Harry Potter & the True Power
Chapter 22: The Zabini Manor
Nymphadora Tonks was a bit pissed. She had been on duty for the last forty eight hours straight. The aurors were quite less in number and the security requirements were high. Add to that, after today's meeting of the Wizengamot, the security detail for all the members had been increased. All the senior members had been called in for extended duties and she had been roped in too. And now, nearly at 1:00 Am, she was sitting in the guest bungalow of the manor and drinking a cup of tea.
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Manuel Zabini was transfixed. Somehow, he felt that he could trust him. He was gambling the life of his whole family on his instincts. Yet, he felt safe.
The young man was looking straight at him and his eyes were shining with power. In a fluid movement, he got up and smiled benevolently.
"Mr. Zabini. Kindly excuse my entering your house without permission, but I have certain intelligence and I did not want any harm to come upon your family." The entire stranger sentence was said by the stranger with an utter calm and confidence. Manuel felt that he was not lying. Gathering himself, for the first time since he had met this young man, he spoke.
"What do you know?" Manuel could have asked him many questions like, how did he enter his house through the wards? There were other more pertinent questions like, how did he know that some harm was intended on his family and by whom? Even the question could have been why hadn't he contacted the aurors at the outside rather than come in himself. And the most important of all, who was he? But he didn't. These questions could come later. At the moment, he was more worried about the actual danger.
He was no fool and could guess that the news of the Wizengamot meet had probably reached Voldemort. But he had not been expecting anything this soon. First, he would like to see what this young man had to say and after that, he would decide what to do?
Harry could read every thought that was crossing Zabini's mind. He was glad that the man was so level headed.
"Voldemort," Manuel looked up. He was astonished that this man was saying the name with as much as a stutter. The most powerful of the wizards could not even dare to utter the name. The only two people who were known to say his name was the headmaster and the potter kid. Remembering the potter kid, he immediately remembered of whom this young man reminded him. Yet, they could not be the same.
Leaving his muses to when he had time for it, he once again looked at the young man. He had a slight smile on the edge of his lips. "What the hell is he finding amusing in all this?" he bristled.
All his musings stopped as he heard the next part of the sentence. "…has ordered your family's death today. Nearly 40 death eaters are going to be attacking your house and have orders to kill all of you in such a way as to invoke fear in the hearts of every Wizarding family once more." At hearing the news, beads of perspiration started to flow out from his forehead. He was trembling with fear. No-one had ever escaped the dark lord's wrath.
Seeing the fear totally coming over Zabini, Harry put his hand over his shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you or your family. I have put up a special ward over and above your wards."
But Manuel's worries were not over. He could not trust this unknown person. He decided to get his family out while he still had the time. Frankly, Harry could not fault him. Had he been in his place, he would have done the same.
"That is, of course, your decision. I had wished you to be here so that the first break may be in our hands to break the reign of terror. However, I will respect your decision." Harry said. He may have his plans but he would be damned before he became as manipulative as Dumbledore.
Zabini rushed back up to wake up his wife and daughter. He had to pack up the necessities and be ready to gone as soon as possible. He was not in the mood to test the accuracy of this stranger's news.
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Blaise Zabini was reading one of the muggle romance novels. She was an avid reader and during the holiday's, she liked nothing better than to read. She had been reading since she was four.
All over at Hogwarts, she was famous for her aloofness. Behind her back, she was called the ice queen. She did not mind or care. The so called heroes of the slytherin house were nothing but foolish brats. The ambition and cunning, for which slytherin was known, had given way to the ambition to kiss Voldie's hem and stupidity. The most visible of the slytherin were of the latter category. The former ones were the invisible ones. They had hoped to learn and pass out. The most successful slytherin was the invisible one. She had been nearly invisible until she refused Draco's date offer. What an idiot!
Her musings were broken as she heard a knock on her door. It was not the usual light tap which her parents normally used but a hard insistent tap. Something was wrong.
Blaise stood up and put on a robe. As she opened the door, she saw it was her mother who looked scared.
"Blue, pack your bags. We are leaving as soon as you pack." Her mother said and ran back to pack her own things. Manuel was busy packing his important things as the house elves were cleaning up some things.
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Harry could feel the panic he had caused but he could have done anything else in all good conscience. May be he could help them. But he would need the help of Tonks. A second later, he appeared in front of Tonks. She was drinking a cup of tea while coordinating the movements of several aurors who were on patrol.
Harry's mode of transportation made no sound what-so-ever. It was only the instincts developed through training that Tonks felt someone standing besides her. She whipped out her wand, standing up and turning towards the intruder at one go. Harry was impressed as he saw no clumsiness from Tonks. He laughed as the cup of hot tea, which had been in her hand, was now on the floor; now fell on the floor and the tea splattered all over.
He was protected by the shield he already had in place while Tonks must have felt some minor burns through her socks. To her credit, she ignored and fired a 'stupefy' at him. However, it just touched his shield and was absorbed by it.
Tonks was stunned.
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She saw a young man, probably her age or a couple of years younger. He was standing and her spell had no effect on him. Usually, a spell, when it hits a shield flares up due to the conflict in the power of two spells. Whichever is more powerful, it remains. If the shield is more powerful, the spell fizzles. If the spell is more powerful, the shield breaks and whatever power is left in the spell, it hits the wizard or the witch. Some times, a shield may be made to reflect the spell, in that event, the shield has a refractive quality to it and the spell bounces off. But if she was right, here the spell was absorbed. And the person was smiling as ever.
Though a bit stunned, her auror training was gathering all the information regarding the stranger. He looked familiar. He had brilliant green eyes, just like Harry. Suddenly she stopped. This is what Harry would have looked like in a few years had he grown taller. The only difference was the scar. As she subconsciously looked at his forehead, she saw what was probably remnant of a scar. It could not be. Her hand went to her mouth. Only single word escaped her mouth "Harry!"
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Harry's eyes smiled even brighter. She was now sure of it. As she saw the stranger nod, she flung her arms to him, hugging him and tears escaped her eyes, wetting Harry's jacket.
"Where have you been? You look different. How are you?" the questions just sped out of her mouth faster than a firebolt. Harry smiled and said, "We will talk of this later. We have a situation here." Then Harry told her all about the impending attack.
Tonk's first instinct was to move the Zabini's but she stopped. Harry would not have been here without a plan. She did not know how the thought came to her but she was certain. The Harry she had met a few weeks earlier was the one who would have and had gone without thinking thing through. This one was a more mature one. He exuded confidence as if he could handle anything.
She asked, "What is your plan?"
For a second Harry was taken aback. He had thought that he would have to convince her to help him or at least not stand in the way. Here she was, a trained auror, asking him what to do. He had no idea the powerful aura the surrounded him. This was magic at its very best. Every person has his own magic and it often can see what the other person is like? Even if we don't see it consciously, our subconscious is always aware.
However, Harry had such a pure and powerful aura, especially towards the one he liked, let alone love. The other person's magic trusted him. That was how Manuel Zabini had trusted him and that was why Tonks had deferred the decision to him.
Harry had no idea as to the mechanics of what had happened. But now his plan was going to be a success. At least if Zabini would agree to his request.
"Let's go and see the Zabini family. Before that, alert the other members that you have an unsubstantiated report that there may be an attack on the families of Wizengamot members. They should be careful and ready to move, but not to do anything preemptively." Harry said taking charge and Tonks nodded. A couple of minutes later, the message had been relayed. Some of the senior aurors had tried to ask her in detail but she just said that she would contact them later.
As Tonks finished her job by telling her own detail to be even more careful, both of them walked to the residence. Harry could have moved alone but the ring did not allow a partner. He had other ways but he still wanted his abilities to remain unknown, hopefully forever.
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Vincent Jaggery had understood his precarious position. This could make or break him. He had earlier planned to strike the Zabini residence with forty death eaters. Later, considering the situation, he added another ten. The plan was very simple. Four of them were experts in wards. They would break the wards while another two would setup anti-apparation wards. This was so that even if the lower ward was broken, the other ward could still trap those inside. After the setting up of the wards, these two would be sent back in the cover of four more wizards for safety and keeping up the wards.
Of the balance thirty, ten would engage the four aurors who were reported to be there and another ten would get into the Zabini residence and have fun before killing all of them in the most gruesome manner.
That would keep ten death-eaters in the backup. However, in the end, he had opted to take ten more and increase the infiltration team by five each. He was not in a position to take any chances. Every one of them was fitted with a portkey. If they were about to be caught or were disabled, they would automatically be port-keyed to the medical wing.
He was sure that he would succeed.
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Inside the Manor, the whole Zabini Clan and their two house elves were ready. They were waiting for the stranger to reappear. They had tried to apparate but there was already an anti apparition ward in place.
Manuel was about to call the lead auror Tonks with the communication bracelet he had been given when somebody knocked at the door. Manuel went to the door and saw the stranger standing with the auror through the special security charm which allowed him to see whoever was on the other side.
He had felt a bit angry initially at the obvious holes in the auror security when a stranger had appeared undetected. But now was neither the place nor the time to do something about it. It was already around five after one in the night. He opened the door and allowed both of them to come in.
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Blaise had come up to the front of the door to see the person who had most probably saved them all or maybe playing them like a fiddle. Her father had told her that the stranger had wanted them to stay and face the attack. He had even assured them of their safety. He did not want to play with his family's life and had declined.
For a second, they had feared that the stranger had set up the ward and maybe was going to force them to stay. Her father had decided to inform the aurors when they heard the knock. Now the auror was standing behind the stranger, letting him take the lead. Blaise thought that she recognized the man. She was sure that she had seen him before. All these years of reading had given her a very good memory, if not a photographic one.
As she moved to the front and saw the man, for the first time she saw the most beautiful green eyes. She had seen those yes before. She was sure of it. Suddenly it came to her. Harry Potter, the boy who lived. What the hell was he doing here? And how did he grow up so much. The last time she had seen him, it was on the station on hogsmead. At that time, he did not look very well and rumors were about a battle at the department of mysteries as had been validated by the article in the daily prophet later.
She walked around her father and said two words which changed the whole atmosphere in the room, "Harry Potter."
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Harry was startled that somebody had recognized him. By the looks of her, she must be going to Hogwarts and by the background of the family he had read, she must have been a slytherin. Still, as far as he was concerned, it was nearly twenty years ago. A lifetime if you consider his life. He was puzzled and did not recognize her and it showed on his face.
"What? Are we a little to beneath you to even notice? One would have thought that you would have marked all the slytherins as potential death eaters and your potential enemies." Blaise said scathingly. She was a bit hurt. She knew that she was one of the most beautiful girls in the Hogwarts and most of the Hogwarts population had tried to come on to her at one time or the other. Her icy attitude may have stopped the invitations, yet everybody recognized her. She was not vain and did not believe that her looks were everything. But she was pissed that the boy who lived, Harry Potter didn't even recognize her.
Manuel was amazed. Even he could now see the similarities between Harry Potter and the stranger. The thought had come to him earlier but he had dismissed it. He also saw why he didn't place him. The most famous scar of the Wizarding world was missing from the forehead. His fear started to recede a bit.
He looked up and saw that boy-who-lived was a bit taken aback by the scathing remarks of his daughter. However, before he could reprimand his daughter, the auror jumped in and moved forward at lightening speed to face Blaise.
"Who do you think you are, you little twerp. Harry had the grace here to come here and risk his life to save your family and all you could think of is your puny ego which was hurt because he didn't even recognize you. You should be ashamed of your words and thank Merlin that Harry is still here. God, you are such an idiot." Before she could blast Blaise any further, Harry stopped her.
"We don't have time for this. We have to make preparations!" He said.
Harry turned to Manuel and asked, "Are you ready? I will remove the wards for a second allowing you to apparate through."
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A minute ago, all that he wanted was to do so. But now, after his daughter's shameful outburst and finding out that the stranger was no one else but Harry Potter, the boy who lived, he was not so sure. He made a decision and said, "I will stay with you but if you could just move my wife and daughter to a safe place, I would be grateful."
Mrs. Zabini made as if to say something but a stern glance stopped her. He said, as if explaining, "I am a member of the Wizengamot. I cannot be seen running from the very people we are going to fight. But I can't fight at my best if I have to worry for the both of you." Silently accepting, she nodded.
Tonks, coming forward, made a portkey to the ministry safe house and said, "Here, take this. It will take you to the ministry safe house." But Harry stopped her. He said, "No. the death eaters had all the information regarding the safety procedures being placed here. The safe house may be under watch as well. It may not be safe." He picked up the vase that Tonks had made into a portkey and changed the place. Handing it over to Mrs. Zabini, he said, "You will reach one of my houses. There is a house elf named blush there. She will take care of you. When it is safe, either Mr. Zabini may join you or you may come back." Nodding, Mrs. Zabini took the portkey and a second later, they disappeared.
"I will be back in a few minutes." Harry said and popped out.
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Vincent Jaggery had all his team ready and was giving final instructions. They had been planning for the last 1 hour and had the entire operation had been prepped up. The dark lord looked approvingly at the young wizard he had chosen. He had never had a person in his ranks, who had planned the operation so meticulously. He hoped that it would succeed. He needed able lieutenants if he had to win the war.
All fifty one death eaters apparated to the edge of the Zabini Manor. It was exactly 1:55 AM. They started to break the wards. However, these wards were different from the one they had been told. They had never even heard of anything like this. Still trying to short the ward through sheer power, they all got together and started to break the ward.
As soon as Harry felt the apparitions, he activated all the cameras which were now automatically looking for each death eater and photographing them. He saw that the plan was the same, just the number were much bigger. Harry could have taken them all out together but his aim was not to fight himself, but to get others to fight for their own rights.
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After seeing that everybody was in position, he brought down the first ward. Seeing that the ward was down, the death eater rushed in, firing curses at will. An instant later, the ward was up again, trapping thirty one death eaters inside.
On the outside, a group of thirty security goblins started to hit the remaining twenty one death eaters one by one and silently took out most of them. Unfortunately, they didn't see the bodies disappear as soon as they were rendered unconscious.
Inside the courtyard, the teams had split into two. Fifteen of the headed straight to the periphery where they knew the aurors to be and fifteen of them moved silently towards the entrance.
Before they could do anything, total mayhem broke up. The aurors, who were pre warned had already created barriers and were in position. The five aurors and Manuel fired reducto's together, and six of the death eaters heading towards the manor could hear a crunch as their bones broke from the curse. Two had their shoulder blades pulverized, I had a broken arm and three were no longer living. The spell had hurt them in the chest. The blood seeped out from the main artery and surrounded the chest cavity. The increased pressure around the heart led to the disability of heart to expand and contract. A few minutes later, they died, slowly, painfully, befitting a death eater.
Before the death eaters could see what had happened, another six spells rushed towards them. But now, the death eaters were ready and flung themselves to the ground. A bloody battle ensued between both the sides.
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Jaggery had led his group and reached the door of the manner.
"Alohamora", he casted the unlocking spell. The door opened and every one moved inside, and put a silencing charm on their shoes so as to not make a noise. They were going to go through when they heard a voice from behind them.
"Hello guys's. I have been waiting for you."
Everyone turned around and saw a young man in black robes sitting on a comfort chair. All of them raised their wands as one and casted a spell on the sitting Harry potter. The smile on Harry's face did not waver for a second. He just put up his hand and all the streaking lights that were speeding towards him, stopped. They were hanging in mid air as if somebody had frozen them there.
Most of the death-eaters stood transfixed, as none of them had seen anything like this before. A few, who were more experienced, case another spell on the sitting wizard. Harry's smile grew wider.
"Ah! At least some decent wizards! I thought all Voldie had left were stupid children as his acolytes.
Jaggery lost his cool and cast a crucio on Harry. The spell just hit Harry and nothing happened. Jaggery was amazed. He had just practiced his crucio on a couple of muggles. They had gone crazy in less than five minutes and this spell also had the power of anger behind him but the wizard on the seat was sitting as if it was nothing but a soothing bit of light. Fear started to crawl in him.
The smile that had been on Harry's face disappeared and instead, a pouting expression now adorned him. "You didn't mean to hurt me, did you?" suddenly, Harry's expression turned stone cold. His mere eyes really scared every single one of them. Harry released the fist he had made and all the spells that were cast on him were sent back with double the power, crucio included.
Fifteen of the death eaters were out of the action in a second. Four had been stupefied. Two had boils all over. Four had their skin turned inside out and five had severe cuts all over their torso. They were bleeding to death.
Harry did not spare a moment for them and turned himself to the last death eater, the one that had put the crucio on him. Without any apparent casting, he was still reeling under the effects of the curse. Harry needed a messenger and this was going to be him.
Harry kept up the curse for a few more moments until the death eater reached the point of no return. Just short of that, he released the curse and put a very ancient location charm on him.
A few seconds later, Jaggery was expulsed into mid air, like a cannon ball. As soon as he crossed the wards, the portkey activated and he was whisked away to the dark lord's hideout.
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The battle in the court yard had a similar ending. The only major injury was that Tonks had suffered a broken hip bone trying to cover Manuel Zabini. The other aurors had a few cuts and all, but nothing major. Otherwise, nine death eaters were dead and six death eaters were too hurt to move. The aurors were disabling the portkeys.
In response to the attack signal, many aurors just popped up led by Alastor Moody. They were pleasantly surprised to find that the battle was already over. The medical team had rushed to Tonks and other aurors. Finding the battle over, Alastor spoke into a magical mirror and a few moments later, the acting minister of magic Madame Bones appeared and walked up to meet Manuel.
Just as everybody thought the excitement was over, with a loud snap, the dark mark was cast upon the house as the lord of the death eaters, lord Voldemort himself appeared before the entire Wizarding world.
Author's Notes
Shadowed Rains: how do u like the new format?
C. Rose: There are three different time zones in this story. Normal like ours. Here, its been nearly 25 days since his return. the story starts seven days after the return. after that, next day he goes to gringotts. A day after that, he wakes up at the himalayas and the next day from then on, he has forteen days of training. in here, there are two time zones. One is soul time where every forty minutes is one year and the other is Vault time, 1 day outside are 3 months in the chamber. As harry also does soul time inside, his total stay is 42 months of physical training and 14 years of soul training. Add the three year he spent with lily, in which hary nearly lost his grey matter. Then it has been a little more than a day since his return.
Jarno: Tom works at the Leaky Couldrun, the gateway for most of the wizards to enter the wizarding village of london. He is, according to me, the most responsible person. He is like the security personnel and immigration officer combined. He is like a security guard to the wizarding world. You cannot have a weak guard.
i thank all of you for the kind reviews
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