Angel re: Wednesday's review. Thank you again for writing; it really means a lot to know when some one is reading. In regards to the speech ability of Animagi, I have not read Beedle so I was unaware of this author's note. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I adjusted future chapters so that Leili's animagus form can say only simple words, she's a parrot so it sounds reasonable to me. : ) Thank you again!

Enjoy!

Rescue Mission

March 24th, 1998
Post-Hogwarts
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The girls woke after midnight to find their charges missing. They hurried back to the campsite, the camp was still there but they were nowhere to be seen. They packed up the camp as quickly as possible and Apparated back to the Hog's Head where Dobby was waiting.

"Dobby! Do you know where they went?" They had a tracking spell hidden amongst Hermione's things, but everything had been abandoned when the kids had disappeared so it wouldn't do any good. Jo planned to have words with the trio when this whole mess was over.

"Yes, Miss. Snatchers took them. Took them to Dobby's old masters, Miss."

"Alright, Dobby, we need to get in there, but as quietly as possible. Can you take us in directly to where they're keeping the kids?" Jo asked.

"No, Miss, Dobby doesn't know where in the manor they are, Miss."

"Alright that's ok. How about—how about Draco's room? Could you get us in there? From there we can figure it out," Leili said.

"I may have a better idea," Jo said slowly, trying to let the thought fully form in her mind. "The Malfoy's have some sort of cellar, right Dobby?"

"Yes, Miss."

"That's where they're most likely to keep prisoners. If you can drop us in the cellar, I think that's the best way to go."

"And if they're not in the cellar?" Leili asked.

"Then we may have to re-think this a little bit. But logically speaking, I think they will be. It makes the most sense."

"Ok, then; Dobby, do your worst."

Dobby took their hands and popped them straight into the cellar. It was dark and dank and there wasn't a bottle of wine in sight.

Out of the darkness came a soft, dreamy voice. "Hello Mama Bear, hello Little Bird. I'm afraid you've missed tea, but if you wait a little longer, they'll be serving gruel for lunch," Luna said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Sounds delightful, Luna, but fortunately we're not staying and neither are you. C'mon, we're busting you out," Jo said.

"Dobby!" Harry cried, never happier to see the elf.

"Where's Hermione?" Leili asked.

"Upstairs," Ron hissed. This was confirmed by a sharp scream somewhere above their heads.

"Ok, stay here, I'll get her," Leili did her best disillusionment spell, crossed her fingers and her toes and gave Dobby her hand. Dobby popped her out of the cellar and dropped her into the grand room above, not bothering to fully materialize before he let go.

In the cellar, Ollivander asked, "How did you know where to find us?"

"Well, luckily for you Ollie, Harry here—hello again, by the way," Jo said as she severed the ropes on Harry and Ron's wrists. "Harry here has a habit of making friends in unexpected places."

Upstairs Hermione screamed and a mad shrieking followed.

"Draco! Bring me the goblin!" Bellatrix ordered when Hermione told her the Gryffindor sword was a fake.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

"Stand back! Line up against the back wall," Draco said from the doorway of the cellar.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Jo hissed, "You aren't really going to try and go up against us are you?" Her faith in Slytherins was a bit shaken right now, what with her boyfriend being a Death Eater and all. "Did we teach you nothing at Hogwarts?"

"Don't try anything, or-or I'll-I'll kill you!" Draco threatened, swinging his wand towards Jo before placing a finger over his lips and lowering his wand. "Do you have a plan?" he whispered, so quietly Harry had to strain his ears.

"Dobby," Jo said back, just as quietly. Relief and wariness flooded her body.

"And Granger?"

"Leili."

For a flicker of a moment Draco looked reassured, Harry and Ron had absolutely no idea what was going on. Then his face shut down and he pointed to Griphook who came forward.

As soon as Draco and Griphook had gone, there was a loud crack and Dobby reappeared beside his friend.

"Meet me at the top of the stairs in ten seconds," Dobby said as he took Ollivander and Luna by the hand and Apparated them to the safety of Shell cottage, Ron having quickly rattled off the address.

Upstairs, Leili, a human chameleon, was sitting beside Hermione, whispering into the girl's ear, "It's ok, I'm going to get you out of here, just hang on a little longer." One hand stroked the side of Hermione's face, while the other charmed her to be feather-light.

Hermione sobbed loudly to cover Leili's whispers—not that she was entirely acting when she did so; she'd been tortured via Cruciatus Curse and now had a word carved into her arm that throbbed painfully with every heartbeat.

Wormtail went down to fetch Harry for the en route Dark Lord. Jo retreated to the shadows and Wormtail tried to strangle Harry; he'd ended up strangling himself instead. A life for a life, his debt was—unintentionally—repaid.

When Jo came barreling up the stairs in bear form scant seconds later, the prisoners followed close behind.

Dobby returned and in one smooth movement Leilani scooped Hermione up and ran.

Hermione wrapped both arms as tightly around Leili's neck as she could. Her legs wrapped around the left side of Leilani's waist were awkward but allowed Leili to run easier than if they'd been crossed around her hips like a child going for a piggyback ride. She could feel Leili's left arm wrapped around her waist, adding a band of support. It felt weird to be carried by someone both shorter then herself and effectively invisible—it looked even stranger.

In a demonstration of talent or insanity Leili didn't know she possessed, she unwrapped her arm from Hermione's waist, saying, "Don't let go."

Hermione's grip tightened.

The timing had to be absolutely perfect, and it was. Leili slapped her hand into Griphook's as she ran by, swinging him up and around and behind where he grabbed onto Hermione's upper arms, his feet braced on Hermione's legs.

The two groups met on either side of Dobby and everybody grabbed someone's hand, but Bellatrix was screaming in rage now, she hurled her silver dagger and they vanished, but so did the blade.

"Well, that was a trip!" Jo panted as they landed on the safety of the beach.

"Agreed. Everyone's alright, nobody got splinched?" Leili said, giving everyone a cursory once over, gently setting Hermione down in the sand. This was a bit trippy as she was still disillusioned, so they could only just see her blurred outline when she moved.

Then they noticed Dobby and the world fell silent. The little elf had Bellatrix's blade in his chest and he swayed where he stood.

"Harry...Potter…"