Chapter 12: Finally!
"I can't believe you would be so bloody irresponsible!" Sirius roared with flailing hands. Harry and Dudley cringed as they continued scrubbing at the dishes. Sirius was making them do all of the chores. They'd also been banned from the watch for the rest of time. "Honestly!"
"We get it, Sirius," Dudley argued. "But hey! we destroyed the locket remember! That has to count for something!"
"Foolhardy morons! You could have been lured to your deaths! It might have been death eaters! Or snatchers!" Sirius continued.
"I agree," Hermione said with a scowl. "It was very foolish."
"Er, I don't think you heard me? We destroyed a Horcrux!" Dudley repeated.
"We should probably move." Sirius suddenly remarked. "Thanks to these two idiots there's no knowing who might have seen them."
"Oh gosh, you're right!" Hermione cried in alarm "remember last week! I thought someone was lurking about! They could be closing in on us as we speak!"
"Give up Dudley, none of them can hear you," Harry said bitterly. Dudley harrumphed.
"Ungrateful bastards! We destroyed a piece of the snake-nosed bastard and we're the ones that get in trouble? What's fair in that?!" Harry bit back a quoted 'life isn't fair'. He could practically hear Snape drawling it coldly. He'd been thinking about Snape a lot lately.
"So do you want me to start packing?" Anthony asked.
"Everything but the map." Ron agreed. Hermione nodded.
"I need to mark a few more places. Then we can move on."
"Move on where?" Harry asked conversationally. Hermione tossed him a pursed frown before she huffed.
"Well, I've been thinking we should start looking for Ravenclaw's crown. And I thought what better place to start than where she was born."
"Where was Ravenclaw born anyway?" Dudley asked. "I know Godric's Hollow is supposedly the birthplace of Gryffindor, but what about the other three?"
"Where's actually a lot of contention!" Hermione said with an excited gleam in her eyes, indicating that the research had been fascinating. "For several years everyone believed that the four founders had to be from England. The sorting hat sings a song about their origins after all. But there are no known portraits of the founders from that time. All representations of them come from centuries after their deaths. Some recent archeological finds have suggested alternative origins. Of course, the poem goes Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor, Fair Ravenclaw, from glen; Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad, Shrewd Slytherin, from fen. But those aren't limited to England. While Godric's birthplace was almost certainly England many people have suggested the other three were from the mainland. Even the Orient! There's a clan of wizards in Germany called the Hasslefuff who claim to be descendants of Helga. It's been suggested that Salazar may have been from Spain. Considering historical context, it's possible his family were from the Middle East! There was a very well-renowned series of royal advisors to the Sultan of Egypt who could speak parseltongue. It's believed to be the origin of the craft!"
"Maybe take a breath before you keel over yeah?" Ron joked. Hermione sent him an angry glare but did take a steadying breath.
"Ravenclaw's origins are a little vaguer. The name Rowena has a much more varied origin. It's German, Welsh, Greek. But there is a rather promising area in the Northumbrian area I wanted to check. It's called Raven's Glen. Which is almost a Godric's Hollow in its obviousness."
"Yeah. Except Godric's Hollow was teaming with giant magical snakes and Death Eaters." Dudley reminded.
"Yes but there's no precedent for Harry to go there," Hermione argued. "I firmly believe the only reason Death Eaters were there is because You-Know-Who knew Harry would return eventually because that's where Harry's parents were buried and the house was. Raven's Glen is just a valley with a few small villages in it. From what I could discern there might not even be any wizards in the area. The Raven in Raven's Glen might not even be about Ravenclaw. The area is the seat of the old Viking invasions and might indicate Odin's messengers. Either way, it would be smart to investigate."
"I agree." Ron insisted with a nod. "Just to tick every box ya know? Leave no stone unturned."
"Alright." Harry agreed with a nod.
"Well, it's not up to you!" Sirius snapped before grabbing both his nephews' shoulders and spinning them back around. "Wash!"
When the group apparated to Northumbria the scenery was deary and wet. It was misting heavily and a blanket of fog floated around the forest, giving it an eerie feel. Susan straightened up.
"I'll scout ahead and find a good spot to camp." She offered before she turned into her white hawk and flew into the forest. Hermione pulled out their map and pointed at a few landmarks. Then suddenly Dudley doubled over and vomited into the grass. The group blinked and turned to the still heaving teen.
"Fuck!" Dudley choked out, "Run! Scatter!"
"Bit late for that poppit." A gruff voice called from behind them. Anthony paled.
"Snatchers!" He screamed. That was all the motivation Harry needed. He bolted into the forest the same direction Susan had flown. He could hear the others running too. At some point, Sirius transformed and bolted ahead on all fours. Harry watched in the corner of his eyes as Ron and Anthony were both ensnared. The way the other two snatchers were running Harry knew they must be werewolves. That meant they'd never be able to outrun them.
"James!" Hermione suddenly screamed. Harry blinked in confusion and turned to her and then he received a hex to the face. He blacked out for a few seconds. When he came too the snatcher was shaking him wildly.
"Wake up pretty… well… more like ugly. What's wrong with your face yeah?"
"It's allergies." Dudley said with a scowl, "he's allergic to grubby arseholes." That got him a punch in the gut.
"Vernon!" Harry cried in alarm. They'd long ago agreed to use their middle names as aliases in case they were caught by people who wouldn't recognize them.
"So," the leader purred again, "what's a group like you doing in a place like this?"
"We were camping." Anthony offered. "We graduated last year and we just wanted to take a year off. See the country."
"Camping." The snatcher growled. "You hear that boys? They're camping. Now, why does that sound like a blatant lie."
"What are yer names!" One of the werewolves snarled.
"Richard Clive," Anthony said quickly.
"Jean Clive," Hermione whispered.
"Vernon Evans." Dudley bit out.
"James Avery," Harry muttered darkly. The snatchers turned to him so fast he should have gotten whiplash.
"Avery?!" He said, a flicker of fear coming over his face
"Certainly not related to Julius Avery…"
"He's our cousin." Dudley spat. The snatchers went a bit pale. "I doubt he'll be too pleased when he hears about this." The other snatchers looked amongst themselves worriedly. But the leader suddenly sneered.
"They're filthy liars." He sneered. "They're not who they say they are at all." Then suddenly the big black shape of Snuffles leapt out of the trees and lunged for one of the snatchers.
"No!" Harry screamed, "No Padfoot don't! Down! Bad dog!" He screamed. One of the snatchers started kicking the dog, who yelped and tried to curl up away from the abuse. "NO!" Harry roared as he ripped out of the snatcher's grasp and dove over the dog, receiving a harsh kick in the ribs. He cried out in pain and the dog yipped worriedly.
"Stupefy!" The leader shouted. Instantly the dog stilled. "Bloody beast a menace! Lugbin! Just kill it."
"NO!" The teens all screamed in horror.
"Please don't hurt him!" Harry begged, "please please we'll do anything!"
"Well." The leader drawled with a sinister grin. "In that case. You'll be nice and peaceful while we turn you in for your bounty, or else the dog gets it."
"Where are we taking em?" The left werewolf asked.
"Well. I think we should take em to someplace that young mister Avery can be reunited with his beloved cousin. I'm sure he's very concerned over his disappearance." The leader drawled coldly. "Malfoy Manor!" He said when the werewolves stared at him blankly. Harry tried to keep the flicker of terror from his face. This was not good! Dudley scoffed.
"Yes well I'm sure he'll be less then pleased when we explain everything that happened. I wouldn't be surprised if you're all denied your bounty. And your life." He snapped, using all the same airs Sunt Petunia used with unimpressive politicians and nosy reporters. The leader snarled and punched Dudley in the face.
"Watch your mouth, you filthy little liar! Before I cut out your tongue!" Then he instructed the first death eater holding Hermione and Anthony to apparate. Suddenly there was a rustling somewhere above them. Harry looked over and saw a white goshawk staring down at the scene. It made an almost silent warbling squeak. Harry tried to express with just his eye his desperate desire for her to fly away, to save herself. Then the hawk let out a high-pitched scream and disappeared into the brush. The other werewolf jumped and whipped around, pulling Ron and Dudley with him in a wild circle.
"What was that?!" He cried dumbly.
"It's just a bird wolf-brain! Get bloody going!" The leader snapped. When he too disappeared the leader grabbed Harry's arm and then Snuffle's scruff. "Let's go lovely." Then he dragged Harry away to an unknown fate.
Harry tensed as he was dragged down the long gravel path of the impressive manor in front of him. Its tall pointed towers were ominous, while the large windows projected an aura of watchfulness that made his skin crawl. It was as if every window was an eye that bore into his soul and whispered his secrets to the vile occupants he knew lived within. The gate was cold wrought iron. Suddenly a woman sauntered up to it, with a glum face. Harry felt his throat tighten. He knew that face.
"What is this?" Bellatrix snapped in irritation.
"We've come for a bounty. These lot are a suspicious bunch though, this one claims he's related to Julius Avery." the leader snarled, giving Harry a shake. Bellatrix turned to Harry with narrowed eyes.
"And what did you do to his face?"
"We found him like that." one werewolf barked.
"said it was allergies." the other confirmed.
"Looks more like a stinging hex," Bellatrix muttered coldly. Then she noticed something and reached through the bars and twisted his face. Harry grunted in pain as her claw-like nails dug into the sensitive swollen flesh. As she stared her eyes widened. "Bring them into the long hall! Someone bring Draco!" Harry nearly choked. No! Not Draco! Anyone but Draco! That would be a disaster! But there was no choice in the matter. Bella led the short procession to the long hall. It was tall, with a massive floo fire and heavy curtains. There was a long table pushed to the side of the room. A rather unsightly bloodstain covered the front end of it. Harry shuddered. Narcissa and Lucius were muttering in the corner when Bellatrix arrived. The second Lucius spotted them he straightened up as if his spine had been replaced by his walking stick. "Where is Draco?!" she snapped angrily.
"Here Auntie," Draco muttered coldly as he swept into the room from behind the group. Bellatrix's face went sugar-sweet.
"Come here little dragon," she cooed, then she grabbed his arm and roughly dragged him to face Harry. "And tell me if you know who this is?" Draco looked at him and Harry swallowed roughly. He saw that glimmer of recognition flutter over his face. Draco knew exactly who he was.
"What happened to his face?" was Draco's first question.
"Never mind his face," Bellatrix snapped with strained pleasantry, "just tell us who he is!" Draco looked into Harry's eyes. There were a few seconds where no one made a sound.
"I'm not sure." Draco finally murmured. "Vaguely."
"Vaguely is not good enough!" Bellatrix snapped before she plastered on her smile again. "Dragon sweetie if we say it's Harry Potter, call the dark lord and it turns out it's not him, we'll all be dead," she said with strained sweetness, not unlike Delores Umbridge.
"Well… why don't we just wait until the swelling wears off?" Draco offered crankily. Bellatrix fumed before she looked over the group and a cruel grin spread on her face.
"I have a better idea." she declared gleefully. She grasped Hermione's arm with a grin. "Why don't I just ask our dear friend here for the truth."
"No!" Anthony screamed as he tried to pull out of the werewolf's grasp. "No don't you touch her!"
"Bring them to the dungeons!" Bellatrix snapped before she turned to Lucius with a lazy grin. "And summon Barty. He's been itching for some fun."
"NO!" Harry roared in horror. The last thing he wanted was two of the people responsible for torturing Neville's parents to insanity having 'fun' with Hermione.
"Get your hands off me!" Ron growled but it was no use, against the strength of the werewolves they were powerless. They were all dragged down to what might have been a wine cellar at some point and tossed inside.
"Here's your mutt!" the leader of the snatcher laughed cruelly before throwing Snuffles to the ground hard. Harry sobbed out pitifully. Then the screaming started.
"Oh god, Harry we have to save her!" Anthony sobbed hopelessly. "Ron please!"
"I'm thinking I'm thinking!" Ron said as he desperately rattled the door of the cell.
"Hello Harry." an airy voice suddenly called from behind them. The group jumped and whipped around.
"Luna?" Harry asked incredulously. The young blond woman stepped out of the shadows with her usual airy smile.
"Bloody hell what are you doing here?" Anthony demanded with slight horror.
"Daddy was printing articles saying Harry wasn't a murderer. So the Death Eaters took me to remind him who was in charge." Luna said matter of factly.
"bloody hell," Dudley remarked with a wince. Luna turned to Harry, her wide blue eyes boring into him.
"I knew you'd come eventually. Though I wasn't expecting it like this," she said with a slight huff. "You won't be much help to Garrick after all."
"Garrick?" Dudley asked.
"Garrick Ollivander." Luna clarified with a smile. The group exchanged looks of shock and horror.
"Mr. Ollivander is here?!" Ron asked.
"Right over here,'' Luna confirmed. The group all turned to follow her.
"Mr. Ollivander!" Harry cried before kneeling down and grasping the elderly wandmaker's hands.
"Mr. Potter." the old man rasped with shocked eyes. "Luna said you'd come… but I hardly believed."
"You weren't crazy after all." came another wheezy voice. Harry jumped and turned back around. A sinister-looking goblin was staring back at them, its black beady eyes gleaming in the darkness. Then suddenly there was a barking noise.
"Sirius! Sirius calm down!" Dudley cried in alarm. Harry looked over to see the dog have a fit, shaking like a leaf and reflexively biting at his legs. "You're okay! Hermione hit you with a spell before we got captured. I think it was so you wouldn't change back if they tried to test if you were an animagus." the dog blinked then buried his face in his paws and whined. Another scream sounded from above.
"Ron!" Anthony cried again. The ginger looked around in panic.
"I don't know what to do!" he admitted in desperation. Then suddenly there was a crash from above. And the screaming turned into varied shouting. There was a sound of hurried footsteps, then the door to the cellar opened.
"Back away from the door!" came a raspy voice. Snuffles climbed to his feet with a harsh glint in his eyes.
"Hide." Ron hissed. Everyone ducked into the shadows. Then the dungeon door opened and Peter Pettigrew stuck his head into the room with shifty fear-filled eyes. He withdrew his wand and pointed it at the shadows twitchily. "All of you step out here! Now!" no one moved. Until Luna took a step into the room with a crocked head.
"Well that's interesting," she said airily.
"Quiet you!" the rat animagus snarled. "I'm tired of you giving me weird looks and talking nonsense!"
"I just never understood how it would happen. But it seems pretty obvious now." Luna remarked. Suddenly there was a low growling noise. Pettigrew turned around and stared into the shadows. A pair of eyes glittered in the darkness. Peter sneered.
"Against the wall goblin!"
"Not the goblin." the creature hissed with an evil grin from another corner, as he followed Luna out of the shadows. Peter whipped back around and fear flickered across his face. He slowly turned back around when Sirius leapt forward with a roar. Pettigrew screamed as the dog pinned him down with his front paws and sunk his teeth into the man's face. He bit him over and over before latching onto the flabby skin of the man's neck. Then with a squelchy ripping noise, the man's throat was torn away. The traitor made a gurgling choking noise as he stared up at the dog with horror. The dog stared into his eyes unblinkingly. The fat man gave one last shuddery breath before falling completely still. The dog continued to stare at the corpse under his feet, blood dripping from his muzzle and slightly ajar mouth. Then he took a step back. He turned away from the body with a quiet moan and sat down. Harry slowly walked forward, careful to avoid the growing pool of blood, and placed a hand on the dog's shoulder.
"It's done now," he murmured. The dog gave a slow nod. Then suddenly there was a loud explosion and the house shook. Everyone grabbed a wall and looked around in panic.
"What the hell is happening up there!?" Ron cried in horror. Then suddenly there were more feet running down the stairs. Two very familiar faces poked into the room.
"There you are!" Fred Weasley piped up with a grin.
"Now Harry, what have we told you about going fun places without us?!" George griped
"Honestly!" Fred agreed.
"Utterly disgraceful."
"After all we've done!"
"I know!"
"Fred and George?!" Harry cried in shock. "What are you doing here? How-" a young woman suddenly pushed past the pair with worried eyes. The second she saw Harry she beamed. "SUSAN!"
"Harry!" she sobbed before jumping into his arms. Harry spun her around with a laugh. But she lost her balance and she landed wonkily, with one foot on Pettigrew's leg.
"HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF MERLIN!" she shrieked in terror, jumping away from the body in horror. "My god what happened?!" Sirius barked, a few speckles of blood dribbling onto the floor. Susan gaped at him in disgust and horror.
"So that's... The man who?" she said slowly, pointing at the mutilated body.
"Yeah." Harry nodded.
"Right." Susan said, "well remind me never to get on Sirius' bad side."
"Only if you do too." Harry joked.
"Hate the break up the reunion!" Fred said. "But we need to get out of here!"
"What about Hermione?" Anthony said worriedly.
"She's already gone with the first extraction team," George said before he began leading the group out of the cellar. The main level was complete chaos. Death Eaters were battling Order members throughout the manor.
"Here!" the left twin cried as he tossed everyone their wands. "We swiped them from the snatchers."
"Brilliant!" Ron cried as he fired a few stunners at some spare Death Eaters.
"Harry! " Susan suddenly cried and beamed. "I have wonderful news! You'll never guess who I found with The Order!"
"Who?" Harry questioned when suddenly a death eater turned a corner right into their path.
"It's Potter!" he shouted before he was suddenly slammed into the wall and slid down unconscious. The woman who stepped into the hall was unmistakeable. Her hair was a bit shorter than it had been. But her monocle was iconic.
"Now Mr. Potter," Amelia Bones tutted, though she sported a sly smile, "what did I tell you about staying out of trouble? As your lawyer, I strongly suggest staying away from such unsavoury places."
"Madame Bones!" Harry cried with a grin.
"Is extraction team two ready?" Fred asked. Amelia looked back over her shoulder.
"Hestia!"
"Wot?!" the woman barked before coming to stand beside the older woman. "Oh! Harry! Nice to see you again! Awful circumstances." Harry opened his mouth to joke along with her. But a scream fell out instead. His head was on fire. His scar felt like it was about to split open. Everyone turned to him with shock and Snuffles barked worriedly.
"He knows." Harry bit out. "He's coming."
"Extraction team two!" Hestia barked. Suddenly a familiar house-elf appeared.
"Mr. Harry Potter sir!" Dobby cried happily, "Dobby is so-"
"There's no time for that Dobby!" Hestia barked, "just get-" the rest of that sentence was blocked out by a group of Death Eaters suddenly emerging from the hall behind them. The group all ran up the hall Amelia had emerged from, Harry blindly stumbling as Susan dragged him along. There was another explosion as suddenly a wall collapsed. Then they all barrelled into the same hall they'd first been brought to. Alastor Moody was duelling with Barty Crouch Jr. The latter was much worse for wear. Meanwhile, Kingsley Shaklebolt and Emmeline Vance were battling Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix. There was a shout and Barty was thrown into the far wall. He slid down it, choking on a mouthful of blood, before going unnaturally still.
"That's for locking me in a box for a year you bastard!" Moody roared furiously. Bellatrix shrieked with rage and fired a spell at the distracted Emmeline.
"Em!" Kingsley shouted in horror, before he did the same thing to Lucius and renewed his assault on Bellatrix, this time with Mad-eye's help.
"Winky, Kreacher!" Hestia bellowed. Harry blinked as the two other house-elves appeared, though his eyes were still watering. Suddenly his vision blurred. Sound disappeared. His breath shortened. And he wasn't in the hall anymore. He was staring at the gate. Seeing the lights flashing in the windows. Watching glass break and mortar creak. Vaguely he felt a hand grasp his arm firmly, as something much more sudden and desperate clutched the back of his shirt. He felt himself hit the ground. But he was still approaching the house. Still walking up the steps, moving around the bodies of the Death Eaters with cold rage building inside his mind. A hand was caressing his face now. He thought he could see the woman staring down at him, tears in her eyes. Then a flash of green flooded his vision.
"Harry please." Susan's voice suddenly came out clearly. "Please look at me… say something. Harry?" she sobbed worriedly.
"Mad-eye… he's dead." Susan gasped and brushed his face again. "He killed him."
"How-" Amelia began, staring down at the couple with worry. There was another crack.
"I need a medic over here!" Kingsley's voice echoed over this space. Harry slowly sat up, despite Susan crying out that he shouldn't. He looked over and saw Kingsley carrying Kreacher in his arms. Harry's eyes filled with pain as the tall wizard jogged away. Behind him were the bodies of Emmeline and Mad-eye, both being tended to by Hestia and Sturgis Podmore. Emmeline was speaking, though she was moving very little. Mad-eye was completely still. A lump formed in Harry's throat. There was something sticky on his face. He grimaced and went to wipe it then pulled his wand away and flinched.
"Your scar was bleeding," Susan muttered worriedly. Harry sighed. Then he asked Amelia to help him up. They were on an unfamiliar sandy beach, with low rolling hills against the ocean.
"Where are we?" he asked quietly.
"A secure location on the French coast," Amelia said. "Well… mostly secure."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked before they crested over a sand dune. There was a small cottage just behind the hill. There was a small crowd of people in front of the cottage, including several Weasleys, Elphias Doge, and a few people Harry thought he might have recognized from The Order meetings in his fifth year. They were all crowded around two people, who were standing quite close to each other, looking meek and fearful. As Harry stepped closer he blinked in recognition.
"Mrs. Malfoy?" he asked quietly. The woman whipped around, pulled her son along with her. Draco stared at him with uncertainty.
"Dobby is sorry." the elf pipped up with narrowed eyes. "She grabbed your shirt before Dobby noticed."
"Why?" Harry asked. Narcissa swallowed.
"Please…" she said, before she released Draco, taking a step forward, which made everyone in the crowd twitch for their wands, before falling to her knees. Harry blinked down at her in shock. The crowd also gapped, while Draco looked away from his mother with hopelessness. A Malfoy begging on their knees was a rare thing indeed. And not something they did easily. "Please," the woman repeated desperately.
"Give us sanctuary."
THE END OF PART 1
A/N: Here it is!
The end of part one!
Right off the bat, I want to let you all know there is going to be a brief hiatus while I take a break and relax, and work on some other fic projects (and also maybe play more Genshin Impact)
Sirius Black's Service Dogs will be returning the first week of April.
Anthro79: Sirius is definitely going to need boatloads of therapy when this is all over, though he did get the catharsis of killing Peter with his own hands... er... fangs.
I'm really happy with how Harry and Dudley's dynamic evolved over the course of this series. I'm excited to see how it develops further.
Aslan's Princess: Dumbledore is an interesting example of subverted expectations. you read harry potter and it is very evident that the expectation was that people would take Dumbledore and his actions for face value. but if you look even deeper it paints a rather damning portrait. Maybe it's all plotholes that make him seem more dastardly than he really is.
Harry is a cute baby! Just a reminder I have a link to see the painting if you want!
And yes, I am going to miss all of the Lord of The Rings jokes. But they were fun while they lasted.
I am not even going to dignify the last part of your review with a response.
'sorry love, spoilers.'
Anyways!
Thank you all so much!
I'll see you all in a few weeks for the beginning of part 2!
Don't forget to keep on reading!
-TheTransfiguredCanary