Disclaimer: Don't own it. ANY of it, except for the plot, and even that is arguable.
Thanks To: Quilliansearinox, and LostGryffindorFoundSlytherin for the reviews.
.: This is thought speech :.
Chapter 5 - Mission 1
"I can't believe I agreed to this so readily," Marco complained. "I must have gone insane."
"Marco, you were never sane, so shut it," Rachel said. "When is that Snape guy coming?"
"Soon," replied Jake. "He said there should be a meeting tonight. He doesn't know if he will get called."
"You know, I don't trust him. He acts too weird. And he's a spy. And, it's like he tricked you into this. How do we know that he isn't trying to get us to what's his name for that dude to kill us?" Marco spoke up.
"I trust him. At least, I don't think he works for Voldemort," Cassie said.
"Let's get this straight, though. While you and Mr. Insane over here goes to convince this dark lord not to work with the Yeerks, the rest of us are just spying and trying to figure out what's going on?"
"Basically. Don't do anything but spy."
"Well, that's boring," Rachel said, right before Snape walked in. Behind him followed Dumbledore. Snape, as usual, had a scowl on his face.
"I would like to talk to you children about this 'mission' you feel you need to go on," Dumbledore said, and Rachel narrowed her eyes.
"We've done more dangerous work," she said, irritated. Who was this old dude to tell them what to do? They've been doing this for awhile now!
"And it needs to be done," Jake said calmly.
"Yes, but perhaps in a different way. You five – six are just children. I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do this."
"Not allow us to do this?" Rachel nearly yelled. "We've been doing this!"
"That is my final word. I realize that you six are the only ones to who are currently fighting against the Yeerks, but that can be changed. I know of muggles in the states who would be able to help."
"That would be no good," Jake said, still seemingly calm. "You do not know if they are Yeerks, and if they are, you'd be put in even more danger."
"Then we will work on a way to find who is a controller, as you call them, and who is not. Now, I must be on my way. Severus, you will not allow them to go with you." Snape scowled, but nodded, then Dumbledore left the room. Snape, with his billowing robes, followed.
.:Now what do you do, Prince Jake? The wizard will not allow–:. Ax started.
"They might not allow us to go, but we've done plenty of things we are not allowed to do." Jake got up and closed the door. "I have an idea. We'll have to time it just right, though. Marco and I will morph fleas, then we'll board Tobias. Tobias will land on Snape, or hover above him, and we'll jump onto Snape. Hopefully, he'll be called within the next hour and a half."
.:And if he isn't:. Tobias asked.
"Then we'll jump off, demorph, then do it again. We'll just have to hope he isn't called when we aren't on him."
.:If he isn't, we'll have to work on a second plan.:. Ax said.
"Right," Rachel said. "You know, if Dumbledore won't let you go on this mission, how do you know he'll let us out for our spy mission?"
"We don't. But if he doesn't, we need to find somewhere else to stay. We are here only to take care of the Yeerks, then we'll go back home. We don't need to stay here. Other places will be less comfortable, but more convenient. So, it's agreed?"
"Yeah," said Marco, reluctantly. "But he'll suspect something, won't he?"
.:I fly around the house quite a bit. It will be nothing different.:.
"We'll just have to make sure we time it right. Tobias, make sure you tell us when to jump," Jake said, starting his morph. Marco shortly followed.
.:Of course. I hate watching us go bug. It's so disgusting.:.
.:Then don't watch:. stated Ax.
Ten minutes later, Jake and Marco were on Tobias, who was flying around the house, looking for Snape. He eventually found him in the kitchen. The man watched Tobias fly around, but Tobias pretended to pay no attention to the man. Instead, he estimated where he should be when the fleas would jump. Suddenly, he started counting down.
.:Okay, three, two, one, jump:. Jake and Marco jumped. If they weren't used to blindly jumping off animals as fleas, they probably would have been scared, but they've done it enough to know they wouldn't get hurt. Jake landed before Marco.
.:I'm on him:. Jake yelled, sensing the warm blood below him.
.:I don't think I made it:. Marco stated. .:I don't sense blood.:.
.:None at all:. Jake wondered.
.:I think you're on the shoe, Marco:. Tobias said. .:I have to leave the room, before Snape gets suspicious. Good luck.:.
.:Thanks:. Jake and Marco said together. Marco, catching a whiff of something warm, crawled toward it. After what seemed like forever, he reached the man's flesh.
.:I'm on. He . . .:. Snape started moving, which interrupted Marco.
Severus shook his head. The kids were good, he had to admit. In fact, he would not have even noticed if he hadn't felt the flea crawling on his leg. He resisted the temptation to kill it, knowing it was probably one of the kids. Suddenly, his arm burned. Grabbing his left forearm, he apparated.
.:That was weird:. Jake told Marco in private thought speech.
.:That was insane. Was that Snape . . . what was it called:.
.:Apereting or something like that. I think we should talk to Snape.:.
.:What? Why:.
.:Because if he is already there, he can't turn back. And, because we won't know how to find our way back without help. We have no idea where we are. Remember Snape said that he doesn't know where the meetings are held:.
.:Fine:. relented Marco. .:I hope you know what you are doing.:. Jake didn't answer, just tried to understand the surroundings they were in. He could feel many vibrations, most of which sounded like far away voices. Now was a good time to talk to Snape.
.:Is now a good time to jump? I know you can't talk, but if you can, shake your hand out. I should be able to feel it:. he said, then he felt a bunch of vibrations. .:Marco, jump off.:.
.:Now? Where are we:.
.:Just do it:. Jake jumped away from the heat and blood, much to the flea's disappointment. .:Could you stay afterwards? Find a place to hide, we'll find you. We don't know the way back:. he told Snape. Since he had no way to get an answer, Jake just waited. After a few minutes, the vibrations around disappeared.
.:Demorph:. Marco asked.
.:Yup, I guess so:. Jake answered, starting to demorph. He was glad to find that there was no one around, but he guessed Snape helped with that.
"What now?" Marco asked quietly.
"Bird?" Jake suggested.
"I don't hear any birds around here," Marco said, looking around the clearing they were in.
"I guess we wait then."
After what Jake guessed was an hour, the two animorphs started to hear voices approaching.
"Morph bird and watch my back. I'm going to sneak around them the way they came. I hope that Voldemort is still there."
"Kids with a death wish," mumbled Marco, but he started morphing anyway. Jake didn't bother morphing; he just ran quietly as he could into the woods and toward the voices. Luckily, he passed the group without any trouble. Further on, in another clearing, was a giant snake and a very odd looking guy. He didn't look human, but he didn't look like an alien, either. Just . . . deformed. Eyeing the snake, Jake decided on his tiger morph. That way, he wouldn't appear as weak, and Voldemort wouldn't understand how he could talk. Jake was hoping for the upper hand. He doubted he'd have it, but he was hoping.
After he finished his morph, and he was filled with confidence from the tiger's instincts, Jake stalked forward. When he was where the dark lord could see him, he spoke out.
.:Lord Voldemort:. Jake said, trying to sound respectful. .:I wish to speak with you.:.
"And who is it that I am speaking with?" Voldemort asked, narrowing his eyes at the tiger.
.:Someone who wishes to warn you.:.
"I will not speak with you unless you are in your natural form. I know there are no tigers in this area," Voldemort threatened.
.:My true form is of no consequence:. Jake said, trying his best to sound like an andalite.
"Perhaps, but how am I to know your warnings are valid if I don't see you?" Jake gave a mental sigh. This guy wasn't going to listen. But demorphing could pose many problems. One, if the yeerks did end up controlling him, they'd know that the resistance had at least one human. And they would probably be able to identify him. If Voldemort was already infested, then everything was lost.
.:I will turn to my true form under two conditions:. Jake said, deciding. .:One, you will not harm me. Two, I am free to leave when I wish.:.
"You say you are only here to warn me? Why?"
.:Because you are powerful, and there are those who wish to take advantage of that power:. Jake answered, hoping Voldemort would just agree already. Being around him was like being near Visser Three . . . you could just feel the evilness pouring from him. Voldemort gave a nod.
"I agree to your terms," he said. Jake, with a feeling we was making a big mistake, demorphed. "You are but a child," Voldemort said.
"I am here to talk with you about an alien species called Yeerks."
"The Yeerks? I have heard of them."
"Have you made negotiations? Because they won't keep to any agreements," Jake said. "They'll find a way to infest you."
"It is not your matter to worry about agreements I make. But consider me warned. You may go, now, before I decide to change my mind about our agreement." Jake nodded, and left in the direction he came. When he was sure that he wasn't followed, Harry morphed owl.
.:That was too easy:. remarked Marco, and Jake agreed. But they couldn't do anything about it at the moment. Either Voldemort decided to take his warning, or he did. They had no control over it now. .:Snape's further back in the woods.:. Jake followed Marco to where they saw Snape sitting on a loose stump of a tree. They both landed and demorphed.
"I am to believe that you warmed the Dark Lord without getting hurt?" Snape asked.
"Yeah," replied Jake. "But who knows if he will listen?"
"No one tells the Dark Lord what to do. Morph . . . something for the way back. I won't be able to apparate both of you in human form, and I don't want to take responsibility for you two being here."
Ten minutes later, they were back at the Order headquarters, in bed. Jake gave a quick briefing to the others, and they all agreed that Voldemort probably wouldn't listen.
.:It was worth the try:. Ax told them all.
