The Ministry was busy, with the air of a determined people who where not going to bow down to terrorists. People talked and chattered, and spoke of inconsequential things, after all don't talk about anything sensitive because the walls have ears. The story of Longbottom and Potter storming the place yesterday and showing how easy it was to enter the Ministry shocked a few of the simpler people, most of all the Auror command who thought the plan was fool proof.
Severus Snape and his accomplices were all under Polyjuice and were milling around the floo system, pretending to have meet each other at the floo gateway. This way most people would pass them and they wouldn't have to submit to an examination. They were talking when Snape saw Zabini and applied the Imperius onto him, well tried, Zabini fought it and broke it.
'Death Eaters!' Zabini screamed, raising his wand but before he could incant a spell a horrifying green light struck him in the neck. His last thoughts as he saw the rushing green light was Forgive me and may my family be safe.
'Go now.' Severus told the group. They each cursed other people as a matter of instilling fear, before they flooed away. Aurors desperately trying to run to peoples aid, but succeeding in finding empty air as the death eaters were already gone.
Several hundred miles away in Somerset (well maybe Devonshire, either way the Ciders good and so is the cream) Wormtail and three new female recruits appeared out of thin air with loud cracks, the new recruits all looked scared. They were afraid, afraid of what had happened to the others.
'Follow me.' Wormtail instructed them and he set off towards a lane.
A few minutes later a house was in front of them with little in regard to wards. Wormtail nodded to two of the girls in the group. They started pulling down the puny wards, sad to say they took their time and even with the weak wards it was to much for the two girls as they finished they were near exhausted.
'Stay here, scream or kill anyone that comes by, and make sure you can Apparate or portkey out.'
Wormtail entered the house with the only girl that hadn't done anything so far. They traversed through the house looking into rooms until they found the man they wanted sat at his desk with a quill in his mouth obviously day dreaming.
The female Death Eater pulled her hood back to reveal an oriental face, in fact it was Cho's face.
'Where is Potter? Where?' she asked.
'Don't know.' Replied the still oblivious man.
'Where is your daughter?' Wormtail asked.
'Don't know' still not catching on that anything was wrong, Mr. Lovegood turned around to see the two people.
'Where are the younger Weasley's?' Cho bit out, getting more and more, angrier.
'Don't know, my this is fun, do I get a go soon?' Mr. Lovegood crossed his legs.
'Pardon? Are you mad?' A shocked Cho responded.
'Well yes quite, well so people tell me anyway.'
'He doesn't know anything girl, kill him.' Wormtail instructed.
Cho brought her wand down sharply incanting the killing curse and Mr. Lovegood was no more.
'Right, lets get out of here,' Wormtail said as he set about to leave the Dark Mark hanging over the property. Four Apparitions were heard by the forest as the Death Eaters left, no one knew about Lovegood's death until Molly saw the grim signal of death hanging over the Lovegoods property whilst walking into the village. She let out a scream and went running home to get help.
Blaise woke up to find a very warm feeling come from his groin region and he looked over to the person lying next to him who was causing that hot sensation.
'Erm Susan as much as I looove this,' his voice quivered under her ministration, 'but I don't think playing with my cock is the right thing to do at this moment in time. Could we take it slower please?'
Susan removed her hand from Blaise's trousers and then proceeded to kiss Blaise on the lips.
'Sure' she said, happy he wasn't just looking for sex, but wishing he would hurry up because she wanted to know what all the other girls were on about at Hogwarts. (See I told you men can't win).
Last night had been great, all they had done was kiss and talk, mostly of inconsequential things that mattered to each of them. They had talked about each of their families, their upbringing, their hopes and fears and they had found that they were both going to end up on the wizard council. A knock on the door ended the morning comfort and peace, Susan got up and opened the door to reveal one of the orphan boys.
Harry stepped into the main lair, there were things to do today with Neville, one was to kick the wizards into gear, and see what they could offer, before another round of politics in the chamber. This time it was about Madame Umbridge and her decree's and legal precedents. Ron spooning his way through his second bowl of cereal met Harry in the main chamber.
'Morning Harry.'
'Morning, how is everything today?'
'Good, I think, we are planning a little trip to a few places to get some information. One of those places is going to be Dumbledore's home. We located it and we want to go and see what information there is there, that and break into the heads office and see what info is there.'
'Fair enough, just be safe yeah?'
'No worries mate.' Ron finished.
It was clear that Ron thought this side of the war was a game, after all breaking into your previous leader's house is not something you do, but the gang were going to do it.
Ron finished his cereal and looked at Harry, 'Harry?'
'Yeah?' the hero replied.
'Were you serious yesterday about those Royal people, they rule the country?' Ron asked curiously.
'Erm, yeah, well they hold the position, but they don't interfere while it all works. Why? Did you not believe me? And why not ask Hermione?'
'Well, she seemed to really support them and is still fussing with what to wear.' Ron complained.
'Wait till she works out what she's wearing then she will be dictating what you are wearing.'
'That's what's worrying me.' Ron smiled at his own joke.
Eventually Neville made an appearance, apparently Luna hadn't wanted to let go of her teddy bear, but by the look of Neville himself, he just looked worn out. Harry and Neville flamed into the wizard bank to meet their two managers respectively.
'Mr. Griphook, Mr. Ironarm, good to see you again.' Harry and Neville greeted their accountants.
'Morning Neville. Morning Harry' the bankers replied with a smile.
Neville asked the question, 'so what have you two been up to since you got huge smiles on your faces?'
Griphook answered, 'Oh you know, ruined two families that own and run a company, once we realised they were cooking the books, we started applying pressure. Low and behold they couldn't pay up and went bankrupt. Image a company that employs hundreds, earns millions in both worlds, but is found to actually be bankrupt when all the investors thought it was earning lots of money. As it is, the Longbottom estate took charge of the company and Ironarm is being his name sake.'
Ironarm smiled and followed on, 'Now we have got rid of corporate management that we don't need and back down to basics of staff doing their job, the gold will flow again. As it is the Potter estate is now earning itself as a reputation for house building.'
Harry looked questioningly at Griphook, 'what does he mean?'
'Ah well no firm is big enough to cope with some of the bigger projects like rebuilding, Malfoy Manor or other estates, but the insurance insist it does for when the heir turns up. So I took the opportunity to take two small muggle building firms and a wizarding building firm and putting them together on larger projects. As it is, Malfoy Manor has already got the foundations in, so it will not be long before the whole thing is up.' Griphook answered and followed on, 'what's better is we are the only ones who can do it and ask any price we want, so we go above the expected, after all, it's the insurer that paid out and no one likes them anyway.'
An hour or two after arriving, Harry and Neville were concluding their parts in their running of the businesses of signing documentation, Harry remembered a tidbit of information that the goblins might require.
'Oh just to let you know, the Zabini's are on our side as well, we found out it was the mother playing death eater that kept them out of the fighting for all this time, so watch out for their gold flow.'
Both goblins looked nervous, Griphoook spoke, 'Has no one told you?'
'Told us what?' Neville inquired, slightly worried now.
'Well, Death Eaters assassinated Mr. Zabini and Mr. Lovegood this morning. So if you're looking for their help again, they won't be able to provide it.'
Harry looked dejected, these people had died because of him.
'Harry?' Neville sought Harry's attention and finally got it, 'these people died for something they believe in, they weren't forced to do anything they didn't want to. They were responsible for their choices and sadly Tom went after them.'
'Well then we best get there to salvage the situation, then we must go and inform Blaise tonight as he is the heir.' Harry turned to Griphook, 'Griphook is there anything that I can deliver to Blaise for the bank or would you like him here in the morning?'
Ironarm responded, 'It would be safer if you took a message to him tomorrow, after you have informed him his father is dead. Then a letter then a meeting.' Griphook was nodding his head affirming each stage.
Harry and Neville walked out into the banks foyer and out into the open world, it was strange two people died and suddenly everyone is very nervous. People in the street just didn't want to know, from being a friendly society, they became down right unsociable. It didn't look good.
'We need to show people can live after someone's death.' Harry spoke.
'We need Blaise and Luna out here showing that they are alive and coping.' Neville responded.
They made their way to the floo station through the sparsely populated streets. With two pinches of floo powder, both members of the wizarding council found themselves under wand point.
The Aurors were taking an active stance in the protection of the people now. Other floo points in the ministry lobby were under the same scrutiny.
'Hand over your wands!' a confidant young Auror spoke.
Harry felt like showing them how stupid this all was, three people would die before anyone realised anything was wrong. He wanted to hex them so they would learn to think. Neville's hand planted itself on Harry's shoulder giving Harry a check, a check not to do anything daft.
Neville replied, 'Certainly young man, after all anything to help the Ministry.' Harry nearly chocked from the sweet irony that Neville sounded like Lucius, but Harry made it sound like a bad cold.
The Auror took Neville's wand and inspected it, and took him over to a contraption by the reception desk, while Harry was still under wand point.
'Oh very well, this is all daft anyway.' Harry said as his wand appeared in his hand quicker than the Aurors anticipated. Sadly a nervous Auror fired a deathly spell and Harry having lightning reflexes saved himself with a flick of his wand. The other Aurors were getting ready for a fight, but after shielding himself, Harry held up his hands and offered his wand to the third member of the detaining party while always looking at the Auror that acted first. With two strides Harry was face to face with the Auror. He did something he had always wanted to do. Harry took in a deep breath, then his head came travelling forward crashing his skull into the Auror's, stunning and dropping the Auror.
Harry towered over him, 'don't bloody do anything like that again, I would be dead if I hadn't had my wand drawn you idiot!' Harry stormed off to the desk where Neville was, even more annoying was the fact Neville casually leaned against a desk chuckling.
After all inspections were carried out Harry and Neville were allowed through to the council chambers, Neville noticed the magic on his chair and quickly swiped the paper and tucked it into his pocket. As it turned out the meeting was long and boring, about nothing of real interest, until finally someone spoke up at the end of the four hour session.
'Do we know if this mysterious group that has been taking the fight to the death eaters are actually light wizards or just another bunch of dark wizards looking to over throw he who must not be named?'
'Does it matter? For now let us let them kill He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named's forces.' An old gentleman spoke.
'Well surely if they are dark but hold the right ideas then its good for us, after all a light wizard could believe in blood purity which is what Voldemort believes in.' Neville spoke.
Amelia Bones looked at Harry and Neville carefully. 'What do you mean by that Mr. Longbottom?'
'Well, all that I am saying is, if they believe in a peaceful society, that welcomes other species with a warm handshake and means it truly, but they uphold the peace through dark magic. Are they better than those who believe in blood purity and let this world slip into chaos because they cannot do anything for it leads down a dark path? I say in action is just as evil as action from the darker side of the soul.'
Harry just looked at Neville, 'are you sure? I mean when you have dabbled in the dark arts, don't you feel like the world offers you more, like power? This is what Albus had said about Voldemort and the Dark Arts. Tom had played in the Dark Arts because of fear, so he learnt to be feared himself. But he enjoyed the feeling and wanted more besides. So he took it.'
'Umm I see your point, but dark and light are the same, it's just a point of view.' Neville responded.
A young woman spoke up, surprisingly it was Tonks, but Neville only worked that out afterwards when he realised the magical signatures were the same.
'So what do you two propose then?' the lady voiced.
'Wait for the next time they show themselves. If they attack the Ministry or innocent then we know, if they attack Death Eaters then we need to send a subtle message to let them know we wish to talk.'
Amelia looked dubious, 'Who should we send?'
'Who do we have that's powerful enough?' Neville responded. Eyes looked at the two young men and an elderly gent said, 'Alastor Moody, is he still around? He's bloody good to have in a fight.'
The meeting concluded and Harry and Neville saw Tonks in her usual garb outside the council chambers, (this is when Neville twigs).
'You know, you two are something of a sensation. Youngest council members in years, I mean which kid wants to be on the council, it's boring! But you two, well all the oldies are talking of you. Anyway take care of yourselves. I've got to get back to Remus tonight, full moon and everything.'
Harry kept his comments to himself, but Neville couldn't relent, 'why Miss Tonks, I didn't know you liked it like that.'
Miss Tonks turned a very red shade very quickly.
Harry and Neville flooed away to Sirius' old place then flamed back to the Lair.
'Harry' Neville voiced, 'there was a letter on my chair, it was hidden using magic, but obviously someone knows I can see magical patterns so I would see it. Does that make sense? Anyway, I want you here just in case ok?'
'Sure, let's open it then.' Harry responded.
Neville dispelled the spells on the letter and carefully un-wrapped the letter. An untidy scrawl was revealed as the letter was finally unfolded.
Mother (friend) and Daughter
Soon
Stumpy
Harry laughed, 'That's Mad-Eye, and his friend is Amelia, so daughter must be Susan. But they aren't mother and daughter, but it's him being paranoid, I hope.'
'It makes sense from an Alastor point of view.' Neville agreed. Neville called Hedwig down and wrote a letter to Mad-Eye
Stone Circle
Solstice
Midnight
'He should understand that,' Harry said.
'I hope so.' Neville folded the letter up and sent it on its way.
'Right now for the fun part, I'll tell Blaise, you talk to Susan. Deal?' Harry offered.
'Fair game.' Neville accepted, and so they left for the little home of refugees.
Susan and Blaise were sat at a computer listening to some music, watching with amusement as the children all bounced their heads up and down.
Blaise was amazed, 'you mean people like this noise?'
'Oh yeah,' Responded one of the older orphans, 'it speaks to the dejected state of society where they leave everyone out to rot.'
Another orphan spoke, 'though that doesn't dismiss we like other forms of music as well, after all classical music is relaxing and can take your mind to other plans of existence away from the troubles of the world.'
'I like it,' Susan spoke.
'I don't, it's what my cousin used to play.' Harry spoke.
'Harry! Neville!' Susan exclaimed and hugged both of her captors. Blaise nodded in acknowledgment and shock their hands.
Neville spoke, 'we're here on two separate items, so if Susan you come with me, and Blaise if you see Harry.' Neville began walking away, with Susan jogging to follow him, leaving Harry and Blaise.
Blaise spoke up, 'Let me guess, dad spoke up and he's dead now? I'm right aren't I?'
'I wish I could say something other than yes. He was assassinated right in the middle of the Ministry Atrium.' Harry spoke low and solemnly.
'It's ok, I think he expected it, he was never much of a dueller either, more of a wizard with account books.'
A small smile appeared on the edges of Harry's lips, 'Well, it being your dad, and Luna has lost her father as well, you should have seen Diagon Alley, back to the old way of people filled with terror. Gringotts wants to send you a letter first before they ask you to come in and settle accounts.'
Blaise nodded his head, and then looked at Harry questioningly, 'what if I made the request to go in public, with Susan. I'll carry on with what my father was supposed to have done, but I would like some forms of protection. I think if the public see two missing people, walking and talking freely, I'll acknowledge my fathers death but I will continue with his wishes to see our world free of bigotry.'
Harry looked at Blaise, 'You two an item then?'
'We're taking it slowly.'
'Good for you, they get more frustrated, trust me. As it is, I want yours and Susan's word that you won't try and escape. But as seeing as how your siblings know you're with us, I think it's time we brought them in to safety, away from Ministry law and crap.'
'Agreed, I don't want the Ministry filling my brother's head with shit information.' Blaise had hope in his eyes. It was the first time Harry had seen it in Blaise's eyes and it filed him with warmth.
Neville and Susan entered one of the studies in the annex of the lair Neville turned to Susan. She used to be a friend, but now he was laying down guidelines to her to protect the others, 'Susan, you get the chance to see your aunt again if you wish. If you want to go, you will not leave with her, but you can talk. We want an oath from you saying those things. Blaise will not be accompanying you. Now that's the nasty stuff out of the way with.' Neville relaxed and Susan had a look of joy in her eyes.
'Oh thank you Neville, I pledge I will not leave or break free knowingly when I next see my Aunt, on pain of losing my magic.'
Neville nodded his head in acknowledgment and smiled at Susan. The smile turned somber.
'Harry and myself found out today that Blaise's father is dead, assassinated in the Ministry itself. Just so you know, ok?' Neville got up to leave.
'Neville?' Susan grasped Neville's hand and found a strong muscled hand not puppy fat. Neville looked at Susan questioningly.
'When am I going to see my aunt?' Realisation dawned on Neville, 'Oh tonight. Be ready around eleven.' With that he spun around and was gone.
Susan sat wondering how Blaise was reacting to the news, a tear trickled down her face, they were both alike, orphans of a war they knew little about. But this was going to change.