A Witch, A Wizard and A Mechanic

by RhysThornbery

Harry's had enough. It's time to blow this popsicle stand. Turns out, leaving behind friends is harder than one might think however. And an unexpected lead towards a new life provides a surprise. Unfortunately life is rarely so simple right? Pairings: MAYBE Harry/Multi, starting off Harry/Hermione. GreaterGood!Dumbledore. Rated T may progress to M. On Hiatus.

3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: This one's been edited too now. Hopefully this version will be slightly more enjoyable. Or at least more clear.

---

Harry had not taken the London Tube much before today. It was difficult for one to not have at some point if they had ever even so much as visited the city, however the Dursleys had never allowed him to travel much. The tube was a massive and carefully planned out network of subways, and as he learned from Hermione, it had been in service in one form or another for close to a hundred years. It had even seen service in the second world war as a system of public bomb shelters. Hermione made a point of indicating points of interest as they passed, making this particular trip interesting compared to those previous.

Harry should have known some of this already considering his residence in a muggle home in the Greater London Area, but as ever his stay with the Dursleys had proven less than beneficial to any concept of education. He and Hermione even had the pleasure of the momentary entertainment caused by a tourist, Canadian judging by the little Canadian flags all over his stuff, get hamstrung by the automated doors of the train.*

When they eventually arrived at the Belsize park station, and made their way to the surface, Harry was struck by the impression that this was exactly the sort of neighbourhood he could imagine Hermione growing up in. There was a pleasant little market district right out front of the station. Hermione paused in front of a small used-book shop and asked the shopkeeper about a book she had apparently been waiting eagerly for. Clearly this was a store Hermione was well known in, given how pleasantly the shopkeeper greeted her. After paying for the new book, the pair moved past the market and into the neighbourhood proper. The area beyond the market was saturated with endless townhouses and flats, with the occasional small cul-de-sac with slightly larger homes mixed in. It was in one of these small enclaves that Hermione's home was located. It was a nice two story house of moderate size sitting between two others of similar design.

The small green space in the centre of the cul de sac was filled with trees, and Harry felt compelled to comment. "Somehow, this is exactly the kind of place I imagined you living in, I can just picture you sitting under one of those trees reading."

Hermione blushed, but still felt a surprised laugh bubble up past her lips. "I still do occasionally, when the weather is nice that is."

They made their way up to the house, Harry politely waiting for her to take the steps first. Hermione was about to reach for the door handle, the other hand fumbling in her pocket for a key when the door was opened by a woman who could only be her mother. She was very similar to Hermione in appearance, despite the obvious differences in age. Hermione had given a start as the handle was pulled from her hand. "Oh. Hi, Mum."

Harry tilted a nod at the woman and waved slightly. "Hello, Mrs Granger," he greeted and the woman's eyes centred on him.

"Ah, hello to you too. You must be Hermione's friend, Harry,"

Harry nodded agreeably, "Yes ma'am, we met briefly back in second year I think."

She nodded, "Yes, but we didn't get a chance to talk much. Those men got into a fight and we went to the pub to…relax."

"Yeah, sorry about that, the Malfoys and Weasleys all but have a blood feud."

He informed her a touch ruefully. To say the Malfoys and Weasleys loathed each other was a colossal understatement. She nodded vigorously, probably remembering the incident in vivid detail, then straightened a bit as she settled.

"Well, you'd better come in then." She invited and stepped out of the way.

Hermione's house was different from other homes he had frequented. If he had to pick a word to describe the small contemporary house it would be…comfortable. Not too much clutter but not hideously, and unnaturally organized like the Dursleys. He only had a short time to reflect on this notion before a man Harry assumed to be Hermione's father entered the hall.

The man's expression and demeanour was polite, but it had a slightly wary edge to it as well. Harry could tell he didn't entirely trust his daughter's acquaintance just yet. Regardless he approached and spoke as amiably as could reasonably be expected under the circumstances. "Hello, you must be Harry," The man greeted holding out a hand to shake.

Harry grasped it firmly and shook, nodding, "Yes, sir."

"Dan Granger,"

Harry inclined his head, "A pleasure, sir."

The man led the group back into the living room. "So what brings you to our house, Harry," he asked seriously.

Harry blew out a breath, and shrugged, "It's a long story, sir."

He noticed Dan grimace and realized this wasn't the appropriate answer given the circumstances. Dan was hoping for the full story for a change.

"But I am going to hear it, right?" Dan asked pointedly.

Hermione was appalled by her father's blunt approach, "Dad!"

Harry just raised a hand to stop her, "No, it's okay Hermione. I don't mind," He turned back to Dan and nodded, "Yes sir, you'll hear it."

Dan seemed to ease a little bit, "Good,"

Emma was shaking her head, she knew what kind of trouble her husband's tact had likely started with their daughter. Hermione had spoken glowingly of Harry in her letters, somehow Emma doubted she would take kindly to perceived attacks by her own father, "Hermione, why don't you show Harry around?" she requested, giving her spouse a look, "We'll start an early supper."

Hermione shot her mother a grateful look before taking Harry by the elbow, "Thanks, Mum," She called over her shoulder as she led him from the room. "Come on Harry, I'll show you my room."

Harry followed her up the stairs as he heard hushed voices start up behind him. Hermione opened the door into the room and stepped inside and out of the way so he could see. Harry was impressed, it was quite a nice room. Far nicer than any of those at the Dursleys' in his reckoning. It was open and airy, with a bed built into the wall at the base of a bay window overlooking the backyard. Hedwig was sitting on a perch Hermione apparently kept specifically for visiting owls. Admittedly, she was currently turning a rodent of some description inside out and disemboweling it on her perch, but still it somehow failed to detract from the overall atmosphere of the room.

This was most definitely a learned person's room, but it also had a distinct quality about it that screamed Hermione. Of course the room was well stocked with book shelves, filled to the brim with books, but surprisingly the room also had a large drafting table pushed into one corner and many pictures adorned the walls. He had to peer more closely to realize that all the pictures were hand drawn images, the one he was standing next to was a detailed picture of Hogwarts from down on the grounds by the Quidditch pitch. He considered that for a moment before looking at Hermione, "How come I never knew you could draw?" He asked, it would have sounded accusatory except for the grin on his face.

She was clearly a bit embarrassed, and shrugged gesturing weakly around the room as she rubbed the back of her neck. "That'd be because I never draw at school?" She ventured.

He considered that, "I'd still have liked to know about your other talent, these are really good. Though I suppose it's hard to draw with quills?"

She shook her head, "Oh no, I do ink drawings too. It's messy though, so I avoid it mostly. It's just I have more important things to be doing at school."

Harry shook his head as he examined another image, "These are very good,"

She smiled, clearly pleased, "Thank you."

The next picture he spotted was clearly a self portrait, likely a duplicate of a photograph judging by the lighting and composition. He smiled gesturing to it, "This is a really good one, I like it."

She cocked her head squinting at that one, apparently a touch confused. "I'm not terribly proud of that one, it just doesn't feel right to me."

Harry considered it. "Oh I don't know, the smile is just about perfect," he shrugged. "Not as good as the real thing of course. But still, amazing what you can do with a piece of graphite isn't it? Maybe you'll do one for me to have some day?"

She looked down, apparently pleased.

He eyed her thoughtfully then shook his head, getting back to business. "So…how do you want to approach this, with your parents I mean?"

She huffed a sigh, and glanced about uncertainly, "I don't know, Harry,"

He nodded, understanding. This was hardly a typical situation. Mum, Dad? I'm intentionally going on the run with a friend of mine, in the hopes of learning how to fight a super powerful and evil mad man. Ta! was hardly going to cut it. "Perhaps we should let them ask their questions first, then? Let them understand why it is the way it is first?"

She grimaced but nodded, "Sounds like as good a place as any, I suppose."

Harry noted her hesitant tone, and correctly guessed that she was worried about her parents' response to him. "You want to go down and talk with them now?" She appeared uncertain, and more than a bit afraid they'd blow up at him. "Perhaps it would be best if you were to tell them?"

"Yeah, that's probably for the best," she agreed, sighing.

"Do you want me to come along," He asked uncertainly.

She shook her head, "No, it would be better for me to handle it…" She indicated the window. "Why don't you go out back and wait?" He gave her a doubtful look, it didn't feel right, leaving Hermione to face this with her parents alone.

"Okay," He turned towards the door then turned back to her, "You know, I never wanted to put you in this position…" he offered, remorse tinging his voice.

She nodded, "I know Harry, don't worry."

She pushed him out into the hall and led him down the stairs before indicating the direction he should head in.

Harry followed the hallway through the door out into the back yard. A small but pleasant affair with a pool and a set of lawn chairs. Harry made his way tentatively over to one of the chairs and sat down. For a time he sat in silence, but before long he was contemplating the days to come.

Ultimately the first step would be finding somewhere to sleep for the night. He was relatively certain the Grangers were not going to be particularly happy with him. But that was a minor concern for the time being. The next big step on the list was to see about eliminating the Trace.

As he recalled the one who had made notifications for underage magic use was a woman called Mafalda Hopkirk. But he honestly had no clue as to whether or not she actually had the authority to remove someone from the watch list. Oh Fudge would of course have the authority, but there was no way Harry would be approaching him, especially after the last year. Fudge dealt in favours and influence, whatever price tag he'd put on removing the trace would be too much, and even then Harry wouldn't wish to bet on him not going back on the deal later.

He also vaguely recalled hearing something suggesting Fudge might not be in office for much longer. Who were the replacement candidates again? He'd need to ask Hermione…unless...

His mind stumbled upon someone else who might be able to help him, though he couldn't be certain that she would. Madam Bones was known for being just and fair, and was the current Director of the DMLE. That had possibilities, though he was uncertain how best to approach her.

Harry was interrupted from his line of thought by the back door to the house swinging open and Mr Granger stalking out, thankfully his hands were held in his pockets and he wasn't moving in such a way as to suggest he was preparing to fight. Still he did look plenty surly as he approach. Harry cautiously got to his feet.

Dan approached him and eyed him irritably before finally speaking, voice sharp, "My daughter tells me you tried to talk her out of this madness."

Harry nodded readily, "Yes sir, I did."

"But she didn't listen, not even to you…" Dan asked rhetorically, then shook his head, "You know it is beyond frustrating when a daughter listens more to her friends than to her own parents," he noted somewhat accusingly.

Harry was sympathetic, "I can imagine it would be, sir…"

Dan shot him an unfavourable look, "May I ask you a question of you then?"

Harry nodded, "Of course, sir."

"What are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Harry blinked in surprise, whatever questions he had been expecting that hadn't been one of them, "I admit I wasn't expecting that, sir…"

"Well?" Dan asked expectantly.

Harry shrugged, "She doesn't see me that way, sir."

Mr Granger looked less than impressed by this argument, "How do you see her, then?"

Harry wasn't used to discussing such matters, "Like I said sir, she doesn't see me that way so it would be irrelevant either way."

Dan stared at him balefully for a time before sighing and shaking his head, "I just wish we could have gotten more time with her before losing her."

Harry felt guilty, he didn't want to break up the Granger family, "If I have anything to say about it, you won't be losing her, sir."

Dan wasn't comforted, "Your mad war is going to see her disappearing for who knows how long. We may not see her for years, maybe even decades. By the time she returns she will be a grown woman. My little girl will be gone."

Harry couldn't have felt much worse if he tried, "I'm sorry sir…"

Dan waved that off, "Oh, stop it with the sir already. I feel like I'm back in the Infantry," he grumbled.

Harry eyed him speculatively, "I wasn't aware you'd served the Crown… ."

Dan nodded absently, "Yeah, from 95 to 05." He looked to the boy next to him, "So do you actually have a plan in all this?"

Harry nodded, "The beginnings of one at least." He looked out over the back yard contemplating where to start. "First step is to find somewhere to stay for the night, of course. But the next step is definitely going to be getting the Trace removed so we can do magic without getting hauled before the courts."

Dan nodded speculatively, "That's the thing which prevents you from doing magic outside of school right?"

Harry nodded an affirmative.

Dan considered before sighing, "Well, I don't see what I could do to help with that part, but you two are welcome to stay the night, that'd at least give us time to say goodbye." He offered, daring Harry to disagree.

Harry nodded, accepting the implied warning, "Just a warning ahead of time sir, if the Order or Ministry comes here looking for us, we may need to bolt sooner than we'd like. I can't control that."

Dan nodded, rubbing his face tiredly, "I understand."

Harry considered for a moment as they stood in silence. "If I may s—Mr Granger," He corrected himself, "Could I borrow your phone book?"

Dan gave him a funny look, "Don't have one, you looking to find someone?" Harry nodded. "Well then, we'll try the internet, follow me." The older man instructed and set off back into the house.

---

Hermione found Harry a few minutes later, laboriously working, hunched over at the family computer in the study. She knocked on the door frame, causing him to look up. "Hey Harry, hope my Father didn't give you too much trouble. He promised not to be too hard on you…" She sounded exasperated.

Harry smiled wanly at her, "He was fine Hermione, don't worry."

She nodded then indicated the computer in front of him, "What are you doing?"

"Looking up Madam Bones' Residence."

She furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Way I reckon it, if anyone can remove the trace for us…" he started.

"It'd be the head of the DMLE, good thinking Harry," she agreed sitting down next to him at the desk. "You having any luck?"

He nodded, tapping away at a search engine. "I think so, Bones is a more common name than you might think, but here in London, without a listed phone number by the way, there's an Amelia S Bones and a Susan A Bones, living in South Kensington." He noted.

Hermione nodded comprehension, "That sounds about right. Susan lives with her Aunt, right?"

"My thoughts exactly," Harry agreed closing out of the program and writing the address down for later.

"So when are we visiting her?"

Harry chuckled. "I'm visiting her tonight, you are staying here to spend some time with your parents," he directed pointedly.

She tried to protest, "Harry…"

He cut her off, "No, Hermione, your father was wishing he had more time with you. It could be years before you see them again. Hopefully not, but you should spend some time with them. Besides I shouldn't be gone too long if I take the Tube."

She huffed a sigh, "Fine, when are you leaving?"

"Staying for supper, then I'm going to scout it out."

She put a hand on his arm, "Be careful won't you?"

He smiled a bit, "You've got it."

There was another knock at the door. This time it was Emma who stood in the doorway. "Alright you two, time for supper, come along before it gets cold," she instructed then disappeared again.

Harry helped Hermione to her feet before following her mother down to the dining room. Harry was amused to note when he arrived that apparently concessions had been made for the unusual nature of Hermione's cat/kneazle mix. Crookshanks was looking exceedingly smug as he sat at his own place at the far end of the table.

Emma sat down after placing meals in front of everyone. She looked at Harry expectantly, "So, Harry, clearly Hermione hasn't been telling us everything that goes on at that school. Would you be willing to tell us some of it?"

"Mum, are you two planning on interrogating him every time you see him?" Hermione groaned in irritation.

"It's okay Hermione, it's not like they'll have opportunities to ask later," Harry pointed out. He looked to Emma, "You want the good moments, I assume?"

Emma just shrugged philosophically, "All of them really, but yes the good moments too."

Harry nodded, thinking of the stories they should want to hear the most. "Well, I suppose I better start by noting that, as I'm sure you're aware, Hermione is far sharper than most her age, always has been in my experience."

They nodded agreement. "Well I got my first inkling of that fact the moment she repaired my glasses using magic before any of the rest of us knew our first incantations."

Hermione looked confused. "When did I do that?"

"Oculus Reparo, back on the train when we first met?" He waited until she acknowledged that she remembered, before turning his attention back to her parents, "But what you may not know, is just how well she does at school." He took a bite of his meal, before continuing at the Granger's interested expressions. "Your daughter is always the top of our year group by an extensive margin. But on top of that she currently holds the highest grade point average in the entire school overall."

Hermione blushed, "Harry, you don't need to…"

Harry ignored her with a pointed look. "Now the way I hear it, only three people in Europe have come even close in the last hundred or so years."

Her parents turned with impressed expressions to her, "Honey, that's the sort of thing your parents want to hear." Her dad sighed wearily.

She shrugged weakly, smiling a tad sheepishly, "I didn't think it was that big a deal."

Emma asked the logical follow up, "Who are the three who came closest?"

Harry had to think back, "Dumbledore, the current headmaster. Tom Riddle, and Gellert Grindlewald," He listed off pensively.

Hermione winced, "Not a great track record there."

Harry just shrugged. "I don't know. Dumbledore means well, he's just too damn convinced he's right all the time."

Dan had noted his daughter's distressed reaction to those names. "And who are the other two?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but not at them so much as in general exasperation. "Just the two evilest wizards to plague the wizarding world in centuries."

Harry nodded, "The way I understand it, the reason they were both so effective and dangerous was because they were both brilliant in their own twisted ways."

The group considered that for a time, eating in silence. "What else can you tell us about Hermione's time at Hogwarts?" Emma asked.

"She got sorted into Gryffindor, which you may or may not know is the home of the brave." Harry considered additional points of interest. "She stood by me through thick and thin really. She was also among the first to manage a corporeal Patronus,"

That obviously meant nothing in particular to her parents. "Which is?"

"A highly advanced and challenging piece of magic used to drive off soul sucking abominations called Dementors," Harry explained dryly.

Hermione gave him a dirty look. "You managed that a whole two years ahead of me Harry, it's not such a big deal that I managed it years later." She argued.

"Hermione the only reason I learned that spell early was because I needed to. Besides many adult wizards have trouble managing a Patronus, that you managed it at fifteen was plenty impressive."

Dan and Emma encouraged him to keep telling tales.

"She got me through the TriWizard Tournament of course…"

"I wouldn't go that far," Hermione offered demurely.

Harry just rolled his eyes good naturedly, "She got herself invited to the Yule Ball by Viktor Krum."

Emma looked interested at that, "Who is?"

Harry gave Hermione a put upon look, "Hermione, you seriously don't tell your parents anything, do you?" He turned back to Emma, while Hermione muttered something inarticulate. Harry explained patiently, "Hermione got invited to the ball commemorating the Triwizard Tournament by the Champion representing Durmstrang, who just so happens to be the wizarding world's version of David Beckham."

Emma looked apoplectic. "Ah! Hermione, you should have told us," she all but shrieked.

Harry just chuckled as he watched the byplay. "I'm telling you, you should have seen her. Unbelievable."

Hermione blushed crimson. "Harry," she hissed, embarrassed beyond measure.

He looked at her innocently. "What? You were. I didn't spare Fleur more than a glance the entire night."

"I take it that's saying something," Emma asked.

Harry nodded, "Fleur Delacour was the French Champion, she also happens to be a Veela, which means she's supernaturally beautiful up to the point when she gets angry." Emma looked impressed, so he continued. "Hermione was stunning, and don't let her tell you differently"

Hermione tried to protest weakly, "I hardly think a date to a ball counts as one of the most important moments…"

Harry gave her a look and gestured to her clearly pleased parents. "It would seem it would be by your parents' reckoning though."

Emma was nodding, "He's right, Hermione."

Harry shrugged as Hermione squirmed a bit, "Regardless, Hermione has been an amazing friend."

Here Hermione got a touch melancholy, "Except for last year…"

Harry looked at her seriously. "You made a mistake Hermione, everyone makes mistakes. I forgave you a long time ago," he tried to assure her.

She couldn't say that she was certain of that, had he really needed to ask whether or not he could trust her earlier?

"Besides, you more than made up for it," he continued. "Helped me keep out of trouble - a losing proposition I know. Helped keep me sane when Snape was meddling with my brain. Helped me fix up my hand after Umbridge. Helped out with the DA… Then to top it all off you followed my crazy arse into the Department of Mysteries."

She rolled her eyes. "What was I supposed to do, let you go in and get yourself killed?

Harry nodded slowly, "Yes, that would be the sane thing to do…"

"Never going to happen," she informed him sternly.

Emma had leaned back crossing her arms over her chest. "I take it that last one is where she got hurt?" She did her best to stifle a shiver at her recollection of the scar on Hermione's chest.

Harry looked down, "Yes, I'm afraid so."

The parents considered the young pair grimly, "So what happened, exactly,"

Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I went to the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry, hoping to help a friend who I believed was in trouble," He explained, suddenly sounding exhausted, "It was a trap, my friend was never there in the first place. Who was there instead was Voldemort and his inner circle of murdering scumbags." He cast about for some way to describe it, "We had no choice, it was literally fight or die. So, we fought. Hermione performed spectacularly,"

"Until I got over-confident…" Hermione growled, frustrated with herself.

Harry shrugged, "It could have happened to anyone."

She shook her head, "I should have been more careful,"

Harry glowered, "So should I, but I wasn't and Dolohov caught you unaware," He argued and shook his head. "Regardless, it was a horrific mess. Sirius, my Godfather, was killed when he came with the Order to try and rescue my worthless hide from the trap I'd gotten myself into." Hermione tried to protest here, but he rode right over her. "About the only good thing to come out of that mess was that the ministry couldn't continue to deny Voldemort was back. He trashed half the main atrium in a duel with Dumbledore in front of dozens, if not hundreds, of witnesses. Including the Minister for Magic himself."

Harry put down his knife and fork finished with his meal. Dan was observing Harry closely, "Will you be getting my daughter into more fights like that?"

Hermione pushed to her feet. "Dad, seriously? We've been over this…" she snapped.

Harry put up placating hands, "Hopefully not, Mr. Granger."

"But you can't promise can you?" Dan asked sharply.

Harry was honest and shook his head, "No, not against people like these."

Emma looked close to tears. "God…" she whispered.

Harry couldn't look more downtrodden, "I am sorry, more than I can ever express, I am sorry that Hermione has suffered for being my friend. It almost cost you your daughter…"

Hermione pointed at him, "Shut up, Harry. Dad! That's enough, I chose—I choose—to follow Harry. He told me I didn't have to. Just like he's telling me now," she barked in a raised voice.

Emma sighed, and looked to Harry as her family glared at each other. "Harry? Perhaps we need to have another discussion with our daughter? If you would give us a little time," she requested softly.

Harry nodded a touch jerkily. Talking about losing Sirius and contemplating what happened to Hermione had taken its toll on him. "Of course, I have some business out there tonight, anyway."

She nodded gratefully to him, "Thank you."

Harry got up from the table and left the room, picking up his bag from by the front door, trying to ignore the raised voices behind him.

---

It was close to sundown when Harry found himself sitting in the shadows across the street from an apartment complex in South Kensington. He had secured himself under his invisibility cloak and was now examining the building's security. He didn't anticipate having to break in, he would have simply walked up to the Auror at the front of the building a while ago if it hadn't been for the extra watching the building from a vantage across the street.

Emmeline Vance, the dark haired middle age woman who also just happened to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She was undoubtedly here on Dumbledore's orders, probably part of one of her regular patrols. The problem was he couldn't approach the Auror without her seeing and reporting his presence to Dumbledore.

His current dilemma was how to deal with her safely, none of the members of the Order were slouches...well, except Fletcher. His only advantage at this point would be his invisibility cloak. Not ideal but manageable. He had been waiting for the right time to make his move for a while, when the opportunity finally came just as the sun was dropping below the horizon.

She had changed her observation point from one side of the street to the other, placing herself along a hedgerow near the alley behind the apartment building. The Auror himself had moved to stand closer to the door, perhaps understanding he was more exposed out in the open.

Harry hurried as quickly as he could while remaining quiet. It was much slower than he would have preferred. He cautioned himself to be careful as he approached, he had noticed her shoulders tense when his shoes scuffed slightly. She pushed her coat aside casually as though to rest her hand on her hip, but it exposed her wand to his view. He slid closer carefully as her eyes darted back and forth across the street. His hand snapped out, seeker quick, snatching her wand from it's holster.

She felt the tugging and whirled trying to lash out with a fist but he dodged and pointed the wand at her. "Stupefy!" there was a flash of reddish light and she crumpled. He didn't hesitate, he knew he was short on time, and grabbed her under the armpits dragging her into the alley and behind a dumpster, before anyone could notice.

He waited to see if his little stunt had alerted the Auror. Eventually he got up when he was satisfied he hadn't, and pulled his cloak off, stuffing it back in the bag before venturing onto the sidewalk again.

The Auror stood a little straighter as he approached, his hand going to his other wrist. "Good evening. You have business here? You're not one of the tenants. Are you making a delivery?" the Auror asked, polite but insistent.

"Uh, no. Just hoping to talk with someone, would you mind if I called up to Madam Bones?" Harry asked. The Auror's attention sharpened on him.

"She's very busy, if you wish to meet with her it would be more appropriate for you to make an appointment at her office," the Auror noted grimacing somewhat. He wondered how some random teenager had managed to find Madam Bones' home address.

"Could you call up and ask if she'd be willing to speak with me? It's very important," Harry pleaded.

The Auror sighed irritably, who knew how many people tried to pass security without permission around here. "Fine, who shall I tell her is asking?"

"Harry Potter."

The man's eyes predictably zeroed on his face and then his forehead before widening. He nodded, Harry didn't know it yet but he had something of a reputation after his foray into the ministry. "I'll call and ask," he agreed, and dialled the intercom.

The intercom buzzed for a minute before there was a click and a familiar voice issued from it. "Yes?"

"This is Auror Daniels Director, Harry Potter has shown up and is asking to speak with you?" He ventured uncertainly.

There was a pregnant pause on the other end followed by a sigh, "Well, this'll be good. Bring him up please, Auror."

The Officer nodded and opened the door, "Follow me," He then proceeded to lead the way up the stairs to the top floor. When they finally arrived and knocked, the door opened promptly. It was Susan, Amelia's niece and ward.

She beamed at him, "Hey, Harry, wasn't expecting to see you here of all places," she greeted, hefting a bag on her shoulder.

He smiled ruefully, "Hi, Susan, your summer going well?"

She nodded, "Yeah…Sorry I can't talk right now, I'm just on my way out the door. I'm supposed to meet Hannah and her family in a few minutes at the market."

He bobbed his head agreeably, "Ah, tell her I said hello for me would you?"

"Sure," She looked over her shoulder and called, "Auntie? Harry's here, I'll see you later okay?"

Amelia herself arrived a couple moments later, a tall stern woman who nevertheless spared her ward a tender look. "Alright Susan, see you later, be careful though," she instructed.

Susan made one of those aggravated sighs teenagers are so good at, "Yes, Auntie."

Amelia ignored her niece's act calmly looking to the officer standing at Harry's shoulder as Susan moved out the door closing it behind her. "Auror Daniels, if you'll wait in here, Mr Potter and I will speak in the study."

"Yes, Director."

Amelia showed Harry through her large, spacious and surprisingly modern apartment. He was surprised to see the majority of the light fixtures were, in fact, electric. The apartment apparently took up the whole top floor of the building, though it was possible Harry could have been wrong and it took up more than that. It was a fairly open plan, with what Harry believed was a sort of square of large open rooms around a central courtyard open to the sky. The study itself, located at the far end of the floor seemed to function as the hub or go between at that end of the house between the two sides. Where the rest had been modern and contemporary in design, the study was all old-world sophistication, dark woods and rich leathers, with a desk in front of a fireplace, and another door along one of the other walls. "If you would sit, Mr. Potter?" Madam Bones requested, indicating the chair across the desk from herself.

He complied easily, and she considered him, "Hello again, Harry. It has been some time since we have spoken, hasn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes Ma'am, not since my trial."

She grimaced slightly, "Indeed, I apologize you were forced to sit through that farce, but the Minister had manipulated matters rather expertly up to that point," she commented, with a note of irritation, clearly she was not Fudge's biggest fan.

"It's alright, it all worked out in the end," Harry assured her.

"Yes, it did at that," she agreed, leaning back in her chair folding her hands on her lap. She watched him for close to a minute in silence before nodding, "Now then, may I ask what brings you to my home tonight?"

He spoke, a touch hesitantly at first then gaining in strength, "I have a couple of things I'd like to speak with you about if you don't mind. But I think I'll need to provide you with a bit of backstory so you understand where I'm coming from," he hedged. Amelia nodded understanding, it was often this way with witnesses or informants, they wanted to get the record as clear as possible so there was no mistake. He paused, considering where to begin.

"As you may have noticed, my life is a bit of a high end disaster."

"If half the stories I hear are even close to true, that is something of an understatement."

He snorted in dark amusement, "Yeah, no kidding right?" He blew out a breath, "I'm afraid a large portion of the chaos in my life can be attributed to… mismanagement. Both on my own part, as well as on the part of Dumbledore," Harry explained cautiously.

She raised an intrigued eyebrow, "Oh, how so?" She was curious to see where this was going. It was rare to receive complaints about Dumbledore from the students themselves. More often it was some disgruntled parent who spoke up and started raising hell.

Harry silently handed across the list he had made for Hermione. Amelia surreptitiously scanned the papers for tampering or other harmful magics before taking them from him. Harry accepted that without offence. She examined the papers closely at first then more generally, a glower growing on her face as she read further. "This is an accurate list and accounting of matters as you understand them?" her tone sharp.

Harry nodded solemnly, "Yes, Director."

She flipped through a couple of the pages, grimacing. "Half of these incidents have never even been reported to the DMLE as far as I know."

Harry shrugged, pursing his lips "I'm not surprised. Dumbledore has a rather lax stance on law and order. He seems to treat it as something that happens to other people."

She read a few points on the list, "Like this," she said slapping the page. "You say that Sirius Black never received a trial? As we know now, he has been exonerated, but if Dumbledore knew half the things he should have…Or this, do you know we've never heard the details surrounding Professor Quirrell's death?" Shaking her head, she pointed to another, "And why are you being housed with a family against your wishes?"

Harry shook his head. "They're my relatives, Dumbledore believes the Blood Wards will—" He stopped when he noticed her expression.

"Blood Wards?" Amelia's eyes flashed dangerously.

He nodded slowly, "Yes, the way I understand it they're tied to the protections my mother created when she died."

She was shaking her head, her eyes closed as if in pain. "Mr. Potter. Blood Wards, Blood Magic of any kind really, is highly illegal outside the field of healing."

"I wasn't aware, Director," he admitted.

She sighed, "Maybe so, but Albus is, and apparently simply didn't care." She nodded, opening her eyes. "Very well, I see your point about mismanagement, I will review and investigate your list in greater detail later. Now may I ask what it is, specifically you wish to discuss?"

Harry nodded, "As you can see from that list, my life is effectively run by Dumbledore. Considering what a horrendous mess my life has been so far, I have to say that I'm tired of it. I could care less if Dumbledore is my so called Magical Guardian. I want out before he gets me killed."

She smirked slightly at his impassioned statement. "Understandable…"

Harry nodded sharply, pleased he was on the right track, then a thought occurred to him. "Are you aware of the contents of the Prophecy Tom sought at the Department of Mysteries?" Harry asked.

"Tom?"

"Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort." Harry explained.

"No, I can't say that I am," she admitted somewhat grudgingly wondering where he was going now. She had never heard of Dumbledore referring to Voldemort by any other name before now. Clearly he had been telling the boy things. She was unaware of how it was in fact the spectre of the villain himself in the Chamber of secrets who had told Harry his real name.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …" Harry recited carefully, making sure not to misquote any of it.

She blinked in surprise, before cursing under her breath. "Dumbledore knew this all along? He knew what this meant for you?"

"Yes, he was the one who heard the prophecy in the first place, and yet he's done nothing of any significance to see me prepared for the fight ahead," Harry agreed grimly.

She shook her head pushing to her feet and pacing. "Damn it all, Albus! What are you playing at?" She asked herself.

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. "The point in all this is, I'm leaving my relatives, and I'm going off the grid for a bit to see about learning what I need to know. Dumbledore undoubtedly doesn't want that to happen, and will attempt to stop me."

She eyed him speculatively and made a guess. "You want my help getting out from under him?"

Harry nodded agreement. "Yes. More specifically I want the Trace removed from myself and Hermione Granger so that we can defend ourselves without getting dragged into court and re-shackled to Dumbledore."

Something about that made Amelia sigh and rub her forehead. She opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock at the door. "Madam Director?" Daniels called.

"Yes Auror?" She asked irritably.

"Something just tripped the deep perimeter intent wards."

She stiffened and Harry came to alert. "How long ago," she asked urgently hurrying to the door and pulling it open.

Daniels stood back, "A minute tops." He was clearly tense. "I—"

Harry felt the world shift and he was just about floored by the pain from his scar. Obviously a teenager cringing and grasping their head seemingly at random grabs people's attention, and the two adults in the room looked at him in consternation. He struggled for a moment before managing to slam down his admittedly extremely limited occlumency shields. Harry's vision blurred, a shifting, shimmering layer on the outside of the building he was standing inside, all wavering overtop that of Madam Bones' study.

"Harry?" He looked up to see Madam Bones looking at him intently.

He straightened up, trying to keep from wincing at the pain in his scar. "Director Bones, Voldemort has arrived, he's nearby."

"How do you know?" she asked, clearly shocked by his behaviour.

"I can feel him, he's observing the apartment now. They've set up an anti-apparition ward." He reported dully.

She considered that for barely a moment before trying to open a Floo line. The flames stayed stubbornly orange and red. She cursed, "Someone in the Floo office has closed our line." She turned considering them. "Daniels?"

"Y-yes, Director," Daniels was clearly severely unnerved now.

She spoke in a clear calm voice, so as not to risk misunderstandings. "Under the sink in the kitchen is a blue bottle, behind it is a small box with red lettering on the top. Bring it here." She instructed and after a jerky nod he complied.

Amelia herself pulled a small but ornately carved box made of dark wood and silver finishings from a drawer in her desk, opening it on the surface before her. Inside was a set of perhaps two dozen rune stones. Small polished stones, usually of marble with lines etched into them in an intricate pattern around a central symbol. As she proceeded to funnel magic into each stone, one after another, Harry felt a shiver in the air. "Director?" He asked, hoping for an explanation.

"Just raising the Wards to the highest alert level." She explained tightly, before closing the box and restoring it to its former hiding spot. There was a clatter and Daniels returned with what was for all appearances a small plastiform packing crate. As she began unwrapping it an uncomfortable thought occurred to him.

"Uh—" He cleared his throat, "I figure I should bring this up now, before we go any further. But if we're about to be attacked, I suppose I should mention that a member of the Order of the Phoenix is unconscious outside in the alley, Madam Bones."

She just blinked at him for a minute. "What?" she barked.

"Well. I couldn't very well have her alerting Dumbledore that I was visiting you, could I?" Harry reminded her sheepishly.

She sighed and looked at him sternly as she pulled out what looked like a roadside flare and cracked it over her knee. "Stunned?" she demanded, Harry nodded. She shook her head then looked to her officer. "Daniels go get her, but hurry, You-Know-Who won't dawdle much longer." She watched the Auror run somewhat jerkily from the room. "Harry, we'll come to the matter of you assaulting someone later," he winced, "But for now, thank you for warning me. Can you feel anything else from him?"

Harry cocked his head, carefully lowering his shields a fraction, just enough to get a flash before slamming them back up. "He's uh—noticed the wards have gone up, he's…happy, ma'am?"

"Oh that's just wonderful, just what we need, a happy dark lord," she muttered. It wasn't long before they heard Daniels returning, and Harry felt something again.

"He's coming ma'am, I—what would you have me do?" He asked uncertainly as Daniels, helping a staggering Emmeline, came into the room.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" the Order member asked, clearly confused.

"Er—Long story," he ventured, then turned back to Amelia who was watching him speculatively.

"You've fought him more than just about anyone, how do you think you can help?" she asked curiously.

"I'm no match for him in duelling, but he really wants me dead, I might be able to distract him or draw him away if I make a big enough fuss. But Voldemort's a determined adversary, he may simply ignore me, coming after you first and then shift his attention after you're dead. He's a bit fixated that way. He's not the sort to rush, he likes to draw things out, he likes to play with his victims."

"So do you think between the two of us we can draw this out long enough for help to arrive," Amelia asked, then winced as she felt one of the outer wards fall. "Daniels, if you would take Miss Vance and begin fortifying and sealing all the doors between here and the front entrance, I would appreciate it," she instructed soberly. The Auror took a considerably less foggy Order member by the elbow and they hurried off again.

"Is there anything you can think of that would distract or anger him enough to throw him off his game," Amelia asked.

Harry shook his head, "Making him mad might get him to focus on a different target, but I wouldn't advise it, Voldemort's at his strongest when he's angry. The reason he's so damn effective with Avada Kedavra is that he's a master of harnessing his hate and rage. No, our best bet would be to get him thinking and planning as opposed to just attacking," Harry guessed.

Harry winced as there was an audible crack and another ward fell. "Damn, he's strong," Amelia noted as Vance and Daniels returned.

"Harry, you shouldn't be here, it's not safe," Emmeline declared, clearly worried.

Harry snorted, "A little too late for that I would say."

Amelia looked at Harry seriously, "Harry I need to ask something hard of you. They will likely take the same route you and I did to get to this room. I need you to take that side door and see if you can't draw off some of his men-carefully. Distract and subvert, that's the name of the game today, okay? Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger, if it comes down to it. Run," she instructed firmly.

He nodded, "You've got it." He crossed to the door and stepped out, pulling out his cloak and disappearing just in time to hear the front door get blown off its hinges.

He heard the high, cold voice that haunted his nightmares calling out as he edged his way cautiously towards the front of the home. "Ah, Madam Director Amelia Bones," Tom's voice was mocking, "You know you really have made such a mess for me over the years. I made so many overtures of friendship to your family in times gone by. But sadly every time I have been turned down." Harry could practically feel him shrugging. "But I am done making offers of friendship. Such a sad waste of a good bloodline." Harry heard another door crash open and the pounding of feet.

He was laughing at her now, "It will break young Susan's heart to watch the last of her family die before her very eyes. I've got her here, you know? You really should be more careful with your loved ones. They are ever such a weakness."

Harry stopped, his eyes widening as an inarticulate cry came from somewhere ahead of him. He knew what he had to do, Susan was the one thing which might force Amelia to capitulate. He slipped through a half open doorway and spotted the first pair of Death Eaters. They were searching the other end of the room, he even saw one of them pocket a shiny bauble. The cream of Voldemort's crop, these were not. Still, all Death Eaters were dangerous, and Harry wasn't feeling very merciful.

Moving further into the room, away from the doorway giving himself more room to dodge, Harry quickly sized up his first opponents. Two Death Eaters, if you could call them that. Given how they were randomly looting the house and not paying much attention to their surroundings, Harry doubted they were particularly skilled. Certainly nothing like those he had faced at the Department of Mysteries. Still, no need to be cocky, he decided. Amelia and Susan were counting on him.

He lined up his shots, drawing his second wand to cover both of them at once. The first went down under a stunner but the second caught a Reducto to the chest when he tried to draw his wand on the source of the spell fire. Harry tried to ignore the smouldering crater where the man's chest had been. Harry noted darkly that one man was dead because of him, but there wasn't any time to think on that now. Looking at the one who he'd stunned, Harry remembered how easily the Death Eaters had revived each other at the DoM, and sent a bludgeoning curse towards the unconscious man's knee. Slightly sickened at the snapping noise it made as the kneecap shattered, Harry was at least comforted by knowing the target wouldn't easily get back in the fight.

He pushed forward, and heard murmuring ahead of him, but paused when Voldemort started taunting Amelia again. "Come now Amelia, hiding behind your defences while your family is in my grasp? Come out and play, the longer you delay the more she will suffer."

Harry hoped she didn't do anything rash, he was almost in position, if he was right he would… Yes there's Susan, I'd better hurry, I don't like the looks of those two. Harry slipped as quietly as he could into the room.

Harry bit down on a snarl when one of the Death Eaters roughly groped her, but the scum got what was coming to him a moment later when Susan head butted him causing him to fall back with a cry. She caught a backhand from the other, the first was about on his feet and reaching for his wand when Harry lined up his shots. Although tempted to go with more destructive spells, Harry couldn't risk hitting Susan with anything lethal and instead opened with stunners. He cursed internally, as one of his shots went wide, but the second caught the bloody nosed Death Eater in the chest flinging him into the wall hard. The Second Death Eater barely registered this turn of events when a cutting curse came in at shoulder height, and he dropped near-silently to the floor.

Harry hurried to Susan and pulled back his cloak enough she could see it was him as he severed the bonds around her wrists and ankles. He pulled the gag which had been secured over her mouth. "Sorry I couldn't get them sooner, I was lining up my shots. Nice headbutt," he whispered.

The redhead clambered to her feet, shooting him a grateful look, before aiming a brutal kick to the downed man's crotch followed by another to his jaw which snapped his head back. Harry winced appreciatively, "Never get on the bad side of a Bones, eh," he asked as she started rooting around for her wand on the other Death Eater.

"Yeah, serves 'em right. Bastards." She growled before looking around. "What now, Harry?"

There was another crash a short way off. "Now we see if we can't draw off some of Voldemort's men, you think you can handle a couple if I lend you my cloak?" He asked.

She shuddered slightly at the Dark Lord's name. "Yeah, I figure I know this place better than anyone, what about you?"

As he handed her his father's Invisibility Cloak, Harry shrugged. "I'm going to circle around and see if I can piss him off enough to come after me instead of your aunt. Why don't you see about watching this end of the house?" She nodded in return before she disappearing beneath the cloak.

"And Susan?" Harry said, Susan peeking out from beneath the cloak.

"There are more of them than there are of us. Don't hold back yeah?" Susan's eyes hardened briefly and her replying nod was much firmer this time. Never get on the bad side of a Bones indeed.

He had to buy some time and bait the monster now it seemed. "I'm afraid you won't be doing anything to Susan after all Tom…" Harry called as loudly as he could, hoping Amelia had heard that. He moved to prepare for possible Death Eater reinforcements.

There was a pregnant pause. "Potter." His name was almost a hiss. "Come to try and save the day again? That habit will see you killed before long."

Harry heard running feet and a pair of Death Eaters burst into the room. But Harry had placed himself well in the corner near the door and as the two ran into the room, looking everywhere but behind them, he caught the first off guard with a banishing spell to the back of the head. There was a muted crunch and he went down with a wet thump. The other spun and fired off a cutting curse wildly, which carved through a small table several feet to Harry's left. Unphased by the not-so-near miss, Harry prepared to respond but a red burst from open air knocked the Death Eater down. Harry nodded in the direction of the spells source before sending another banishing spell into the downed terrorist's wand arm, breaking it and the wand he still clutched.

Harry started moving again, more cautiously, as he was now without his cloak. Voldemort apparently felt the need to speak. "If you were hoping to distract me Potter, it won't work. First the Director then you…" Harry had to move cautiously, that voice was relatively close. He moved in silence and felt one of the inner wards fall, not long now before Voldemort was to the study. He hoped Madam Bones had the good sense to make an exit before she was cornered.

"You know, Tom," Harry called, "Considering everything we've been through in regards to each other, I thought you'd put a little more faith in prophecy. Then again you never heard the whole thing did you?" Harry winced as a wall a few meters away blew out, he used that time to move to another position. "No, you only heard that first part," he spelled himself with a voice throwing charm and spoke again, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…" he mocked. "Well now, you couldn't have that could you? You had to go and do something rash. Like hunting me down and attacking me and my family." He moved again, cancelling the charm to confuse any who might be searching for him, "You know I often wonder why you did that?"

He paused, and he noted the attacks on the warded doors seemed to have slowed, though one fell fairly soon after that observation. "I mean, you'd think with your pureblood rhetoric nonsense you'd have found the other possible target more appealing. I mean, why attack a half-blood when there's a pureblood who matches the description just as well? I can only come to one conclusion," he winced as he felt the last ward fall and began speaking again, hoping Amelia had moved. "Maybe, Tom, it's because you saw me as having more in common with you?"

"Silence, boy! I will tear your lying tongue from your head!" Voldemort shrieked, Harry assumed he'd just found the study empty considering their were no sounds of battle yet. Peering around one of the hallway's corners, Harry jerked his head back quickly as a sickly yellow beam almost took his head off. Gesturing behind him and hoping the invisible Susan would see and understand the instruction to wait, Harry risked another quick peek down the hallway, spotting a single Death Eater who was lining up a second shot.

Ducking low, Harry aimed for a point on the floor part-way down the hall before casting a reductor curse that sent wood splinters ricocheting down the hall towards the Death Eater. Harry leaned out from behind the wall to see said Death Eater deflecting most of the shrapnel with a shield while he blinked and rubbed debris from his eyes. Harry quickly followed up with a stunner, it didn't manage to penetrate the shield, but it did stagger the Death Eater and prevent him from returning fire for a moment.

Not wanting to get pinned down trading spells, Harry decided to try something new. Aiming with his off-hand wand behind the Death Eater, who still held the shield up, he cried "Accio!" even as he began the wand movements for a blasting curse on his main hand. A vase flew from the end table behind the Death Eater and smashed against his back, who turned slightly at the unexpected attack. As his shield flickered at the distraction, Harry finished the wand movements and muttered, "Confringo."

The curse shattered the weakened shield and impacted the Death Eater in the shoulder, removing his arm and sending his body spiraling into the wall. He would not be getting back up.

Harry took a few moments to catch his breath before carefully moving further up the hallway, feet shuffling on the debris laden floor. That last spell had been anything but quiet. Casting the summoning charm with his off-hand had been a lot harder than expected. Certainly something to practice more, he decided. Harry quickly recast the voice-projection spell before resuming his taunting. Glad that Fred and George had taught him it before they had left Hogwarts.

"Well, that's not very nice Tom, after all it was you who told me that little story." Harry could practically taste the hesitation that had produced. "You, or rather that shadow of you, was oh so happy to boast and gloat right before I destroyed that memory container. I mean really? Who makes a journal that can talk and then hands it off to Lucius Malfoy? I mean that was just asking for—" He had to duck as multiple sections of wall blew out all at once raining him in plaster and wood splinters. The silence following that didn't last long, there was a commotion and then the sound of spells on the far side of the house began to echo about. He stifled a curse and began making his way cautiously back around the perimeter of the floor toward Susan's last known location.

"Boy, I will kill you slowly to be sure, but first I have business with the Director," Voldemort gloated and Harry heard a strangled cry from somewhere to his left. He made it to the front entrance before finding Daniels. He had caught a cutting curse, and was lying on the floor bleeding profusely. Harry didn't have time to stop and check on him though as he spotted a Death Eater moving cautiously ahead of him, he assumed it was with the intent of sneaking up on Amelia and the others.

Harry stunned the man almost casually, and he crumpled smacking his face hard on the floor, Harry heard the crunch of his nose hitting the floor. Picking up the pace, he heard running feet but couldn't see anything, he assumed Susan was moving to follow him as he dashed towards the fighting.

Harry rounded the corner to see Amelia and Emmeline side by side in the middle of what had been the dining room, taking partial cover behind an overturned table while they shielded. The table had clearly been enchanted to resist spell damage, but was already burnt and gouged. Firing spells from across the room at the beleaguered women was Voldemort. He stood in front of another entrance to the dining room, red eyes bright and a terrifying grin on his face as he threw a never-ending stream of magic towards the two women. He was clearly toying with them.

As the Dark Lord kept the two on the defensive, four Death Eaters were slowly creeping around the edge of the room, staying clear of their master's line of fire and out of sight of the two women as they moved to flank. Harry wasn't going to let that happen. Fortunately, the four were too focused on the battle between Amelia, Emmeline and Voldemort to have noticed Harry as yet.

Edging around the door frame, trying to stay as hidden as possible, Harry lined up on the last Death Eater of the four before focusing all his magic and taking a deep breath. He'd only get one chance at this shot.

With a cry of, "Depulso," Harry unleashed his pent-up magic. The white flare impacted the Death Eater center-mass and sent him hurtling backwards at speed... directly towards Voldemort. Harry had hoped the Death Eater would actually hit the Dark Lord, but Voldemort's reactions had to be seen to be believed. Almost as soon as Harry's spell had hit, Voldemort's eyes flicked towards the incoming body. Taking a single step to the side and flicking his wand, Voldemort effortlessly diverted his wayward minion, who flew past and slammed into the wall with a bone-breaking crunch. Still, the momentary distraction did allow Amelia and Emmeline to briefly drop their shields and return fire.

Unfortunately, the three remaining Death Eaters had also been alerted by Harry's opening salvo. They quickly turned and opened fire, spells blasting past and through the wood of the door frame. Harry flung himself back away from the spells, but still felt one of them pass close enough to burn through his clothes over one rib and sent him stumbling to the floor. As the Death Eaters charged through the door, Harry rolled away behind some furniture which jerked and pushed into him as it absorbed spellfire.

Coming to his knees, Harry peeked overtop of his cover in time to see Susan's wand emerge from under the invisibility cloak and send a spell into one of the Death Eaters, separating his head from his shoulders, the body slumping to the ground. Unfortunately this revealed her position and the remaining opponents fired blindly into the area where the curse originated. As he watched, Harry heard a thumping sound and Susan appeared on the floor, diving to dodge the spells. The invisibility cloak had slipped off her.

Seeing Susan vulnerable, Harry growled and leaped over his cover, sending simultaneous stunners from his wands at the two remaining assailants. Even if he didn't hit them, at least it would take the pressure off Susan for a moment. One Death Eater shielded, although the curse shattered his shield, the other dodged out of the way of the unexpected attack, but tripped over the debris on the floor. Seeing the Death Eater still on his feet as the larger threat, and hoping Susan could recover in time, Harry charged forward, still firing spells. His target shielded, but was too busy defending himself to return fire as Harry slid on his side under the man's shield, straightening his leg into the Death Eater's knee. With a crunch the man's knee bent backwards and he fell onto Harry yelling in pain.

The two grappled for a moment, but Harry had been expecting the fight, while most wizards never even thought about non-magical combat. Being pounded by his cousin and his friends for years might not be the same as martial arts training, but if there was one thing Harry knew, it was how to take a punch. Slamming his elbow into the man's injured knee gave Harry the opening he needed; he twitched his wand at his opponent and growled "Stupefy!" Still distracted by the pain, there was no room to dodge and no time to shield. His opponent slumped into unconsciousness.

Trying to move the weight off himself, Harry saw a flash of light and pulled the unconscious Death Eater onto himself. He felt the body twitch as it absorbed a spell in the back, before Susan's voice shouted "Depulso!" Pushing the body away, Harry saw the last Death Eater crash into the far wall, Susan standing panting, her wand still trained at her target. Pushing himself wearily to his feet, he nodded his thanks to her before staggering back towards the sounds of continued fighting.

He wasn't sure what he intended to do in his condition but it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that — He paused as the distant crackle and pop of apparitions filled the air. Reinforcements were here.

Unfortunately Amelia's battle seemed to be going poorly. Emmeline was down, dead or unconscious Harry didn't know, but she wasn't moving. He spotted Voldemort as he advanced against the tiring Director of the DMLE. He bellowed, "Tom!" With the same breath, he launched a brace of reductors at the man. Another followed on his own as Susan launched her own volley.

Voldemort snarled, he had been able to deflect or block all of their incoming spells but not before he lost the initiative against Amelia. He had heard the apparitions as clearly as they had. This battle was over and he knew it. He hit the outer wall of the apartment and dissolved into smoke before their eyes and burst outside. Harry had seen Death Eaters and Voldemort fight before, he knew it was too soon to consider this a victory. "Everyone down!"

Amelia and Susan hit the floor at the same moment that most of the remaining walls and windows blew out as Voldemort launched one last spiteful flurry of attacks against them. They waited, but Harry could already feel Voldemort's presence rapidly dissipating. Among the crash and tinkle of glass and broken walls Harry heard Susan, "Is he gone?"

"I think so," Harry ventured, a touch nervously, he heard raised voices in the distance.

Amelia was apparently on the ball. "Susan, give Potter that cloak and the two of you head to my office. We'll talk there, but I need to see to the reinforcements."

He took the rumpled invisibility cloak from Susan with a murmured thank you as they dashed into the study. The door was sitting half shattered on its hinges but otherwise the room was relatively intact compared to the rest of the house.

He pulled the cloak around himself before he sat in the corner with a huffed sigh. He heard at least two familiar voices as Amelia called out to her Aurors entering the house. Tonks and Shacklebolt. "You two, get Daniels and Miss Vance to Saint Mungo's. Tonks, you're on muggle-wrangling duty, I can hear the sirens already. Shacklebolt? I need you to help the others round up the bodies and prisoners. Dawlish, Jones, Edgerly, you lot are with him." Amelia barked out her orders.

Harry was impressed by Madame Bones' ability to appear so calm. Barely a couple minutes before she had been facing death at the hands of Voldemort himself, and now she was organizing the Auror reinforcements like it was just another day. He was jolted out of his musing by the sounds of a choked sob, and looked over to see Susan sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her chest as she shivered.

Harry knew about what she was feeling. He might have been accustomed to the constant peril that seemed to define his life, but Susan had probably never experienced anything like this. Casting a silencing charm around them, Harry gently knelt down and moved towards her, careful not to startle her as he slowly wrapped an arm around her shuddering shoulders and positioned the cloak so it covered them both. Susan initially stiffened at the unexpected contact, then gradually relaxed and leaned into Harry's side, her breathing steadying out slightly.

"Slow, deep breaths, Susan. According to Hermione that's the adrenaline bleeding out of your system, you'll feel pretty jittery for a while yet. Don't worry, it happens to everyone."

Susan inclined her head slightly, glancing up at Harry, her eyes unable to settle anywhere for long.

"You... you seemed so calm the whole time. How do you do it?

"You're assuming I was calm. I was scared out of my tree the whole time, I just don't let it get in the way," Harry replied with a small chuckle that was anything but amused.

"I thought... I was prepared. I worked hard at the DA. I would have gone with you to the Ministry if you'd asked. But when those men grabbed me... I was so scared."

"You did great, Susan. You kept your head when it counted and didn't give up. I'm sure your aunt is really proud of you. I certainly am. You're going to feel messed up for a bit, but you did good tonight."

Susan looked like she wanted to protest, but eventually let her eyes drop. Harry gave her a gentle squeeze of his one-arm hug before he heard her whisper, "Thank you. For saving me. For saving my aunt. We'd both be dead if you hadn't been here."

Harry wasn't sure if that was true, but didn't want to argue with her. He just rubbed her back gently before replying. "You stood by me in the DA. You don't need to thank me for standing by you".

Susan seemed to relax a bit more at that, letting out her breath and leaning more weight into him. She opened her mouth to speak before they were both startled at a new voice from outside the doorway. A voice they both recognized.

"Amelia?" Harry froze at that voice, Dumbledore. He hoped to high heaven that Moody wasn't with him.

"In here, Chief Warlock," she called back.

There was a few moments pause, presumably as Dumbledore picked his way through the wreckage towards her. "Amelia, I can't tell you how relieved I am to find you alive."

He heard a dark chuckle. "It was a near thing, Albus."

"Indeed, it appears Voldemort has taken an interest in you," Dumbledore observed sagely.

"I was lucky I managed to get off the distress flare off when I did. What are you doing here, Albus?" she asked tiredly.

"I heard word of the attack and came as soon as I was able," he explained soberly.

Amelia snorted, "You hoped to catch Voldemort I take it," she asked, Harry could hear the scepticism.

"I fear merely catching Voldemort will not work, not in the long term. No, I'm afraid he will need to die. Even if I may not be able to find it in myself to deliver the killing blow," Dumbledore explained.

"Your good heart might see many killed before this war is over Albus," Harry heard her sigh, "Though I do thank you for the watcher you placed on my house."

There was a pause. "Ah, I assume Emmeline told you who she was with, then?"

"It's not exactly hard to figure out Albus. She lives nowhere near here, and yet happens to be in just the right place at the right time to help me?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "You always were a sharp student Amelia, brighter than many. The hat laments fairly regularly letting you talk him into putting you in Hufflepuff."

Amelia snorted derisively, following it with an exasperated sigh. "Albus, as much as I enjoy chatting with you, I have an investigation to run, and a house to clean up. How about I stop by your office later and we talk details."

"Of course Amelia, I merely wish to once again convey my gratitude you made it. Good evening, Madam Director," he said pleasantly. There was a moment's silence, then the pop of an apparition.

A couple of Aurors had made their way back to Amelia and were reporting in as soon as the Headmaster left. "Vance and Daniels are on their way to Saint Mungo's, Director. The Medi-witch said Vance had head trauma and will likely be out for a couple days. Daniels is worse off, we'll have to see if they get to him in time. Still haven't heard anything from Susan's tail..."

Whatever Amelia said was merely a murmur, before raising again. "Very good you two. Check the perimeter and make sure no witnesses slip the net. Auror Tonks, do you have a report?"

"Yes, Director. I've talked to the Police, they accepted that badge you issued us without question. Surprised the heck out of me…" Tonks noted.

"That badge marked you as the counter terrorism branch of their intelligence agency." Amelia explained.

"Ah, spies, that'd explain it then." Tonks agreed. "Anyways, they've backed off, and are helping with the cleanup."

"Anyone injured out there?" Amelia asked.

"No, thank goodness, seems when the explosions started the Muggles ran for it. Can't blame them."

Amelia sounded relieved. "Good, now you head back to the ministry, I need a squad put together and I want you to find out who shut off my Floo line." Her voice was tense, clearly she wanted whoever had betrayed her to swing from a very high branch with a short rope.

"Yes ma'am," Harry had to admit that hearing Tonks' professional side was interesting, he'd only ever seen her off duty before—

This observation was cut off by the distinctive sound of Tonks tripping and cursing. Harry had to stifle a snort of amusement. It seemed that to a certain degree, Tonks was Tonks though. Susan chuckled, apparently she too was familiar with Tonks.

There was the clomp of feet, and the sound of Amelia picking through the wreckage paused. "Hey Shack," she greeted.

"Director, seems you've got quite a mess here ma'am. Just thought you should know the Abbots just showed up, apparently they're wondering why Susan didn't show up at the market?"

"She's here Shack, and don't worry, she's not injured. Though her tail is missing," Amelia explained, and Harry could hear the relief in her voice.

"Do you want to handle getting her statement, or would you like me to do it?" Shacklebolt offered.

"No, that's fine I'll do it," Amelia assured him. "You have anything on the culprits?"

Shacklebolt was apologetic. "Not yet, ma'am."

"Well…see to the perimeter with the others, we'll join you when it's time to leave. I have some things to clear away." She decided.

"Yes ma'am." Shacklebolt's footsteps faded away.

They waited in silence for a time before he heard Amelia make her way back to the study, muttering to herself. Harry dispelled the silencing spell and removed the cloak from himself and Susan. Amelia initially seemed surprised at their closeness as they became visible, but her expression softened upon seeing Harry's arm wrapped protectively around a still clearly distraught Susan. Briefly making eye contact with him, she gave a small smile and her eyes brightened in gratitude.

Harry gave a small nod in response before gently helping Susan to her feet and stepping back. Amelia moved forward and swept her niece into a tight embrace, which Susan immediately returned. They stayed that way for almost a minute, both women reassuring themselves and each other that they were ok, that the nightmare, for now, had passed. Visibly steeling herself, Amelia stepped back from Susan and motioned both her and Harry to take a seat on some of the surviving furniture. Setting her face into what Harry now thought of as 'Auror on duty' Amelia conjured herself a chair and sat in front of the two teens, giving Susan an inquiring look only slightly tempered by relief.

"Well that was a fine mess. Susan, you mind telling me why you weren't with the Abbot's?"

Susan flushed a little in embarrassment. "Sorry, Aunt Amy, I got distracted when Harry showed up and forgot some of my stuff. I came back to get it and they caught me on the front step. I told my bodyguard to wait on the walk while I came back in, it was just going to take a minute, but they were right there as I headed back out."

"Well, I'm glad you're alright, I assume I have you to thank for that too, Harry?" Amelia asked.

"I was just doing what I could to help ma'am," he said. "And Susan was no slouch herself. We helped each other."

"Still, I'm grateful. Susan, I'm going to have to request you not mention Harry was here tonight to anyone, okay? Nor anything you might hear while we talk." She looked at her ward.

"Yes Auntie. Anything to help Harry," Susan agreed, bobbing her head.

Madam Bones raised her eyebrow at her niece, who flushed slightly further under her gaze, before turning back to Harry with a considering look. "Now if I recall right, you wanted me to remove the Trace on you?" He nodded. "Can't blame you, if Dumbledore is having me watched, I would bet money that there are far more watching you."

Harry shrugged, it had after all only been Mundungus the night previous as far as he knew.

She sighed, then muttered, "Ironically, you needn't have worried about it in the first place. Although in this case I'll be thanking my lucky stars for the mistake."

"Oh?" Harry said.

She peered at him seriously, then at her niece. "Now I don't want you spreading this around too much, but I'm going to let you both in on a little secret, seeing as your warning and aid saved me and my niece's lives." She spread her hand. "The Trace is effectively a myth." She noted the shocked expressions. "It used to track the time, date, caster and location of a spell cast within monitored areas. But times have been tough on the Improper Use of Magic Office, the department in charge of monitoring underage magic has had to…modify its parameters. It will still detect large amounts of magic, and we periodically check out unexplained sources, but only if they cause consistent blips. Once a muggleborn starts Hogwarts, it only watches those specific homes, and even then it's mostly just time and place," she explained wearily.

"Magical households aren't watched, as it costs too much to differentiate between casters on such a massive scale, a pureblood bill for budget cuts if ever there was one. I could go on about the system's deficiencies but we'd be here all night," she finished.

Harry cocked his head as he considered that, "So tonight when me and Susan were using our wands?" He asked.

"You didn't show up because this is a pureblood household." Amelia nodded.

Harry could just imagine how irate that would make Hermione. All things considered though, Harry wasn't about to complain. "Ah. Still, I'm glad I was here to help."

"Us too," Susan offered.

Amelia shook her head. "There were five of us and still he tore us up."

Harry and Susan both looked sheepish, "Uh, yeah, your house seems to be missing a lot of doors and walls."

"Good point," She leaned back in her chair and sighed, brushing back her hair which had fallen out of her working bun. "Damn, Fudge is going to have me searching for vigilantes when he hears about Vance, and Dumbledore will lose his mind when he figures out you were here."

"Thank you for not tipping him about me, ma'am," Harry offered shyly.

She chuckled, "You're welcome. After hearing your grievances I'm not sure it was any of his business anyway." She shook her head. "Damn him, and his Order. All he does is get good people killed," she grimaced. "And if it's anything like the last time, half my damn force is working for him anyways…"

Harry tried to cover his discomfort with a cough, but Amelia hadn't gotten where she was by being unobservant. She peered at him closely "And you know who they are don't you?"

He sighed, "Uh—yeah a couple, not sure I want them listed anywhere though. After all if Voldemort somehow got a hold of the records…" He didn't need to finish. She was already nodding.

She sat and contemplated him for a time. "If I were to give you my word to not have it written down anywhere, no records, no lists, no nothing, would you be willing to tell me who's working off the books for Dumbledore?"

Harry considered, then grudgingly nodded. "Okay, but I could use a favour as well if you're willing."

"Such as?" She asked cautiously.

"The Granger residence. I want it warded six ways to Sunday," he stipulated.

"Hermione's house?" Susan guessed, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I can't believe the Death Eaters haven't paid it a visit yet," Harry voiced quietly, the thought of it filling his insides with the liquid mercury of dread.

Amelia nodded, it was a small thing to arrange, they had a deal with Gringotts for State witnesses anyway. "Deal."

Harry nodded and started thinking. "You want everyone I know about, or just the Aurors?"

She shrugged, "Strictly speaking I can't do anything about the ones who aren't on the force. Under our laws, they're not technically doing anything illegal or unprofessional."

Harry considered. "Alright, but only you can know this. Nobody else. I trust you, not the whole DMLE. Sorry Susan," he said, turning to regard the girl beside him, "I trust you too, but I know for a fact that both Snape and Dumbledore regularly use legilimency on students and they aren't the only people with that skill. Given who raised you, I'm sure you know some occlumency, but I don't want you put at unnecessary risk by having this information in your mind."

Susan nodded in agreement with this line of thinking before she slid further down the couch and deliberately turned her eyes away from him and Amelia. He sighed, feeling like he might be betraying good people, hopefully not in a way that would get them hurt or killed before her aunt cast another privacy spell so only she could hear him. He huffed a sigh, "Shacklebolt, Tonks, Jones and Moody are all part of the Order. They're the only Aurors I know of in the ranks. There are perhaps… ten maybe, people who aren't associated with Law Enforcement as far as I know…"

Amelia blinked at him, then leaned forward and pinched the bridge of her nose as if fighting off a sudden headache, for a moment clearly too exhausted to be angry. "Shit, that's three of my best, including a living legend all under Dumbledore's thumb."

"As I understand it ma'am, Tonks just followed Moody when he asked her along. Shacklebolt's a friend of Dumbledore, and Jones likely followed Tonks once she was talked into it all."

"Still...damn. No wonder Dumbledore never seems surprised by anything," she muttered bitterly. Madam Bones looked up to him and her expression softened. "Thank you Harry, I'm not sure how I'll handle that just now, but I appreciate it." Harry nodded in response, before tilting his head towards Susan, who was still patiently staring at the far wall so she couldn't read their lips. Amelia nodded and dropped the silencing spell before Harry gently tapped Susan on the shoulder. She turned and smiled before scooting back to where she had been sitting before. Turning back to Amelia, Harry caught her gaze as she considered him for a time, her eyes flicked over him as if analyzing and categorizing him. "You did well tonight, actually you both did. I saw some of your handiwork out there, better than many Aurors fresh from the Academy manage."

She looked at her daughter in all but fact with a measured gaze.. "I had heard rumours about your little group last year, Harry. Nothing concrete of course, just bitching from Dolores and Cornelius to be honest…It never occurred to me to wonder if you had been part of that, Susan. At the time I may have been…reserved in my opinion of such a group." Amelia carefully gauged Susan's reaction, which was to look at her feet in embarrassment before turning back to Harry. "Now, however, I couldn't be more grateful for your part in her education, Harry,"

Amelia's gaze turned to contemplate the boy before her and shook her head. "You say you're leaving for a while though?"

"Yes, the hope is to find someway to defeat Voldemort," he agreed.

She cocked her head to the side. "And you don't trust Dumbledore or the Ministry to help you in this," more stating a fact then asking.

"Not currently," Harry agreed, actually sounding apologetic.

She nodded thoughtfully not really blaming him. "There's a good chance that Fudge will not be the Minister in very short order."

"I think I'd heard that, ma'am. Though I admit I can't remember exactly where." At her quizzical expression, he followed up, "I don't read the Prophet much, ma'am."

Amelia smiled thinly, understanding why that might be. "Ah." She folded her hands in front of her on the desk. "Then it might interest you to know that I'm in the running to replace him."

Harry blinked in surprise and caught her meaning with an entertaining expression. "You'd be willing to help me?"

She chuckled, "Yes, for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is that prophecy you told me about. But also because you appear to piss off Voldemort like no other." She considered that as her niece giggled a little bit hysterically, clearly she was still suffering a tad from shock, or more accurately, from the earlier adrenaline rush and subsequent crash. "Well, it is my considered opinion that if you are indeed to play a critical role in what is to come, the Ministry should be there to help you do so."

Harry seemed uncertain. "I—it wouldn't be like the Ministry using me as some sort of poster boy would it? Because I don't think I could do that ma'am."

She smirked, "Yes, I believe word has sufficiently gotten around that you aren't the sort to revel in your fame."

He nodded in relief, "Not only that ma'am… I—it's just that they call me the Boy-Who-Lived," he said the moniker with disdain, "like I'm some sort of superhero or something, and really…it's not like it was me who killed Voldemort the last time, I was just an infant after all." He shrugged helplessly.

She understood. "Yes, that is something people seem to forget. But nevertheless you seem to have caused his downfall," she pointed out, but he was already shaking his head.

"No ma'am, that was mum who did that."

This caused obvious consternation in the other two. "Oh?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. As I understand it she used a spell, possibly blood magic, but I don't know, to fuel the protections she placed on me… basically with her love for me. Her sacrifice protecting me was the ultimate display of that love. It was that which made the shield strong enough to rebound the killing curse. At least, that's what Professor Dumbledore seems to think, and this time I have no reason to doubt him."

"That is intriguing, I hadn't heard that before."

Harry just shrugged. "So you see ma'am, whenever people look at me like that, I feel like a fraud. They celebrate my supposed victory over him, call me the Chosen One, or whatever and forget that Voldemort's defeat cost me everything. My home, my family, my childhood. And all along it wasn't even me who managed it."

Amelia nodded. "I understand. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, either. Lily was a brilliant woman."

Harry was caught flat footed by that. "You knew her, ma'am?"

"Just as acquaintances. Your father was an Auror at the same time as myself, I met her a few times at parties. The thing I remember most about her was that Lily was always sharp as a tack," Amelia said fondly.

Harry just seemed further exhausted, yet thoughtful, by that revelation. "I didn't know Dad was an Auror."

She watched him for a time before returning to the issue at hand. "No Harry, I wouldn't use you as a poster boy. Don't you worry about that. But I would need to figure out how best to use your talents." She shifted in her seat. "That is assuming I ever become Minister in the first place."

Harry smiled wanly. "You'd have my vote ma'am."

"Thank you," she said offering a half smile in return. "Now then, am I right in presuming you wish to be getting back to wherever you're staying for the night? Do you need a lift?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Yes ma'am, but I could just catch the train."

She pulled out a polished stone from a bag in her desk. "The anti-portkey ward is down, along with the rest of the wards, so if you'd prefer to hurry, I'll use this to send you where you need to go, where do you want to get dropped off?"

"Belsize Park station," Harry decided.

The older woman nodded but paused before going any further. "In the days to come I may need to contact you. How do you wish me to do so?"

Harry considered the question for a few seconds, his face making interesting contortions as he struggled with an idea. "Do you have a secure method we could use to talk privately, ma'am?"

She nodded, hesitating only a moment before looking to Susan. "Susan, would you bring a couple of the personal communicators?"

Susan nodded and paced out of the room, looking at Harry and smiling encouragingly to him. She had, thanks to the evening's events and conversations between him and her aunt, come to understand just how much weight was on his shoulders.

Amelia waited until Susan was out of the room, "Before we send you on your way Harry, I had a question. Do you know exactly how it is you can feel him like you do?"

Harry drew his hand back through his hair. "No ma'am, not really. I just know I see him, something to do with my scar. It's always worst when he's nearby, but if he's happy or angry I can feel it from far away, too."

She peered at him closely, the shadows under his eyes were getting more pronounced. "And which was he tonight?"

Harry grimaced and looked away for a moment. "He was happy ma'am, he thought he had you. He was certain of it."

She grinned at him briefly, trying to buoy him up a little. "Glad you proved him wrong."

Susan returned with a small pile of objects. Harry looked at them before sighing. "Ah, communications mirrors. I have one, but it's broken," he admitted, thinking of the shattered mirror in the box in his pack, which was still in the room.

"Oh, would you mind if I took a look at it?" Amelia asked. Harry nodded his thanks to Susan as she pushed one of the mirrors into his hands and handing off the broken mirror to her aunt. Amelia considered, it and played with the ruined pieces for a moment. "Not spell damage then, hang on a moment." She drew her wand and cast a repair spell at it. It took a minute but the pieces flowed back into place and re-fused together. She handed it back to him. "If you speak into your mirror and instruct it to request communications with me, I'll hear my own and pick it up. If you want you can take one of our spares, it's not like there's a lot of Bones' who need them just now."

"Thank you ma'am. This will help a lot," Harry said quietly.

"I'll look into that matter I was discussing with you, but first let's get you home, you look beat." She commented, and he smiled ruefully at her.

Amelia set to work enchanting the portkey, while her niece surprised Harry by giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Harry, you really saved our bacon tonight, we won't forget it," Susan promised, blushing slightly.

Harry hugged her back before letting go. "It was my pleasure, Susan. You take care of yourself."

Amelia stepped back from her work and offered Harry a handshake. "Take care of yourself Harry, with any luck you'll hear from me soon. In the meantime, well- search if you feel that's what you need to do, but you have some time, take it, get your strength back, you've had a hard time lately. Nobody will begrudge you a little time to get back in working order." She told him seriously.

He nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good, now get going kiddo, you look like death warmed over."

He chuckled and grasped the stone, and disappeared.

---

*Yes, this happened to me on a trip to London.