The investigation was published in the paper after being leaked. It revealed that Diggory Market Services had a major problem and their customers began to abandon them. There were calls on the Wizengamut to open a criminal investigation as the health and safety of the students had been imperiled by the lack of quality control or safety shown. Cedric Diggory was shunned by some of his fellow students at the school.
The students had recovered with only a few people who had their pride injured. No one had anything lasting affecting them from this. The new security procedures though would remain Dumbledore had declared.
Draco was laughing as he plotted what to do next. As long as he caused chaos inside the castle Potter and his friends would be too busy to look outside the castle and see the things going on out there. His father was working very hard to make sure that the Ministry was undermined and the forces of light lost strength and allies as quickly as he could.
His next subject he thought should be Susan Bones. He just had to decide what to do to her and when.
=====xxxxx====
0600hrs Thursday
Sirius Black was sitting in his secret lair as he called it. It was a country manor house that his family had taken over sometime around the Normans and placed it under every blood ward and spell they could think of or create. If you were not a member of the Black family you would stand right outside the place and not even know it was there.
He was taking a break from things as he had been rather busy. Since the rat refused to come out and play he was forced to wait. So since he had to wait anyhow might as well attend to a few other issues. He was laughing at how under the ancient laws even though he was a wanted fugitive he was still the head of the Black family with all the powers rights and privileges. And with the way he changed the will and some of the recent tricks even if the Wizengamut managed to get the four fifths of them to agree to strip him of his titles Harry would wind up Lord Black. Quite the neat little prank.
Bellatrix had been given to the Lestrange fellow by his uncle cousin with the proviso they produced an heir within a year. As it was over a decade later and she was still heir less he had as head of the family declared her marriage null and void and filed with the Goblins to revoke her dowry. When they entered her vaults they found a very evil and unpleasant item that violated their neutrality agreements. An item of ancient evil that had been created from the Goblet owned by Helga Hufflepuff. So just like the Locket it too was destroyed and given to him.
Andromeda had been given her rightful inheritance and dowry. All of it from the vault of Bellatrix. Which was closed afterwards as the Goblins seized the remainder for penalties from violating the treaties. The only sticking point was Narcissa. Dear sweet Narcissa. His first fuck at age 12. His biggest pain in his ass and that included his cousin Bella.
He finally disowned her for not paying fealty to the head of the family. The fact he had been in Azkaban was a loophole but he was grasping at straws to wipe her from this safe house. It had worked but she kept her dowry and other family related powers and secrets. The fact she had an heir had prevented him doing the same to her he had Bella which was annoying.
Looking at the paper he saw that at least the students had recovered from the attack of Rumack Syndrome at the school. Sucked that Diggory was getting hosed. He recognized that Malfoy was going to be trying to drive the Diggorys out of business with this. Smearing them. Maybe he would go deal with the paper. Cyrus Greengrass was not a bad man but he was easily bought and had no morals about changing his alliances based on profitability. As long as everyone knew and understood that they could work with him.
Pettigrew had no other friends. He had no family left but his mother. And she was a senile old bat who still talked to his finger Sirius had discovered. He was going to take her hostage or something but he doubted she would even notice. Even worse he doubted Pettigrew would care. She was living in a hovel in Diagon Alley laughingly called a convalescent home. More like morgue for those who hadn't realized they died yet.
Unfortunately too many good people had already died. Like James and Lily. His friends who had asked him to be godfather to their son. He was working on it and trying to be a good godfather , even if it was a few year too late. Although Harry did seem to be doing good for himself, like his father. Ahh James the man that had accepted Sirius, and Remus as his brothers. No questions, no expectations just a hand to pull him out of the shadows and into the light.
Flashback
It was a few weeks before Lily was due to give birth to their son. James and her had asked all their friends to arrive for a dinner.
Remus and Sirius had shown up together . Both smirking about how they had tied a real not in the tail of Macnair and his team when they showed up to rape and murder some muggle-born's parents. Turning all of Macnair's precious and beloved blades into rubber. Forcing him to abandon his goal and retreat with the remains of his team. Two of them handed over to the Aurors.
Sirius moved over and gave Pandora Lovegood a big kiss as she got up off her husbands lap to welcome them. They argued over Remus getting a longer kiss than Sirius causing Xeno to laughingly warn them that next time he'd be the one to kiss them hello if they argued with her again.
Frank and Alice were sitting nearby and welcomed them happily. Alice's own protruding belly showing the world that she was ready to pop. Frank and Sirius talked shop while James grumped about Pettigrew not showing up on time, as always. Lily telling James to not worry as she sat in her favorite wingback chair. An ugly paisley that had belonged to her grandmother from the 1800s she said. Sirius had hated that chair but after she had put his legs on backwards for changing its color he left it alone.
When Pettigrew finally showed up he made some story about being caught in traffic in the muggle town he lived in and couldn't get away that quickly. James just shook his head but accepted his story. He was one of them. One of the marauders. Brothers for life, all for one and one for all like in the books.
James stood up in the middle of the lounge in Godric's Hollow. "Alright everyone. Lilly and I have called you here to bear witness to an ancient and formal ritual so we need you to be serious Sirius."
"Hey man I am always Sirius."
Lily shot him a look that caused Remus to snicker beside the young Black. "Sorry."
"As I was saying. This is an ancient and formal ritual. A holy task that is called upon in our customs and traditions. Choosing our child's godparents is a difficult and challenging choice when presented with such worthy friends as all of you. The role of the Godparents is an honorable and vitally important one. Not something we will take lightly Lily and I gave this a lot of thought and discussion"
Sirius had sobered up at James' words. He was being deadly serious. He looked between Frank, Xeno and Remus wondering which of them would be Little Harry's godfather. There was no doubt Alice would be his godmother. Lily and her were the closest of the three. In all ways possible.
"So it is with great gravity that we call forth in the ancient customs Sirius Black to be godfather to our son Harry James Potter."
Sirius froze as he heard his name. Then he took a finger and rubbed his ear. "Wha? You go daft or something Jamesy?"
"That's what I said." Lily grumbled softly.
"Siri. I know you want everyone to think you're a clueless, no good, scruffy looking, scoundrel. That you're about as mature as a firstie and as responsible as the town drunk. I know that's an act and a cover. I know I can trust my son with you should anything happen to me brother."
"What about Frank, What about Remus or Xeno. I mean dammit Jamsie Frank's a responsible adult. So's Remus even if he does get PMS. Hell Xeno has his own magazine already. I'm just a spoiled rich playboy living off his trust vault."
"Frank is living on borrowed time. Remus would never be allowed to by the Ministry because of his furry condition. And Xeno is as big a kid as you are. Besides Lily and I plan on having enough kids for everyone to get a turn. So shut up and get over here."
Everyone was looking at him. "Really Siri I'll get the next kid." Xenophilus said slapping him on the back. Frank laughed, "Yeah and I've got Dora and Lily to consider me next after that."
Sirius knelt before Lily who had pulled her shirt open to expose her belly. The button popped out. Sirius felt awkward and nervous. Not at seeing Lily's skin, he'd seen more of her than just her belly quite often. Usually when he and Remus had walked in on the middle of her and James making baby Harry. But that he was taking an oath that was serious business. While it wasn't as deadly as an unbreakable vow or even really had much teeth it was still a magical oath that would weigh on his soul and drive him mad if he failed to carry it out. He reached out and put his hand on her belly right over the button. He felt the kick of Harry under his hand as if he knew the situation was serious.
James put his hand over Sirius' as did Lily. "I James Potter call upon Sirius Black my brother by choice if not by blood to accept the honor and duty of being godfather to my son Harry James Potter should any fate befall myself that would prevent me doing my paternal duties for him."
Sirius felt the warmth of Lily's belly, the sweat breaking out on his forehead as he swallowed, "I Sirius Black do heed the call and accept the trust placed upon me. I will do my duty as his godfather with honor and love if fate should befall it upon myself."
There was a brief flash of light rippling over her belly and the joined hands. Sirius leaned forward and kissed her belly, "I promise you Harry. I'll grow up and be there for you."
When Alice came up next to repeat the process with Lily naming her godmother Sirius was numb and thinking that he need to mature. He heard Alice call Xeno to be godfather to her son Neville and Lily to be godmother to him as if they were in a tunnel.
Flashback ends
Sirius was clenching the goblet he was drinking from so hard his knuckles had turned white. He threw the goblet across the room spilling the last of the brandy within.
"Kreacher!"
"What is thye bidding master."
"Come I think we'll pay a visit to an old friend. Find me Walden Macnair."
=====xxxxx====
1000hrs Thursday
Pettigrew had been trying to enter the Granger house or their office. He had not succeeded yet. He tried when they were at the office to get into the house and had been repulsed. Somehow that bastard Potter had protected them. It should have been impossible for a muggle house to be this well protected. He had been about to give up when he remembered that muggles had to travel in vehicles from place to place. They didn't have the floo or could apporate or anything.
He watched them and discovered what vehicle they used and when they parked it behind their office he crawled inside and hid under the seat. Cursing the gods of magic for the thousandth time that he couldn't cast magic while in his animal form he settled in to wait for them to come out and planned. He would sneak out from under the seat into the back of the vehicle and transform back. Draw his wand and execute the father if he refused to drive them someplace more quiet. The mother was attractive enough she would serve as a good toy until he broke her. Maybe he'd make her husband watch. Remind them how powerless they were against wizards. Put them in their place.
He had been sleeping under the seat for awhile and started getting a bit hungry. The Granger's though appeared to be neat freaks who even swept under the seats of their car. Unlike the Weasley's who had crumbs and food everywhere. Slobs like them made him happy. He was going to have to sneak out when he heard the pop of a wizard apparating into the busy muggle business center. He shifted back to human so he could see over the edge of the door without exposing himself to see none other than Sirius Black. What was more troubling was that Walden Macnair was standing only a few feet away. The Dark Lord must have grown weary of Pettigrew's failure to murder the Grangers by stealth and sent his blademaster assassin to do it.
Pettigrew shifted back to his rat form and decided to depart the area. No matter how this went he felt there was going to be massive destruction and the Ministry was going to become involved.
Sirius popped in with Kreacher in a business area. He saw several very nice cars all parked by the back of the building which had a man in a black trench coat walking towards that he recognized.
"Macnair. Hello There!"
Macnair froze and spun at hearing the voice he had not missed, "Sirius Black. You're a bold one to appear in public."
"Really? So what's the executioner for the Ministry doing here in muggletown."
"Killing you." He said drawing a knife and his wand.
Sirius pulled his wand and was already firing spells at the man "Really? Kinda presumptuous don't ya think?"
Macnair blocked and parried the spells. His blade was goblin steel so it had the capacity to block a great many spells. He and Sirius danced through the aprking lot. Several cars had their car alarms set off by the spells impacting them. Sirius grimaced as a Jaguar went flipping end over end due to a spell Macnair threw at him.
"Bloody hell you asshole that was a Jag!" He said firing twin fire bolts at the main as he drew his backup wand.
Macnair dove behind a car. "Fuck you Black why won't you just fucking die!"
Black laughed as he jumped on top of the cars and ran towards Macnair. "I'm already dead you dumb bastard." He leaped over the space he thought Macnair was only to discover the man had moved and he had just melted the pavement.
Sirius dodged a rapidly spinning blade that was followed up by a volley of spells. Right, left duck roll jump. Damn he was getting too old for this shit.
Sirens in the distance grew louder which Sirius recognized. Those were the muggle aurors. They were going to get hosed if they got involved.
Macnair must have heard them too as he stopped trying to kill Sirius and went on the defensive. Hiding among the wreckage as the yellow and blue car came rolling to a stop. The first officer getting out was hit by a green light dropping like a stone. Fortunately Sirius saw where it came from and using a banishing spell flung several car parts at the location impaling the wall but missing Macnair with most of it who had combat apparated.
Sirius spun having known that trick and fired blindly winging the tall thin man and setting fire to his coat. He slid out of it as quickly as he could but Sirius had already closed the distance and wrestled the man to the ground. A dangerous idea but at least it got him to stop throwing spells at him Sirius thought.
As they wrestled on the ground Sirius reached out and pulled a hubcap to him using it to smash Macnair in the face. Unfortunately Macnair had a quick draw knife in a wrist holster and used it to stab Sirius in the stomach.
Sirius rolled backwards and took a moment to cast a quick episky to at least staunch the blood flow. Fortunately it wasn't an envenomed blade. Macnair must not have been prepared to deal with a wizard. "Getting sloppy there old man." Sirius wheezed.
Macnair struggled to his feet. "You're going to die for them? For muggles?"
"Well that's not the first plan." He said as he began to throw spells again.
Macnair danced around him and blasted the door to the building away. Sirius had to dodge the debris as it bounced off him.
The special officers had arrived and begun to fire on them with their service weapons. Which just added to the chaos.
"Well this is fun." Sirius said as he threw the cars and debris up in a wall between himself and the police. This allowed Macnair to run into the building. Sirius was cursing the slow response time of the aurors. This much magic being tossed around in a muggle area should have been as subtle as a Niffler in Gringotts.
Chasing after Macnair he saw the wizard running down a corridor. Moving quickly he followed him snapping off a few spells as he went to keep the man on his toes.
=====xxxxx=====
1005hrs Thursday
Emma had just finished adjusting the braces on Alexander Wirth a 14 year old boy who was going on 19 with the way he tried to look down her shirt every time he came in. She had caught him every time but since he never got a look she ignored him.
Reldan suddenly appeared in her exam room. "Madam Granger you must leave a danger comes."
Alexander's mother screamed and pointed at the elf before he snapped his fingers and they vanished.
Dan came running into her exam room. "What's the screaming?"
Reldan turned, "Please get all people to leave the office. There is an attacker coming soon. They are fighting outside."
"Okay. Front or back?"
"The back entrance."
Dan nodded then stepped to the side and pulled the fire alarm. The high pitched ululation of the alarm got everyone's attention and they began to file out.
Coming back to Emma and Reldan Dan nodded, "Okay Reldan do your thing."
Reldan took their hands and frowned. "I cannot. Toki has had to put the wards on full as your house is under attack too."
"Great. They had a plan. So now what?"
"I can take you to Brown estate. They are aware."
"What about Toki?"
"She will come soon. She is gathering your important things."
"Look things are worthless. Tell her to.."
"...come too." Dan finished standing in the front yard of the Brown's manor house.
"I was ordered by mistress to see to your safety first. I will now go help Toki."
Charles came up to them as Reldan popped out.
"We were warned by your house elf you'd be coming. Come on. Let's get you inside and some tea. Are either of you injured?"
"No I don't think so. Reldan got us out before anything happened."
=====xxxxx=====
1000hrs Thursday.
Hermione was in the middle of transfiguration when she grabbed her head and screamed, "Mom dad!"
Everyone froze looking at her, "The house. They're attacking the house!"
"Mister Potter please take Miss Granger to the hospital. I shall contact the headmaster." Professor McGonnegal ordered.
Draco smiled softly as he saw her crying form get led out by Potter. Neville was glaring at him so he gave a little wave. The Weasley bitch though gave him a rude salute back.
=====xxxxx=====
"Harry if they're attacking the house that means they may attack the office."
"Well where would your mom and dad be right now?"
"At the office if everything's normal. Oh god it hurts my head."
"Yeah they warned about that. You're supposed to harden your mind."
"I've been working on that Harry but they are doing something that is tearing the wards down. I can feel them crumbling. And it hurts."
"Okay we need to get to the Hospital wing. Pomfrey will know what to do."
=====xxxxx====
1010hrs Thursday
By the time they reached the hospital Hermione had a nosebleed and one of her eyes was bloodshot.
"What's going on here?"
"Someone's attacking her home. She's the wardmaster for it."
"They're probably using a ward ripper. We'll have to pull the link with the wards."
Hermione laid quietly as Madam Pomfrey did a few things with her wand then frowned passed the wand over again as Hermione cried out then her eyes rolled up in her head and she passed out.
"MIONE!"
"She will be fine. The surge of energy when I severed the link merely overwhelmed her." Pomfrey said waving her wand and looking at the glows coming off of it.
Dumbledore entered at this point , "Poppy?"
"She's been on the receiving end of a ward ripper at her home. She's unconscious and will be at least until dinner. There doesn't seem to be any lasting or severe injury but she'll stay until tomorrow morning at he earliest just to make sure." She said as she worked rapidly but efficiently.
Lavender Brown came skidding to a stop with Luna only a few steps behind her. "Mom just called from the house. Dan and Emma are alive and with them."
"Are they injured Miss Brown?"
"No just shaken up."
"Indubitably."
"Sir? Do you think it was Death Eaters?"
"This does fit the patterns of the bad old days."
"Great they targeted Hermione's parents."
"Yes no doubt hoping that you would somehow be drawn out to avenge their deaths. It is fortunate you took such precautions as you did."
Harry nodded, "Speaking of which Reldan and Toki?"
"They both made it out. They're at the house with the Grangers as well. A bit singed but alright."
"It will appear that the Grangers may have a change of residence for a time."
=====xxxxx=====
1030hrs Thursday
Sirius heard a door explode and ducked as it came hurtling down the corridor. He rushed forward flickering in and out as the lights went out and his spell stuttered his position, displacing him forward and behind his actual position by a few feet.
He ducked around the corner and saw Macnair growling in frustration at an empty medical office of some kind. Sirius was happy to launch a variety of things at Macnair. Causing the man to spin and apparate out.
"Kreacher. We need to follow him."
=====xxxxx====
He appeared in the yard of a house down the street from a flaming wreckage that had once been a house. He popped over the hedge and saw a few of the old gang standing there. Macnair, the Carrow twins, and Yaxley.
"Great four to one. Not bad odds." He grunted as his stomach wound began bleeding again. "OH that's not good. Seems like my handiwork isn't as good as it used to be."
"Damn Kreacher I'd kill for the Grenade of Antioch right now." He grinned though as he saw a propane grill outside the house.
Pulling the tank to him he picked it up and grinned as it was if not full it was close enough. "Good. Kreacher drop this in the middle of them."
"Master Kreacher may not harm magicals except in defense."
"Dammit Kreacher this is defense. Just proactive defense. We're defending against them so we don't have to attack them C'mon you can do it. Fight the compulsion."
Kreacher began to twitch and growl as he drooled, fighting the magical compulsion that prevented House Elves from fighting except in defense of their house or master. Sirius waved his hand as he saw the four of them talking to Macnair as they heard sirens coming. The fire brigade coming to deal with the fire. The fact that aurors had not already arrived was very troubling. Sirius wanted them so he banished the propane tank down the street as fast as he could. The Carrows saw the tank hurtling at them but Macnair had his back turned. So when it hit he was the only one who had not apparated out. The tank had been traveling fast enough to knock Macnair down. The blasting charm Sirius hit the tank with caused shrapnel to spray across the entire area. He ran up calling for Kreacher as a bright red fire truck came around the corner. Grabbing Macnair the elf popped them out to the shock of the fire truck driver.
=====xxxxx====
1045hrs Thursday
Sirius landed in his safe house with his prisoner. He grabbed the man's wand and cast a spell to remove the bones in his hands. "Is he going to live Kreacher?"
"Yes master. Most of his wounds are not severe enough to be fatal."
"Good. Get me a healing potion please."
The elf returned as soon as he left with a potion that Sirius drank. Feeling better he propped the Death Eater up on a chair. "So Wald. Let's have a chat.
=====xxxxx=====
1330hrs Thursday
Amelia Bones was storming in her office. As head of the DMLE for the entire U.K. attacks in major muggle cities were regarded as an abject failure.
"I want to know why every magic detector in Crawley went down simultaneously. Why were you not out doing foot patrols Inspector?" She growled into the face of the head of the Crawley office.
"I've only got five Auror Constables and one Sergeant ma'am. Crawley has a hundred thousand people in it."
"Yes including the Grangers. The betrothed to Harry Potter's family. You didn't think to send a patrol to their locations to determine their safety."
"Ahem Ahem"
Bones stopped herself before she said or did anything career ending.
"Yes Madam Umbridge. Do you require something?" She carefully said as she turned to speak with the newly appointed Undersecretary to the Minister.
"I was merely going to remind the Inspector that he did his job. It is not his duty to place one set of muggles above any other."
"These are not mere muggles ma'am. These are the family members of the betrothed of one of our society's most famous heroes."
"I thought he considered himself somewhat less than heroic. Downplaying what happened."
"He is rather humble ma'am."
"I'm sure. Still it is rather sad that Sirius Black took such effort to attack these muggles."
"Ma'am we have witness reports from the officers on scene that there were more than just Black on location. He was fighting with someone that the description sounded like Walden Macnair. Who is missing."
"Mister Macnair was given a medical leave of absence from his position."
"He did not check into Saint Mungo's"
"Perhaps he saw a family healer."
"You wouldn't happen to know the name of said healer."
"No I do not pry into the personal lives of my employees." She said walking around Ms Bones to sit behind her desk.
"Yes well Inspector you are dismissed."
"Uh thank you ma'am."
"The only way the entire detection network over the city of Crawley would go down would be if the central node went down."
"Well that is not a DMLE issue that is a public works issue."
"It is a DMLE issue if it was taken down by malfeasance."
"Public works is headed by Sebastian Doyle. A member of a minor family but still honorable enough."
"Does he have any idea when the network will be back up?"
"I have no idea."
"My forces are crippled in the search for Black with the node down."
"Well perhaps if you are so concerned and desire foot patrols you should put on some comfortable shoes then eh?"
"I may consider that."
"Well at least no one died."
"2 people died."
"Muggles Ms Bones. No one important."
======xxxxx=====
1600hrs Thursday
Dumbledore was meeting with Severus in his office in the dungeons.
"Severus do you know anything about what happened?"
"No. The last that I had discovered was that Pettigrew was still to test and probe their defenses."
"I fear that the gauntlet was thrown down by Harry when he took the virginity of the Weasley girls."
"Yes well we knew that his impetuous nature would prove difficult. Although did you not encourage him doing so?"
"Yes but I thought he would be a gentleman and not parade their bloody knickers from the flagpole."
Snape just raised his eyebrow. "You do recall his father."
Dumbledore merely inhaled through his nose a couple of times as he chewed his beard.
"I am surprised he did not do it on the Gryffindor table during Dinner. He does not have much modesty."
"So it seems. At least James was more circumspect in his assignations."
Severus snorted but composed himself quickly.
"Something amusing Severus?"
"Between Black and Potter more than half the girls in the school in our year had succumbed to their charms by the time we graduated. If we had cast a purity charm only the third years and younger would have had a complete class."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrow then sighed, "Well it seems Harry is carrying on the family tradition."
"Yes. The Dark Lord will be quite curious to know what effect the attack he ordered had."
"I will speak with the Grangers and determine what course of action they would find acceptable. If asked about it you are not aware of what happened and they must be hiding among the muggles."
"As you wish sir."
====xxxxx====
1730Hrs Thursday
Sirius was having dinner. Thinking about what he had learned from Macnair. The Dark Lord was in a rage by Harry taking both Weasley girls to his bed. James would be proud. Hell Sirius was proud of his godson. From what he had seen not a single one of the girls was a coyote. Even the Granger girl had a certain charming cuteness that she would grow into.
Since he had been cheated from that particular bloodline he had two choices the way Sirius figured it. Either use the Kandorian ritual on some other virgin. His darkness would have to choice a magical though as a muggle would not work. His ego would mean it would be a pure-blood girl. Not that Sirius was too concerned for the social pages but he was not sure how many pure-blood virginal girls there were. They usually got sold off pretty quickly.
The other option was an ancient one Sirius had been trying to find in the books. He knew he had read or heard about it once before at some point. Something about the blood of your father. He had hit his head during the fight at some point and needed to get things straightened out a bit. He missed his friends.
=====xxxxx=====
1945hrs Thursday
That evening Hermione had awoken well enough to talk to her parents via mirror.
"I'm sorry dear. Charles says the house is a total loss. Toki managed to recover some of your books and things but they destroyed it all."
"That's okay mom. I'm just glad you two are safe."
"We are. Charles and Amanda have said we can stay here with them as long as we need to. They did that the first war too."
"I'm sorry you got dragged into this."
Dan took the mirror, "Hey Pumpkin you don't worry about us. You get feeling better and relax. I mean if I'm not worried about losing the white album then we have nothing to worry about."
Hermione rolled her eyes at her dad. "You can make jokes about this?"
"Hun if we can't keep our sense of humor then why bother fighting? We lost some things. We need a new wardrobe and address and well the Range Rover is now an Ikea project but the important thing is your mother is safe, I'm safe, the staff at he office as well as our patients all made it out."
"I know. I'm just worried about you."
"Well the headmaster came for dinner. We talked about what to do. We are going to leave the U.K. You'll be safe with Harry and Neville."
"But what if they hunt you down?"
"Well we're going to be in a big muggle city. We'll just be another couple of muggles in a muggle city. The Death Eaters have a bit of trouble navigating our world. Almost as much as we have navigating yours."
"Our world mom. You're part of my world."
"Yeah Pumpkin. I know that. But right now we're more of a boat anchor than a help. We'll be fine. Dumbledore got things straight with the local authorities. We had to take a calculated risk and show up to talk to the local constabulary but they are blaming it on a terror group. Just a random attack. The house was insured so we'll get the money from that."
"Will you let me know when you get to where you're going?"
"Yeah but it'll be through the network of contacts Xeno has. We won't tell you exactly that way we can't be used against you hun. I'm sorry I can't hug you."
"I know. I'll be okay. I'm a big girl now."
"Yeah so you are hun."
"I love you mom, dad."
"We love you too hun."
=====xxxxx====
2000hrs Thursday.
Yaxley showed up at Malfoy manor to give his report.
Kneeling he spoke, "My apologies my Lord but there is a problem."
"What is the problem."
"One of my men has got himself perished."
"What?"
"Yes sir Macnair was found in the middle of Diagon Alley. Someone stuck all his blades in his major organs in alphabetical order."
"Someone. You mean Sirius Black." The Dark Lord hissed.
"Most likely sir. He was in Crawley according to the Carrows. He hurled an explosive device at them."
"Where is Pettigrew. He was supposed to be probing the Granger's defenses."
"I do not know my liege."
"Your arm."
Extending the appropriate limb he felt the sharp burn as the Dark Lord sent a message through the link their dark mark forged. A few minutes later Pettigrew stumbled in.
Kneeling he sniveled, "Yes my liege."
"Why did you not come to report to me about Black."
"I was knocked unconscious. I only regained my senses a few minutes before you summoned me sire."
"That is debatable."
"My lord. I bring you information from Hogwarts."
"Ahh Severus my lost sheep. Let us hope your news is good."
Taking the position he sighed, "I know not if you will find the news I bring good or ill. The Granger parents still live and have decided to go into hiding in a muggle city. I do not know which one as they did not tell their daughter."
"Damn them! Damn them all to hell!" He said just before casting the crucio on all three figures kneeling before him. They spasmed and twitched for long seconds until a lesion opened in the forehead of the host for the the Dark Lord. Dark thick black blood oozed from the wound causing him to release the three victims.
"Fine go. They may have eluded my wrath for now. They will feel it though. Pettigrew you were a friend of Black. Find him."
"Sire?"
"Find him. He is a thorn in my paw. The one who removes it will be well rewarded. He must have warned and helped the Grangers."
"Yes my liege." Pettigrew said as he crawled out of the room.
"Yaxley. Continue to infiltrate the Ministry. Work on finding a way to remove those who stand against us."
"Yes sire." He said with a shaky bow and departed.
"What is your tasks for myself sire?"
"Severus. My dear friend Severus. Your task will be to help Draco with whatever task he wishes your help within the castle."
"yes my lord."
"Now go return before the old man misses you."
Severus bowed then left.
Narcissa came over and dabbed at the forehead of her lord, "Pity about Black. He always was a mudlover."
"Yet you took him to your bed."
"Until he was cast out of the family."
"He must have helped them due to their daughter. He is Potter's godfather. He must still be sane enough to uphold his oath."
"Perhaps sire. Though with them retreating to a muggle city it would have to be a large one. And no doubt outside the U.K."
"Why do you say that?"
"While most pure-bloods are hopeless in navigating the muggle world I have managed to become accustomed to their ways."
"So?"
"The U.K. is not large enough for them to hide forever within. Even our largest city is small compared to some of the major metropolis like Tokyo or New York. They have millions of muggles and magicals all living together. Like animals at a watering hole."
"Well that means they will not have contact with her. She will be sad and weaker. Perhaps it is time for Draco to take a chance."
=====xxxxx====
2230hrs Thursday
Harry had parked himself in a chair beside Hermione's bed. She was asleep thanks to a potion from the matron. He was watching her breathe when a blanket settled over him as the matron stepped over to check on her. "She's resting comfortably. I gave her a calming draught."
Harry nodded afraid his voice would break. He had come to speak with her after dinner and she was crying as her parents had said goodbye. She sent Reldan and Toki with them with firm orders to keep them safe.
"Good night Mister Potter. I do expect her to be alone in the bed. At least unless she begins to have nightmares."
"Yes ma'am. I understand."
Madam Pomfrey closed the door to her suite checking to make sure the monitoring wards would alert her to any emergencies or changes. She would be glad when this was over. Too many young lives were getting hurt, forced to grow up and deal with pains beyond their ages again.
Getting ready for bed she said her prayers to whatever deity would listen.
=====xxxxx=====
2300hrs Thursday
Sirius was drinking himself into a stupor. It was better than using a calming draught or dreamless sleep as they could get addictive. He was no closer to the rat. Although he had taken out a different Death Eater. So that was a fair trade. The attack in a muggle city though had not had an auror response. That was not good, not good at all. Last war you couldn't raise your wand in a muggle city without tripping the detectors. That meant the ministry was infiltrated. It confirmed it.
So how to deal with that. He had no friends. No he had one. He would just have to be approached very carefully or the phrase bite your head off could turn quite literal.