Chapter 1 – The Return
Romania- Wikstagg Mountains
Harry stopped at the head of the trail which he and his two friends had been following in subdued silence and turned around. The other two followed suit. With the wind blowing at their backs they contemplated what had been their home for the past two years. A series of lodges; designed in the style of the Eleventh Century wizardry scripting centres; formed thirteen concentric circles that enclosed a large courtyard in the centre.
It was here that they had chosen to come so that they may train for the inevitable end to a war that had spanned one too many decades.
Hermione was the one that had read the rumours about a secret training school for witches and wizards. Harry remembered how the fire in the Gryffindor common room had cast eerie shadows on the wall and across Hermione's face as she told them the history of the school.
The school had produced some of the greatest wizarding warriors in history. Rumour had it that Merlin the First had established it and headed it during the period in his life when he had abandoned his fledgling kingdom of Camelot after realizing the betrayal of his lover Morgan. Legend said that the anguish in the mighty wizard had been fuelled into training promising wizards and they had formed an army such as the world had never seen. It was this army that had finally besieged Morgan's sinful lair deep in the heart of the Highlands and finally brought the wilful witch to her knees and back into the arms of her lover.
Hermione had also enthusiastically proclaimed that this school might explain the gap in Dumbledore's biography to which Ron had incredulously inquired, "You've read the old codger's biography?"
Of course it all didn't come without a price; but Harry had coffers full of gold, literally speaking and so the three friends had left in the middle of the night after their graduation and had arrived at the foot of the forbidding Wikstagg Mountains in Romania.
They had been unsure if the fabled school existed but their meeting with an elderly witch on that moonless night, left little room for doubt. The old witch in question was Rhiannon; grey haired and full around the middle, she may have been considered homely if not for the wisdom in her face and the power in her eyes.
She had expected to see Harry for it had been informed gratuitously by Dumbledore in his monthly letter to her which was often accompanied by those odd muggle sweets called lemon drops, that the Boy-who-lived will be her student. His companions were however unexpected. She had merely raised bushy eyebrows and said nothing on the subject.
Now it was time to go back.
"This'll be the last we see of it" Ron murmured, his voice unusually solemn.
The other two nodded in agreement. Turning their backs they entered a clearing in the thick sprig and greenwood forest that clamoured for space in the craggy valleys of the mountains. In the centre stood an elliptical granite base with the perfection of its two identical foci.
Stepping onto it they gazed at each other. Harry smiled at Hermione and Ron, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.
Then with a loud crack the clearing became empty again.
England – 12 Grimmauld Place
The relative calm of a typically murky English evening in Grimmauld Place was disrupted by three consecutive, pop sounds. The streetlights flickered and then came back to life. A dog barked somewhere in the distance. Three hooded figures in long robes stood on the pavement in front of a rundown and derelict house.
Harry felt a wave of relief sweep over him as the familiar site of the Black Mansion loomed in front of him in all its savage glory. He was sure it was nowhere near as distinguished as it was before Sirius had been sent to Azkaban, but Molly sure had worked wonders.
The house gleamed, bathed in the dim light of the streetlamps. And the garden and lawn were weed-free and well-tended. But there was still an element of it that refused to suit the solid and straight mould of an aristocratic mansion. The garden hung heavy with the burden of hothouse blooms and tropical flowers at odds with the chilly English weather and the decidedly British lawn, the Gargoyles that adorned the tops of massive Roman columns had wings like sentinels and grinned whenever they though no one was looking and the house itself seemed to exude an air of very un- aristocratic good cheer despite its mix of gothic and Jacobean façade.
It reminded Harry of Sirius in more ways than one.
"Do you think we should go in?" Hermione asked her brow furrowed.
"Why ever not? I'm freezing and I can't wait to get one of mum's meals into me. Come on, don't look at me like I'm an idiot Hermione" then ignoring his frowning friend Ron grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him to the massive oaken front doors.
"Idiot…" Hermione muttered and went after the two boys.
"Ron do you honestly think, they'll just welcome us with open arms after we took off like that two years ago?" Hermione demanded anxiety making her voice harsh.
Harry who had been silent with his own thoughts, smiled.
"Of course, everyone in there loves us, they'll understand."
"Except maybe Snape" Ron said smiling.
Hermione laughed then.
Without further ado Harry pressed his palm on the triangular groove that had been cut into the handless door. He smiled in satisfaction as the charmed door recognized him, its well oiled mechanism making a low purr as the multitudes of locking devices slid across unbolting the door.
Harry had expected that the interior might have changed. But it was the same as he had remembered it, except for the fact that the portrait of Mistress Black had been removed. The room however was deathly silent. Harry frowned as his eyes adjusted to the dimness broken only by the light of the streetlamps that filtered in through the heavy drapes of ivory and dark blue chintz.
"There doesn't seem to be anyone around" Ron said his hushed voice slightly worried.
Harry cupped his hands over his mouth and called, "Hello… Is anyone home?"
They were all slightly startled when a loud crack announced the arrival of someone and all even more astonished when they realized it was Dobby.
"Who is there?" Dobby asked squinting into the darkness, then with a muttered "lumoni alivight" the candles in the brackets on the walls and in the chandelier came on, flooding the foyer with light.
All current inhabitants of the foyer blinked owlishly in the warm light.
Dobby was quicker to react than the others. He launched himself at Harry, hugging the boy, "Oh Harry Potter sir, Dobby so glad to see you, Dobby thought that the nasty old wizard killed you… Dobby is so happy…" He cried off sniffling and sobbing loudly.
Harry patted him on the back awkwardly looking abashed. Hermione bent down on one knee so that she was level with the elf.
"Dobby are you alright now?" she asked gently.
Dobby extracted himself from around Harry's legs and wiped his nose on a large cornflower blue handkerchief. He nodded solemnly at her his large eyes wide with still unshed tears.
"Yes, Miss 'mione, Dobby fine, Dobby just so happy to see you all…"
"Yes of course Dobby, now can you tell us who is in the house… is either Molly or Remus here?" Hermione asked tentatively not wanting the elf to fall back into more tears.
"Dobby go get them right away!" He exclaimed and then apparated out of the room.
Harry looked bemused, "You would think that Head Quarters will be brimming with Order members. Unless something has happened…"
"You're probably right Harry" Ron agreed unsure whether to be intrigued or worried.
Harry didn't reply, instead he removed his wand from where it was strapped to his forearm. Hermione and Ron didn't need any more prompting.
No sooner had they done that, the air in the room shifted sharply.
Harry whipped around and had barely enough time to register that Ron and Hermione had crumpled to the floor before he too was engulfed in darkness.
Harry could feel an excruciating headache coming. He wondered distractedly if he had foolishly challenged Ron to a drinking contest again. Rhiannon was going to be angry to say the least; it was not a secret that the boy-who-lived couldn't hold his alcohol.
Harry had the distinct feeling that there was something wrong but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He wondered why he had fallen asleep sitting up. He forced his eyes open and shut it just as quickly against the glare of the light. Spots danced across his eyelids.
Desperation welled up rapidly as he remembered the events of the past night… or maybe it was day, he struggled to keep his panic under control. Dobby had been there that meant that the Order must still be here. Nothing could have happened to them, he reasoned.
Squinting against the stark light he twisted to his right trying to get a glimpse of either Hermione or Ron, the joints in his shoulders protesting against the bonds that had his arms bound behind him.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw them, they too were bound in a similar fashion to him. Hermione was already awake and met his eyes with a questioning glance, he nodded grimly in reply. Ron was beginning to stir in his chair as well.
Ron opened his eyes, blue eyes blinked owlishly for a full few seconds before he shut them again, a string of expletives followed.
"I see that you are finally awake." The sneer in Snape's voice was more evident in those few words than it had ever been before.
"Snape." Harry acknowledged, keeping all emotion out of his voice. Rhiannon had always said never to give your enemies more information than what they already had. Harry didn't know if Snape was the enemy. He had to struggle past the bright light that shone directly on his face but he could make out the dim outline of the potion master's billowing robes.
"Why are we are tied up?" Hermione's voice was tight.
"Straight to the heart of the matter, as always Granger. However it is not my place to say. The others will be here shortly. You can wait til they arrive." Snape's voice was emotionless.
Par for the course, Harry thought to himself.
"And the others will be?"
"It has not been so long that you have forgotten the Order so quickly."
"Dumbledore is coming then." Hermione said as Harry shook his head slowly, frowning slightly.
"Don't believe a word that bastard says." Ron bit out. "I always knew he would go crawling back to that snake, do you think that Dumbledore would have sanctioned this or that the Order would have?" he asked gesturing towards their chairs sharply.
Snape's laugh was mirthless. "Still as charming as ever Weasley. But your gormless Gryffindor act is not going to fool anyone. And you may be interested to know that your father and Lupin sanctioned this order, not the Dark Lord."
"You're lying" Harry said, straightening up and glaring in the general direction of Snape.
"Potter, you are the one tied up to the chair. I have no cause to lie to you." Harry merely raised a quizzical brow.
"I wonder Potter; did you think the Order will merely accept you back? After you have been God knows where and most obviously …"
"That's enough Severus!" Arthur Weasley barked out.
"Dad, what's going on?" Ron asked squinting into the light.
"Save us your platitudes Weasley" Snape said as he moved in front of the glaring light. Harry could see Snape's eyes glittering. The man had not changed much, his face had more lines in it but it still held the pallor of a man who had seen too much. Time it seemed did not diminish nightmares.
"It is we who should be asking the questions Mr.Weasley" Lupin answered as he too moved next to Snape.
"Remus… it's us. The door is charmed to prevent death-eaters from entering, you know that." Hermione said mentally trying to sort the problem.
"That is not the problem. We know you are who you say you are." Lupin replied. His voice was cold and Harry looking into his face did not recognize the man he had come to love as a father.
He looked down unwilling to face the unfamiliar eyes.
"They think we're in league with Voldemort, Hermione." Harry informed her blandly.
"What!... Harry you're…." Ron sputtered in confusion. But looking at his father's reserved face at the outrageous comment made him dangerously still for a minute. Harry saw something snap in his expression.
"My own fucking father! How could you!" Ron rocked violently in his chair trying to break free. "All that bullshit about love and crap and this is what it comes down to. First Percy now me… How many of your own flesh and blood are you going to turn your back on!"
"Ron stop it!" Hermione's voice was quivering. Arthur Weasley started but stopped himself passing a hand over his drawn face.
Harry remained motionless. "What is it that you mean to do to determine our allegiance?"
"Veritaserum." Lupin said shortly looking down at Harry's bowed head.
"It won't work" Harry said quietly his head still bowed.
Hermione and Ron looked at him sharply.
"What Harry means is that no truth serum can be brewed strongly enough to break the Lotus defence. If you would only call Professor Dumbledore, he would clear everything up" Hermione explained.
"Leave it Hermione. Let them find a way to confirm our intentions." Harry's voice was bleak.
"We thought that might be the case. Then there is only one other alternative." Lupin said gesturing to Harry's left. There was a box the size of a telephone booth. It was translucent and gave off a strange lilac luminescence.
"Harry, its Alconite. You can't…" Hermione protested.
But Harry cut her off short. "We will do what we have to do."
Harry watched silently as Snape and Lupin placed the appropriate detection charms on the box. He could barely read the runes they were configuring but he understood enough to know that they were specifically looking for the trio's interaction with Voldemort. The trio had experienced an Alconite Memory Mine during the course of their training. It was not pleasant.
Alconite Memory Mines were rare instruments that had survived the Dark War, their origins were traced back to ancient Japanese interrogation methods however the inner-workings of the Mines were unknown as the material from which they were made was unobtainable. So far it has been understood that these Mines when configured using Red, Class A runes could be programmed to search for memories containing specific images or memory imprints of particular people or places.
The unpleasantness however came with the search and extraction process. The searching of the mind was uncomfortable enough but the extraction produced excruciating pain as memories are ripped from the cortex and displayed on the Mine's alien surface and then slammed back into the mind one by one.
Lupin nodded to Arthur Weasley. Arthur took this as his cue to step forward and unbind Ron from his chair. Harry could feel Ron shaking with barely suppressed fury but the stubborn set of his shoulders told Harry that he would follow Harry's lead and see this through without dissent.
Ron pushed himself to his feet ignoring his father's hands, rubbing at his cuffed wrists. Without pausing he strode purposefully to the Mine. The glare he directed at his father before stepping into the box was full of disgust and anger. In a face used to smiling it was made more evident how much Ron detested his father at that moment. Harry could see past Ron's hatred to feel his sense of betrayal and he did not feel pity for the dejected slump of Arthur's shoulders.
Lupin tapped his wand lightly on the Mine pulling away with a slight flourish "Straptum."
The glow of the box brightened momentarily then dimmed, followed by a slight humming, like the buzzing of bees. Harry knew that Ron would be uncomfortable but unhurt because as close as the trio had been it had essentially only been Harry who had ever come into the presence of the Dark Lord.
A few moments later the humming stopped and Ron stepped out. His skin was deathly pale throwing his deep red hair into shocking relief and the shaking of his hands was only partially due to anger.
"Ron…" His father began. But Ron ignored him and instead faced Snape and Lupin.
"It is enough that I went through that, you know that I have had no dealings with Voldemort. There is no need for Harry and Hermione to go through it as well, I can vouch for them."
"That may be so Weasley but only one is needed as an intermediary to pass instruction and as such we will search all of you." Snape said his eyes calculating.
"Ron, the others may have had dealings with the Dark Lord without your knowledge." Lupin said his tone placating.
Ron looked at him incredulously his mouth lifting mirthlessly. "It is not in my habit to doubt or betray my friends."
Lupin cringed visibly but still motioned Arthur to bring Hermione. Hermione too went without protest and came out without saying a word. She simply walked over to Ron and hugged him tightly.
"I can't bear to watch" was all she said
Ron tightened his arms around her his eyes still on Harry with a worried frown.
Harry looked over at Lupin. "You may want to take a seat." Ron shuddered at the blankness in Harry's expression.
The humming from the Mine was so low that Ron could barely hear it. As the minutes passed the humming grew in intensity. Through the semi-transparent wall of the Mine, Ron could see Harry standing motionless. The humming reached a crescendo and Ron recoiled at the high pitched wailing. Harry's knees buckled but he steadied himself bracing his hand against the wall. Then just as suddenly the humming stopped.
The room was silent except for the ragged sound of Harry's breathing. Hermione buried her face deeper into Ron's shoulders.
Remus let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and moved towards the Mine only to take a startled step back as Harry screamed.
Then it started, with the Mine kicking back to life with a loud drone. Ron turned his face away but the other men in the room stared at the Mine in morbid enthral as the first memory glittered into focus.
There was a blinding flash of green light and a young James Potter crumpled to the floor. Lily was yelling, her voice muffled and disjointed by the Mine, "Take me not him you bastard!" Another blinding flash of green light and Lily fell cracking her head against the mantle, maniacal laughter filled the room as a baby Harry lay in a pool of his mother's blood. Once more the emerald light as bright as Harry's eyes filled the screen.
An eleven year old Harry, eyes wide with fear sat propped against a dungeon wall as the serpentine face of Voldemort stared menacingly at him from the back of Quirrell's face. A peculiar sort of determination flooded his eyes and he thrust his hand at the grotesque being. This time it was Voldemort screaming.
The chamber of secrets and Harry lay, his arm bleeding, next to a giant basilisk with the Gryffindor sword driven through its skull. He smiled twistedly at young Tom as he thrust a bloodied Basilisk fang through a tattered and water logged black book.
"Kill the Spare." Harry stumbled under the dead weight of Cedric Diggory's body. Wormtail with his silver hand, bound Harry to a tombstone and slashed his arm just below his elbow. Wormtail lowered a pale misshapen and twisted body into a cauldron with Harry's blood. Harry's eyes flashed with rage.
Harry stood legs braced both hands holding his wand as he struggled to push a bead of light down the line that joined his wand to its brother. Ethereal figures floated around Harry, the smoky shape of Lily wound its arm around Harry's shoulders lending him support. Then light filled the screen.
Sirius arched his back as he fell through the veil. Harry tore his eyes away from the tall and shadowy figure of Voldemort as he rushed towards his Godfather, anguish written across his face. As Lupin pulled him away from the veil Harry's face was full of hatred and unimaginable fury as he stared at the place where Voldemort had been standing.
And so it went. Every memory Harry had of meeting Voldemort to the endless visions he had been inflicted with, through the link formed by his scar. The death of an old muggle, the torture of a young muggle family during a death eater initiation, the raid and razing of a small village in Scotland and a boy, a child running from a burning house glaring at Voldemort over his shoulder as he ran. Harry's voice broke through in the vision. "Run! To your left, into the church!" But Voldemort's laughter only increased as he flicked his wand and levitating the boy into the arms of the waiting death eaters.
The visions became more depraved and destructive as they went reflecting the escalation of the war. The final vision was of a woman in her thirties who lay in the mud her clothes tattered. She pulled her blank eyes away from Voldemort's retreating back to stare expressionlessly into the screen. "Why didn't you save me?"
The Mine shuddered to a stand still. The silence was oppressive. Even Snape had ceased breathing.
As the Mine released its hold on his mind, Harry stumbled out his vision blurred by the blood that poured from his scar into his dull eyes. He staggered unsteadily and fell.
Ron got there just in time to cushion his friend's falling body with his own. Harry's eyes drifted close then struggled open. In the back of his mind he knew that if he gave into the temptation to sleep now, he may never wake up again.
Remus, Arthur and Snape rushed towards Harry.
"Don't take another step!" Hermione stood beside her fallen best friends. Her hands were clenched and her chest was heaving. "Your blindness and lack of faith nearly killed him. You have no right to come near Harry with your hypocritical claims to love and concern." Her lips sneered menacingly as Snape continued forward. "Don't even think about it Snape. All three of us are magi. We do not need sticks to curse you. We could have easily escaped your pitiful attempts to capture us but Harry wanted to give you a chance…"
Remus made as if to talk. Hermione put up a hand silencing him.
"Any explaining you do now is worthless." Her voice caught slightly. "I warned them about our welcome but they were convinced that their 'family' would not betray or doubt them" Here she shrugged her shoulders in disgust. "I think it is quite clear that we have nothing left here."
She turned her back on them swiftly kneeling next to Harry. "Harry focus on keeping you eyes open. It is vital you do this, try attaining Lotus level one breathing it will help you slow your blood flow" She said stroking his hair tenderly. Then facing Ron she said "We'll apparate to my old apartment. We can contact Dumbledore from there."
Ron nodded in reply as he spoke to Harry. "Mate see if you can stand up…" He supported Harry by his shoulders as his dark haired friend struggled to stand.
"Wait Harry, don't go" Remus pleaded, his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry merely shrugged his arm off and continued taking tentative little steps with the aid of Ron and Hermione.
"You won't be able to reach Dumbledore." Snape said his voice strangely subdued.
"Why?" Hermione asked shortly.
"He is in magical stasis Hermione" Arthur sounded weary and broken.
Hermione stopped abruptly, her breath hitching sharply. "How long?" She demanded swivelling around to face them.
"Two years, the night you three disappeared. There was an attack on Hogwarts." Remus explained his eyes glazed with memory.
"That's impossible, not Hogwarts." Harry said disbelief written clearly in his stance.
"Filch was murdered at the start of your seventh year. It was Avery Nott who masqueraded as him for the entire year." Remus explained.
"On Graduation night when our guards were down the Death Eaters entered the castle via the secret tunnel from Hogsmeade that Nott had reopened. Luckily Sir Cudgeon's painting had been awake and alerted Dumbledore. He managed to raise the protection seals on the house dorms and the Great Hall. The teachers were dispatched to round up any students and take them to the dorms as quickly as possible and it was only Dumbledore who was left to guard the Gryffindor Tower entrance whose seals were beginning to weaken under their onslaught. He held off the Death Eaters until you-know-who made his appearance. Their duel destroyed the Left Wing. They battled all night and when the Sun broke out they both cast the Killing Curse. Dumbledore went down and so did the Dark Lord." Remus told them. "The professors who had survived the night were too shocked or too tired to stop the Death Eaters leaving with the body of their master."
"Why weren't we warned?" Hermione asked looking pointedly at Snape.
"The Dark Lord's suspicion was rising and there were many things that I was not privy to."
"What is his status now?" Ron asked.
"He's stable but for how long we do not know. Minerva has told us that the stasis will begin to draw his life on the third solstice since his infliction" Arthur replied.
Hermione drew a hand roughly through her hair. "That would mean the third winter's solstice is three months away. And after that he would not have too long before the stasis draws his entire life source."
"You are once again annoyingly correct Granger. We have had as much Order members as we can afford to, working on finding the anti-curse. That said we have not been able to afford many. The war rages on both sides despite losing our effective leaders. Lucius Malfoy leads the Death Eaters in the absence of the Dark Lord and he is not as patient as his Lord. He has multiplied the Death Eater ranks ten-fold within two years and we have exhausted our sources trying to keep them in line. The casualties of war are rising and we fear that without Dumbledore we cannot hope to convince the rest of Europe's magical community to aid us in a war they want no part in." Snape said the seriousness of the subject waylaying any trace of malice in his voice.
"That is why you cannot leave now." Arthur said quickly. "You may think we have doubted you and betrayed your trust but this is war. And I think you are adult enough to understand that as crippled as our side is we cannot afford to make any mistakes despite our personal misgivings."
Harry regarded Arthur quietly. He nodded silently. Yes, they were adult enough to understand that, but on a more personal level they were not ready to forgive or forget that easily.
"We will stay." Ron said speaking for the three of them.
Lupin's weathered face broke into a small smile of relief. "Thank you. I am sure that you have many questions but I suggest that you rest now and we can update you on everything tomorrow morning."
"Likewise we too would answer any questions you may have." Harry conceded.
"Plus you need all the rest you can get, to withstand you when Molly realizes you are back." Arthur said smiling. Hermione and Harry chuckled along with Lupin.
Ron groaned, "Mum is going to kill me." Then glaring at his friends, he said "Don't be thinking you're going to let me take the brunt of it. In her mind the only difference between you two and the rest of her children is, that you are not gifted with red hair or freckles"
Dobby apparated into the room as Hermione started to retort. He was wringing his bony hands and tears were streaming down his face. Once again he launched himself at Harry's leg and nearly knocked the weakened wizard down.
"I is so sorry Harry Potter. It is all my fault I should have warned you…" the tearful elf wailed as Harry gave his friends a dismayed look. Ron seeing a repeat of the earlier performance hunched down in front of the elf and quickly convinced Dobby to show them to their rooms.
The three older men watched the trio leave trying to calm Dobby down.
Lupin smiled softly. "It does my heart good to see those three again."
Arthur smiled as well with a little sadness. "Right now we are not their favourite people but I feel more confident about the outcome of this war than I ever have in the past two years."
Snape was silent but the other two knew him well enough to know that he agreed with them.
Miles away in a darkened room, a shiver of recognition passed through the comatose body of Lord Voldemort.
His nemesis had returned.
Please Review I really want to hear if I'm crap at writing or not