Harry Potter and Dumbledore's Army
Chapter 8: Diagon Alley, again
A/N: I posted this chapter the other day but had to re-post it was slight changes in my second to last paragraph because a certain reviewer of mine kindly informed me of my overuse of the words "otherwise." LoL Trust me it annoyed the bajeezes out of me when I went back and read that section. Thanks for the heads up
After a day of chores and cleaning the entire Weasley family (plus numerous other members of the order and D.A) sat to eat. The table was fairly quite and even more unsettlingly uncomfortable. Malfoy's presence had ruined the gayety of marriage and left only a crowd of worried adults and bickering teens. Harry, starving, inhaled two servings of pot roast before finally saying, "Well? Let's talk. Who thinks Malfoy is a total lying git?" The sudden burst from Harry turned everyone's head and even caused a few repressed laughs. Harry, weary from years of beating around the bush from Dumbledore, took matters into his own hands.
"What do we currently know about the where-abouts of his parents? What about Voldemort? Does Malfoy have any useful information? Anyone?" Harry looked at the members of the Order Present. Professor McGonagall had left earlier but returned for dinner and was simply staring at Harry. Remus Lupin sat next to Tonks and shook his head in weariness. Tonks laughed at Harry and also shook her head. Mr. Weasley looked a little red and also seemed unsure of how to answer. Kingsley Shacklebolt was placed at the farthest point from Harry but Harry was sure he could hear a distinct mumble of "elite lying piece of…"
"Wow, we are so full of information tonight. Well, as it is we have a possible spy and known traitor in our mists and yet we do nothing? I saw him almost murder Professor Dumbledore. I don't care if he chickened out last second and let Snape do the deed; he almost did it! All in the name of his family… I doubt Voldemort would have spared him after that mess up unless he had another mission in mind." The whole table cringed at the mention of Snape, Voldemort and Dumbledore. Harry clearly wasn't going to make this an easy night.
"Harry, we aren't cold blooded murderers either. If we kick Malfoy out of this house and out of our sight we would be simply stupid. If he is telling the truth then only death lays out beyond this house. If he is lying then we have access to Voldemort's inner ear. There is no simple solution. I think it is time for everyone to get some sleep. Professors, Kingsley, you are welcome to stay for coffee." Mrs. Weasley stood and began swiping the table of plates and food. Harry merely grumbled and made his way to Ron's room, which was now vacant since Bill and Fleur, erm, Charlie, were gone.
The next day proved to be much more interesting than promised. Everyone rose early and began quick chores for the day. Once those were out of the way and showers were taken, the D.A assembled (minus Fred and George) at the front door.
"All right everyone, one more time. Do not disappear or run off alone. I know you are all grown but after the events of the past few days I think it is safe to say no one is safe. Stay in groups of three or more while we get our last minute supplies from Diagon Alley and then get onto the train." Mrs. Weasley nagged continuously as the group, with Malfoy, made their way onto the Phoenix flight and prepared to head downtown. Professor McGonagall had delivered a slightly revised book and supply list to the returning students the night before. They were all glad to get another chance to do a little shopping (especially Hermione who was already in need of more ingredients for her numerous experiments and healing potions) and get a little air outside of the Burrow.
"Why is the train at night this year?" Ginny asked curiously.
"I'm not sure. Professor McGonagall said something about the safety of arriving at morning rather than night. That and because she is planning on a large number of North American and South American students transferring to Hogwarts this year. She opened the enrollment of new students to a much broader list this year because of the troubles from last year. Anyways, keep up with each other all right? Do not be late tonight. Wherever we decide to meet at whatever time, you must be there then!" During all of this Harry noticed a rather pained expression passing over Malfoy's face. He assumed it was because of Mrs. Weasley's nagging but it is possible that it was something else, something more emotional.
Once the group arrived they instantly split into groups; Harry, Hermione, Ron and Malfoy went one way while Neville, Ginny, Luna and Soleil went another. Many members of the D.A were ecstatic to find out that Soleil would be attending Hogwarts for her 6th year since Fleur would no longer be at Beauxbatons and Soleil's family worried about her being alone. They grabbed their revised lists and their unneeded books and made their way to do this or that.
About an hour before it was arranged for everyone to meet, Harry stopped and grabbed a magazine out of a trash can. The headline had grabbed his attention and he quickly read out loud,
"Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy Found Dead and Bloody. Thought to be the works of Death Eaters. After numerous tests and examinations it has been determined that the bloody bodies found at the doorstep of the Ministry two days ago were those of Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy. It is unknown where the younger Malfoy is or whether he is alive. The burning of the Dark Mark on their foreheads has lead to the belief that Lucius Malfoy, who already had a Dark Mark on the inside of his forearm, was killed because he fell out of favor with Voldemort. See page Z4 for more on this story…"
"What newspaper is that Harry?" Hermione asked as she held onto the faint and pale-faced Draco Malfoy.
"It's the Quibbler. Luna's dad is clearly getting into more serious journalism." Harry looked at Malfoy with suspecting, curious eyes. He wanted to know what kind of reaction Draco would have to such a blatant tell-all about his family.
"He did it. He wasn't supposed to unless I failed again. He-he-he killed them." Draco's face flushed and cringed in pain as tears fell down his face. He fell to the ground holding his head and shaking uncontrollably. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood and stared at the small curled body on the floor until Draco let out a loud "NO!" and jumped up. He ran, grabbing Ron and Hermione's hands. Hermione then grabbed Harry's and the foursome flew through the streets of Diagon Alley. Harry's blood was pumping and his heart speeding. Clearly something was about to happen that Malfoy didn't want to occur. His words echoed in Harry's mind. "He wasn't supposed to unless I failed again." Harry quickly realized what this meant and picked up his pace until he tackled Malfoy.
Once Malfoy was pinned, after much struggle, Harry yelled, "Unless you failed at what!" Ron and Hermione stood next to the wrestling match unsure what to do. They panted and eventually caught onto what Harry was yelling.
"Voldemort! He's going to be at the meeting point when we get there if we don't hurry! No! We have to stop him. Mrs. Weasley! No!" With renewed strength Malfoy shoved Harry off of him and began running again. The three followed as what he said sunk in.
'An attack at Diagon Alley. Only in a few minutes. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, Neville, Luna, Soleil, Ginny! Ginny! No!' Harry also sped up and together, wands out, Harry and Malfoy approached the entrance to Gringotts, the designated meeting spot. Only seconds later Hermione and Ron also had their wands out and the four made a solid square, aimed at all corners of Diagon Alley.
As Ginny, Neville, Luna and Soleil turned one corner, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley turned the other. They all looked at the foursome shocked with eyes bulging. Shop keepers and other shoppers had seen the group running and had taken that at the cue to empty the streets and close doors. It was quieter than a minute 'til high noon in a western shoot out.
Just before Ginny could ask what was going on, Harry shot an expelliarmus and impedimenta at the figure approaching from behind. This simple charm began a series of major hexes, jinxes and curses that filled Diagon Alley. Instantly a group of Aurors appeared and the fight shifted gears. As Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna and even Malfoy disarmed death eaters and summoned their wands, Shacklebolt, Lupin, Tonks and Doge protected the group from hexes and curses headed their way. They all then petrified as many of the attackers as possible but found that many apparated, even some wandless, before being captured.
Instantly a unsettling quite overcame the street. An occasional face could be seen peeping from behind a curtain or trash can. People slowly made their way out of hiding to see the result of one of the most intense battles Diagon Alley had ever seen.
"Who do we have petrified?" Shacklebolt cried over to Lupin and Tonks who were gathering Death Eaters. "Dolohov, Marcois, Engret and Goyle. These are some of Voldemort's top guys," was Tonk's reply.
"Is anyone hurt?" was the next question aimed at the group. Harry, Ron and Hermione were clearly unharmed but very worn out from the series of jinxes, counter-jinxes and disarment charms. Malfoy was on the floor in tears and even a little blood, but otherwise was only shaken. Ginny has hit her head rather severely and was bleeding but smiling. Luna was breaking out into hives at a rapid pace but quickly gave a thumbs up to show she was in any other way fine. Neville was turning green and sprouting pussing lumps but was also unconscious enough to not remember the embarrassing stain in his pants. Mrs. Weasley was in tears over the unconscious Longbottom but beyond her tears she was unharmed as well. Mr. Weasley suffered from a rather nasty slash across his chest but was hiding it from his wife and giving a cross-armed thumbs up. Luckily Hermione wasn't as easily assured and was at his side with healing potions before Mrs. Weasley could even clear her eyes enough to look. Soleil was the only person still standing but it was quickly discovered that she stood not by choice but by charm.
Overall the entire group looked all right and would clearly make it another day. Hermione passed out first aid kits to the D.A and attended to wounds of any size. Shacklebolt, Lupin, Tonks and Doge gathered the Death Eaters and sent out a call for backup before apparating to Azkaban.
"Is Mrs. Weasley all right?" was all that was heard from the mess that was Draco Malfoy. Mrs. Weasley was instantly at his side, hugging him close like a mother should, even though Harry had explained the story to her. "A child in need is a child in need," was her only response. Slowly the group re-grouped and healed itself efficiently. Hermione looked over her work proudly and said, "it'll do for now. Everyone must see Madame Pomfrey once we arrive at Hogwarts." The group looked at her in slight shock. They had all forgotten about the night long trip to Hogwarts that awaited them.
A/N: Well, another chapter in the bag and some real action accomplished. My first battle scene! I am clearly weaving a web here but I hope that I have sufficiently created Malfoy for my purposes. Bad guy with two strikes turned good guy… or not? It will all be revealed with time. Finally we head to Hogwarts and I promise an entire Chapter of Dialog next. After all what else can they do on a night-long train trip? Hmm… maybe a little romance is in store.
Dreamer22: Is that in-between enough for now? I've always loved the ferret and can't see him completely go bad… well at least not just yet. LoL suspense killing you yet? hehe
Rebecca Victoria Rushton: Is this enough to last until you get back? Have fun at camp!
Luna Moonlight Fawn: Don't worry, furious is the emotion I was going for. Lol and you weren't too furious, just very encouraging. Many thanks for it! Have a great summer too!