Welcome back, glad you're enjoying the story. I'm glad someone pointed out that the difference between thinking and talking in my script was a bit confusing. So I'm going to go ahead and put it in italics to make it a bit easier to read. Ok all that said, enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer - I do NOT own Harry Potter
-Chapter 4: Righteous Anger-
With the whirling of the air around them and the concentration required to not bust one's ass when using a portkey, no one heard the name that Hermione had uttered. Well, no one save Lucas, "Keep your mouth shut," he muttered under his breath as they hit the ground. With a rough jerk the former bride was pulled towards the house by her arm, the Alchemist turned to the recovering group, "MOVE!" he shouted
"You don't have to be such a bastard!" retorted Ginny, her temper flaring, "I thought you were here to protect us!" She went for her wand when he began storming towards her, gulping when she realized the other masked man had it. Speaking of masked men, the green eyed one was now inbetween her and her approaching aggressor, 'Thank God.'
"Back off," muttered Harry with a glare, his fist clenched, ready to throw a punch
Lucas met his glare full on, "You've lost your fucking mind." With nothing else to say he turned and glared at the other redheads and the three Graingers, "Get inside, and could you please get a move on?"
Harry reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his wand, with a quick swish and a loud crack, a large red house appeared. "A double ward," he replied to the curious looks, "Even if someone would manage to hear the location, they couldn't enter without my wand." He shook his head as Lucas nearly ripped the door off it's hinges, "We should move inside, it's not safe to linger." A strange feeling came over him, like someone was trying to burn a hole in him, he glanced around and saw Hermione staring as if she wanted to rip his head off.
'You bastard,' she thought as tears brimmed her eyes, "HOW COULD YOU!" she screamed and lunged for him. Two pairs of arms reached out and gripped her, "FRED, GEORGE LET ME GO!"
"Calm down!" exclaimed Fred
George was just happy she didn't have her wand, "What's gotten into you?"
Harry knew exactly what was wrong, she had figured him out and didn't seem to be planning a warm hug as a welcome back. The real question was why?
She stopped struggling and broke down into sobs, "it's him, he's right there!" she pointed at Harry, "why?"
Lucas was back outside when he heard the shouting, "What's going-" he stopped when he saw Hermione on the ground in her wedding dress, crying like she was in great pain. His heart broke slightly at the sight and the harsh facade crumbled a little. He sheathed his weapon and placed a hand under her legs, the other behind her back, with little effort he lifted her up and began walking towards the house. Hermione was too weak to really protest, instead she looked up at him confused, "He'll explain things when it's time, until then try not to kill him."
The brown haired girl gave another sob, "So it is him?" she recieved no answer. 'That can't be Harry, it just can't.' She turned her head to the approaching group as they entered the house, 'That man is an assassin and Harry hated killing, but it has to be, this is his parents home.' Out the corner of her eye she saw the man holding her give a slight shake of the head to someone in the direction of the kitchen. She could've sworn that she had heard a small crack follow it.
As everyone flooded into the home, Lucas placed Hermione on the couch and noticed Mr. and Ms. Weasley looking quite uncomfortable. Everyone else was in a mixture of awe and confusion as to why they were there. Then he saw it, Arthur's body posture shifted, his muscles tensed and he spun with an amazing amount of agility. When Arthur's fist connected with Harry's skull, the alchemist knew he was getting caught up in the situation. Infragilis would've deftly evaded the strike and came back with a devestating counter, but Harry Potter would've gotten cracked on the side of the face
And that's exactly what happened, sending The-Boy-Who-Lived to the ground, "WHO THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU? AND WHY ARE YOU IN THIS HOUSE?" shouted Arthur as he shook out his hand. Lucas chuckled, a slack guard didn't mean Harry was a soft target, there was a reason he was codenamed Unbreakable.
The remaining Weasleys watched the sight in confusion, "Dad, what's wrong? Do you know where we are?" questioned a startled Ginny, she'd never seen her dad hit anyone besides Lucius Malfoy and he had had it coming.
"Potter Manor," answered Hermione, "this is the home of James and Lily Potter, and also the place where Harry Potter lived until the attack by Voldemort." She glared down at his prone form from her spot on the couch, "I'm only going to ask you this once, so you had better have an amazing answer," a tear streaked down her face as she managed her best glare, "why?"
Lucas let out an audible sigh and pulled off his mask, "I'm going to take a shower," he turned to his partner who was giving him a pleading glance as he got back to his feet, "this is your problem." Before he started up the stairs he addressed their captors, "Don't try to escape, this place is unplottable and has antiapparation wards in place. The windows and doors are all locked and if you aren't either of us, they won't open. Think of this as a very nice prison."
Ginny smiled like she had just won the lottery, "I was right, you are the graveyard man!"
"Congradulations!" exclaimed the alchemist in mock excitement, "you win absolutely nothing! Isn't that wonderful?" His face turned back into a neutral expression, "My name is Lucas, not graveyard man." With that said he began up a winding staircase and disappeared from sight.
"Prick!" shouted Ginny
Her face turned red as a barely audible, "Thank You!" came from the top floor.
Hermione's burning gaze never left Harry, "I said talk, or I swear I won't need a wand!"
"You talk big for such a little person," he chuckled as he removed his mask, "and still such a little know-it-all, right Hermione?"
"Harry?" muttered Molly. Her eyes lit up as she mentally recalled the last time she had seen him, the man infront of her was taller and there was a bit less of a gleam of innocence in his eyes, but no doubt this was her adopted son. "HARRY!" she shouted and wrapped both arms around him, breaking down into sobs, "oh my boy where have you been?"
"Good lord, HARRY!" Shouted Arthur, as he shook the man's hand, "I had no idea! Sorry about the cheap shot!"
Harry shook his head, "It was a solid hit, I'm just happy that all it did was knock me down." He barely managed a turn before Fred had him in a headlock and George was grinding his knuckles into his head, "OI! CUT IT OUT!"
"Good to see you mate!" shouted Fred as he released his grip
"Smashing!" finished George with a grin
He extended his hand to Charlie, who took it without hesitation, "Good to see you again, Charlie, and this must be Melanie?" The woman nodded with a smile. He gave a nod to Percy, "Percy."
Bill meanwhile was looking at Hermione as Harry extended his hand to him, "Going to take a bit more of a handshake to make things right between you and me, mate." His glare lost something as he had to angle his head up slightly to meet Harry's six foot form, he stepped up so only the two could hear, "I should break you, like you broke her."
"YOU PRAT!" shouted Ginny as she jammed a pointed shoe into his shin, "where have you been? Making us think you were dead!" Her face was turning redder by the second, "FIVE BLASTED YEARS AND NOW YOU SHOW UP AS SOME, MASKED, KINAPPING ASSASSIN?" She gave him another kick. She burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck, "you stupid prat," she sobbed.
When she released him he looked to Ron, "Alright there Ron?"
"Alright," he replied. Then he embraced Harry in a hug that would make even Molly Weasley proud, "Missed you mate." The redhead let go of his best friend, "Hermione you figured it out earlier didn't you?" he questioned. When she nodded he became curious, "Then why did you try to kill him?"
She moved from the couch and was now facing away from them as she tried to steady her voice, "He just left, and didn't send a word to anyone!" she shouted, "and now look at him! He kills people for a living! Or were you all so wrapped up in seeing Harry alive that you missed that fact?" She rounded on them with red eyes, "I don't know if it's the fact that you left us or because of what you've become, but I can't even look at you right now."
Harry was dumbstruck at her response, "right, I'll be upstairs then. Please don't try to escape, like Lucas said, this house is impenetrable from the outside and inescapable from the inside." He made for his room, "I've missed all of you."
Ron watched as he disappeared, "What the bloody hell was that Hermione?" he shouted, the old Ronald Weasley returning after just a moment in the presence of Harry, "blokes been gone five years and you tear him down like that?"
Ginny exchanged a knowing look with her mother and Fluer, "Shut up Ron, don't forget it was Harry that kidnapped us." She gripped Hermione's shoulders and guided her back to the couch, "Well?" she questioned
"Well what?" responded the brown haired girl as everyone focused on her, "Look at him Ginny, look at what he's become. He killed fourteen men in that church without batting an eyelash, I don't care if they were werewolves."
Bill nodded, "You heard that vampire too, most dangerous wizard since you-know-who," he undid his pony tail and began playing with the band, "plus like Gin said, He's the one that kidnapped us. Plus we can't leave here."
"He is running around with an..." Arthur paused and gulped, "an alchemist."
"Arthur!" shouted Molly, a scandalized look on her face, "not you too! Do I need to remind all of you that if it wasn't for those two boys we could very well be dead?"
They never noticed bare feet descending the stairs, "Oh don't stop them with logic now, Ms. Weasley," came Lucas' chiding voice. Turning revealed him with his short hair spiked up and him leaning against the banister. Loose black sleeping pants covering his legs and a towel drapping over his toned torso, "They've got it all figured out." He gave a half smirk at Hermione's glaring face, "You do don't you?"
"I'm working on it," she replied with a snap
Ginny couldn't help but give him a once over, 'If it wasn't for the psycho killer thing, he'd be pretty hot.' She was broken out of her thoughts by Lucas, "What?"
"I said do you see something you like?" he reiterated about a foot from her face
The redhead blushed but gave an indignant humph, "Mum taught me to stay away from things that are bad for me."
"Good, because I don't do charity work," he retorted with a triumphant grin. "Would you like a little help?" questioned the Alchemist as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a galleon. He held up the gold coin with the goblin headed side facing them, "What do you see?"
Ron looked confused, "What? It's a galleon."
Lucas shook his head, "Wrong, try again."
"Heads?" questioned Charlie
The alchemist laughed, "You see half."
"I don't follow," repleid Percy, "half?"
"Of course not, you're not supposed to," replied Lucas as he curled his fingers around the gold peice, "I'm going to teach you something that is applicable in every aspect of life." He took a deep breath and recited the first thing Nicholas taught him, "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost," with a soft look in his eye, at the memory of his teacher, he finished, "that is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange." He held up the coin again, "This coin represents Harry's desire."
"His desire to do what?" questioned Ginny
Lucas glared at her, "Will you let me finish? Good God woman," he smirked as her ears turned red. "On this side is his desire to stay with the family he loved and made him feel complete," he then turned the coin to the Gringott's crest, "this is his desire to protect that family at all costs." He scanned the riveted audience, "Have you put two and two together yet?"
"To protect us he gave us up?" answered Bill
Hermione frowned, "We were never helpless. We can protect ourselves, we would've rather had him there!"
"Did you tell him that? Did any of you?" he glared at the redheads, "did you even tell him you loved him?" Again silence, "Then don't preach from your soapbox!" He wiped the harsh look off his face and locked down his emotions, "That was Harry's exchange. To protect you all he stands in the shadows and destroys evil, forgoing his life with you, the people he cares about more than anything."
"There hasn't been a danger-!" began Hermione
She was cut off by Lucas, "Who was the most powerful dark wizard to be destroyed in the past twenty years? Here's a hint, it WASN'T Voldemort," his anger began to flare at the woman's stubborn nature and lack of understanding, "It was some psycho in sweden who's name I can't even pronounce. He managed to create a containment spell for Avada Kevadra, he'd stuff it into teddy bears and other muggle devices, when they went off they would wipe out city blocks! Wanna know about the one before that?" he shouted, "Ogre named Mog'kresh in the jungles of Africa. He stumbled upon THE necronomicon when his tribe was burrowing for a new home! He had a damn army of the dead up and running before we could get to him." His eyes were blazing as he continued, how dare she accuse Harry of being foolish! "and there were about ten before him, THEN there was Voldemort! You Aurors are the pretty cover story that makes everyone all warm and fuzzy! WE'RE THE ONES THAT GET SHIT DONE!"
"Is Lucas sir feeling alright?" came a small voice from the hallway, "Dobby is hearing shouting, and Lucas Digonas doesn't shout unless there is trouble."
The alchemist took a deep breath as he smiled at the little figure, "No Dobby I'm fine." He gestured to the Weasleys and Graingers, "I assume you know everyone here?"
The small elf's ears flopped as he nodded, "Dobby is happy to see Harry Potter's Weazies again. Harry Potter doesn't ever say much but he has missed them so." He turned his large eyes on the Graingers, "You is the Graingers," he gave a small bow, "it's an honor."
"Could you show them to their rooms? I'm beat," questioned Lucas as he headed towards the stairs, "and tell Winky I do NOT want to see her walking around this cold house without her socks again, she could get sick."
With another bow, Dobby led the group down a huge hallway, "Mr. and Ms. Weazie will be staying here," he opened the door to a large room with marble floors and stained oak furniture. The room was trimmed in deep red and gold, "I hope the room is to their pleasing." Without another word he guided everyone else to their rooms, "Ginny Weazie will be staying here," he gestured to another room, this one trimmed in dark blues and white.
"I think I'll stay with Ginny," stated Hermione as she eyed the room.
Dobby looked scandalized, "OH NO!" he shouted and pulled Hermione down the hall to a huge oak double door, with a grunt he pushed them open, "Hermione Grainger is staying here, Harry Potter says that even if she says no, that Dobby is to lock her in."
She gave a gasp at the gorgeous room, the ceiling was enchanted to show the night sky, which was rainy. The walls were a deep purple and trimmed in a silver, the bed had a silver canopy and down comforter, while deep purple silk sheets were under it."It's wonderful Dobby, thank you."
The elf gave a nod, "We is glad Miss is liking it." He smiled at the witch's wide eyes, the next words he said made them even larger though, "Harry Potter is missing his Weazies, sure, but he is missing his 'Mione the most." He made a short bow and backed out the room, "Goodnight Miss."
End Chapter 4: Righteous Anger
Read and Review - a bit of filler and a bit of story progression. I hope you enjoyed! I'm starting to swing towards a Lucas/Ginny, but I still don't know. If it does happen it won't be for a while. Also I realise the Weasleys with the exception of Bill were pretty forgiving, I've never pictured them to hold much of a grudge at all. In this story Bill is very close to Hermione so he's a bit harder to swing. And of course I couldn't leave out Dobby. Also Lucas seems to be all over the place right now emotionally, but I'll be shedding light on that later.
Preview Chapter 5: Catching Up
