Desperate Measures
Part 5
Bill and Charlie had just completed a search of the upper floor of the Potters house in Barcelona and found the rooms had been ransacked, implying that the hit wizards that had attacked the Potter family was looking for something in particular since the entire family had been in the dwellings doorway. Fred, and George were completing their search of the back of the house for clues to why the Potters were killed, and their search of the exterior of the home yielded no signs of the Potter's final resting place. Ron, Arthur, and Jasmine were awaiting their family's return to the living room. Their search of the main floor had yielded no new information either.
As Ron was looking around he saw a dark figure dash by in one of the mirrors. As he slowly, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, turned around the figure was gone. He walked over to his father and whispered that there was someone else in the house. Arthur picked up Jasmine and called for Bill and Charlie. The two were at the landing to stairs when they tried to yell a warning to Ron. It was too little, too late. A figure had snuck behind the youngest male Weasley and held a knife to his throat.
"Put the girl down and step away from her." The masked man ordered.
Arthur did no such thing. He had to promise Molly under the penalty of a howler every day for a year, that he would not let anything happen to Jasmine.
"Put her down now." The man said again. The tip of his knife punctured skin on Ron's throat and blood started to flow.
Arthur told the little girl he was putting her down, but that he wouldn't let anything happen to her or her uncle. Jasmine understood and released her grip on her grandfather. The masked man, using his free hand, removed his mask. Jasmine ran up and hugged the man's leg.
"Cousin Dudley." Jasmine yelled with joy.
"Dudley Dursley?" Ron asked in a stupefied tone of voice.
"That's right." Dudley removed the blade from Ron's throat, pushed the red head towards his father and drew an odd looking device (odd to the wizards).
"Since you're obviously wizards allow me to explain. This," Dudley said showing the object in his hand, "is a firearm, or gun. If I shoot, you will die." He explained.
"No." Jasmine told him. "Dey my family. Dats my uncas and grampa."
Dudley lowered his weapon. It had been quite some time since he was last in the presence of the Weasleys. His last encounter he was the recipient of a ton tongue toffee. Nor sooner than Dudley thought it did the creators of the toffee return to the home. Dudley drew his weapon again and pointed it at the twins who froze on the spot.
"Dey my uncas too." Jasmine stated.
"I know who they are Jasmine, I would never forget these two." Dudley explained.
"Have we met before?" Fred and George asked.
"The last time I saw you I was about two hundred pounds heavier with blonde hair and a tongue as large as your egos."
"Dudley Dursley?" The twins said in unison.
Dudley again lowered his weapon. He placed the safety catch on and walked to his cousin's relatives.
"So the locket really worked?" He asked Arthur Weasley.
"Jasmine used it to find her Aunt Hermione. Apparently she didn't know or remember how to use it for two weeks. She was being held captive by...."
"The Malfoy's, I know." Dudley informed them.
"How did you know?" Ron asked the man.
Dudley walked over to the room that Ron had checked earlier. He opened the closet to reveal several television monitors. Hitting a button on the player an image appeared on the screen. Dudley must have already watched the tape because it was at the scene where Draco Malfoy stunned and removed Jasmine from her home.
"Harry had a file on who I should be wary of. Draco Malfoy has paid me several visits over the years looking for my cousin. He has been unable to enter my home because of the original enchantment that protected Harry when he was younger, not for a lack of trying." Dudley explained.
"How did you know something was wrong, I don't see one of Ginny's rings on your finger." Ron inquired.
"Because I am Harry's only living relative, prior to his children, my home has been under wizarding surveillance for many years. The kids couldn't come to me." Dudley stated. "I would gladly have taken them in until you could come for them if I could, but it was better they go straight to you."
"Do you know why they killed Harry and his family?"
Dudley nodded. "They want into the Potter family vault. Before he was sentenced Harry found something that connected the Malfoys to Lord Voldemort, before he could use it he was set up and sent to prison. The Malfoys spent a large amount of time and money trying to clear their name; apparently Harry's evidence could ruin them beyond a shadow of a doubt. However Harry placed the evidence in the safest place possible, his vault."
"Why don't the ministry just go and seize it." Fred asked.
"They can't. Harry legally turned over everything he owned in the vault to Ginny before he was sentenced. The goblins that run your bank are bound to honor this, thus the Malfoy's couldn't get into the vault while she was alive. The only way they could get into the vault afterwards was if Ginny was dead. Then came the problem of the kids. Ginny made them her beneficiaries and Ron, would be in charge of the children's trust funds. I suspect they took Jasmine in an effort to get into the vault. As Ginny's only living beneficiary."
"How do you know all of this?" Bill asked.
"Easy, Harry left me files incase anything happened to him. He always called or sent me a message once every ten days. If I didn't hear from him after midnight on the tenth day I was to come here and review the security tapes to see what happened."
"Do you know what happened to the bodies?" Arthur asked the young man.
"A neighbor told me that Harry and Ginny were buried in the local cemetery. The children's bodies were taken by the ministry, most likely to cover up the fact that they had killed children. Since this was not a well known fact in the wizarding world no one would suspect."
"At least they didn't until those hit wizards were slaughtered at the Leaky Cauldron."
"What do you know about the incident at the Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asked.
"With the exception of Draco everyone that died at that pub was here the day they attacked Harry's family."
"Why was Malfoy spared?" Charlie asked.
Dudley was about to answer when he heard something. He gripped his Uzi and returned to the security camera room. "We've got company." He informed the Weasleys.
"From their clothes I'd say they were also hit wizards. Take Jasmine and get out of here." Dudley ordered.
"We can't, we haven't configured to portkey to return us home yet." Ron said.
"Then I suggest you do so while I add to the hit-wizard body count." Dudley said pulling his mask over his face.
"Come out Weasleys." Draco Malfoy's voice boomed. "We know you're in there with the littlest Potter. Send the girl out and you're free to leave."
Before Dudley could fire a shot, or the Weasley's retort they were all petrified and fell to the ground. The six Weasleys, Jasmine, and Dudley were then levitated to the spot where Harry and Ginny had fought valiantly against the hit wizards.
"I'm sorry, I got impatient." Draco said as a group of hit wizards under invisibility cloaks emerged.
"Hello Jasmine, ready to go home?" Draco asked the little terrified girl.
"Finite Incantatum." Draco said canceling the spell around Jasmine.
"Sir, what of the muggle." The hit wizard asked.
Draco smirked as he looked at the muggle. "You must be the person who killed all those hit wizards at The Leaky Cauldron." Draco stated. "Well, thank you for making it so easy for us to find you."
"Bring him." Draco ordered.
As Dudley was levitated off the ground a sound pierced the air. The wizards looked about but saw nothing. A musical tune echoed throughout the area, just loud enough to unnerve the wizards. The tune was a sad and depressing number; one could almost feel the pain of the player.
"Would someone please find that instrument and break it over the musicians head." Draco ordered.
As he looked up into the window that over looked the path to the Potter's home he saw the musician, a man with long dark hair in a dark outfit. He could not see the man's face, but as he looked up, his cold heart stopped beating for a moment. It was as if his worst nightmare were coming true. The musician wore no, glasses, his eyes appeared to be a different color but the look on his face was one that Draco could never forget. He had seen it far too many times during his tenure at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
He couldn't be alive... It was impossible. Draco thought to himself.
Bill and Charlie had just completed a search of the upper floor of the Potters house in Barcelona and found the rooms had been ransacked, implying that the hit wizards that had attacked the Potter family was looking for something in particular since the entire family had been in the dwellings doorway. Fred, and George were completing their search of the back of the house for clues to why the Potters were killed, and their search of the exterior of the home yielded no signs of the Potter's final resting place. Ron, Arthur, and Jasmine were awaiting their family's return to the living room. Their search of the main floor had yielded no new information either.
As Ron was looking around he saw a dark figure dash by in one of the mirrors. As he slowly, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, turned around the figure was gone. He walked over to his father and whispered that there was someone else in the house. Arthur picked up Jasmine and called for Bill and Charlie. The two were at the landing to stairs when they tried to yell a warning to Ron. It was too little, too late. A figure had snuck behind the youngest male Weasley and held a knife to his throat.
"Put the girl down and step away from her." The masked man ordered.
Arthur did no such thing. He had to promise Molly under the penalty of a howler every day for a year, that he would not let anything happen to Jasmine.
"Put her down now." The man said again. The tip of his knife punctured skin on Ron's throat and blood started to flow.
Arthur told the little girl he was putting her down, but that he wouldn't let anything happen to her or her uncle. Jasmine understood and released her grip on her grandfather. The masked man, using his free hand, removed his mask. Jasmine ran up and hugged the man's leg.
"Cousin Dudley." Jasmine yelled with joy.
"Dudley Dursley?" Ron asked in a stupefied tone of voice.
"That's right." Dudley removed the blade from Ron's throat, pushed the red head towards his father and drew an odd looking device (odd to the wizards).
"Since you're obviously wizards allow me to explain. This," Dudley said showing the object in his hand, "is a firearm, or gun. If I shoot, you will die." He explained.
"No." Jasmine told him. "Dey my family. Dats my uncas and grampa."
Dudley lowered his weapon. It had been quite some time since he was last in the presence of the Weasleys. His last encounter he was the recipient of a ton tongue toffee. Nor sooner than Dudley thought it did the creators of the toffee return to the home. Dudley drew his weapon again and pointed it at the twins who froze on the spot.
"Dey my uncas too." Jasmine stated.
"I know who they are Jasmine, I would never forget these two." Dudley explained.
"Have we met before?" Fred and George asked.
"The last time I saw you I was about two hundred pounds heavier with blonde hair and a tongue as large as your egos."
"Dudley Dursley?" The twins said in unison.
Dudley again lowered his weapon. He placed the safety catch on and walked to his cousin's relatives.
"So the locket really worked?" He asked Arthur Weasley.
"Jasmine used it to find her Aunt Hermione. Apparently she didn't know or remember how to use it for two weeks. She was being held captive by...."
"The Malfoy's, I know." Dudley informed them.
"How did you know?" Ron asked the man.
Dudley walked over to the room that Ron had checked earlier. He opened the closet to reveal several television monitors. Hitting a button on the player an image appeared on the screen. Dudley must have already watched the tape because it was at the scene where Draco Malfoy stunned and removed Jasmine from her home.
"Harry had a file on who I should be wary of. Draco Malfoy has paid me several visits over the years looking for my cousin. He has been unable to enter my home because of the original enchantment that protected Harry when he was younger, not for a lack of trying." Dudley explained.
"How did you know something was wrong, I don't see one of Ginny's rings on your finger." Ron inquired.
"Because I am Harry's only living relative, prior to his children, my home has been under wizarding surveillance for many years. The kids couldn't come to me." Dudley stated. "I would gladly have taken them in until you could come for them if I could, but it was better they go straight to you."
"Do you know why they killed Harry and his family?"
Dudley nodded. "They want into the Potter family vault. Before he was sentenced Harry found something that connected the Malfoys to Lord Voldemort, before he could use it he was set up and sent to prison. The Malfoys spent a large amount of time and money trying to clear their name; apparently Harry's evidence could ruin them beyond a shadow of a doubt. However Harry placed the evidence in the safest place possible, his vault."
"Why don't the ministry just go and seize it." Fred asked.
"They can't. Harry legally turned over everything he owned in the vault to Ginny before he was sentenced. The goblins that run your bank are bound to honor this, thus the Malfoy's couldn't get into the vault while she was alive. The only way they could get into the vault afterwards was if Ginny was dead. Then came the problem of the kids. Ginny made them her beneficiaries and Ron, would be in charge of the children's trust funds. I suspect they took Jasmine in an effort to get into the vault. As Ginny's only living beneficiary."
"How do you know all of this?" Bill asked.
"Easy, Harry left me files incase anything happened to him. He always called or sent me a message once every ten days. If I didn't hear from him after midnight on the tenth day I was to come here and review the security tapes to see what happened."
"Do you know what happened to the bodies?" Arthur asked the young man.
"A neighbor told me that Harry and Ginny were buried in the local cemetery. The children's bodies were taken by the ministry, most likely to cover up the fact that they had killed children. Since this was not a well known fact in the wizarding world no one would suspect."
"At least they didn't until those hit wizards were slaughtered at the Leaky Cauldron."
"What do you know about the incident at the Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asked.
"With the exception of Draco everyone that died at that pub was here the day they attacked Harry's family."
"Why was Malfoy spared?" Charlie asked.
Dudley was about to answer when he heard something. He gripped his Uzi and returned to the security camera room. "We've got company." He informed the Weasleys.
"From their clothes I'd say they were also hit wizards. Take Jasmine and get out of here." Dudley ordered.
"We can't, we haven't configured to portkey to return us home yet." Ron said.
"Then I suggest you do so while I add to the hit-wizard body count." Dudley said pulling his mask over his face.
"Come out Weasleys." Draco Malfoy's voice boomed. "We know you're in there with the littlest Potter. Send the girl out and you're free to leave."
Before Dudley could fire a shot, or the Weasley's retort they were all petrified and fell to the ground. The six Weasleys, Jasmine, and Dudley were then levitated to the spot where Harry and Ginny had fought valiantly against the hit wizards.
"I'm sorry, I got impatient." Draco said as a group of hit wizards under invisibility cloaks emerged.
"Hello Jasmine, ready to go home?" Draco asked the little terrified girl.
"Finite Incantatum." Draco said canceling the spell around Jasmine.
"Sir, what of the muggle." The hit wizard asked.
Draco smirked as he looked at the muggle. "You must be the person who killed all those hit wizards at The Leaky Cauldron." Draco stated. "Well, thank you for making it so easy for us to find you."
"Bring him." Draco ordered.
As Dudley was levitated off the ground a sound pierced the air. The wizards looked about but saw nothing. A musical tune echoed throughout the area, just loud enough to unnerve the wizards. The tune was a sad and depressing number; one could almost feel the pain of the player.
"Would someone please find that instrument and break it over the musicians head." Draco ordered.
As he looked up into the window that over looked the path to the Potter's home he saw the musician, a man with long dark hair in a dark outfit. He could not see the man's face, but as he looked up, his cold heart stopped beating for a moment. It was as if his worst nightmare were coming true. The musician wore no, glasses, his eyes appeared to be a different color but the look on his face was one that Draco could never forget. He had seen it far too many times during his tenure at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
He couldn't be alive... It was impossible. Draco thought to himself.