Chapter 14
A week later found the ten of them on an isolated island in some remote area; Harry wasn't really even sure where they were finding the next group of students had been easy, almost far too easy for Harry's taste. But he was also getting nervous. It had been almost three weeks since the initial abductions, and he was afraid for the lives of the students still in captivity.
They had finally convinced a Slytherin girl to reveal something she overheard her father discussing, about a camp on this island. It had taken four forays into separate homes to discover the floo location they needed to get there. Now they were clustered at the top of a small earth mound overlooking the camp.
Harry handed the omnioculars to Ron, "What do you make of it?"
Ron studied the structure a moment longer. "Let's drop behind the hillock." They slid down into the lee of the hill. "Ok, here's what I see. There are seven, perhaps eight death eaters guarding the camp. Most seem more concerned with being gits than actually guarding anything. Only one or two are serious about what they are doing. Nightfall, and a couple judicious dampening potions and we'll be bringing another group home."
Harry nodded, according to his watch; it was four hours until sunset. "Hermione, I need a return portkey." He handed her a rock from the ground. "Use this."
He looked again at the sky; it was overcast, no moon, and no stars. It would be a smooth night. He once again glanced at his watch as if willing time to advance faster.
The wind picked up as the day progressed, and the chill in the air was unmistakable. Winter was indeed coming. At Hogwarts there was already snow on the ground, the work they had done so far, and the training they continued had left them little time for themselves. They instinctively broke into pairs, and each pair seemed preoccupied in making every minute together precious.
Harry felt awful, he had wanted this year to be different, as in normal, not different as in completely different as anything he had experienced so far, which seemed to be his form of normal.
The kids rescued had been sent home, and Hogwarts was again standing empty save the ghosts and the house elves. A team of Aurors had come for a few days and swept the castle looking for portkeys or permanent portals, but nothing was found. The Companions were left to their own devices.
The Companions had sent letters home indicating that they were working with the Ministry of Magic to help unravel this, everyone except Harry. He had sent his letter to the Weasleys.
The Burrow – That same day
At the same time Harry was contemplating this, Molly Weasley opened three letters, one from Ginny explaining what she already knew from what Dumbledore had told them, Ron saying more or less the same thing, and, oddly, one from Harry.
She opened the letter, and gasped at the heading
Dear Mum and Dad,
Because if the truth is told, you are the closest thing I have ever known. I remember a muggle once talking about family. He said that family loves you for you not who you are, or what you make of yourself. They give freely and unconditionally of their love to you.
I have been thinking a lot recently of the events leading up to today, and I am only sorry for one thing, that Ron and Ginny are part of this. Don't get me wrong, Ron is the best friend anyone can have, and I am very proud of him. He is the brother I should have had. Words cannot express Ginny. I love her more than I am sure someone my age should. Being around her I can feel my future, and see what is to become, and I know I am doing the right thing. You know I have asked Ginny to marry me, later, once this is over, we are out of school, and we can live a normal life. This is assuming, of course I can ever have a life considered 'normal'.
I wanted to ask you two in person, but there was never a time, or I was shamefully afraid, and certainly not up to my Gryffindor potential. Please accept my apologies, I had never intended not asking. We plan on returning home, yes home to the only home I have ever known once we have completed this task. Dumbledore explained to me that you were both Companions as well, so you understand we are compelled to complete this.
All the love, from your black-haired son,
Harry Potter
Molly had tears running down her face. Arthur was at work, but he could do with some distraction. She went to the fireplace "Arthur Weasley" and Arthur's head appeared. She sat on the floor to be level with him, and showed him Harry's letter.
Arthur felt the same pride swell in his chest at Harry's letter as any of his real son's or daughter had done something that was particularly noteworthy. A funny lump was in his throat from the context of him and Ginny. "You don't suppose…" he said to Molly "That Harry and Ginny are…" he opted to leave the rest unsaid.
Molly smiled lopsided at him. "Arthur, what do you think?"
He grinned back, but then straightened seriously "Well, I remember when it was us dear, but that was, well different."
"How so Arthur? It's the same. The only difference is the people involved." She looked lovingly at the face of her husband. "Find a way to come home early dear." She blew him a kiss and got up.
Arthur had to admit, even after all these years Molly was still the same woman he fell in love with so many years ago. Oh they had both changed, and grown older, but she was still everything he had ever wanted. He looked at his desk. It could all wait.
He grabbed his hat, and Disapparated.
The Island Encampment – Sunset
On the island, as the sun slowly descended below the trees, Harry and Ginny were holding hands and talking in a whisper. They kissed softly, but there was passion there waiting to be unbridled.
"It's time to go love." Harry said sadness etched in his features. "You mean the world to me Ginny, and I want to make you the happiest woman alive."
"You have Harry," she paused looking at his hands holding hers "no matter what, I live each day because you saved my life. I don't owe you anything, don't misunderstand, and I live in the shelter of your love and caring. What more could someone ask for?"
"A room?" Ron's voice came from over Harry's shoulder. "Come on you two, we have to move, or it'll be too dark and they'll turn on lights." His face was apologetic.
Harry looked into her eyes and smiled. Then she saw the hardness slide over his features like a mask. "Ok people, let's move, pair up and let's see about making some happy thoughts."
('Making happy thoughts' was actually Cho's line, and it became a catch phrase over the course of the next couple of years. Her wit and charm drew me to her, but to truly know Cho Chang, you had to see into the depths of her beautiful soul. I have, and I knew true love. – Justin)
They paired up almost unconsciously, and crept over the mound. The fence was little more than a wire mesh favored my muggles around their schools, but was almost five meters in height. They'd need to go through the gate. At the front gate stood a pair of guards. Harry pointed to them, and Ron crept up silent, Justin disappeared under Harry's invisibility cloak. They watched as Ron approached from the direction of the sunset. Ron's guard was pointedly looking away from the over bright light, and didn't see him. Ron wrapped his forearm around them man's throat, and squeezed until he passed out.
Justin appeared behind the second guard performing the same technique just moments after Ron's arm had snaked around his victims' neck.
Harry leveled his wand and destroyed the gate. This action was noticed immediately, and the kids in the prison set themselves on the death eaters. The fight was over quickly; students with hope had helped to capture the remaining death eaters, and were obviously ready to return to Hogwarts and home.
Hogwarts – An Hour Later
Harry and Ron moved the death eaters into an old classroom turned into a holding cell. Outside a troll stood on guard. "If they so much as open the door, deal with them." Harry left the troll to figure out how to deal with them.
"Gods Ron, I am exhausted." His friend nodded, and they said good night to one another, and went into their separate rooms. Harry fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
They headed for their rooms, exhausted. The morning came sooner than they had wanted, and Harry found himself looking at the remains of the classroom door. "Dey open'd da door 'Arry Pot'er." The troll didn't look too apologetic. "Sos, I deal wit dem."
Harry opted not to enter the room. He sighed and looked at the troll. "You did a fine job. Thank you."
The troll grunted and headed back to the others.
Harry returned to the common room. Ron looked up from the papers they had taken from the now ex-prisoners. "I take it troll justice took place last night?" His voice belayed no real surprise at this turn of events. He took a sip of tea waiting for Harry to answer.
Harry looked tired, and perhaps a bit older to Ron and Hermione. "Yes. Now I need to clean up the mess." He turned to the others, "if anyone cares to help?"
Ginny stood, as did Cho and Justin. "Let's get this over with then."
They came to the classroom, and found the door completely gone. The bodies and destroyed furniture were already gone. "Harry Potter!" Came a squeaky voice.
Harry smiled, and his face softened, years were removed from his face. "Hello Dobby. You didn't have to clean this; we were just coming to take care of it."
"It is our pleasure Harry Potter. We came to see to the needs of the bad wizards you put here, and then when we returns we finds them dead and the troll is leaving, so we figures on cleaning the mess."
Harry knelt down to Dobby's level. "You are a good house elf Dobby, and you have a heart of pure gold."
Dobby's eyes filled with tears. "Harry Potter is far too kind to Dobby." He left the room sniffing and wiping his eyes.
Harry shook his head and laughed. "No matter what age I live to, I will never understand them."
They returned to the common room, and Harry looked to the assembled Companions. "Cho, Justin, Ginny and I will make the rounds of the houses, and arrange the students for the return trip home. Ron, see if you and Hermione can figure out where the rest are, assuming the camps are the same size, perhaps two more camps is all." He tactfully left out the adults. They were going to be rescued as well, but for now it was the students Harry was most concerned with.
Seven hours later, they had a list of those who were going to need medical attention after they were sent home, and the names of those who would never go home.
The dead were up to eighty five. Still missing were over three hundred students. The paper that morning showed the phoenix over the remains of the camp. Harry had simply exploded when he saw the way the students had been treated. He stood in the middle of the camp, and his anger fueled a ripple of power, when he walked out of the twisted and smoldering remains of the camp, the phoenix was in the sky.
That night he and Ginny were in bed, and the anguish overcame him. "God Ginny, what kind of leader breaks down every night like this?" he implored of her. "I don't know how I manage."
She smiled and held him close. "It makes you different, Harry. Stronger." His eyes met hers. "You have to understand that what Voldemort is, is everything you are not. It makes you better Harry, not weaker." She was rewarded with a smile. "Now personally, I'd rather be lead by a hot seeker who needs to vent frustration and sadness than some slimy git of a death eater."
Harry chuckled, kissed her deeply and fell asleep in her arms. She watched his descent into sleep, and followed him into the land of dreams where they were living in a small town in the mountains; no one seemed to know of them, only that they were from England, and had arrived with loads of friends. They lived in a small cluster of houses, and became pillars of the community, going to school plays and concerts that their children were in, and helped with the summer fair. The dream was so vivid that Ginny was saddened to tears to wake up in Hogwarts.
(I have recently come to realize something. Either we forged this dream for ourselves and the Companions made the dream come true, or in that night ten people had the same dream, and it became our shield, our bastion of the future. We were invincible because we had this gilded dream of a future away from this nightmare. – Hermione)