Title: Code of the Griffin
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: From a war ravaged future, someone is sent back in time to change the course of the war.
The emergency meeting happened at MI6 Headquarters in the middle of London. It was a high level meeting with as much security as the secrecy allowed. All the major players on the Non-Magical side represented. Jane Granger, M and Operative Williamson were representing MI6 while Major Granger, Captain White and Sergeant Waters represented the SAS. The Government was represented by the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, with Prince Charles representing the Palace. Hermione, with her two Lieutenants and her two Staff Sergeants, were the only representatives from the Magical side.
"So… what's the latest Intel?" Lieutenant Diggory asked.
"Our operations in Europe were… less than successful." M replied. "We lost three assets and failed to lean anything more about Flamel's operations."
"We did learn one thing, though." Jane Granger added. "We now know that they do not know who exactly is on to them. Grand Marshall Granger's Operative was not fully compromised when they got us the initial Intel."
"How many agencies around the World could pull an operation like this off?" Prince Charles asked. "Are we exposed?"
"On the Magical side? None. The Order and Flamel's forces are the closet and the Order, at least, is more Military than Covert Intelligence, so Flamel would have the Order on his list but not at the top." Hermione replied.
"MI6, CIA, DGSE, maybe China or North Korea. Possibly Russia but it would be a stretch given their current climate." M Listed the possible list that Flamel could have. "Australia too, but it's a bit outside their sphere of influence."
"So what's our next move?" the PM asked.
"We monitor signals traffic, analyse it to find anything that correlates to known facts about Flamel and his Organisation." M replied.
"Nothing can be done on the military side until they make another move." Major Granger added. "Anything we try would just tip our hand that we are the ones looking for them."
"So there is nothing to be done?" The Defence Minister asked.
"Direct action wise, no, we can't do anything." Hermione replied. "But there are a lot of other things we can do. Identify likely targets; develop response plans to any attacks. There is a lot of work to do."
After the confidential meeting, the five Order members were walked to the Leaky Cauldron, their Uniforms; Pistols and, in Harry and Hermione's case, swords being concealed on the Muggle streets under glamours. Once they entered the pub, which only had a smattering of patrons, they dropped the glamours on their clothes and made their way back into Diagon Alley. The Alley was reasonably busy, with adults and just out of Hogwarts teens making up the majority of the patrons, though most were hurrying to café's or small eateries for their lunch breaks. The five made their way down the centre of the Alley in a V formation, with Hermione at the point of the V, Harry on her right a step behind and Cedric on her left the same. Kate and Neville made the end of the arms of the V, positioned outside and a step behind their respective Lieutenants.
Their progress down the Alley caused a flurry of half whispered comments and a lot of staring in their wake. Here were the famous Lady of House Gryffindor and Lord of House Potter, about whom everyone had read several Daily Prophet articles about their political moves to get a fairer justice system for common Witches and Wizards, accompanied by the new sensation of the Adopted sister of Lord Potter; the 'Great British Hope' of the Hogwarts Tri-Wizard Tournament and the 'Hero of the World Cup' with his metallic arm to replace the one lost in 'a valiant sacrifice of immeasurable value made to safeguard the lives of the populous against tyranny and oppression' as one young Prophet reporter had written. Should five such notable individuals show up anywhere, there would be a noticeable reaction, but when they arrive in the Uniform of the Order, an organisation that everyone in Magical Britain, especially parents of Hogwarts Students and the recently graduated, were familiar with, and in most cases in awe of, then it goes from being a notable occasion to potential front page news.
Hermione had decided to make the demonstration of them walking through Diagon Alley for two reasons. Firstly, the Order had business with Gringotts in regards to some account transfers and such that needed to be made. The second reason was to show that the Order was not confined to Hogwarts and would be around to deal or assist with any attacks that came from either the Death Eaters or what the Wizarding World still referred to as the 'Mystery Force' from the World Cup. In a staggering, and unfortunate, coincidence Lord Voldemort, still subsisting in the possessed body of an infant, had also decided that a demonstration was needed to remind the Wizarding World why they still needed to fear him and he had chosen Diagon Alley for that demonstration.
The incident was over almost before it began. An even dozen Death Eaters Apparited into the Alley not ten feet from the five Order Members. In the past a dozen Death Eaters were more than enough to send everyone running in a blind panic, so they were not in too much of a hurry when drawing their wands. This was a mistake as the Order leadership had their pistols out of their holsters in a heart beat, with their Wands right alongside. Without a word or gesture, they spread out and began firing at the huddle of Death Eaters.
Six Death Eaters went down under the initial barrage of gunfire. Of the remaining six, only two were not staring at their dying companions in shock. One, a more senior Death Eater Apparited away, but only to the top of a building nearby so he could report back the entire encounter. The other, a hulking man, charged blindly at the nearest Order member, planning to crush them like he had so many in the illegal no-holds-bared fighting rings. Unfortunately he chose Neville to charge, who simply dropped his wand from his left hand and punched straight through the man, with two inches of gore covered metal sticking out of the man's back where his ribcage and spine used to be. The remaining four fell under the second volley of accurate pistol fire from the other four Order members. On the rooftop, the senior Death Eater Apparited away to let Lord Voldemort know what had happened. He would be dead inside the hour.
The entire incident took less then five seconds to unfold, with the other shoppers barely having time to realise that they should be panicking before five calls of 'Clear' echoed through the Alley.
"Everyone alright?" Hermione asked.
"We're good." Kate reported.
"Going to need to polish my arm." Neville groused, pulling his arm free of the Death Eater and shaking off the excess blood.
They all holstered their pistols and wands, Neville making sure to retrieve his wand with his right hand.
"Any other time I would say that Ginny would be more than happy to help, but I don't think she would clean up blood." Cedric said with a grin.
"A friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a body." Harry joked as they all gathered around Hermione.
Seven loud pops were head and then an arrogant voice.
"Freeze. Aurors." A man in Auror robes said, taking a look around. "You're all under arrest."
"What is your name?" Hermione asked the lead Auror.
"Senior Auror Dawlish." He replied. "And who are you, so I have the right name for the murder charge."
This comment got several groans and head shakes from the other Aurors, as if they could not believe what was coming out of Dawlish's mouth.
"Grand Marshall Hermione Granger, Ruling Lady of House Gryffindor, Commanding Officer of the Order of the Griffin. Under the Peacekeeper Act, we are fully recognised as a Law Enforcement and Military organisation. Under Parliamentary Anti-Terrorism laws, we have authority to counter the actions of the Terrorist organisation known as the Death Eaters by any means necessary." Hermione said calmly.
"Dawlish, pull your head out your ass." A young pink haired Auror said.
"Shut it, Tonks." Dawlish snapped back.
"Bite Me. I'm not going to be the one telling Bones that I arrested them. She's friends with them and her Niece is in the Order." Tonks said.
Dawlish growled and then Apparited away, with most of the rest of the Aurors laughing before they left.
"Tell Sirius he should come by and see my mum, Andromeda Tonks, some time before the wedding if he knows what's good for him." Tonks said with a wink before she too popped away.
With the excitement over, they resumed their path towards Gringotts, getting impressed nods from the Guards outside the bank, one of whom spoke to another goblin inside and a bowl of steaming hot water and a number of towels were brought to Neville to clean up his arm as Hermione conducted business with a Senior Teller.
Harry lay awake staring into the darkness. The action in the Alley earlier had been his first real action since he had been captured, and it was bugging him. Not the fight itself, he had no problem there, even in the aftermath he had not frozen up or wigged out. It was just he was expecting something… more. Something…
The door creaked open, bathing a rectangular section of the room in pale moonlight that was partially blocked by a figure.
"You mind?" Kate's voice came softly.
"No." Harry replied.
Kate padded over softly on bare feet, dressed in a pair of flannel pyjamas, and slid into Harry's bed next to him and curled up with her head on his chest. To an outside observer, it looked like they were very cosy, more like boyfriend and girlfriend than siblings, even adopted ones, and would be viewed as suspicious. On the other hand, when one knew that the foundation of their friendship had been based on comforting each other from the pain of being professionally tortured for an extended period while naked in a dungeon, then this level of contact did not even register.
"Weird for you too, huh?" he asked, and felt her nodding against his chest.
"Yeah. I don't know, I just expected something… more." She replied.
"Me too, sis. Me too." Harry said.
They lay there for another hour before they drifted off to sleep.
TBC…