Later at night Blaise and Susan got taken back to their quarters, this left the six to themselves, preparing to face the giants. They donned their armour and cloaks, packed explosives and grenades and slung powerful projectile weapons.
"Are we ready?" asked Ron.
"Yellow is," Hermione started.
"Red is," Ginny continued, one by one they all sounded off ending with Harry.
"Green is, now tonight we go in, cast as few spells as possible and kill them with brute force and ignorance. Let's score another one for the good side," Harry invoked the team.
"Flaming in three….two….one….jump," Neville ordered.
Arriving silently in the peaks of the Welsh countryside a few scittery sheep scattered. Six figures with a purpose walked across the landscape towards the top of the mountain whose shadow they strode in. Up and up they climbed with scree falling below their feet as they hit the rocky transition. Ron was thinking to himself, I am not going to complain or whine about the situation. We have a job to do. But still the question of where Hermione got her information from, after all she hadn't been with the prisoners yet, except that nurse. So he touched his tattoo.
Hermione, where are they and how did you find their location? He asked her.
They are in a system of mines near the top, used to be a slate quarry but abandoned years ago. As for the how, people go caving, but rarely do they go missing. Lets say its been a mystery for the area as something like seven cavers have gone missing in the last year alone. She replied.
Oh thanks babe. So what do you fancy doing tonight?
Um, cuddle up to your body and forget all about the war. She mentally sighed.
Up ahead they could see fire light, dim and low, but coming from the caves. Neville turned around and pointed at Yellow and Blue then pointed to the right of the cave mouth. Red and White were pointed to the left of the cave mouth and Green and Black would go down the centre. They split off in their pairs and silently made their way to the light.
David Jones was a good lad, well he thought he was. At age 29 and married for seven years, he loved his wife and his two daughters very much. That was why he found himself working for the Dark Lord, because of that little thing called pressure, though, at the moment, hearing all the rumours he was getting jittered about working for him. See, the Death Eaters, under the orders of their Lord, were instructed to inform poor David that if he didn't join them, well all the women in his family would find out what 'real' men were like. He shivered at the thought of those things abusing his wife and daughters. He didn't bear the Dark Mark, but he was here guarding the Giants this night, a boring job as the ministry didn't know which way the North wind blew, let alone work out how to find the Giants. The man keeping him company, well making sure he didn't run away, was back in the cave. A true Death Eater. He never saw their faces, so he didn't know who it was. He sat in quiet contemplation lying down amongst the rocks when he heard some rubble fall below.
Ah its nothing, he thought at first
The noise was continued, but it split in three directions. He stayed down as he didn't want to silhouette himself against the skyline. He waited and waited then heard one set of noises coming closer and closer and felt the smooth uneven surface like a snake skin.
It settled on top of David.
Oh sweet mercy, the Dark Lord has come to kill us. It's true, he really is mad!
"AHHHHH" The scream went up into the night, a scream filled with terror and fear.
The scream rang clear in Harry's ear; he jumped up and said the incantation, "Stupefy."
He quickly lay down and touched his arm tattoo, Woops, didn't notice I was laying on someone….erm…right, please start the process of erecting the charms Yellow and Blue. White and Red, if you could take theirs down, Black and myself, throw a few grenades and a smoke bomb as well which should get them out for the killing.
Harry improvised, the plan was shot as their surprise was ruined. Soon the tingling of magic felt its way over both Harry and Neville as the anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards were put in place.
"Let's go," Neville whispered.
They both stood up, unhooking three grenades and a smoke bomb each. Un-pinning the first grenade they threw together and lost the small balls in the dark as they sailed towards the target. Not stopping to see the result, they then picked up the smoke bombs and un-pinned them.
"You go far Black, I go near. Smoke them from the back and front," Harry suggested and Neville nodded his head.
They levitated the packages towards the cave mouth as the first explosion went up, sending a shaft of light into the sky from the cave entrance. The second explosion happened pluming a flume of fire horizontally out of the cave mouth. Screams and roars could be heard. Green and Black continued levitating the bombs forward into the smoky, pitch black cave.
"Did you lose your night vision?" Harry asked.
"Nope, closed one eye after we let those grenades go but that means I got night vision now, why did you?" Neville answered.
"Doh, I knew I was forgetting something. I know where it is, just can't see it, if that makes sense," Harry said.
The smoke bombs must have started reacting for the air around the cave mouth grew thick with smoke and coughing. Red and White used a wind spell to blow the smoke into the cave deep to rouse out any hiding forces. Harry stopped levitating his package and picked up two grenades, unpinned one and passed it to Neville carefully, never letting the clip spring up, then unpinned one for himself. Again they threw together and lost sight of the projectiles. Harry went to get the last two when Neville holstered his wand and had a hand open. This meant he had placed his smoke bomb now. Together they unpinned, leaned back and threw the two balls of death at the tiny hole in the mountain face. The home of so much destruction was now being destroyed. The second two grenades went off as they were throwing the last pair.
Blue and Yellow moved in from their position and unslung their weapons. They crept up to the side of the mouth, Blue stepped out from the edge of the mouth so he was silhouetted against the sky, that was if the Giants and Death Eaters could see. Ron saw this wall of smoke, not taking any chances he pulled the trigger and felt his body vibrate with the force of his Vickers machine gun pummelling the air with bullet after bullet, the barrel was beginning to steam and slowly glow.
Click
The noise made Yellow and Blue very careful, Blue stopped shooting and pulled back to the safety of the side of the wall as Yellow crept in front of him, pistols ready.
Luna and Ginny, on hearing the machine gun start up, quickly made their way to their side of the cave mouth and crept in as Blue was in his element of suppression fire. The next moment, as they moved into position, the gun had stopped firing. They waited to see what would happen.
Neville and Harry quickly picked the body up and dragged it to the mouth of the cave. They found the four to the sides, Neville looked at the site before him.
"We still got three Death Eaters in there as well as ten badly injured Giants and two Mountain Trolls," He voiced as he saw the signs through the magical sight.
"Let's finish this then," Luna said cold and heartless.
Blue swung the gun into position again as did Red, they started walking forward and firing into the smoke screen, sweeping their fire over from left to right and back again. Harry had his wand and pistol out and Neville, with his wand out, carefully aimed it at the Death Eaters that he could see through the smoke. Ten minutes later there were charred bodies everywhere and acrid smoke permeating their lungs; they flamed from the scene to the Lair.
They dispersed quietly voicing words of good rest and congratulations on a well done job. Each went to their rooms as couples and just collapsed into bed, every one of them exhausted.
About half an hour after the battle had started, David Jones came to as the effects of the spell wore off. He looked around the sight.
Ede and El help me, He begged as the scene of the destruction lay before him. He quickly tried to apparate. He couldn't, so he started the hike down the hill for ten minutes before he tried again and he successfully apparated this time, back home.
"Girls, Dear? Grab your things. Just pack them quickly," He said, he had escaped somehow from the attack but that didn't mean the Dark Lord would see that as a good thing. He started to think of places to go for safety.
Ministry? No. Dumbledore? Dead. Shit! Shit! Shit! Ermmm Potter! Ah ha, but where is he? Oh shit! Erm, ah Professor McGonagall! Yes!
"Everyone, we are going for a visit to Hogwarts. Girls," he addressed his two darling daughters, "I know you don't normally get to ride brooms, but tonight you do, ok?:
A little cheer went up from the girls, but his wife looked at him worriedly. He looked back at her and his smile said so much so she comforted him by giving him a reassuring smile back. By four in the morning they were inside the Hogwart's grounds and started walking towards the castle.
At ten in the morning the first signs of life were stirring in the Lair. On this particular occasion it was Neville walking around in his boxers. He was sitting on the sofa deep in thought when Ron showed up as well.
"Morning, I thought you were the heaviest sleeper out of all of us," Neville greeted.
"Well, it's just... I don't know. When I'm with Hermione it feels alright, but when I start thinking about it, well, how do I know? Sure I went with Lavender for a few months and that drove me crazy! Me and Hermione together feels just right. I can see a future for us after the war, she would do whatever she wanted to and succeed, me? Well, being an Auror and show them a thing or two, then hopefully make it up the ladder to Head Auror," Ron said.
"Well it seems you got yourself a course planned out already. What is it though that's getting to you?:
"It's the 'what if' scenario. What if we're not meant to be together…?"
"STOP!" Neville interrupted forcefully, "Let me ask this, do you enjoy her company? Do you like her now? Would you imagine yourself without her?" he finished calmly and simply.
Ron bowed his head, "Yes to the first, no to the last."
"Well then, I suggest you take what time we have on this mortal coil and spend it together. Tea?' Neville advised and asked as if it were an everyday event.
"Please," Ron smiled at Neville's attitude to the situation.
When Neville and Ron were seated with a cup of tea they began drinking and talking about things to do and place's to visit after the war, then Hermione shuffled in wearing one of Ron's t-shirts.
She rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "I missed you this morning. No special wake up call. You owe me mister.'"
Ron laughed, "Do you remember you hit me twice, saying you didn't want to get up at all today?"
'"Shush you," She replied as she sat down on the sofa, placing her feet on the table and revealing more than she should have to Neville.
Neville stood up after feeling uncomfortable, "Excuse me, I just need to go and check some spells up in the library," He flamed away.
"What's up with him?" Hermione asked.
"I think he was giving us space dear," Ron said as he leaned in close to kiss her.
"Umm, but why?" she inquired after they parted.
"Well it was so I could say, Miss Granger, I love you with all my heart and when we make it through this set of missions, I will find a ring and if you will have me, ask for your hand in marriage."
Hermione struggling to keep tears from welling up said, "I don't see why Neville had to leave. Oh God, yes Ron! When you propose I will be happy to accept, you do realise you have to meet my parents?"
"Yeah I figured that one," He said happily, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go.
Very close by, Harry and Ginny were waking up. Ginny turned onto her side to find Harry already there starring at her.
"Harry," She stated, "I want you today. This morning, I mean now and I want you to be gentle. Please?" She asked with worry in her voice, she didn't want it to hurt.
Harry took her hand and moved it between them under the sheets and to a warm solid mass awaited Ginny.
"Dear, if you want it then I am here for you and I suggest you be the one in charge," He said softly whilst throwing the covers off of them and revealing his man hood for Ginny to gaze at. He laid down on his back, his hands searching for Ginny, finding her waist and pulling her close to him. He stared at her naked form as she removed the pyjama bottoms. Her nipples already exposed to the warm air and erect with anticipation. Her legs spread across his waist.
"Before we do this Ginny," Harry held her back, frustrating her sexually, "I just want you to know I love you not for the sex, but I can't wait for it, as an added bonus."
His hand slowly gave way allowing Ginny's body to merge with Harry's and for Ginny to slide onto him. She stopped mid-way down his length, her face contorted with pain and pleasure. Her legs raised her femininity up a little way before lowing back down onto Harry's hard cock. His face smiling and happy with the pure pleasure of a tight pussy stroking his cock. Ginny kept romping Harry ever so slowly, every stroke slow, every stroke a little bit deeper, slowly but surely, Ginny's pussy swallowed the whole of Harry's cock, enveloping it in warmth and sensitivity. Once she couldn't drive Harry's cock any deeper she collapsed onto his chest, her head lying on his chest, her claws digging in at the pain and pure ecstasy of him in her. Harry didn't want to let it finish there so he slid two hands down to Ginny's pert little bum and lifted her up his cock. He got into a position so he could thrust upwards repeatedly and he did so, slowly and gently, his muscles screaming at him to let her go, his instincts telling him to ram it home and finish the job, but he kept slow and steady, stroking her pussy with his cock and her nails dug in that bit deeper. Blood seeped from under her nails, her teeth biting her lower quivering lip as she struggles to haul in the screaming for more and the sensory input for the first time. Harry kept going, but he allowed one instinct a bit of lee way, he got faster, ever so slightly and just as he did Ginny's body started to shake.
She growled out, "Don't you dare stop!"
A deep breath inhaled and panting took its place as her digging, clawing fingers turn to the kneading of Harry's chest.
Harry's cock was throbbing with Ginny, wanting to let loose, the pure excitement got too much and he burst forward like a barrage of fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night. His muscles relaxed and Ginny slid down his cock, as his cock is pumped the life making juices into her. Both content and happy, they relaxed into one another.
'Was it as you expected?' Harry asked nervously, knowing Ginny had high expectations.
"Well Mr Potter, it was better than I had ever imagined. Now let me lie here for a while and catch my breath please," She replied.
"Certainly my Lady, take all the time you need, for I am yours and you are mine."
His arms encircled her body and held her close, even as her body rejected his, slowly diminishing strength of masculinity.
Several hours later Ginny walked into the main room of the Lair after she had a shower, with Harry giving her a thorough soaping of course. As she was sitting down, Harry entered into a hail of cat calls and whistles from both boys and girls. Harry's checks turned slightly red and Ginny defended her man," Shush you lot, it's not like you lots haven't, we don't whistle when you have, so just be! Alright!"
Hermione confused asked, "Just be what?"
Ginny smiled, "Just be quiet, that's all. Now Ron, plans to get into Toms old orphanage today, let's hear it."
Ron dove into the description of the plan he and Neville had been working on from the morning; the ways of getting in, detection, setting up non-intrusive charms, non-detectable passive charms and, most importantly, looking for Tom's hideaway location.
"So any questions? No? Good," Ron asked and stated, nodding approvingly.
Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks were called to Hogwarts to see the headmistress about an arising issue. As they were marching up the long slope to the front double doors, Remus Lupin appeared by their side arriving from an auxiliary pathway.
"So we were all called then," Remus started with.
"I'm just hoping it has nothing to do with Harry, him disappearing like that. I was the last one to see him," Tonks sniffed at her apparent failure to the light.
"It probably has got something to do with him," Alastor snapped, "Everything in this war is to do with him now. He should be leading us, as it is, we're holding a rear guard action for the community as the Aurors are being taught how to fight properly. It's madness."
Alastor stopped suddenly and addressed Tonks and Remus as they too stopped and turned to face Alastor, "You two should know Harry and his merry gang can handle themselves. I didn't fire a curse in the fight of the Burrow, I was watching the kids, and I tell you, I'd be scared for any Death Eater that came face to face with them anywhere."
Moody started striding up the path and arrived at the double doors. He quickly entered, followed by his companions, and they made their way up the steps, through the floors until they reached the Headmistress' office.
As they entered, Professor McGonagall was talking to a man who was sat in a chair with his back to the door. When Alastor and the other two saw his face as they walked past him they thought nothing of it.
"Ahh good you have arrived," The Professor started with, "Alastor I am going to ask you if you would come back to teaching at Hogwarts, please. Word has got out Harry will be returning and floods of children are coming. I need an experienced hand in teaching defence."
"Accepted," He answered gruffly.
The head carried on, "Remus, since Dolores' Decrees have been removed I would like to invite you back on half pay but as an assistant teacher to Alastor."
"I would be honoured mame," Remus answered.
Finally the Headmistress turned to Tonks, who was getting nervous, "Nymphadora, this man here claims he used to work for Lord Voldemort for fear his children and wife would be killed or worse. He brings a tale that has yet to reach the ministry. Mr. Jones please start at the beginning," The head invited David to speak as she conjured three chairs for the visiting guests.
An hour had passed and David was out of the office just after finishing his tale.
"So your opinion's please?" McGonagall invited them to speak.
"Well I would need to go a check the level of magic and muggle activity in the area he described. Hiding troll and giant bodies is no easy feat. I suggest I go back to the Ministry, saying I just had a tip, and take a team with me to investigate the scene," Tonks subjected her view.
"Agreed, it would do you good to do this," Alastor backed her up, he followed up with, "Oh I expect to see what you saw later in a pensive somewhere. OK?"
"Sure," She answered back and left the remainder.
Remus spoke up now, "So what should we do with him now? Protect him, which is what Albus would have done. But he needs to work, or be useful in some way. Why did they recruit him anyway?"
"No one would suspect him for one, so he works his way into everyone's lives and bang everyone is dead. I believe he used to work in a forge, so a metal smith then of some kind."
"So basically not useful to our cause what so ever, unless we want swords again, all he is useful for is jewellery making," Remus voiced.
"Like you say Remus, Albus would want him protected, so we will be bringing his family to Hogwarts. As it is, there are positions for old classes available in the books, one being forging," The headmistress stated.
"Has anyone noticed how more active the war has been in the last few weeks?" Remus asked hesitantly.
"Yes I have, and it is worrying me, I'm glad Mr Potter showed the right attitude when he was caught at Diagon Alley. Now come on, we have a meeting to get to and we can't dally."
Elsewhere, more precisely, London, a gang of youths were loitering outside an old dilapidated building. All dressed with hoodies, slouching around the place and one waving a stick like she was conducting an orchestra.
"Hermione, how much more time will this take? You have been at this for the last twenty minutes!" Harry exclaimed, bored beyond all reason.
"Well why don't you and Ron, since he is no doubt bored as well, go to Grimmauld Place and look for the locket. We'll carry on; if we discover anything we shall call you. If not we set the charms up and leave," She declared to them exasperatedly.
Ron and Harry looked at each other and said, "See you lot later then," and they both flamed away.
"Men!" Hermione muttered forgetting Neville was behind her hidden in the shadows. Ginny just giggled at the whole situation.
Ron and Harry both appeared in their old room, wand out and ready for a fight if it was necessary. Luckily for them the room was empty, Ron motioned to the door and Harry led the way. As they crept out to the landing, they heard voices downstairs. Harry whispered, "Disillusionment," Ron nodded his head and they tapped their wands on each other's heads and slowly they disappeared from sight. They both crept down the stairs slowly, always making sure they didn't bump into one another by one staying on the left of the corridor and one on the right.
They crept through the rooms one by one, looking for anything like the locket. Harry touched his tattoo.
Ron, didn't Kreacher steal half the things we tried to throw away?
Yeah, why?
So it might be under the sink the locket.
Oh great just walk through an order meeting shall we?
Oh I don't know, it could be fun and Alastor is on our side after all.
Actually that does sound fun, game on.
They flamed around the door, making sure the flames and roaring noise wasn't noticeable, Ron and Harry looked around, and here they were finally attending an Order meeting.
"What do we do with Potter's disappearance, the press will have a field day!"
"He can't fight the You-Know-Who, he's too young!"
"He won't think straight, he will run right to him!"
"Order!" The Headmistress called, "My word, Mr. Potter is gone. So we will deal with this war as we can, but I do know he will be returning, so we can try tracking charms. Just so we can monitor that he is safe, after all, he can be a bit rash."
Alastor piped up, "Minerva, how many of us have you got tracking charms on now? Or even to say normal school kids? Especially Muggle borns?"
"None of course, it breaches their privacy and therefore breaks the law."
"But Aurors can do it when chasing a criminal, is Harry a criminal?"
"Of course not…"
"So why are you hounding him like one?"
The room took a stony silence, all eyes on Mad-Eye Moody a legendary fighter from his own time. He was shaking his head in despair, "Look all I know is if you chase him, he will take longer to come to you. Annoy him and he won't help you. HE IS A WARRIOR! HE is MEANT TO FIGHT! So we will wait until he is ready, when he is, we are here for him," He bit out the words one at a time forcing people to listen.
"Nevertheless Alastor, he is but a child!" Molly exclaimed.
"We all are in the eyes of the world, but we each take control of our life at some point and accept responsibility for our actions. The kids already have, so they are not kids any more as far as I care. Now let's get onto the meaning of this meeting. It appears two children have been kidnapped but no more after that. Draco is still missing as is Severus…." Moody's report carried on hosting a lot of boring information.
C'mon let's get the locket, when I see mum, she is not getting to see the grandkids.
Hermione is already?
Oh no, but we plan to have kids.
Oh phew!
The two crept through the sitting room and entered the kitchen, they neared Kreacher's cupboard.
You know we went about this all the wrong way, we could have gotten Kreacher to pick it up for us, Harry thought.
Yeah but where is the fun in that, plus we got to see the Order in action as always. Not very inspiring was it, and there we were last year thinking it was the be all and end all to the war. Now we know it's us, so let's get moving.
Harry rummaged around the inside of the cupboard until his hands felt a wave of familiar magic. His fingers wrapped around the item in question and pulled it out, the feeling of magic awoke repressed memories. Harry touched his tattoo, Got it lets go. They both flamed back to the Lair to find a waiting Hermione and Ginny.
"Well?" Ginny asked expectantly.
"We got one, now all we need to do is work out a way to destroy it," Harry said.
"Well do what you did with Riddle's diary mate?" Ron interjected.
"Stabbed it, we could try. Anyway how was the orphanage?"
"Oh it's safe now," Hermione spoke, "If Tom comes near it, we get an alarm, and if he tries to get inside it, we left a few countermeasures in place to stall him for a few minutes."
Night arrived and Ginny was in the main hall area with Luna and Hermione and they were all conspiring. Luna spoke up to the rest of the room, notably to the three scared looking males sitting on the sofas, "C'mon, we are going out to party, get pissed, maybe another tattoo and enjoy our life."
"Hold my hand everyone, I'll flame us there," Hermione said, thinking of a muggle night club near her parents home.
When they arrived in the club, they all walked up to the bar and started ordering drinks, looking around the dance floor; it was packed with university and college students. Though barely audible, they relaxed and spoke to one another enjoying the music and the madness that accompanied it. Ron defended Luna from some loutish lads, whilst Ginny was flirting with some quiet man in the corner. The simple pleasures of no hang-ups and trusting your partner allowed a freedom to the small gang. Come two in the morning they slunk out into the cold night air of a summer breeze all hungry and all wanting a new tattoo.
"Common, there's a pizza place just around the corner and the tattooist is over there," Hermione directed. The troop enjoyed their pizzas before entertaining the tattooist with their presence.
Hermione asked first, "Hi, I would like a tattoo of a skull in flames on my back please, shoulder blade, and the flames to be yellow."
The others sniggered but the artist did as instructed, and did for the other five customers and they all paid well. Though each had it in a different place, the one with black flames had a beautiful tattoo on his shoulder blade but he wanted this new one on the back of his hand. After the artist had told them what solutions and salves to use and apply, they all exited the shop and found a silent ally to flame from.
"Erm, my head hurts as does my bum," Ginny greeted the morning alarm.
"That hurts you? Ohh, I must have a higher tolerance for pain. Morning babe, sorry to say I can't help you, my head is ringing too, it's more annoying than sore," Harry greeted her, wrapping an arm around her waist line.
"Bastard," Ginny mumbled as she took Harry's arm and wrapped him even closer around her.
An hour later they slowly got out of bed; Harry went to train at the firing range while Ginny made some cereal. Harry ultimately finished with his body thick with sweat.
"Go take a shower, you stink!" Ginny remarked.
When they stepped out into the main Lair they found the other four all being very quiet and drinking water very slowly. Ginny and Harry smirked at the condition of everyone else in the room. They could have been cruel but they weren't, instead Ron asked, "How come you two don't have a headache after all that?" he said in more annoyance than anything.
"Tolerance," Harry said with a silly grin on his face.
"Git," Neville said sullenly.
Later when the others had recovered Harry suggested, "Today we rest, tomorrow night we go after the Crabbes'. I've just been thinking, we need to make Nev. look good for the whole population. So if we let Bellatrix go down the high street, then Neville kills her, instant hero."
Neville nodded his head in agreement, "Shall we do that tomorrow? Crabbe's will be at night, so the others do the ground work tomorrow day, whilst you and me play with dear Bella."
Ron finalised, "Sounds like a plan, now hush, I've got a headache."
The day passed pleasantly as Harry, Ginny, and Luna were all in the potions lab, Harry was desperately trying to gain a better understanding of the art of potions. Ron, Neville and Hermione sat in the study learning new spells and digging through history when reading some of the older books. As the evening neared and they all gathered in the main room Harry asked a question which had been bothering him for some time.
"Guys, do we know which side Snape is actually on? I mean a Phoenix isn't easy to fool, maybe we should ask Fawkes as to why Dumbledore trusted him so much."
"I've been wondering that as well, he knew that Voldemort was coming back, from all those years, he could have delivered you at any time, but he didn't," Hermione said.
Neville asked the air, "Hedwig? Fawkes?' and two flaming masses answered and revealed two phoenixes.
Yes? Fawkes asked.
"Fawkes, do you know why Dumbledore trusted Snape so much?" Harry asked in English, not wanting to revel anything to the phoenix.
Yes
'Well could you tell us? Please?' Harry pleaded.
No that is for Severus to say.
"Ok, thank you," Harry finished with Fawkes and slightly annoyed at the attitude that Fawkes displayed.
Bloody minded bird, I mean if you know something then say it, don't dangle it in front of someone.
Harry called Hedwig to him, "Girl? Can you sense when Snape is alone?" he asked of her.
Yes my Harry, I can.
"Could you let us know when he is alone so we can go and have a chat with him? Thank you girl, you have been a blessing. Now just go to find you a nice young male phoenix to settle down with," Harry teased her.
Be quiet you, I need to make the right impression before I can even consider a relationship with anyone else.
"Oh, sorry girl, I didn't realise," Harry apologised.
Hedwig forgave him and rubbed her head against his cheek, before flaming away with Fawkes.
"Harry?" Ginny questioned, "What are you playing at? Are we going to go and see the man that killed Dumbledore?"
"Yes, something doesn't fit right, I can't explain it. Sorry," He pulled Ginny into an embrace and murmured into her ear, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."
She replied, "I won't be leaving your side when you meet him, just in case."
"Ok" he mouthed against her ear and hugged her tight.
Night followed day and passed without note, come the morning sun, Harry and Neville were getting prepared. The plan was complex, as would be seen.
"Ready?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, this time she dies," Neville answered no emotion in his voice except a hint of sadness.
"Ok, see you in a bit," Harry said and Neville flamed away.
Five minutes later, Harry was walking down Diagon Alley with Bellatrix Lestrange in handcuffs. She was lucid; biting and screaming obscenities at everyone. Just as Harry was about to reach the Floo for the Ministry, two spells were fired from across the street at him. He was too slow so a stunning charm hit him whilst an unlocking charm hit the handcuffs.
Neville was watching from the ice cream parlour as Harry led Bella down the street. Next thing he saw was two black cloaked figures fire spells at Harry, stunning the Hero and releasing Bella, time slowed down there. The crowd screamed in fear and scattered everywhere as the Death Eaters threw spells randomly, Bellatrix grabbed Harry's wand and started to aim it at people, when Neville acted. In one smooth motion his wand appeared in his hand, aimed at the scum of the community and a barrage of spells let loose before Bella could even cast one. The two rescuers seeing the fire power and panicking fled from the scene, whilst all the spells fired were at Bella and none were very nice. The first ripped her chest open in a giant slash, the second, took her wand arm away. By then Bella was realising she was dead, she had no option and this was set up from the beginning. Not even time for a hair raising scream was given as her throat was sliced open by Neville's last spell. The blood loss and lack of air meant she was dead within a minute, before the Aurors could get there. Neville woke Harry, who made a song and dance how he had saved all those people around them. Neville the hero was born, sadly he was born several years before, just no one noticed, but now he had their attention and that was fine with him, it would help in the long run.
Alastor Moody Apparated into the shopping area to find a jubilant crowd, Ok this is strange.
Upon spotting the two young men, all comes clear to why everyone is happy. A Death Eater is dead.
Moody slid up to Harry, "Oi, who'd you kill this time?" he whispered
Harry answered by showing him Bellatrix Lestrange's body.
Moody grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him down in close, "She was alive last night, and out of the way, awaiting sentencing!" he bit out.
"She was going to be put through the veil anyway this time, this needed to happen. And are you suggesting she was innocent? We went through her mind and she was guilty as hell," Harry retorted.
Later when Harry and Neville managed to get away from the crowds and were able to flame back to the Lair without being seen, they met four figures in battle dress, with two extras.
"Ok what is going on?" Harry asked.
Ginny answered, "Well we thought it would be good to see what we do for Blaise and Susan. So they have their wands to defend themselves. They gave me a magical oath not to run away, so it's ok, really."
Harry felt uncomfortable about this, he addressed the two new comers, "You do realise you will be witnessing death tonight, it's not a nice or easy thing."
Blaise spoke up, "We need to see something is being done, and to let the kids know that the Death Eaters are being punished."
"That and we want to help," A smiling Susan offered.
Neville responded, "It's nothing to smile at," Susan's face dropped, "Ok so the plan is, Ron?"
"Well the house has two sets of stairs, one front, one back, no cellar stairs as far as plans are concerned or rumours go, so I recommend that we have two teams. Boys in one, go for the back door and work their way up that set of stairs, the girls enter via the front and work their way up that set of stairs. Any resistance, bullet into the leg or something, take them out of the fight, but alive, we want to question them, unless it goes pear shaped. Ok any questions?" Ron finished.
Blaise foolishly responded by asking, "Yeah, who planned this attack? It's stupid!"
Susan smacked him on the head, "They have done this before, it works, let them do it. Or do you want to stay here and wait to see if we get stuck in here for the rest of our lives?"
"Thank you Susan, couldn't have said it better myself," said Ginny.
With the plan finished, Neville and Harry went to change into their proper fighting outfits, when they came out they waited for night to cover the land.
Ron checked the time, "Right, ready to flame, Susan go with Hermione, Blaise with me, Three…..two…..one."
Blaise next saw a place he had been to several times himself, after all he had visited the other Slytherin's homes. A large non-descript house was before them. Ron started on his work of taking down wards and Hermione was doing the same on the other side of the house.
"Ok get ready, Anti-Apparition wards going up in five…four…three…two…." The magic tingled as the wards for the house fell down and the magic of Anti-Apparition and Anti-Portkeys spread over the property.
"Ok let's go, blue open up, give them something to think about," Harry instructed.
Ron pulled his weapon into the firing position and squeezed the trigger and felt his body vibrate as explosion after explosion sent projectiles down towards the house, windows were smashed, doors and their frames shredded, screams called into the night air as someone unlucky got caught by shrapnel. All this time, Neville and Harry ran towards the main door and fired two redactor curses at it each, blowing the thing in completely.
"Well that's gonna leave a mark," Harry commented and Neville chucked at the silly joke.
Harry leapt while running and flew through the hole looking right, while Neville slid on the marble floor looking left. Both fired curses at targets of opportunity, taking three men out within the first second of storming the building. Ron saw their entry got to work on sealing all the holes around the house with magic. All the while he wished he was helping his friends, but he had a job to do. The light show around the main door was impressive, explosions could be heard, screams rang in the night, but not that of his friends. Finishing his job, Ron ran towards the last window he sealed, this one he placed a different charm on it, nothing could leave but something could enter.
Harry and Neville barely got the warning.
Flashbang, kitchen, Ron
Neville and Harry closed their eyes as the light burst into view. They opened their eyes when the image of light faded away and stormed the kitchen.
Ron brining up the rear guard with Blaise in tow flew into the kitchen to find four people in the corner with their hands raised. The building shook and lurched violently.
"Get them out of here now! GO!" Green screamed at Blue, Blue stunned and shrank the four and flamed away with Blaise.
Black and Green now set about their duties of clearing the house.
The girls were all excited, to them it was a race, the first to the top won, clear the house fast and move up. As Hermione helped bring down the wards, Luna was casting new ones and Ginny was running towards the door. Luna finished casting impenetrable charms on all the walls and windows except their entry point. Ginny got out some dough like material shaped like a very long sausage then she forced it to stick to the door frame. Hermione heard the two redactor curses hit the other door.
"Red? I really think now would be a good time…don't you?" Yellow called.
"Ok done, White left, Yellow straight on, myself right," with this command the three girls stood back and clear from the explosive potential and fired a curse at the material. The land and house shook while the girls struggled to stay upright.
Hermione was straight in the house, gun in one hand, wand in the other. Racing up the stairs, she was alone at the moment, but a forlorn hope does that, fights alone, keeps the enemy distracted and wears them down for the main assault. She encountered no one and she cautiously went through each room, warding rooms off to stop anyone under invisibility charms or cloaks to sneak around. It also gave her time to mark up what she thought the gang should acquire.
"Yellow? Red coming up as well as White," Luna called, in a very businesslike fashion, it was the first time the sing song voice was replaced by professionalism.
"It's clear up here, only one floor to go and the attic," Yellow informed the others and so they moved on.
Harry was confused, surely there would be more Death Eaters or other people here, hiding otherwise protecting the house. But no. The dining room table was laid out in the proper fashion for a polite meal, it was all very odd, but it was adding up with those four people.
Yo girls what's going on? Harry asked them.
Well we are clearing this house you know, but we can't see you racing to help us. Luna joked
What? Ermm ok, anyway, we don't expect any more people here now. Me and Neville will be moving stuff over if you are ok with the house being safe? Harry replied very confused.
Just let us finish love then we will help you too. Ginny thought.
The girls had just reached the attic, it was a spacious attic with a wall on the south side, obviously used to get light in and see the surrounding areas without being seen.
"Voldemort," Luna whispered.
"What?" Hermione hiccupped.
Luna pointed down to the racing figure in black with a snake face.
"Er," Hermione started.
Shit, Hermione has never seen him before, calm down. Harry and Neville are down there. Shit!
Harry? Neville? Tom's on his way, he is just outside so prepare yourselves. Ginny thought.
"Luna, Hermione we need to prioritise what we want now, go get it and do it quickly, once done, meet me outside. I have a plan," Ginny finished, the years of dealing with the nightmare of Tom in her first year finally paying its dividends. The girls all moved just as the first spell was launched, this was going to be rough.
Green and Black had launched two incredibly strong attacks against Tom, who managed to see them coming a fraction earlier than Harry would have liked because Tom dived out of the way.
"Damn, we really need to corner him," Black said.
"You just be careful alright," Green responded as he conjured a ceramic plate to take the blast of a killing curse. The plate shattered and showered Green in plate shards.
"That's why we use rubber! Remember!" Green shouted, more to himself than anyone else. He shot two Imperious and a Cruciatus curse at Tom who managed to block them. Black was slowly but surely eating away at Tom's shields with a constant stream of various explosive hexes and cutting curses. Tom responded in kind to both with banishing the rooms contents at both opponents.
Harry, Neville flame out now please. Ginny thought to them and so they complied.
Outside, the three women finished sealing the house whole and started the total destruction of the building.
"Go, now!" Ginny told them as the building was collapsing.
"What?" Harry started.
"Later now go!"
They all flamed to the Lair to see Blue with his wand levelled at the four members earlier and Blaise looking murderously.
"Ok," Yellow said, "What did we miss then?"
Blaise spat out, "These are my oh so loving parents, cohorts of Death Eaters," He turned to his family and screamed out, "I thought you hated them with a passion!"
"We were looking for you," His father intoned with no emotion, no way to really read him.
Green and Black both looked at Blaise, Green voiced, "Blaise, they are your family, your decision."
Blaise's mother piped up at this point, "Now wait a minute, who the hell do you think you are? What decision does he have to make, where are we? Who are you, and why did you take my Blaise?"
"Quiet child," Hermione's voice rang in the chamber and it bounced off the walls and it added to the effect of it was bloody scary, knowing it was Hermione a 17 year old woman telling a mid 40-ish woman to be quite. But it worked.
Black asked his question, "What exactly were you doing at the Crabbe's, what were you hoping to achieve?"
Blaise younger siblings spoke up, "We were looking on getting Blaise back from nasty Death Eaters"
"Well it's just as well we came and got you," Red said, "Voldemort appeared and he looked to be in a killing mood. So right now you know your son is safe with us. Since you now know of us, fight in this war, support the light and you may get him back. Retreat into your hole and he dies here a slow painful death of loneliness and starvation," The malice was evident and was meant to be, it certainly shocked the Zabinis.
"Are you calling us cowards?" The oldest son asked.
"Depends on how you act rather, does it not?" Green replied.
"What's stopping me from killing you now and leaving with my son?" Senior Zabini asked.
"Well one, you would not be able to leave this place, ask Blaise if you don't believe us, two, Blaise would die due to the magical oath he gave us. Three, we are armed, you are not. Any more dumb questions, no? Good," Black answered in a dark patronizing voice.
"Erm," the Senior Zabini muttered.
"It was a rhetorical question," Green inserted.
Blaise spoke up, "Interrogate mum, she's the one that pulls the strings in the family. If they went there tonight, she would be the one thinking about joining."
"Blaise how could you," echoed off the walls as a quick binding spell caught Mrs. Zabini and another three binding spells stopped the rest of the family from interfering. Luna walked into her potions lab and came back with a small clear phial.
"I have been experimenting and found some improvements to the original. So let's see it in action shall we?" she said as she uncorked the bottle and poured one careful drop into Mrs. Zabini's mouth. The eyes glazed over and Blaise started the interrogation there in front of his family.
"Who are you?"
"Claire Elizabeth Zabini," replied Lady Zabini.
"Do you believe in blood purity?"
"Yes."
"Should all Muggle borns and blood traitors die?" Blaise asked, the others held their breath.
Mrs. Zabini didn't answer because she was fighting the potion, but in the end failed, "Yes," her eyes closed at that statement.
"Were you meeting at the Crabbe's place tonight to join the Dark Lord?"
"Yes"
"Why?" came Mr Zabini's shocked voice as he fought his way through the binds of magic.
"Because those filthy whores are ruining a great race, they are vermin and closer to monkeys than they are to us. Because I was afraid that if I didn't I would die a horrible death."
Black called from the shadows, "White I think it's time for the other potion."
White nodded and poured the contents of another potion into Mrs Zabini's mouth and the glazed look disappeared a moment later.
Blaise turned to his father, "Dad would you have joined if mum had asked you?"
His father looked unbelievingly at him, "No of course not, that bastard killed my two sisters in the first war and my cousin before he even left Hogwarts. Why ask me without the potion?"
"Because I trust you dad, that's why," Blaise answered, a smile appeared on Blaise's sad face.
Blue removed the binds on Mr. Zabini and the kids but not on Mrs Zabini, he added more binds.
Black asked of Blaise, "Sorry to ask this but what do you want with her? Kill her now or put her in the cell with the others?"
Blaise looked at his mother, then to his father, then to his mother again, "No one can break out of those cells right, put her in there and we can forget about her."
And so the Zabinis with the exception of Blaise and Mrs. Zabini were all returned to their homes by Yellow and Blue.
"Look, before I never got into the war because Claire asked me not to, I thought she was afraid, now I know why, you shall see me a more active part now. Just keep my son safe, he is probably safer with you than at Hogwarts."
Later that night, when the gang was in their rooms and Susan was sitting next to Blaise on his bed
Susan said, "Sorry to see your mum wasn't who you thought she was."
"It's alright, I had suspicions, sad to see they were true though," He replied.
Susan placed a comforting hand on the lower of his back and slowly rubbed the weariness away.
"Thanks," he muttered, "I think I just need sleep now," and with this he collapsed sideways on his bed to lie down and closed his eyes. Within seconds he was asleep, Susan thought, I can't be arsed moving to my own bed and so she fell asleep right next to Blaise.