Chapter Sixteen
Hogsmeade for Halloween
School moved quickly for the marauders when they returned. They were causing so much mischief that if ever caught they would have had detention until after seventh year, but they had become cautious now. No longer did they act brazenly in the open, but acted more like Remus said they acted like in their time. It didn't matter though, everyone knew it was them. Every time a prank was done with the finesse that they had begun to show after their suspension, cheers to the marauders would fill the school. The best example was when Harry found a charm that caused a reaction similar to what happened to his Aunt Marge. The three charmed all the food on Slytherin's table, along with the contents of Snape's bowl as well. They received detention of course, because as the Slytherins and their house head floated up to the ceiling, Harry, Serena, and Ginny stood and began bowing to the cheers. They received a howler from almost every parent in Slytherin, as well as Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Fred and George, though Fred and George were only angry that they didn't invite them to see it. Harry was learning to control his emotions, and under the help of Dumbledore, he managed to control this new power he had in him. He could now do as hard as fifth year spells without a wand at any time. Though when angry or particularly upset, he could handle spells most aurors couldn't. With a week till Halloween the three were stuck in a discussion about what to do for the Hogsmeade trip.
"Well Serena, you are always welcome to come with us." Ginny said. She and Harry were thinking about a date, but didn't want to leave Serena out.
"I don't want to tag along on a date, Gin. You two spend almost all your time with me!" Serena said, laughing. "How are you ever going to do even half the things you've been thinking about since summer with me always around?"
"Well, you could take pictures," Harry suggested, laughing with her.
"You could join in, but I don't think Harry is that kinky!" Ginny said beginning to giggle.
"You have no idea how kinky I am!" Harry exclaimed. "It could be fun, she might teach us a thing or two!"
"That I could!" Serena said jokingly. "But Harry dear, really don't worry about me. You two go on and have fun. Maybe I'll get a date of my own" She smiled wickedly "After all I am one of the school beauties!"
"Oh well, guess I was starting to get a big head anyway," Harry said smiling, "Traveling this school with a beautiful woman on each arm. Hell I was starting to feel like a king!"
"Well, Harry, unless you haven't noticed, right now you are a king!" Ginny said laughing. "Look around you, everybody worships us. It is exactly like what you told us happened to the first marauders."
"So long as we don't get as arrogant as they were at their time of power, I think everyone will still love us." Serena said, then burst into laughter, "What am I saying! We are ten times more arrogant than they were and they still love us!" Then her eyes widened. "I've got it! I've got our next prank!" She said, then began whispering to them, students all around them knew a prank was forming and was accepted by the broadening grins on their faces. All eyes stuck on them as they walked to the Slytherin table standing behind Nott, Malfoy, and Parkinson. They gave a start as they all tapped them on the shoulders.
"What do you three want Potter?" Malfoy spat.
"Calm down, we just wanted to talk to you three for a second." Harry said calmly, laying on charm as he smiled at Pansy and winked. He looked back at Malfoy as Pansy started to smile. "Can you meet us outside the Great Hall, now? You can have my wands if it will make you feel better." Harry said, flicking his wrists, flipping the wands around, and held them out to Malfoy. "No point though, we are actually getting tired of pranking you three, and we need you unpranked. So, are you coming?" Harry said as the three walked out smiling at each other, because following behind them were three confused Slytherins. When they were standing in the hall they turned and faced the Slytherins.
"Ok want to know what we want?" Harry asked, still smiling at Pansy. She began to nod quickly and blush. "Well that's one, so I'll assume the rest agree." Harry said still smiling. "Well, since we can't obviously date in a group of three, we decided all of us should have another date. So we decided, that since we have been so mean to you three, Malfoy and Parkinson, sorry, Draco and Pansy in particular, that we would give you three the honor of being our dates."
"Right Potter, you want a date, what, do you want me now?" Malfoy spat, angrily. "Just another prank. We go out with you three and you embarrass us in Hogsmeade in front of everyone."
"Malfoy, we can embarrass you in front of everyone here." Serena said still smiling. "We just don't like the idea of one of us not having a date."
"Beside, I've begun to notice Pansy looking quite stunning these last few days." Harry said. "I'm only allowed to date a girl if Ginny has a guy. So Malfoy I'll give you the honor of taking Ginny out. I would say Serena, but she's against dating relatives. I'm sure you understand." At this, Ginny began smiling at Malfoy slyly. "As for me wanting you, Malfoy, its not my style. As you have seen since I've returned, style is important." He licked his lips while looking at Pansy. "However, there is someone here who catches my eye."
"I'll go!" Pansy said excitedly. Malfoy was stunned at this, especially when Harry put an arm around her and began whispering in her ear as she blushed.
"Fine, Potter, I'll take your girlfriend, but don't be surprised when she doesn't want you back!" Malfoy said. He elbowed Nott in the side and he nodded. The girls took their respective dates and began flirting easily with the two Slytherins.
"Okay Malfoy, but don't be surprised if you girlfriend and mine come to me, begging for attention." Harry said smoothly. When they walked back into the great hall, everyone was shocked. Especially when the marauders sat down with the Slytherins. None more than the teachers, though no one spoke a word. Everyone felt a betrayal at this.
This continued for the rest of the week. None of the three making advances, and easily dodging those coming, and everyone quietly fuming, as no jokes were played the entire week. Rumors began that the marauders had gone soft, that they were under the imperius curse, the worst and most common was that they had become dark wizards. In classes, they sat with their Slytherin counterparts, and even Harry and Malfoy were getting along, laughing at jokes and calling each other by their first name. When the day of the Hogsmeade visit, the marauders came to breakfast and sat with Gryffindor table instead of Slytherins, explaining to the Slytherins the night before about stray curses flying to them in the common room. They sat down and began laughing hysterically at everyone at the table, smiling, laughing and joking as if they had never been seen with the Slytherins, when most knew they were even in the Slytherin common room a few times. When the time to leave came they stood up and tapped their robes and they disappeared, leaving them all looking amazing in their muggle clothes. Harry had finally built up a strong amount of muscle, though still skinny he now had definition in his muscles, and his body showed through lightly under his clothes. Ginny and Serena, though not showing definition, had figures that showed they were in good physical shape, and making them look even more beautiful than before. Harry held Ginny's hand, while Serena resumed her normal stance, her arm over Harry's shoulders, and her other hand holding his arm. They were the first out and were in front of a large crowd heading to Hogsmeade when their dates showed up.
"Hey! You three asked us out remember!" Malfoy shouted. Then the three turned around laughing.
"And you believed it!" Ginny shouted laughing.
"Wow, you guys really aren't bright!" Serena shouted, joining in Ginny's laughter. Harry held up Ginny and Serena's arms in triumph.
"The marauder's win again!" Harry shouted and laughed as he escorted the marauders to Hogsmeade.
"So will you two be my dates?" Harry asked smiling.
"Always was love, was there ever a doubt?" Ginny said, smiling beatifically.
"Well I guess with the prank I didn't have time to find a date." Serena said smiling and resumed in holding Harry. "So you got me again stud!" She said laughing.
They enjoyed their time in Hogsmeade, going to shops, buying whatever they wanted, talking freely and laughing at the Slytherins. After they had agreed they bought enough things, they went to the Three Broomsticks and had a great lunch while people ran up to them congratulating them. Some would say they knew it was a prank, others apologizing for thinking they had gone dark. All was laughed about and shrugged off as no big problem. Just as they were starting to enjoy themselves fully, they heard the screams.
"Death Eaters! Run!" A woman shouted. The marauders instantly ran to the door their wands drawn. Smiling at this situation.
"Finally a real battle!" Serena said.
"Well then not too many, apparently they think students are weak!" Ginny said.
"Well, lets go disappoint them shall we?" Harry asked.
"Agreed!" The two shouted, and they ran directly into the battle.
The fight could have been better on their part. The battle was furious. Harry, Ginny, and Serena putting all their practice to work. As curses began flying toward every direction, they had no problem avoiding them. Ginny and Serena were shielding themselves and Harry, while Harry began stunning and tying up Death Eaters. He needed the protection because he was casting charms to stop apparition on a large scale. When he nodded, all three began fighting strong. The Death Eaters, not prepared for this response, began sending only killing curses out. This is when the three got angry. One little girl who Harry was a second late shielding got hit by a stray curse, killing her. Harry, Ginny, and Serena, furious, began to move at their speed in the training room. They split up to handle the jobs as before, Ginny rounding up students and children ordering someone to take them to the castle, while Serena would shield masses of people at once, Harry, who was the fastest with spells, moved with blinding speed. Stunning many some he made suffer with spells that were close enough to the unforgivables as to have devastating effects. This scared the Death Eaters, especially when Ginny and Serena stood beside him and began sending spells. They ended the battle 10 minutes after it had started, but the loss that they felt here was worse than any in the practice. Harry walked over to the little girl and began crying as he picked her up.
"What's wrong Potter? Couldn't save one little girl?" Malfoy spat at him, pride in his voice. "Maybe you just aren't strong enough to handle those with real power!" Harry turned to face Malfoy, still holding the child, walking till he stood an inch from his face, he glared at Malfoy staring him in the eyes.
"SHUT UP!" Harry said releasing his power aimed at Malfoy, who flew twenty feet and hit a wall. "WHO ELSE THINKS LIKE HIM? WHO ELSE THINKS THIS GIRL DYING WAS GOOD! TELL ME NOW SO I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT I THINK OF IT!" Harry shouted, anger filling him.
"Hey Potter, Malfoy is the only git here." Serena said smiling, "You really think they want trouble with the marauders?"
"She's right, sweetie. Its over." Ginny said. "We weren't ready for this one, but we still saved a lot of people. I hate it too, but we can't save everyone."
"I know, but I just wish this would end." Harry said, sadly, "I just wish he would face me so I could end it all. Then I wouldn't have to worry whether someone was going to die or not. Then it wouldn't be my responsibility to face their leader."
"We know, Harry. We understand it too." Serena said. "We love you, and want this over as much as you do. We want you to be able to have a normal life. Just cant happen yet, kid."
"Kid?" He asked smiling, "In case you forgot, Black, I'm older than you are now."
"Welcome back, love." Ginny said, kissing on his cheek.
"Hey can I get in on this?" Serena asked jokingly, as she kissed Harry on the cheek as well. "Come on, you two, we're drawing a crowd, and we have no pranks to pull right now!" They laughed briefly and as they looked up they saw that a large group of people were staring at the three. A man walked up to them slowly, looking curious.
"Are you the three wizards who saved us?" He asked in disbelief. They nodded at him carefully.
"We are sorry we couldn't save the little girl." Ginny said sadly.
"I was trying to stop one of them from attacking a group of children when she ran." Serena said, tears forming in her eyes.
"I didn't see her till it was too late. I did my best to save her. I'm sorry sir." Harry said, tears still flowing down his face. "I wish I could have done more."
"But, children, we are all sad to have lost a child on this day." The man said solemnly. "You cannot be held responsible for the actions of those you fought today." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You all fought bravely, and are still children. To have saved so many yet feel the weight of one loss, that shows true honor children. Remember this, and you will always fight strongly. We thank you three for saving us. Now tell us, are you aurors?"
"No sir." Serena said.
"We're not aurors." Ginny said.
"We are the Marauders." Harry said sadly. Suddenly the man stood tall and spoke firmly.
"Today, hero's arose when we needed them! They rose and thought nothing of themselves but of the people in this town. Even now, as we are all standing here as a reminder of their courage, they do not see us! For today we lost one life, the life of a child! This atrocity is what weighs on these children now. I want to find the parents of this child so these children may know whose the weight they bare." The man finished. Suddenly two people walked forward and, seeing the girl in Harry's arms, they started crying. The marauders walked to them and knelt down beside them.
"We are sorry that we could not protect her." Harry said, tears still falling from his face. "So many spells came at once, we tried to protect them all, she was behind me, and I didn't see her till the spell had almost hit her. The shield formed just as the spell hit her." He handed the girl to her father. "I am to blame. I did not protect her in the manner she deserved. Had I been paying attention to her movement, I would have seen her. I'm so sorry." Harry finished, putting his head in his hands, and began crying uncontrollably. Ginny and Serena stood closely behind him, crying themselves, yet standing ready to protect Harry. The woman came closer to him and both girls tensed. She froze for a second, looking them in the eyes, she saw love, and shook her head. They relaxed and the woman came next to Harry.
"Did you know our daughter?" She asked him, quietly. Harry shook his head sadly. "Yet you cry like this. You are a good man, child. Now look at me." Harry looked up. She saw his head and her eyes widened. "You are Harry Potter! You fought to save us, when these people would kill you for their master?" Harry nodded again. "You are a good man, I do not blame you. Do you know which one sent the spell?" Harry nodded and stood. Grabbing her hand, he led the woman to one Death Eater, alone from the pile they had organized.
"I will kill him if you ask it, miss." Harry said firmly. "It is fair, a life for a life." Everyone gasped at what Harry said, except Ginny and Serena who stood beside him and nodded. The woman looked at these three with a sense of awe.
"You would risk Azkaban to punish someone who has hurt a person you do not even know?" She asked, shocked at this statement.
"I would kill all these men if you people asked it, and face Azkaban happily, if it would make you feel justice." Harry said calmly. Aurors began apparating into the village and the teachers began to stand beside the crowd. When the aurors reach the man who killed the child Harry became furious. "LEAVE THIS ONE! HIS LIFE IS HERS! THIS WOMAN DECIDES HIS FATE!" Harry said as he aimed both wands at the auror. The aurors began drawing their own wands, and Ginny and Serena leveled their wands as well.
"We will fight, aurors, and we will win." Serena said smiling.
"After all we have stopped all these Death Eaters. You really think you will be a problem?" Ginny said, her grin becoming horrifying.
"No." Said the woman calmly. "None of you will go to Azkaban in this ones place. You three who fought to protect an entire village when aurors do nothing but come when it is over." She glared at the aurors. "This boy is Harry Potter! This boy is one of the three Hero's of Hogsmeade now! If you attack him, I will attack you and fight beside them!" The aurors became furious as others from the village also drew their wands, their expressions grim. The aurors put the wands down. "Harry Potter has said that this scum's life is mine because he killed my daughter. I want the man to be imprisoned for life. That should be his fate."
"If that is your wish, then it will be." Harry said, putting his wands away. He nodded to Serena and Ginny. "From now on aurors, try to come before innocent lives are lost, not after!" Harry glared at them all furiously. "Or next time, you will meet my wand! Is that clear!" The aurors, suddenly scared at being threatened by Harry Potter, nodded quickly and began to apologize to him. "You should apologize to those who lost someone they loved. I did not know this child, but those who stand here do."
"Sir, we have no power to help these people, I am sorry." Said one auror, who looked frightened. "But tell us what we can do to help and we will."
"Help them, not me. Take these Death Eaters and throw them into Azkaban for life, throw them through the veil, kill them yourselves, do anything you have to, but make sure they cannot come back to terrorize this town again." Harry said sadly. "I'm still young, so I don't know everything, but I know if these men are released, they will do something like this again. Maybe not Hogsmeade, but somewhere. You ask me how can you help, and there it is. Stop them." Harry said, then turned around and walked towards the castle, Ginny and Serena close behind him. Dumbledore sent Remus after them. When he caught up with them he spoke.
"The Headmaster wishes to see you three." Remus said calmly. "He is waiting for you in the Three Broomsticks." They nodded and followed quietly. When they reached the Three Broomsticks Remus led them to a private room. There Dumbledore sat smiling at the children, McGonagall sitting on one side of him, Remus sat on the other side and motioned for the three students to sit. As they sat Dumbledore nodded to them all respectfully.
"It has come to my attention that you three fought those that sought to kill and maim many today." Dumbledore began softly. "Normally I would say this foolish, but as I have seen how you train, I am glad that you three were here. These people would have faced far more casualties had you not been here, I assure you of this."
"Sir, why did they begin using only the killing curse after we started fighting?" Harry asked. Dumbledore smiled at this.
"Do you really not know Harry?" Dumbledore said, before continuing, "You three are the only ones ever known to successfully use the spell you found since it was created. I have only seen that spell once, and even I cannot. Yet you three use it with such ease, that I must admit a sense of jealousy. Do not ask me why or how, for I do not know."
"How did I miss that little girl?" Harry asked softly to himself more than Dumbledore, who answered anyway.
"Harry, this was different from the training you three do every night. Human emotion is not a factor in it. You missed the girl because you three had a system which, for the most part, worked flawlessly. You did not expect someone to not trust Serena or Ginny." Dumbledore said, sighing sadly. "Unfortunately, at times of despair, trust is fleeting, and emotions are stronger. You did not fail, Harry, nor are you to blame for this. The people to blame have been taken. Hopefully with your words, they will stay in Azkaban at the least, though I feel that those aurors may listen to some of you gravest punishments given the chance." He smiled again at Harry "You do not yet see this, but your words have power. People listen to you, Harry, and respond not out of fear, but because your emotions fill your words. That causes them to respect you, Harry, for so few people speak that way. Do you have any other questions?"
Sighing, Harry nodded. "How long am I suspended for sending Malfoy into a wall?" Harry asked. Remus smiled at the boy, chip of the old block, he thought.
"Harry are you sure in all the commotion of the battle, that someone else had not attacked Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore said, and eyebrow raised, and all the teachers smiled. "After all I wasn't here, and when asked, not one person, be they student or not, would say what happened to him. I can only assume he was attacked in battle. Even the young Mr. Malfoy doesn't really know what happened." Dumbledore said, smiling happily. "You see, Harry, I have jokes of my own. You three are to return to the school immediately for the feast, and then you are to be checked by Madam Pomfrey. I will have no arguments about this, as you may have been hit by even the smallest part of one of those spells. Now go children."
"Thank you, Professors." They said in unison, and left the room, heading to school.
"They really are extraordinary children." Dumbledore said, "The closer they get the stronger they become. I'm so glad she made the right choice."
"Me too, Albus." Remus said, "However I still miss her, always will."
"Time heals all wounds, my dear friend." Dumbledore said.
"What are you two talking about?" McGonagall asked.
"Nothing of importance, Minerva." Dumbledore said. "Merely speaking of friends made and lost. We should return to the castle as well. Come now."