Harry could only stare at the girl that just introduced herself. He barely understood half of what she had said. Apparently her name was Erica Blandelli, and she was looking for information about Voldemort. Apart from that …

A knight? The Copper-Black Cross? Are there actually real knights in the magical world? Harry thought, left at a complete loss and with no clue about how to handle this information. Well, considering what kind of place the magical world is, it shouldn't surprise me. But still … knights?

Judging by Erica's posture and the proud look she had on her face it was likely that she was telling the truth. Even if he did have reason to doubt what she was saying, Harry had no intention of calling her out on it. He didn't want to have her point a sword at him again.

"What is that look for? You wouldn't, by any chance, be doubting me would you?" Erica asked, apparently able to read his thoughts based on nothing more than Harry's expression.

"Uh, no. It's just, well, you're a knight?"

"That is what I said."

"And you're from the Copper-Black Cross?"

"… Yes …"

Harry had so many questions and no idea of where to even begin. While Erica stared at him, he wondered what he should ask first. Her gaze was making it difficult for Harry to think. It felt like she was dissecting him with her eyes. Almost as though she was curious about what she was looking at.

Finally, Harry decided to say, "There're a few questions that I want answered before I tell you anything."

"So it would seem," Erica replied. "Very well. I will answer any questions that you have, so long as you answer mine."

Her proposal seemed fair so Harry just nodded in response.

"Now that we have come to an understanding, let's find that cafe."

Again with the bloody cafe.

In his gut, Harry had a pretty good feeling that, at the very least, she wasn't his enemy. He was willing to answer some questions, but had no intention of just blindly doing whatever she told him to.

"No," Harry told her as he calmly slid his wand into his back pocket.

"No?" Erica asked, actually seeming surprised that he refused her.

"I don't think you're my enemy, but that doesn't mean I trust you. So until you answer my questions neither of us are going anywhere."

Erica just blinked a few times before an elegant smile graced her lips and she crossed her arms. "Oh, 'neither of us are going anywhere?' Rather bold of you to say such a thing to a lady."

Harry could tell that she was trying to tease him so he just shrugged before responding. "You said that you were sent here to gather information about Voldemort. The way I see it, I'm the only one that can answer whatever questions you have. Why else would you have gone to the trouble of tracking me down?"

"Hmm. You are right. No matter where I looked or who I asked, I was unable to find anyone who could give me a concrete answer. As it stands, you were the only person to witness Voldemort's return," Erica replied before her smile grew just a little wider and a little more sinister. "But, there is another option. I could just force you to tell me what I want to know."

Harry felt a chill run down his spine. He still remembered when she had her sword pointed at his throat. He was pretty confident that if she did attack him then he wouldn't be able to beat her. But that didn't mean he would make it easy.

"Yeah. I'm sure that you probably could," Harry replied, as Erica eyed him the way that a lioness would a tasty meal. "But I don't think you will."

Her smile never left her face, but it seemed to lose some of its devilishness and become almost playful as a small laugh passed her lips.

"Yes, such actions would be beneath me."

Her response was haughty, but it still put him a little at ease. Harry was just glad that he had correctly read what kind of person she was. She's a 'knight'. That was the key to how Harry would deal with her. He had gambled on the idea that she would be bound by some sort of chivalric code.

"Now, ask your question," she said.

"Ok." Harry hesitated a moment before asking, "You said that you were a knight, but what does that mean?"

"You … that was what you wanted to ask me?" Erica seemed shocked by his question. Almost as though she had been expecting something else.

Harry started to feel rather embarrassed. Judging by her tone, this was probably one of those things that he was clueless about despite it being common knowledge to everyone else in the magical world. Usually in situations like this he would have Ron or Hermione there to explain it to him. But not this time, so Harry tried to play it cool.

"Humour me."

She regarded him for a moment before answering. "To be a knight is to be amongst the highest echelons of magical combatants. In order to receive the title one must demonstrate sufficient mastery in both the magical and martial arts."

"And this Copper-Black Cross you mentioned, is that some kind of knightly order?"

Erica simply sighed in exasperation, her breath turning to mist in the cool air. "I see. So you don't even know that much. When I decided to come here and speak with the famed Harry Potter I had at least expected to find someone decently competent. Not some clueless country bumpkin."

Normally her little tirade would have angered him, but he couldn't pay her words any mind. His attention had been drawn to her mouth, and the way her breath would turn to vapour when she sighed and spoke.

Erica simply kept on going, "Very well, for the sake of my assignment I will remedy your ignorance. You were partially correct, the Copper-Black Cross could be considered a knightly order, however we are much more than that. The correct term would be a Mage Association, since we aren't exclusively involved with knightly matters. We also deal with banking and managing various businesses. As one of the associations descended from the Knights Templar we are … Wait … are you even listening? I swear, you can be so uncouth."

While Erica went off about her organization, Harry was on high alert. A heat wave had been battering southern England for almost a week, and yet the temperature had just dropped. He could only think of one reason why it would change so suddenly. Harry redrew his wand and started looking around.

"What are you doing?" Erica asked, her posture tense. Harry hoped that meant that she was getting ready to pull out that sword of hers. And he hoped that she would be able to handle what he assumed was most likely lurking in the darkness.

"Do you feel that?"

For a moment, Erica seemed confused by what he was saying, but she soon looked around and also noticed that something was wrong. With a flash of silver light, her sword was back in her hand. She stepped closer to Harry so that they were almost shoulder to shoulder, her blade raised and ready.

"Do you know what is happening?"

"Possibly, but I hope I'm wrong," he replied. "It feels like there are Dementors nearby."

"Dementors! Here!? Impossible!" she hissed, her eyes going wide with surprise.

An unnatural chill hung heavy over the street, the air growing colder with each passing moment. The light of the moon, stars and street lamps dimmed and then vanished. There was no longer any question in Harry's mind. There were Dementors nearby.

But why? Harry thought. The last time he had seen Dementors on the prowl like this had been when Sirius escaped. Could they have been sent by the Ministry? Are they looking for someone?

"Can you use a Patronus?" Harry asked the girl next to him.

"Yes. Can you?" she answered simply, her tone deadly serious. No teasing, no condescension, no pride. In that moment she was no longer the haughty girl that seemed to excel at getting on Harry's nerves. She was a warrior.

"Yeah. Come on, let's try and get out of here without them noticing us."

They didn't rush as they made their way through the street. Remaining close, they seemed to fall into sync. When Erica would keep watch to the left, Harry would watch their right. When she checked their rear, he kept his eyes forward. They were focused and ready to face the enemy that they both sensed.

It didn't take long for those vile creatures to find them. They slowly glided out of the ally that connected Magnolia Crescent to Wisteria Walk. All light and sound had vanished from the street. The only thing Harry could hear was his own heartbeat and the long rattling breaths of the Dementors. Their scabbed and rotting hand peeked out from the tattered dark cloaks that fluttered ever so gently around them. Hidden beneath their hoods were faces that could only barely be described as resembling a human corpse, with empty eye sockets and a gaping circular hole for a mouth. Being eyeless the creatures were blind, but they didn't need sight to hunt. It was their victims' emotions that they craved, and it was fear that led them to their next meal.

Stay out of trouble, Harry thought as Sirius' words echoed in his mind. As if my luck would ever allow that. I don't need to go looking for it, trouble always just finds me.

Two mages faced with two Dementors. Harry hoped that the creatures would choose not to test the odds. He knew that he could win this fight alone. After all, he had driven off far more than two before and this time he had backup. But he would still prefer to avoid a confrontation.

Harry and Erica barely had a moment to react before the Dementors charged them, gliding noiselessly over the ground. But they were both ready.

"Expecto Patronum!" they both shouted in unison. Harry gave his wand a quick flourish before a magnificent silver stag leapt forth from the tip as a silver lion pounced out from the point of Erica's rapier. The stag was tall and majestic, with large antlers that adorned its head like a king's crown, while the lion was fierce and proud, with sharp fangs and a regal mane of fur.

The air around them warmed and the feeling of dread that hung oppressively over the street began to lift in the presence of two powerful Patronuses. The beasts bound forth to meet the wraiths, driving them back with claw and antler. But the Dementors were relentless in their attempts to get at Harry and Erica. Multiple times the evil creatures attempted to break past, and each time either the stag or the lion would intercept and fight off the Dementors. Vicious as Dementors could be, they knew a lost cause when they saw on, and the mages before them were too powerful.

Like shadows, the Dementors fled, melding away into the darkness. Harry and Erica had survived this encounter, their victory coming quietly and with little fanfare. The air grew warmer as the moon and stars began to brighten. Street lamps flickered back to life, illuminating Magnolia Crescent with a faint yellow glow.

Harry and Erica shared a look as the silvery lion and stag silently walked back to their respective master's side. Both of them were stunned by the ferocity of the Dementors' attack. Harry knew that his Patronus was powerful, able to fend off a hundred Dementors at once, and he suspected that Erica's was similarly strong. Faced with two opponents of such power Dementors would normally flee and search for easier prey. Yet these Dementors had still attempted to attack them, trying multiple times to get past the defences that their Patronuses provided.

A chilling thought came to Harry's mind. Could they have been looking for one of us specifically? Harry didn't like that idea one bit. For the briefest of moments he wondered if Erica was an escaped criminal that they were hunting, but quickly dismissed it after remembering what Professor Dumbledore had told Minister Fudge following Voldemort's return. About how the Dementors would jump to join the Dark Lord's forces. So Voldemort is on the move, and now it looks like he's targeting me.

"We had best leave before they come back," Erica's words snapped Harry from his thoughts. "Is there someplace safe nearby where we can go to talk?"

"My aunt and uncle's house is the closest place I can think of."

"Then take me there. It would seem that the situation in this country is far more dire than we originally thought. Oh, and don't release your Patronus until we are certain that they are gone."

Harry still didn't fully trust Erica, and he didn't really know who she was or what this Copper-Black Cross organization that she worked for wanted. But Harry could tell that she wasn't his enemy and that if he hadn't been able to handle the Dementors she would have protected him. So he began leading her down Magnolia Crescent, towards the alley that would take them to Wisteria Walk. From there it would only be a quick jaunt before they reached Privet Drive.

Harry's silver stag pranced around the street while Erica's lion prowled around them. The beasts looked truly magical. Bright-silver and translucent. They were ever vigilant guardians ready to defend their masters against any threat. The blistering heat had returned, but Harry suspected that the sweat on his brow had nothing to do with that. He didn't fear another dementor attack, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He's back! I knew it! Now he's starting to make his move!

Harry would have been lying if he said that he wasn't afraid to face Voldemort again. He could still remember every detail of that night in the graveyard. The damp chill that had hung in the air and the laughter of the Death Eaters that watched as Harry febly tried to duel one of the greatest mages alive. He had tried his best, but whenever he went to cast a spell, Voldemort's counter would come just that little bit faster. It had been nothing more than a game to the Dark Lord, a way to prove that his first 'defeat' had simply been a fluke. How many times could he have killed me? Harry wondered as he recalled Voldemort opting to use the Cruciatus Curse rather than the Killing Curse. Voldemort's pride and sadism had been the only thing that allowed Harry to survive that encounter, and it was luck that gifted him with an escape.

As they turned into the dark alley they were once again plunged into darkness since there was not a single light to illuminate the path. Like passing through a dark tunnel, they could only make their way towards the light of Wisteria Walk at the other end. Moving through the alley, their Patronuses fell into step beside them.

Voldemort had finally fired the first shot, and Harry had survived. He would need to be far more careful from here on out. Luck had been on his side this time but he couldn't count on that lasting forever. Noticing the Dementors before they attacked had guaranteed their victory. However, if they had been ambushed then things could have gone very differently. Dementors could be frighteningly silent when they wanted to be. If they catch their prey unaware then a Dementor can suck out a person's soul before they even realize that they're there.

"Potter," Erica said, grabbing his attention. Harry hadn't even noticed that she had stopped and was now standing a few paces behind him. She then pointed towards the other end of the alley, her expression grim. "Look."

He then cast his attention to the spot she was pointed at and was surprised to see something lying on the ground.

What is that? A sickening realization came to Harry when he remembered that this was where the Dementors had come from. Bloody hell! Please tell me they didn't suck the soul out of some poor bloke! Wait, the only other person that I know was around at the time was …

Harry's Patronus vanished like smoke on the wind as he broke out into a run and quickly reached the body that was lying prone on the ground. Dudley's body. His eyes were open but unseeing, staring lifelessly into the night sky. He didn't move or react when Harry knelt down beside him. Seizing his cousin by the shoulders he tried to shake him awake.

"Hey, Dudley! Come on, wake up!" Harry shouted frantically before slapping his cousin as hard as he could across the face. Yet it did nothing. Dudley didn't react in the slightest. This was the first time that Harry had ever seen someone who had their soul removed. He didn't even react when Erica also knelt down beside his cousin and pressed her ear against his chest.

"His heart is still beating," she stated, before looking at Dudley's vacant face and scowling.

This is just … too cruel. Harry thought as he looked at his cousin's body. He remembered everything that he had learned in his third year about Dementors and what their kiss could do to a person. How they would leave their victim as an empty husk. "Alive but gone" was how all the books described it.

Death would have been kinder than this. Harry had always hated his cousin. Dudley was a swaggering twat that got his rocks off by bullying others, but he didn't deserve this. No one deserves this.

A wave of compassion overwhelmed Harry as he draped one of Dudley's arms over his shoulder and tried to pull him to his feet. The process was a struggle but he eventually managed to stand, but Dudley's body was completely limp and very heavy. It'll take forever to drag him back home.

Harry suddenly remembered that he wasn't by himself and turned to Erica. "Grab his other arm and help me carry him."

She immediately complied, wordlessly tossing Dudley's other arm over her shoulder as the two of them started dragging Dudley's body down the alley and onto Wisteria Walk. She proved to be far stronger than she looked as having Erica's help made the whole ordeal far easier. At their current pace it wouldn't be long until they reached Number 4.

As they slowly continued along Harry noticed that Erica's lion was the only Patronus that was guarding them. Damn it! I lost my focus! Harry mentally snarled before reaching back to get his wand and recast the spell.

But, before he could do so, Erica said, "Just focus on getting us someplace safe. If any more come then I will take care of them."

Startled by her words he looked to the side and met her gaze. Looking into her pretty blue eyes he could see her strength and resolve. In that moment she really did remind him of a knight and he made the decision to trust her. Thinking about the situation rationally, he knew that in his current mental state he wouldn't be able to conjure a corporeal Patronus. Alone, he would be helpless if the Dementors attacked again. For now, he needed to rely on Erica.

"Alright. I'm counting on you."

For over a month, Harry had been left completely in the dark, unable to do anything. No longer. One way or another he was going to find out what was happening, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that nobody else had to die because of Voldemort.

But for now, he would just focus on what needed to be done in the moment.

"Hang on, Dudley. I'll get you home."

From an early age Erica Blandelli had been considered a genius. A rising star amongst the Copper-Black Cross and a bonafide celebrity within the Italian magical community. Only her childhood friend / rival, Liliana Kranjcar, could boast of similar prestige. At the tender age of twelve, she had been one of the youngest members in the history of her order to achieve knighthood. Not long after, she had once again proven her talent by passing the trial of Saint Raffaello, thus earning her precious sword, Cuore di Leone. She knew that she had what it took to become a Great Knight and take the title of Diavolo Rosso. It was for all these reasons that she had been so upset with her uncle for sending her on what she had originally thought would be simple intelligence gathering. Something that she had felt was a waste of her talents.

However, Erica never could have anticipated things turning out the way they had. She remained on guard, vigilant for any sign of the enemy while she helped the famed Harry Potter carry the limp body of the rude boy that had tried flirting with her. Her Patronus continued to prowl around them, just waiting to sink its claws into anything that would threaten them.

Once again her attention was drawn to the one that many called The-Boy-Who-Lived. He was nothing like what she would have imagined. She had pictured a handsome young man, with a noble bearing and a knight's disposition. Like a prince from one of those stories that Lily likes to write. Instead, what she had found was someone that just seemed so ordinary, if a little shabby. But she had gotten a glimpse of what lay beneath that plain exterior. He's a fighter, and he has seen more than he lets on.

Erica had been rather surprised when he had so suddenly drawn his wand to attack her. If she had been even a moment slower than she probably would have been blasted with whatever Harry was planning on hitting her with. Then, when they encountered the Dementors, he fended them off with a level of skill that could only be born through experience.

She only had a theoretical knowledge of how to deal with Dementors, but her natural talent made up for her lack of experience. This encounter had actually been the first time that she had ever seen a Dementor. They had always been a foreign kind of being that dwelt in dark places no respectable knight had any business being in. The only time that she had ever given the creatures any real thought had been when Lord Salvatore Doni had decided to slay a group that had taken up residence in an ancient tomb. Conventional knowledge stated that Dementors were neither alive or dead, and thus, could not be killed. But the King of Swords had been able to slay each and every one regardless. A task that he had undertaken for no other reason than to alleviate a little boredom.

Of course only a fool would try and apply common logic to the actions of Lord Salvatore. To a ridiculous man like that, Dementors would seem like little more than pests.

But, casting a glance at the limp boy she was dragging along showed her just how dangerous Dementors could be for regular mortals. The darkness that their presence had brought was unnerving, and the sense of dread that had hung in the air around them was no laughing matter.

"We're here," Harry said, "Number 4, on the left."

The house that they had arrived at seemed no different from any of the other houses that could be seen in this suburb. The heat had clearly done a number to the lawn and garden, but Erica could tell from nothing more than a glance that they had once been extremely well cared for. As they shuffled their way up the drive and along the garden path that led to the front door, Erica felt a sense of relief.

Maybe now I can finally get some answers. Every passing moment that she spent with Harry Potter seemed to pile on more questions.

Harry pressed a button that rang the doorbell, prompting a high chime to be heard from within the home.

"Oh, Dudykins! You're finally home! I was so worried!" a shrill sounding woman called out from inside the house before opening the door. She was a tall and thin woman with her blonde hair done up in a tight bun. Her face had a distinctively horsy quality to it and rested on a neck that seemed to be far longer than average. Her pale eyes zeroed in on the boy that Erica assumed was her son and widened as she got a good look at him.

"DUDLEY!" she shrieked. "Vernon, come quick!"

"Petunia!" a loud masculine voice boomed from somewhere upstairs. "What's going on! Is something wrong with Dudley!"

A large, beefy man, who Erica assumed was the boy's father, came thundering to the door. With his thick dark hair and bushy moustache she couldn't help but think that he resembled a walrus. She considered herself a rather good judge of character and she could tell immediately that these two were going to be unpleasant to deal with.

The two parents began fussing over the boy and took him from Harry and Erica without even seeming to notice their presence. They shuffled him into the house and slammed the door, leaving Harry and her standing outside. W-What? How rude! Erica thought, stunned into silence as Harry went and gave the door a tug, finding it to be unlocked.

He then turned to her, "Come on in. We can talk inside."

Entering into the house Erica was once more presented with more questions. The first was why her Patronus evaporated the moment that it tried to pass through the door. Second, was the style of the interior. The preferred colours present in the places she could see seemed to be peach and salmon. Distinctly non-magical colours, she thought. Looking around she could see plenty of pictures of the rude boy that she had carried here, but not a single one of them moved. The lights that illuminate the interior possessed the distinctive glow of electricity. It was obvious to Erica that they were in a muggle house.

Harry then began leading her towards the stairs, only to stop at the first step and look towards a room further in. Focusing on the room that Harry was looking at she could hear the muggles that lived here frantically tending to their son.

"Good god! What happened to you, boy?"

"Duddy, can you hear me! It's me, mummy. Oh god, Vernon, what's wrong with our Diddykins?"

"How am I supposed to know! The boy's all loopy! He can't speak or even stand up."

Erica saw Harry wince as he whispered, "I guess I should deal with that first," and began walking into the room that the parents were in. Erica decided that she might as well go with him. The couple surrounded the couch where they had propped up the boy's body. The room itself was a painfully ordinary living room, painted with the same pastel colours of beige, peach and salmon. The furniture may have looked to be of high quality, but Erica could tell that they were all just cheap knockoffs. The only strange thing about the room was that the fireplace had been boarded up.

"Dudley, please say something. You're covered in dirt. Were you lying on the ground? Who did this to you?" the mother pleaded, frantic and on the verge of tears.

"Did they give you something foreign to drink?"

Erica and Harry stood by and watched the parents fuss. As they did so, she noticed that Harry's face had become completely stoney and his hands were clenched into tight fists.

"He won't answer you," Harry said suddenly, causing the two adults' heads to whip around and stare at him.

Just then, the big man's beady little eyes narrowed into slits as he fixed his gaze on Harry. "YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

"I didn't do anything," Harry offered weakly. "Dudley was attacked …"

"Shut up!" both parents snapped, cutting Harry off.

"I should'a known! You attacked him, didn't ya?" the big man accused as he jabbed a large, meaty finger in Harry's direction.

"Duddy, tell me did he do … you-know-what? Did he point his … 'thing' at you?"

Erica couldn't hold back a small laugh because of the phrasing the woman chose. Harry looked at her with a pained and embarrassed expression, clearly catching why she was laughing. Unfortunately, she also got the attention of the parents. Both of them appeared to be stunned by her presence.

The husband was the first to get over his shock. "Who the bloody hell are you? And why are you in my house!?"

Erica had already decided that she didn't like these people. They were loud, rude and, judging by how they had treated Harry so far, rather mean.

If he is trying to intimidate me then he will find that I am not so easily cowed. Erica thought to herself. Still, it would be unbecoming of me not to answer with proper poise and elegance. I am, after all, a knight of the Copper-Black Cross and a daughter of the Blandelli family.

She lightly grabbed the hem of her skits and fell into a picture perfect curtsy, a charming smile upon her lips. "Greetings. I am Erica Blandelli, a knight of the Copper-Black Cross."

She assumed that her introduction would mean little to muggles, but it clearly had an impact on them. The husband was left gobsmacked. The wife's reaction was rather curious. Her mouth tightened, her pale eyes widened and her complexion went completely ashen.

Finally she managed to squeak, "You, you're one of them. One of those freaks."

Well, now I know where that rude boy got it from, Erica lamented in her mind, not allowing her annoyance to appear on her face.

"I see," the husband spat as he levelled the same glare he had given Harry onto her. "You're one of his sort. Helped him attack our son I bet. Nothing but trouble the whole lot of ya! Tell me, girl, and you better tell it straight, what did the two of you do to my son?"

"We," Erica said as she casually gestured towards Harry, "did nothing. If not for us then your son would still be lying in the middle of that alley we found him in."

As the husband went to say something, a grey screech-owl flew silently into the room, deposited a letter on the coffee table next to Harry and flew off.

"OWLS! Ruddy owls! I won't have any more owls flying around in my house!" the big man bellowed as he stomped over to the window and slammed it shut.

At the same time Harry had picked up the letter, torn it open and started reading. Whatever it said must have been important to him because Harry was completely focused on what he was holding. I wonder who it's from.

"Now, you expect me to believe that a couple of freaks like you had nothing to do with what happened to my boy?" the man said. "Because I don't buy it. I know the two of you were involved."

"Indeed," the woman jumped in, seeming to find her voice once more. "I couldn't care less why some tart is hanging around that boy, but I will not allow you to get away with using your freak powers on my Diddykins. You will undo whatever you did immediately."

Tart!? How dare she insinuate that I was anything other than a chaste maiden, Erica mentally snarled. I am Erica Blandelli, a daughter of the ancient and noble Blandelli family. I will not allow anyone to speak to me in such a manner! At first she had felt great pity for this muggle family, and she still felt a twinge of sadness for the rude boy, but the attitude of these muggles was making it very difficult for her to remain empathetic.

"You should be more careful with how you speak to me."

"Is that a threat?" the big man growled.

"Oh no, of course not. Threats are so boorish. Certainly beneath a lady of my standing. I was merely trying to educate you on the importance of manners, something that you clearly lack. If you can't even ask nicely then why would I ever deign to assist you?"

"Enough!" the wife shrieked. "Just fix whatever you did to Duddy. If you don't then we will see what the police have to say about all this."

"Threats, madam?" Erica said with a mocking smirk. "As I said, threats are so boorish. Although I suppose they do suit a woman like you." The wife flushed red with anger but Erica ignored her and continued. "Alas, there is nothing that I can do for your son. As I said, Mr. Potter and myself did nothing to him. This," she said as she gestured towards the limp body on the couch, "was the work of Dementors."

"Dementoids?" the husband said, confused by the unknown name.

"Yes, Dementors. Rather unpleasant creatures."

"What the the bloody hell is a Demented?" the big man boomed.

The husband still seemed confused but the wife, much to Erica's surprise, was trembling with tears in her eyes and a look of recognition.

"G-guards. At that m-magical prison. A-A-Azkaban." The woman barely got the words out before she collapsed to her knees, covered her face with her hands and started sobbing.

"Wh-what? Petunia, what did you say? What attacked Dudley?"

Erica never would have imagined that a muggle would know that much about Dementors, and judging by her reaction she must have had some knowledge about the fate that had befallen her son. She was a wretched woman, but seeing her like this made Erica's heart clench.

"Dementors are dark creatures that feed on human emotions. They suck all the warmth and happiness out of everything around them, and sometimes they will even give their prey a kiss," Erica explained solemnly.

"A kiss?" the husband whispered while the wife began sobbing even harder.

"The Dementor's kiss, whereby the Dementor removes a person's soul through their mouth. In doing so, they leave their victims as a soulless husk. Alive but gone."

"NOOOO! MY BABY!" the woman wailed.

"His soul got taken? That's why he's like this?" Erica just nodded in response. "Then a doctor. The hospital. We need to get him to the hospital right away so that a doctor can fix him up."

"It won't work," she stated. "It is impossible to restore a person's soul once it has been removed."

"Maybe for your lot, but we don't need your hokus-pokus to solve our problems," the big man spat.

Erica just gave an elegant shrug, "It will not change the outcome, but there is no reason why you cannot try."

"We'll see about that. Come along Petunia, we're going to go get Dudley some proper help." The husband then pulled his son out of the couch and walked him out of the room and out the front door with his wife lethargically following behind him, still sobbing.

Erica moved to stand at the front door as the family got into one of the cars in the drive. Seeing her there the big man poked his head out the driver side window and shouted, "You had best be gone when we get back! And tell the boy that that goes for him as well!"

As they started pulling out Erica gave an elegant wave and called out in a sweet voice, "Arrivederci." She then turned and entered the house, closing the door behind her.

Thank the gods they're gone, she thought as she sighed in relief.

She found Harry still in the living room. He had taken a seat in a large armchair and was clenching the letter, his brow sweaty and his face pale.

"Potter?" she asked, not receiving an answer. "Did that letter say something?" In response he just listlessly handed her the paper.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We received intelligence that at twenty-three minutes past nine you performed the Patronus Charm within a muggle inhabited area.

Due to the severity of this breach in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Magic it has been determined that you are to be expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly upon delivery of this letter to destroy your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a violation under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence will be required for a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9am on the twelfth of August.

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper use of Magic Office, Ministry of Magic

After reading over what she had just been given, Erica was stunned. No investigation, no due process. It was at that moment that she remembered all the things being said about Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore in the Daily Prophet. She knew immediately that this letter, and the sentence it carried, were illegitimate. Just an excuse for the British Ministry to silence Harry.

Events in Britain were becoming even more chaotic than she, or anyone else in the Copper-Black Cross could have imagined. Looking at the Boy-Who-Lived as he seemed to have a panic attack, her mind raced, trying to decide on what to do. Erica's investigation up to this point had revealed a lot about the British Ministry and its actions. Arriving in the country she had been bombarded with propaganda that slandered Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore, denying the claims that they had made in June about the return of Voldemort. However, Erica and the Copper-Black Cross knew better.

"Voldemort is back," her uncle had stated before she left. "I know Dumbledore well and if he says that Voldemort is back, then make no mistake, he is back."

It was clear to her that going forwards the British Ministry would need to be considered an enemy. If they weren't actively serving Voldemort, then they were being manipulated by him and his followers. In that case …

"We need to leave."

"Wh-what?" Harry asked, surprise clearly written across his face. "Leave? But the letter. Where would I even go?"

She gave him a charming smile as she said, "Milan."

Notes:

There are a few housekeeping matters that I want to get out of the way before continuing.

I went back to Act 1: Chapter I and added another section to the beginning. Everything after the new section is the same, but the first part is all new.

I had wanted to have three main female characters, two of them being Erica and Yuri, while the last one would be from the Harry Potter series. I had narrowed my choice down to Hermione and Daphne, but after looking at my outline for the series I decided that Daphne would be the better choice. It also helped that it seemed out of character for Hermione to get involved in a polygamous relationship. So Daphne Greengrass will be the third main female character for this series.

Next involves Alexander Gascoigne, Princess Alice and their respective organizations. I have changed things so that neither of them are based out of Britain since having them there would have caused too many problems for the cohesion of the story. So Alec will still be in the story, just ruling somewhere else. What I've done with them will be made clear when I introduce them into the story.