Hey guys i'm back with the new chapter from Mirror Image it took longer than i thought but i've had exams and stuff but anyway here it is i hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: Come on you gusy you know by now that i don't own it. Well unless you count the plot which i hasten to add is mine...
Now to my favourite bit... REVIEWS
Missy mee: Thanx on the note of breaking sentances up...its a problem i have. My mind goes faster than i can type! lol anyway i tired to put that right with this chapter. Enjoy!
Pandasruletheworld: Thanx for the review as for how Harry will react when he sees james you'll have to read on. Pleased you're enjoying it!
The Wandmaker: Thanx for the great review. i'm really pleased you're enjoying reading it! i really am enjoying wiriting it. You like the idea with the Fates do you? I thought it was a good excuse to send James back. Harry deserves to havehis father for at least a little while...Anyway read on here is the next chapter...
LostAndWaiting: Thanx so much for the review. I'm so pleased you're enjoying the story. Remus is slightly different to how he is portrayed in the books but i thought he might take the role of guaridan-in-chief now Sirius is gone. Or at least thatwas what i was aiming for...I'm pleased you're enjoying it...Read on!
Now here is the story...
Mirror Image
Chapter Three: Duel for your life!
In the street of Privet Drive everything was quiet. It was pitch black and the streetlights were starting to flicker to life. All the curtains were shut and the street seemed to be closed for the night.
Those few who were awake at this hour were in the houses with the curtains closed and the lights could be seen peaking out between the curtains.
But at number four Privet Drive there was a difference. Everything was black but a skinny black haired boy was sneaking out the door keys crushed in his fist to stop them jingling.
He closed the door without a sound and crept down the drive and glanced back before turning and carrying on his way.
The boy was fifteen-year-old Harry Potter. Who for reasons he did not want to think about could no longer sleep and nor did he want to so he had escaped the prison that was his bedroom without his relatives knowing any different.
Harry wondered through the deserted streets of Little Whinging. He had never felt so utterly depressed in all his life. It was July the 30th but his birthday was only an hour away.
It was the only year he couldn't have been bothered whether his birthday arrived or not. He was going to be sixteen and he didn't care. It hurt too much to care. How could he celebrate his birthday when all he could think about was how many lives he was putting at risk.
He didn't deserve to be sixteen. He looked back at number four Privet Drive and shook his head. His aunt, uncle and cousin had left him alone and ignored his existence. He smiled bitterly. He was The-Boy-Who-Lived the guy everyone knew of in the wizarding world yet in his own home he was nothing more than a nuisance.
Not that he cared. He'd give anything to be normal. He'd give anything to have his parents, and Sirius back. He'd give anything to not have Cedric's death playing on his mind.
He'd give anything to not have Lord Voldemort the world's most evil wizard after his blood.
He put people at risk no matter what he did, he was poison and he hurt everything he touched. He shook his head again. He had to destroy Voldemort before he hurt anyone else.
Before he, Harry hurt anyone else. He turned out of Privet Drive and carried on walking not really caring where he was going only that he kept walking. He didn't want to sleep.
He never wanted to sleep again if he could help it. He seemed to be free of Voldemort and his obsessing but he couldn't get the image of Sirius falling through the veil out of his mind.
It was all his fault. He felt tears threatening to fall all over again. He blinked them back. He put his head down and carried on walking.
He doubted that the Order would be very impressed with him wondering about this late at night but he couldn't stand being in the house no longer. The Dursley's, while not being overly hateful towards him had not been helpful either.
Vernon and Dudley had not said a word to him since his return and although Petunia had made a constant effort to keep him happy in case he should call the Order he did not wish to spend more time than necessary in her company.
He followed the road down Magnolia Crescent and into the playground that had seemed to become his place of comfort over the weeks he had been at the Dursleys.
He walked over the sand that covered the ground and sat himself on a swing swinging idly making patterns with his foot in the dirt.
He glanced at his watch and saw that it was still twenty minutes until his birthday.
He was so intent on the patterns he was making in the dust he failed to notice that the shadows that surrounded him were getting unnaturally longer. Harry suddenly felt something shift and he looked up.
Shit.
Oh god. This was so not good.
Dumbledore watched James fly into the flames and was on his feet in an instant. He pulled out a mirror and called all the members on watch. "Head for Magnolia Crescent. Harry is in trouble."
Ten members of the Order answered in an instant. Faces flickered through the surface of the mirror and then it went blank.
Remus and Dumbledore shared a look that spoke volumes of the emotions they were feeling and then without a word Remus followed James into the flames.
Dumbledore looked at Fawkes. "We must go Old Friend." He whispered. In a flash of flame the portraits watched the headmaster disappear from their view.
They only hoped, as did everyone involved, that they would not be too late.
James careened through the fireplace and into Grimmuald place.
He didn't have time to think about how relieved he would be later that the place was deserted or how black it would be without his best friend. All he knew was that he had to get to Harry before it was too late.
How could Harry be so stupid? What was he going out the house this late anyway? It was nearly midnight. James cursed. He knew Harry didn't sleep but he wasn't usually prone to walking about late either.
He looked around as soon as he caught his bearings and then he was off again. He was heading for the door when a hand grabbed his arm and called "James! Stop!"
James spun round and faced Remus. "Remus, you don't understand!" James yelled. Unless we get to Harry now he will die!" Silence rang out after that sentence and Remus and James stared at each other for a moment before Remus said, "You of all people should not underestimate your son."
"I don't underestimate him!" James near shouted in his hysteria "but even a member of the Order would struggle to fight off ten Death Eaters!"
Remus went to comment but James cut him off. His hand out in front of him stopping any comment. "I don't care what you say Moony, Harry may be powerful but he is not immortal. I have to get to him!"
Remus said quietly, "I know that James. I know he needs help. I've worried about him constantly for as long as I can remember but I trust that he will able to hold his own until he has help."
James looked at his friend. "I know that's what scares me. He wouldn't give up for anything."
Remus nodded. "Dumbledore will be on his way. He has called all the members of the Order on watch duty together. Harry will not be alone."
"I don't care who has been called Remus." James said in a firm voice that Remus knew left no room for argument "I will go and I will help my son. Now. Either help me or Get. Out. Of. My. Way."
Remus threw a brown cloak at him. "Then wear this. We do not want the Death Eaters recognising you before the Order or Harry are aware of you." "What if the Order start hexing me? What then?" James said, "I don't think you'd let that happen somehow." Remus said pulling on his own.
"Now let's go!"
They left the house and as soon as they were in the clear the apparated running. Each hoping that they would not be too late.
Harry knew he was in trouble. He had faced Death Eaters before. But he had been in the magical world and he had had free reign of using his wand.
But if it came to doing so he would not hesitate to use it again. He could get thrown out of Hogwarts but at least he would be alive.
Somehow that option just seemed more appealing to him than abiding by the stupid ministry rules and dying in the process. He reached for his wand and knew that this had to be bad.
He hit the floor a second before a red beam screamed over his head.
"Oh brilliant!" He muttered. He knew he had no choice. He had to fight. It was either fight or die.
He rolled on the floor and got up. The Death Eaters were closing in closer ranks. He knew he had little or no chance of surviving this, but he'd be damned if he didn't fight.
He had always fought. And he would now. He had nowhere to run to. He had to fight if he had any chance of surviving at all.
He stood and faced the many faceless cloaks. Were they all so blind not to realise what Voldemort was really doing?
A servant had no rank at all in Lord Voldemort's rule. His Death Eaters were expected to have absolute obedience no questions asked and whatever the task entailed they were expected to carry it out without a blink of the eye.
Voldemort said kill your wife the Death Eaters were meant to kill their wives. No matter what happened absolute obedience was the key.
And in Harry's thoughts all it lead to was the destruction of free will and all that was good in the world.
He would not become some mindless servant. He believed in protecting everything he held dear. He would not let them win and if he had to die to make sure no one else was hurt then so be it.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a wand move but he was ready. "STUPFEY!" A Death Eater roared at the same time Harry yelled "PORTEGO!" The shield spell took affect and the red beam bounced off.
Harry knew he had to get to somewhere less out in the open. He'd be done for if one of the Death Eaters managed to get a clear shot at him.
He had to survive this! He couldn't let them win. He used the remnants of his cover spell and ran through the swings and round the climbing frame. The Death Eaters had successfully trapped him in so he knew he couldn't leave but he could find a better place to stand and fight.
Every instinct in him was screaming at him to run. To run and find away out of it. And as much as the idea was appealing Harry knew when to run and when to stand and fight.
He didn't have a chance if he ran. He would be cursed to oblivion. At least if he stayed low and fired curses at everyone he could reach he had a chance. He saw a Death Eater about to make the slashing motion that had knocked Herminone out last year and yelled, "SILENCO!" The curse stopped and he ducked as the beam that had not been stopped at the silencing of the incantation hit the climbing frame and rebounded.
Harry knew he couldn't hold them off long. But he wasn't going to let go without a fight either. Everyone he had known and loved had fought. His parents and Sirius had died fighting. If it came to that he would do the same.
He saw an opening and shot a stunning spell at the nearest death eater and didn't even pause to look if it had hit the intended target. He shot a full body bind at one and a jelly-leg jinx at another.
All the while sucking to make sure no one could get a clear shot at him. His thoughts were eerily calm but he knew that he had to find a way out. He had been lucky so far but he knew it couldn't last.
He had to get out before he got himself killed.
Or worse captured. He was not ready for another round with Voldemort. Not on Voldemort's terms. He didn't think he would survive. So he had to survive now.
He had to make sure that the Death Eaters made mistakes and he could get back to his aunt and uncles and know that he was safe there until the next round. That was the only chance he had.
He had to keep fighting.
He spat curses and felt his wand grow hot in his hand. He knew he couldn't keep this up.
He shot another curse at a Death Eater that got to close but didn't turn in time to defend behind him and he saw the wand come up to cast and knew it was too late. He closed his eyes.
A/N I was so tempted to leave it here but no. I decided to keep going. Whether that was a good thing or not I'm not sure.
James felt his feet crash to the pavement and nearly stumbled from the force. Apperating wasn't as easy as it looked and it came as a shock to the system when it hadn't been done for a long time.
He felt a hand come out and steady him. He turned and Remus was there with his wand out scanning the streets for signs of movement. James cursed. He knew where they were and they were streets away from where they needed to be.
What the hell was Harry doing out on his own anyway? He knew better! What was he thinking?
But James knew that as much as Harry knew he was needed tonight Harry clearly wasn't thinking. James wished with all his heart that his son could have been a normal sixteen year old and that he could have been through every step of it but it didn't happen.
Now James had to do everything he could for his son. He spun round trying to get his bearings. They had to be running out of time. Had the Death Eaters found Harry yet? Was he ok?
As if The Fates were answering his question he saw a red beam of light blast from the left and he knew where he was.
Too far from his son.
He cursed. He should have come sooner. Remus' gasp told him he had seen it to and without a word passed between them they tore through the deserted streets and round into Magnolia crescent.
What James saw made his heart stop. The Death Eaters had indeed found Harry. That much was clear he could see his son clearly from his position and they also clearly had him nearly pinned in but they couldn't seem to get a clear shot at Harry.
Harry was constantly moving not showing his back for too long and spitting curses back at the Death Eaters in rapid-fire succession not caring where he was aiming or looking long enough to see if they had made contact.
James had never been more proud of his son at that moment. He felt his blood boil as a Death Eater tried to sneak up behind Harry and wordlessly he and his best friend were in action.
They snuck up behind too Death Eaters who were standing guard and knocked them out. James took one of their wands.
James looked up and froze.
Harry hadn't seen the Death Eater coming at him from behind. He couldn't loose his son now. He dived at the Death Eater with a ferocity he had only ever felt once before.
When he was defending his family against Voldmort.
Now he was doing it again and this time he would not fail. He sent a stunning curse as the Death Eater in question and then crashed into the huddle of death eaters in fromt of Harry.
He saw Remus push Harry out of the way and flatten him against the floor as curses criss-crossed over his head.
Harry! He screamed silently leave now!
He prized his eyes away from his son. He had too keep the Death Eaters away from him. Nothing was more important than that at that moment.
Harry waited expecting the blow.
Nothing happened. Instead Harry heard the Death Eater scream and something hard hit in the solar plexus knocking the wind out of him and making him hit the ground hard.
He looked up and saw Remus Lupin his wand out keeping Harry's head on the ground out of cursing range.
He heard a voice he didn't recognise roar, "STPFEY!" He saw a figure in a cloak dive at the Death Eaters that had tried to circle Harry from the right and Harry nearly sobbed in relief.
Help was here. He wasn't alone anymore.
Harry had never been so pleased of the help in all his life. "Harry you need to get out if here now." Remus hissed in his ear. Harry was about to reply when both had to flatten themselves against the floor so that the red beams crisscrossed above them.
"I can't!" Harry said. Then he saw a Death Eater and scrambled up and cursed him before he could cast against Remus.
Remus knew Harry was right. There was no way he could get out yet and so he said, "Stay here!" and hurried to meet one of the hooded Death Eaters. The image nearly made him vomit.
That was what Sirius had done and it had gotten him killed. He gagged. He couldn't loose Remus too.
He made the decision without even thinking about it. He hurtled into the path of the curses and joined the fight. He heard the faint popping of more people apperating and whirled.
He saw Kingsley, Tonks, Moody Emmerline Vance and Hesita Jones and more he couldn't recognise appear and fall on the Death Eaters as one.
He joined in throwing curses with the members of the Order determind to protect them just as they were protecting him.
Then Dumbledore came. And the Death Eaters fled. Those that choose to stand and fight faced the wrath of the Order and were quickly subdued.
Fawkes appeared in a flash of phoenix fire so bright it blinded Harry for a moment and in that moment one Death Eater shot a curse at him.
Harry opened his mouth to deflect it but it didn't come within range. Someone spun in front of him deflected the curse sending the Death Eater into the wall with a roundhouse kick to the chest.
Harry watched dumbfounded. The person was obviously a member of the Order but Harry had never seen a member of the Order in a cloak before and didn't know what to think.
Then the man dropped the hood of his cloak and turned round.
Harry lost not only the capability to think, but to speak.
The only remaining thought he had was:
It can't be…As the voice filled with unspoken emotion chocked out
"Hello Son."
Not really sure what to think of this chapter to be honest. I wanted a battle, if a minor one but I don't think I've described it well enough…
I'll let you decide tell me what you think
Leave a review on the way out thanx.