* ~ The Eighth Year Universe ~ *

Love Wins

Keep Your Spirit Strong

The chapter title is from the song:

A Little Home – Rascal Flatts.


When Neville half-dragged Harry into the kitchen of Potter Manor, Daphne and Lilly looked up with a glance. Then that look turned to alarm when they saw the state of Harry.

"Is he okay?" Daphne asked anxiously.

"He looks half-dead," Lilly said, rising to her feet.

Neville shook his head and shoved Harry into a chair, "Nah, just magically exhausted. I gave him a boost to get him home."

"You magic-shared?"

"Yeah, he'd be passed out in the Forbidden Forest if I hadn't," Neville remarked, "Make sure he doesn't fall off that chair. I need a cup of fucking coffee."

Daphne and Lilly looked at each other, worry written over both of their faces.

"Explain," Lilly remarked.

"Now," Daphne added.

Neville poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite Harry, whose head was now resting on the table.

"Do you want to, Harry? Or do you want me to?" Neville asked, kicking Harry's foot under the table.

"You," Harry grunted.

"Bet you feel like you've just come down from a really bad trip right now, huh?"

"Fuck you," Harry groaned.

Lilly rolled her eyes, "Well, no wonder he's grumpy. You may have given him a boost, but it wasn't enough. I can-"

"You've got to work in the morning," Daphne said offhandedly. She walked up to Harry, wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her head on top of his.

They all saw the strands of magic weave around them, and Harry's cheeks visibly got more colour. Then Daphne pushed herself away from him, and Harry opened his eyes.

"I love you."

"I know you do," Daphne replied, "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

Harry shook his head, "I do want to find Rufus Scrimgeour's corpse and mutilate it, though."

"I'm sure you do, but that's not a healthy way of dealing with your anger," Neville remarked, sipping his coffee calmly.

Lilly put her hands on her hips and snapped, "Can we quit talking in fuckin' riddles and explain what the hell is goin' on?"

"Alright, calm down, Lil," Harry said, raising a hand.

Neville raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew better than that.

"I know you're getting impatient when the east end girl comes out," Harry added, unable to stop himself from smiling at her.

Lilly pointed at him, "You better stop smiling and start explaining. Why do we want to mutilate Scrimgeour, and why are you magically exhausted?"

"And why is Neville not phased about any of this?" Daphne added.

"When does Neville get phased about anything?" Harry asked with a wave of his hand.

Lilly fixed him with an irritated glare, "Explain before I start breaking fingers, and you know I will. I've done it once before."

"And he was mildly turned on by it," Neville remarked idly.

Harry held up his hands in disbelief, "Nev, you're a traitor. I told you never to tell anyone about that."

"I told you never to lose control of your magic like a dumbass, but here we are," Neville remarked. He raised an eyebrow at Harry, "And to think, I gave Draco the whole 'Harry won't do that, he's a well-adjusted adult' speech."

Daphne snorted, "You are talking about the same Harry Potter, aren't you?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well, the ministry did create a project called 'Emerald Lightning' which aimed to basically clone me and therefore weaponise, you know, all of me."

"Okay, hold on, rewind," Lilly said, holding up a hand, "The Ministry under Scrimgeour, did what, exactly?"

Neville sighed, "They were worried, in 1997, that Harry might fuck up and die rather than actually defeat Voldemort. So they used his blood to study his genetics in an attempt to make a backup Harry. Someone with his magical power and prowess who could control snakes. And that in itself is bad, obviously, but Natasha Wolfe was killed after the Statute Saboteurs used her to steal that file."

"No," Daphne breathed.

"No fucking way," Lilly said in disbelief, "They were creating super-soldiers down there? Are these people fucking retarded?! Have they never seen a science fiction movie, like why the fuck would they think that was a good idea?"

"These are the idiots who nearly built Jurassic Park, to be fair," Neville said dryly.

"Still, this is like Captain America shit, Neville," Lilly said in disbelief. "You're telling me they've got a Winter Soldier, who fights just like Harry and has his magical power?"

Harry frowned, "I don't feel like I know those movies well enough to know what you're talking about."

"I don't think any of us do, to be fair," Neville pointed out.

Lilly ignored them and continued to fume, "How dare they? How did they even get your blood? Like, fuck me! It's illegal for me to keep blood for longer than 3 weeks in my hospital without consent. Who the fuck do these people think they are?!"

"That's an excellent question, Lilly. But as the Department of Mysteries is right now, they don't answer to anyone," Neville replied calmly, "Sure, they report to the Minister. Still, frankly, the Minister doesn't usually know the half of what happens down there."

"That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about them," Lilly said dryly.

"Well, they keep their jobs secret for a reason," Neville sighed.

Harry looked up at Daphne, who was looking at him with a conflicted look in her eyes.

"You're going to go to Hungary to fight them, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Harry replied, "I have to. Who else is going to know how to fight a clone of me better than me?"

"Draco did say they don't know what the research was for," Neville pointed out, "You jumped straight to 'they're building a clone of me', but genetic research could be used for any number of things."

"And that sentence is proof that Neville would be a better person to send to Hungary," Daphne remarked calmly, "Because, unlike you, he can actually keep his head."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be going with him," Neville said matter of factly.

"Of course you are," Lilly said dryly.

And, "Oh, you are, are you?" Daphne remarked.

Neville looked up at the two women, "Yes, I am. I'm a Reserve Auror. I got the call-up, and you two know better than anyone that someone has to have this idiot's back. He'll never make it to Ted and Almina's wedding otherwise."

"That's not true," Harry said firmly, "And you're not coming, Nev. Your back-"

"- is fine and has been fine for years," Neville finished, "I still destroyed you in our annual Christmas duel last year, didn't I?"

"I had the flu," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Or you're just losing your touch," Daphne said, her icy eyes boring into his, "Draco's good, and I know you like working with him. But nobody has your back like Neville. You two fight together like you're the same person. If you're going to Hungary, you need to have him with you."

Lilly looked at Daphne in disbelief, "And do I get a say in this, no?"

Daphne cocked her head at Lilly, "Do you honestly think Harry should be going anywhere near this without Neville?"

"No," Lilly admitted, "But I also don't think either of them should be going anywhere near it without us."

"Not helping, Lillian," Harry said from across the table.

"Well, tough luck, Harry, because I've had both of your backs for years," Lilly said matter of factly, "And when one of you does something stupid, you're going to need me there."

"What's Daphne's purpose then?" Neville asked, "Because one of us should stay here in case something goes wrong."

"Oh, so I'm the housewife who stays behind while you three chase adventure?" Daphne asked, looking between them, "Fuck that. I'm more useful than all three of you combined. I'd like to see any of you get through a curse-laden door into a secret hideout."

Harry looked between them, "So we all go? I'm calling the shots on this anyway, whether Ben knows that yet or not. Neville is coming because he's my old partner. Lilly's heading up the Trauma team, and Daphne is our resident Curse Breaker."

Daphne nodded, "I've got one condition."

Harry looked up at his wife, "Yes?"

"Our son stays far away from this," Daphne said, her eyes burning passionately, "He might think he's a man, but he's just a boy. This isn't his fight, Harry."

The words echoed in Harry's head.

"He's just a boy!"

He heard Narcissa's desperate plea, and he saw the look of terror on Draco's face. Harry swallowed hard and jolted himself away from the memories.

With a nod, he met Daphne's eye.

"Deal."


Harry was beyond exhausted, but he didn't let it show when he stepped into Ben's office and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Love what you've done with the place," He joked weakly.

Ben gave him a half-hearted smile in response, "We did what you asked, and there were no curses or booby traps on any of the Wolfe's or their property. If the Statute Saboteurs were using them to force Natasha into something, there was no sign of it."

Harry frowned, "That doesn't make sense."

Ben shrugged, "I know, but it's all we've got. I've asked the ME to use 'Priori Memoria' to access Natasha's last memory. Still, with the state her body was in…there's no guarantee that it will work."

Harry sighed and leaned against Ben's desk, "I feel really bad about this, but…."

Ben raised an eyebrow at him, "You're taking over the task force, aren't you?"

Harry looked at him in alarm, "How did you - "

" – I'd have done the same thing if I were in Minister Black's position," Ben admitted.

"She has the most talented Head Auror this department has seen in a long time, at her disposal. Of course she's going to put him where he's needed most."

"Still," Harry said carefully, "I know how I would have felt to see someone come in and take over after I'd done all the hard work. I just…want you to know that it's not like that."

"I know it's not," Ben said with a smile, "You were my boss for a long time, Harry. I don't think there's a bad bone in your body."

Harry smiled sadly, "I wish that were true, but it isn't. Good men don't have rules, and…one day, you'll discover why I have so many."

Ben observed him for a moment, then nodded, "Well, I'd already put together a file for the task force. Draco will be here shortly, and then you can review and make any changes you deem necessary?"

Harry nodded and threw himself into a chair on the side of the desk he hadn't been accustomed to sitting at over the last decade.

The door opened, and Draco raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were retired."

"Right now, I'm just tired," Harry shot back.

Ben motioned for Draco to sit down next to Harry, then he sat down opposite them in the Head Aurors chair.

"Is this weird for you?" Draco asked, looking sideways at Harry.

"A little bit, but I was trying not to think about it," Harry admitted with a weak smile.

Ben chuckled and put a file on the desk, "The team I had put together for the Hungary taskforce. Now it's up to the new commanding Auror to decide if it's suitable."

Draco looked up in surprise, "You're taking over?"

Harry nodded. He looked at Draco, and his eyes flashed, "I spoke to Hermione this morning. After what was discovered in the Department of Mysteries, I have to."

Draco nodded and pulled the file towards himself, "Out of interest, did Almina throw her name in the hat?"

"She did," Ben said cautiously, "But I discounted her pretty early on. Partly because I think this is too big for someone fresh out of the training centre, which is why I discarded most of this year's and last year's graduates."

Draco nodded and cocked his head at the Head Auror.

"But also because she's your baby girl," Ben said, looking up at Draco, "And you were more than just my boss when I was working my way up, and you were Assistant Head. You were my role model, of the kind of Auror I wanted to be and…..the kind of husband I want to be, and one day in the distant future, the kind of father I want to be. I couldn't send her off to war, not in good conscience."

Draco smiled slightly, "I'm honoured, Ben, and on this occasion, I do agree that this is too big for Aurors fresh out of the centre to handle. But in the future, if Almina proves to be good at what she does, you can't hold her back because she's my daughter. It's not fair."

"I know," Ben said sheepishly.

"I don't suppose you discounted Teddy for the same reasons?" Harry asked the Head Auror.

"Uh, no," Ben admitted.

"Guess he just doesn't respect you as much," Draco said dryly.

Ben rolled his eyes, "No, I respect you just as much, Harry. But it's different with Teddy, he's older, he's unique, and he's perfect for this."

Harry nodded and glanced at the file over Draco's shoulder, "I know he is, and that's why I hate saying that I can't take him, but I can't. I know he's right for it, but Daphne can't cope with Teddy and me both going. Unfortunately, without being big-headed, I think my leadership is more important than Teddy's abilities."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Who's going to tell him that?"

"I will," Harry said, his eyes full of conflict, "I'll have to."

Draco looked at the other names on the file, "Are you going to take any of them?"

Harry shook his head, "I'll head this up, and I'll need Neville by my side when I do."

Draco smiled, although it looked false, "Neville, of course."

"You're one of my best friends, Draco, but it's different with Neville," Harry said quietly, "And you are needed here, on the homefront."

Draco sighed but didn't fight it.

"Why don't you have any Curse Breakers on here?" Harry asked, looking up at Ben, "If we've learned anything from the two attacks we've seen, it's that the Saboteurs are more than nifty with curses."

Ben looked a little flustered, "I…didn't think of that."

Harry looked down at the file and nodded, "Well, I'll take Daphne, and I'll have her pick another Curse Breaker. I would say we need another two pairs of Aurors."

"And you won't take Teddy and Nick Wolfe?" Ben guessed.

Harry shook his head, "Nick's too close to this. People who get that close, they mess up under pressure, and they either kill someone or get someone killed."

Ben leant forward, "Harry if you are right… then it's highly likely that there's some sort of security, potentially even a thief's downfall, on the entrance to their hideout. Teddy can walk through that as a different person, nobody else can. Would you consider sending him without Nick?"

Draco shook his head, "Trust me, that is not negotiable. Nick said he wasn't going anywhere without his partner, and if it were Theo and me, I would feel the same."

"Look, I know what you're saying, Ben," Harry agreed calmly.

"But he should be getting selected for this sort of mission because he's ready as an Auror, not because he's a Metarmorphmagus. Now, the two pairs I would recommend are Owen Cauldwell and Meredith McKay, and Jack Sheppard and Oscar Cauldwell."

"Jack Sheppard's wife is pregnant," Draco said quietly.

"With a child who will call your husband 'grandad', which makes you too close to this to make that decision," Harry pointed out.

"He's not my husband, legally," Draco said. He raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"But yes, I do care about the welfare of Lacey and her child, so maybe I am too close to it, but so are you. Maybe we can't tell Ben why, but after what we discovered in the DOM, we both know that you are damn close to this too."

Harry leant back in his chair and sighed, "Fine. Then why don't we use the reserves?"

Draco looked at him in surprise, "The reserve Aurors?"

Harry nodded, the cogs whirring in his head, "Yes. We've already decided to call them up. But I suspect Ben hopes to use them here while we send our active Aurors to Europe to help in the fight against the Saboteurs?"

Ben nodded, "That was my plan, yes."

"Well, I propose we do it a different way," Harry said calmly, "Don't send our young, fit, healthy Aurors into a warzone that they aren't equipped for. Send our reserves, the people who have fought in at least one, some of them in two, wars against Voldemort. This is a war of attrition, just like those two."

Draco paused, "There's a degree of sense in that, you know Ben?"

Ben considered it for a moment, "It would be foolish to waste experience like that," he admitted.

Harry looked between them, "I am not talking about calling up the reserves and forcing them into something they aren't comfortable with. What I propose is on a volunteer-only basis. Still, it pleases everyone – we send some of the reserves out to Europe, which pleases the ICW. Not sending young men and women into the eye of the storm will please the Wizengamot. It's the best way to keep everyone happy."

Draco eyed Harry for a moment, "We do know that the Statute Saboteurs are not natural fighters. All the intel points towards them being Curse Breakers at the moment."

"So we take the reserves," Harry said, leaning back in his chair, "The people who have more experience. The people who are not going to rush in and get hit with an unexpected curse."

"You may be onto something there," Ben confessed.

"This isn't a mission that's going to involve duelling and reflexes," Harry continued, "It's a mission that will benefit from stealth and experience."

With a nod, Ben asked, "So who do you think will throw their hat into the ring?"

Harry contemplated that for a moment before replying, "Well, Rob is out, whatever he says. His daughter just…."

He swallowed and shook his head, "Jen needs him here."

"I know you say that I'm needed on the homefront, but you know I would volunteer in a heartbeat," Draco promised, his eyes meeting Harry's.

"I know you would, but we need you here," Harry said, "I can't have your back out there, and as much as he wishes he could, Theo can't anymore either. But here? You're the most important thing the Auror department has – a politician who understands how we work."

"I'm more use to you here than I am to you there," Draco realised with a resigned nod.

Harry returned the nod, "If I know Shep, he'll want to fight on Rob's behalf after what happened to Nat. She was his goddaughter, after all."

"Lorne's gonna throw his name in too, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mitch did," Ben added.

Draco looked over at them carefully, "And Neville's not going to let you go anywhere near this without him, is he?"

"No," Harry said, a fond smile coming to his face, "He's a loyal little bugger, after all."

Ben chuckled, and Draco smiled half-heartedly.

Harry leant forward and asked, "What about a Trauma team?"

"Initially, I had put two relatively junior Healers down for the task force," Ben admitted, "But now…I think you will need a full trauma team."

"We will, and I want the best of the best leading it."

Draco looked at Harry sceptically, "You can't just take over the task force then decide you're putting your best friend, your wife and your wife's girlfriend on it. That's called nepotism."

"And although frowned upon, it is legal," Ben finished, smirking slightly.

"I know how it looks, Draco, but I'm past the point of caring," Harry admitted, "Daphne is the best Curse Breaker I know, better than even Bill these days, I would argue. And Lillian Longbottom is the best damn Trauma Healer we ever worked with, and you know it."

"Of course I know it," Draco muttered, "It doesn't mean I have to like it."

Harry snorted and looked over at Ben, "I would take a team of three Healers. What junior healers did you have down for it?"

Ben chuckled, "Clara Cauldwell owled me this morning. Two of her most promising girls just passed their Auror field training simulations with flying colours."

He reached over and flipped the page to show Draco and Harry the additional sheet in the file.

"Victoire Delacour and Nevaeh Hall," Ben finished.

Draco looked at the names for a moment, "It's a young team, but I don't see why it won't work. Especially with Lilly at the head to keep them in check."

"Oh, she'll definitely do that," Harry agreed with a nod.

Ben nodded, "When do you want to ship out?"

"As soon as we have a team together, which will be sooner rather than later," Harry replied.

Before any more could be said, a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in!" Ben called.

Their ME, a young man called Arlo Jugson, stepped into the room.

"Sirs," He said, bowing his head.

"Arlo," Ben said politely, "Did you get the autopsy done?"

"I did," Arlo replied, "The cause of death was heart failure, brought on by the curse. It would have been fast and relatively painless."

"Well, that's something," Draco said with a sigh.

Ben nodded, "The family will be glad to hear that. What of the final memory? Did you manage to retrieve it?"

"No, sir," Arlo replied, "The brain was dead. It seemed to have been dead for a long time."

Draco frowned, "That doesn't correlate with the rest of the evidence, does it?"

Arlo shook his head, "No, but I'm unfamiliar with the curse that killed her. It caused her body to deteriorate extremely quickly. There's no reason to believe it couldn't have done the same to her brain."

Ben sighed, "Thank you, Arlo. Did anything else of note come up?"

"She kept a wallet in her back pocket," Arlo said. He held it out to Ben in a sealed evidence bag, "There was a photograph of a girl in there, along with a note that said 'I am so sorry, Addison. I never wanted this to hurt you'."

"Addison Weasley," Draco and Harry realised in unison.

Harry swallowed and nodded, and Ben bowed his head, "Great work, Arlo. Thanks."

"You're welcome, sir," Arlo said before leaving the office.

"Natasha broke up with Addison," Harry said quietly, "Addison thought she cheated, but I don't think that's true."

"No," Draco agreed, "I don't either. I think she was trying to push Addison away to protect her because the Saboteurs were threatening her. I know Addison Weasley well, and that girl is so incredibly forgiving that Natasha would have had to make the lie unforgivable."

"Somebody needs to tell her the truth," Harry said quietly.

"I will," Draco promised, "She's living on the grounds of the castle at the moment."

Harry sighed and got to his feet, "I need to get a team together. I'll call around the reserves tonight, and as soon as I'm ready, I'll get in contact with you both."

Draco and Ben both nodded and watched silently as Harry left the office.

"How sure is the Minister that we can beat them?" Ben asked, looking Draco in the eye.

Draco sighed and got to his feet, "Not sure enough."


When Draco knocked on the door of the Gate Cottage, Addison yelled, "One minute!"

He waited for the door to open, and when it did, she was in a bathrobe, "Sorry, I was in the bath," she said sheepishly.

Draco nodded and asked, "Can I come in?"

Addison took a step back but nodded, "Uh yeah. You're not…kicking me out, are you?"

"No," Draco promised, shutting the door behind him and stepping into the open-plan downstairs area, "But I do need to talk to you, and I think it would be best if you sat down."

Addison sat down and looked at him warily, "There's nothing wrong with my mum, is there?"

Draco shook his head, "No, she's fine," he promised.

Addison blew out a sigh of relief but still looked wary.

"I assume you heard about the Statute Saboteur attack yesterday," Draco said calmly.

"Yeah, they're saying in the rumour mill that it was an Unspeak - " her eyes widened, "Oh my god, no."

Draco nodded, "It was Natasha Wolfe."

Addison brought her hand up to her mouth, the audible slapping sound filling the small room.

"But when the ME did the autopsy, he found a photo of you in her wallet and a note apologising for hurting you," Draco continued, wanting to press onto the important point.

"We're almost certain that Natasha was being coerced into helping them."

"Because they threatened her parents?" Addison asked weakly.

Draco shook his head, "No, because they threatened you. They had you on surveillance, Addison. That was why Natasha broke up with you and pushed you as far away as possible. It was to protect you."

Addison shook her head and then let it fall into her hands, "No," she cried, "She broke up with me because she cheated!"

Draco got to his feet and sighed. He reached down and grabbed her shoulder, "No, that was the lie she told you because it was the only one she thought was unforgivable."

Addison let out a heart-wrenching sob, and Draco's heart went out to her.

"I'm sorry."

Addison nodded into her hands, "Thank you for telling me," she said, her voice muffled by her hands and her tears.

She looked up at him, and her voice shook.

"Was she…in any pain?"

Draco shook his head, "No, the ME thinks it was quick and painless."

Addison nodded and looked down at her hands once more.

Draco knelt in front of her and said, "I think you should put some clothes on and come up to the castle tonight, or I can take you to your mum. But you shouldn't be alone, Addison."

Addison swallowed and nodded, "I just….am I cursed?"

Draco frowned, "Cursed?"

"Everyone I love dies," Addison said in a pained whisper, "My Dad, and now Natasha…."

"And none of that is your fault," Draco promised.

Addison looked at him, tears spilling from her blue eyes.

"I thought she was it. I thought she was the one. And everyone says there will be another one, but what if there isn't?" She shook her head, "What if Natasha was it?"

Draco hesitated before he spoke again. But then he looked Addison in the eye and nodded, "Okay, the truth is that one day, whether you are 16, 26 or 56, you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die. They will make you feel things you have never felt before, and when they leave, that fire still burns."

Addison sniffled tearfully and nodded.

"And the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find is that they are not always the person we spend our lives with. But that doesn't mean we can't love again because we can, but we never forget that person."

Addison looked at the tears in his eyes and wiped her face with her cardigan, "Who did you lose?" she asked quietly.

Draco smiled sadly, "A girl called Pansy Parkinson. She was my first love, and I still miss her, but I look at my life now, and I have so much love in it, Addison. That doesn't mean the fire Pansy put in me is gone though, because it isn't, and it never will be. She was pregnant when she died, and I have six children who I adore and even more Godchildren, but I never stop thinking about the one I lost either."

Addison nodded and threw herself into his arms.

"Thanks, Uncle Draco," she murmured tearfully.

Draco patted her on the back, and Addison sniffed, "You're the best with advice. I guess I know why Mina always asks you the hard questions now."

Draco smiled weakly and drew back. He tapped Addison's bathrobe to transform it into a dress. Then he asked, "So where am I taking you?"

"Home," Addison replied, "I need my mum."

Draco nodded and put his arm around her, "Of course you do."


Towards the end of the day, Sadie stepped into Hermione's office with a classified file.

Hermione looked at it and sighed, "Is that what I think it is?"

Sadie nodded and dropped it on her desk, whispering something that un-encrypted it.

"It's the full list of what they had Natasha steal," Sadie replied, "And the good news is that I don't think they're building a soldier."

"But the bad news is?" Hermione asked.

"From what they stole…it's everyone they would need to mix magic with genetics," Sadie said slowly, "To…."

"To give Muggles magic?" Hermione finished.

"In a sense," Sadie replied, "They can't give them magic, not without a magical core to store it in. But with enough research and experimentation, they could implement magical traits into Muggles."

"Like Parseltongue?"

Sadie nodded, "Yes, which I presume is why they stole the file about Harry."

Hermione sighed and rubbed her eyes, "But the only reason they could possibly have for doing that is to…create an army."

Sadie rubbed her eyes too, "That is a possibility, but there are several things genetic research could be used for. It could be to heal someone of a genetic infliction, for example."

"From how militant they seem, I doubt it's for a good reason, either way," Hermione said. She pressed her fingers against the temple of her forehead as she felt a headache begin to come on.

Sadie nodded silently, and Hermione pushed herself to her feet and pressed a button on her desk. A buzzer sounded, and a side door opened.

"Yes, Minister?" One of Hermione's aids said.

Hermione had never looked more ominous in her life than when she turned to that aid and said.

"Instruct the Assistant Head of the DMLE to put his plan into place immediately. We need to take the fight to Hungary."

"Yes, Minister."

- TBC -