The Burrow was still Harry's permanent home per se, but currently he was in a Phoenix safehouse. A week ago, he and Brian had been cornered by a group of Death Eaters, who had actually tried to kidnap him. They had failed, do to some quick thinking; but that was a long story, and not entirely important in the scheme of things. So, due to Voldemort, Malfoy, and the goddamned press, he was here.
Harry was lying on a plain bed, sleeping. It was a tormented sleep, though he didn't show it much. No twisting, or turning. No anguished words or unintelligible shouts. Harry had trained himself not to make much noise, starting with the belligerent Dursleys and then certain irritated dorm mates. Even if he had been screaming, no one would have heard it do to his silencing charm.
He'd fallen asleep three in the morning after he'd finally managed to turn himself into a hawk. He was relieved that he finally had, after all the work he had put into it. But he was also -curious, as there was no way he should have been able to so soon. It hadn't even been a year, had it?
Something made him awaken with sharp indrawn breath, and found himself staring into Remus' eyes. The other man looked vaguely concerned, as if he'd half -expected this to happen. 'This' being the wand at his throat.
He and Sirius already knew about the nightmares that visited Harry.
Harry took his wand away with a sharp motion, freeing him. In a strained voice his said, "Sorry Moony."
The other man frowned, "A vision?"
"Yeah." He was almost shaking. God. Why'd he have to see that? Just knowing that it had happened would haunt him for the rest of his life. Malfoy had had his revenge.
He stilled his mind, turning his attention back to Remus; He was fully aware that he had to have an urgent reason for waking him up. Harry would just have to deal with -what happened- later.
Remus was watching at him as he stood up, "We're needed -they are going to raid Aureus Alley.
"Damn." That just happened to be *the* highscale alley. It would be filled the important, rich. Such as ministry officials, and the famous. Bloody fantastic.
Minutes later Harry was in the living room of the safehouse, trying to ignore his last vision. The rest of the people living in the place, about nine others, moved swiftly about. Their voices drifted through the house. "-the ministry?"
"Not enough time."
"-should have good security right? I remember how those rich pompous bastards whining to the ministry-" Harry smirked at Cyre's voice; He was always rather vocal about anyone that irritated him. "-protecting their miserable asses-"
"-against Dementors?" The smile faded from his face. Whatever security they had wasn't going to be enough. Few could do an adequate Patronus- their security Aurors wouldn't do much good.
"Sweet Merlin." All of the witches and wizards would be rendered damn near helpless against the dementors, at Voldemort's mercy. Those that wouldn't be affected by the dementors for the most part would probably be useless at fighting.
Sirius addressed them, "Harry, Remus, Harvey and I are the only ones going. The rest of you are staying."
"Fuck that-"
"Shut it Cyre, we don't have time. The rest of you would be a liability, now follow Dumbledore's orders."
"Good luck then," said Maya, her face a bit drawn.
First they Apparated to the Order Mobilization Center. A place where everyone who was needed could get to quickly, grab whatever weapons they needed, and go. Witches and Wizards continued to arrive. Sirius conferred with Balistreri. "-south entrance-" Harry spotted Flitwick among the small group, but not many more he recognized.
"Harry!" Remus tossed him some chocolate and a shoved it in a pocket. Probably wouldn't do much good, considering what he was going to have to relive. Maybe he'd go insane and appease the expectant readers of Skeeter.
They wouldn't be able to apparate directly in, so most would have to apparate outside the alley and run. One of them had turned out to have a portkey, but it had a limited number of people it could transport. The Floo network would get them closer, but only transported them one at a time.
Harry listened, and decided. He went and grabbed a broom from a nearby storage closet.
Sirius, who was what amounted to Dumbledore's second in command, was assigning everyone based on their ability. "Harry, you take the portkey-" (Harry, being one of the wizards able to create a powerful Patronus, would need to be among the first to get to the scene of the attack.)
"No, let someone else, I have another way," Harry insisted. He could explain later -if this worked.
Sirius frowned slightly, "Fine." Then he shouted, "Get moving!"
Harry grabbed a broom and flew out the window. He then did something that no one else had done before. He apparated while on his broom.
He could very well have splinched himself, but he'd just known that he could do it. Maybe others would be able to as well. The idea did have possible uses… but he could ponder that later.
Soon he was speeding over the heads of the other witches and wizards who apparated.
Over crowds of running people, who pushed against each other; They impeded the Order agents to the point where they had to resort to using magic to shove them out of the way.
As he sped past the large, ornate buildings he started to feel the cold. Chilling him to his bones. He spotted Sirius and his group ahead. They'd formed a line amidst the choas, wands out, facing ahead. Where a swarm of black cloaked figures moved. From his vantage point, Harry could see Death Eaters far behind, waiting for the Dementors have their fun.
He landed and ran joined the line of the Order agents. The cold was making him shiver.
The memory he called up to hold back the screams was Sirius; Dancing around and singing after being declared free. "Expecto Patronum!"
His Patronus galloped toward the Dementors, and the stag's hooves beat down the dementor about to kiss a plump, middle aged man. He blinked in surprise that it had actually killed it. "Kill the Spare."
He called back his happy memories frantically. "Expecto Patronum!" A black dog joined the stag. "Expecto Patronum." As a lion joined them, the man standing next to him fell, moaning, "Not her, please, not her." There were just too many dementors.
Their line was breaking up, and his stag was fading. He could hear the same sounds he had dreamed before Remus woke him up. The Dursleys screaming. "Expect -Expecto Patronum." The guilt.
"Admit it! It's your fault my boyfriend is dead! He'll never have the chance to grow up now, and you are the reason."
He dropped to his knees, not noticing the few tears trailing down his face. Through his own pain he saw Remus fall to a curse from behind, and twisted around. Death Eaters, behind them. That was what was holding back their reinforcements.
"Enjoy your time at Azkaban Potter, and good luck getting a trial."
He decided it was time to try something he had only been theorizing about. He pushed himself to his feet. He couldn't help Remus right now, but maybe he could help everyone.
Sirius, Remus, Hermione, Ron, "Expecto Patronum." Dumbledore, Brian, Ariana, Hogwarts, "Expecto Patronum." Arabella, Hagrid, Flying, "Expecto Patronum."
He started to glow. A faint white that steadily grew. He called his staff to him. And grasped in his hand. He heard a faint song, a beautiful song, the same song Natalia said she heard when she looked at him.
Clouds gathered and darkened overhead.
Continuing his litany, both mental and verbal, he stood. The phoenix feather in the crystal glowed atop his staff, a red and orange amongst the white. He closed his eyes and jerked as lightning struck.
************************************************************************
…Most worded chapter yet.
