Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, that honor is all J.K. Rowling's. Anything besides my original characters and the plot most likely belongs to someone or something else okay? If there are any problems with this story please address me and I will try to remedy it to the best of my ability.
WARNING: This is an AU fiction from HBP but it may contain some spoilers for HBP (I haven't decided yet but I'll warn you before I put something in there) so you have been warned I will retain some of HBP's happenings but others will be changed. If you feel this is wrong please tell me so that I can reconsider the context. For explanations please send me an email or review to ask me.
A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed the story, it really motivates me to write further so if you have an opinion state whether the review is a flame or not I will be thankful. I'm not trying to sucker you for reviews but as I said I'm not so sure about the story's life as I'd call it, so reviews are appreciated so thanks to those who have reviewed.
I seriously apologize for this chapter's abysmal length and quality. Berate me if you wish I'll add to this chap later when my life isn't so heavy so forgive me please? Those of you who care about the story.
Recap: Draco and Harry are missing. Hermione's pregnant and acting off. Ron, Pansy and Blaise seem like they are just hanging onto the roller coaster cart.
-->Chapter Five --
The station was bustling with activity as Harry and his crew waited for the train. They were taking this way because it was the "safest" way to go without exposing magic.
"How much longer have we got Harry?" asked a blonde man with an Irish accent sitting across from him.
" About 2 more hours." At this the by sighed. The man sitting next to him looked heavenwards.
"What's up with you Jon?" He asked the blonde man.
" This muggle ladi-" The group shushed him. The woman across the aisle gave them a suspicious look. " I mean, the kind woman, oh so kind, is pushing the seat back. And I'm going to have to take this for another two hours?"
"Oh, suck it up Jon, you can withstand a push or two," He leaned in. "what? you can withstand a crucio but not a," he looked over the seat, laughed a second then continued, "restless 10 year old?"
" Restless ten year old?" He asked incredulous.
"Yeah mate, you going to let her best you?" Harry jumped in glad to be joking for a bit.
"Like bloody hell I will." He rubbed himself into the seat and made himself comfortable. The group laughed.
"So, Harry tell me why are we going to this town again?" Taking a look at the snow out the window. "I thought the guys were stationed in California."
"They were and that's where they were taken but HQ got a tip about a skirmish in a town under a mountain pass." He pointed out the window. " That one just there."
" And this source is reliable?" The man next to Jon questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Why wouldn't they be, Al?" Jon answered before Harry could. " Would HQ send us anywhere without verification, I mean come on we all have been doing this for a while."
"It doesn't hurt to be careful," Harry defended. " Besides Al's always been a runner up for the next Mad-Eye." He laughed lightly.
" Yes, constant vigilance!" Al laughed looking around with paranoia. Everyone Was glad Harry's mood was a little lighter than when he earlier checked in. Harry looked on out the window, hoping the next stop would amount to something useful about Draco's location.
Two hours later the guys were sitting in an overly flowered room with a woman whose ears had more hair than the puff on her head.
" Are you men with the sheriff's department?" She asked while offering each of them a scone.
"No thanks ma'am." Harry politely declined, " We're actually with an independent investigating company and we're following up on a lead that someone we are currently looking for may have passed through here."
"Oh, well then how may I be of assistance?" She sat down at full attention.
"We got a call from your sheriff that you heard a scuffle a few nights ago?" Al asked a notepad in hand. " Do you remember saying that?"
" Yes, I think I do, it was a Wednesday was it not?" Al nodded. " Yes I remember now, I was out looking for my cat, she always finds her way out and I can never seem to figure out why, I mean she jus-" Harry cleared his throat.
" Oh yes right, the scuffle. Well I was walking out by the abandoned winery, Kit likes to wander out there, well I heard a few voices and got scared so I hid behind a bush and saw two men walk by, I overheard them saying something about keeping them or not getting caught. I'm not sure what exactly but I think they were up to something you know?" The men nodded. " And well they said something hiding a manboy from a manboy or was it a malploy?" she shook her head. The men shared looks. This was getting interesting.
"Is that all?" Harry asked only slightly disappointed.
" No well, after that there was some laughing and then one of the men's pockets flashed a blue light and the men rushed back to the winery. Then there was a commotion and some yelling and then all the lights went out." She paused and her eyebrows ran together, she looked thoughtful.
"And then what?" Jon prodded, receiving him two elbows in the gut. " What?"
" Well I don't know if what I saw next happened, you never know with girls my age." Al poised his pencil, sparing a look at Harry who seemed to think this would be worth hearing.
"Anything would be helpful ma'am, we won't judge, promise." Harry encouraged her.
" Well, there were, these colorful bursts of light rays and shouts of gibberish, though it sounded a bit like Latin to me." The guys shared a nod. " Then I heard running and shouts of GET THEM!" I was so scared I ran home and called the sheriff."
" Did the sheriff check the premises?" Al asked.
" Yes but he said there was nothing out of the ordinary, maybe just a few kids."
" A few kids, hmm?" Harry reiterated, " not likely."
"Well you know, I'm old, he probably thought I was seeing things." The woman dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
" And there have been no other occurrences?" Jon asked eager to know more.
" Well now that you mention it just this morning I thought I heard someone out in the mountains. But it could've just been the television. I had just woken up from my nap. But that's all I can tell you."
Al closed his notepad. " Well thank you ma'am you don't know how much you have actually helped." They all shook her hand.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you much more." She sighed.
" And I'm sorry that I have to do this, ma'am if you could please sit down." Jon said in a regretful voice.
" Of course investigator, did you need something else?" She sat down.
"Sorry about this ma'am" Harry and Al chorused.
"Jon we'll meet you outside." Harry called.
"Goodbye boys, have a nice day." She called.
" You as well ma'am!" Al answered.
The door shut.
"I hate this waiting." Al said.
" I hate having to do this." Harry answered back.
"I do too, but she did see something, it was necessary." Al explained.
" I know but it still feels so wrong." Harry confessed,
"Think of how Jon must feel he has to do it." Said Al.
"But he is the specialist." Harry reasoned. The front door opened.
" I hate doing that." Jon shuddered, " I hate seeing that blank face."
"You didn't erase it all did you?" Harry warned.
" No, just what she saw." Jon shuddered.
"It's alright, she'll be safer now that she doesn't remember." Al reasoned.
" We've got to check out the winery now," Harry pointed out. " It's just up there."
"It got dark pretty quick didn't it?" Jon said aloud.
" What's the matter Jon, scared?" Al teased. "If all goes to hell you can just selectively obliviate it."
" I was just worried that we won't be able to see."
"C'mon you guys, let's get to that winery." Harry called halfway down the path.
"In a hurry for some huh Harry?" Jon called down the path jogging to catch up.
Setting foot on the property, something did not feel right. Al called from the inside of the shack. " Everything seems alright in here Harry, nothing out of place.
" That's what I'm worried about. It's too perfect." Jon called.
They all met in the doorway. They heard a twig snap.
"You heard that right?" Harry asked.
" Yeah." They said together. They all clutched their wands in their hands. Then a jet of green light shot past Jon's shoulder. Suddenly arrays of lights were darting all around them. The boys shot back in defense. A break in the spells allowed them a shared look together they came to the same conclusion.
It was an ambush.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he took in the musty scent of mold and wet stone. The cold wet weather having long since made him numb. Never having been here he was confused to say the least. He heard some shuffling in the distance. Have they found us? He tightened his hand around his wand.
"Draco?"
"Who's there?"
" It's me, Lewis." He loosened his grip.
" Oh. Lewis, what's wrong?" He asked relaxing a little.
"Nothing sir, it's just that I was wondering if when we were going to try and get home?" Lewis stammered.
"Patience Lewis, first we have to establish whether we're off the trail yet." Draco answered.
" But we are going to try right?" Lewis asked a little unsure.
" Of course! God man! Do you think I'm enjoying this?" Draco shot a little irritated.
" No sir, I just wanted to know, I mean I don't want to seem ungrateful but don't you think we should have gone back by now?"
" And be captured once more? I think not," Draco defended his choice.
" Lewis would you shut up about going home already! If Draco thinks we should wait then we'll wait. In case you forgot he's the one who got us out of there. Plus, he's captain you don't question that." A low voice towards the back called.
" Shut it John! This is only the kids second mission it's not his fault he's scared!" A second voice called.
" But he still shouldn't have questioned the Captain." Another voice chimed in.
" Draco's never pulled rank don't act like he does," A high voice in the corner jumped in. " bet you'd love to get him sacked for it if he did." It added. Draco a little surprised at the last part decided this had gone too far.
"All right enough! We've got enough enemies to worry about out there, we don't need them among us." Draco shouted putting a halt to the impending argument.
"He's right you know." Called a deep voice form the corner.
" Thanks Jefferson," Draco stood, wincing slightly at the dull pain in his legs from sitting so long. " I think that if by daybreak-" he stopped as he stumbled on a rock. Lewis cast Lumos.
" Put that light out kid you'll get us killed." The third voice form earlier called.
"Nox." The cave went black. The rain had stopped.
"Hello?" Lewis called.
" Jeez Lewis give us some warning next time." Jefferson chastised.
" It wasn't me I-" Lewis started.
"Shh!" Draco called; the urgency not lost on his men. Then they heard it. Snap!
"Let's check in here." A sharp voice called just outside the cave.
" Men," Draco whispered gripping his wand, " Ready on my count."
"Three."
"Two."
" One."
Two Figures stood over a pool of liquid slowing with steam. One small but commanding, the other tall and mysterious. The taller of the two gazed in to the bowl suspiciously.
"Are you certain this will be the one?" An unsure voice came from the figure.
" Of course I am, I've checked my facts, the signs and spirits point to him. He will be the deciding factor, to whether your Lord shall reign or perish. Do you doubt my reading?" The small figure questioned in a soft voice with an underlying tone of a threat.
"Not at all." The tall figure answered quickly in fear of the witch's wrath.
" Then I shall inform you of your necessities." She replied in a superior tone turning to gather a piece of parchment.
" My necessities?" He questioned reasonably perplexed. " I wasn't aware of additional necessities."
" Yes, well you are also unaware of the repercussions that come with questioning me again." She replied in a dangerous tone, not even looking up from her writing.
"Yes ma'am, I apologize, it won't happen again." He stammered.
"Yes, see that it doesn't." She hands him the folded parchment. " Tell your Leader I do hope he gets what he's searching, resurrection is no easy practice." She said with a gleam in her eye.
"How did you-," he began.
"You truly have no idea how deep in you are do you?" Her voice takes on a cautious level, "What path you are about to embark upon is one of the darkest the world has seen, it is not for the faintest doubt if you do have any you would do best to choose another."
"Right, I think I'd better leave now," He turns to leave. She clears her throat. " Yes?"
"My payment?" She holds out a hand amused.
"Oh! Right, Sorry ma'am." He hands her a bag of galleons.
She eyes the insides of the bag and replies, "Yes, you could be." She looks up. " You may leave."
He turns and leaves the room as quick as his feet will carry him. Exiting the abandoned establishment he finally released the breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Malcolm, what did she say?" A young girl walked up. Her dark hair was shrouding her features. He did not recognize her.
"Who are you?" He asked suspiciously. The girl stopped walking.
" Funny Malcolm."
"Malcolm's" face grew puzzled.
The girls faltered for a second then she laughed. She grabbed her wand from her pocket and Malcolm pulled out his aiming it at the girl.
" Wait! Just let me show you." The girl said. She waved the wand at her face and her hair cleared away, leaving a view of her clear blue eyes, matching Malcolm's. He instantly lowered his wand.
"What are you doing here Ryann?" Malcolm exclaimed.
" Apparently being held at wandpoint by my twin. She glared at him.
" Well if you hadn't have snuck up on me like that, you're getting too god at that for your own good Ryann," She rolled her eyes. "So what are you really doing here?"
"Chris-"
"Kyros" Malcolm corrected.
" Well Kyros asked- well more like ordered me to come and stay with you until they capture him and if they don't, then we ask Madam Zoi."
"Why did you have to come with me couldn't you have called?"
"Well obviously he doesn't trust you to handle Madam Zoi and so he wanted me to come and keep an eye." She answered in a laughing manner.
"Doesn't trust me? Over you? Well obviously he doesn't know about that time when-" He was interrupted by a low chirping noise. Ryann held up a finger.
"Yes?" She answered holding her cellular phone to her ear. " Alright we're on our way." She hung up the phone.
" Ah, the wonders of muggle technology, much faster than an owl." She smirked.
Malcolm rolled his eyes. " So what was that about?"
" Oh yes," She leaned in and whispered.
" They've got him."
A/N: How was it? Please be honest. Brutally, if necessary.