the Invisibility Cloak and lie flat on the ground - far too many invisible wizards are hit by stray curses. Lie down and take the camera with you, to protect the evidence that's on it. I will distract them and lead them away."
Sophie broke in happily. "And if they see us and there's no time to hide-"
"-I grab the camera and Sophie takes the Cloak-" Julien added.
"And we duck into little balls and hope we don't hit any rocks or trees!" Sophie finished gleefully.
"Exactly. It's no laughing matter, though - I will only use a Banishing Charm as a very last resort, of course, but if it happens you'll both probably be hurt pretty badly." Snape shrugged. "And I will most likely be killed while you escape." Then he turned to look at each of them in turn, his fathomless black eyes boring into their childish gazes, and said quietly, "I have high hopes, however, that it will not be necessary for me to die just to give you a few moments in which to get away with the evidence. I intend to take every precaution to ensure that tonight goes entirely as planned. You two had better not make any mistakes."
They nodded soberly. Julien sneaked a glance at Sophie, who looked paler than usual but otherwise steady. Snape, too, looked completely cool and collected, and Julien began to worry. Was he the only one who was nervous at all? This could all go wrong, go horribly wrong...
He swallowed with difficulty. "The camera's ready," he said, voice shaking. He stood in position behind it, ready to film. Sophie came and stood next to him. Although it would be safer to cover them with the Invisibility Cloak, the camera might not work if it were covered by such strong magic. Instead, Snape conjured up thick bushes all around the children for concealment, leaving only the tiniest possible hole for the camera to stick out of. Unfortunately, he couldn't hide in there with them... he needed freedom of movement in case of trouble.
Snape put an Invisibility Charm on himself. He was a strong wizard, of course, but still couldn't make himself vanish completely. His image, instead of a flesh-and-blood person, had degenerated into a hazy, shimmery outline that would certainly be missed unless anybody looked very closely at where he was standing.
All of a sudden, he drew his breath in sharply and froze in his tracks. Julien and Sophie understood and got absolutely silent immediately. They could make out, through the darkness, the clearing just ahead of them... where the first masked, black-clad wizard had just appeared...
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OK, so now we have three happy little parties, all at cross-purposes with one another, going on tonight... what on earth will happen? It'll be a great big giant fiasco, I promise!
Just you wait and see!
And while you're waiting, write me a review. Otherwise I will write a horrible cliff-hanger and hold the ending for ransom until you do! (And don't you dare burst my bubble by saying you don't care!)
:o)
Thanks for reading.