Chapter 25

Alistair warmed his hands with the mug of tea, against the early morning chill of the day. There had been several early mornings and late nights, even following the success of 'The Operation'.

Clearing up Foula following Mr Potter's assessment of the land was going according to plan with mental health experts coming in from the UN to assist with those of the population who hadn't been murdered. But those who had been left still bore the scars of an occupation both mental and physical.

The situation with the ambassadors was something of a mixed bag affair, UNIT and his command had been largely praised for rescuing them unharmed.

But there was still the issue of them being kidnapped in the first place and being held within the United Kingdom, he suspected there was still some large politicking going on behind the scenes, both in the normal and magical spheres.

Potter had warned him this was likely to be only the start.

That was why he had continued to maintain the surveillance of "Borgin & Burkes", the shop Potter had asked monitored. Potter seemed to have forgotten about it, consumed by his own task, something Alistair made a note to himself to offer any further assistance her could for the man.

The intelligence was interesting, but difficult to decipher without context, but in time hopefully they would create a fine amount of intelligence. Perhaps, to avert any further incidents. He knew that Potter wouldn't be around forever, he had said that on his arrival, at the time it did not seem such an issue, now he felt like an integral part of his command.

Potter had though, given them something to build from, and bullets did work. Not just bullets. He was awaiting the RAF's full analysis of their report into their 'encounter' with the enemy, missiles also functioned, though there were some issues with targeting.

If they ever had to address an enemy such as a flying beast that breathed fire they would need to adjust their tactics somewhat.

Nevertheless it had been a successful mission, it almost seemed normal to be considering tactics for fighting a dragon.

Walking up to his office door he tensed, he'd locked the door when he'd left to get his morning mug of tea and turned out the light.

Yet the door was ajar and the light on.

Removing his revolver he placed his mug of tea on the filing cabinet outside his office and gently pushed open the door.

The sight inside didn't surprise him.

"Ah Brigadier, what have you been up to during my rather unplanned absence?" Asked the man who seemed bemused by him pointing a gun at him.

-/ - \\-

Harry tied the boat he'd leased, grabbing his jacket he walked purposefully along the jetty.

His meeting with Gideon and Fabian would be happening later in the week. His terrorist gathering was on hold until even later in the week, as last night he'd attended a location where there was supposedly a meeting but only once a week, so whoever when it happened would be his next…would be the next one, and one more closer to Ginny.

Straightening his tie once more he walked up toward the entrance to Fortress Island, or more to the point the administration block.

He'd cast a very low powered notice me not spell, just enough to (hopefully) give him an air of mystery.

"Mr James, how good to see you." Harry gripped the man's hand hardish and shook it vigorously.

"Colonel Trenchard, how very good to meet you face to face, I am sorry about all the 'cloak and dagger' palaver, but you know…" Harry said and wondered if he was laying it on a bit thick.

Trenchard nodded enthusiastically "Yes, yes, of course, you'll be wanting to see the prisoner then?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "I have my questions to put to him, UNIT wouldn't let us near him."

"Scared of the information he might know, what?" Trenchard continued.

"Indeed," Harry said, he'd only called Trenchard twice before, the second time had been yesterday evening. But Trenchard seemed to have an underlying paranoia to him. Which considering that was how he'd been manipulated by Magister it seemed the best thing to play on.

Harry stared at the fencing foils outside the Magister's cell and suddenly recalled the Doctor telling him about the 'fight' he and the Master would have, with those very foils. A very good story teller, the Doctor, but it was becoming somewhat odd, seeing it all, just that little thing.

"Mr James?" Trenchard asked a tone of concern in his voice.

"Sorry Colonel, a moment of déjà vu." Harry said distractedly.

"Oh, that happens," he smiled to himself "as the older you get the more things….it's this way."

-/

He looked up from his book as the door opened and the fool Trenchard bustled in, really, the tea lady at UNIT was more efficient than the oaf Trenchard.

But far easier to manipulate. Loyalty was hard to break, but paranoia could go a long way especially if they thought they 'were doing the right thing', if he had to suffer this small indignity at the British government's expense than so be it.

"My, my," he paused. "Harry, you do get around."

-/

"My, my," Magister started to say. Harry mouthed 'Harry' to the Magister, as it was likely he'd have called him 'Mr Potter'. "Harry, you do get around."

"Well I'll stay-"

Harry cut off Trenchard. "If you could leave me to speak Colonel, security and all that, we have to make sure no one is listening you understand," Trenchard looked over to him for a moment and nodded.

"Right, yes, very good, knock on the door and my guards will let you leave when it's time to go," Trenchard began as he walked out.

Harry watched as the door was shut.

"He's your jailer?" Harry asked incredulously as he unbuttoned his jacket and sat down, removing a jamming device from his pocket and pushed it across the table.

"You've made some improvements," Magister said turning the gaffer-tape covered box over in his hands, once more, Harry found it odd, to see him not wearing leather gloves. "So are you here at the Brigadier's sufferance my dear Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "The Brigadier doesn't know where I am, the Doctor's off on a little jaunt."

"Really? For the Time Lords no doubt," Magister asked.

"Likely," Harry agreed.

"So why have you come to see a criminal such as myself?" Magister asked leaning back in his chair.

"I though I'd drop in a bolster Trenchard's paranoia a bit, a visiting agent of an unnamed agency meeting you. Someone imprisoned by the UN. Just give the process a bit of a push along," Harry explained idly.

"You are well informed," Magister replied curiously.

Harry smiled. "Plus I needed something of a break, there's nothing much in the way of my mission."

"Except your concern for those who you will leave behind," Magister surmised.

"Am I that transparent Magister?" Harry asked with a sigh he reached into his jacket and rolled a cigar across the table.

Magister raised an eyebrow at him. "It was amongst some of your affects recovered from the Stangmoor Prison. UNIT likes to keep everything."

"Should I ask Mr Potter what you were doing rifling through UNIT's evidence rooms?" He asked with some amusement.

"Pilfering some goods that might come in useful Magister, why else?" Harry said with a smile as Magister removed a lighter from about his person and lit the cigar.

-/

Harry stood to leave. "Anything I can get you?" He asked after they had spoken throughout the duration of Magister's cigar.

"Aside from my freedom?" Harry gave Magister a look. "A visit from my dear friend the Doctor and Miss Grant."

Harry smiled. "I'm sure than can be arranged."

"Till next we meet Harry," Magister said rising from the table as the door opened and the guards tensed.

"So…?" Trenchard asked as Harry refused the man's offer of a drink it was still rather early in the day for spirits.

"So…." Harry repeated. "So…" He said again. "He does know…." Harry wondered how many trailing sentences he could start.

"Ah…I see." Trenchard said leaning into his chair.

"You see…" Harry repeated and wondered if obliviating and leaving would be too risky.

"Operational security old chap, I know a thing or two about you old boys. Can't have too many people in the loop, especially with those UNIT people sticking their noses in," Trenchard spoke meaningful gibberish well enough.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "Quite right Colonel, you're an asset to this place."

Trenchard sat up a little straighter, unfortunately spilling his whiskey. "Yes, of course. Right."

Harry took the man's moment of fluster to stand. "Well Colonel I need to be going, reports to file, you know drill and all, agents to find…"

Trenchard's eyes lit up at the mention of 'agents'. "Yes, very good, I'll have one of my men see you to the jetty." He said pressing a button on his phone.

-/ - \\-

Alistair watched as the Doctor flipped through the surveillance report and polish off his second round of sandwiches despite him stating that he wouldn't have any.

"Well, well, well Brigadier. You have been busy during my brief absence hmm?" The Doctor said.

"Needs must Doctor," Alistair said taking a bite of his own sandwich that he'd made sure was beside him out of the Doctor's reach. "Mr Potter was very useful throughout the situation."

The Doctor remained silent whilst he read through the documents. "You don't mind Brigadier if I keep these? I'd like to check through them more thoroughly."

Alistair tried not to smile too warmly, he had an extra set in his desk, he been expecting the Doctor to turn up at some point wanting (or likely demanding) to know what was going on.

Potter had also noted the Doctor would do something to the same effect on their helicopter ride away from Foula.

-/ - \\-

Benton walked into the pub, a letter held in his hand, in his other hand a flash grenade. Potter's instructions had been clear, there were likely operatives everywhere in the pub, if any of them drew their wands drop the grenade and run.

He'd seen what these people's enemies had done to some of his men, he wasn't going to argue with the expert.

-/

Moody eyed the door as a muggle walked in.

"We could stun him, find out what he knows." He muttered to Albus.

"I am simply curious Alastor," Dumbledore said sipping his third pint of the day. Albus had taken great delight suggesting that he should take the role of 'barman' leaving the headmaster to be a 'punter'. The rest of the Order were spread around the bar, but there were a few muggle 'regulars' who wouldn't be moved, despite the few charms he'd laid around.

"The Prewett brothers should've known better," he muttered gruffly.

"We don't know anything. But there was something about the man I met…" The headmaster trailed off, staring into the murky depths of his pint glass as a seer would tea leaves.

-/

Captain Mike Yates looked around the bar; this was his third day 'undercover'. It had been suggested by Potter, through the Brigadier, to observe how the 'opposition' as Potter had explained with something like amusement or possibly cynicism. The pub's patrons and staff had been practically replaced earlier the previous day, also the barman's stature, body language and voice had all changed, despite looking the same, it was as though someone were wearing a full mask and had duplicated his clothes. Though not how the Master did it, this was something…wrong.

Much like most of the bar, it had taken considerable concentration to merely walk through the door yesterday, but it had eased somewhat today.

It was like the other bar Potter had first gone to and the location on Foula. All this, it was worse in some ways than UNIT's 'normal' fare. This ate at you at some primal instinctual level, it made you want to walk away. It made you want to go away and shower whatever it was off you…and yet…and yet it was all in the mind, like ghosts of the past or something.

Mike made a point only to gaze vaguely as Benton walked in, not hiding the flash grenade in his hand, though he held it almost casually, though held so he could pull the pin quickly. As Yates expected the Sergeant would.

-/

Benton looked around the pub carefully and careful not to make eye contact with anyone, especially not the man with the long beard at the bar, Potter had warned him especially not to make any contact with him.

He saw his 'targets' waiting expectantly at a table, two untouched pints in front of them.

Benton offered them the letter in his other hand.

-/

Alastor tensed.

"Only a letter my dear Alastor, it seems our mysterious friend is cautious," he said with some amusement in his voice.

"You knew he would do this?" He grunted.

"Fabian and Gideon are mature enough to be a good judge of character. This provided a good training exercise for the Order to gain some skills in surveillance and we may still learn something Alastor. Patience has its own rewards."

-/

Gideon looked up at the man in the muggle uniform as he handed him the letter.

It was a standard muggle envelope, but the letter inside appeared to have been written with a fine quill on good parchment.

Fabian, Gideon,

I would ask that you go with the Sergeant, he's a friend of mine.

He will take you to where you will find me.

I am sure the pub is crawling with members of the Order.

I am also sure that they would like to have a chat with me.

If you do not wish to converse with me, please indicate this to the Sergeant and he will depart.

Yours sincerely,

Your friend, Harry.

Gideon looked at Fabian and placed the paper on the table. The professor would want to look at it.

Then the paper started to smoke and words appeared at the bottom of the page.

PS. If I've got my charms right when this touches a wooden surface it should burn to ash…hopefully not taking the table with it…

-/

Benton maintained a straight face, Potter had told him 'something' like that would happen. Benton wondered if Potter liked Mission Impossible.

-/

Fabian looked over at Gideon who shrugged and nodded. Fabian looked up at the man, the 'Sergeant' and nodded.

-/

Benton smiled slightly and walked out, the two men following him.

-/

"I'm getting my broom. Alice, Frank you're with me," he muttered gruffly.

"Do remember Alastor to use a cloak we do not want the Ministry asking questions," the headmaster said lightly as he drained his glass and strode towards the table where the letter had rapidly turned into a find ash.

"A curious piece of spell work, I do believe."

-/

Yates watched as the group seemed to rush into action and the pub emptied.

"And you. Did you find it enlightening?" Said the man with the long beard who was prodding the remains of the ash on the table.

Yates didn't look at the man directly, put kept his hand on the pistol he'd brought with him as he edged he way toward the side door that he'd made sure to unlock.

-/

Benton looked in the rear view mirror, the two men were sitting watching the world go past and would occasionally look through the back of the Land Rover out behind them.

Benton couldn't see anything in the side or rear view mirrors, not that that meant much.

-/

Moody cursed as the green muggle vehicle turned another corner and he barely missed a smaller muggle vehicle.

Frank and Alice seemed to be enjoying this. It would be much easier just to cast Aresto Momentum on the muggle vehicle and oblivate the muggle of the whole business.

However as they passed the same building for the second time he was suspecting that the muggle may not be going anywhere.

-/

Benton turned the corner again simple tactics to test if they were being followed, but a bit more of this and he'd be able to take them to their destination.

After a few more loops and seemingly 'random' changes in direction Benton abruptly turned the steering wheel sharply – driving down into and undercover garage, a metal roller door clanging down, blocking anyone who may have been following their path.

-/

Moody cursed as the vehicle changed course suddenly disappearing into…he turned the corner, a dead end, with two muggles with guns.

-/

Benton opened the door of the Land Rover.

"Over there." Benton said pointing to a corner of the garage that he was fighting hard to look at.

Potter said he'd put something there to make sure his 'targets' knew it was placed there by him, something magic that stopped him seeing it.

He merely needed to light a small fuse 5 minutes after he arrived, his targets would depart somehow. Potter hadn't explained and he'd known better not to ask.

-/

Fabian looked over to where the Sergeant had indicated.

"He was obviously doing all that to lose Moody," he muttered as he mirrored what Gideon was doing and removed his wand.

"A muggle repelling charm and a very minor notice me not charm," Gideon said tapping as he gestured with his wand into the air.

"Look," Fabian muttered. On the concrete wall was a map and a note written on it.

Gideon, Fabian,

Sorry for all the cloaked stuff, but I suspect it was necessary, or perhaps not, maybe I'm the only paranoid one here.

A map to where I'll meet you and explain many things, I believe you know how to apparate based on a map, you got to Foula.

Your friend, Harry.

It looked like a small village, an X had been placed a short distance away from the village some distance from the church.

"Well, should we go?" Gideon looked to his brother.

"I'm too curious not to brother."

-/

Benton only turned around after the 5 minutes were up, the two men had gone. He walked over to where the fuse was and lit it and then took the stairs up to the ground level to report to the Brigadier.

-/

Five minutes later two men apparated into the space to find more ash and an empty muggle vehicle.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I do believe this man has some experience with this Alastor."

"Signs of a muggle repelling charm and maybe a notice me not charm." He replied tapping his wand against the concrete, where there were some scorch marks. "And something burnt."

"With muggle incendiaries. Curious, that he would use a complicated charm, yet…" Alastor could tell the headmaster was smiling without looking at him.

"What?" Alastor asked.

"The military man who accompanied the brothers, he set this off, our mystery man is likely waiting elsewhere. Perhaps these" he gestured the ash with his foot. "were apparition directions to where he is."

-/

"Received greyhound 4, thanks for all your help. Raven out," Harry pushed down the aerial and put the radio into his pocket and waited, he needn't wait long.

Two pops of displaced air and two young men were standing before him.

"Gideon, Fabian, glad you could make it," he said with a smile.

-/

"Aliens did that?!" Gideon stared across the village green at the remains of the church.

Harry nodded as he sipped his pint. It had seemed the best way to explain, to meet in Devil's End, a nice big example of aliens' work.

"And you're working with people who stopped them?" Fabian repeated what He'd already explained to them. Harry nodded.

"But that's not the whole story," Gideon asked, watching him.

"No," Harry answered simply.

"Because you knew about the Order." Gideon looked at him.

"And you know Dumbledore, but you've never been to Hogwarts, no one knows you here," Fabian observed,

Harry smiled, but his smile turned slightly sad.

He had decided to tell them, a selected part of the truth.

Dumbledore would be the only one to truly challenge them on anything.

"I will tell you why I'm here, but not who I am and I will tell you something to tell Dumbledore," Harry paused to sip his pint and continued watching them seriously. "I'm telling you because you're my friends and I trust you, I trust you not to tell anyone or let it be told."

The brothers looked at him, slightly worried as he cast a range of privacy charms around the table, they were sitting outside and a fair way from the Devil's Hoof pub. Despite the initial elation at the destruction of Azal and the heat barrier's dissipation the village still felt the destruction of the church that had stood so many hundreds of years in their village.

"I'm from the future. I've travelled back to this point to remove certain terrorists from my own time from this era because of the danger they pose. I am acting with my era's Ministry's approval," Harry explained carefully in a level tone that implied no argument or humour.

Gideon and Fabian watched him as he continued. "Tell Dumbledore that he can't find out who I am, but when I am from he is on the next great adventure."

"The next great adventure?" Fabian asked curiously with a smile.

"Albus will know what I mean," Harry replied calmly, not matching the intensity of Fabian's smile, though still smiling; in remembrance of his old headmaster, whatever adventures he might be on. Then he waited for the onslaught of questions that would inevitably come when you told someone you were from another time, almost another world.

But the brothers surprised him, with none, just thoughtful introspection.

Perhaps it was Arthur's side of the family that brought the temper and the madness into the family? Harry thought to himself. It had been Arthur who'd got into a fight with Lucius back in the day…

"I feel, friend that I should ask about us in the future," Gideon asked after some time of silence.

Harry opened his mouth to answer but was cut off. "But, friend, I think that you would not say," Gideon continued.

"I wouldn't, it's messy enough me being here," Harry admitted.

"Friend, and telling us this? You could have said nothing," Fabian said curiously.

"You're my friends, if I can't trust you with something like this…?" Harry said, hoping his voice wouldn't catch. Their futures were short, but…that was in the hands of Time. He was in the present, even if it were his past, it was the present for him and them.

Harry shook his head. "There aren't enough tenses in the English language for this," he muttered to himself.

-/ - \\-

"'The next great adventure.' Those exact words Gideon?" The Headmaster asked.

"Yes sir," Gideon said, it was just himself, Fabian and the Headmaster.

"Very well Fabian, Gideon. I believe you have a very good judge of character. I will not press you for any more information on your friend," he said smiling to the brothers, neither met his line of sight.

After they departed Minerva and Alastor re-entered the room.

"I believe them," he announced to them.

"Because of one sentence Albus? What does it mean?" Minerva wondered.

"That the man knows me, yet I have never met him. It is a puzzle. But both brothers have returned safely, neither has been polyjuiced."

"And their secrets?" Alastor asked looking towards the door the brothers had departed through.

"Remain tied to their friendship with the man Alastor, he helped avert a grievance with the muggles and saved us from making a grave mistake in the eager pursuit to help the muggles, I believe we must reassess the situation," he said to the pair. "This is likely to get much worse before a resolution presents itself," Albus finished somewhat to himself.

-/ - \\-

Ginny carefully poured the potion into the vials her Patron had provided her. It had not been the easiest potion to make, though if Hermione had been able to concoct it when she was in her second year, it should have been no trouble for her now.

She was however concerned about providing the Patron with the potion, it was a powerful useful potion, especially in the hands of a muggle, even one as knowledgeable and morally wise as he was. But…she had changed her mind…she needed him, as he required her assistance.

She looked up as the phone rang, she remembered her father being so very fascinated with these muggle communication devices. In some ways there was something quaint and simple about using the phone, almost too simple, there was something to be said for writing a letter than twirling your fingers around on a dial, or being able to see and hear someone through the fire. Using this telephone even though it lacked the numbers was a far less involved experience, as though the muggles were trying to make you feel less human.

She hated that about them sometimes, not to the levels of wanting them dismissed from reality, but their ability to cut themselves off from real things. Just like the wizards' and muggles' belief in aliens, creating fantasies about "creatures" from other worlds to explain the simple effects of the wizarding life and the magical world.

Their minds reject things they can't understand and instead came up with a fantasy world of aliens.

That fantasy world was something that was at the moment and would become ever more so a danger to their world, and to a lesser extent the muggle population.

But, the muggles could have their mass delusion in their beliefs in 'creatures from other worlds' as long as they didn't spread their deviancy to her world.

"Yes Patron, I've just finished. Yes Patron. I'll be up in a moment," She replaced the phone in its cradle.

He watched as she walked into the room. Almost like a soldier, her movements were precise, ordered.

The use of the control device recovered from the Shoreditch Incident on her a second time had been a calculated response, especially given the amount of drugs needed to slip her into a suggestible state the first time.

But now that he understood her morals and her moral duty it proved far more effective and required much less use of the specialised psychotropics and mental manipulations methods to persuade Ms Weasley to form in line with her 'Patron'.

Though his medical department had been somewhat concerned about her expiring, their concern was not required, these wizards were far more resilient than their susceptibility to bullets suggested. It was also what made them dangerous and useful to the country, amongst several other things.

But Ms Weasley and her status as an extra-temporal agent meant she had been exposed to far more elements of the world, even alien elements, despite her disbelief that such things existed.

Her knowledge of events to come however was far more lacking, despite the rigorous extraction methods they had utilised against her they had only extracted a small amount of usable information.

No, she was far more usable when she believed she was using him, plus her own efforts were a useful social destabilising agent of an ancillary social-political element.

"I have an assignment for you Ms Weasley, I know you have matters you wish to attend to. But this is something I need answers to."

Ginny tried not to show her surprise at the Patron's request. He seemed quite insistent about needing her to find out any information about this attack on Foula.

"This is a military base?" She asked as she looked at the map he had spread out on his desk.

"Yes," he paused thinking. "They attacked an outpost on Foula, they're a unit of military and other people. The rooms where the information is likely to be kept is indicated."

"Why can't your associates get in if hey got you this information?" She asked, somewhat boldly, but she thought she'd earnt his…not his trust per se, but some leeway at least in how she dealt with him.

The mental control had obviously boosted her confidence somewhat, he smiled at her. Confidence was a usable quality.

"My associates are not as covert as you are Ms Weasley."

-/ - \\-

Harry spat out a mouth of water and closed his eyes as he let the hot water of the UNIT showers cascade over his aching body.

Another of Ginny's little bunch was no more. She had not gone quietly and had indeed tried to Avada Kadavra him several times. She had also been rabid for Ginny's cause. The most he'd gotten out of her was spit in the eye and her trying to disapparate through his hastily erected disapparition charm, he was relatively sure she went through it as he cast the spell.

Harry opened his eyes, staring into the water from the old copper shower had, letting the droplets of water his his eyes, his face…

Another set of clothes ruined, despite numerous cleaning charms.

She'd known who he was, that didn't change how hard she'd tried to poison, torture or kill him. She'd been almost as rabid as the mad cow Weasley herself. Almost.

The woman was now as dead as the others he'd dealt with.

Harry closed his eyes as a shiver passed through his body, despite the seemingly never-ending supply of hot water that cascaded down his scarred frame.

The look on the woman's face as she tried to disapparate, it was a look of pure loathing and hatred at him…and then she just…exploded, showing him and the area around him with her blood, bone and…whatever else.

Harry reached for the soap and lathered up his body and hair and grabbed the comb, just to check once more for fragments of bone.

-/

It was relatively empty at the base, so it surprised and made him suspicious as he caught sight of a woman walking down a corridor heading directly to the room opposite his lab where the electron microscope was held, it was also where his portion of the research was being collated and secured so he could have his lab clear and focused once more on his task.

The door to the room with the electron microscope was locked, padlocks, draw bolts and even a few locks he'd added to the inside, he'd told the Brigadier, just not how he'd added them to a room with no windows, the Brigadier didn't ask, he just took the information on board.

But now the figure, he was sure was a woman, despite the cap she was wearing opened the door with little trouble.

"Raven to Greyhound 2, come in," Harry hissed into the radio.

Benton's voice came through almost immediately, though sounded slightly surprised. "Greyhound 2 receiving over."

"Intruder in secure Research lab 5, repeat intruder Research lab 5."

"Received Raven, 45 seconds. Will secure perimeter. Out."

Less than 30 seconds later Sergeant Benton ran up beside the corridor where Harry was waiting watching the corridor down from the door.

"My men will approach the door from the other side. Who do you think they are?"

"Not they, one female. Bypassed all the locks, even the ones I added."

"That's where all your stuff is isn't it?" Benton asked as he passed Harry a rifle and a pistol in a holster, both of which he took. While he did have his wand there were a few residual potion elements inside the room, if he started firing off any dangerous spells things could happen…although…

Harry took out his wand and aimed it at the room, dragging his wand through the complex patterns and wished that he'd paid more attention to the complexities of the anti-disapparition charm, it probably didn't help matters that he was tired and had had several poisonous and torturous spells thrown at him earlier in the night.

Benton looked at him like he was about to ask something. "Don't ask, it's just in case," Harry looked to Benton's other men, some of them he didn't immediately recognise, that either meant they were new or hadn't been part of the Foula operation, hopefully there wouldn't be any issues.

"Let's go see who's playing breaking and enter," Harry murmured as he checked the weapon and readied himself.

"Lethal force?" Benton asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Everything in there is above top secret."

Benton made a motion to his men on the other end of the corridor and they ran up and into the room.

"Oh shit," Ginny said as she turned around.

"Oh shit indeed Ms Weasley," Harry said. "Notice-me-not charm. I'd just shoot straight ahead Sergeant," Harry said offhandedly. "Funny seeing you here Ginny!" Harry exclaimed sarcastically.

"Harry Potter, you bastard. The boy-who-lived chasing little me across all time, perusing your little delusions. You don't even have the morality to face me as a wizard. You're pathetic!" She spat, aiming her wand at him.

-/

Benton heard the voice of a woman and concentrated through the…whatever it was. A figure seemed to come as a mirage out of a corner between the shelving that wasn't there, a corner that shouldn't have been present on an oblong shaped shelf. She seemed to be hiding in the pointed end of the shelf, which couldn't exist.

"Oh, you wound me Ginny. Really?" Harry shook his head. "I've had chats with Voldemort you silly stupid bitch," Harry almost shouted. "You're shitting your way through our bloody history!" He did shout, and tighten his finger in the trigger of his gun. But…he still made a promise, he still had to try to bring he still owed it to George, despite his desire to shoot the mad cow and get this over and done with.

"OUR history Potter, OUR history. We make the world, we change it, we change and manipulate perception, that's what your sickness is your little deviancy is believing in it. You've become too close to these people, you're not seeing our…"

"Superiority, manipulate the lesser muggles, reinvent our civilisation, unimaginable power, unlimited pumpkin juice. Et cetera! Et cetera!" He countered sarcastically.

"You forget Potter, I'm the one holding a wand," she said calmly. She looked around at the room. "I could modify the memories of all these muggles, they would continue about their lives as if nothing were wrong, they would go on believing in aliens. Wizarding lives would be spared the carnage of the muggle world."

"How far into insanity have you gone Ginny, that you would forget what atrocities Voldemort committed. Will commit," Harry shook his head.

"You're talking about morals Harry Potter, how many people have you killed, how many of my people have you 'dispatched'?" She paused. "Crucio!" Harry fought very hard not to shout, crumple to the floor or make any noise. When she lifted the curse he was vaguely aware he'd bitten his lip, hard. He was also aware of the clicks of the safeties of on guns being removed.

"It seems you've learnt a thing or two about torture Ginevra. How about you…" Harry took a moment to swallow some of the spittle and blood accumulating in his mouth. Being tortured once in one night by one crazy bitch was bad enough, twice was just bad luck. Or what his life had become, how he longed for…his old life.

"How about I…what Harry, seems you're not as powerful as you think? Death isn't your sport after all?" She asked in what Harry assumed was a teasing tone, it sounded more nasally, like she'd had something rammed where she thought the sun shinned out of.

Harry flicked the safety off of his own weapon, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Benton nodded slightly and moved to be ready to shoot.

"Come quietly Ms Weasley and we can forget about all this," Harry said in what he hoped was a level tone, in his head it sounded more like 'Die you crazy dragon-rooting bitch' but torture did tend to play tricks on the mind, maybe he did say that.

Ginny raised her wand. "An anti-disapparition spell Harry. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk." Ginny kept her wand on him, but her face was full of concentration.

"Ginny. Don't."

"Don't give me orders Harry Potter," she said in a level warning tone.

"I'll shoot," he said, matching her level tone.

"You would have done it already Harry," She smiled at him. "You always did have a problem with shooting when the time was right."

"Fire," Harry said and started shooting as did the men around him.

The expression was of surprise on Ginny's face as at least 5 bullets tore into her body as she disapparated, showering them with bodily fluids, mostly blood, and left the remains of her left foot and two fingers behind.

Harry vaguely heard two of the men throwing up behind him as he pushed the blood splatter out of his hair, again.

"Get your men cleaned up," Harry said as he scooped the appendages into a spare box. "I'm taking these to the medical lab. Make sure you keep all the fluids, they might be useful." Harry kept his tone level, but passed the rifle off to Benton as he tried to walk off the shakes induced by the Cruciatus curse. Ginny really did have a lot of hate to go around.

-/

A/N:

Minor edit done March 2021.

The revelation to the Gideon and Fabian might seem a little rushed and lacking in long drawn out explanations. But explanations like that are somewhat boring (to read and write), as it's just a summary of everything we already know. The same goes for Harry and Magister's conversations, they happen, but writing them out (and making them sound right is long and tedious), 'unless it moves the plot along' and all that.

As for Dumbledore's reaction. This is still early-ish into the war, Dumbledore will go through a lot more heartache throughout it before it ends. At this point I think Dumbledore's still somewhat trusting and not going to break out the Legillimancy at every opportunity. There's also no Snape around to do his dirty work.

There is one clue to who the Patron is, it's fairly random and quite obscure.