A Hero's Cry
Chapter 18
Denial, Back in the UK again and doubts
"Dumbledore is famous in his own right he doesn't need Harry," Sirius said defending Dumbledore to these people. Someone had to stand up for him; especially after all he had done for them. He had stopped Sirius being expelled, and Remus being executed in his fifth year. After tricking Snape into going to the shrieking shack, when Remus was a wolf. He hadn't realized the consequences of his actions could mean that, so yes, he would remain forever grateful for him for that.
"He created that prophecy knowing you would be there, but why? Why would he want the Potter's killed?" asked Xavier sitting on his normal wheelchair. Everyone else was on wooden chairs that had been pulled up for the purpose of the meeting.
"Money is the only motive I can see," replied Severus reluctantly.
"My parent's couldn't have been the richest people in the world," sighed Harry agitated. Killing someone for their money, rubbed him up the wrong way, forget Severus he was tempted to kill Dumbledore himself.
"Actually…they were the richest in the Order…the Longbottom's those that came next. Then Sirius I think… the others didn't have fortunes…at least not big ones." concede Lupin.
"Isn't it strange they were all taken out within a month of each other?" asked Severus his lips twisted in disgust, but he had to concede, Dumbledore couldn't have set that one up.
"Meaning?" asked Harry cautiously.
"Your parents were murdered on Halloween, next day Sirius Black was arrested and the Longbottom's were tortured into insanity not long after." explained Severus.
"So the three richest families were taken down in the matter of what a week?" asked Harry his own suspicion growing.
"Yes," said Severus.
"You are right it's strange, but you are also right about it being impossible to predict." sighed Harry.
"I did not say that," groused Severus.
"But you thought it," laughed Harry wickedly.
Severus tried to hide his irritation but it was futile, Harry felt it before he could even begin to hide it. The amusement was quickly wiped off Harry's face, before a look of contrite took place. He couldn't help what he was, he could never change it either, wouldn't it protected him, his family and his friends. If Severus got annoyed with that, what else would he get annoyed at? Perhaps Severus had it right to take it slow, because Harry deep inside knew it wouldn't last. Severus was a very private man; despite the fact most times Severus could keep his thoughts from him it wasn't all the time. No this wouldn't last, perhaps it was best to just stop it now before it went too far. Harry knew he had a habit of thinking to far ahead of himself.
"What exactly happened to the Longbottom money?" asked Jean softly.
"It went to the grandmother until the son came of age to accept his place as the heir of the Longbottom estate," explained Severus.
"Dumbledore wouldn't do that!" protested Sirius angrily.
"I'd tell Black to check his accounts," said Severus not even tempting to talk to the man himself. He loathed the man with every fibre of his being and for good reason.
"No point, he gave Dumbledore free access to it," said Remus his elbows on the table and his hands covered his face wary as hell.
"He will find the Black money greatly diminished," said Severus smoothly.
"He's using it to fund the Order!" snapped Sirius defensively.
"Can he be sent back?" asked Harry he didn't want the man here, the other man believed them but Sirius Black wasn't going to.
"He can," said Severus "But he would need Obliviated of what this place looks like or he will apparate in with the entire Order. He knows we are in America so they can come here then apparate."
"Then do it he's never going to believe us," said Harry.
"What?" Sirius squeaked in surprised "You will not Obliviate me!"
"Sev, do you want to go back, and get the rest of your things from Spinners End?" asked Harry.
"Do you feel up to it?" asked Severus, inwardly cheering; most of his valuable things were there. Nobody should be able to get in as it was very secure. Although Bill Weasley might stand a chance, if that was the case they would have to be extremely cautious.
"Yeah, it's just you and me." said Harry.
Severus nodded in understanding; Harry was extremely powerful, not only had he managed to apparate himself to and from Hogwarts. He had taken more than one person with him, seriously depleting himself; he would have been fine if not for Lupin and Black seriously draining him. Going to Spinners End and back with him wasn't going to be a problem at all.
"Can I come with you? I'd like to gather what I've got too," admitted Remus, "It isn't much and it won't even take ten minutes."
"They will be watching your house," said Severus basically telling Remus that the answer was no.
"They will have your house under watch too, one extra wand might be what gets us back," Remus pointed out.
"Why do you want to stay?" asked Harry, the entire room was wondering the same thing, Black was the most vocal mind of all.
"I believe you, in regards to Dumbledore…it was my best friends he's responsible for killing. If you do take me back I'll end up in Azkaban for murdering him." said Remus and it would be during the full moon, nobody was more vicious than a werewolf whose pack mates had been murdered.
"Where will you go when you turn into a werewolf?" asked Harry.
"I'm hoping you would put me in that underground chamber you had us in," said Remus worried now that Harry didn't want him there.
"Sev what do you think?" asked Harry quietly.
"If he wants to stay, then let him." sighed Severus grudgingly. It wasn't Lupin he actually hated; in fact he was the one he tolerated out of them all. Although, he thought Lupin was the second biggest coward, out of the lot of them. Pettigrew was the biggest coward, and Severus wanted nothing more than to kill the bastard.
"Harry…do you really need to go? I don't have a good feeling about this," said Jean pleadingly.
"Nothing will happen mum, I'll be fine honest," said Harry and screw anyone that tried to get in his way. He wasn't the golden boy they imagined, if it came down to him or them he would win.
"Just be careful," cautioned Xavier having no doubts that as long as Severus was alive Harry would be fine.
"We will be," said Severus adamantly, he had heard Xavier's thoughts he might not be a mutant but he was a great wizard and he could hear people. Most assumed you needed spells and eye contact, but having done it as long as he did he only needed to see their eyes once. It was mostly said to make people feel better about people 'reading their thoughts' as it was.
"Logan can you take him down? I'll deal with him another day maybe Remus can talk some sense into him. If it doesn't work then we let him go," said Harry adamantly.
"No problem kid," said Wolverine grinning wolfishly.
"If I'm not needed I'd like to return to my students," said Storm, Cyclops, Bobby and his fiancée were all teaching classes. Rogue had taken the cure before Harry had taken everyone out, Bobby was now able to touch her without it causing pain, or taking away his powers. Both seemed so much happier with it, although she needed a new name now she wasn't Rogue anymore. She didn't have any powers, and Harry was only glad he had known her when she had that power.
"Thanks Storm," smiled Harry sweetly.
"No problem kiddo," laughed Storm amused with the innocent look Harry currently supported.
"Move," snapped Wolverine bringing Harry back to the situation at hand.
"Take me back now!" snapped Sirius angrily.
"I can't do that, I will not let you bring Dumbledore here, and I don't care whether you believe it or not he would see me dead. Just like my parents before me, you are supposed to be my godfather, act like it for once in your life." sneered Harry getting up and gesturing to Remus and Severus to follow him.
"Wand out Lupin, better safe than sorry, Spinners End first," said Severus holding Harry's hand.
Harry nodded in understanding he grabbed Remus' upper arm seeing he was reluctant to touch him since he knew he was abused. Most abused children flinched from touch, but Harry could hardly remember what they had done. He remembered some now thanks to Sirius Black, but it was mostly what his cousin had done to him.
The school disappeared from sight, and the next thing they knew they were in a bleak looking house.
"It's my parents house, I've not lived here since I was eighteen years old," explained Severus "But I've always put my things here, things I didn't want Dumbledore to know about." he had never fully trusted Dumbledore.
A sudden noise caught their attention, but whoever it was fell with a thump before they knew what happened. Harry was grinning like a Cheshire cat, making it obvious who had done that piece of handy work. Remus went to see who it was while Severus was using magic to detect anyone else in the house or nearby. Nobody else was in; whoever it was must be the only one. Satisfied with that Severus began summoning his things, placing them in a bag that seemed to hold too much for its small size. It must have been magically altered to fit everything inside of it. It was black just like everything else Severus seemed to own.
"It's Shacklebolt," said Remus coming back in.
"That's the best Auror?" scoffed Harry reading that in Remus' thoughts.
"On duty yes, I wouldn't like to face Mad-Eye," said Severus, Remus nodded in agreement. Nobody would want to face Mad-Eye, not even the Death Eaters. He alone had probably arrested more than anyone else in the Auror division alone.
Mad-Eye Moody was a retired Auror, best one the Ministry had ever seen, completely devoted to his job. He had never married or had children; it was even less likely now, since he was completely disfigured. He had lost an eye and leg in his battles with Dark Wizards over the years. His face and probably his body was littered with scars as well, no woman in their right mind would entertain him. Although, love wasn't exactly predictable or about looks really, at least it wasn't supposed to be. Mad-Eye probably wouldn't want one anyway; he was a paranoid bastard, likely to accuse them of something every day.
"I'll be right back," said Severus making his way down to his makeshift potions lab. He was more careful with his ingredients; shifting them all by hand ensuring nothing happened. He was currently in the processes of making his own lab in the school. As the potions classes had been given the go ahead, they just needed to copy the books and all was done. They wouldn't start that class till next year though, which was half a year, six months. In that time Severus was content to do experiments, something he hadn't been able to do before.
Life was changing and he had one young man to thank for it.
He owed Harry everything.
"Finished?" asked Harry once Severus came back to the living room.
"Yes," said Severus nodding quite happily, everything he owed was now safe.
"How did he manage to get in if your home was secure Severus?" asked Harry looking worried.
"They have a young man named Bill Weasley in the Order, he can see magic, and no doubt they used him to tear his wards down. He is very powerful, more powerful than even Dumbledore realizes I'll give him that much." replied Severus.
"Show me what your home looks like," said Harry, he needed to know what it looked like so he could apparate.
"Ready?" asked Harry once more once he had a grip of them both, their other hand held their wands.
"Go," said Severus, as Remus said "Yes,"
Spinners End disappeared and if Severus' house had been bad it was nothing on this place. It didn't look as if someone was living there. There were two seats in the living room, a table and a few wizarding nick knacks but that was it completely bare. The carpet was threadbare; he didn't want to look anywhere else for fear of what he might find.
"Urgh rats," grimaced Harry. He would rather be homeless than live here, rats were diseases waiting to happen.
"Stupefy!" snarled Remus at the rat.
"I didn't know rats could think," said Harry cocking his head to the side.
"That isn't a rat," snapped Remus walking over to the stunned rat.
"Well Severus, it looks like you've got your chance for revenge." stated Harry, him as well, this…rat had after all basically murdered his parents.
"Ready?" asked Remus grimly.
"Indeed," stated Severus viciously.
One spell later the rat was turning into a disgusting human being who actually looked like the animagus he was.
"Severus, Remus," said the rat as he tried to blend into the wall, fat chance of that. Both men were looking at him as if he was a very tasty morsel they had been dying on.
"Crucio!" snarled Severus furiously; he wasn't a spy anymore he didn't have to hold back.
Suddenly Peter Pettigrew was on the floor screaming his lungs out, wreathing horribly under the Cruciatus curse.
"We cannot stay too long, if there was someone at Severus' there might be someone coming here. So do what you need to do and let's get out of here." said Harry when Severus stopped the spell.
"Pity I didn't want him to die so soon," said Severus his lip curled in disgust. "Crucio," he said again for once in his existence he didn't feel sick at using the curse. If anyone deserved it, it was this disgusting man, who had also cursed hundred of innocents.
"Avada Kedavra," shouted Remus once Severus had finished with Pettigrew.
"Now we can leave." he said once the green mist disappeared.
"Does that spell hurt?" asked Harry who looked a little pale.
"No, Harry it doesn't." said Severus softly, going up to him and hugging him. Suddenly aware of what they had just done might have triggered him into remembering his parent's deaths.
Harry waved his wand in the direction of Pettigrew's body and it disappeared without trace.
"What did you just do?" asked Remus surprised.
"Made it disappear," said Harry dryly.
"How? Where did it go?" asked Remus nobody would make body's disappear like that it just wasn't done. Or people would have been getting away with murder for years.
"I don't know," shrugged Harry. He had seen many memories when Pettigrew was being tortured, what if he had the ability to kill Voldemort. Prophecy or not…could he really leave everyone here to the fate Voldemort wanted for them all? He suddenly understood why Severus had been so shocked. His world or not innocent people were dying; he'd like to think someone would help if it was his world.
"What are you thinking?" asked Severus he could only read a few of the words Harry was thinking and he didn't like what he could.
"What if I could defeat Voldemort? I could save many innocent people who can't…" said Harry softly.
"As you said before it isn't your duty, they have to learn to clean up after themselves instead of relying on a child." said Severus adamantly.
"I don't know Sev, one little spell and that's it his reign is over." replied Harry unsure.
Will Harry defeat Voldemort before going back or will Severus talk him out of it and have an unexpected hero rise to the occasion? if so who will it be? Neville? Luna? if Harry does do it will he take voldemort's body to the ministry before leaving again? or will someone take credit for something not their doing? *cough Dumbledore cough* and have the Order loose faith in him becuase of his lying and speak out against him? R&R please