CHAPTER NINE: Betrayal

Harry quickly went over and grabbed Ginny by the hand. "I think we should all head back to our place to discuss this. It'll be safe there. Hermione, drag Ron along if you need to."

"You don't have to drag me anywhere!" said Ron indignantly. "I'm capable of getting around myself!"

Harry barely acknowledged him as he moved over to Lupin and Tonks, who just shrugged him off. "We'll be all right, Harry," said Lupin. "I think I just need some rest. That was … quite an ordeal. I've never felt anything quite like that. We'll head home for now. Stay in touch, Harry." As Harry nodded, Tonks and Lupin disapparated.

Moving over to Professor Lanskey, Harry helped her sit up; she was still a bit disoriented. "Are you all right? Do you need help?"

Lanskey shook her head. "No, Harry. And please, call me Rowanda. Or just Ro. I just need some time. Time to rest and to think."

Not entirely convinced, Harry decided not to press the matter and rejoin his family. "Let's go, then." With four resounding cracks, they appeared in the now perfectly clean sitting room of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. "All right, Ron. How did you wind up with that white armband?"

Ron shrugged. "Got me, mate. One second you were feeding me that potion, the next I had this. I'll just take it off, I guess." But the armband would not move. Ron couldn't seem to get a grip on it at all. "Lousy thing! I'll just change into a different shirt, I guess." But as Ron took off his shirt, the white armband remained; now appearing on his bare skin. Eyes wide, Ron exclaimed, "This is messed up!"

Harry took out his wand. "Ron, I'm going to try legilimency on you, all right? I've gotten much better at it, and you may be forgetting something important. Okay?" Ron thought for a moment, and then nodded his approval. Harry raised his wand. "Legilimens!"

Ron and Hermione were saying their vows in a small chapel in Ottery St. Catchpole … Hermione was on top of Ron, naked, and they were making love in a bedroom in a London apartment … They were still making love, but now in a bathroom at Hogwarts, and Hermione was more of a blur … Back to making love, only now, Professor Lanskey was on top of Ron … Ron and Lanskey sitting in a bathroom together, Lanskey talking about the teachings of the Great Healer, while Ron listened attentively, mouth hanging open.

Harry broke the contact and stumbled backwards, dazed and confused. Ron, meanwhile was wearing an expression of contentment, and his armband now sported a red stripe. "Thank you, Harry, my brother. You've unlocked memories that had been repressed … somehow. But now, thanks to you, I know my true calling: to serve the Great Healer."

"What!" yelled Hermione. "Ron! Get a hold of yourself!" she screamed as she grabbed Ron by his collar. "Look at me, Ron! Tell me you love me! Tell me I come first in your life! Tell me you're just talking nonsense!"

Ron smiled gently. "I do love you, my darling wife, but nothing comes first for me, save the well-being of the world. And this is no nonsense; my head has never been clearer in my life. Don't be afraid of it, Hermione! Come with me! All of you, come with me!"

Before any of them could reply, an odd sensation rushed through the room. It was an enticing, seductive feeling, drawing everyone in the house towards Ron and his words. Harry got up the energy to say softly and firmly, "No!" Raising his wand, he shouted "Stupefy!" and a jet of red light hit Ron square in the chest, who promptly fell unconscious, and the tension in the air broke.

Gasping for air, Harry managed to say, "Lanskey! She's one of them!" Holding onto the mantelpiece, Harry caught his breath. "She seduced him into a bathroom, and then she started preaching. If Ron alone could produce that effect unconsciously, then someone doing it on purpose could…" He trailed off. "Hogwarts isn't safe! Lanskey's a spy! She could infect the whole student body with this enchantment!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. "I've just thought of something! It would explain so much! Harry, do you have any way of contacting Moody without the Floo Network?"

"No, but I can contact McGonagall in such a way, and she can probably get in touch with Moody." Going over to a desk and pulling out a pale blue piece of parchment, Harry wrote:

Professor McGonagall,

I need to speak with Moody. It concerns Professor Lanskey, who I am almost certain is a spy for the Great Healer. Pass your parchment along to Moody, so I can speak with him.

Harry Potter

Turning to Ginny and Hermione, Harry said, "This parchment and another in McGonagall's office are both charmed so that anything written on one appears on the other. Wait! There's a reply coming.

Potter,

Who was the first of your Advance Guard to fall?

Harry smiled. Moody must already be there, and trying to prove his identity. Sadly remembering the horrible murder that Moody was referring to, Harry wrote down:

Emmeline Vance

A long pause greeted them. "What's going on, Harry?" asked Ginny. "Is everything all right?"

"I hope so, Ginny. Oh! Here comes his reply.

All right, Potter. You say that Lanskey is a spy. What makes you think so? Granted, anything is possible, but what leads you to believe this?

"Hermione? What's your theory? Just say it, and I'll write it down for Moody."

Hermione paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "Well, Moody can see traces of magic if he's looking for them, or so he said. Do you think he could see some sort of magical trail, or more likely, trails in the plural, leading out from Lanskey and connecting with other people? It would make so much sense! Malfoy alone couldn't produce that entrancing effect, but if he was magically linked with Lanskey, who was linked with others in turn…"

"Then he could draw upon the power of anyone connected to Lanskey! It's a hive mind! And if the Great Healer is the Queen, then Lanskey is definitely a focal point!" Quickly scribbling down this theory to Moody, he added:

Check for any trails leading from Lanskey to some outer source. We suspect that Lanskey may be a focal point for a hive mind, of which the Great Healer is the 'Queen.'

A brief pause, then:

Damn me, Potter, but you're right! There are at least one or two thousand trails of connection leading into Lanskey! I can't tell exactly, there are so many. I've been using a scrying glass; she's in her office right now. As for anything connecting her to an external source, I can't tell. I'll get in touch with as many loyal friends as I can. Take a portkey to McGonagall's office, and we'll make our way to the dungeons from there. Now!

"You were right, Hermione! Lanskey controls a few thousand people already! She's in Hogwarts right now, and we're going to take a portkey there and finish her off, if we can."

Hermione nodded her head resolutely. "What about Ron?" She was worried, but she tried to mask it.

Harry conjured some vine-like bonds around Ron, then waved his wand until a soft silver nimbus of light surrounded Ron. "Anti-disapparation jinx. That should hold him for now. Hopefully, if we take out Lanskey, he'll be rid of her influence."

"So are we going or not!" Ginny asked impatiently.

Harry nodded grimly. Grabbing a lamp, he incanted, "Portus!" The lamp shook and glowed blue for a moment, then stood still. Hermione and Ginny each grasped it, and Harry counted, "One, two, three…" There was an almighty lurch as they were yanked away from Grimmauld Place.