AN: *Insert huffy disclaimer here*
AN2: Okay so… bits of this chapter are not nice. Be warned.
-:-
Chapter Sixteen: Response
Gunfire echoed around the manor grounds in repetitive sharp cracks of sound. The sun had barely risen and, as was the Regiment's want, they were already pounding holes in paper targets.
The elves had delighted in the extra work given to them and quite rapidly a stockpile of ammunition for all weapons had been amassed. Now they were beginning to work on a pair of additional structures to be added to the grounds: a barracks for the regimentals, and an arms warehouse.
There had been initial resistance to the idea of a barracks; they had perfectly good living quarters as it was. But when it had been explained that they would be going back to the accommodations similar to what they had been living in in Hogwarts they leapt at the idea, moreover Tyrant squad was very happy to be closer to the tank they had so eagerly adopted as they tended to be up before everyone else to service the metallic beast.
This early in the morning the firing practise wasn't squad based, but individual; each person focusing on their own accuracy and rhythm. The steady chatter of the minimi's rattled up and down the line, punctuated by the repetitive snap of the service rifles. Every now and then a deeper timbre of gunshot would echo out, signifying the retort of one of the sniper rifles.
Daphne Greengrass lay prone behind her weapon, it was almost longer than she was tall and if not for the cushioning charm in the stock she'd have fractured her shoulder with every shot from the weapon. But here she lay on a canvas roll, with Susan on her right, and Tracey just beyond her. Instead of an L118A1 Susan had a Minimi on its bipod in front of her, but she didn't have it shouldered. Instead she was staring down the lens of a long distance sighting scope.
With Harry's Angels being placed in a long distance support role Susan had cheerfully taken up the mantle of a spotter, sighting downrange to call targets for the other two girls. If anything got close enough to sniff at she'd tear them apart with her weapon, but primarily she was there to make sure Daphne and Tracey had targets.
Daphne was happy with this arrangement, she and Tracey were more than prepared to kill for Harry, even from behind the scope of a sniper's rifle, but Susan was a bit softer of heart. If Daphne could take that burden for her, while still giving her something useful to do, she was fine with that.
"Target, six hundred meters, moving right, five degrees elevation, fire when ready"
Daphne picked up the target quickly; Susan had a natural talent for this and gave clear information that made it easy for the other girls to follow. The target was something the Weasley twins and Harry had jury rigged for the snipers to practise on. There were about thirty of them in total that roamed the hills around the manor; each one was a Labrador sized automaton with a quaffle sized transfigured quartz geode in its core to power it. Sticking out from the top of each contraption for about half a meter was a square board painted black.
They weren't ideal targets as they spent their entire time moving, something a human would never do, but it was enough.
"On the way"
Tracey's statement from the other side of Daphne shocked her out of her funk, even if it hadn't the heavy retort of the rifle would have as Tracey fired a shot. Getting her head back in the game Daphne sighted back in quickly and pulled the trigger.
"On the way"
At this distance the bullets took almost a half a second to reach the target and it was just enough time for Daphne to pull the trigger before Tracey's round hit.
"Hit… Hit, good shooting girls."
Daphne smiled grimly from behind her weapon. It wasn't glamourous work, but they were good at it.
"Target, five fifty three meters, fifteen degrees negative, moving up the slope, wind gusting, hold. Hold. Fire when ready"
Daphne and Tracey fired simultaneously this time and she saw the target spider pitch forwards into the dirt from the impact.
"Two hits, both clean, nice. Right, two more, first right, six forty seven meters, flat, travelling right, second three seventy, twenty seven degrees elevation, travelling right also, fire when ready"
Daphne spotted the closer target and spoke clearly
"Targeting second, one the way"
Tracey's call from the other side of Susan was filled with no emotion so concentrated was her friend.
"First target swerving, I can't get an angle."
Daphne shuffled and brought her weapon in line, trying to sight onto the blighter, a call from further down the line made her smile.
"I've got it girls, one the way"
Neville's voice was sharp and strong, he'd really grown into himself lately and the sharp retort of his weapon punctuated his statement. Half a second later the automaton spun from the impact that went through the top of its target board and it hit the dirt.
"Nice shot love, you too Daph."
Susan and Neville, who hadn't seen that coming, the two were perfect for each other. Privately Daphne wondered if Neville and Susan were both equally glad that they were both away from the front line. Well, Susan would be but for the most part Neville was going to be up there with Harry and the rest of Purepower squad.
From Daphne's left came another calm voice, this one belonging to Hermione.
"On the way… two away."
Daphne watched in a bit of awe as the girl who'd dealt with firearms since she was ten worked like a machine at the bolt of her weapon firing two shots downrange in quick succession. Beside her Harry called another two targets and Hermione put another two shots downrange. While he wasn't a full time spotter like Susan, Harry and Hermione were a deadly and efficient team with their bond. Daphne knew he called the targets purely for the sake of other people on the range as Hermione pulled the trigger often before he even called them.
Susan's hand slapping her arse brought her back around.
"You finished ogling them yet? We've got four more mags to get through before breakfast."
Grinning Daphne sighted back into her rifle and settled back into the rhythm of it all.
She really wanted breakfast.
-:-
Pavarti leaned into the stock of her weapon and let loose another fusillade of shots downrange. The rumble of the Minimi's stock against her shoulder rattled her teeth slightly but she kept at it, firing until the drum was empty. She reloaded with sharp motions before leaning back into the weapon and emptying another drum.
She repeated the action twice more before letting the weapon rest on its bipod and rolling over to take a breather and shake the cramp out of her arms. Even with the cushioning charms it was hard work keeping the weapon on target while firing. Regardless the barrel was smoking from the discharge heat and she needed to let it cool. Using her abdominals to rise to a sitting position she looked down the line where Harry was calling targets for Hermione to blow holes in with her rifle.
Part of the reason Pavarti had just fired six hundred bullets downrange was those two up there. Despite the tight nit nature of the Regiment she still felt slightly isolated from them, even though they were her squad mates they were still bonded, and lived mostly inside their own heads. Decisions, arguments, discussions went on entirely in there that Pavarti had no knowledge of and that above all else made it hard to reaffirm that they needed her.
She constantly felt like a third wheel in the command squad; Harry was a decision maker, a leader, a charismatic individual who inspired not only with his raw presence, but also his incredible personality. Never mind the fact that he was a deadly fighter.
Hermione on the other hand was a genius in her own right. Frighteningly smart and self-confident in her own ability to deduce situations she was the ultimate partner for the boy-who-lived, moreover she was the ultimate partner for Harry Potter.
Who was Pavarti: A fifteenth generation magical child from India with a somewhat sharp mind and vastly smarter twin? What did they see in her? What did they need her for? Was she simply a companion, a friend? Was that enough?
Her internal struggle was interrupted by a commotion from the house; Dan was pelting down the avenue calling for Harry and Hermione. She heard her own name called and looked across at Harry who had called her and was immediately struck by an epiphany; it didn't matter what she brought to the command squad, both Harry and Hermione wanted her there, whatever it was that she brought. And that was enough.
Getting to her feet she dashed across the lawn and caught up with the two other teens halfway to Dan, they met a moment later.
"Urgent missive from Hogwarts, Umbridge is on her way bearing news, the fact that she's already left tells me she knows where this place is but she can't get through the wards. Whatever it is it's urgent and she'll be here momentarily."
Harry turned to her as Hermione dashed towards the house, her instructions from Harry clearly having been passed mentally.
"Have the Regiment ready for battle, we don't know what the situation is and if it's combat we need to be able to respond immediately. Go, now."
She didn't even stop to confirm she just turned and dashed for the firing lanes where people were already congregating. She skidded to a halt next to her weapon and got it ready for transport as she spoke.
"Umbridge is on the way with urgent news; we don't know what the situation is and we might need to transport directly to a combat zone. Get ready for battle!"
Elves popped in to transport the squads to their rooms quickly and Pavarti locked eyes with her twin before she was whisked away. This could be it.
-:-
Hermione didn't have the power to accept people into the Manor's wards, yet, but she was still the de-facto lady of the house and there were certain things that fell to her to organise when they were expecting a guest; in times of peace that would be a meal and a room, in times of war? She needed to disable the magical defences within the boundaries of the ward line.
Hundreds of rune clusters covered the entrance ways and the actual rooms themselves within the manor. They were an ancient defence designed to retaliate against invaders who managed to punch through the manor's outer defences, but when a guest was coming they had to be temporarily deactivated as they had separate inclusion protocols than the wards and Harry would have to take a sample of Umbridge's blood to make the rune clusters friendly to her presence.
She had other thoughts running through her mind though; this could be the first instance of combat the Regiment had been involved in since the Battle of the Bridge. The Regimentals had recovered physically from the battle, battle scars aside, but Hermione had no idea if the Regiment was mentally ready to go back into battle, against who knew what.
She reached the rune hub and quickly disabled the ancient defences before turning and heading to the master suite. While Harry was occupied with Umbridge Hermione would need to ready herself for whatever was about to happen and have Harry's gear ready for him to pick up and carry out. He already had his wand, rifle, pistol and armour, but his pack and other associated bits and pieces were back in their rooms. Dashing through the halls she passed her mother as she poked her head out of her and Dan's room and the look of pride and concern there made the teen's heart swell. But Hermione pushed the emotion to the side, Harry was counting on her.
-:-
Harry and Dan met Umbridge at the gates of the Manor; Harry had blinked them both the distance with a burst of power and they arrived mere seconds after the woman herself did. The mental shift in Harry's mind necessary to allow Umbridge within the wards of the Manor was not a moment too soon as she walked through the already open gates, a scroll in her hand. Wordlessly she gave it to Harry and he opened it to see a short missive.
'Red
Thirty wands, five trolls, Germany, departed fifteen minutes ago.
Black'
Harry absorbed the information quickly and looked up with a questioning expression on his face, he was not disappointed.
"Two weeks ago Valmortis and his entourage dissaparated from their path travelling south from Hogwarts, we assumed that they were travelling to Riddle manor to meet with Voldemort. We were wrong.
Three days ago an order of the Phoenix agent stuck in Germany because of the Blockade around Britain sent a message to the castle informing us that her intelligence ring had spotted Valmortis and his companions in Dusseldorf. She promptly set a watch on him and we received this missive by messenger tube fifteen minutes ago. Three minutes ago we received a patronus message from Amelia in the ministry telling us that Valmortis and a force of nearly ninety wizards and witches along with seven trolls was attacking Dorchester, she's mobilized fifteen Aurors but that's all they have available, more are being called in as we speak. We need the Regiment there, now."
Harry nodded; he and Hermione were merged nearly completely right now and her powerful brain was analysing the information for him so he could respond as quickly as possible.
"Right you are; I figured something like this might be happening so I gave the order for the Regiment to ready themselves, we'll be good to go in five minutes."
She shot him an appraising look.
"Nice outfit."
He just grinned.
-:-
The Regiment was streaming towards the manor's foyer point in their squad groupings. Harry already had a map of Dorchester and its surrounding environs spread out on a map table where the squad leaders gathered around.
"Right, the A35 Highway surrounds the southern side of Dorchester where the enemy apparated in. The Aurors have already taken positions in the outskirts of the town and we can only assume are engaged in battle with the enemy as we speak. There is real risk of the statute of secrecy being exposed here by either side so we aren't pulling our punches. Fire team one; Purepower, Tyrants, and Aegis you'll be port keying in first with the Command Squad and will take point, Angels, we don't know if you'll have clear line of sight to bring your weapons to bear but in the situation that we discover that you do you'll hold back and take up a support role.
In respect of that Fire team two will consist of the Angels, Medics and Busybodies, you'll go in second with Medics preparing a field rally point where we can back off to if needed, Busybodies will advance behind Fire team one and provide support as needed, Angels you'll either go with busybodies or find a sniper's point as the situation allows.
Fire team three; Think tank, squad twelve and the Vixens will head east and cross over the highway before doubling back to link up with the Aurors and bolster their position. Finally Fire team four; Bitesize, and squads eight and nine will head west and then north into the town before coming back around to flank the enemy and hopefully cut off their entrance into the more densely populated residential areas. Clear?
"Sir Yes Sir!"
"Fire team leaders: Fire team one; Grady, Fire team two; Robert, Fire team three; Angelina, and Fire team four; Fork. Fire team leaders grab a portkey and get on the crest on Dan's mark."
Harry touched a finger to the collective portkey held by Grady Pierce, a powerful seventh year Gryffindor from Tyrant squad, and took a deep breath just as Dan yelled 'Fire team one, activate!' and he was whipped into the swirling maelstrom by a hook behind his navel.
-:-
Hermione really, really hoped the ministry was covering their arses on the mundane government front. Cars on the highway were smoking ruins and screams of pain were still echoing from them. The trolls had clearly made their mark as they forged a path of destruction into the middle of the town.
Flashes of light were coming from the outskirts of the town, no, flashes of spellfire, and a fair number of them neon green. She pulled her L1A1 across her body and fell into a run behind Harry as he dashed ahead of the pack. He would always be first into these fights and she had every intention of being there right alongside him. Pavarti was slightly behind the two having taken a moment longer to bring her heavier weapon to bear after the portkey jump.
Behind the three of them Fire team one was making quick ground but was gradually falling behind as they needed to maintain cohesion. It was no real trouble as Harry would have them in cover before opening fire and revealing their position. They had taken the silencing charms off their weapons for this fight as they needed the sound of their weapons to distract the German mercenaries long enough to draw their fire off the beleaguered Aurors and give Fire team three enough time to circle around. Susan's voice came through the clasp at Hermione's lapel as they dashed across the road.
"We've found a spot we can use and have set up shop, eyes on targets, just give us the word."
Harry's affirmation was quick and sharp, an acknowledgement, nothing more, not yet.
They cleared the road swiftly and ducked into cover behind a wrecked lorry that had been tossed from the road and was partially in some poor mundane family's back garden. This was a nightmare, there were dead muggles everywhere, cars were wrecked, the highway was likely backed up for miles, houses were ruined and flames were flickering from a public building where fiendfyre was doing its level best to reduce the building to ruin.
If the statute of secrecy wasn't already blown wide open she had no idea how much longer it would last. Or how they could possibly keep this a secret any longer; Valmortis clearly didn't care about the statue, but she couldn't fathom why.
Harry's mental nudge made her focus on the task at hand as Fire team one slammed into the buildings to either side of the road and took up positions where they could wreak havoc through the windows.
"Fire team one, in position."
Hermione's eyes met Harry's and they shared a moment before looking at Pavarti who nodded, this was it. They dashed as a group from the lorry to a burnt out car and lined up shots on the embattled Germans.
"Angels, focus the trolls. Target ready?"
"Ready Sir"
"Fire when ready"
A pair of the trolls who were merrily battering away at the wards the Aurors had erected across the road to keep the enemy back staggered slightly before keeling over backwards. The Germans stopped firing at the wards for a moment before Hermione pulled the trigger and the sharp retort of her weapon coincided with the sound of three other rifles firing as one.
Hermione nearly recoiled from the devastation the bullet caused as it tore through the hooded fighter's shoulder. The man's arm went limp immediately and he screamed loudly in pain just as three of his comrades did the same.
They were slow to react as two more trolls fell down senseless with massive exit wounds in the front of their faces, and it cost them, badly. The second volley of rounds kicked out from the four squads and four more wizards fell to the weapons. Then Pavarti's Minimi opened fire along with Grady's, Seamus' and Cho's. Bullets tore through the front ranks of the German invaders and they crumpled like so much chaff.
Hermione fired again even as the wizards turned to face the new thread and threw up shields against the muggle weapons, a few held, most didn't. They wised up quickly and dashed for alleyways just as the alternate volley rippled from the ranks and the steady chatter of the machineguns tore through them.
No return fire came from the wizards as any who tried to line up a spell were quickly cut down. An immediate advantage of guns over spells became rapidly apparent: they barely had to move. While the attacking Germans would have to move through the motions of a spell or sorcel and expose themselves while doing so, the Regimentals could quite comfortably fire bullet after bullet with barely any movement of their bodies. Pavarti barely moved at all besides the vibrations coming from the Minimi as she poured lethal bursts into their ranks.
It was looking like they would rout and Harry barked an order to Busybody squad to put up anti apparition wards as quickly as possible. Then it became a moot point.
Fire team four swept in from the flank and cut a swath through the already pinned down Germans with quick accurate sorcery casts in the tight confines of the alleyways where the rifles were useless us close. A deadly crossfire was quickly established as Fire team three met up with the Aurors and pushed inwards.
Meanwhile Daphne and Tracey were reaping a steady toll on those who stuck their heads out even a millimetre too far from where they were hiding, the trolls were long dead. Before Hermione even got through her first Magazine the Germans were completely obliterated, with only five taken prisoner for interrogation, Valmortis was nowhere to be found.
Beside Hermione Harry spat on the road and she looked at him questioningly before the answer flooded her mind. This was a bait, a way of Valmortis to examine their response times and fighting capabilities. There was no way this was a serious attack. It was an out of the way town with no strategic value. A lot of mundanes had been killed, the statue of secrecy was potentially blown wide open and now Valmortis probably had solid Intel on them. They might have won the battle against the German mercenaries and their trolls, but this was no victory.
-:-
Daphne was sitting in her room looking at her hands as if they had betrayed her. She was trembling.
The Battle of the Bridge had been easy in a way. It was simple for her to dehumanise the undead, they were machines, nothing more than Harry's automata, and less cute, but today…
She had killed people today. Earlier that morning she had been so sure of herself in her ability to take a life for Harry. Today she had taken many, ten to be exact, seven humans, and three trolls. She hadn't minded much about the trolls, they were trolls after all, barely better than animals.
But she had killed people, seven of them, seven lives, on her hands. Seven souls consigned to the void, at least for the time being. Seven new nightmares to haunt her.
It was too many, one life was too many, and she had taken seven, for Harry potter.
She was under no illusions exactly why she was in the Regiment. She loved that boy, that man, perhaps not in the same depth that Hermione did, or Emma Granger, but she loved him. It had started as a crush, harmless and benign, and then as she had spent more time near him, being taught by him, laughing with him with the rest of the Regiment. She had grown to love him; it was selfless, and utterly unassuming. Because she knew he would never touch her in lust or adoration.
He might kiss her, on the cheek, or hug her, chastely, but he would never return the love she had for him, and she didn't care, because he was worth her love, even if it was unreturned. But could she kill for him, again?
That was what he would ask of her, if she stayed a member of the Regiment, she would be asked to kill for him, again, and again, until there was nothing standing in the way of peace.
The trembling of her hands stopped.
When she put it like that it was very simple. Yes, she would kill for him again, and again, and again if she had to: Partly for love, but mostly because it was the right thing to do. These people would happily slaughter their way through towns of people if given the chance. Who was she to simply give up and let them? Who was she to claim that she wasn't cut out for this? She would be good enough, she would do this: For him, for the people, the innocent people, who had died today, and who would continue to be killed until she did something about them.
She looked at her rifle where it was hanging on its brackets above her be and, taking it reverently down from the wall, she laid it across her lap before drawing her wand. Steadily, and with great care, she etched seven tiny lines on the upper ridge of the stock, and then three small circles beneath them: Seven humans, three creatures. She would remember the people she had killed; honour their souls that she had banished from their bodies. But she would not mourn them, she would not regret, she would be thankful that she had been given the chance to make a difference.
She wouldn't be alone.
-:-
Harry washed his hands in the sink of the en-suite he and Hermione shared before leaning against the basin. It had been a massacre today, ninety odd dead Germans from four different cities, and seven cage bred trolls. Slaughtered within one magazine of ammunition, not a single bullet fired from a service rifle that day had missed its mark, and most of them had been deadly. The Minimi's had spat death rapidly, but even they hadn't managed to chew through an entire drum of ammunition before it was all over.
It scared him, how proficient they were. They were children, teenagers, students, and now they were also killers. Only Medic squad, Busybody squad and Susan hadn't taken a life today, and now there were thirty odd teenagers who looked to him for leadership, who were now killers.
And they had become killers, because he had told them to.
His knees nearly buckled as the guilt washed over him. The metaphorical blood of ninety people, and the innocence of a third that number again, was on his hands and shoulders, and the weight was nearly too much to bear.
Hermione was there, instantly, supporting him with an arm around his waist as she helped him back to their room and laid him on the bed where he lay there, panting, nearly insensate with grief, guilt and anguish.
He felt her hand on his brow; cool and soothing, and his breathing slowed slightly at her touch. Her words calmed him even further.
"They chose put their faith in you, their trust in you, because you are worthy of it my love. You led them into battle today, to save the lives of the mundanes who would have otherwise been slaughtered. Admittedly the Auror reinforcements from the ministry would have probably mopped them up, but how many more would have died before that? Would the fifteen brave Aurors who went there ahead to defend the town have died before reinforcements arrived?
Don't beat yourself up over this love, this was the right thing to do for a myriad of reasons, not least of which the fact that because of the actions of the Regiment we also managed to stop the Statute of secrecy from being completely annihilated. Using mundane weapons in the battle let the obliviators and spin doctors the ministry have turn this into a counter terrorist action: One that was clearly very successful, despite the loss of life suffered by the mundane population."
He looked up at Hermione then with a frown
"That could have been mum and dad Hermione, it was, someone's mum and dad today, dozens of them in fact, you know the numbers as well as I do, fifty dead mundanes, forty families ruined by the attack whether it be mortality or property. That's on us love; Valmortis used this as a means to draw us out."
She squeezed his arm comfortingly
"He would have attacked somewhere else, for some other reason. He's fond of making it look like you're to blame but in reality he just likes chaos, he deliberately picks populated areas and unleashes hell upon them at his whim, his actions are his own, just as your actions are your own. And your actions saved dozens perhaps hundreds of lives.
I will morn those mundanes who died today, and I will mourn with you the passing of innocence of many of the Regiment. But I will not mourn the deaths of the German mercenaries who came onto British soil with the intent to kill and maim as many people as they could."
He focused on her and pulled her down into a tight embrace, seeking comfort from her warmth.
"Thank you"
"I'm here for you my love. Always"
"I love you"
"I love you too"
-:-
It was several minutes before Harry felt composed enough to go, but eventually he was. They left the room and met up with Pavarti before heading to the foyer where the map table was still set up and it appeared an impromptu command post had been arranged for Umbridge and Dan to look over the situation, Umbridge had another scroll in her hand, the first was open on the table.
They both looked up and smiled grimly as they saw the teens approaching, Dan swept Hermione into a hug as Umbridge came forwards and shook Harry's hand, then Pavarti's.
"Good work you three, the Regiment's combat effectiveness has been proved once again, you're a credit to your peers. I'll be going around the Regiment tonight asking if anyone needs to talk about what happened. I've got grounding in PTSD treatment from… well from before. I'll be able to help anyone who's in over their heads."
Harry nodded his thanks before stepping up to the map table
"Where do we stand? Has anyone interrogated the prisoners?"
Umbridge nodded
"They're just mercs, no decent information as far as I can tell. I drained them before letting them go."
Harry and Hermione were probably the only ones that knew exactly what that meant for the poor souls
"As for our standing; the fact that no one escaped lessens the chance that Valmortis or Voldemort got much decent Intel from the battle and we've incinerated the bodies so he won't be able to pick through the wreckage for information. There's still a chance he was on sight, hidden and observing. If that's the case he knows what happened anyway. There's little we can do about it either way, with Riddle Manor under every protection known to man we can't strike at Voldemort where he is, so we have to keep reacting to what they do next."
Harry glanced at the scroll still clutched in the ancient woman's hand.
"News?"
She nodded before brandishing the scroll
"This came in just two minutes ago, Valmortis has been spotted in Germany again, and he's heading east, probably towards Russia. We can expect more mercenaries before long. My best guess is that he'll send them in more attacks like this, ratcheting up the tension in Britain until he can get a larger force organised or inflame the overseas powers into doing something more drastic. From what we know of the man he'll have absolutely no compunctions about sending them on suicide missions to wear at our nerves and inflict some casualties. There's every chance he'll try to instigate war between magical Britain and one of her continental enemies to weaken us."
Harry rubbed at his face with annoyance.
"What are our options?"
She shrugged
"Not many to be honest, keep alert, be ready to respond at all hours. In respect to that I have to say your response to this morning's attack was top notch. And the efficacy of those muggle weapons of yours is quite clear. I'd like you to three to produce written reports of the battle along with the Fire team leaders, clear?"
They all nodded and spoke in unison
"Yes ma'am"
Dan spoke up for the first time since they had arrived.
"You all reacted professionally to this attack, and I'm proud of you. Furthermore you're training like professionals, and I'm proud of you for that too. But you are still all children, and you need to set aside some time each week to relax and enjoy life. You have Sundays off at the moment yes? Make that day a social day, have a dance in the ballroom or something, give them time to let off steam."
Harry smiled to himself; yes letting off some steam might be a good idea.
"I'll look into it, or let Pavarti look into it at any rate"
He grinned at her and saw that the Indian heritage girl was already spooling up ideas.
"Right, dismissed, Hermione, Harry, Emma wants to speak with you both in our room."
-:-
The two of them made fair time to the room their parents were staying in while Dan stayed behind to pour over the map some more. When they opened the door they were immediately engulfed in a tight, three-way hug.
"I was so worried today, I know it's not just hormones but they aren't helping, I was crying, and sobbing and…"
Harry gently cut Emma off before she could go into a full blown panic ramble.
"Mum, we're fine, both of us completely fine. The enemy didn't even get a chance to fire back. We've trained for this mum."
To his dismay that didn't help at all
"But you shouldn't have to train for this Harry, neither of you should, you're too young, I don't want to lose either of you two, I love you so much."
Harry just clung tighter to his adopted mum and felt Hermione doing much the same beside him. Abruptly Emma ran out of steam and sagged in their arms sobbing quietly as they helped her to sit in an already well used armchair. Hermione took a turn at trying to calm her down.
"You aren't going to lose us mum, and if not us, who will? The magical population of Britain has their heads in the sand, those who're left at any rate. Hundreds of them have already been killed, we're the last ones left, barring the Aurors, who can bring the fight to them. And we have to mum, otherwise there won't be a world for us to grow up in, get married in, and give you grandbabies in."
The mention of grandbabies only made Emma's sobs ratchet up in intensity and Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry over her head. It would be quite a while until the distraught and pregnant mother calmed down.
-:-
A de-facto day of rest came into being after the attack while the Regiment recovered from their first engagement against live targets. The day wore on and night fell across the manor as the Regimental squads retired to the barracks to relax and commune with one another. Dinner was held informally in the mess hall with the Command squad happily interacting with the main body of the Regiment.
After dinner an elf called Harry and Hermione away to meet with Specialist Umbridge as she had insisted on being called now that she was away from the castle.
Upon entering the room she had claimed for her time in the castle they were waved into a pair of seats as she placed the finishing touches on a ritual circle. Curious they waited and watched as she worked with chalk and candle wax to draw elaborate designs. After a moment she began to talk as she worked.
"This ritual circle is one that I have perfected after many years of experimentation, it is a magical focus, much like a wand or a staff, but instead of discharging magic it contains it. The ritual we will be performing will allow this circle to trap my magic after my death and then allow it to be claimed by another. Normally the claiming could be done by anyone who walked into the circle, but we will blood bond the ritual to you two so that only you may take advantage of it, questions?"
They sat in silence for a moment, thinking, before Hermione asked abruptly
"What does the ritual entail?"
"A few lines of ancient magic from a time before wands were common place, a vial of blood from each of you, and a brief cessation of all magic within the circle."
Harry asked the next question
"Back at Hogwarts you mentioned a pocket that has been absorbing your power, if that exists why do we need this circle?"
Victoria gestured briefly with her hands as she spoke
"All of this, all being, is concentrated magic, if my magic were to simply go back into this, it would be reconstituted elsewhere as matter, and it would be lost. Thusly the 'pocket' that contains my magic exists within the vacuum of space, far above the planet itself. This circle, bound to the three of us, will draw my spent magic from that pocket in space back to this world and contain it within."
Harry felt an idea spark in Hermione's mind but it was swept away before her over excited mind.
"How will we reclaim the magic once you have passed on?"
"Simply walk into this circle, the ritual magic will recognise you and impart the magic to you. I suspect it would require only one of you as your bond will allow you to share the power, but remember that if your bond is for any reason damaged or interrupted only the person who walked into the circle will have access to it. In that respect I suggest both of you enter the circle simultaneously, to share the load."
The three of them were silent then, no one really knowing how to continue the conversation, eventually Harry politely nodded to the ancient woman, handed Hermione from her seat, and the two of them left Umbridge's room. The fact that she did not call them back was evidence enough that the meeting was over; uncomfortable silence was one of the strangest dismissals Harry had ever received; one of the strangest dismissals mind not, the most.
It was a several hours before either of them could sleep that night, even after they sought solace from the day's events in one another's arms and minds.
-:-
Tomorrow morning dawned clear, but reddish, a clear omen of the bloodshed of days to come. There was a deeper focus to everyone's training now, a pall of seriousness had settled over the regiment as it sunk in that this was real. People were dead at their hands and they would have to kill again before this was over. Valmortis' cannon fodder wouldn't abate any time soon if the intelligence they had was reliable and before long they would be sent to battle again.
What gave them the capacity to strive for greater proficiency, rather than sink into despair, was the familial nature of the Regiment. They were loyal to one another first and foremost; the Regiment was their family, almost literally for some whose parents or guardians had been killed. Tyrant squad was a good example of this; all three of the boys were now orphans due to the attacks that had occurred last year, some going back as far as the world cup.
Angelina's mother was missing, presumed dead, or worse; Tracey's father, a first generation wizard, had been slaughtered in his workplace by a death eater remnant. And of course Neville's parents had been taken from him long ago.
But the Regiment had closed ranks around them, keeping them surrounded with friends and essentially family who were happy to keep them as happy and loved as possible. Never mind the romantic relationships that had sprung up.
Harry was constantly (although less potently of late) shocked by how much they turned to him for not only guidance, but also hope and brotherly love. At some time or other Harry had spent time alone with everyone in the Regiment, getting to know them, becoming closer to his 'troops' as a whole. It had been a shock to him to hear Daphne, Susan and Tracey personally tell him they loved him, not just as sisters or friends, but as people who cared for him deeply enough to have quietly wept when it was clear he would never be parted from Hermione.
It was a shock to him when Lee Jordan had thanked him for saving his little sister with his actions at the battle of Hogwarts. Luna's declaration of loyalty, Ernie's steadfast claim of determination, Lucy's shy thanks and many other personal commitments to the cause had all shaken Harry to the core and reaffirmed his belief and trust in the people he trained and surrounded himself with.
They trusted him, they fought for him, and they were prepared, at least in theory, to die for him. He truly dreaded the day when, if, the first Regimental died. It would be the biggest test of loyalty for the rest of them, Harry hoped it never came to pass, but if it did he hoped, even prayed, that they would stay with him. While he was sure that he and Hermione could wage this war mostly on their own, it would kill them to do it, and many, many innocents would die before Harry could respond to every threat.
He needed them just as much as they seemed to need him.
-:-
When free time came around that evening Harry headed to the barracks while Hermione spent some time with their mum. He needed to check on the Regiment personally and make sure everyone was doing well, was coping with what had transpired the previous day.
Pavarti was with him but split off once they reached the barracks to go spend time with her twin while he headed towards the other end of the barracks where 'Think tank squad' was bunked. After knocking on the door to their commons and receiving an entreaty to enter he stepped inside the room only to nearly be knocked flat by Luna's enthusiastic hug. Chuckling he set her down after hugging her back for a moment before looking around.
Ernie MacMillan and Richard Thornton were sitting at the table around a game of cards that Luna had clearly just left. Both were smiling though Harry noted that both smiles were slightly taut. Before he could even open his mouth Luna spoke.
"You're here to check on us."
The quiet but firm statement didn't even begin to catch Harry by surprise, by now he was very used to Luna's direct mode of address. He merely nodded and joined the table, a couple of Knuts from his pocket thudding down as buy in, as Ernie dealt him a hand from the deck. Harry grimaced internally, it was a terrible hand.
"I am; how've you three been holding up?"
Ernie shrugged; Richard merely tilted his head before slipping a card facedown onto the table. Once again, Luna spoke, though while her quiet tone persisted; it was now slightly tenser.
"We're coping. Dick hasn't said a word since yesterday, Ernie's been quiet, but at least he talks sometimes. It's been hard Harry."
Harry turned to Richard who was clearly taking this hardest and locked the slightly older boy with a concerned look.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
The boy looked him in the eye and shook his head before reaching across the table to grip his free hand in a distinctly tight grip. The meaning was clear; Richard did it for Harry, he'd do it again, but it would take time for him to get back to normal. As he took his hand away Harry noted that it shook slightly before clenching back into the fist it had been sitting in.
Ernie spoke for the first time since Harry entered the room.
"Yesterday was easy, it hadn't sunk in really, today's been harder, tomorrow will be worse. Next week? Maybe it'll be easier. Know this though; we're there if you need us. I can't speak for Dick, but I'm not rattled over the people we killed, I'm rattled over the people we couldn't save, we need to be faster Harry. Maybe some response time drills to get us shipshape?"
The raven haired teen nodded before slipping his worst card onto the table face down, hoping to bluff his way through the rest of the game.
"We can probably arrange something, although I suspect we'll be getting plenty of practises for real as Valmortis' plans kick up a notch."
Ernie shrugged before placing a card of his own on the table face up, a three of clubs. Luna chortled softly before placing her own card down; her next words were in that same soft tone tinged with tenseness.
"I hope daddy's safe."
Harry nodded slowly as he slid another two Knuts into the centre of the table with everyone else to keep playing.
"The Quibbler keeps printing so I can only assume that he is. No one else but your father could maintain that level of…"
"Strange"
"Yes, that."
Richard, or Dick, as he clearly preferred to be called, slid another card onto the table face down and placed a Knut on top of it, confident? Or bluffing? Harry met the raise as he slid a slightly less terrible card, a six of hearts, onto the table face up, Ernie and Luna quickly joined them with face down cards and another round of Knuts went into the middle for the next round of play before anyone spoke again.
"We passed through one of the alleys a troll had been down yesterday; there was a mundane lady there, still alive, dying from a wound in her abdomen."
Something about Ernie's words struck something within Harry, a chord of uncertainty he wasn't familiar with.
"I did what I could to stabilize her, but we couldn't delay, the Aurors needed our help. I had to leave her there to die."
Harry bit his tongue to stop from speaking. Ernie clearly needed to say this. So instead he played a card after Richard and simply let the boy speak.
"I saw her last night in my sleep, pleading with me to help her. I never did find out if she lived or not."
Harry acted then, reaching across the table even as Luna settled a hand on Ernie's knee, was there something more there? He didn't know. His hand gripped Ernie's upper arm firmly.
"I'll do my best to find out for you. The mediwizards from the Auror medical rapid response team have pretty detailed records."
The older boy locked eyes with Harry for a moment and a single tear rolled down his cheek as he responded in a choked voice.
"Thank you sir"
Harry merely nodded before folding; it wasn't worth paying in for another round up against what Richard had. He had turned his two most recent cards face up on his turn to reveal the beginnings of a Merlin's staff; just the pair of aces was enough to destroy Harry's hand.
"I need to go meet with the rest of the Squads, but I'll be back again before long to have another game alright?"
Luna nodded and spoke softly, but more happily this time.
"Bring Hermione with you; we'd all like to see you get thrashed at something for once."
Her cheeky wink let him know, even as he left them to their game, that while things were hard, they'd make it through.
-:-
The rest of the squads were in a similar place. The Vixens were better than most but they had truly irrepressible spirits and spent the entire duration of his visit teasing and flirting with him fit to make him uncomfortable enough to leave them in peace just to escape their wiles. Purepower were surprisingly upbeat despite the typically morose nature of both Neville and Thomas Wood; Harry suspected Seamus had cracked open some of his stash. He left them be with a warning to be ready if they were needed, but an order to have a bit of fun.
Medic Squad was mostly cheerful, they hadn't been exposed to any of the actual fighting yesterday, although they had been on hand to try and help the wounded mundanes after the event. Harry made sure they weren't dwelling on those they couldn't save before he headed on towards the next room. Tyrant Squad was somewhat grim, not exactly depressed or withdrawn, but they had been in the very front of it yesterday and had witnessed first-hand the power of the Regiment against an unprepared enemy. There was little Harry could do for the older boys and he moved on with a determination to do better by them.
Squads eight and twelve were holding up well, they were both comprised of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and between the logic and care they kept each other sane. Similarly Squad nine was doing well and Pavarti assured him he would be the first to know if that changed. Typically the busybodies were upbeat and cheerful and while Harry noted an undercurrent of steel in their candour and cheer he let it slide; between Fred George and Lee the three of them were some of the closest friends Harry had ever witnessed, they wouldn't let each other backslide.
Bitesize squad was always a bit odd, even their nicknames; Knife, Fork and Spoon, were a bit out there. But despite that they were fiercely loyal to the cause and all three of them were raring to go. They had a similar mind-set to Harry in that the mercs yesterday were nothing more than dogs to be put down, and those they couldn't save were outweighed massively by those they could. Aegis squad were simply happy that they had been able to keep the front liners safe, even if that meant killing the Germans before they could fight back.
Finally Harry knocked on the door of the squad that always made him most nervous to talk to alone. These girls had all confessed openly to loving him and it always seemed like tempting fate to meet with them behind closed doors while Hermione was nowhere near.
After a moment he entered after a call to do so to find the room to their shared bedroom open and the three girls sitting on their beds cleaning their weapons. Honestly it shocked him a bit, of all the squads he least expected this one to be so… religious, in maintaining their equipment. He had half expected them to greet him half naked by way of a tease, but he privately suspected they respected Hermione far too much for that. He supposed they respected him too much for that too.
He took a seat on Susan's bed as hers was closest and he could easily keep an eye on all three girls. Quietly he asked;
"How are you three holding up after yesterday?"
Susan's hand came down on his comfortingly and she spoke with great warmth
"We're okay Harry, it was touch and go for a while, but we're okay."
Tracey nodded from her other side with conviction and Daphne spoke up from the far end of the room.
"I figured out yesterday, and so did these two, that we're here for you Harry. More than anything else we're here, fighting and training, for you. Because we respect you, and want to support you in any way we can. Yes we're trying to save lives and stop Valmortis and Voldemort, but we're doing it because you asked us to. I think all three of us left to our own devices would probably rather be home and safe with our families, or what's left of them."
Harry stood and Daphne dashed into his arms for a hug which he happily gave the normally composed girl. He was always touched by the level of devotion these girls had for him, especially when he could only ever respond platonically.
"I'm sorry I can't return your love girls, not how you want me to. But I am very glad you're here with the rest of us. Every little bit of help I can get is both needed and appreciated."
Daphne kissed his cheek softly before pulling away and making room for Susan to take her place. Tracey followed moments later and pecked his cheek in… in whatever that was, just like the other two.
"Shall I leave you girls be to finish what you were doing?"
They shook their heads as one and Tracey spoke for all three.
"Could you stay awhile? We'll be good, but some time with you would help."
So he stayed, they talked, they laughed, Hermione checked in on him over their bond and near ordered him to be the best friend, platonic friend that he could to them. When he left an hour later he was sure that he hadn't done anything to dissolve their affection for him, even though he had been nothing but friendly, brotherly even, he was certain they still cared for him deeply. Maybe one day he could nudge them into just being friends with him, but he doubted it somehow.
-:-
Returning to Hermione's arms felt like a haven and she chuckled at the thoughts running through his head.
"Don't worry Harry, they'll never act on their feelings for you, they respect us both too much for that. But there's nothing wrong with having friends who love you that deeply, especially when I'm good friends with them too. I'll have to go out there sometime soon and spend a few hours just having some fun with some girlfriends."
Harry nodded into her hair, suddenly feeling sleepy from the emotional last couple of days. He felt his lover cradle him against her chest and run her hand through his hair comfortingly as they reclined on their double bed.
"Sleep my love. I'll be here when you wake."
So he slept.
-:-
Hermione loved watching Harry sleep. After communing with him in their minds and doing… more pleasurable things, with him while he was awake it was probably her most beloved activity. His entire body lost its usual tense rigidity and he truly relaxed. When they had first begun sleeping together Harry had noted how much better his sleep became, and how much better it was waking up afterwards.
As their relationship had evolved Hermione had noticed that Harry became tenser and tenser during the day; between the Regiment, training, threats to their life, and initially the tournament and Fleur's issues. Harry had oft become a tense ball of emotion that only really relaxed fully while he was in her arms; either asleep or in the throes of orgasm.
Fleur Delacour, just thinking that name brought up such mixed emotions for Hermione. One the one hand the girl had been their closest friend, confidant, and very nearly Harry's lover. But at the same time she was also the one who had raped her man, broken him for so long, and betrayed their trust.
Finally she was a tortured soul, trapped in an existence of unrelenting suffering. She had read reports of mental scans taken of dormant Nosferatu. Their minds were constantly barraged by hunger and pain, especially if their souls rebelled against their current state which was almost always.
Out of respect for their fallen friend Hermione had been researching, with Specialist Umbridge's help, means to banish the commanding presence within a Nosferatu, in this case the portion of Voldemort's magic. It had been done several times over the centuries with differing methods and results. Umbridge herself in her life as Morgana Le Fey had personally banished the evil within the body of a Nosferatu who went on to be known as Vorregut the wise: A wizarding scholar who wrote many of the treatises on undead that were used up until about two hundred years ago when they were burned as heretical teachings.
While Vorregut was still a Nosferatu his intellect was able to allow him to resist the urge to feed on the souls of others and he remained at the same level of power for about four hundred years until he was murdered by a Catholic priest who saw him as an abomination. She winced at the slight reference to how Dark Age Christianity was so responsible for the loss of so much wizarding literature, especially in Italy, England and Germany.
Hermione had begged Umbridge to teach her the cleansing ritual so that she could hope to one day save Fleur's soul from its current torture. While the memories of Fleur Delacour wouldn't return, the Nosferatu she had become would have the same soul as their friend, and might perhaps become a friend, and ally, again.
It was a slim hope, as the same ritual had failed spectacularly in the past. There was also every chance that the Nosferatu would have the negative aspects of Fleur's personality and would end up having to be put down regardless.
Hermione was remembered of the moments after Fleur had raped Harry in the dungeons of Riddle manor. She had those memories from Harry now and she had gone over them countless times trying to understand the girl's strange behaviour. Hermione was aware of how much the French girl had respected and loved Harry, and respected and cared for her, Hermione. What baffled the young brunette was how out of character she seemed during the whole event, especially after when she had practically snuggled with the boy she had just raped.
It was a hint of something sinister at work with the poor girl going beyond even what Valmortis had done to her, privately Hermione suspected Olympe Maxime had cursed the girl but she had no way of proving anything more than the barest of hunches.
She looked back down at her man and wondered whether he would want his blonde friend back if he could have her; would the betrayal forever sully that relationship? Would his rape at her hands forever poison that well? Or was there a chance for the French Veela to still hold a place in Harry's heart? Even without the memories of their friendship, of her betrayal. Because Hermione would have to make that judgement call one day, to free the Nosferatu that caged Fleur Delacour's soul, or to consign it to the void.
Her mind was broken out of its introspection by her father hollering from outside the door.
"We've had word of another impending attack guys! We need you in the foyer ASAP; Pavarti's mobilising the Regiment as we speak."
Hermione growled under her breath before rousing Harry from his slumber, no rest for the worthy, they had a war to fight.
-:-
AN3: I wanted to explore a few of the other characters in a bit more detail in this chapter as I moved the plot along; especially with the end of this book looming and changes on the horizon. I think I already know what most of you want to result from the musings at the end of this chapter, but I still don't know if I want them to come to pass.
AN4: I just want to say a quick couple of words about ptsd and battle trauma. It's covered briefly in the canon with Harry's survivor's guilt that crops up every now and then but it's never really examined in depth. I probably won't be going into a huge amount of depth myself in this story but I did want to give you guys a glimpse into some of the different reactions, and I'll do a bit more as time goes on. As someone who has intimate familiarity with several mental disorders (From dealing with others who suffer from them, not I personally) I can attest that while many reactions to the state exist, there are no truly 'healthy' ones. Not immediately anyway. Daphne probably comes closest in this chapter, but there's still a lot of unresolved emotion there. Regardless it's something that I wanted to mention… and will probably do so again when my thoughts are in greater order.
AN5: Review Responses:
Muggledad: As someone who has read every one of your none-crossover stories compulsively I can't help but be flattered by the attention, however brief, you've given this story. Thanks for your time!
JKarr: We'll just have to wait and see won't we?
Anotherboarduser: The errors are always there, I'm not perfect lol, but thanks for your review
Guest: Thank you!
God of all: Here's another chapter for you sir.
Guest2: Thank you! Here it is.
Vegasman: Now what gives you that idea *shifty eyes*
Beyondthesea: Asskicking has arrived, and yeah, wouldn't it be great if the Veela were reasonable and something like that would appease them? Trust me when I say that they've committed to this course of action now and pulling back would be political suicide for them. I mean yes, I could retcon it, but I feel like that's cheating.
Shadowdragon: A couple of reviewers have already figured out who the girl is, it's not a huge secret. There'll be more related to that particular arc next chapter.
Joda-Eragonsson: Great to hear you're still enjoying what I've put forth. Thanks for your review.
Bearmauls: While an airstrike could certainly have sorted the undead army out with little trouble, actually organising it would have been another matter entirely. Between the bureaucracy involved in carrying out an armed strike on friendly soil to communication issues between magical and mundane Britain, not to mention statute of secrecy concerns it would have been too much hassle. Plus the magicals are arrogant, they didn't even consider muggle help because they believed they had things well in hand, and with few casualties you can't help but agree that they kind of did. Why didn't Harry or Hermione think of it? Because they aren't perfect, they were tense, harassed, and stressed. Why didn't they use brooms to harass the incoming forces? Because the amount of damage they could do would be negligible compared to the risk taken by each of the attackers. A single death would have been too much waste for such meagre gains.
Regardless thanks for your review!
This chapter's long enough it is without me rambling on even more so I'm going to end this here. Tune in next time for Chapter Seventeen: Broken; whereupon Voldemort's new minion is 'trained' an old enemy comes out of the woodwork and fatigue begins to set in for the regiment. As always thanks for Reading and other Shenanigans. See you next time!
LGreymark