Chapter Six

Ouch!

…like the cowards they are. So, I hereby serve notice to the followers of V and those that seek his favor, beware. I here and now swear an oath that I shall hunt down each and every one of you to the ends of the earth. There will be no quarter held. I, Harry Potter will make it my life's mission to bring you to swift and unmerciless justice at my hand. You have only one chance to escape my wrath and that is to turn yourselves immediately over to Ministry Aurors for after midnight tonight I shall begin my hunt. Prey to whatever gods you believe in for mercy for you shall find none from me."

---Excerpt from the Daily Prophet.

Susan shuttered as she sat the morning paper down on the kitchen table. She found her companion staring at her trying to judge her reaction.

"Too much?"

Before she answered they heard a whoosh of flames from the fireplace.

"Harry, have you gone utterly insane?" came a familiar voice.

Harry sat his glass of pumpkin juice down on the table and faced his self-appointed mental guardian. "Hello Hermione. I was sure you would have flooed at seeing the first article."

Even through the green flame he could see her anger and worry. "I was going to, but I thought it was something you needed to get off your chest … oh, hello Susan." It took her a moment but she recovered nicely. "Wait a moment. What are you doing at Headquarters?"

"I'm with Harry."

He glanced sideways at her wondering if there was a double meaning in what she was saying. He remembered last night and their not formally resolving their relationship status.

It was then that another face appeared in the fireplace knocking Hermione to the side.

"Ouch, Ron!" Hermione scolded the redhead. "What are you doing on the Floo? I thought you were in hiding. You shouldn't be using the floo network unless you are under the Fidelius …"

Harry stared at the two heads in the fireplace in somewhat of a surprise. He never knew that more than one person could call at a time.

"Er, sorry Hermione. Guess you're here to talk some sense into him. Mum's gone in a complete snit. Thinks Harry's finally lost it … you haven't lost it have you mate?"

Susan nudged Harry in the ribs. "Did you know that more than one person could call in at the same time?"

He was about to answer when a third head appeared in the flames atop the previous two forcing them into the ashes below.

"Oops, sorry you two," came the voice of Remus Lupin. "Well, I guess it's a quorum."

Harry raised an eyebrow in reaction and turned away.

"Come on through if you're coming, otherwise were going to continue breakfast."

The image of Remus' head straining to see what was on the table was odd to see. "Oh, kippers, don't mind if I do. Pardon me, you two."

Hermione spit ash into the air. "I've got to let my parents know."

"Me too," Ron answered. "Be right back."

Their heads disappeared and Remus followed soon thereafter. He brushed himself off and looked up with a grim face.

"Professor Lupin?" Susan said with some surprise.

The elder Marauder and onetime Professor against the Dark Arts looked quizzically at the blonde girl before recognition settled in. "Susan Bones? My you've grown into quite the stunning young lady."

Harry busied himself, pouring another glass of juice and

Susan smiled. "Thank you, sir. But what are … oh, you must be Remus?"

"That I am," he answered. "Harry's been spinning tales?"

A rush of flames later and Hermione was standing in the kitchen as well swatting at the ash in her hair. "I can't wait to learn Apparation. Can't go anywhere without a thorough bath afterward."

"Second landing all the way to the end," said Harry without another thought.

Hermione shot him an irritated glance but said nothing.

"I've made enough for two, but you're welcome to help yourselves."

Sitting next to him, Hermione reached for a clean glass that Remus had placed around the pitcher of pumpkin juice. "I've eaten already, thank you, but mother never has any decent juice."

Harry continued eating his eggs in silence and waited for all the reasons he shouldn't be doing what he was doing. Once Remus settled Ron appeared and made himself at home.

"So who's first," Harry asked.

"Nobody," Susan commented.

"Excuse me," Hermione countered. "We have to stop him from …"

"What we've got to do, Hermione, is support him."

"I didn't ask you all to help," Harry added, slightly surprised at Susan's assistance. "I'm doing this alone."

"You're doing this with me," Susan corrected him.

Ron bit off half of a kipper. "Wha' we can't help?"

Harry shook his head. "Not with this, Ron. I can't ask you to do what we have to do."

"And what exactly do you two have planned?" Remus asked.

Harry chose to divert from the question and go slightly off on a tangent. "I learned my lesson last time. I'm not asking for anyone's help. Susan and I have our own reasons in doing what we plan to do?"

"Revenge?" Remus inquired.

Harry reluctantly nodded. "That's a part of it, but not the only reason."

Susan set her fork down on her plate and pushed it away with her thumb. "He's destroyed too many families. How many more are going to be killed before we start acting more aggressively and put a stop to He-Who-Must- …"

Her eyes shifted to find Harry giving her a somewhat proud look. She swallowed and gathered her courage. "Before someone puts a stop to … Voldemort."

Harry gave her a small nod of approval. "No more," he said in agreement. He watched for the first time he could ever remember as Hermione and Ron chose to take their cues from somebody other than him. He closed his eyes in resignation as they turned to Remus.

"Harry, this is why the Order was formed. This fight is too much for any one or two people, no matter how talented they may be."

Susan interrupted before Remus got too far. "Excuse me? What Order?"

Harry breathed deep and remembered the Order that had formed long before Harry was even a twinkle in his mother's eye; the very same Order that banded together to fight Voldemort in the first war.

"The Order of the Phoenix," he replied.

"Harry," Hermione scolded.

Harry's eyes flashed open in a venomous glare and then he turned away as if she hadn't said anything at all. "Susan, the Order is a secret organization that was formed to keep those of us that actually want to do something, in the dark."

Remus rolled his eyes in resignation. "Harry that's hardly the truth."

He directed his voice to the table. "Isn't it? What actual good has Dumbledore done to stop what's been going on?"

"You know I can't go into specifics …"

"Exactly," He turned back to Susan and started in a mocking cheerful voice. "Dumbledore's been recruiting all over Europe for all sorts to join his merry little club where we can all sit around saying 'grumble grumble, I wish Harry would sit over here and not do anything while all of his friends get themselves killed as I stand here and let my eyes twinkle and offer people these revolting sweets, grumble grumble.' Learn Occlumency Harry, as I totally ignore you this year and let our vile potions professor mind-rape you."

He slammed his fist on the table, toppling his half-empty glass of pumpkin juice.

Hermione jumped at the explosion of anger she was witnessing. Susan could only watch in confusion as he reveled secret after secret. Ron stopped chewing long enough to raise an eyebrow and Remus' face fell as he was slowly realizing that Harry was passing further away from his counseling.

"Tell you what we're going to do, Harry" he continued ranting on. "Let's lock your Godfather up in this bloody house until he goes so barmy that he's willing to do anything to get out. Doesn't matter that he's been in Azkaban for almost half his bloody life.

"How about this, Harry? Let's not tell you what's Voldemort's up to this year and when he finally springs his trap you can get that very same Godfather killed in a rescue attempt!"

Hermione yipped and then covered her mouth. "Harry, stop," she cried.

He slammed his fist down again in response. "You lot want to know why I've had enough? Do you?"

Everyone was shocked into silence, afraid of making Harry even madder.

"Let's get it all out in the open." Harry stood and leaned forward onto the table, resting on the knuckles of his clenched fists. "None of you, barring Susan, can understand."

He slammed his knuckles down onto the table trying to feel something other than the pain coursing through his veins at the loss he was now feeling and had felt all of his life.

"He killed my parents! He tried to kill me! He had Sirius killed!" Harry punctuated each claim with another pounding of the kitchen table. "The most important people in my life are dying and you lot have the gall to try to stop me?"

Susan reached out her hand and laid it on his closed fist. Her voice was calm in an attempt to deflate his anger. "Harry, stop please. You're bleeding."

He looked down at the table and watched as the dark red of his life mixed with the deep orange of the spilled pumpkin juice. Only then did pain start to register along the broken ridges of his skin. He raised his hand and quietly observed several gashes now leaking blood down his forearm. Something seemed to click in his head and he hugged his hand close to his chest, above his heart.

"I'm going to clean up. I'd like you three to be gone before I come back."

Remus started to pull his wand out. "Harry, at least let me help with your hand."

Harry flinched back and strode away from Remus and out of the kitchen.

(OoO)

He stood in front of the second landing bathroom sink and let the cool water flow over the open wound across the knuckles of his right hand. The heat of the moment had passed and with every following minute an intense, throbbing pain surfaced as he watched his fingers swell.

"Are you okay?" Susan asked, as she stood by the doorway ready to leave Harry alone if it was his wish.

"I'm fine," he said right before he winced at the small move he made with his hand.

Susan stepped forward and looked at his injury. "No, you're not."

She pulled his hand out from under the water and took a better look at the split skin. "This doesn't look good, Harry. You're going to need a mending charm."

He winced again but did a better job of hiding the sting of his hand being moved around. "Don't happen to have one handy, do you?"

She crooked her eyebrow at him and then moved her free hand to her back pocket and made the motions of searching around. "Nope, fresh out. Maybe I left it in my shorts this morning."

"Figures," Harry played along. "Don't suppose you know any healing charms."

She shook her head. "Sorry," and then, "but a good soak in murlap essence might help with the blood and swelling."

Harry nodded and watched as Susan dipped a hand towel in the running water and gingerly wrapped his hand.

"Go on to your room and I'll bring it up in a mo'."

Hugging his hand to his chest he climbed another flight of stairs after he watched Susan make her way downstairs to the kitchen. He entered the bedroom and sat at corner by the door, which was furnished with two dark colored chintz chairs with a small stand in between for tea.

He busied his mind to keep his thoughts away from the throbbing pain. His plan for the night required a bit of climbing which required the full use of both hands and most assuredly the full use of his wand hand. The thought of not being able to fulfill his threat weighed heavily on his shoulders. If he couldn't go through with tonight's efforts then everything he had been preparing for will have been for naught.

"Here we are," said Susan as she entered the room balancing a bowl of warm water and carrying a small pouch of what Harry knew to be Murlap leaves.

She sat the bowl on the tea table and withdrew a few leaves from the pouch. She crumpled a few up and sprinkled them in the water.

"Let it steep for a moment before you put your hand in."

Harry nodded. "Done this a few times before … last year."

Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment. "Have a habit of slamming your fist against defenseless tables?"

A slight grin crossed his face before he answered. "Just a few detentions with a psychotic defense teacher with a penchant for torture devices."

Susan grimaced slightly and then reached for his hand. Lightly she unwound the hand towel and surveyed the self-inflicted damage and then set it gingerly into the dark tinted water.

Relief showed on Harry's face and Susan noted the tension in his shoulders lessen.

"Feel like talking about what happened downstairs?" she asked.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing much to say."

"Somehow I find that a bit difficult to believe, Harry."

He lightly sighed. "Nobody understands ... at least not until you."

He watched as Susan nodded.

"It seems as if Dumbledore and the Order live for nothing more than to keep me in the dark. It's me that's fated to face Voldemort. I mean wouldn't you think that they'd want me to be … I don't know, prepared?"

Susan nodded again and Harry continued.

"Instead I've been learning how to make pincushions into porcupines and wondering whether or not I've added too much dragon dung to my Verimot Vines." He paused for dramatic effect. "I'm sure all the Death Eaters will be trembling in their boots when they find that out.

"All of that time has been wasted, Susan. And the members of the Order have been there all along, supporting Dumbledore as if he could never make a mistake."

He saw the look of confusion on Susan's face and set to clarify what he said.

"He's just a wizard, Susan. Granted he's very powerful and very old. He's been around and knows a lot more than most people I know, but he's just a wizard. He makes mistakes."

She contemplated for a moment before replying. "He's not evil."

Harry shook his head. "No, I wouldn't believe that for a second. He truly believes that what he's doing is in everyone's best interest. He believes what he's doing is to protect me and make my life better, safer, more … erm, carefree, I guess.

"But what he's doing is wrong and it's gotten people I've cared for killed. "

Susan's eyes were downcast as she thought through what Harry had said.

"I'm helping tonight."

Harry grimaced but nodded shortly. "I won't stop you, but I will warn you. It's not going to be pleasant. I'm not going out there to arrest anyone. I'm going out there to dispense justice."

Stout resolution filled her voice in return. "Then we'll do it together."