Disclaimer: J K Rowling owns the rights and likenesses of all the characters in the Harry Potter series. This story is meant to add to the world she created. Any conflicts are accidental and they yield to her reality (canon).

17. Confrontation

After the deaths of the Death Eater and Peters, the raids became much more dangerous. Every dark witch and wizard had been alerted to the possibility of their capture or worse. Most went underground but a few remained defiantly in public. Those in the public's eye surrounded themselves with sympathetic members of the community with connections in the Ministry. Mad-Eye's task grew harder by the day.

"Bloody evil gits," yelled Mad-Eye. "The Robesen's have a Wizengamot member and the Hinkels have an auror and a Hogwarts' governor with them nearly all the time. This is completely out of control. How can we get them without losing all the support for our cause? That idiot Peters kills a Death Eater and then dies on us. A dead man can't explain himself to the Ministry so we had to do it for him."

"Alastor, please calm yourself," Albus tried but failed. "Becoming excited never solved your problems before."

"Well, not the complicated ones," came the gruff reply. "Malfoy's down to just a handful of people now. The Hinkel's, Robesen's, Nott, Parkinson, and Flint are all he has left since we nabbed the stupid brothers last night. More meat than brains those two were."

"Any leads on his location?" Albus queried.

"Maybe after Kingsley gets here. He interviewed them this afternoon, but had some bureaucrat nosing around the department before he could get away. He said he would make the meeting tonight."

"If we learn of his location, I am going after him," Harry stated without a hint of emotion. "Any objections to that plan?"

Only some of the members of the Order were in attendance tonight. Those that were could only look at each other and hope someone else had a reason to give. No one spoke up, not even Molly could see a way out of it.

"Harry," Albus had a worn look about him. "Things have been difficult targeting the other members. None of our information is usable in court so we can not appeal to the legal system to provide us more leverage. I find myself forced to agree with you at this time." Not since the last war did Albus look so defeated in the face of near victory.

"We knew there would be a time when this would happen," Harry said to the room. "The time has come, now. This must end soon. The school year is nearly over and I do not want this carrying over into the summer. I want to spend it with my daughter. Showing her London and maybe taking a quiet vacation."

At that moment, Kingsley entered the office huffing a bit. He gathered his breath and said that Draco would be at Parkinson Manor tonight around midnight. He said that Crabbe had been present when the supplies for the rebirthing had been moved to the dungeon in the basement of the home.

"You mean I only have three hours to plan an assault of this importance, Kingsley?" Mad-Eye said angrily. "Are you daft? You couldn't let me know earlier? This will be a right mess."

"There was nothing I could have done, Alastor," Kingsley countered. "That moron from 'Cooperation' pestered me ever since the interrogation. I couldn't even use the loo without him following me."

"Then you should have led him down a deserted corridor and stunned him," Mad-Eye barked. "This is more important than whatever he wanted."

"Enough!" Said Harry forcefully. "Moody, make the plans. Who will be going in with me?"

The normal group raised their hands. Most others offered to watch the grounds if that was included in the plan which Moody always did.

"Ron, Hermione, at least one of you has to stay behind," Harry said firmly. "I will not be responsible for ruining your family. This is not negotiable."

Hermione was cut off before she got started. She looked at Ron and knew Harry was right. Ron motioned to her and she volunteered to stay at Hogwarts, but gave Harry a look that said she wasn't happy about the situation.

"Thank you, Ron and Hermione," Harry said. "This will all be over with soon. Then we can relax. It has to end this time. I am running out of energy to fight this battle."

"I understand, mate," Ron sympathized. "I'd like to live my life without all of this too."

"Now, Harry," Hermione interjected. "You have to stay focused on the mission. Remember who you are doing this for. You should run through the most likely spells you will need so you won't have any problems when the time comes to use them. Also, you should take a nap before you leave. You don't want to get tired when you need to be alert."

Harry couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping. The same Hermione as always, she would never change. Harry spent the next few minutes watching Moody plan and strategize with Albus and Ron for the assault. Kingsley made portkeys for the trip there and back. Hermione sat at a table with books laying open looking for any special spell that might make the night easier. Tonks was sitting in a corner staring at a silver spinning object. She was changing her features every few seconds. Arthur was listening to the plans being described by Alastor. Molly was sitting near the door trying her best not to worry herself into a breakdown.

Harry stood slowly and headed for the office door to leave. Tonks, Molly, and Ginny followed him with their eyes. They saw his calm exterior and fluid motions. Ginny made to get up and follow him, but Harry, without turning around, waved a hand smoothly in her direction stopping her. He only wished to speak to one person right now.

Samantha was in the midst of finishing her History essay when an image flashed in her head of the entrance hall. She packed up her supplies and stuffed them in her bag. She asked Mira if she would be able to take it with her to their room if she wasn't back before then. The trip to the entrance hall was a blur and she was standing in front of her father before she realized it.

"Walk with me, Honey?" Harry asked and started towards the kitchens. "I am in the mood for a sundae. How about you?"

"Sure, Dad, what ever you say." Samantha knew enough to be suspicious of her father's actions. "So, are you going to tell me what is going on when we get there?"

Harry smiled, "You are my baby that is for sure. You would have fit in with my friends when I was a student. Have you been to the kitchens yet?"

"Of course, Father. It was my second or third week here. It was pretty cool."

"Missed a meal?" Harry asked.

"Nope. I needed a late night snack. Sirius showed me where it was and how to get inside."

"It would have been a Weasley. They could never last more than a few hours without needing something to eat. Ron was the same way, probably worse."

Arriving at the pear portrait, Samantha gave it the tickle and they entered. Dobby appeared almost immediately and was even quicker to bring them each a sundae. They took seats in a corner and Harry threw up a privacy charm.

"Honey, I am going to end this tonight," Harry began without preamble. "We hope to confront Draco Malfoy and at least a few of his remaining supporters. There is a chance that whatever form Voldemort is in will be there as well. With any luck, this story of hate and evil will be over tonight." Harry paused knowing he should continue but not wanting to finish his thoughts.

"Dad," Samantha knew what Harry was trying to avoid saying. "You will come back to me. I don't doubt it for a second. Just go, finish this, and come back. I want my dad to be how he should be. How he should have been for all those years."

"There is a chance that I won't…" Harry was cut off by his daughter.

"Stop. You will come back and that is all there is to it. I will accept nothing less. How could you deny me?" Samantha gave him the best doe-eyed expression she could manage. She had only had to play the perfect-daughter act twice before. Once was a 'misunderstanding' at Salem and the other was never mentioned after it occurred.

"Hey, stop that," Harry pleaded. "I am in charge here. You can't beat me that easily. How do you expect me to win if I can be taken down by a fourteen-year-old?"

"I expect that none of them are me." Samantha smiled brightly masking the serious tone of the conversation. "You need to be more positive, Dad. You are always so negative even when you try to be positive."

"For you, I will try harder. Do you want me to let you know what is going on or when it is over?"

"I want to know when you are done," Samantha said. "I won't sleep very well or at all until I know you are safe."

"I will do that, Honey. Now I had better get you back to your dorm. I still need to prepare for tonight."

Harry walked his baby back to Gryffindor Tower and hugged her tightly in the entrance hole. When they had said their goodnights and well-wishes, Samantha entered the common room to find her friends and a few older students staring at her. She walked over to her friends and sat down giving them a look demanding to know what was so interesting in her hugging her father.

Sirius was the only one to answer. "It wasn't the hug that got people looking. It was the glow from your father that did that. What the hell was that?"

"What glow?" was all Samantha could say.

Nearly two hours later, Albus walked into Harry's office to speak to him before the mission. He knocked but received no response. He let himself in and found Harry sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of his desk. That wouldn't cause much notice, but the aura of power emanating from Harry would cause much notice to be taken.

Albus waited for Harry to become aware of his surroundings on his own. When Harry stood up and made for the door, Albus followed. On the trip to the Great Hall, Albus asked if there was anything Harry needed. The only answer was a guarantee that Hermione and Ron would be allowed to assume parental rights for Samantha should something happen. Albus promised that he would do everything he could to see that happen in the unlikely event Harry failed.

Harry met the others at the gates of Hogwarts. Twenty-three people, in total, took the portkeys to a glade near the Parkinson Manor. Everyone wore a serious look on their face. This was going to be the end or at least a major step towards the end. Harry gave one last order to the others before they walked the remaining distance to the target. That order was to 'live be any means.'

There were going to be three members in the front and two on each side coving the grounds. The remaining sixteen people were going to enter the home from the rear and storm the building. Harry planned to lead the mission. He wanted to be the first one in the door. The plan quickly fell apart when a spell flew at them from an upstairs window.

Harry saw no way to gain entry into the home without putting everyone in danger. He had promised himself that he would do everything he could to avoid more deaths of his friends. He gave the order to set the house alight and cast anti-apparation wards on the property. Within seconds, the old manor was blazing with an eerily green-tinge to the normal flames.

Screams could be heard from inside the home. Harry watched and waited for the occupants to burst through the doors or windows. One minute went by and the screams continued. Two minutes passed and the screams never waned. At three minutes, the first shape left the structure sending killing curses flying in all directions.

Harry quickly cut the death eater down before anyone was hit by the sickening green light. The screams continued without stopping. Harry then realized that the screams were from a spell meant to distract them. He quickly summoned the fallen enemy and uncovered the head. Pansy Parkinson's mother looked up at Harry with vacant eyes.

Harry sent four reductos at the house leveling it. The screams stopped and only household items were revealed by the flames. Draco had known that his plans had been discovered. He took anything of importance out of the home before Harry got there.

Harry felt a rush of fear, anger, and revulsion flow through him at that point. He needed to get to Hogwarts immediately. Harry turned and yelled out that they were to return to their starting point right away.

Harry found the welcoming site of Hogwarts foreboding. Something was wrong and the something involved Samantha. At a dead run, Harry sprinted up the path to the main doors. The Order members fought to keep up. The large oak doors burst open when Harry neared and met Albus in the entryway. Albus wore a sad and unpleasant look.

"What happened?" Asked Harry as the other members arrived.

"Harry," began Albus, "it would appear that something has happened to Samantha."

"And what the bloody hell would that be?" Demanded Harry.

Everyone in the hall held their breaths when Harry spoke. The air, itself, felt charged. A spark could ignite the volatile mixture.

"It would seem that Samantha left her dorm after you dropped her off," said Albus. "Her friends alerted me when she failed to return."

"Where was she going?" Harry asked.

"We do not know. No one seems to know."

"Someone knows," Harry said and the dangerous glint in his eyes was visible to all. "You just aren't willing to find out."

Harry turned toward the dungeons and walked past Snape who was standing in the hallway leading to them.

"What do you think you are going to do, Potter?" Snape snarled.

"Find out where my daughter is from the person who did it to her."

"You think I am going to allow you to abuse one of my students, Potter?" Snape said hiding his apprehension.

"No, I am sure you aren't going to allow me," Harry began, "but who said anything about me asking for permission. Get in my way, Snape, and I will kill you without hesitation. This isn't a potion, this is my daughter. If I have to "abuse" every person in this castle to find her, I will. Do not test me on this."

Snape paused in his attempt to catch up to Harry. Albus hesitated as well. Ron and Hermione, who had joined the spectacle, ran after Harry immediately. The others followed in short order. The trip to the Slytherin common room was short when it was done at a run. Harry asked for the password as he neared the destination. Albus figured that giving the password was safer than rebuilding part of the castle.

The entrance opened and Harry entered at a fast pace. He found Dominic Malfoy holding court with his friends looking quite pleased with himself. The smirk and superiority vanished as Harry was noticed. Everyone in the room saw the dangerous glow about Harry. Everyone smart backed up to the outer edges of the room.

"Harry, do not do anything rash…" Albus tried to calm Harry.

"Shut up, Albus!" Harry snapped as he came up to Dominic.

No one said a word to Harry after that command.

"Where is she," Harry demanded.

"Whhhooo?" Asked a very frightened Dominic.

"You know who," said Harry with an edge to his voice that had shivers running through everyone's spines. "If Draco hurts her, you will never live to regret your actions tonight. Now, where did you send her?" Harry's voice maintained its force, but his aura kept growing.

"I…am…not…afraid?" Dominic stammered.

Harry flicked his wrist and his aura flashed a bit and Dominic was on the ground instantly. He was writhing around as if he was under a very painful spell. Harry's gaze swept the room staring at each of Dominic's friends.

"If any of you know, I advise you to tell me, now!" Harry was more frightening than they had ever dreamed he could have been. This was the person who killed the Dark Lord. He was the person who defeated seven death eaters in Hogsmeade. He was scarier than he had been in Hogsmeade.

"Potter, release that student!" Ordered Snape.

Harry, without turning around, swept his hand behind him and Snape was launched back out the entrance and tumbled into the middle of the hallway some twenty feet from where he started. The Slytherins saw their head of house, the most imposing figure they had ever seen in Hogwarts, disposed of as if common rubbish. The headmaster did nothing to prevent it. Many asked themselves if he could have stopped it from happening.

Dominic ceased his thrashing and seemed to rise from the floor on invisible strings.

"Her location, or I will kill you slowly," Harry spoke quietly to the slobbering figure levitating before him.

"I was given a portkey to get into her hands when I was ordered," Dominic said haltingly. "I got the order an hour ago or so."

"I know it was a portkey you idiot," Harry snapped. "The destination!"

"Some graveyard, I think."

"If she is hurt, you will die by my hands. Have no illusions of someone saving you," Harry spoke menacingly. He looked at those in the room. "Abandon your thoughts and desires to gain power or influence by hurting innocents. There will always be someone who will fight back. And they will hurt you when pressed. You wear a Death Eater cloak and I will not hesitate to kill you."

Harry turned to the newer Orders members. "Malfoy Manner, destroy it. Nothing remains. There will be no image of royalty or supremacy to rally around after tonight. Go!" The group of twelve turned and left to carry out their orders.

"She is in Little Hangleton. The graveyard where he came back the last time," Harry said. "I am going there, now. If any of you want to come, then let's go. It ends tonight, one way or the other. She will live at all costs."

Harry left the common room leaving many students and Order members speechless. Albus directed the Prefects to comfort the students who needed it and two seventh years to carry Professor Snape to the hospital wing. Harry had just stepped over Snape's still form when people started moving. The remaining members followed Harry who was still glowing.

Harry felt a twinge of pain and nearly panicked. His pace quickened and then he disappeared from the hallway. Everyone paused before running even faster to the nearest apparation point.

Harry appeared in the graveyard by one of the large tombstones. His appearance was silent and he scanned the area for others. He saw a small group at the other end of the graveyard standing around looking alert. He sensed a few more, but couldn't see them. He drew his wand and cast an aura-amplification spell. Five more shapes appeared in various hues of color.

By his count, there were ten to fifteen Death Eaters in the area. They stood between him and his daughter. People were going to get hurt tonight. Harry only hoped Samantha wasn't one of them. He couldn't bear it. His planning for the assault was ruined very quickly.

The noisy apparation of others triggered the battle. The five hidden wizards revealed themselves and sent dark curses at the order members. Harry jumped out from his hiding place and joined the battle.