REBEL REBEL

CHAPTER SIX: WANTED – DEAD OR ALIVE

I.

I WAS AT a complete loss. A tailspin. I'd failed so spectacularly; it went from zero to a hundred almost overnight. Up until yesterday evening I'd been a normal student of Hogwarts, and now, I was public enemy number one. I should have expected Riddle to do something like this, It was instantly scarring, and the feel of being a fugitive probably had wrecked Tommy Hurst's life to the point of no return: what would his parents say if they found out? They presumably would be the first place where the Aurors would go. And oh my god, his sister was an Auror, what was her name, Allie? Christmas Dinner would be so awkward this year. I told myself to calm down, to not panic, and eventually come up with a solution about getting back to Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore – and convincing him the truth about Harry Potter.

I looked in my pocket to see what gadgets I still had raided from Fred and George Weasley's magical wonder emporium, and came up short. My wand had already been snapped, I didn't even have that – so whatever I was going to have to do, I was going to have to do the old-fashioned way. I was now starting to not regret the hours that I'd put in on the football field during midweek at school, even if it had meant my social life had taken a dip outside of the players who attended the training session with me. "I am so screwed," I said to nobody in particular. I kept myself low as I made my way through the narrow fences that supported the exterior around Hogsmeade, the guards were patrolling everywhere. This reminded me of a level in a video game, where the patrols were marching forward, inspecting every alley and knocking on every door. I had an idea, a crazy idea – The Shrieking Shack.

There was a path in there to the Whomping Willow. Getting there was easy, finding the path? More difficult. I didn't have the Marauder's Map. Wait, what if Harry did? It would explain an awful lot. But then, he would have already known about my name. So did he not have it yet? A mystery. A true, honest to god, mystery. In all likelihood, he knew it existed, and it was only a matter of time before he cracked the code.

The main obstacle that I had to overcome was making the leap from the edge of the village to the woodland that surrounded the Shack itself, across the open plane. It looked down on us from above and once I was out of the fog I could see it though the gaps, haunting and eerie, but there was no time like the present to explore a haunted house. There were two Aurors, they always seemed to travel back and forth, in pairs, and one of them had an accent that sounded like Tommy's, and she was being asked questions. "This must be a conflict of interest for you, surely?"

"The Minister pulled me aside and said that it would be the best way to prove my loyalty," said Allie, and I took a look at my sister for the first time: her hair was red, and she wore the standard Auror costume. She looked in her early 20s, and I wondered how long it took people to become an Auror. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it though, Tommy. Of all people. Freaking Tommy. He played with model trains when he was younger. What could have happened to him at Hogwarts? Was I not looking out for him enough?"

"Maybe he's being framed."

"What, by Harry Potter?" Allie said. "I don't know what's worse. My brother's not who he says he is, or the Boy Who Lived. But the Ministry, they just, wouldn't lie about something like that, you know?"

"You're right," said the Auror. "Do your parents know?"

"I haven't told them yet. They know he can't have gotten back to the house yet."

"What if he does?"

I couldn't listen to it anymore. I'm so sorry, Tommy, I said. I really wished I had done better. Just because it wasn't my family didn't mean that I cared. I wasn't going to become the monster that the Ministry, and apparently, my own sister, thought I was. I'd forgotten how easily Hogwarts turned against people, and how that expanded across the rest of the Potterverse, into the ranks of the Aurors themselves. No wonder it was so easy for Voldemort to take over. I had to stop that from happening, somehow, with no wand, no friends, no plan. It was madness. I waited until they knocked on a door of someone's home and made a sprint for it, as quietly as I could, making it to the end of the plain before I heard a voice shout out from behind me: "He's right there! Stop him!"

One of the Hogsmeade house owners had decided to snitch on me and catch me mid-jump into the woods, meaning that now I had to flee two armed Aurors and it was only a matter of seconds before the whole gang showed up. Frak, frak, frakkity frak frak. Thankfully the woods were thick enough in this area to avoid direct spells, meaning the Aurors had to get as close as possible. I made my way through the trees, not stopping to avoid getting cut on branches, running at breakneck pace. I could do this. An Auror apparated in front of me a few yards forcing me to duck his spells, I turned around a tree and there was another one waiting for me. They were spreading out, trying to encircle me, so without thinking, I lashed out at one and punched him. He recoiled instantly, and I realised that these Aurors didn't get involved in fights with their hands when they were younger, didn't even have professional hand-to-hand combat training. Without their wands, they were useless. You could tell that some of them barely did any physical exercise at all. Allie was the only one I had to really worry about in that department, but she was nowhere in sight just yet. The Aurors were clumsy and that played to my advantage, the man recoiled, struck, and I was away again, racing up the hill towards the Shack.

It didn't take me long to reach it, ducking through a hole in the fence whilst the Aurors were still playing catchup. I hid behind the wall as the three Aurors came out of nowhere to a halt right in front of the building. "Where'd he go?"

"He can't have gone in the shack," said Allie. "Everyone knows what happens to people in there…"

"We're Aurors, Hurst, it's our job to snuff him out. Besides, you heard the rumours about Lupin two years ago," said the Auror. "There weren't ghosts in there. It was him. The werewolf."

"Okay," said Allie, mustering up her courage. "Let's do this. Let's find him."

They were unaware that I was hiding right next to them, carefully eavesdropping on every word I said. "Spread out, and when you're in the corners of the house, cast the tracking spell," said the other Auror, whose name I didn't know. "We need to have all corners of the house covered."

I remembered what I was looking for, a small room. In the years since Lupin's departure from Hogwarts the building had become even more rundown than it was prior, the formerly boarded up windows were no longer boarded up and I had to be careful about where I stepped on the wooden floors. They were rank, and I winced as rats crawled past my feet. I turned the corner and made my way to the lowest point of the house, the basement, where I found an empty cage that once belonged to a werewolf. The doors were open, and there were no ghosts here anymore. The wizarding world had a long way to go in terms of inclusiveness, that was for certain, but me getting back to Hogwarts was, for lack of a better word: the main priority for now. Changing the world could come later.

"I'm almost there!" Allie shouted in the Auror's direction. He responded with the affirmative saying that he was already there, and I realised when he meant opposite ends of the house, they meant top to bottom. He was in the basement with me.

I moved inside a broom closet as quietly as I could, and backed away from him. I hit a rock, and fell backward as the Auror shouted "Homenum Revelio!" and the words came out like aplomb. Something swooped low over my head, and I realised that I had been discovered. Frak. But why hadn't I hit something behind me? This should have been a broom closet. I climbed up from the floor, and realised that somebody had moved the broom closet on a trap door, and the 'trap' part was no longer there, it was just a hole in the floor. I'd been seeing a lot of those lately, but if there was a way out of Hogwarts there had to be a way back in.

"He's still here, he must have found the trap door!" the Auror called out but by that point I had barely heard him, I was running down the corridor as fast as my legs could carry me. Runrunrunrun. I was still pretty tired, I didn't remember much of my sleep last night, but obviously I didn't get much. I was running on empty. I reached the end of the pathway after what felt like an age: the footsteps of the other Aurors running heavy behind me, and I could hear Allie's cries.

"Tommy! Tommy come, back! We can talk this out!"

I wanted to go to her, I really did, but I had to get to Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore, he was the only one who would listen. He had to. If I ended up in the Ministry's hands, they would take me back to Azkaban before I could convince the Headmaster. I had to get Neville, I had to get Ron and Hermione, I had to convince two of the Boy Who Lived's best friends that he was an impostor. It wasn't going to be easy. Impossible even. But it was the only hope that I had.

I climbed up out of the tunnel and reached the tree at the end. I took a moment to stand still, lean against it, exhausted and relived, that I'd finally made it above ground. And then I was brutally reminded about what kind of tree it really was. It wasn't just any tree – it was the Whomping Willow. It threw me, violently, into the air. I landed several feet away, bruised but with no bones broken, in Hagrid's front yard. Realising that the giant wasn't home at the time, I made my way up and away from the tree whilst Allie and the Auror did their best to navigate it out without coming out the same way I did. Being thrown by a tree is a painful experience, and I realised that my nose was bleeding as blood dropped down on my hands. My jacket was ripped and torn; my trousers considerably worse for wear. I looked like a wreck, there was mud everywhere. But that was not important right now. I tucked away my pride and continued to run, reaching the Herbology classroom and forced my way inside, breaking glass.

The greenhouse was quiet, which was a relief – I found my way into the main corridors with little in the way of ease. I felt myself being watched at every turn by the portraits as I passed them and realised that the Great Halls of Hogwarts were no longer welcome to me, they turned their gaze at every turn, and some even spat at me, or did their best to. A few vanished, and I had an inkling as to where they were going – to report to the Ministry of Magic, or Dumbledore himself.

It turned out that the Aurors were in Hogwarts too, I heard voices up ahead. "Target sighted somewhere on the fourth-floor corridor. Does he think he's mad? Going back to Hogwarts like that? He must know we have the place on lockdown."

"He's probably coming to finish the job, we have detail on Harry Potter, don't worry," said another Auror, and I recognised the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt, which meant that the other voice, was Nymphadora Tonks. They had two of the best Aurors in the business, two of the good ones, after me. I was wondering how I was going to get past them when I saw somebody walking down the corridor, from Herbology no less, who I had missed, and was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice until she looked me right in the eye: Cho Chang. I covered her mouth before she could scream.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into her ear, removing her wand from her pocket and pointing it at her head. "I need to get Dumbledore; I don't mean you any harm. Truly. Just help me get past the Aurors, I can explain everything, I'm so sorry-"

Cho didn't react, she was terrified, and as we passed a Knight in Shining Armour on the wall, I saw in its reflection how I must look, scared and broken. Desperate. Now I know what Sirius had felt. Now I knew what he would do. The Aurors heard me, and spun around the corner. Shacklebolt looked me right in the eye, his wand trained, "Don't do anything stupid, kid. Put the wand down."

"I need to see Professor Dumbledore," I said, pressing my wand against Cho's temple and she squirmed. "I'll use it, I will!"

"Harry Potter wasn't enough for you mad bastard you're going to take out the Headmaster as well?" Tonks said. She tried to cast a spell, but Shacklebolt stopped her.

"No," said the Auror. "Let him pass. We know where he's going."

"What if he harms the girl?"

"He needs her to get to Dumbledore," observed the Auror. "We just have to get there first. Come on."

Shit. I turned the corner and kept Cho in control, leading up to a passageway ahead of me, when she finally broke free of my restrains that was holding her mouth. "You're an idiot, you know that, right? You get to Dumbledore, he'll kill you."

"No he won't, not when he hears what I have to say," I said, although I was half convincing myself. "Trust me. Please. Neville Longbottom does. Michael Corner does. I'm innocent. I'm trying to help."

Cho laughed. "You call this trying to help?"

We kept going up the stairs, two students were waiting for us but I, finally in possession of a wand, and them knowing that I was dangerous enough to attack Harry Potter, backed down – they were only eleven, after all. The tension was paramount, I was sweating, Cho was a nervous wreck, she'd only lost Cedric the year before and I felt sorry for her. I really didn't want to do this, but I saw no other choice.

"Shame on you!" a portrait called out at me as I made my way around the corridor. "Shame! You bring disgrace to the honour of Rowena Ravenclaw!"

"Traitor," another called. "Traitorous scum. Whoreson knows no better than what you are. You're nothing. You'll die nothing. Let the girl go, at least," the painting said. The vitriol aimed at me was so vile I felt like crying, I hadn't been bullied this bad even at school. I felt like hexing the lot of them.

Cho eventually spoke up for herself as we passed a corridor. "Hey, we've passed that one already. Do you even know where you're going?"

"Wait… No," I said, honestly, realising the flaw in my plan. I hadn't been to Dumbledore's Office and in all the chaos, I'd forgotten where it was.

Cho did her best to imitate a facepalm. "At this rate it'll be morning soon and class will open. We might as well get this over with if you're going to go to Dumbledore's office. That portrait up there? That's a pathway to his floor."

"Won't there be Aurors waiting on the other side?"

"Hey, you have me. If I'm going to be your bait, I might as well do it properly."

"I really didn't want this to happen. I'm sorry. I'm innocent, I swear."

"That's what they all say," Cho said, as we climbed in. "But you're a Ravenclaw. I should allow you some benefit of the doubt. Tell me what's got you so worked up you decide to go and invade the most fortified place in the country right now."

"Really? It's the most fortified place in the country?"

"Yeah, you idiot. The Dementors are coming, too. They'll be here within the hour."

I shuddered. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. Treason and trying to kill Harry Potter? Fudge believes you should be sent straight to Azkaban. Without trial."

"Wait, how did I commit treason?"

"Apparently you're the one who came up with the idea behind the Anti-Ministry League."

"The Anti-Ministry what?"

"You really don't know what it is?"

"No. I mean, I was at the defence club, but that was Harry's idea."

"Apparently it wasn't. He says he overheard a Ravenclaw talk about starting a club and the Ravenclaw influenced him into setting it up," said Cho.

"And the Ministry buy it?"

"He's been cozying up them lately," said Cho. "They buy anything that makes them look good. Working with Dumbledore's Golden Boy is a real get for them."

"What about everyone in Gryffindor? Why not come forward?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe they're scared," I said, realising something. "Harry was mental in that club."

"Is that why you wanted him dead? Because you lost to Hermione Granger?"

"I didn't want him dead. I don't want him dead," I said. "I'm trying to save him."

"By trying to kill him?"

"He's not Harry Potter," I said, pleadingly. "Please believe me. I don't think Harry Potter came back from the tournament last year."

Cho stopped, and looked at me. "Be very careful about what you're going to say next. House loyalty will only get you so far."

"I think he confronted Voldemort," I said, not caring about the name anymore. "I think he did, but I think he… I think he lost. Voldemort impersonated Harry's body."

"Why?"

"He said it himself. He wants to try and turn the students into puppets for his army."

"That's horrible. But that does explain why Harry's been acting so different lately," Cho said. "But why should I believe you?"

"Because," I said. "I've got nothing to lose. My wand is already snapped. Hogwarts hates me. Why would I risk coming back?"

"To finish the job."

"Without a wand?"

"You have one now."

"Here," I said, and handed it back to Cho, who looked at me bemused. "Now why would I do that?"

"Because you're crazy."

"Because I'm right. Please. Trust me," I said. "You could stun me and take me to Dumbledore or the Aurors yourself. If the Dementors are here…"

I noticed, sticking out of the nooks and crannies of the pathways, were small spots of growing green. The green instantly froze, and I wondered whether Dumbledore this time had authority to block Dementors from entering the school that had once been a safe haven from them. The Ministry didn't do things by halves. "Then you're already out of time," said Cho, and handed me her wand back. "I think you're going to need this more than I will."

"Thank you," I said, as we approached the exit. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Cho said. "Let's get this over with."

We pushed the door open together, and were instantly met with dozens of wands. Cho was smart enough to go first, putting her hands up in the air like she was playing along, "He's dangerous!" she said to them, putting it on. "Don't shoot."

"You're not helping," I whispered to her. The Aurors, Allie among them, Professor Umbridge leading the pack, were all gathered in the area. I noticed Allie's disapproving, pleading look of hurt and betrayal, as I met eye contact with Tommy's sister for the first time. I could see the family resemblance clearly. "Okay… here's the deal, Aurors. I will only talk to Dumbledore."

"You're out of options, traitor," said one of them. "Surrender the wand and let the girl go. Then we'll consider calling off the Dementors."

"Nobody will use the Dementors on Hogwarts grounds against one of my students," said a calming voice, and I felt the growing sense of despair that I was having leave, replaced by calm and confidence as the entrance to Dumbledore's Office, at the end of the room, behind the Aurors, opened, replaced by Albus Dumbledore himself, clad in all his majestic glory. "I will have them banished from the grounds of Hogwarts School at once. How dare you defy my authority on this matter, my stance has remained unchanged ever since I was Headmaster of this school. I expected better from you, Dolores."

"This is a wanted criminal," Umbridge said. "Who just tried to kill The Boy Who Lived and has openly admitted to declaring war against the Ministry of Magic! Executive actions must be taken."

"My Office must remain a sanctuary for students," Dumbledore said. "No matter what they said they may have done or did."

"You would harbour traitors? And would-be murderers?"

"I will at least grant him the respect of hearing him out," said Dumbledore. "Providing he lets Miss Chang go. We have had quite the trouble for one day, Mr. Hurst."

Yes. This was it! This was my way forward! Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. The man, the myth, the legend, was more than living up to his name. He held out his hand, a twinkle in his eye. "Come with me, Tommy. It seems you and I have some talking to do."

I let Cho go, and she ran away from me.

And that was the last thing I saw before I heard the words "STUPEFY!" cast over and over again at me, flashing red light in my direction, with even Dumbledore hopeless to stop such a magnitude of wand-casting by the Aurors. I noticed however, in the sea of spells, there were only two people not casting them apart from the Headmaster: Cho and Allie.

TO BE CONTINUED…