"Remus, stop it, please, you're driving me crazy." The wizard was pacing around the apartment while Mad-Eye Moody stared into the pensieve, checking one last time for any detail that might help them to rescue Severus Snape.
"Sorry." Remus stopped in mid-stride. He perched on the edge of an antique chair and fidgeted. Moments later he jumped up again and stalked to the shattered remains of Alex's coffee mug. "Reparo. Scourgify," he commanded with quick jabs of his wand. With nothing else to do, he began prowling again, full of nervous energy.
"Merlin's beard. Would you stop it?" Alex's own nerves were frayed. I wish Moody would hurry it up.
"Sorry," Remus said again. He grinned sheepishly. "It's that time of the month."
Moody pushed the carved stone bowl away and stood up before Alex could think of an answer. "Right," he said briskly. "We'll assume, for now, that Snape is being held hostage. For now," he repeated, narrowing his eyes at Alex. "We'll have to expect to encounter both the Lestrange brothers, as well as Bellatrix. No idea how many others, or even if there are any others, until we make a reconnaissance."
"Armand Lestrange," Remus supplied. "He's a squib, but he may have access to stunners or other weapons. And the invisibility cloak he and his accomplice used was never recovered, so we'll have to assume the Lestranges have it."
Moody tapped his magical eyeball. "Not a problem, as long as we stick together."
"Right, then, Dumbledore and McGonagall are out of the picture," said Remus. "Also Jones, Tonks, and Shacklebolt. I'll contact the Weasleys and Fleur Delacour on the bedroom fireplace," he told Moody, "you call Vance, Podmore, and Fletcher from this fireplace." He frowned. "I don't think there's anyone else available-"
"Remus, this is a hostage situation," Moody remonstrated. "Great gods, man, they'll kill Snape in a heartbeat if we go charging in full force."
"Oh." Lupin made no further comment. He looked embarrassed.
"Call Sturgis Podmore," Moody told him. "Have him meet us in Derbyshire at Arbor Low. Seven o'clock. The four of us ought to be able to handle the Lestranges. I'll tell Kingsley and Tonks what's going on. If Malfoy does turn out to be involved, we may have to call them in too."
-----
Alex took hold of the portkey, an old deflated soccer ball, clutching the little broom Snape had given her in her other hand. The portkey glowed blue as Moody tapped it with his wand. The three mages were jerked away from the gates of Hogwarts and stumbled into the center of a ring of stones. The sun was just starting to sink toward the west. Alex looked around her at the fallen monoliths that made up the circle and fretted. Gods, this is taking so long. What if Severus- She couldn't let herself finish the thought. She pulled the emerald pendant from the neckline of her shirt and checked it for what seemed like the hundredth time. It remained stubbornly dark. Moody had insisted they wait until nightfall to make the rescue attempt. The afternoon had dragged by, interminable. Exhausted, Alex had finally given in to sleep. With it came a dream of the cellar in Derby where Severus was being held captive. He might have been unconscious or keeping his eyes closed. Or maybe the cellar was just dark. The vision was black. She'd been able to hear him breathing, a labored, rasping sound that did little to reassure her.
There was a loud pop and a blond wizard appeared next to one of the larger stones. "Sturgis, meet Alex," said Remus.
"A pleasure, ma'am." He shook her hand with a firm grip. "I'm ready for a good fight," he told Moody.
"Don't be hasty," Mad-Eye growled. Lupin and Podmore exchanged grins. "The Lestranges are expecting you," he said to Alex, "So I'm going to Disillusion myself and these two. If they do catch sight of you flying in, they'll think you're alone." He chuckled unpleasantly. "With luck, we'll give 'em a nasty surprise." Alex watched impatiently as he cast Disillusionment charms. The three wizards and their brooms took on the appearance of the scenery behind them.
"Lets go," said Remus. They pushed off from the ground and rose into the air. Alex clutched the handle of her broom as they flew south, straining to keep her eyes focused on Moody, who was directly ahead of her. His body was transparent against the darkening sky. She couldn't even see Podmore and Remus to either side of her. After a short while, the lights of the city of Derby appeared below them.
"Bear left," called Moody, and they began their descent, landing in a vacant lot behind a screen of trees. It was a Muggle neighborhood that had once been residential, Alex saw, but was now given over to car dealerships and other businesses. A few tall Victorian-era houses remained, boarded up or converted into office space. They walked silently across the lot and took shelter under the trees, the wizards visible only as vague shimmers in the air when they moved. "Watch your step," cautioned Moody as Alex nearly bumped into him. A lot filled with automobiles took up the space between them and number fourteen, which they could see was an abandoned house surrounded by an overgrown garden. Tall bushes screened the front of the house from the street. More bushes and trees obscured all but the second story. Alex felt Remus Lupin's hand rest on her shoulder for a moment, a gesture of reassurance. "We'll make a preliminary reconnaissance of the perimeter," Moody growled. "We're just taking a good look at the place. Don't anybody try anything rash," he added with a significant look over Alex's head, apparently at Lupin. They leaned their brooms against a tree and made their way across the parking lot. Alex moved awkwardly, crouching so the cars concealed her from view.
Pushing through the heavy undergrowth surrounding the back of number fourteen, Podmore suddenly hissed, "Stop!"
"What is it?"
"Look, over there. A manticore!"
Lupin's voice came from just behind Alex, puzzled. "It can't be. I'd have caught its scent from the air as we flew in."
"It's not real. Illusion," Moody said confidently. "But here's something I've never seen before. Some kind of ward-" he reached into his robes for his wand.
Alex's wand was already in her hand. She waved it, murmuring "Scrutari." A pattern of colored sparks revealed the spell. "It's another illusion," she announced as the sparks faded. She saw the bushes part in front of her as one of the near-invisible wizards strode forward.
"Damn it, Remus, I told you, be careful. Hold up a second, here's another." Another burst of colored sparks shone momentarily as Moody cast his own spell to examine the ward. "Huh," he grunted. "The whole yard's just a bunch of illusory obstacles. Looks like they want to discourage anyone from coming in the back way."
"Or make us waste energy on a bunch of spells to protect ourselves from threats that aren't really there," Alex heard Sturgis Podmore whisper from somewhere to her left.
"Mm-hm. I want to know what kind of welcome they have prepared up front," said Moody. "Remus and I will take a look. You two wait here."
Alex saw a branch move out of the way, the only sign that the two wizards had left. She waited with growing impatience as the twilight deepened. Gods, I hate this. She knew Moody was right to be careful, but the waiting grated on her nerves. She felt tired and jittery all at once. Too many sleep potions, not enough real sleep. She'd taken a Pepper-up Potion to compensate, despite Remus' disapproval. Podmore stood stolidly beside her, invisible in the shadows of the trees. Damn, could they be any slower? Alex gasped as Remus suddenly stood directly in front of her. "Shit! Oh, sorry Remus! Damn, you're lucky I didn't hex you."
"Quit fooling around," Moody ordered gruffly, joining them a moment later. "One of the Lestrange brothers is waiting behind the front door," he reported. "Probably Rabastan, judging by height. The other one's in the kitchen. No sign of the Dark witch, or of Snape. They're most likely in the cellar. I won't be able to see for sure until we get inside the house."
"There's no access to the cellar from outside," Remus added.
"There are false wards all the way up to the back porch. It's a big colored light show. They obviously expect you to take a look back here and come in the front," Moody told Alex.
"So I'll slip in the back," she replied.
There was a brief flicker as Moody nodded. "Right. Remus and I will take care of Rabastan. Should be quick and quiet." His expression was invisible, but Alex could hear the unpleasant smile in his tone of voice. "You and Sturgis go in through the back and deal with Rodolphus," Moody went on. "We'll meet up in the kitchen and go on from there. Just be careful," he cautioned. "Take your time. Only one of those wards needs to be real," he added with his usual paranoia.
"Okay, okay, let's just get going." Moody's and Lupin's Disillusioned forms faded from view as they crept toward the front of the house. "Let's keep together," Alex whispered. She felt Podmore's hand on her shoulder. The two mages left the shelter of the bushes and crossed the back yard, tiptoeing through knee-high grass and weeds and up onto the porch. Light shone dimly through the cracks between the boards that covered the small window. Alex's heart was hammering as she tried to peer inside. I can't see a thing.Patience, she reminded herself with difficulty. Gods, I just want to blast the door off its hinges and go in swinging.
"You open the door," whispered Sturgis, as though reading her mind. "I'll go in past you and stun him before he knows what hit him."
"Good idea." She could just see a shimmer of movement as the blond wizard took his place at the left side of the door frame. Taking a deep breath, she silently placed her hand on the doorknob. "Alohomora," Alex breathed. As she slowly opened the door, she felt Sturgis brush past her.
"Stupefy !" There was a flash of red light and a heavy thud.
Alex darted through the door and stopped short, horrified. Sturgis, now fully visible, lay face-down on the floor in the middle of the room. Moody's words came back to her, too late - only one of those wards needs to be real. Blinking in the bright light of a dozen candles, Alex caught sight of another man. Tall and almost painfully thin, he was scrambling to his feet, pushing aside a wooden chair. Rodolphus Lestrange. He stood ready, his wand poised, but didn't cast. He bared his teeth in a grin. Maybe more than one ward is real, Alex thought. There wasn't time to make sure. "Nonentity," she cast, hoping for the best. She leapt forward, shuddering as magical energies rippled around her body, stinging and icy cold. "Protego," Alex screamed, blocking the curse Lestrange had cast as she'd come through the ward. Alex dodged behind a massive cast iron stove and crouched there, catching her breath. Gods, that would have knocked me out, at least, maybe killed me. I hope Podmore's just unconscious. She thought briefly of the others and hoped they hadn't stumbled across any genuine wards at the front of the house. The stove rang like a gong as Rodolphus Lestrange cast several curses in a row, nearly deafening her. Heh. Here's one situation were being undersized gives me an advantage. Alex peeked around the stove, ducking back quickly as another curse narrowly missed her head. If I can distract him, maybe I can get to Sturgis and revive him...
"Reducto," howled Rodolphus.
"Nox," she cried. The stove exploded and the room went dark at the same moment. Sections of metal hit Alex in the arm and chest before she had a chance to deflect them. She crawled under the kitchen table and tried to assess the damage, flexing her arm and wiggling her fingers. Damn, that's going to hurt come morning. I think I'm okay, though. The blast had disoriented her. Sturgis will just have to fend for himself. Crouched on the floor in the dark, her fingers closed on something. What's this? Hey, it's his wand. The kitchen was lit up again as the candles clustered on the table burst into flame at Lestrange's command. Alex stuffed Podmore's wand into her waistband and cast with her own wand at the same time. Rodolphus stumbled back, hastily casting protego as Alex hurled a chair at him with a levitation spell.
"Nice try," he called out mockingly. She flung the rest of the chairs at him. Rodolphus batted two of them aside, but the third hit him hard right in the face. Blood streamed from his nose. Alex waved her wand, desperate to hex Rodolphus before he recovered from the surprise blow. He snarled, his face a mask of fury. "Crucio!"
"Petrificus total-aah!" Alex cried, her voice rising to a scream as Lestrange's curse hit her first. She crumpled to the floor, writhing helplessly, dropping her wand. Now would be a good time for Remus and Moody to make their entrance, she thought.
Rodolphus loomed over Alex, blood from his broken nose dripping onto her. He kicked her wand aside. "You're mine now," he gloated, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her upright. Alex gasped for breath. She hugged herself, doubled over, trying to protect her aching ribs. "First, I'll make you pay for hitting me in the face," Rodolphus crooned.
"Expelliarmus!" Her fingers had finally closed over the spare wand. Lestrange was thrown back against the wall, his own wand flying from his hand. He blinked stupidly, startled by the impact. Alex didn't stop. She staggered over to him, pointing Sturgis' wand directly at his face again. "Stupefy!" Rodolphus' head lolled on his neck, his jaw hanging slack. He was out cold.
Alex sagged, leaning against the wall for support. "Accio wand." Her own wand flew into her hand. She gripped it tightly, drawing a deep breath. The room seemed to spin. She cast again, magical cords to bind Rodolphus Lestrange's arms and legs tightly. Another deep breath, and Alex pushed herself away from the wall. Stumbling across the kitchen, she knelt by Sturgis Podmore. The blond wizard was unconscious, his pulse strong and steady under her fingers. She patted his face, gently at first, then more forcefully. He didn't respond. "Sorry," Alex whispered, tucking his wand back into her waistband. "You're going to be out for a while, and I may need this again." Taking a moment to check the magical emerald, she gave a sigh of relief to see that it was still intact, though black as onyx. The house was utterly silent around her. Looks like I can't expect the cavalry to rush in, Alex thought. She turned toward the cellar door.