Disclaimer: I do not own anything that was written by someone else, including but not limited to Hermione quoting a National Geographic article.
Chapter 31: Broken or Never Whole
"How did it go?" Draco asks, handing Hermione a cup of tea. It's three in the morning and Harry, Ron, and Tracey headed for bed the moment they got through the door.
"Six out of seven dead," she replies and sips her drink.
"Yaxley?"
"Gone." Draco nods. "Everything went smoothly, but I don't think our luck will hold. They were shocked we were there, but..."
"The dark lord will probably figure out you're getting information about attacks soon, if not after tonight. He'll be searching for a mole," Draco says. She shrugs.
"As long as he doesn't find Snape." They finish their tea in silence before slipping back to their room for a few hours sleep.
Luna flits into the library where Draco and Hermione sit in easy silence.
"Meeting," she says simply, before skipping out of the room. Hermione smiles as Draco shakes his head at the empty doorway. He rolls his eyes as they both stand.
Draco and Hermione reach the doorway of what has been their War Meeting room at the same time as Ron and Tracey. The lack of awkwardness nearly stops Hermione in her tracks. Taking their normal seats, they notice Mr. Lovegood sitting on the window sill.
"Vo-You-Know-Who is pissed," Harry says, pulling their attention to him.
"Harry?" Hermione leaves the question in the air.
"It was fine. I was in control," he pacifies. "You-Know-Who on the other hand, completely out of control. He thinks there is a mole. He killed the death eater who escaped because he thought him being in on it might be why he got away. He's not even getting the same 'satisfaction' out of torturing his followers for information. We've caught him on the back foot for the moment."
"That's good, right?" Tracey asks.
"Yes and no," Ron answers, looking at Harry. "He's more likely to make mistakes, but he will also go to greater lengths to figure it out, meaning more death." Harry nods sadly.
"He has a couple of attacks planned especially to draw us out. The body count…" Harry's voice fades away.
"There's nothing to be done about that," Draco says. Harry's eyes snap to Draco's, conflict swirls in the green.
"We can't just let them die," Harry says passionately. "Leave them to die in our place."
"If you go, you won't be the only one to die," Draco presses. "We all die with you, including those people you are trying to save with your foolishness." Hermione places a hand on Draco's forearm.
"Draco," she says softly.
"I won't have you die for a fool's errand," he whispers. The blond stands and walks over to the corner to calm down for a moment.
"I hate to say it, but Malfoy's right, mate," Ron says. Betrayal twists in Harry's features as he looks to his friend.
"You can't tell me not to go," Harry replies, though the words sound empty.
"You will die if you do," Luna says evenly, showing no signs of backing down when his eyes turned to her. "And I can prevent you from going if I wish. With your death, the whole country will fall in a matter of weeks. You must not go. I know this is hard for you, but that is the way it is. I saw these attacks planned before you did. There was a reason I didn't tell you."
"What about the Order?" Tracey asks. "I mean we can't go, but can't someone else?" Luna smiles at her.
"Yes, you can inform the Order," Luna concedes. "But they will need to either bring at least 11 member or not go at all. If they cannot rouse that many, it is better that they live for the future fights. If we were to lose too many...a final victory would be much more difficult."
Harry nods his agreement and the group sighs. Draco slips back into a his seat beside his witch. A look passes between the two men before both nod, the disagreement forgiven and forgotten.
"Now that that's done with," Luna starts again, "we need to plan for the next attack."
"When?" Ron shoots out.
"Most likely 12 days from today, but the options range from 10 to 17 days from today."
"August 25th through September 1st?" Hermione asks. The little blonde nods.
"There will be between 15 and 22 death eaters participating in this attack," Luna explains.
"What are they targeting?" Ron ask. A cloud passes over Luna's features, but she does not look away from the redhead.
"A family," Luna says. "We can not warn them beforehand or we will lose Dolohov for good. If we do not get him on this attack, he will be at the final battle and he will kill ours. If he is at the final battle, our chances of succeeding goes down to 19%. You will show up and take care of the threats like you have done so far. We cannot afford to deviate."
"Who's the family?" Ron chokes out.
"The Weasleys," Luna says, still not looking away. Ron slumps in his chair.
"I...I...have to warn them...I," Ron's wild blue eyes look up and glance around the group. "Have to," he whispers. Luna is the only one who can hold his gaze. The pain swirling in the crystal blue eyes is clear and sharp. It hurts just to see it.
Hermione's seen those same eyes before. They pull George with them, apparating back to the Forest of Dean. His hands are still outstretched, reaching for his twin. Hermione sets about treating the small injuries on him after forcing him into a chair. Harry disappears into his room and erects a silencing charm. He's not seen until tomorrow.
Ron leans against the tent wall, arms crossed over his chest. He regards George, but the older brother is unaware. Ron sighs before disappearing as well.
Hermione looks at George fully once he's physically healed. His clear blue eyes show only pain. He isn't seeing the witch, he is seeing his fallen twin. Fred was not the first of the Weasley's to pass. Ginny died six months ago and Arthur five months. Still this one cuts deeper for him.
Hermione forces a calming draught and some sleeping potion down his throat. They'll have to raid the apothecary soon. They're nearly out of those potions and don't have ingredients to make more.
She tucks George into a bed, relieved when the lids slide over those eyes and hide the pain. She stares at him for a long moment, then retire as well.
In the morning, George is gone. Hermione searches the tent for him and cast diagnosis charms to find any magicals in the area. She's staring at the empty forest while still inside their wards when Ron steps out. He places a gentle hand on her back.
"He's gone," she whispers.
"I know," Ron replies. She turns towards him, searching his face for answers. "He couldn't sit back after that happened to Fred. He lost his will, so he'll take as many down with him as he can on his way out."
"But-" Ron crushes her against his chest.
"There is nothing we can do," he says simply. He holds her tight for another moment before slipping back into the tent.
"It is between putting your family in danger for a moment now or losing the war and your family later," Luna says, her voice and gaze unwavering.
"You can't ask that of me," Ron says, voice shaking. There is a steel under that, at his core. Still the pain Hermione saw that forged that, that brought it out…
"It's not fair," Luna says, "but it is what needs to happen."
"Will they die?" he whispers.
"There are certain things we can do to lower those chances significantly."
"How?" Ron's eyes meet hers, pleading for a way to save his family.
"Let me be clear," Luna addresses the entire group, "none of the Weasley's can be told before hand. None of them can leave the premises before the battle. They have to follow their usual routine. If they sniff anything out of the ordinary, we lose Dolohov for good. We have one chance at this. One."
The severity of the words from their youngest member sends shivers down their spines. They sit lost in their own thoughts until she speaks again.
"Ron, you need a way to verify to your family that you are you and tell them the situation in under five minutes. The group will arrive only three minutes before the attack. Any earlier and Mrs. Weasley will demand that some of her children leave. This means we will be standing by on the day in question, waiting for when I say to go.
"This battle should see two names marked off on our list: Antonin Dolohov and Fenrir Greyback. They will be accompanied with a large group of Death Eaters. The Weasleys will be counted on to join the fray. That will help. With all working together, the chances of death are relatively low."
"Dolohov is mine," Tracey growls. Harry nods consent as Ron still looks lost in his own thoughts.
"That leaves Greyback," Hermione adds.
"And that is where I come in," Mr. Lovegood says, sliding onto his feet and walking forward. "Mr. Greyback is a werewolf. We are actually in luck because the Full Moon is in three days. That places the possible attack days in the middle of the lunar cycle. The 31st of this month is actually the new moon and will provide the least amount of 'wolf influence' as possible."
"Wolf influence?" Hermione asks.
"As I understand it you had a professor who was a werewolf, correct?" Mr. Lovegood counters.
"Yes, and friend," Harry warns. The father nods happily.
"You might have noticed he was a bit more on edge around the full moon, more agitated, more possessive, so on. This is due to the wolf being pulled to the surface by the moon's closeness. Similar to how it pulls the tides up the beach."
Mr. Lovegood falls silent, looking off in the distance, beyond the walls around them. After a moment he shakes his head and looks around the group hanging on his words.
"To better understand the wolf influence, you need to understand wolf nature. What do you know about wolves?" he poses to the group.
"Wolves are the largest members of the dog family," Hermione quotes. "They live and hunt in packs of around six to ten animals. They don't eat in moderation, a single animal can consume 20 pounds of meat at a sitting.
"Wolfpacks are established according to a strict hierarchy, with a dominant male at the top and his mate not far behind. Usually this male and female are the only animals of the pack to breed-the rest of the pack help to care for young pups.
"They communicate through howling and are generally territorial. Wolves and humans also have a long adversarial history," she finish.
"Well done," Mr. Lovegood smiles.
"Ten points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger," Draco whispers in her ear, making her blush.
"The adversarial history is actually the reason werewolves have such a hard time adapting, neither part willing to bow to the other and each owning the body for a time. We'll leave that be though as Mr. Greyback does not suffer from the man resenting the wolf, rather the man dementing the wolf," he says. Mr. Lovegood starts pacing as he continues.
"What we know of wolves is that they social creatures who are territorial and essentially hunters. If Mr. Greyback had just given into the wolf senses completely, he would have sought a pack and a mate and while preferring raw meat, would hunt for food, not fun. But he doesn't. He draw together a pack, but pushes them to be bloodthirsty. He only seeks a pack to cause more damage, not for social interaction. He is not a werewolf who has embraced the wolf as he claims, but rather a murderer with the strength and senses of a wolf."
Mr. Lovegood stops and pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Was he always like that?" Tracey asks softly. Greyback is feared among the magical community for his bloodlust and killing for sport. The creatures expert looks at her.
"Perhaps," he says. "Some may venture he was that way before he was turned, but in my travels I have found a story that may be his. There was a boy visiting Russia in the spring with his family. One night, a werewolf broke into the hut. He killed the whole family and badly wounded the boy. The boy laid for hours among the gore that was once his family. Once found and healed, he was sent back to Britain, where his family was from. His father's brother took him in, but a month later, he turned.
"From then on, each month the boy was locked away. His body broken again and again in his attempt to escape. However, he lived. On his 17th birthday, he ran away. His family may have loved him or they may have look down on him for his affliction, it is not clear. What is known is that he found a mate. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. He charmed her, but never told her of his story.
"After he had claimed his mate, he started to lose his sense of self. Wolves are not meant to be alone and without a pack, he constantly feared that someone would hurt his mate. Still he had not told her that he was a werewolf. Her brother came to visit among the chaos of his mind. The full moon was the next day.
"The moment he entered the home of his mate, the scent of her brother filled his senses and brought him back to the moment he lost his family. The man accused the brother of being a werewolf, while his mate tried to intercede.
"She said that he was a good man, but he laughed in her face. He told her the man was a farce and he would show her what monsters lay beneath. The werewolf in man form attacked the brother. While the brother fought back, he was left in a bloody mess, just like the family he had once killed. The werewolf was not content with that though. After watching her brother torn to shreds, the mate met the same fate.
"Some say he was broken when his family was killed. Some say it was living with the curse and a family who would lock him away with a chain around his neck. Some say it was when he found his mate was related to the monster whom he hated. While others wonder if he was never whole to begin with. This was told to me in a small town in Finland, where they had been visited by the murderous werewolf, one who was bloodthirsty in all forms."
Mr. Lovegood finishes and sits down in a high backed chair.
"I am unsure why Mr. Greyback is this way, Miss Davis," Lovegood says. "But I do know how you can beat him." That snapped the attention back to the pending fight. In the time lapse, Ron seems to have gain control of his feeling on the matter. Determination burns in his eyes.
Tracey and Harry lean forward. Luna sits all the way back in her chair. She smile slightly at the excitement in her father's voice-this is his forte-but mostly she looks sad. Draco listens intently at Hermione's side, the gears turning in his head as suggestions form.
They'll plan it out, practice, but in the end, they have to hope that's enough.