by FIRE
Love's Belief
"The commanders are planning an attack on the city," said Maximillian, sitting down beside another Knight.
"What about Potter's girl?" asked his companion.
"I dunno, Horatio," said Maximillian. "Although I don't think we need to worry about her. You know what Potter's like. He'll probably rescue her before the battle's even begun."
"That's if she's still alive. Riverstein tried to have her killed once, what's to say he won't try again," said Horatio.
The other man looked thoughtful for a moment.
"What'll happen if we win?" Horatio asked.
"Potter will probably become Minister," said Maximillian. "We'll have two or three months of peace then the goons will attack."
"There's always fighting amongst wizards," said Horatio.
"Too true," said Maximillian.
"Beer, Max?" asked Neville from opposite the small fire that was burning in the Knights' garden.
"Yeah, go on," said Maximillian. "Chuck us one, Nev."
Neville tossed a can of John Smith's over the fire to him.
"I wouldn't worry about Ginny Weasley getting hurt in the attack or by Riverstein," said Neville. "I knew her at Hogwarts. She can take care of herself. She saved herself once; she can do it again. She'll get herself out."
"Yeah," said Colin, joining in. "But Harry doesn't think like that. He'll go looking for her instead of coming after Riverstein with us and you know that we need him."
"What can we do though?" said Horatio. "If he loves the girl, there'll be no stopping him. He's a nightmare when he gets something in his head. It's his bloody saving-people-thing if you ask me."
"No," said Neville. "This is different. Harry Potter has loved Ginny Weasley for years."
"Is he really brave enough to take her away from her family?" asked Maximillian. "I mean, the Weasleys command a lot of power and Harry has always respected them."
"He lost faith in the Weasleys a long time ago," said Colin. "There's little, if any, respect left between them."
"Won't the girl be angry if she's taken from her family again?" asked Horatio.
"They left her to die in prison," said Justin, speaking for the first time. "She never told Harry but Charlie Weasley was the senior guard of the underground prison, and we all know that Ginny Weasley would have known that."
"How do you know that she didn't tell Harry?" asked Colin.
"Could you really see Harry sending her back to a family that had left her to rot?" said Neville. "He's a better guy than that."
"But Potter said that Bill accused him of killing Ginny," said Horatio. "Why would he do that if the whole family knew she was imprisoned all along?"
"I don't know," said Neville. "I don't think the Weasleys understand even themselves anymore. They've all gone off the rails."
"And don't forget the ambush when Potter tried to get the girl back to them," said Maximillian.
"Something tells me that Ginny won't be too bothered about saying goodbye, at least not after recent events," said Colin. "I think she must've thought that once they learned the truth, they'd see the error of their ways. It doesn't seem to have happened. But who knows, they might come around in a few years time, and see this war from a different perspective."
"You never know," said Justin. "In any case, Ginny's the only Weasley that Riverstein never managed to brainwash."
"No," said Neville. "She's the only Weasley that didn't lose faith after Hermione Granger died. When Fleur was killed it just tipped them all over the edge."
Colin nodded in agreement.
"I wonder what Dumbledore or Moody would have said to them if they were still alive," speculated Horatio after a short, thoughtful silence.
"Probably would have told them to open their eyes and see the suffering that their 'faultless' leader was causing," said Colin.
"Either that or 'Get your heads out of Riverstein's arse!'" said Neville.
The others laughed.
"The latter sounds more like Dumbledore or Moody, well, at least it does if you delete the swearing," said Maximillian. "I wonder what they'd think if they could see us?"
"They'd be disappointed," said Neville. "When we fought against Voldemort we fought to rid our world of the prejudice and persecution that made so many lives hell. They'd be disappointed to know that it was all for nothing."
"They'd be proud if of us for continuing to fight, though, wouldn't they?" said Colin. "We are after all fighting for what is right. That's what Dumbledore always taught us."
"Do you think Dumbledore can see us?" asked Horatio.
"I hope so," said Justin. "This is his legacy."
Neville nodded slowly.
"What I don't understand is why you're here, Neville," said Maximillian. "I mean, you're a pureblood. You could be living the high life over in Riverstein's enclave."
"It's true," said Neville. "The trouble is that I don't believe in what Riverstein is doing. It wasn't right when it was Voldemort and it sure as hell isn't right now. Besides, Harry was always a good friend of mine; he stuck up for me when Malfoy was spewing filth. He taught me how to fight. He and Dumbledore are the only reason why I am alive today and for that, I will always be loyal to them. And why on earth would I want to be over there with Riverstein and his goons when I have all you drunken louts to hang out with here?"
They all laughed.
"Here here!" said Horatio, raising his can.
The men clinked their beverages together, saying "Cheers!" before taking good long swigs.
Harry Potter sat alone in the main chamber of the meeting hall, double checking all their maps and plans of the enclave. They'd spent months of delicate spy-work finding out as many of the secrets of the enclave as they could. Harry only hoped that they knew enough to win them the battle in the end. The four commanders had mulled over the plan endlessly, even before Remus died. He knew what had to be done, he just hoped they didn't lose too many lives in the process.
The plan was as good and as well described as it possibly could be, and Harry felt that if they added one more revision to it, his head might explode. He had been feeling anxious for weeks. The butterflies in his stomach more than tripled each day as the anxiety twisted his gut into knots. He didn't want to leave Ginny at the mercy of Riverstein and his goons, for any longer than he had to. It was clear from the day after she left that the Weasleys refused to accept her version of events, and would not allow her to return to him. On odd occasions, when he felt almost relaxed, Harry thought he could feel her sadness and pain for what her family had become. Harry knew he needed to get her out, so they could be together and somehow rebuild their lives and maybe find some happiness.
All the Brothers knew the plan. They had been briefed earlier in the day and in a few hours the Brothers of Freedom would be setting out to a battle that would either spell victory or doom. Harry knew there could be no in between. Still, he thought, it was a good plan and if they managed to capture Riverstein, which they had a good chance of doing, victory would be theirs. Everything depended on impeccable timing and precision execution. The Second Unit were to enter the enclave and clear as many people as they could. As they were doing that the First Unit were to surround the place blocking all escape routes to cut off any hope that Riverstein and company might have of getting out. All hidden escape routes were to be guarded from beyond the walls of the enclave by a branch of the Second Unit. Once the palace was surrounded, the Free Knights were to attack from below, as before and to split into different factions to isolate Riverstein. Once their primary target was caught, a signal would be issued to call the other Knights who would easily overwhelm the dictator and so end the current reign of terror.
All the forces had been issued their instructions and it was now less than twenty-four hours until the battle would commence. It was a make or break situation for the Brothers of Freedom. Victory would put an end to tyranny and persecution, but defeat would spell certain doom for all involved.
"You okay, kid?" asked Tonks, approaching him from behind.
"Yeah," said Harry. "I'm just… checking."
"How're you holding up?" she said, sitting down opposite Harry.
"I'm alright," said Harry. "Death is just something I've come to accept."
"It's wrong that you've had to," said Tonks.
"Death has followed me my whole life," said Harry. "I've lost so many people close to me that tragedy has become the normal, mundane."
Tonks shook her head.
"There's just so much wrong with this world," she said. "Why should we have to fight, just so we can be free?"
"I've been fighting for freedom, one way or another, for my whole life."
"Do you miss Ginny?" Tonks asked.
Harry's face flickered with the ghost of a smile.
"Yeah," he said. "But she'll be back soon. I can't even imagine what you must be going through."
"I'm managing to get up in a morning," said Tonks. "Although I'm not sure how I can keep going throughout the day. When we started this rebellion, we knew that it wouldn't be without sacrifice, and we knew that we would most likely die, but it sure as hell doesn't make it easier when you lose someone you loved."
"You were the best thing that happened to him even though he tried to push you away at first," said Harry. "Especially after Sirius died, he was lonely, tired, struggling to cope with life, but you changed him. You gave him a reason to live. In a way you saved his life and I know how much he loved you."
A tear slid down Tonks' face.
"How are we supposed to carry on, Harry?" she asked.
"We win," Harry said. "Then we make life better, for everyone. Even if we ourselves are condemned to a life of sadness."
"Always fighting for the greater good," said Tonks, with a sigh.
He stood from his chair and took a step closer to Tonks and gave her a huge bear hug.
"It will get easier," he said. "Just give it time."
It didn't take Harry's faction of Knights long to find Riverstein. He and his goons were standing in a circle around a lone figure in the main courtyard of the palace.
"Ok," said Harry to his group. "Listen up. I'm going to fly down and get that person who they're surrounding to safety. The rest of you as soon as I'm away are going to stun the goons, before flying down to surround Riverstein. Horatio, it will be your task to send out the signal. Good luck men."
"Good luck, Commander," said Maximillian.
Harry mounted his broom and dove quickly down into the courtyard scooping the captive up as he went, and not missing the opportunity to give Riverstein a nice, smug smile. He helped his new companion to climb onto the back of his broom as he flew over the palace.
"I was wondering when you were going to show up," said Ginny as she slid her arms around his waist.
Soon after, Harry landed his broom at the other side of the city and allowed Ginny to climb off. She looked very pale and he face was tear stained.
"Are you alright?" he asked, taking her face in his hands and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
She nodded and smiled at him.
"I am now," she said.
"Potter!" came a growl from behind the couple.
Harry turned and Ginny stepped out to the side to see Ron Weasley glaring furiously at them.
"Keep your hands of my sister," Ron hissed. "Come here, Ginny."
"No way," said Harry before Ginny could respond. "You've done a shit job of looking after her. I've just had to save her from Riverstein, again."
"You kidnapped her!" shouted Ron. "You kept her for months doing God knows what to her!"
"I rescued her from a prison underneath this enclave seven weeks ago!" said Harry, taking Ginny's hand. "Whoever has given you your information has obviously lied."
"Come with me, Ginny," said Ron. "Stay away from him, Ginny, he's a killer."
Ginny looked up at Harry, her eyes glistening. She moved a little closer towards him and tightened her grip on his hand, trembling slightly.
"He killed your brother, Ginny!" shouted Ron. "How can you stand to even look at him?"
"It was an accident," said Ginny, beginning to cry.
"So he just said the wrong spell did he," Ron yelled.
"You know him Ron. He was your best friend for more than eight years. You know he's no killer," Ginny shouted.
"Yeah, well, he's changed."
"No, Ron," said Harry. "You changed. You changed the very minute that policeman knocked on our front door."
"What would you have done had it been someone you loved who had died?" said Ron.
"I would have cried," said Harry. "I would have blamed myself for letting her go into town that day. Then I would have accepted it, and moved on. I would have realised that just because one muggle decided to walk into Debenhams that day and strafe everyone in sight with a machine gun, it did not mean that everyone muggle or muggle-born in this world was evil. I would hate all wizard-kind to be judged by the actions of the likes of Voldemort alone. I would have realised her death was not an excuse for me to join in the persecution of muggles and muggle-borns in my own community; people who I knew at school, people who I was friends with."
"You and I obviously don't agree on everything like we used to," said Ron. "Muggles took Hermione away from me, and for that, muggles deserve to suffer."
"What would Hermione think of you now, Ron?" shouted Harry. "Do you think she would condone this? Do you think that she would still love you after all the muggles you've killed? Hermione was muggle-born, Ron! Her parents are muggles! She would not have wanted this."
Angry tears filled Ron's eyes.
"Shut up!" he cried. "How dare you speak of Hermione!"
"She loved you Ron because you were a good person," said Harry. "You did your best to help everyone, except maybe Malfoy. Let that good person come back, Ron. Come with us, and help us to rebuild our world."
"You killed my brother," Ron said. "How can I trust you?"
"Please Ron," said Ginny, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
"Your brother died protecting Riverstein," said Harry. "I would never willingly harm a Weasley."
"At least he died for a good man," said Ron.
"A good man?" exclaimed Harry. "Alfred Riverstein is a liar. He is a dictator and a follower of Voldemort. He has murdered thousands of people, all because they are not of 'pure-blood' or any magical blood at all. He is evil! He is a disgrace! He and all who believe in him disgust me. And you know what else? Hermione, too, would be disgusted with you!"
Ron let out an angry growl and before Harry could blink, he was writhing on the floor under the pain of the cruciatus curse.
"Ron, stop it!" cried Ginny. "Please!"
"He's the reason Bill is dead, Ginny!" shouted Ron. "Are you just going to let him get away with it?"
"Revenge won't get you anywhere Ron!" Ginny yelled.
"It'll sure as hell make me feel better!" Ron cried back. "He's a killer!"
"And he'll have that on his conscience for the rest of his life!" shouted Ginny. "Do you want to live everyday knowing that you took another life?"
"He deserves to die!" Shouted Ron, thrusting his wand forward.
Harry cried out.
"You don't understand!" shouted Ginny. "He's a good person. He never meant to kill our brother. He never meant to kill anyone other than Riverstein."
"And you believed him when he told you that?"
"I had no reason not to trust him."
Harry cried out in pain.
"Let him go, Ron!" screamed Ginny. "Please! Don't take away my love just because you lost yours!"
Ron looked at her in disbelief and thrust his wand ever closer to Harry, flooding him with even more pain. Ginny looked down at Harry, seeing that he was slowly weakening; fading away.
"I love him, Ron! Please stop!"
It was almost as if Ron didn't hear her. He was so focused on inflicting Harry with such pain that it took him several seconds to notice that Ginny had flung herself between him and Harry, letting her body take the curse, protecting Harry. Beside her, Harry was slowly coming around, realising what was happening.
"Ron!" he shouted.
This seemed to bring Ron to his senses. He quickly lifted the curse. In her already fragile state, Ginny could not move. She lay on the floor with her breath coming in shallow gasps. Harry, using sheer willpower and fighting the searing pain lingering in his limbs, got shakily to his feet and lifted a barely conscious Ginny from the floor.
"Ginny," Ron whispered.
Harry turned and carried Ginny around the corner into the next street and towards the exit.
"POTTER! Bring back my sister!"
As Harry and Ginny finally disappeared from view, the street was filled only with the echo of Ron's anguished cry.
A/N Thanks to Bill for the beta.