DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter
When Hunting Monsters
Chapter 12: Morning After
Harry felt sunlight on his face and turned his head into the pillow, groaning. He definitely didn't want to wake up yet, and his body felt like he had been repeatedly run over by a large truck. After some time of failing to fall back asleep he finally opened an eye and peered at his surroundings.
'Yep definitely the hospital wing.' He had known it already from the unique feel of the bed, and the pillow. The white tiled ceiling and the large windows which looked out onto the grounds of Hogwarts just confirmed it. His hands felt strange and he held them up to see they were wrapped in bandages. He could feel that his torso was too, and a slimy orange paste covered parts of his body where he had been burned and singed by dark curses and hexes. He was dressed in the standard gown of the Hogwarts hospital wing and none of his possessions were on him.
For a few moments Harry didn't move and listened for voices but heard none. He did though, feel eyes on the back of his head and got up and turned around to meet Luna's gaze. She was sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. Mckennon lay in the bed to the right of her, but was very much unconscious.
"You're going to leave aren't you?" The only emotion Harry could pick up in the girl's voice was curiosity.
"I'm afraid I have to. Where's Ginny?"
"Professor Dumbledore removed the dark magic from the cut on her shoulder. He said it was quite a simple curse, but very nasty. Then Madam Pomfrey healed it and Mrs. Weasley took Ginevra home."
"Good." For a moment Harry had been afraid the girl had died. "Why are you still here?"
"Madam Pomfrey wanted to make sure my arm was healed right so she removed the bone and gave me skele-grow. It didn't taste very good but the sensations were oddly pleasant."
"Luna you're weird. Getting my arm re-grown with that shit sucked." Harry felt furious with Pomfrey. Of course the girl's arm was healed correctly. He wasn't incompetent. "Do you know where they put my things?"
"In Madam Pomfrey's office. I heard her and Professor Dumbledore talking. He said to hide your things so you wouldn't try to leave. She's not in there though."
Harry crept over to the door of her office, and tried to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge. An idea came to him and he reached out with his magic, really feeling the doorknob and what it was made of.
"Burro." He whispered and the door knob elongated and twisted before snapping back into its original form and falling off the door, clattering onto the tile at the same time as the knob on the other side. Harry winced but nothing happened and no one came, so he pushed the door with his foot and it swung open.
"We'll that sure beats alohamora when there's no wand handy." He said to himself. Luna watched him with her wide eyes, but said nothing.
Pomfrey's office was very tidy. Harry had no need to search the cabinets full of medical supplies and potions, for lying right on her desk was his broom, with his robes and clothes folded neatly next to it. He was surprised they hadn't thrown the robes away, as they were clearly of deatheater make minus the spells and enchantments Harry had put on them. He was further surprised that they seemed to be fully repaired with no rips or stains. Harry also saw Mckennon's belongings which were neatly folded as well, and his many weapons were stacked in a pile on the floor.
Harry hurriedly stripped and pulled the clothes: boxers jeans and a tshirt that were all black on, and then the robes on over them. Reaching inside a pocket he let out a sigh of relief at feeling the bottomless pouch. It had in it everything he needed.
Turning around, he waved to Luna. "Bye Luna, I'm not sure when I'll see you again."
"Oh I'm sure it won't be too long."
Harry didn't dwell on Luna's words but pulled out his broom. Unlocking the window of the hospital wing with a wave of a wand taken out of his pouch, he mounted the broom and flew off, the great trees of the forbidden forest and the gray walls of the castle passing by in a blur. Finally he came to the gate, which he flew over. The wards didn't seem to protest against leaving; only entering.
Harry landed, and still grasping the broom in one hand, spun around and disappeared with a soft pop only to reappear in the same place.
"What the bloody fuck?" Harry Yelled, kicking a tree, before remembering that he couldn't apparate into the giant halls without Mckennon. He no longer had the pendant on him.
Groaning in dismay Harry remounted his broom and flew back up to the castle, and through the open window of the hospital wing.
Walking over to the hit wizard he looked down to find that Mckennon seemed to be dead or in some sort of coma. His chest was not moving and his face bloodless and pallid, his brown bangs partially covering his closed eyes.
"Is he alive?" Harry asked Luna who was watching him with amusement.
"Yes but just barely according to Madam Pomfrey. She said he is under the influence of multiple dark curses designed to wear down the mind to make it more vulnerable, and that combating them requires keeping him in this state until she and Dumbledore manage to remove them."
"That makes sense. Voldemort must have wanted information from him but couldn't get past his occlumency." Harry pressed his hands into his eyes, and sat on the foot of Mckennons bed, next to the huge feet that almost lay off the edge despite Madam Pomfrey expanding the bed's length for his height. Harry could see that the pendant was not on Mckennon's neck nor had it been anywhere in his belongings back in the office.
Just to make sure Harry went back in the office and rifled through the pockets of the man's robes and his trousers desperately, upsetting the pile of clothes so that they fell on the floor.
'But he wouldn't need it on him of course.' Harry thought. 'He's the one who designed the protections.'
Luna was behind him now, picking up Mckennon's various implements of war and eyeing them curiously.
"Luna, did Madam Pomfrey say how long it's going to take to heal Mckennon?"
"Yes."
Harry looked at her expectantly but she just stared at him with one eye through the open space of the cross guard of one of Mckennon's strange looking daggers.
"When Luna?" He asked impatiently in a growl, tearing the dagger from her grasp.
"Oh!" She exclaimed, looking up at him in surprise but strangely not in fear. "I believe she said at least a few weeks but maybe more. It all depends."
"All depends on what?" Harry was quickly becoming frustrated with the odd girl.
"On how fast Professor Snape makes the potions of course. "
"Fuckin great!" Harry tossed the curved and rune scripted dagger back in the pile where it clattered noisily. Harry's opinion towards his professor had changed somewhat since his help in Harry's escape from Voldemort's dungeons, but he still did not consider the man very reliable.
"You could just stay here, you know." Luna's voice was soft. Harry detected loneliness in it and was moved by a sudden pity.
"I'm sorry Luna I can't. And I think after last night that you know exactly why."
"I know. And I understand why you don't want me to come with you, I'd just be a hindrance." Luna was sitting on her bed, her head down and her left foot tracing circles on the tile. Harry stood over her, half turned to walk away. He actually hadn't even thought of bringing the girl, but now realized she was right, she would be a hindrance.
"I'm not even sure yet where I'm going. And it wouldn't be safe for you either, what if I lose control and kill you?"
She just looked up at him with her wide eyes full of sadness.
"Don't look at me like that." She didn't look away, and Harry found himself unable to break the stare, his resolve rapidly deteriorating.
"Ugh fine you can come! Christ. "
Luna's face took a drastic change from miserable to joyous and her mouth curved into a bright smile. She jumped off the bed and seized Harry in a hug.
"Don't hug me please." He awkwardly tried to pull the girl off of him.
"But you're like a big teddy bear!"
Harry let out a groan of annoyance. "I'm starting to rethink my decision Luna."
She quickly let go of him, her hands dropping to her sides.
"Cmon' get on the broom. We need to leave before Dumbledore and Pomfrey come back.
She did as told, and they hurriedly sped off across the grounds. Just in time, it appeared, for as soon as they reached the gates and disapparated the doors of the hospital wing were thrown open and in strode the Headmaster who stared at the open window in shock.
"We're in London!" Luna exclaimed. She recognized the area from when they had flown to the Ministry of Magic on the backs of thestrals a few months ago. It was her favorite memory.
"Shh!" Harry pulled her further into the alleyway, and waved his wand, transfiguring her hospital gown into muggle jeans and a blouse and her slippers into trainers.
"These are boring." She pouted, her hands on her hips. Harry rolled his eyes and flicked his wand again, changing the blouse from green to tie dye.
"Happy?"
"I suppose."
"Well you'll have to deal with it until we get to diagon. Then you can buy the most bizarre robes you want." Harry pulled his robes off and stowed them in his bottomless bag. It wouldn't do to stand out in the muggle world. He could've apparated closer to the leaky cauldron or in the alley itself but he wanted to try to avoid being seen by anyone who would recognize him since his changes. There wasn't a huge list but on it were Shacklebolt and Tonks who he knew had to patrol the alley occasionally.
Luna's eyes lit up from his suggestion and she eagerly followed him as they made their way to Charing Cross road. Finally after a lengthy walk the only thing that separated them from the wizarding pub was a street of busy traffic. Luna made to move forward as the traffic stilled but Harry grabbed her arm and jerked her back. He was staring heavily, looking for any distortions in the empty air in front of the pub.
"Hold on, I want to make sure it's clear. If this works we're going to have to make a run for it. Accio invisibility cloaks!" There was a shout of alarm as a shimmering length of cloth sailed towards them to reveal Kingsley's shining bald head.
Harry cursed and sprinted into the alley they had just come out of. Luna whose arm he was still clinging to was jerked roughly along behind them. They both heard a cacophony of angered shouts, sharp automobile horns and the screech of breaks as Shacklebolt tried to run across the street just as the traffic was starting again.
"Up the ladder Luna!" Harry yelled. He aimed his wand carefully and blew the door open on the balcony it led to. Hopefully no one had taken up residence since he had evacuated the apartment. Luna hesitated so Harry grabbed her around the waist and tossed her upwards. Screaming in shock or in entertainment, he couldn't really tell, Luna grabbed hold of the rusty metal and scrambled up the ladder and through the crudely opened doorway.
Just as she cleared it black ropes shot down the alleyway followed by the tall form of the fierce auror.
Harry flicked his wand and the ropes dissolved into smoke only to reform into a flock of ravens that flew towards the tall man's head.
As kingsley urgently tried to get rid of the birds swarming him Harry twisted his wand down sharply. The ladder Luna had just climbed up was ripped off its wall. Bolts ricocheted around the alleyway, and metal groaned as the ladder twisted around the distracted auror and brought him to the ground with a loud crash. Another flick of his wand and the ravens disappeared.
"Damn it!" Kingsley cursed as he struggled, wriggling against the iron imprisoning him. But with his hands pinned there was no way he could move his wand to cast any spell.
"Kingsley I really don't want to kill you but I'm going to have to if you keep trying to bring me to Dumbledore." It was a half lie. Part of him wanted very much to tear the man apart.
Harry looked down at Shacklebolt. His scalp had been cut by the birds' beaks and talons and the blood that now dripped from it matched the color of his auror's robes. His white teeth were gritted in frustration and his hands twisted, desperately trying to move his wand.
Kingsley gave up struggling and his whole body seemed to sag. "Look Harry I'm grateful to you, I really am. If not for your vision Tonks and I would be soulless right now, but you really need to come back to Hogwarts. It's not safe for you out here, and Dumbledore can protect you. Please Harry." Shacklebolt's eyes were not angry as Harry expected, but pleading.
"Protect me?" Harry laughed harshly, kneeling next to Kingsley's head and staring into his eyes. Kingsley flinched at the strange, crazed look in Harry's.
"Tell me, Auror Shacklebolt. How many deatheaters have you killed this summer?" As Harry spoke his wand tapped against Kingsley's skull, healing the cuts and vanishing the blood.
"What is it to you?"
"Just tell me."
"Five alright? I've killed five." Shacklebolt's voice was angry and twisted his head away so as not to look at Harry.
"Five?" Harry laughed again, but this time much longer and Kingsley could hear the insanity in it.
"What?" He asked, Bewildered
"Wanna know how many I've killed?" Harry's voice was low now but his mouth twisted in a wide smile, his teeth gleaming. Shacklebolt felt a twinge of fear in his guts at seeing their cruel points but he raised his head looked up at Harry. The auror's face was wary but he nooded slowly.
"HUNDREDS! Hundreds you fucking stupid bastard!" Shacklebolt jerked back as spit flew in his face. Harry's voice was half growl half yell now and his face was close to Kingsleys. So close, too close; he could feel Harry's hot breath on his skin as Harry seemed to pant with rage.
"Hundreds I've killed since the start of the summer. And you know what I did to their snake faced cunt of a leader? I sent him so far into the depths of a lake that it will take him a week to find his way out if he hasn't drowned. And you want to fucking protect me? Looking at this situation I think you need the protecting a little more than me, don't you?"
"You're wrong."
"What?"
"Voldemort hasn't drowned, nor is he still in a lake. While you were dozing in the hospital wing, he and his followers attacked several muggle and wizarding locations, and now he has vampires with him. Vampires who's numbers are increasing with every rural muggle village he gives them."
Letting out a yell of frustration Harry stood up and punched the brick wall next to him.
"Why can't he just fucking die?" Rubble fell from the wall and showered noisily on the cobbled floor of the alleyway.
"He's not a man anymore Harry. You can't kill him like one."
"I know that. But I still don't get it. I ruined his ritual in a way that should have destroyed him or at the very least taken away his magic. It left him a little worse for wear but with his magic still very much intact. Then I buried him under tons of water; trapped him with every vestige of power within me and the sodding lake itself. With any other wizard an enchantment like that would have held for a lifetime.''
"I can't give you any answers Harry. We all know he's traveled down paths better left unexplored. Dumbledore is probably the only person who could give you any information."
Harry's face darkened but he bit back the reply that came to his mind. "I suppose if I free you, you won't try to capture me again?"
Shacklebolt sighed. " I guess not. But Harry, do you really think it wise staying at a place Voldemort knows you lived?"
"When you come back here with Dumbledore you won't be able to find it. I've learned to take better precautions, trust me." Harry flicked his wand and the ladder raddled, twisting away from Shacklebolt and into its proper shape, crashing back into place. Another flick had the bolts scattered about the alleyway zooming back, each clanging into their spots.
Shacklebolt smirked, getting to his feet and dusting off his robes. "I assume though that your owl will be able to find you should we send her?"
"Hedwig! Shit I keep forgetting about her. That would be great, thanks. But just so you know she won't lead you to me, she's smarter than that."
"I suppose she is. Try and keep in touch though Harry. Whether you want to believe it or not Dumbledore really does care about you and is just trying to keep your best interests in mind. The rest of us worry about you a great deal too."
"You shouldn't. I can take care of myself."
"As I've just learned." Kingsley turned around but looked back over his shoulder. "And Harry?"
"Ya?"
"Be careful. I don't what you've done to yourself, with the tattoos and all, but you don't want to become what you're fighting." Kingsleys eyes had a haunted gleam in them and he stared hard at Harry before disappearing in a whisp of smoke.
"I'm afraid it might be too late." Harry said to the empty alleyway before hoisting himself up the ladder.
"Ah, Severus! Fashionably late as usual I see." Aforementioned potions master scowled as he strode into the Hospital Wing, steaming goblet in hand. The wing was a little more crowded than useal with several occupied chairs gathered around Mckennon's bed. It seemed the Order of the Phoenix was having an impromptu meeting. The man himself still lay comatose, hands folded eerily on his still chest. No breathe came out of the pallid lips.
"As you know this particular brew requires a close eye and unbroken concentration. It's been in the last stages for several hours. Besides, I had no knowledge of this quaint little gathering I seem to be late to."
"Oh do lighten up, I was only joking my dear boy." Dumbledore sat to the left of Mckennon's bed. There was a weariness in his face but a light in his eyes and a perkiness in his beard that had been absent the past few months. His blackened hand was cradled in his lap over his dark green robes but he didn't seem to be paying it any attention.
"Albus you know he doesn't care for your jokes." Minerva was sitting next to him. Reading some report with a frown on her face. Whatever happiness seen in Dumbledore didn't seem to be contagious. The old witch looked tired and her usual neatness in a state of disarray. Her hair was barely in its normal bun, sticking out all over the place, and her gray robes were wrinkled instead of being pressed to perfection. The lines of age on her face were more pronounced than ever and she could feel every one of her years.
"Quite right Minerva. I've always found my humor unappreciated as far as Severus is concerned."
Severus ignored the Headmaster but strode towards the bed.
"If you'll excuse me." A depressed looking Tonks pushed her chair back. Severus flicked his wand and Mckennon's body rose to a sitting position, his head tilted back and his mouth opened. Long fingers carefully held the goblet as the contents were tipped into Mckennon's throat. Snape had to be careful not a drop escaped.
Mad Eye watched disapprovingly as he stood against the far wall near the doors. He trusted Snape even less than he trusted Lupin who was watching the proceedings with curiosity.
"What potion is it?" The werewolf asked.
"One that I am quite sure is beyond your knowledge or comprehension. Just because I brew your damn potions so you don't turn into a bloody rampaging beast doesn't mean I'm going to answer every pointless question that miraculously forms in the stagnant vapors of your thick skull."
Lupin glared but bit his toungue. Arguing with Snape was an exercise in futility. Tonks patted his knee, and did her best to hold back a grin.
"The casualties from last night total four hundred and sixty five altogether; counting of course, the muggles who were turned and taken by the vampires." The report she was reading was the one Shacklebolt had handed her before heading off in search of Harry. The news was meant by a gloomy silence. Not even Snape said anything.
"Things seem to have taken an unfortunate turn of events. When the Weasleys informed me that Harry had gone after Tom and how disturbed they were at his appearance and treatment of Pettigrew I found myself quite panicked and didn't hold much hope for Harry. But after Miss Lovegood informed me of how well his meeting with Tom went I had been hoping he would be laying low for awhile. I should have known better." Dumbledore was frowning and stroking his beard, his eyes lowered. He would have liked to have gotten better information about how Harry dueled from Mckennon but the man had collapsed as soon as he had dismounted from his broom. Making sense of Luna's strange descriptions had been troublesome. The picture they painted was quite fantastic but he had no way to verify it. Legilimency was useless on the girl. When he had tried her mind was going in so many directions at once that it was impossible to find the one he wanted, and her perception of reality was so different that it was like trying to read a language he didn't understand.
"I think we should proceed with the protections plan. Starting with miss Granger's house. Even though from all accounts it's most likely she's with Mr. Potter, her parents are still there, and quite defenseless." Minerva interrupted his reflections
"Yes yes of course. We'll go ahead with that today. Nymphadora dear, would you go gather the teams up after this meeting is adjourned?" Tonks glared at the use of her first name but got up and walked towards the doors, accompanied by Minerva. A strange pendant in the shape of a bird swung on the auror's neck as she moved.
"So Harry has Luna and Hermione with him now? That seems irresponsible of him, I doubt they can protect themselves like he's apparently learned to." Lupin sounded somewhat angry.
"I don't believe he took either of the girls willingly. Harry has never been one to put others in danger. Quite the contrary he'd rather put himself in danger for others first. One of the boy's many endearing traits."
Snape snorted. "So I presume wantonly killing deatheaters is another one of those traits?" The potions master was sick of Dumbledore going back and forth on the subject of Harry's morality. He knew the only reason the old man was currently pleased with the boy was because he actually defeated Voldemort in a duel. Which was a fact that had greatly surprised and disturbed Severus. It was a feat only Dumbledore had ever achieved and with how dark Potter had become over the summer he wasn't sure it was a good thing for him to be so powerful. They might destroy one dark lord only to have him replaced with another and Severus wasn't sure his pride could handle serving Potter.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again. Potter's got tha right idea. If you'd be taking a few out once in awhile instead of just lurkin around and kissing the snake faced bastard's arse we'd probably be further along!" Madeye thumped his staff on the ground, his magical eye spinning.
"Yes because I didn't almost lose my cover when I had to "take a few out" rescuing the boy from the depths of the Dark Lord's dungeons." Severus bit back.
"Now now my friends, we must not fight amongst ourselves." Lupin bit back a chuckle at the line Dumbledore must have just repeated for the thousandth time.
"I have better things to do than to argue with senile old aurors and half witted half breeds. If you'll excuse me." Snape pushed his way past a glaring Moody and made his way out of the hospital wing, his robes swirling behind him and his boots clacking on the floor.
"Luna! Where are you?" Harry stomped his way through the apartment looking for the girl. None of the lights were on and he flipped the switches as he walked by. Hearing giggling to his left he walked towards his room. From the open doorway he saw Luna standing on a chair next to his bed on her tiptoes, looking at something on the top of the bookcase.
"Er, what are you doing?"
"Watching the nargles Harry! This place has lots of them!"
Amused Harry pulled another chair over and stood up beside her only to curse in alarm and grab Luna's hand.
"Don't fucking touch that!" Her fingertips were centimeters from a small glowing blue orb of magic. Luna drew her hand back, scared by the panic in Harry's tone.
"It's just a nargle Harry, they don't bite."
"It's not a fucking nargle Luna. It's a security orb. It records everything it sees and explodes if touched or if another wizard tries to dispel it."
"Oh." The girl said, watching it nervously now.
"Mckennon taught me how to create them, it's advanced magic. But whoever made this one knows we're here. We need to find all of them and then set up the fidelius spell as quickly as possible. Blue ones record visual information and red ones auditory so the good thing is it can't hear us."
Harry began waving his wand and muttering. The orb pulsated and turned purple before settling back into the swirling bluish color.
"What'd you do?"
"I erased it's footage of you and looped the feed back to several days ago. If it was connected to the watcher it'd be pulsating constantly so whoever it is didn't see you."
"That's good isn't it?"
"Yes. Now show me the other ones."
It was late before Harry had found all of the many orbs hidden throughout the apartment and had finished the Fidelius Charm which required lot's of preparation, a long chant, complex wand motions and a lot of magical energy. He had made Luna the secret keeper, which she was very proud of. He would've rather made himself it but the caster couldn't be both because of some strange law of magical theory.
"Can we go get my robes now?"
"Luna it's like 2 a.m. I don't think the stores in Diagon are open."
"Oh, I suppose you're right." She frowned. "Can we go tomorrow?"
"Yes whatever Luna, we can fucking go get your robes tomorrow. I'm tired as hell so I'm going to sleep. Do whatever the fuck you want."
"Alright!"
The underground halls were dark, the lights dimmed as they always were at night and there was a soft echo as light feet padded through them. Hermione wasn't sure how long it'd been since she'd been sitting in Harry's room waiting for him to return with some kind of explanation. At first she had kept herself busy in the library trying to convince herself that maybe Mckennon had set up some kind of strange training exercise for him, but there was no way they'd be gone this long. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and had gotten up to find Dudley, who hadn't been in the kitchen or the living room. That left only one place. As she neared the gym she heard the heavy thuds and the clinking of chain as Dudley's large fists crashed repeatedly into one of the punching bags. She nudged the iron door open and light flooded out into the dark hallway.
"Dudley?"
He didn't seem to hear her and moved closer, repeating his name. The boy spun around, his fist raised like he was going to hit her, before realizing who it was and dropping his hand. He caught the swinging bag and held it still, leaning against it and panting.
"Are you alright?"
"Ya I'm fine. You?" He managed in between breaths. The question provoked a large sob from Hermione and she hugged Dudley, not paying attention to how sweaty he was.
"He's not coming back is he?"
"I don't know Hermione. But I'm sure he's alright." He patted her back awkwardly.
"How do you know that?"
"Well I mean that one auror with the blue hair knows where we are, so if Mckennon or Harry were dead don't you think she would have come told us?"
"Oh. I didn't think of Tonks. You're right Dudley!" She smiled and let go of him. He grinned back at her.
"What I don't get is why Harry didn't tell us where he was going." Dudley frowned
"Harry's like that. He probably thought we might try to come after him." Hermione sat down on a workout bench and Dudley sat next to her.
"I really hope he comes back though. And he said he was done with that ritual for me, I was actually getting kind of excited about it."
"Oh you mean the one that was supposed to let you use magic?" Hermione asked doubtfully. "I know he's finished with it because the papers and diagrams are all stacked on his desk, and he even wrote this really long essay explaining the theory behind it, but I'm sorry Dudley. I just don't think it's possible."
"I didn't think magic was possible until that big giant with the bushy beard gave me a pig's tail." Dudley shuddered at the memory.
Hermione laughed and he glared at her.
"Sorry, it's just imagining Hagrid doing something like that is incredibly amusing."
"Whatever. Did you read the essay?
"No… Everytime I started to it reminded me of Harry and I had to stop." Dudley patted her arm
"Let's read it together and then maybe you can help me do it. I got really good at drawing those weird symbols for Harry's ritual."
"Alright Dudley. I guess we don't have anything else to do down here. "
The essay on Harry's desk was actually about 20 pages of parchment and by the time Hermione made it to the 3rd page she was quickly becoming more and more impressed. First of all Harry had actually made an attempt to write neatly but more importantly he was exploring areas of magic she hadn't even thought of and seemed to have a perfect understanding of them. Really she was starting to feel somewhat jealous but at least she was learning something.
"Are you almost done yet?" Dudley was sitting on Harry's bed looking at the diagrams. Apparently them reading it together meant him annoying her while she read it.
"No Dudley. It's not going to be for awhile."
"You know you're going to have to learn how to draw some of these right?"
"Yes I know Dudley. Now be quiet so I can read this."
"Ah, I'm fortunate in having a potions master in my service. " The Dark Lord sighed. Snape was rubbing a poultice into his burnt arm. The flames in the fireplace flickered, briefly illuminating a man standing in the shadows of the corner of the room. A cloak was wrapped around his lithe form, the hood pulled low over his eyes so all that was visible was a mouth and a pale angular chin.
"Janus I see you've arrived." Snape spun around having not heard the man enter the room which was unusual.
"Yes. Everything is prepared just as you asked. My people are ready and waiting." The man had a Romanian accent, but spoke English clearly.
"Good, good. Did you have any problems acquiring the girl?"
The mouth smiled, the lips opening, and Severus saw two long, sharp and glisteningly white fangs stained red at the tips with blood. He shuddered.
"No problems. Her guardians put up quite the struggle but it was enjoyable. "
Voldemort smirked. "I'm glad you had your fun. I would have rather used the Weasley girl but that path is now lost to us. The Bones family though is just as much our enemies are they not Severus?"
"They are my lord." Severus kept his head down as he rubbed the poultice so the Dark Lord wouldn't see how disgusted he was at the thought of sacrificing a girl he had been teaching for five years.
"Oh come now Severus, Janus isn't going to bite you. In fact he may even think you're one of his own." Voldemort laughed to himself, a high disconcerting sound.
"All he is missing is the fangs." Apparently even dark lords and vampires weren't above making jokes at Snape's expense.
"My Lord what exactly are we preparing for?"
"I still want the boy, Severus. This time though his arrival won't be unexpected. It might interest you to know that my time with the hit wizard wasn't completely a waste."
Snape looked up at the Dark Lord questioningly, surprise in his eyes.
"I managed to discover that he had been keeping Potter, his mudblood wench, and his filthy muggle cousin in an underground lair, and I know exactly where it is and how to get there. "
"We're going to capture Granger and the Dursley boy and use them as bait?"
"Yes. When I have them, Potter will come to me willingly, to save them of course but his efforts will be futile. However it will take much force to break through the enchantments and the creatures guarding the place. With the addition's of Janus's proud people we have quite some force to spare, which is good because I'm certain at least some of the order if not Dumbledore himself know of the place and will know if we attack it. We'll need a diversion."
"How do you know Potter isn't there?"
"Because I suddenly can't recall where the apartment he was staying at is located. The boy went back there and set up a fidelius, I'm sure of it. The orbs I had my men set up show nothing but he must have found them and tampered with them. It's likely the hit wizard taught him all kinds of new tricks."
"Do you really believe Potter capable of the Fidelius?" Snape sounded doubtful.
"Crucio." Voldemort incanted lazily. Janus watched silently in interest as Snape fell to his knees but didn't make a sound, his head twitching.
"It is good you are firm with him. Even good servants need reminders sometimes no?"
"I had thought this one had learned to keep his tongue still but apparently he's beginning to have a hard time differentiating me from the lenient old fool he pretends to serve." Voldemort flicked his wand and the curse ended. Snape got shakily to his feet, his sallow face even paler.
"You haven't seen what I've seen my dear Severus. The boy wielded powerful magic I've never before encountered. Magic so ancient even I did not recognize it. Don't let your animosity for Potter blind you to what he's become or you'll end up dead like many of my deatheaters have recently."
"Yes Master. It won't happen again." Snape said in a monotone, still slightly shaky from the curse.
"Now as for the distraction, I'm having you lead a force into Diagon Alley. Normally leading would be Lucius's forte but he's quite incapable of doing so from his cell. That however will soon be remedied." Snape glanced towards Janus who was grinning.
"You're sending the vampires to Azkaban?"
"My people are good at not being detected. We shall penetrate the fortress in the cover of blessed night and drain the delicious life blood of the auror guards. Then we will leave their lifeless husks and return the prisoners to the Dark Lord." It sounded to Snape like the Dark Lord was going to have all of his forces dispersed at once, something he hadn't done even in the last war. Janus must have a lot of men for the Dark Lord to take a risk like this.
"I am going to lead the raid on Mckennon's little hide out myself. And yes Severus my forces will be spread thin, but the Ministry's and the Order's even thinner. The Order is a small band as it is, merely a thorn in my side, and more than half the ministry is under my control." There was a rustling noise as Nagini awoke from where she had been slumbering next to Voldemort's chair. He held his hand out and she slithered up his arm to take her place around his shoulders, her dark green scales blending with the pitch black of his robes but contrasting sharply with his alabaster flesh. That is, where it wasn't covered with the orange burn poultice.
"How many men will I be taking into Diagon?" Snape felt uneasy with Nagini looking directly into his eyes, her tounge flicking in and out, and Janus's eyes boring into the back of his neck.
"No more than a hundred. All of this though will have to wait." The Dark Lord got up from his chair and strode over to the mirror that hung on the wall of the Malfoy's study. Nagini let out a soft hiss at the sudden movement. He stared into his own crimson eyes and stroked a hand over his charred face. "I was tired already of this imperfect form before Potter ruined it. And I'm going to need a more… human one for my future plans. Yes the attacks are going to have to wait until I have my new body, which shall be soon enough."
An: Hey guys I'm really sorry it's been so long. My laptop got completely fucked up and I just bought a new one. I'm also sorry this chapter is kind of short but I figured I should put something up now to show I'm not dead. This is more of a transition chapter anyway. The next one should be up tomorrow, but if not it definitely will be sometime this week. It will be much longer than this one and have a lot of action. Again, sorry for the lateness. Oh ya and the grammar/spelling because I haven't had a beta since the first few chapters. If anyone wants to volunteer for the position feel free to.