Chapter 12

Voldemort was enraged when he heard of the death of McNair and the other three. McNair had not told him that he had been handed a chance to kill or maim the Potter boy.

Maybe he needed to change his thinking. Regardless of what had happened to the others, the fact remained that Potter defeated an experienced assassin in a fair fight.

Narcissa had made herself scarce that day, and did not arrive at Riddle Manor until three. The Ministry official who had been foolish enough to break the news was crumpled in a heap in the corner of the room.

Narcissa never mentioned being in the park that morning. She never mentioned leading the new recruits to the park, and miraculously, she wasn't asked anything about it. Voldemort simply told her, "McNair will not be joining you tonight, Narcissa. The others will be there at two AM. Attack as soon as you can, and return immediately. Don't expose yourself to capture. Just launch the attack and leave the killing to the others."

"Yes, my lord. Thank you for the opportunity. May I take my leave now to prepare?"

"Yes. Do not fail me, Narcissa."

"I won't my lord. Thank you."

-

Harry woke about an hour after Ginny had led him to one of the extra rooms at the Weasleys. He could hear her breathing sitting on the chair at the desk reading, and was comforted by her presence. He recalled why his head had hurt when he had been led upstairs. Charlie seemed to share that trait with Ron – See or hear something, act, think last. Maybe it was a protective brother thing, Harry didn't know. The fact of the matter was, Harry would hold Ginny up in a fight against any of the Weasleys without hesitation. She had done her part brilliantly. It was bad luck that both she and Tonks had stunned Pucey.

Harry would review their memories of the events with them in his pensive. Unlike the grabs that they had done in the past, they each had unique responsibilities and fought individual battles this morning.

Hunger was getting the better of him. He hadn't had much breakfast, and had missed lunch. Opening his eyes, he said, "Hi Gin. Thanks for waiting with me. I feel a lot better. Can we try getting something to eat again, or do I need to put on my armor?"

"Hi sleepy. Let's go find out." She leaned over the bed and kissed his forehead. She was expecting the side of his face to be black and blue. She looked at it carefully. It looked to be as beautiful as ever.

"What?"

"Your face healed itself."

"If you gave it another kiss, I'm certain it would feel even better."

"We need to get up now. Director Bones came a few minutes ago. I'll make you feel a lot better tonight."

They went downstairs into the kitchen. Amelia was waiting. "Hello Harry. Are you all right?"

"Much better now, thanks."

She didn't seem to be angry or upset like Molly had. "I read Auror Tonks report and have talked with Moody. Everything seems to be in order regarding the parameter security. I must commend you on the thoroughness of your planning. I also need to give this to you. By the rules of engagement, it would rightfully belong to Susan, but I don't want her to have it. Please do with it as you think best."

Harry looked in the shopping bag that Bones had brought. It was one of the invisibility cloaks.

She continued. "That was a brilliant idea laying a fresh snowfall around the area to see any tracks. I understand that the other side only got one shot off."

Harry replied, "Two actually. Someone had cast the killing curse at me. Katie saw it and yelled at me to duck. At that time, each of the witches must have cast at their target. Everyone went down except Narcissa Malfoy. She fired a Reducto charm at us. It hit Dobby, and he was hurt pretty badly. Susan had apparated back to my home to bring all of the backup team and Healer Pomfrey. She had the presence of mind to go back a second later and get Winky, who was able to heal Dobby."

Amelia thought for a moment and asked, "Would you have done anything differently if you had to do it again?"

"Strategically or against McNair?"

"Both. Start with either one."

Harry said, "The plan worked well enough. Moody was a good choice as referee. He checked McNair to be certain that he wasn't carrying any other weapons. Apparently McNair did everything that he could to make certain that it would be a legal duel. I'm not positive that he even knew that the others had come along. Regarding the duel, I'd need to watch it again in my pensive to know for sure. He did hit me once with his ax head. I broke a few ribs early in the duel."

Amelia nodded. "Hopefully you can relax for the rest of your holiday. I also have this for you. It was the shrunken version of McNair's execution ax. Harry didn't especially want it, but accepted it.

"Miss Weasley, are your recollections consistent with Mr. Potter's?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Would you have done anything differently?"

"I'd have worn warmer clothing."

Smiling, Amelia asked, "Why didn't you just do a warming charm on yourself?"

Ginny replied, "We wanted to minimize the magical signatures, so no one used any."

Impressed, Amelia asked, "Why had your elf come along, Mr. Potter? It isn't customary to bring a house elf to a duel."

Harry said, "I knew that. Dobby could see through invisibility cloaks and I didn't think that McNair would see him as a threat."

Ginny added, "Actually, he pointed the Death Eaters out during the duel. We had already seen our group. I don't know when the ground team saw the others."

Amelia thought for a moment and said, "I can only say what I am deeply impressed at the level of planning and execution that you all did. Please enjoy your day. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Thank you for the tea, Molly. Here are your anti-apparation maniacals back Harry." She left, leaving Molly, Arthur, Charlie and KJ speechless.

Ginny broke the silence. "Mum, could Harry and I get something to eat? We're starving."

Lifted back into the role that she did best, Molly said, "Of course dears. What would you like?"

Harry smiled, and said, "Anything that you make is perfect, Mrs. Weasley. I've missed having a meal that you've made for so long."

Charlie said, "I truly apologize Harry and Ginny. I had no idea that this was so well though out. I never could have set something like that up. It sounded bloody brilliant."

Arthur admitted, "I thought the armor that you'd bought everyone was a bit excessive. I stand corrected."

Harry said, "It really worked. I got a new set today."

Charlie asked, "What armor?"

"Body armor. Horntail actually."

Charlie said, "That stuff must have cost a fortune."

Harry replied, "Charlie, to tell you the truth, I've got one, so I might as well use it. Let's talk about something else. KJ, how is your sixth book coming?"

"It should be out in July. I particularly like the part where…"

-

After dinner, Harry and Ginny were in the family room playing chess when Arthur came in. "Harry, I was wondering if I might have a word with you. Ginny, your mother is looking for you."

Ginny grumbled a bit, but left anyway.

Arthur said, "Harry please tell me exactly what happened."

Not having the right words to use, Harry said, "I would be happy to share my memory of the event. Let me get my pensive. I'll be right back". He went to his room, and pulled the shrunken solicitor's pensive out of his bag. As he was setting it up, Harry said, "Perhaps you'd want to bring in the rest of your family, Mr. Weasley. It's your choice, but I believe they have the right to see it if they wish."

Charlie, KJ and Ginny elected to. Molly said that she'd rather not.

Harry started his memory of the actual duel from the point then Moody said "Begin" with both sight and sound. Everyone winced when Harry has hit in the side with McNair's ax knocking him down. They cringed moments later when he was missed by mere inches by the big blade.

Molly ran down the hall and threw up moments after Harry pulled his sword out of the cleaved body of McNair. She had been watching from the doorway.

KJ and Ginny had tears in their eyes and hugged their boyfriends. Arthur was silent for several minutes. Finally he said, "Thank you Harry. Our family could never begin to repay you. Thank you for showing us what happened. It wasn't pleasant to watch, and I'm certain that it was absolutely horrible to experience, but it brought a lot of closure for our family."

He continued. "Ginny, I'd always hoped that my sons and daughter would never have to go into battle. I'm saddened, but so very proud of you my darling daughter. You're also a brave warrior. It's hard for a father to see their little girl grow up, but I'm so proud of you. I know that it's hard for her to say it, but I know that Molly is proud of you too."

He finished. "Charlie, we are so proud of you too. It makes a parent very happy to know that their son or daughter is doing something that they love." Charlie and KJ looked at him, nodded and smiled.

Molly came back a few minutes later. She sat down and Ginny sat by her. Ginny gave her mum a big hug and said, "I love you mum. I'm so glad that you're my mum. Daddy, I love you too. I know a lot of these things seem scary, but someone needs to do them."

For a few moments, peace and calm prevailed over the Weasley household.

-

At eight, Molly Arthur and Charlie left to go to an Order meeting. Dumbledore had called it to advise the Order members of the duel. Alastor, Remus, Molly, Arthur, Kingsley, Hestia, and Tonks said nothing as Dumbledore explained that Harry had filed legal dueling papers and had somehow defeated McNair. He indicated that three Death Eaters had attempted to infiltrate the duel, and were captured in the process.

Those that were there wondered how Dumbledore had learned what he had, and what percentage of what he had leaned was actually being passed along.

The other question on most of their minds was why hadn't Harry (and the others) been invited to tell their own story, or more realistically, why weren't they already part of the group. Again McGonagall asked herself, Would he even have us?

Remus glanced around the room and ascertained that Dumbledore likely got his information from Poppy, Bones or someone in the Ministry. He correctly guessed that his source was someone else within the Ministry, as most of the information seemed to be about the prisoners themselves and grew sketchier as to how they got there. He didn't seem to be aware that there was a fourth Death Eater attempting to infiltrate and that they had gotten away.

Remus himself was unaware of the identity of the fourth Death Eater. Dobby had only told Harry, who hadn't mentioned the details to anyone.

Dumbledore guessed but did not know that Harry had received help from Remus and Tonks. He hadn't considered that Kingsley, Hestia, and Poppy had also been involved. Moody had simply left his answer to Dumbledore's questions as, "It was a private matter that Potter had arranged."

As Poppy was sitting there with Minerva, Remus' words kept coming back to her, Dumbledore is waging the war, the teens are fighting it. She had originally had every intention of giving Potter the lecture of his life when she saw him next week. The realization occurred to her that he was one of the very few people who was proactively fighting it. She had some understanding of his involvement in the captures over the summer. She didn't know if he'd done anything beyond the times when she'd been hired to be a backup. In truth, she felt that she'd made a larger contribution working with Harry in the last year than the Order. She'd help save Tonk's life in August and had done what she could this morning to help Dobby. Each time Harry had paid her for her services. Why would he accept a lecture from me? He could hire any Healer in Britain. She decided that she should rethink the lecture idea.

The meeting broke up at ten. Charlie visited with Hagrid for a while afterwards. Molly and Arthur visited with Fred and George. They left shortly afterward.

-

Harry, Ginny and KJ were visiting in the family room at the burrow. They were showing her the bloodstaffs that they had made. KJ was describing the hundreds of new uses that had been found for various parts of deceased dragons. Molly and Arthur went to bed at eleven, and Charlie came home a half hour later.

Unlike the previous year, Ginny and Harry had no burning desire to hear the content of the meeting. Harry thought, Why hear about it? We lived it.

At 12:30, Charlie and KJ went to bed, leaving Ginny and Harry by themselves. Sitting on the sofa together, Ginny asked Harry, "So how was your day, Mr. Potter?"

"In truth, I ache all over. My side hurts, my face hurts and my arms hurt. I love your mum and dad, but I think they of anyone would want to see action rather than endless discussion. They had been targeted once before. Oh well. I'm so tired. Can we just lay down here?"

"I don't think mum would mind. I'll get the lights. Save me a spot Mr. Potter." She came back and there was only the light of the flickering fireplace. Harry had placed their staffs on the coffee table. Ginny scooted in front of Harry. In less than a minute they were asleep.

-

Narcissa apparated about a quarter mile from the targeted house. The other Death Eaters appeared by her side moments later. She reviewed their plan. Two of them would quietly cast an anti apparation ward around the house while the others would seal the front windows and doors, then close off the windows in the back. Their counterpart at the Ministry would quietly shut the floo service off from their house.

At 2:15, she would blast the back door open and the dementors would do the rest. As soon as the door had been opened, Narcissa and the other Death Eaters were to leave the area. The dementors had been told to suck out the souls of everyone in the house.

They began the short walk to the target.

-

No one in the house noticed the momentary crackle like static electricity as the house became warded against apparation. No one noticed the Colloportus charms being quietly cast on the doors and windows. However one of the occupants did notice the fireplace flicker oddly. He'd spent hours staring into wizarding fireplaces and knew what was ordinary or unusual. He also felt an odd chill to the air.

-

"Gin, wake up."

"Huh?"

"Wake up."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Grab your staff. Don't turn on any lights. Wake up your parents, Charlie and KJ."

Harry put his vest back on and had finished tying his shoes when the back door blasted open.

-

"Leave now", said Narcissa to the other Death Eaters. "Let the dementors do the rest." As they were leaving, thirty of the dark creatures floated into the single opening into the house. Harry was in the kitchen as the dementors floated by into the house. He put up his occlumency shields and ran to the blasted opening of the house. Seeing no one outside, he cast his first Patronus, then another. They were both regular size. Unfortunately since Harry was standing by the only opening in or out of the house, the dementors were trapped.

Ginny had just reached her parents bedroom when the back door had been blasted open. Molly and Arthur were quick to get up and grab their wands. Ten seconds later, Ginny cast her first Patronus. Her fox form ran around the room for a moment, then tore out the door. She could hear Harry cry "On three. One two three." Together they cast another. This time her fox was much larger. It raced through the house. Harry called again, "On three. One two three." She cast again. Another wolf sized fox ripped out the house.

Harry called again and they cast their giant Patronus forms. Moments later, they cast a fourth form. The squeal of the dying dementors and the hideous stench that was left was unbearable. For a moment everything was quiet. Then Ginny heard KJ scream, "Charlie."

-

Harry looked out the door for a moment and saw no one. He cast his Lumos spell and the head light sized beam flooded the back yard with light. No one was there. The only thing that he saw was the Mark hovering in the sky above the house.

Harry used the portkey that had been made from the money from the Ron Weasley fund. He found himself next to several shocked Aurors and a Mediwizard who had been stationed at the drop off zone. Quickly he told them that there had been an attack at the Weasley residence. "What's the address son," said the old wizard who obviously didn't see very well.

"Blimey, it's Harry Potter," said the other.

"Right. There's been an attack at Arthur Wesley's home, the burrow. Please notify Director Bones immediately." With that, Harry vanished. He had thought of the Weasley back yard, near the spot where Narcissa had vanished. It wasn't warded. Five minutes later, the Aurors and Mediwitches began to arrive.

KJ was sobbing holding the more or less lifeless form of Charlie in her arms. Amelia came in, saw Harry there and called to the other investigators, "Everyone from the ministry investigative team out of the house, now."

A minute later, she asked the lead, a witch that Harry did not know to repair the back door and for the others to stand down until she returned. Safely inside the house, she asked, "Harry, what happened?"

Harry began, "I was sitting in front of the fireplace, and noticed it flicker oddly."

"Wait, Harry." She went to the hearth, picked up a large pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. Nothing happened. She called to one of her Aurors and said something to her. A moment later, the senior Auror as well as the others had all left. "Go on Harry," she said.

Harry described that he had just picked up his staff and gone to the kitchen when the back door blew open. Within a minute, Ginny and his Patronus forms had destroyed the dementors. Harry described quickly searching the back yard and using the emergency portkey to notify the Ministry before returning.

Molly and Arthur heard Harry talking and went to see who was there. A moment later, Tonks, Kingsley and Dumbledore had arrived. Amelia said that she needed to leave to check on something urgent and asked Kingsley and Dumbledore to go with her. She told Arthur not to touch anything and to spend the evening elsewhere. Harry told them they should go to his home.

After Molly, Ginny, and Arthur left, Tonks asked, "Harry, what happened?"

Harry described what had happened, distinguishing what he thought from what he knew. Tonks left a minute later with Charlie and KJ, asking Harry to stay put.

-

The lone person watching the floo network was just restoring service to the Burrow when four Aurors burst in the office. Before she could react, she had been stunned three times and was lying on the stone floor.

Senior Auror Nancy Whiteheart told the others to search the attendant and take her to one of the holding cells. A few moments later, Bones, Kingsley and Dumbledore arrived. They saw the fireplace address of the burrow on a slip of paper. Bones and Dumbledore went to interrogate the attendant and Kingsley went back to the burrow.

-

Harry collected thirty dementor robes and put them in a pile. He undid the locking charms and opened the windows to remove the stench. Harry charmed the air to give it a gentle breeze. Ten minutes later the air in the house was clean.

Harry closed the windows and placed all of the cloaks in a burlap sack that he'd conjured.

Kingsley returned and together they took one last look around the home, locked the doors and went back to Harry's home. It was 4 AM.

Winky greeted him. She would not touch the burlap sack and asked that Harry take it outside. He locked the bag in the garage.

Kingsley asked Harry about the cloaks. He told him that there were thirty. Tonks and KJ came back. Charlie was admitted into the long-term care wing at St Mungo's. Harry found a room for KJ to stay in. He went back down stairs. Kingsley and Tonks were waiting for him.

Kingsley said, "Arthur, Molly, Ginny and KJ owe their lives to you. I know the timing is horrible, but I just had to say thanks. You were not the target tonight Harry, Arthur Weasley was. He is in line to move up to the number two job in the ministry on a permanent basis. He lost a son tonight, but it was one tragedy, rather than six."

The big Auror could see that Harry was exhausted. "Harry, it has been a very long day for you. Please go up and get some rest. No one will bother you before ten. Thanks again."

Harry went up to his room and showered. He scrubbed hard to get the real or imaginary stench off of him. He found Ginny curled up on his sofa, and scooted in behind her. She was so beautiful. His life was so horrible right now. How could he possibly deserve such beauty?

Sleep and peace found him.

-