Author's Note:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Let's hope 2022 brings us better luck.
Reviews and Comments: To the Mandalorian terminator: Had to leave a cliffy to make sure people come back in 2022, LOL. No really, that's just where the chapter fell, not intentional. As for Greg, George, and Angelina… we will have to wait and see their fates. Thank you! To cacata: I will accept your declaration of my evil status. I do love to model myself on Regina, The Evil Queen from Once Upon a Time. To Nightwing2013: Neville does know how to treat a lady right. You're mourning the loss of Greg, good to know. As to Georgalina, well, we will see what happens to them. To jaccy3: Thank you! I also hope that George, Angelina, and Greg are all right (of course, I know the answers lol). We will see more of Christmas in this chapter, yes. Thank you so much! To scrappy8: Thank you! To wolf's scream: Neville is definitely exactly who Hannah needs right now. Harry is learning to choose his battles and of course Ginny calls her brothers out. Skepticism warranted lol. To minerdude: Thank you! I'm glad so many people are sad about Greg!
To MinervaMcGee: Thank you! And yup, you must wait to find out. To Nuno Neves: Thank you very much! I really wanted to show some more of Greg and Pansy's backstory, to give us an example of how much Greg cared about her. Harry and Ginny are moving a lot closer, developing more comfortableness together. I think Harry and Ron, as close as they were, didn't share a lot about their love lives just because both of them considered the other's significant other like a sister. Theo is definitely the best wingman. You'll have to wait and see if Angelina, Greg, and George make it out alive. To Bluerain22: Greg, then you laughed lol. I hope not at Greg left bleeding out because that's awful. Happy new year to you as well! To sunlitdxys: Yes, it was Voldy's doing. Kreacher, I like to imagine, as always underlying grumpy haha. Harry is definitely low-key flirting back with Theo, but I don't think he even realizes it which makes it better.
To alix33: I'm glad you're sad about Greg and Leo is a bit more reserved, yes. Clevedon Court had lots of Christmas decorations stored away for them to use. Yes, the third floor could become a longer-term project one day. To loveurficsath: Thank you so much for saying ASC is the best fanfiction you've ever read! I love knowing people think I gave characters more depth and I really love how many people love my OCs. I do plan to keep writing, don't worry. To BrookGuitar: Haha, I can and I did lol. To puttyman24: Thank you! I thought that we needed that fun Burrow conversation and who doesn't enjoy a fun snowball fight? I know, poor Fred, George, and Angelina with the fire in WWW. To notthatchhavi: Did Greg just die? Well, he is bleeding out on the floor of a jail cell at the moment… Is Pansy going to die? She is currently safe in Wiltshire Manor. Yes, Harry has no complaints about Ginny's tongue in his mouth lol. Or her tongue anywhere on him really. Theo is definitely a bottom most of the time. He does like to be versatile, but he prefers to bottom. Thank you! I have been trying to show the differences between Leo and Mina and yes, Mina is a bit more mischievous and cheeky like Sirius was. As to George and Angelina… wait and see. To The Booknerds: I try my best to keep things interesting. To Bruck27: Happy Belated Birthday! Thank you, I'm glad that you enjoyed Ginny talking to her brothers or erm, putting them in their place. You think Greg is dead then? Interesting. We will check in with Snape soon.
To Mackie919: It is a bummer that Greg is bleeding out. You think he's dead then? Hmm. Preparing for two deaths, noted. Only two? LOL. We'll see what happens. To WinkingSkeever: Wow, I'm so excited that you wrote something other than update soon please. I love knowing you can't wait to see what happens next! Thank you! To OH MIA MYA: Yup, I stopped it there, LOL. Thanks. To Derpdude32: I accept being called a cliffhanging bastard (but would prefer bitch lol). To GODMISHA: All capitalized this time, interesting. Why must I make you suffer? Well, that's a loaded question, isn't it? I definitely agree with that statement which is why I made Harry an Animagus. Thank you as always! To Saz J: Praise long train journeys! You've caught up! Why would I end it like that? Well, Saz, as someone who has been following me for well over a decade or almost two (when did we get so old?) you should know me by now LOL. Thank you and you're welcome! To pix25: I did, thank you. I wish the same to you.
To joss.518: Thank you very much! I wish the same to you in the new year. I'm so honoured to hear my fanfic has been "one of the most fun and consistent things" that "fuelled a resurgence in your love of reading and Harry Potter." Thank you! Maybe I am throwing you off by reliving Greg and Pansy's relationship first, who knows? Oh, wait I do… Thank you! To ellyann13: I thought decorating biscuits was perfect. Harry is trying to make Clevedon Court more his home and future home and celebrating Christmas there is a good start. How did Yaxley get to the prison cells? You'll miss Goyle? Interesting, another person who believes him to be dead. All of these questions will be answered. They did blow up WWW and yes, you lost Ted and Andy and now George and Angelina's fate hangs in the balance. No guesses on what the thin golden mist is, interesting. To JamesTKent: LMAO, I led you down a Christmas garden path and then blew it up? That made me laugh, thank you! I will try not to be so rude with my cliffhangers in the future (maybe lol).
To Shivani: I love knowing you have so many questions! And yes, I can. I do love embarrassed Harry. Thank you and happy new year as well! To DeadFish37: I didn't kill off everyone… and none of my relationships are dysfunctional, um, that's good I think? To A Voodoo Gypsy: I don't write by word count so I don't know. To Dianne: Ha, here you are worried about Dobby and I pull this — killing 3 characters in one chapter. Well, that depends on a) if all 3 characters are actually dead and b) Dobby is safe, for now. I don't have interior design training lol, no, I just know what I like. Greg did trust Yaxley, yes. Sometimes we trust people we shouldn't. Thank you very much! I will take your hashtags under advisement lol. To darkhk: I'm not going to complain about you reading fanfiction so sure, blame me lol. Did I kill Greg? Some people say yes, some say no. (shrugs). To wreneclipse: Yes? To Steel: Neville is definitely there for Hannah and so is his family. To Srishti: Everyone loves cliffhangers! They just don't want to admit it LOL. To ITHersey: Yay! Glad you're caught up again! Glad I made you emotional over the death of Goyle and to know I'm keeping you on the edge with my cliffhangers and my smut. You're welcome! To RonnieIByrne aka LifeOnEarth: Welcome back! I look forward to you catching up on the 40+ chapters you are behind on! To Sloopyqueen4: Happy to see you were thinking about Althea and there she was lol. I enjoy the Weasley banter, its familial and I love that. Thank you! To Guest: That's already been discussed multiple times as well. To 1Potterhead: Thank you very much and I don't plan to stop writing it. I didn't do a big to do with the first birthdays, no, but all will be mentioned. To Sunny Singh: Thank you and you'll see more, yes.
To AQuickRead91: You think Greg is dead? Good to know and yes, someone got in there, but how? Yes, a bomb, fire, and golden mist… More to come. To Skidattles: You're welcome! I hope you are feeling much better now. I absolutely love knowing you've screenshot so many moments from my story — that's incredible! Thank you so much! I can't stop smiling as I read that. I love writing Ginny as adoring her brothers and still not being afraid to kick them off their pedestals when they try to claim bullshit lol. You can't believe Goyle is dead, good, I love leaving doubt. Thank you so much! Happy new year! To marauders_mowopapr: Well, I am good at fluff and well that lol. Thank you and lol, glad you liked the Ginny scene. To briana_t: Dobby is so excited to decorate, but yes, poor Basil losing his parents. You think this is how Fred dies? Interesting. To AmericanDesi: Ha, who said that I had to end chapters fair? That's not in the rules. Haha, riot in the comments. So, will this riot occur if they are injured or only if I killed them? Inquiring minds want to know. How is Yaxley still allowed in the Ministry? Well, he has never "officially" been deemed a Death Eater despite rumours. An open secret is kind of what it is exactly. You're sad to see Greg die… another check for dead.
To neumann: LOL. I gave myself away by declaring the nice, quiet Christmas, eh? I'll keep that in mind for next time. It would be a nice personal victory for Zee to catch Yaxley, wouldn't it? To CorbanD17: Thank you! No Hinny marriage any time soon, but the thoughts are there. To shuweet: First Greg and then a cliffhanger, um… yes. Glad to know the Hinny scene was so good you're willing to forgive me lol. To TatiRena: You thought something was going to happen when Fred was going to stay back and then it was Angelina… good. I like misdirection. To katelyn453: Thank you very much and a happy new year to you as well. To AnaGPotter: Thank you! I didn't set out to make you sad, and I did share that large sneak peek on tumblr… and for the record, you don't know Greg is dead… yet. To Fanfis01: I can kill any character I want lol… but we'll have to wait and see who dies… To Endinium: Thank you very much! I wish you a happy new year as well. I love how much people have grown to love my Greg and hey, I'm not killing everyone. Thank you for loving my Hinny!
To serendipity: Maybe someone found Greg, maybe they didn't… stay tuned to find out! Don't let Fred, George, or Angelina die either… noted. Thank you! To BleedRedandGold: Aww, I'm glad Dobby's excitement on getting a Christmas tree made the whole chapter for you! To Joyce Foesenek: Thank you! Have to leave cliffhangers so people want to keep reading lol. To Grouchbear: Thank you lol. To BadWolfKris: Yes, Greg, George, and Angelina's lives are hovering in the balance between 311 and 312 lol. Yes, the shop can be rebuilt. Thank you!
I must say, I am surprised that not a single person made the connection with the golden mist…
My posting schedule: Weekly.
Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER THREE-HUNDRED AND TWELVE:
The One With the Accidental Chevalier
It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve when Tonks received word from K to meet him at the Ministry. Since she had the day off, she was surprised to hear from him. All he'd said was that it had something to do with the Brambilla sisters. Tonks took a seat in the conference room, a little surprised to see that she was the first one to arrive. Kane walked in a moment later and when he walked by, he gently squeezed her shoulder.
"I'm okay."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Really? If I lost my mum and dad, I don't think I would be."
Tonks gave him a grateful look. "I just want to stay busy."
He nodded. "I know it's Christmas Eve, but when I learned this, I wanted to fill you in as soon as possible."
Tonks was even more intrigued now. The information about the Brambilla sisters must be something good. "Who else are we waiting for?"
"Just you," Sebastian said, taking a seat.
Tonks frowned. "I thought it was a team thing."
"It will be," Sebastian told her. "But you and I have been working on this and I wanted to fill you in on what I know first. You have great instincts and I'd appreciate your eyes and brains on this."
Warmth filled her. She rather liked that this had become their little pet project.
Sebastian folded his hands on top of the files. "All right, so as we know, Belladonna and Bellarosa Brambilla have both been listed as Black Widows. Bellarosa's husbands have been mysteriously killed, but there's no direct evidence that she's the one who has killed them."
"Yes," Tonks agreed. "But with Belladonna, the evidence is rather overwhelming once you make the connections."
"Exactly. And I think that she might in fact be responsible for the death of some of her sister's husbands."
Tonks' eyes widened. "Really?"
Sebastian nodded. "Zabini's death was said to be rather violent and by the sounds of it, can be attributed to Death Eaters, but the others…"
Tonks opened the file. "After Zabini she married the Comte de Marseille in 1985, two years after Zabini's death. Wow, he definitely got around, didn't he?" she said, skimming through the Comte's list of lovers.
"It was confirmed that he had three mistresses and two male lovers within the two years that they were married," Sebastian said. "He liked variety and often had two or three of them at the same time. This is where it gets interesting, he was killed with poison."
Tonks' eyebrow rose. "Lover's Kiss?"
"Yes," Sebastian said, pleased that she made the same connection. "And the last person to see him before he died alone in his office was one of his lovers, Delta. She's the one who found the body of Tristian Beauchamp."
"Did she know?"
"Who?"
"Bellarosa," Tonks said. "Do you think that she knew that her own sister was one of his lovers?"
"I don't know," Sebastian admitted. "But if she didn't, the chosen death would have been an interesting coincidence. I mean, by 1987 we know that Belladonna Brambilla had already killed her first husband, Porzio, and her second husband, Ricci was killed in 1989. Who's to say that she isn't the same Delta to off her sister's second husband in 1987? It's too big of a coincidence not to be."
"Zabini's third husband — interesting how she always reverts back to Zabini after each marriage, isn't it? I think she loved him."
"I agree," Sebastian said. "Reports from Italian Aurors say that he was murdered in front of her. They believe Death Eaters, but she claimed that she didn't know who they were."
"She was threatened," Tonks said.
"Without a doubt," Sebastian replied. "Her third husband, Lord Stephen Barkley is a little more difficult to provide an accurate account of. They were only married for three months in 1989 and he apparently died of a heart attack while he was having sex with his wife."
"A heart attack?" Tonks asked. "Was he old?"
"In his sixties. I have the autopsy report in there and cause of death was a heart attack, but they think that it was helped along. They found traces of dark magic in his blood, but they could never work out what it meant or if it was part of his death."
"You think it was."
Sebastian hesitated before he answered. "Two years ago when I was in Tibet, I came across an old curse that froze the blood inside of someone's body. It worked its way through like blood clots, stopping the heart suddenly and making the person convulse in what looked like a heart attack. The dark magic in the bloodstream makes me wonder if maybe he had a little help in that heart attack."
"But did Bellarosa do it or Belladonna?" Tonks asked.
Sebastian shrugged. "That's the ultimate question. In 1989, Ricci died and she was said to be living in England while sleeping with Frost, which means both sisters were here in England at the time. She could have been visiting the Barkley estate, but she also could have been in London with Frost. I think Bellarosa is the only one who knows for sure."
Tonks nodded. "Fourth husband was David Sanders. He was two years younger than Bellarosa and apparently completely smitten. This one looks like an accident. He fell off of his broomstick and broke his neck."
"Sanders was an accomplished flier," Sebastian said. "He wanted to play professionally and had been offered positions on two different teams. He was forced to turn them down because of familial obligations. His mother claims that he would never have simply fallen off. There was no storm that day or bad weather and reports claim that he fell like dead weight to the ground, no reports of flailing or any attempt to right himself."
"Stunned?"
"Would be my guess and Belladonna just happened to still be living in London and married to Frost at this point."
"I can't decide if she's really responsible or if Bellarosa is the one killing her husbands."
"Exactly. Her fifth husband was Lord Jason Stanford and he was seventy-five when he married her. Bellarosa was only thirty-two. He was wealthier than all of her previous husbands combined. They were married for just over a year before he found himself torn to shreds by werewolves," Sebastian explained. "It wasn't accidental that he fell upon a pack like that. It was a set up and the last person he saw before he found his way to his death was a meeting he had set up with a certain Hogwarts teacher named Carthaginian."
Tonks shook her head. "So, are you saying that Bellarosa is innocent?"
Sebastian hesitated. "Of murdering four of her six husbands? Yes, I think she might be, but that doesn't mean she wasn't an accomplice to their deaths. We know that she's a Death Eater and a loyal follower of Voldemort. She's a dangerous woman, of that I have no doubt, I just think her sister might be even more deranged and dangerous than she is. She might even be afraid of her."
Tonks looked interested in that. She hadn't considered that as an option, but if your own sister was a murdering psychopath… maybe Zabini was afraid of her sister. She knew how different her own mother had been from… she didn't want to think about that.
"What about her newest husband? Has anyone confirmed if Emilio Mantegna has taken the Dark Mark?"
"He hasn't," Sebastian said. "But Bellarosa has asked him to take it."
Tonks stared at him for a moment. Her hand came up to touch her hair before her eyes sharpened. "He's your man on the inside, isn't he?"
"That stays between us," Sebastian said quietly. "No one is to know that."
"How?" she whispered. "How did you get him to spy for you?"
"He's an MIA agent," Sebastian said. "And he's been undercover for three years trying to get close to Bellarosa Zabini. Originally it was to nail her for the Black Widow rumours, but when her involvement with Voldemort was learned, we changed gears."
Tonks stared at him in amazement. "So, Emilio Mantegna isn't his real name?"
"No," Sebastian said. "He's Joseph Rossi and he's an Italian MIA agent."
Tonks opened her mouth in shock before she closed it. "Why me?"
Sebastian tapped his fingers on the files in front of them. "Because you're smart and I like how your brain works. I trust you, Tonks. I think that we make a pretty good team."
Tonks smiled. "So do I. Plus, I love our Hidden Passions dates."
Sebastian chuckled. "Which I appreciate you not telling people about."
"Spoilsport," she said. "Okay, so if Mantegna takes the Mark… wait, would he?"
"Yes," Sebastian said without hesitation. "He's in deep cover and that means doing whatever means necessary to gain that trust. He's doing what he can to get information to us, but he's not in the inner circle and only gets snippets from his wife. It's why he couldn't get me information about the Ministry explosion until the last minute, he didn't know."
"Does she know?" Tonks asked.
"Who he really is? No bloody way. He would be killed instantly if his cover was blown."
"No, about her son being alive?"
Sebastian nodded. "She helped Blaise and Draco escape Hogsmeade after Malfoy was decapitated. I think she does know that he's alive and playing a dangerous game to keep herself alive and her son safe. From what I understand, she's had next to no contact with him outside of the original message that he was safe, but she knows he's alive."
"So, her loyalties are wavering?"
"I wouldn't quite say that either," he admitted. "She's a difficult one to pin down. But, from what we have managed to gather, she does trust her husband and she does share things with him. One of those things was the exact location of the castle Crouch is building."
Tonks' eyes widened. "We know where it is?"
Sebastian nodded. "I've already sent someone out to do reconnaissance to confirm it."
"One person? What if they get caught?"
"Trust me. She won't. She's an Animagus."
"What's her animal?" Tonks asked.
"She's a wren."
"Well, that's handy," she said.
Sebastian chuckled. "She's doing reconnaissance now and if all goes well, we're going to get a team to move in before the new year."
"What if Goyle was wrong and it's just a castle?"
"Then we'll leave it be," Sebastian told her. "But we both know that he wasn't wrong. He knows something they don't want us to know or they would have left him alone once he was in our custody."
Tonks nodded. "Has he woken yet?"
Sebastian shook his head. "No. The healers are keeping him sedated to try to stop the curse from spreading. If they don't figure out what it is soon, we're going to lose him. I sure as hell don't want to be the one to tell his wife if we do. His last words were begging me not to tell Pansy, but if he dies…"
Tonks tapped her fingers on the map Sebastian had spread on the table. "We have to hope that it won't come to that. In the meantime, your wren is getting us information on the prisoners?"
"Yes," Sebastian confirmed. "If there really are prisoners there, we're going to get them out. I won't stand for people being kept against their will and worked like slaves. It's barbaric."
"Who is going to be part of the team?"
"The main team we have here will be backup, but me and two of my MIA Aurors will be going in."
Tonks looked annoyed. "Three of you?"
Sebastian smiled. "Trust me. It won't take more than three of us to get the job done."
Tonks stared at him. A team of three to infiltrate a castle where they suspected Voldemort was hiding a herd of prisoners and potentially full of Death Eaters… that was madness. Tonks couldn't imagine just three Aurors being able to get in and out safely. They needed a team of at least six, nine would be better. She eyed him suspiciously.
"Sebastian, are you really a Knight of the Auror?"
He winked at her as he stood up. "That's just a myth, Dora. But if I was, it would be classified. Go on, get home to your husband. I'll fill you in the moment I know more."
Tonks stood up. "You know, K, you're a really good guy."
"You seem surprised to admit that."
She shrugged. "No, I just think you don't like to admit it."
His lips curved. "I wouldn't say that. Hey, by the way, um, you don't happen to know if the Marquess of Norfolk is staying at Hogwarts over Christmas, do you?"
"Why?" Tonks asked, her eyes twinkling.
"No reason," Sebastian said. "I had a question for him about Zabini, but it can wait if he's gone home."
"He's staying with the Weasleys," Tonks said. "And Sebastian? Theodore Nott is a really nice guy and it's okay to let yourself have friends."
"I don't want to be his friend," he grumbled.
Tonks bit her lip. "Right, friendlier then that. Noted."
Sebastian's fingers moved through his hair. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Tonks grinned. "Sure I don't."
Something at his hip began to flash gold and her eyes widened.
"What's that?"
"A beacon," Sebastian said. "I have to go. Theo-they need me."
Tonks watched him gather up the files with an amused expression. She'd been suspicious for months now, but he had just confirmed it. Sebastian Kane was not only gay, but definitely interested in Theodore Nott. She wondered why he seemed so hellbent on denying it.
And what exactly he had meant by Theo needing him. That was definitely very interesting. She thought about the calendar that Ginny had gotten her a copy of and grinned. She was going to send it to him for Christmas and see how Sebastian liked the look of Mr October.
She closed the files and headed out, whistling as she went.
~ ASC ~
When Ron stole Harry to help him do the finishing touches on the lights, Ginny grabbed Theo's hand and dragged him upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her, leaning her back against it before her eyes met his.
"Okay, spill."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Spill what exactly?"
"It."
"I'm afraid that I have no idea what you're talking about," Theo said, taking a seat on her bed. "I think you're the one who has to spill. Tell me, chick, did Harry deflower you right here last night?"
Ginny's cheeks flushed. "No. We haven't done… Theo, when that happens, you will be the first to know."
"Promise?" he teased.
"Promise," Ginny assured him.
"So, what have the two of you been up to the last three nights that I've been kicked from my bed? Naughty things I hope."
"We've been sleeping," Ginny said. "And you're avoiding my question."
"You have so not been just sleeping," Theo continued. "Lots of blow jobs? Our Harry does always look quite happy in the morning, like he won a great prize."
"We haven't been…" Ginny let out a frustrated breath. "We've been letting ourselves be more comfortable with each other."
Theo's lips curved. "Dry humping? Naughty. I approve. What position? I rather like the snogging one, you know where you just rub one off against each other while snogging."
Ginny's cheeks heated. "Theo!"
"The oral rub then?" he continued. "You rub yourself off while going down on them. I bet Harry's a fan of that one. From what you've said and from what I've coaxed out of him, he totally gets off on pleasuring you. The rider's another good one. You know where you mount him and mimic the movements of a good shag until you both come."
"I hate you," Ginny said, moving away from her door to sit on the bed next to him, her face flaming red. "We're not talking about me and Harry."
"How much dry humping are we talking here? Are you grinding?"
"Theo!"
Theo dragged his fingers through his messy hair. "Okay, I'm stalling. Doesn't mean I still don't want the details."
Ginny stretched out across her bed and poked him with her foot. "Tell me what's going on with you."
"Nothing. Honest, I'm fine."
"You're not fine," Ginny said. "You've been too quiet since you got here. Did something happen after you brought Astoria Greengrass to Malfoy and Zabini?"
"What would have happened?"
"I don't know," Ginny said. "But something is clearly bothering you."
Theo stretched out onto the bed across from her, shoving a pillow under his head. "Someone is confusing me more like it." At her look, he sighed. "It's that MIA bloke, Sebastian Kane."
"Right, the one with eyes the colour of the ocean in Anguilla," Ginny teased. "Is he still interrogating you?"
"No. Yes. I don't know," he said. "He's just confusing. He's in the Order now."
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, Harry mentioned that Tonks brought him in. She really likes and respects him. She calls him her work husband. It's rather amusing."
Theo wrinkled his nose. "He was the Order member who I met in Fakenham who was designated to bring Astoria and I to Wiltshire Manor safely because apparently me just bringing her there was unrealistic."
"And that was a problem?"
Theo sighed. "No, I get it. It was all about caution and after learning what happened to Ted and Andromeda Tonks the same day, I can see why they wanted us to have protection before going there, but he's rather infuriating. After we got there, he practically demanded that we talk in private."
Ginny raised an eyebrow and when he didn't elaborate she poked him in the thigh with her foot again. "Did you kiss?"
"What? No!" Theo exclaimed. "Why would we kiss? He's not even gay!"
"So, what's the problem, Theo?"
"He was all, 'you didn't show up to the Wizengamot session,'" Theo mimicked in an attempt at Sebastian's deep voice, "and 'where were you' and 'why weren't you there' like he needed to know my every move and then! Then, he had the nerve to ask me why I was all upset the last time that he saw me and wanted to know if I was okay."
Ginny frowned. "Was that the day with Tiernan?"
Theo nodded. "Yeah."
"That doesn't seem annoying, it sounds like he was genuinely concerned about your well being."
Theo frowned. "I don't know why though. All he ever does is ask me a million questions about things that I might somehow remember about people my father knew once upon a time. Then at the last session before I came here he… he said that I know things."
"Like what?" Ginny asked.
"He said that my wording was always in the present and how I somehow inferred that Draco and Blaise were alive and him finding out about what they were doing and meeting them at Wiltshire only confirmed his suspicions that I knew more than I was saying. He said that he takes me to lunch because it gets me to open up more and how I've really helped his cases with what I know."
"Okay. That's a good thing, right?" Ginny said, keeping her eyes on Theo.
"I thought so," he admitted. "But then he turned it around and started demanding I tell him about my romantic involvement with Tiernan."
Ginny's lips twitched. "Romantic involvement?"
"Because Tiernan kissed me."
"Wait — what?"
Theo rolled his eyes. "Not like that, Ginny! Merlin, Tiernan was just being Tiernan and trying to make a point. He has some stupid mad idea that Sebastian fancies me which is ridiculous."
"You are completely fancy-able," Ginny insisted. "It's not ridiculous."
"Oh, I'm a catch," Theo said, tucking his arms behind his head. "Look at me, I'm adorable and I have a great arse, great hair, toned arms. I'm a bit skinny, but I still have muscle. Not to mention I'm rich, I'm completely fancy-able, I agree, but Sebastian is not gay. Anyway, I explained about Finn and the next thing I know I'm telling him everything about him."
"About Finn?"
Theo nodded. "He said something about how I need to talk about him and I don't know… Bas has this way about him and I talk and… I spent over an hour telling him everything and when I was done all he asked was if I felt better."
"Did you?"
"Yeah," he admitted. "Yeah, I did. Ginny… I didn't realize how much I needed to talk about Finn and my feelings for him and it… it felt like closure. I wasn't sad, I felt better and not so empty and I…" He swallowed. "I got home and I put his promise ring in my jewellery box. I loved him and I will always love him, but I don't… I stopped mourning him a long time ago and I think that I was afraid to admit that. Afraid to admit that it was okay for me to do that. Like I was betraying him or something."
Ginny crawled across the bed to rest her chin on his chest, her arms coming around him. "It doesn't mean that you didn't love him, Theo."
"I know," he said, his eyes meeting hers.
"And Sebastian Kane?"
"He's insanely sexy," Theo admitted, biting his bottom lip. "I mean he has this dark hair that's kind of messy, not Harry messy, but definitely delightfully rumpled. He always has this dark stubble like he's a day or two past shaving and these gorgeous blue eyes and he's totally fit. But he's absolutely infuriating. I never understand his motives for anything."
"He's definitely your type," Ginny teased.
Theo scoffed. "I don't have a type. My type is cock. The bigger the better."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "By your own admission, Finn was incredibly average in that department so, that's not true. And you so have a type. You like the tall warrior-like men with hero complexes."
"Chick, if that were true, I would have seduced Harry away from you eons ago."
"You live to tease me and Harry, but Harry's not your type," Ginny said. "Yes, he has the hero bit and the tall and incredibly fit body bit, but you and him would never have enough common ground to make it work."
"Not true," Theo insisted. "I would be very satisfied being a bottom for him."
"Haha," Ginny said. "What are the three things that you love to do the most, Theo?"
"Shopping mainly. Gossip is a close second and I really do love to be the centre of attention."
"Which Harry hates," Ginny said. "Harry can and will talk about Quidditch twenty-four hours a day and the less attention he has from outsiders, the happier he is."
"Bor-ing," Theo admitted. "Fine, I agree. Harry is adorable and I live to flirt with him, but I suppose you're right, as much of a hero as he is, he doesn't have that… I don't know, that je ne sais quoi."
"You like your men to be brave and romantic, but mostly you want someone to take care of you," Ginny said. "Finn was over the top about it, but he took care of you. You want someone to do that, but to still realize that you're an equal. I liked Finn, but he overshadowed you in that sense. He wanted to tuck you away and protect you."
Theo let out a huge breath and sat up. "That doesn't mean that I like warrior-types."
"Sebastian Kane, MIA Auror, mysterious, handsome, infuriates you… seems like there's something there to me."
"Ginny, I love you, but trust me, Bas may be sexy as sin, but he's not gay. If he was gay, I would know it. He's too macho to be gay."
Ginny scoffed. "Wow. Stereotyping much."
"I'm not… look, he's just not gay. I know it and I'm tired of fooling around with straight guys who just want to get blown. I'm over that. I'm not going to let myself fall into that trap again. I want someone to appreciate me for me, not because they think I need saving and not because I have a mouth made for sucking cock. I want them to like me for me and Sebastian Kane is not that wizard," Theo said. "He sees me as nothing more than an endless witness full of evidence to help him close a case."
"It sounds to me like you might be becoming friends."
Theo shook his head. "We're not." He reached into his jeans and pulled out the card. "He wants me to use this when I have something new to tell him and that's it."
Ginny swiped the card from him, turning it over in her hand. It was cream coloured with nothing on it but the letter K in fancy gold script. "How long have you had this?"
"Since the explosion," Theo said. "Give it back!"
"And you've been carrying it around this whole time?" she demanded, her eyes twinkling. She flipped it over. "Chevalier… how mysterious…"
"No!" Theo growled, swiping the card out of her hand. "Bas said that if I knew anything else about the explosion or if I had any other information on Death Eaters, I was to call him on it."
"How?"
Theo shrugged. "I don't know how it works, but that word on the back is supposed to get a message to him or something."
"How?" she asked again.
"I don't know how it works," Theo repeated, pulling his wand from his pocket. "Bas said that I just point my wand at it like this and say, 'Chevalier' and then he… oh shit! Shit!"
The gold K on the card started to swirl as Theo dropped his wand and jumped off of the bed.
"Did you just call him?" Ginny squealed, jumping off of the bed as well.
Theo's brown eyes widened. "No, I… shit! Shit! Ginny, what do I do?"
Ginny took his hand, swiping the card from the bed as they ran down the stairs. They grabbed their cloaks and made it halfway into the orchard before the card stopped flashing. Theo pulled Ginny close and, without thinking, Disapparated them both to Fakenham, a block away from Norfolk Manor. The card flashed once more before it disintegrated in her hand and Theo swallowed.
"Let's get to the manor and we'll send word to your parents about why we left. It can't be good that the card burned up, right?"
"Theo?" A deep male voice asked from behind them.
Ginny jumped and Theo turned, his sword in his hand.
Sebastian's lips curved as he held his hands up. "Just me. Everything all right?"
"How did you…? What are you…?"
"You activated my card," Sebastian said, his eyes on Theo.
"It was an accident," Theo said quickly.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "How exactly was it an accident? It's a very clear process. You touch your wand to the back of the card and say the word. That's not accidental. Are you telling me that the card malfunctioned? What are you two doing out here in the middle of the street anyway?"
"What I do with my time is my business, not yours, Auror Arsehole."
Sebastian's nostrils flared. "Who are you?"
"Ginny Weasley, nice to meet you, Auror Arsehole."
"My name is not Auror Arsehole," he hissed, glowering at Theo. "It's not safe to be wandering the streets with no purpose. The two of you need to get inside."
"We can take care of ourselves," Theo said.
Sebastian didn't look convinced. "Fine. So, there isn't anything new you wanted to share with me? You just used my card by complete coincidence."
Theo shook his head. "Yes, there's nothing."
Sebastian stared at them a moment, his eyes on their joined hands. "All right." He pulled another card from his pocket and held it out to him. "If you change your mind, give me a shout."
Theo accepted the card, his cheeks red. "It… I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Sebastian shook his head. "It was no bother."
"Do you give everyone your cards?" Ginny asked. "To show up in a moment's notice like that is pretty awesome. Do you do that for everyone who calls you?"
Sebastian's blue eyes met hers. "Have a good night, Miss Weasley, Theo."
Theo tugged Ginny closer as they turned to leave.
Ginny turned back to look at him, but Sebastian's eyes were on Theo. "Wait, how did you know where we were?"
Sebastian's expression flicked to hers. "When my card is activated it becomes an instant portkey beacon telling me your exact location," he explained. "Happy Christmas."
Then he turned on the spot and Disapparated.
Ginny let Theo lead her around the corner and down the street. They slipped through the warding into Norfolk Manor before she bumped her hip with his.
"He was totally checking out your arse when you turned around!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ginny!" Theo hissed. "Merlin, that was mortifying! How could I have been so stupid as to actually activate the damn card!"
Ginny grinned. "Because you wanted to see him again."
"I didn't!"
She smirked. "And he was definitely checking out your arse."
Theo glared at her. "Let's get back to the Burrow before you come up with any other mad theories."
"It's not a theory," Ginny said. "He was looking at your arse."
"You're projecting," Theo insisted. "That man is not gay because trust me, if he was… I would definitely have snogged him by now."
Ginny bit her lip. "Exactly, because he's completely your type."
Theo rolled his eyes. "I've created a monster."
Ginny linked her arm through his. "Come on, let's take the Floo back and we can see if Harry and Ron are done with the lights yet. Maybe we can convince them to add more lights to the tree."
"Okay," Theo agreed. "But I… I have to do something first. Can I meet you back there in an hour?"
Ginny smiled. "Sure. I look forward to grilling you more about Sebastian Kane."
The look on Theo's face told Ginny that Theo might be thinking more about the Auror than he was letting on.
She didn't care how much Theo refused to see it, she knew what she saw. Sebastian Kane was even sexier than Theo had let on and whether Theo wanted to admit it or not, that Auror's eyes had most definitely been on Theo's arse when she'd turned around. And he knew that she'd caught him because he'd flicked his eyes to hers as quickly as he could, but not before she'd caught him licking his lips.
It definitely gave her a lot to think about.
~ ASC ~
Zee was grabbing some last minute things in Diagon Alley, her arm linked with her father's as they walked through the snowy bustle that was Christmas Eve. Everything was lit up and beautiful and it felt like Christmas; magical and wonderful. She couldn't help but smile as she looked around.
"Vhat is on your mind, dochka?"
"Nothing," Zee admitted, a soft smile on her face. "I'm just happy."
Misha kissed her forehead. "Happy is good."
"I'm excited to go back to work in a few weeks. I'm excited for my babies to turn one and I'm so happy to have Harry home to celebrate Christmas with. Tomorrow is going to be wonderful."
"Da," Misha said. "Clevedon Court is a very nice home. Big, but comfortable."
"Yes," Zee agreed.
"It makes you sad to think of him leaving home."
Zee shrugged. "A little. He loves Ginny and I guess seeing them together this holiday just really made me realize that it won't be long now. He leaves school in June and when he does, he's going to move out."
"You don't know that he vill decide to do that right avay," Misha reasoned.
"Soon enough," Zee said. "He's grown up on me, Papa."
Misha kissed her forehead again, his arm around her shoulders. "That is a feeling I understand vell. Your mama and I alvays vanted a house full of children and ve vere only blessed vith you. Vhen you took your first job out in Tasmania, your mama and I cried. The house felt so empty."
"You cried?"
"Da," Misha said. "Then ve rather enjoyed having the place to ourselves, of course."
Zee chuckled. "I bet. Papa, I'm really happy that you and Mama are moving to England."
"Me too," he said. "I miss my beautiful girl and hearing her cry out for her Papochka."
"I haven't called you that since I was little."
"I know," Misha said, a nostalgic look in his eye. "Now, let's get that last gift for Harry before ve head home."
Zee smiled at her father, lost in happy memories of running into her father's outstretched arms and begging her papochka to tell her a story. It really did seem like a long time ago now.
They had just stepped out of the shop when the blast rocketed through the night. Zee gasped, her wand in her hand as Misha stood in front of her, his own wand out. Slug and Jigger's Apothecary had just exploded up ahead. Fire raged from the building as someone screamed only seconds before Potage's Cauldron Shop burst into flames. Alarms began to go off at the end of the alley from the Eastern Station of the Official Fire Broomgade only seconds before the hair salon on the right went up in flames followed by a second explosion in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Zee turned just as she heard someone scream 'Angelina!' She caught sight of a redheaded man running back inside of the shop and her heart stopped.
"Fred! George!"
Misha had already took off to help the woman coming out of the hair salon, but Zee booked it towards the joke shop. She screamed as the second redhead ran into the shop after his twin. Zee twirled her wand, sending her Patronus towards the OFB to let them know that there were people inside WWW before a flash appeared before her. Huge golden wings sprung out of the tiny woman who was just as short as Zee was without heels.
"Are they inside?"
"Yes," Zee said.
The fae didn't wait. She ran forward, eyes blazing and ran straight into the fire.
Misha appeared at Zee's side, grabbing her arm. "The Veasleys?"
Zee shook her head. "They went inside, Papa."
Official Fire Broomgade fighters began to arrive as the smoke blackened over the roof. Then there was a flash and the building seemed to explode a second time. Zee's fingers dug into her father's arm, eyes wide as OFB officers ordered them to stand back.
"No one goes inside!" someone shouted. "That was a flashover! No one goes inside until I say!"
"Please!" Zee shouted. "There are people in there!"
The officer turned to look at her. "We know, madam, but sending anyone in after them would be suicide."
More black smoke rose up in the air before the smoke began to turn green. Bright green skulls appeared in the smoke with a snake slithering in and out of its mouth over each fire. Laughter seemed to echo around the alley before a deep, charismatic voice seemed to echo from everywhere.
"To those who do not follow such simple requests, there will be consequences."
More screams erupted nearby.
"Where is your Chosen One now? How will he protect you from this? I can offer so much more. I can open your eyes to new possibilities, to new ways of life bigger than anything you can imagine. Bow to me and your life will be forever changed for the better. Choose to follow a young man who abandons you in your time of need and you will be destroyed."
The Dark Mark in the sky seemed to grow, roaring into the night before diving down into the alley. People screamed as green smoke moved through them harmlessly, but the fear and panic had already set in.
"Lord Voldemort has returned," the voice boomed. "And those who do not bow down to me will be punished."
A few people fell to their knees and a chuckle seemed to echo around them.
"The unworthy always choose the most wisely."
The smoke rose up again before disappearing in a flash of green. Zee barely managed to move before her father's strong arms had wrapped around her and screams filled the air.
Then there was a loud flash and the tiny fae that Zee had seen run into the flames crashed through the front door of WWW carrying a woman in her arms as if she was weightless. The one red-headed man was carrying the other, both so covered in soot, that Zee couldn't distinguish who was who as healers rushed forward.
And more chaos seemed to unfold around them.
~ ASC ~
Fred was coughing, trying to hack the blackness out of his lungs as he tried to tell the healer that he was fine. It wasn't him that he was worried about. His eyes were on that of his twin, his heart racing. George was so still, not moving and Merlin… the burns on his side looked bad. Not to mention the mangled mess of his left leg.
"How's Georgie?"
"Let the healers examine him further," the healer instructed.
"Is he alive?"
"Sir, let them examine him and I —"
"—Is he fucking alive?" Fred demanded.
"He's breathing," the healer said. "Now let the healers work on him while we take care of you."
Fred coughed again, this time causing blood to come up with it. "Angelina?"
A small hand cupped his cheek and he found himself staring into bright green eyes. "The healers will take care of them. They're both alive."
A warm glow covered him and he coughed again before he breathed more easily.
"Fiadh?"
Her lips pressed against his. "You'll be fine, Fred. George and Angelina will be, too. I promise."
"Georgie looks bad."
"It's serious," she said. "But he's going to be live. Trust me."
Fred nodded, his eyes on his twin as Fiadh pulled him close. "You saved him."
She only kissed his temple in response.
Fred couldn't stop seeing it in his head.
The fire exploding out of the shop, George running in, screaming for Angelina, and Fred on his heels. The front door had caved in seconds after George had run into the building. Fred had tried to follow him, but he'd been blocked out by the fire. It took him two full minutes to get past the flames and inside and by the time he'd reached his brother it had only been to watch him fall through the floor and into the flames…
Then suddenly wings had rustled past him and Fiadh had appeared, her golden wings extended in flight as she held George and Angelina in her arms. She'd grabbed Fred's hand and in seconds the four of them had been stepping outside into Diagon Alley, safe from the fire.
"How did you know that we were inside?" he asked.
Fiadh stroked her fingers through his hair. "I didn't. I came by, hoping to see you before you went to spend Christmas with your family and I saw the flames… I arrived in time to learn that you had just run into the building like a complete moron."
"I had no choice," Fred argued. "George and Angelina were in there and I had to do something."
Fiadh only pursed her lips in response.
Fred looked up when Zee appeared before him. "Zee, hi."
"Are you all right?" she asked, reaching forward to touch his cheek.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's George and Ange that I'm worried about," Fred told her.
Zee's eyes fell on Fiadh. "That was a very brave thing you did. Thank you for saving them."
Fiadh nodded. "Of course."
Zee let out a slow breath. "The healers are transporting George and Angelina to St Mungo's. I'll let your parents know."
Fred mumbled his thanks before he let Fiadh help him stand. "I'm okay."
"You will be," she assured him. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital."
Twenty minutes later, the waiting room was full of Weasleys. Ginny was sitting in Harry's lap with Theo holding her hand next to her. Fleur was curled up next to Bill. Audrey was sitting in Percy's lap. Charlie had his arm around Fred as Aydin slept in her grandfather's arms. Arthur had his other arm around Molly as her head rested against his shoulder. Ron was pacing back and forth as Hermione urged him to sit down. Zee and Misha sat across from Molly and Arthur as they waited for news.
Mr and Mrs Johnson arrived ten minutes after the Weasleys trickled in and took a seat next to Molly and Arthur, their faces grave.
Fred wished Fiadh had stayed.
She'd kissed him and promised to come back before disappearing. He wanted her here, he realized. He wanted to hold her, to thank her for what she'd done. But she hadn't wanted to intrude on his family and he'd let her go.
The moment the healer came into the waiting room, Fred had jumped to his feet. Charlie's hand squeezed his shoulder and he swallowed.
"George?"
"He's in recovery," the healer said. "The fire damaged much of his left thigh in second degree burns. He will scar, but I'm afraid that his left leg is too damaged to repair. We were forced to amputate just below the knee to stop the infection from spreading."
Molly gasped and Zee moved towards her, clutching the woman close.
"He'll need some time to recover, but he's going to be all right. He has some first degree burns on the tops of his ears and on the side of his neck, but those should heal relatively well with minimal scarring," the healer assured them.
"And Angelina?" Fred asked.
"Please," Mrs Johnson said, her eyes full of tears. "Is our baby all right?"
"We're still working on her, Mrs Johnson," the healer said. "She's stable right now, but her injuries are serious. We'll know more soon."
The healer left and Mrs Johnson let out a sob as her husband wrapped her in his arms.
It was another thirty minutes before the healers returned to inform them that Angelina was stable. She'd suffered severe second degree burns, with partial third degree burns down her right thigh and ribs. Her right arm was also burned. The damage to her organs had caused internal bleeding and they'd been forced to operate to prevent any more internal damage. Her right hip was broken along with her pelvis, but the healers assured them that those would heal well.
They would be able to go in and visit them as soon as they were moved to their respective rooms. After a few arguments, the healers agreed to put them in the same room to make visitation easier.
"They will both be unconscious for a few hours yet," the healer said. "We had to put them in a sedated state to work on them. But six of you can go in to see each of them. No more than six visitors to the room at one time."
Arthur passed Aydin to Charlie before he wrapped his arm around Fred. "Come on, Fred."
Fred let his father lead him down the hall as Molly followed with Ron and Mr and Mrs Johnson.
Fred trembled when he caught sight his of his twin lying in the hospital bed. He had bandages over his head and neck, on his hands. The missing leg seemed even more evident as he lay on the sheets, the bandage wrapped around the stump below his left knee.
Fred carefully rested his hip against the side of his twin's bed. "Hey, Georgie, it's me. Angelina's okay. She's in the bed next to you, but she's doing okay. You're going to be okay, too. I promise."
Molly pressed her lips to George's forehead, smoothing back his hair as she sniffed. Then she kissed Fred's cheek, holding him close.
"You boys are going to be fine."
Fred held his mother close, his eyes on his twin. He reached for George's hand, holding it tightly as his mother took his brother's other hand. He was going to be okay and Fred mentally thanked every deity in existence for saving him because he couldn't imagine a world where his twin wasn't in it.
~ ASC ~
Harry held Ginny close in the living room of the Burrow a few hours later. It was well after midnight and he knew that the whole family was beyond exhausted. Arthur and Molly had voted to stay with Fred, but they sent everyone else home to get some rest. George had woken up, but was groggy and out of it and healers assured them that he wouldn't be much for communication until close to noon tomorrow.
Bill and Fleur had gone back to Shell Cottage. Charlie had left after hearing George was going to be all right to get Aydin to bed. Ron, Hermione, Theo, Harry, and Ginny followed suit after Molly and Arthur told them to head home. Zee had kissed Harry's cheek and told him to stay as long as Ginny needed him before she and Misha had headed home themselves.
"He's going to be all right," Ron said, his jaw cracking from his yawn.
"But he lost part of his leg," Ginny whispered. "How is he going to deal with that? How is he going to walk?"
"Moody has a wooden leg," Harry said. "But there's all sorts of things that they can do nowadays to make it more lifelike. Fred and George are the most inventive people I know. I bet they'll make something awesome for him."
Ron snorted. "Knowing George it will be full of fireworks."
"Or be able to shoot spells at people," Harry said.
"Or insult them," Ron added.
They exchanged a look and snickered.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that they will come up with something, but he still has a long recovery ahead of him. I heard that when you lose a limb you still feel it and have to deal with that lost limb syndrome. It will be a big adjustment for him. Not to mention healing from the burns."
"What about Angelina?" Ginny asked. "I know her pelvis and hip will heal, but the burns… I don't think that she'll be able to fly, not professionally."
Harry sobered. "You mean she won't be able to play professionally anymore?"
Ginny shrugged. "I don't know, but you have to admit, it doesn't look good."
Hermione crossed her arms in front of her chest. "They were so lucky that Fiadh was there."
Harry nodded. "Zee said that there was a flashover just after Fred ran inside and the OFB declared that no one could go inside after them."
"I wish that we could have met Fiadh," Ginny said. "I understand why Fred said she ran off, but she should have stayed. Fred said she healed him."
"Why didn't she heal George and Angelina?" Hermione asked.
"Fae don't have powers like that," Theo said. "They can heal minor injuries like Fred's cuts and bruises, but internal injuries and burns or missing limbs… they don't have that kind of power. Healing Fred would have taken a lot out of her already and to ask for more… it would have drained her of her powers."
Ginny's face pressed against Harry's chest as he held her close.
Harry ran his hands up and down her back. "What happened out there? How did the shop catch fire?"
Ron shrugged. "They didn't say."
"They wouldn't be careless enough to let something like that happen," Hermione said.
"They weren't," Charlie said from behind them making the five of them turn around to see him standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "It was Voldemort. He set fire to their shop, the apothecary, the cauldron shop, and a hair salon."
"Why?" Ron demanded.
"Because they were the four establishments in Diagon Alley who refused to take the monthly stipend on recording customer blood status and the new blood status serving regulations."
"That's barbaric," Hermione said. "It's just like what the Germans did to the Jews in the 30s, Kristallnacht."
Harry nodded. "I remember Uncle Remus teaching me about that. They made the Jews wear badges to identify them and… fuck."
"It's not the same," Hermione said. "But the similarities are uncanny. Voldemort is making purebloods out to be the superior bloodline and the Ministry seems to be following suit. Not intentionally, but by segregating the Muggleborns, they are in fact letting Voldemort know who they are."
Charlie scratched his beard. "Bill said that Himmler and Norton were removed from power."
"They were," Theo said. "They were both under the Imperius, but as far as I know, no one has replaced them."
"No one is going to want that bloody job," Charlie said. "Last minister was killed and the one that followed was Imperiused to work for Voldemort. No one is going to be begging to take on that job."
"What do we do?" Ron asked.
Charlie shoved his hands into his pockets. "Voldemort wants people to see him as the one in charge. According to the wireless, he made a message in Diagon Alley, demanding that people bow down to him. Claimed Harry wasn't around to save them. He made some snide comments about the Chosen One."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "He said what?"
"No," Ginny said, grabbing his face in her hands. "He was taunting you, Harry. He wants to draw you out."
"Ginny's right," Hermione said. "Voldemort considers you a threat, Harry. You can't let him draw you in, not yet."
Charlie cleared his throat. "Harry isn't going to let Voldemort draw him in. Harry, why don't you head home? I know that you want to spend Christmas morning with Mina and Leo."
Harry nodded. "I did, but this is…"
"Go," Ginny said, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "You can come to the hospital with us tomorrow."
"How about you lot come to me?" Harry said. "We're going to do Christmas dinner at my house in Somerset tomorrow. With Ted and Andy gone, we wanted a change and Black Cottage isn't big enough for all of us. Your mum will be too worried about George to cook and it will be good for you. All of you."
Ron squeezed Harry's shoulder. "Mate, that would be great. Thanks."
"Come over anytime after noon. We'll be there by then. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny know how to get there," Harry said.
Charlie smiled. "Thanks, Harry."
Theo moved to hug Harry so that he could whisper in his ear. "Does this mean I get to see the fantasy shower?"
Harry's face flushed. "Just come over for Christmas, Theo."
He kissed Ginny goodbye and said goodnight before using the Floo to head back to Black Cottage. He found Remus waiting for him in the living room.
"Uncle Rem, what are you doing here?" Harry asked.
Remus gestured for Harry to sit with him. "Checking in. Zee told me what happened in Diagon Alley."
"Where is Zee?"
"She went up to bed after checking on the twins," Remus said. "Harry, I know you know."
Harry dragged his fingers through his hair. "He blew up those places and used my name as a taunt. Why does everyone expect me to just sit on my hands after he does that?"
"Because he wants to draw you out, Harry," Remus said. "It's a trap for you."
"Well, maybe it's about time I take the bait!"
Remus frowned. "I know it's difficult, especially considering what happened to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes tonight, but you can't take the bait."
"He wants people to bow down to him now? What the hell does that even mean?"
"Tonks said that there's a lead on something and they are making plans to infiltrate one of his bases of operation. If they do this, it will put a dent in his plans, Harry."
Harry stared at his father. "A dent in his plans. How big of a dent?"
Remus shrugged. "That depends on what they find when they get inside. It's being planned to happen before the new year."
Harry let out a slow breath. "I won't do anything rash as you've said, I wouldn't even know where to start looking."
Remus nodded. "Good."
"I invited all of the Weasleys to join us for Christmas tomorrow."
"That sounds lovely," Remus said. "It will be good for them to celebrate with us and Dobby will love it."
Harry snorted. "Dobby will definitely love it. I should let him know there's a dozen more people coming."
Remus stood up and ruffled Harry's hair. "I can't believe you're seventeen sometimes. Voldemort's not going to win, Harry. The good may get knocked back, but we always come out on top.
"I hope you're right," Harry said.
"Goodnight, Harry," Remus said, squeezing his shoulder.
"Goodnight," Harry said, watching Remus grab his cloak to head home.
Remus was right. There was nothing that he could do right now. He couldn't take the bait that Voldemort was giving him. Not yet. But he also knew that time was running out. They needed to make a move and soon, or Voldemort was going to gain control in ways that they couldn't imagine. He was already infiltrating the Ministry right under their noses. They needed to find someone strong to take over, someone who he couldn't get to… Harry just didn't know who that was.
He wondered just what this mysterious operation of one of his bases was going to entail and just how big of a dent it was going to put in Voldemort's plans.
For all of their sakes, Harry hoped it was a really big one.
~ ASC ~
Snape knew the fact that the Dark Lord had been ignoring him was intentional. He had been thrown into a cell in Avery Castle, strung up in chains above his head with his toes barely touching the floor. Once a day, someone came in to lower him down and provide him with porridge and water, but no one spoke to him.
No one visited him.
No one attempted to do anything.
It was starting to put him on edge.
The one thing that Snape had always prided himself on was his Occulmency skills and as of late, he was starting to wonder if it was those very skills that the Dark Lord was trying to break down. Voldemort had never once accessed his mind without Snape's permission. He'd never once broken down his barriers and while once this had been something that pleased the Dark Lord, it was now something that would make him angry due to the nature of Snape's betrayal. But by leaving him strung up, dehydrated and starving, it was weakening him. A weak body made it harder for Snape to concentrate, harder for him to make his mind strong.
That's what worried him.
Especially when on the third day, his new leg began to act up.
At first Snape had thought that he was imagining it, but he soon realized that it was real. The silver leg had started to tingle like it had fallen asleep before shooting a stabbing pain throughout his body. It felt like his whole body was on fire. The leg shifted and pulled, tearing muscle and cartilage before after three days of excruciating pain, the leg fell off, landing on the dirty stone below his feet and bursting into flames.
Someone came in, but Snape was too weak to move as his leg bled. Something hot touched his bloody stump, searing the wound closed and he screamed in pain before he was once more left alone in his cell.
It was almost another week before Crouch came in, a huge smile on his face. He flicked his wand and Snape crashed to the floor, wincing as he fell on his stump. He knew it was infected and he could feel the fever coursing through him. Crouch levitated him half an inch off of the floor and flicked his wand again, causing Snape to drag across the stone behind him.
When he finally landed in a heap at Voldemort's feet, his leg was bleeding again.
Voldemort sat in his throne chair, tapping his long spindly fingers on the arms of his chair. His red eyes were gleaming in rage, but he made no move forward.
"I see you've abused my gift to you, Severus. Where is your leg?"
"Gone," Snape croaked.
Voldemort arched any eyebrow. "Gone? The only reason that it would remove itself from you, is if you betrayed me. Did you betray me, Severus?"
"No."
Voldemort sneered. "Even now when you are whimpering at my feet you would lie to me."
Snape tried not to look around. He could see that he was on display but he didn't know how many of the Death Eaters were surrounding him nor who they were. He did know that they were here to witness his punishment and part of him wished for a quick death at the Dark Lord's hands.
"Christmas Day," Voldemort said. "Such a perfect day to have a chat with one of my loyal followers, isn't it, Severus?"
"Of course, my Lord," Snape said, bowing his head.
Christmas… had it really only been a little over two weeks since he'd been taken captive? It had felt like an eternity.
"Severus has been a loyal follower of mine since he was sixteen, haven't you, Severus?" Voldemort didn't wait for an answer. "He joined me along with his friend Evan Rosier; he was eager to prove himself. When he came to me, all those years ago and begged me to spare the life of Potter's filthy mudblooded mother, I thought he hadn't quite changed as much as I had hoped. But he came back to me with thirteen years of information as a spy on Albus Dumbledore and I admit, I was intrigued. Had he truly been loyal this whole time? Had he truly believed I would return?"
Crouch licked his lips. "He lies, master!"
"Yes, Bart, he is the master of lies. He has fooled even himself and I don't think even he knows where his loyalties truly lie. Dumbledore is dead, Severus. You cannot be loyal to a dead man."
"I am loyal to you, my Lord," Snape said, bowing his head
Voldemort sneered. "Telling me that Baddock and Pritchard needed to get their hands dirty, bringing them into Hogwarts to help was a ploy to help them escape. Do you deny it?"
"They were children," Snape said. "They were useless to you."
"I deem who is useful or useless to me," Voldemort declared. "Not you. You helped them escape. You told me that you killed Slughorn, but he somehow survived. You brewed that bloodlust potion for Potter's whore and yet, she somehow still lives. Did you give them the antidote, Severus?"
Snape swallowed. The time for lying had passed. He knew that. Saving his skin wasn't possible, but knowing that he had saved others made him feel a glimmer of hope for redemption.
"Yes. I made sure that Hermione Granger found the recipe for the antidote."
"Another filthy mudblood. What is it about them that attracts you, Severus? What makes them interest you with such a passion?"
Snape stared into the red eyes. "I did what needed to be done."
"Where are they?" Voldemort demanded, his voice rising. "Where did you take them?"
"I don't know."
"Crucio!"
Pain hit him from every angle as the curse seeped through him. He bit through his bottom lip to stop himself from screaming before the pain stopped.
"Do you think that I take joy in hurting you, Severus?" Voldemort asked. "Do you think that I want to see you hurt? I trusted you. I respected you. I loved you as a true friend and you betrayed me. This does not bring me joy, Severus. It makes me sad. Crucio!"
Snape tasted blood as he tried to bite back his scream and when the curse lifted, Voldemort was standing over him, his head titled as if examining him for weakness.
"Where are the young witches and wizards that you kidnapped, Severus?" Voldemort asked, calmly.
"I don't know," Snape repeated.
The Cruciatus hit him again and again before it finally lifted and Snape was left panting on the floor in his chains.
"Bellarosa, my dear, it seems that your son is also alive," Voldemort said. "I learned of his survival when my Bella killed that traitorous sister of hers and her disgusting Mudblood."
"My Lord, that's impossible! He wouldn't have… he was loyal to you!" Bellarosa exclaimed, her voice high in disbelief.
Voldemort stared at her a moment. "Perhaps he betrayed you as much as me, Bellarosa. Perhaps he did not trust in his own mother the way she trusted in him. Severus knows of his whereabouts, don't you?"
"No," Snape panted.
"Bellarosa, why don't you ask Snape where your son is?"
Bellarosa carefully stepped forward, her wand in her hand. "Is Blaise alive, Snape?"
Snape shook his head. "I haven't seen your son since he disappeared over a year ago. I thought that he was dead. I swear to you, I thought that he was dead."
The Cruciatus hit him again, but this time it came from Belladonna's wand.
"He lies, sister. Men always lie," Belladonna hissed.
Bellarosa stepped back, her hand grabbing her husband's as she did.
"Not only is Blaise Zabini alive," Voldemort said. "But so is Draco Malfoy. They've removed the Dark Mark that I gave them; threw it away like it was rubbish, and ran from me. Why would they do that?"
"Because they are foolish," Belladonna exclaimed. "They are too stupid to see that you are everything, my Lord."
Snape spit blood out onto the floor as someone's boot crushed his fingers.
"Give me their names again, Bella."
Bellatrix stepped forward, her eyes alight in glee. "Malcom Baddock. Graham Pritchard. Shanae Templeton Pritchard. Flora Carrow Rowle. Aeliana Avery Ledbury. Juliet Parks Lofthouse. Xander Lofthouse. Marion Lofthouse Belby. Millicent Bulstrode Crouch. Hestia Carrow Crouch. Draco Malfoy. Blaise Zabini. That's not including the pureblood babies that the bitches took with them."
"I didn't know Zabini and Malfoy were still alive," Snape panted.
Bellatrix sneered, jabbing her wand so hard into his throat that he gasped for breath. "Liar."
Voldemort's hand stroked over Bellatrix's hair. "Bella, patience. Severus helped all of them escape, including the unborn babes. He's taken them from their fathers, from their grandparents. It cannot be tolerated. I will not allow for this utter blasphemy and betrayal of someone whom I considered one of my most loyal followers."
Bellatrix snorted. "He was never your most loyal, my Lord!"
"No," Voldemort said, his red eyes gleaming. "I'm starting to think that he wasn't. Bart, why don't you show Severus how we treat traitors in our midst?"
Crouch licked his lips, delight dancing in his mad eyes. He bent down, yanking Snape up by the chains before he leaned in and licked his cheek.
"We're going to have so much fun together, dearie!"
Voldemort waved them off. "Don't kill him too soon, Bart."
"Don't worry, master. I promise that he'll be alive for quite a while yet. I wouldn't want him to think that I don't care."
Snape felt bile rise in his throat as Crouch waved his wand and dragged him out of the throne room by the chains. The quick death he had hoped for was nowhere in sight and as his amputated leg dragged across the stone, shooting pain through him, he tasted blood and wished for death.